#the kids have… two fathers now… and sasuke and naruto work together to be better dads and be present in their children’s lives laughs evilly

[moog-enthusiast]

SNS wedding + the kiddos

[dreadsuitsamus]

Family | Kakashi Hatake x Reader |

author's note: i love family man kakashi and i'm not sorry!! papashi has me in a chokehold, and i love, love, love writing these domestic au's that aren't entirely romance centered. this can be read as a standalone but serves as a follow-up to blessings

pairing: kakashi hatake x fem!reader

warnings: light angst, modern au, naruto and sasuke are adopted

"Incoming." Kakashi says lazily from his spot on the couch, watching out of the window as the school bus drops the kids off right in front of the house.

You smile to yourself in the kitchen, already having plated the sliced apples with a spoonful of peanut butter, plus some quartered string cheese sticks onto paper plates. Your boys are always hungry coming home from school, and lord forbid if you were running just a bit late.

The front door bursts open and your two second-grade sons, Naruto and Sasuke, rush inside. Naruto immediately jumps onto his father, his laughter bright when he starts to receive tickles from Kakashi's nimble fingers.

"Pa!" He shrieks, wiggling around and fruitlessly attempting to get away.

"Whaaaaat?" Kakashi snickers, still tickling his blond boy. "I thought you wanted to say hi to your Pa? This is hello!"

While Kakashi and Naruto play on the couch, Sasuke sulks into the kitchen. He's quiet as he sits at the table and pushes his plate aside to set his homework down, putting down two worksheets and his pencil pouch; his face is unreadable as he starts reading the instructions. He's a very diligent student already, which doesn't really surprise you much, so you smile and set down a pouch of fruit juice.

"Good afternoon, honey." You press a sweet smooch to his forehead. "How was school today?"

"S'okay." He mutters.

"Mm, alright." You give him another kiss and head back to the sink of dishes you'd put together to wash before your sons came home. Sasuke was always more reserved than Naruto, yet the feeling that something's wrong creeps up your back. You can't figure a way to explain it that makes sense— but you know your boy better than anyone else, even his father. Something is eating at him.

"Naruto, darling, come eat your snack and start your homework please!" You call out, and his speedy footsteps start rushing to the kitchen. Before sitting down, Naruto slings his backpack under the table and rushes to you, hugging the back of your legs.

"Thanks, Momma!"

Goodness you can't help the swell of your heart every time he calls you that. "You're very welcome, sweetheart. Go on now, before your juice gets warm."

Naruto runs to the table and immediately starts working on his snack, whereas Sasuke is diligently practicing his handwriting worksheet, snack forgotten. For his age he has incredible handwriting, unlike his brother's absolute chicken scratch. Hell, you think he just might have you beat too.

"Where's my snack?" Kakashi hums while walking into the kitchen, placing his hands on your hips and kissing just behind your ear. You chuckle softly and continue scrubbing a plate while your husband works his nimble fingers where your thighs and hips meet, ghosting his lips along the back of your neck.

"Hmmm, something tells me it's not in the kitchen."

"On the contrary, yes it is." He nips your neck sharply, smooching the same spot with a small, apologetic kiss.

"You want my apple, Pa?" Naruto asks, suddenly at your side, holding up an apple.

"Sure do, kiddo." Kakashi picks up Naruto, kissing his cheek before opening his mouth up for Naruto to place the apple into his mouth. He returns Naruto to the table and fishes his homework from his bag, setting it out in front of him as he finishes the bite. "I also want you to get these worksheets done."

Naruto pouts, but Kakashi pulls a chair to sit beside him. "Come on, they'll be quick and easy, and then you'll get to go play before dinner."

"Okay, Pa!" Naruto gets a pencil from his orange pencil pouch, and from there he and his father tackle the handwriting worksheet.

You finish the dishes and wipe off the counters, listening as Kakashi and Naruto work on the little one's homework. Your heart is always full in these moments, the ones where Kakashi can quickly transfer between husband and father with ease and be the man he's needed to be at any given time. He's the perfect man for this family.

Sasuke is just finishing his work up, neatly placing the worksheets into his folder and packing it back into his bookbag for safekeeping. You smile at your son when his eyes meet yours. "You didn't eat your snack, honeybunch."

"Not hungry." He sulks away and starts heading upstairs.

You frown and look back at your husband, whose eyes are met with yours. He nods in the direction of the stairs, his silver hair falling in front of his face. You sigh and begin heading upstairs to talk to Sasuke, Kakashi and Naruto's voices fading with each step upwards.

"Pa, you need a haircut!"

"You think so?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hmm, maybe you're right."

With a careful sigh as you walk to Naruto and Sasuke's room, your eyes sparkle in amusement at the various signs they made for their bedroom door, including one appropriately titled NO GIRLS (XCEPT MOMMA) with a drawing of a girl that looks suspiciously like Sakura crossed out.

You knock gently. "Sasuke, can I come in?"

"... Okay."

You open the door up and step in, noting the mess you didn't get to clean up today. Dinosaur toys litter the floor and their clothes are, frustratingly, everywhere but the hamper. You'll get to it tomorrow, you decide, and sit down on the edge of Sasuke's bed, where he's curled up with his Nintendo in his little hands.

"Talk to me, baby." You say softly. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." He shifts uncomfortably, eyes on the screen of his handheld.

"Mm, I know you better than to believe that, Sasuke. I can help you make it better if you tell me what's up, y'know."

His jaw tightens and his eyes darken. You've seen him angry before, typically at his slightly younger brother, but this is different than minor irritation. "I'm fine, Momma."

"Alright." You hold your hands up. "I'll let you play your game." Perhaps Kakashi will have better luck; Sasuke's always adored his Pa and their bond is stronger, just as your bond with Naruto is.

You stand and head for the door, glancing at the picture of your brother hanging on the wall beside Naruto's bed. Your fingers are gentle against the glass for just a brief moment as you look at the photo, touching it like how you long to just hug your brother one last time. The pain of how fast everything happened still echoes in your heart, even after seven years.

I miss you, Minato. I hope you're proud of me.

You shut the door behind you, unaware that Sasuke had watched your interaction with the photo. He sees it every time you do it. He and Naruto are aware they were adopted; you and Kakashi had sat the boys down a handful of months ago and told them the truth after Naruto asked why the man in the photo looked like him. Believing they deserved to know their own origins and wanting to teach them about their parents, you and Kakashi told them everything. That man was Naruto's biological dad that died when Naruto was born, along with his mother, Kushina. It rocked Sasuke to his core to learn that technically, you and Kakashi weren't really his parents. But you both had loved him and raised him all the same, and as far as he was concerned you really were his mother and father.

But the more he looks at Naruto and the picture of that man on the wall, the harder it becomes to not be jealous of his brother. That man on the wall was his dad, and you were that man's sister. He came from a completely different family and was only connected by a piece of paper because you felt sorry for him. He was placed into your life abruptly; you didn't choose him!

His real mother is dead, his real brother is gone, and his real father is in prison for the rest of his life. More and more he feels like he doesn't belong, even though he wants nothing more than to be here. He wants to continue being loved like he had been, and wishes every day that he didn't know the truth.

What were his parents like? His brother? Would he have been potentially even happier than he is now? Or would it be worse? He doesn't have an older brother, since Naruto is technically younger than him. Would Itachi have loved him? He hears Gaara talk all the time about his older siblings and how they play pranks on him sometimes, or how they can be mean to him. Was that the kind of brother he would've had, versus the energetic, annoying yet kind and loving brother he has now?

Would his real mom and dad love him as much as you and Pa do? He can't imagine what it would be like to not have you in his life. What if something happens and you send him away? Or what if his real father gets out of prison and he has to go live with a complete stranger?! He doesn't want to be alone.

Sasuke sniffles and turns off his Switch, curling into a ball and crying into his arms.

"No luck?" Kakashi murmurs in your ear once Naruto has finished his homework and gone outside to play with Gaara and Rock Lee.

"No." You shake your head, worrying your lower lip with your teeth as you rummage through the cabinets for some olive oil. "He doesn't want to talk with me about it. He doesn't even admit that there's something bothering him in the first place."

Kakashi's strong arms slip around your waist, halting your anxious rummaging and easing your nerves with a strong squeeze. "I'll give it a shot."

"I just want to know what he's so upset about." You whimper, sniffling as you brush away a tear threatening to slip from the corner of your eye.

"I know, baby. Just relax— what're you searching for?"

"Olive oil, I'm making yellow rice tonight." You murmur.

He turns his head and glances at the shopping list on the refrigerator, olive oil being the very first thing listed. Sasuke's heavy on your mind if you've already forgotten what you wrote down mere hours ago— and he'll be damned if he allows something to threaten his wife's happiness for long.

"I'll go pick some up."

"Thank you." Another sniffle is followed by two fresh tears falling down your cheeks, and Kakashi kisses them away before delicately pressing his lips into yours.

"I'll be right back." He promises, and as he scoops his wallet and keys into the pocket of his leather jacket, he takes one glance at the staircase before jogging up and heading towards Naruto and Sasuke's bedroom.

"Knock, knock." Kakashi says as he opens up the door; he's a little less afraid to invade the boy's privacy than you. "Sasuke, you're coming to the store with me."

"I don't wanna." Sasuke murmurs into his pillow, the fabric of the pillowcase thoroughly soaked in the midst of his post-cry, thousand-yard stare. He's facing the wall and away from his father, but the sound of Sasuke's congested voice is telling enough.

"It wasn't a request, Sasuke." Kakashi's tone is firm but gentle, and Sasuke knows better than to go against his father when he uses that voice. So he pushes himself up and slips on his favorite Crocs, head lowered as he follows Kakashi down the staircase. Kakashi turns his head in the direction of the kitchen, calling out to you. "I'm taking Sasuke with me, baby!"

"Be careful, I love you both!"

"I love you!" Kakashi yells back before heading out the front door with the boy, allowing him to sit in the front seat.

"Why were you crying?" Kakashi hums softly as they wade into traffic, stopping at the red light.

"I-I wasn't-"

"Sasuke, I've known you for your entire life. I know when you're upset, when you've cried— I even know when you need to poop."

"Pa!" Sasuke whines, chunky cheeks reddening.

"And so does Momma. Who, by the way, is worried sick about you."

Sasuke drops his head. He didn't mean to worry you; he just didn't want anything to happen if he opened Pandora's box. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, honey." Kakashi sighs softly, pressing his foot to the gas when the light turns green. "But I would like to know what's been making you so upset lately. You're not acting like my little boy. More and more you just seem so sad."

Sasuke sniffles as the tears rise back up again. "I am sad, Pa."

Kakashi turns into the parking lot of the grocery store, quickly finding an open spot and settling the car into it. "Why, baby? What happened?"

Sasuke's little hands cover his face and a broken sob leaves his lips, and in an instant Kakashi is out of the car and opening Sasuke's door, pulling him in for one of his strong, reassuring hugs. "Shhh, baby, it's okay…" He coos softly into his son's dark hair, rubbing large, warm circles against his back.

"I-I…" Another sob cuts him off and Kakashi feels the tears soaking his neck. What on earth has Sasuke so worked up?? It's entirely unlike him to be this way; neither of the boys ever had a penchant for crying, though if Kakashi had to pick a crier of the two, it would be Naruto.

"Take a deep breath, Sasuke." Kakashi murmurs, continuing to rub the little one's back. "Big, relaxing breath. In through your nose, out through your mouth." He coaches gently, pressing a soft kiss to Sasuke's raven hair.

"I don't wanna go away!" Sasuke's cry is muffled into Kakashi's chest, and the doting father blinks.

"Sasuke-" Kakashi pulls back enough to see his son's red, tear-stained face. "Why do you think that would happen??"

"B-Because I'm not s'posed to be here! I-I'm from a different fam'ly!"

Kakashi's poor heart shatters at the idea that's been running through his boy's head, and he gathers up Sasuke in a tight, warm hug, nearly crushing the boy to his chest. "Sasuke." He chides softly. "You're here with us because that's where the universe decided you needed to be; and while you may have been born under a different name, you are my son."

"B-But what about Naruto?" He asks, sounding so small and frightened and god Kakashi has never been happier that Sasuke confides in him rather than you, because if you were to hear this from Sasuke directly, you'd surely create a new Nile river from your tears alone.

"What about Naruto?" Kakashi hums. "He's with this family for the same reason you are; you needed us. And we needed you guys just as much. I'd dare say me and Momma needed you more than ever." You two have certainly grown closer and developed an even stronger marriage as a result of the sudden parenthood.

"But he's Momma's nephew." Sasuke whimpers, and that's when it truly clicks for Kakashi.

"Sasuke, honey… Did you know that your Momma was adopted too?"

And judging by the blink and the physical recoil as Sasuke finally looks into his father's eyes, Kakashi deduces that he did not.

"She- She was?"

Kakashi can't help but laugh; to him you're so obviously not biologically related to Naruto, but he supposes children wouldn't think twice about it. And they shouldn't, he reasons. You all are as much of a family as any other; he loves his babies, and they are his. "I speak nothing but the truth, kiddo."

"Oh…" Sasuke wipes at his wet eyes, Kakashi supplying him with a napkin from his glove compartment.

"I don't know what's gone through that mind of yours, but listen to me now, Sasuke. You make this family whole. If any one of us were to go away, it would be incomplete. You and your brother are mine and Momma's greatest blessings; do you understand? We love you, Sasuke. We have since the very day you were put into our care, and that's why we adopted you."

"Not just 'cause you had to?" Sasuke murmurs as Kakashi takes over the napkin operation, wiping away Sasuke's tears and snotty nose.

"Of course not; if we didn't want to raise you, we would have sent you to foster care. And that was absolutely not going to happen."

"Okay." Sasuke sniffles again, but his heart fills with hope at his father's promises— Pa doesn't tell lies, after all, so he trusts the claims.

"C'mon now, we gotta get Momma some olive oil." Kakashi stands and tosses the napkin into a nearby trash can, chuckling softly when Sasuke slips his little hand in his father's much larger one.

They retrieve the oil quickly, and at the checkout Kakashi picks up a candy bar with a sly wink to Sasuke. "Don't tell your mother we had candy before dinner. And absolutely do not tell Naruto." Kakashi could never dream of sneaking in some candy before dinner with his other boy, as much as he loves him. He's just too damn talkative!

Sasuke smiles, tears and worries already long forgotten by the time they finish their chocolate bar and head home. Sasuke rushes in for a big hug, and while it briefly shocks you (Sasuke never does this; it's certainly one of Naruto's signature moves) you manage to get it together and hug your little man. "Hey baby. Thank you for going with Pa to get Momma some olive oil."

"You're welcome, Momma."

"I'll go get Naruto." Kakashi hums, leaving you and Sasuke to cook the rice together and set the table after giving you a kiss and a hidden smirk, and you smile to yourself— Kakashi's taken care of everything.

Kakashi returns after a few minutes with Naruto on his back, and loudly your son begins explaining how he and his friends were playing ninja, and that he was so clearly the best one. Sasuke frowns and interjects— clearly he would be the better shinobi, and you laugh to yourself as they begin to argue.

Kakashi follows you to the kitchen, holding you from behind as you get the rice going. "He's all better now."

"I can tell." You coo and turn your head to recieve a kiss from your husband. "My magic man…"

The corner of your husband's lip quirks up, and he gives you a lingering kiss, gently swaying with you until you've got the rice set and turning you to face him for a slow dance in the middle of the kitchen. You hum a soft tune and follow his lead, the sound of the boy's arguing over what wins between wind and fire tuning out when Kakashi's soft, pink lips are back on yours once again.

"I love you." You murmur against his lips.

"I love you more." Kakashi presses his chin on the top of your head, pulling you impossibly closer and slipping his eyes shut. "Without you, I don't have this family."

"We're all equally important in that regard." You kiss above his heart. "We made this together."

Kakashi smirks and catches Sasuke's eye once he realizes they boys have stopped arguing, giving him a subtle wink and feeling his heart grow impossibly fonder of his family when Sasuke grins at him. He could never, would never find a better life for him than the one he's got now.

[randomchaosyay]

Please may I have Naruto Platonic headcanons of Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno with a childhood friend who is exactly like Yukio Okumura from Blue exorcist and he is also Sasuke Uchiha's younger twin brother. He used to be a crybaby and was picked on quite often during childhood. He grew out of it when he was 7 and started training as a ninja around that time and he became a Jonin at the age of 11. He didn't spiral on a path of revenge like Sasuke but it was clear the relationship between Sasuke and him was not the same anymore. *he did gain more fangirls than his brother though..and he wasn't picked on anymore*. He is a highly skilled Uchiha and that much was obvious.

Naruto's relationship with him from childhood to now

Sakura's relationship with him from childhood to now

Sasuke Uchiha's relationship with his brother from childhood to now

Kakashi's relationship with him

Team 7 - Platonic Childhood Relationships

Warnings: None

Naruto Uzamaki

- He always saw you crying and alone when you two were kids so from the beginning he liked you more than Sasuke

- He could empathize with the loneliness

- Once you guys werewere forced to hang around each other he didn’t really like you as much

- You were a stickler for the rules and a bit standoff ish and always surrounded with fan girls

- So he was jealous and found you annoying like he did with Sasuke

- But then came a day where he unlocked your Traumatic Backstory TM

- Because of that he was able to know you and understand you better and you two became close

- I think you and Naruto would have gotten the closest out of everyone and became really good friends

- Even in the war, you two would always look out for each other

Sakura Haruno

- She thought you were annoying at the start

- A crybaby, she thought your brother was much cooler than you and probably used you a couple times just to talk to him

- As your personality started changing though she started talking to you more

- After spending more time with her and team seven, as well as being a jonin at an exceptionally young age Sakura liked you a lot

- It was probably your mysterious personality she was drawn too

- However the more you hung out with Naruto the more she started liking and talking to Sasuke and using you again

- By the time the war was over though, you two put your past aside and managed to become pretty good friends

Sasuke Uchiha

- Before everything with Itachi happened you two were inseparable

- You did everything together

- But once it was all done, he slowly started growing distant

- You were all each other had and your bond deepend initially

- However that didn’t last long

- Sasuke hated your crybaby attitude and it wasn’t long before you drifted from one another

- Once you two had to spend more time together again it took a while for you two to get warmed up to each other again

- The past and his jealousy of you being a jonin greeting in the way of a stable sibling relationship

- It took a while but you two managed to make amends

- When he set out to take revenge on Itachi, he tries to convince you to come, hating you when you refused, hating that you were stronger than him and wouldn’t avenge your clan

- Your relationship was in shambles once again

- Once he returned you two worked together when you had to but still usually avoided each other when possible

- After the war was over you two started working on fixing your relationship once again

Kakashi Hatake

- He practically adopted you

- He saw himself in you and knew he wanted to protect you

- No matter the situation Kakashi was always there for you to help

- He became a very important father figure in your life

- Helped you learn a lot of the Uchiha techniques

- He helped you with your training as a jonin and went with you on your first few missions to get you used to it

- You two had a really close bond

- Once the war started he tried to get you on he easier missions not wanting to lose you in the war.

- You mananged to convince him you could handle the war and the two of you stayed together through thick and thin

- Once the war was over you helped him with his duties and made sure everything went well

[lavender-long-stories]

Spoilers for What He Left Behind | Chapter 1 | Rated T

“So you married her, knocked her up, and decided this isn’t what you wanted?” Sasuke asked in disbelief, staring at Naruto, who sat at his table looking like he was talking about the weather.

“Yeah,” Naruto shrugged, sipping his beer.

“You’re an asshole,” Sasuke told him flatly. After a few more moments of thought, he added. “Get out.”

“What?” Naruto asked, surprised.

“You aren’t staying here,” Sasuke growled. “I am not your rebound.”

“Just for a day or two until I leave?” Naruto bargained.

“No.” Sasuke snapped. “You want adventure, then fuck off and find it. I’m not being an accomplice to you abandoning your WIFE and KID like some whore you took in for the sex.”

Naruto looked down at his beer with a pout, silently getting up, leaving it on the table, and picking up his coat.

Sasuke rubbed his face and sighed as the door closed. 

What the hell was he thinking? Naruto had done nothing but talk about how great she was from the day they started dating, but now that he realized he was going to be a father, the ONE thing he always wanted when they were kids, he got cold feet. 

Sasuke looked at his beer and sighed. He needed better friends.

--**--

Sasuke looked around the half-emptied apartment from the door, and his eyes rested on the puffy, tear-streaked face of the single inhabitant. 

“Shit, I can’t believe he did it so soon.” He shouldn’t have said that. Sasuke cringed, expecting her to blow up on him for knowing and not warning her, but she didn’t. She just looked at him, completely numb, lifeless, like she cried all she could, and nothing could make her feel worse at rock bottom.

“I’ll have to… call some friends,” Hinata whispered to herself. Her voice was strained, like it was hard to make the thought. She was so shut down that holding herself up was laborious. Sasuke was sure that she probably could afford the apartment on her own now, but maybe not with the added expense of a kid.

Sasuke rubbed his head in panic and frustration. What the hell was he doing even being here? He came to talk Naruto out of leaving. Now, what did he do? 

Hinata didn’t tell him to leave, didn’t stop him from entering, just offered a quiet. ‘He isn’t here.’ She waited for him to say something or leave her to her misery. Sasuke could feel the loss coming off her like waves. 

“...Stay here for a few more days, pack up your stuff...and… dammit, you can stay with me for a while.” Sasuke huffed.

Some color came to her face as she managed to look surprised. 

Sasuke hated Naruto so much right now. This family was all he ever talked about, and to just toss it like this made him sick. He didn’t know this woman well, but after all the shit Naruto said about her being his dream just to drop her. Sasuke couldn’t, even with his terrible conscience, leave her like this. 

Hinata didn’t argue with him, but he honestly didn’t think she had the energy. Sasuke rubbed his face. How was he going to do this? There was an extra room in his apartment. He was using the space for storage, and the odd time Naruto crashed. She could be moved in there. It wasn’t that much farther from her job. It would work. 

This could work.

Why he was taking responsibility for this? It wasn’t his kid. He hadn’t walked out. But that’s what he did, right? Clean up Naruto’s messes, though he’d be damned if he did that again. This was the last one. If it weren’t for the fact Naruto ruined her life with one decision, Sasuke wouldn’t even have done this much, but damn it, the life was sucked out of her.

Hinata pressed her lips together, leaning against the table in the hall by the door, and looked back at the beautiful home she created for her marriage. “I don’t want any of it.” She whispered, her lip quivering.

“Then… grab what you do want. And we can have the rest sold. You won’t even have to look at it.” Sasuke problem solved. He looked over the house and felt a pit of disgust. She laid her hand on her stomach, and her face got more grave. Maybe she needed more help.

Sasuke swallowed his own discomfort. “You know what. Let’s do that now.” He stepped past her, and she did as he hoped, following him as he headed to the bedroom. “Where do you keep your suitcase?”

Hinata weakly pointed to the top of the closet, where it was clear that the other suitcase was missing and the closet was half empty. The sickening abandonment irradiated with the lack of care Naruto took to rip his things out. 

Sasuke grabbed it, laying it open on the bed. He pulled out as many clothes as he could off the bar to lay by the suitcase. “Anything you want to take out?” It wasn’t all going to fit, but they could also make a second trip with some boxes.

Hinata pressed her lips together, looking down like she was seeing something clearly for the first time since he had come in. She picked up the first dress and dropped it to the floor-sweeping it away with her foot with all the strength she could muster, which honestly wasn’t much, but the intention was there. He frowned at the fabric as she started pulling clothing off their hangers and neatly folding them. Others joined the dress on the floor, but the first one stuck out. 

Sasuke remembered that dress, red. It looked horrible on her pale skin. Hinata wore it to their anniversary dinner. She was all smiles until, oh.

Hinata finished the set, and he got her another bundle. When done with the closet, she got enough momentum. She pulled open drawers and did the same on her own. Another thing to join the dress on the floor was lingerie. He scrunched his face. He could understand that. He didn’t like Naruto’s tastes either, and honestly, they looked uncomfortable. The last thing she would want to remember was those.

With the suitcases looking full, he dug in the closet for a box or another bag. Hinata was ahead of him. She pulled a duffle out from under the bed and dumped the contents out onto the floor. It looked like some of Naruto’s things. She stepped over the pile and filled the bag with anything else she wanted, her face set to a hardened yet somehow still gentle scowl as she weakly but intentionally shoved her things into her bag. She moved past him. He stepped out of her way quickly as she dug into the closet. She pushed a box out of the way and exploded as the top came off, and stacks of pictures fell to the floor. She didn’t even give it a look as she pulled what she wanted out. 

Pictures of them all through high school cluttered the floor. Some fell face down with notes and dates. ‘When I fell in love with your smile.’ That camera she kept with her all through school, and these weren’t Naruto’s sloppy scripts.

The story just painted itself with more details that made him hollow. Hinata lost everything she had ever wanted.

Hinata stepped out of the room, came back with an arm full of things from other rooms, and then struggled to zip the duffle bag. Her hand slipped she let out a frustrated squeak. 

“I’ve got it.” Sasuke moved to zip it for her and picked it up, and she gazed up at him, broken tears starting to fall again. “You think you’re ready?”

She gave a solemn shake of her head, but what choice did she have?

--**--

Hinata slept on the couch the first night. She didn’t even change out of her clothes. She curled up while he made some arrangements, and he threw a blanket over her when he discovered her passed out. She must have been tired. It was weird, but he knew the autopilot feeling after his parents died. He was numb for weeks. Everything felt like a chore to do, and he was only a kid. She was an adult, who just found out she was pregnant, and she was mourning her loss. He wasn’t sure if she had been angry yet, but if not, what she had displayed in her apartment was likely a drop in the barrel. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see it when it split. But he would. He had made this decision.

He emptied the drawers out of an extra dresser and pushed it into the spare room. He threw what was scattered into boxes and put them all in the corner. He would go through it later. He meant to get rid of some of it anyway. He had a spare futon in his closet, ironically when Naruto got too drunk to head home independently. He tossed a clean pillow and blanket on it and headed back to the living room. Hinata slept through the whole commotion. 

Sasuke wiped the sweat from his forehead and set his hands on his hips, debating moving her to the futon, but he decided not to disturb her rest. He pulled his shirt off on the way to the shower.

--**--

Breakfast was quiet, and the air was tense. Sasuke pointed her to the bathroom, showed her how to turn on his shower, where he kept his towels, and that all was all the more he said to her. He didn’t keep much food, so he waited for her to be done with her shower and dressed and took her down to the coffee shop he usually hit on weekend mornings.

The first thing she said all morning other than thank you was. “This is the worst pastry.” She mumbled as she continued eating it in little picked-off chunks. 

Sasuke snorted. “Yeah, the coffee isn’t that good either.” 

Hinata looked out the window at the street. “Why do you come here?”

“As bad as the coffee is, it’s close, and I can’t make it myself.” He admitted with a sigh.

“I can,” Hinata whispered, eating the last crumbs of her pastry. “I can do that.” She whispered again. It was an offer. She was offering a service for her stay.

Sasuke licked his lips and thumbed the rim of his cup. “If you want.”

They were strangers. They knew of each other, but other than the passing comment or question, the only thing they had in common abandoned them both. Now that he wasn’t here, the air was empty, and he could feel the void between them.

--**--

Hinata put all of her things away in the drawers of the dresser he put in her room. He found another place for his old guitar and random junk. He dug through it. Some of it went to the trash, and some of it got shoved in the closet in his room. Against her best wishes, she decided to go back to the apartment to pack some more things, mostly her kitchen supplies, and though most of them were wedding gifts which left a sour taste in her mouth, she couldn’t cook with just chopsticks and one pan. Did Sasuke only eat out? She took one final look and snapped some pictures with her phone before sending a text to Naruto. He could have the rest. His name was on the lease. It wasn’t her problem.

Hinata went to work against Sasuke’s recommendation to call in a sick day. She regretted it. It was clear to everyone there was something wrong, and no one wanted her to have peace. The next day was just the same, if not worse, and by the third day, she called in sick for the rest of the week. 

She bought groceries for his home. How did he still eat only take-out and quick-cooked rice? The thought brought pain to her heart. When she started living with Naruto, he lived on ramen cups and didn’t understand her need for fruit.

When she made her list, Sasuke told her what he did and didn’t like it. She cooked, he would mumble a compliment, and she would wash the dishes and look through her phone before she went to bed.

It was like merely surviving for either of them, but it would do for now.

What He Left Behind

Pairing: Sasuke x Hinata Rating: T

Description: When Sasuke is confronted with an abandoned pregnant Hinata, he does the only thing he can think to do, he takes her in. Strangers to friends. Friends to lovers.

Tags: Pregnancy  |  Romance  |  Domestic Fluff  |  Happy Ending  |  Fluff and Angst  |  Hurt/Comfort

[ddmienz]

You got anymore hc of obirin?

How about ObiRin and their kids again, since I've mentioned that several times? :3

~~

-I mentioned that they would have two kids; their eldest one would be a boy, and their second child would be a girl. No, their kids will not be annoying and spoiled. Honestly, I imagine that they would have very calm, collected, and gentle children, and would be very close as siblings because that's what Obito wants to have in his family - the closeness that he never had as a young child who had no parents.

-Rin is a doting and supportive mother, and Obito is a kind father who would do his best to be there for his kids even as the Hokage. It's important to him to make time for them - he would delegate some tasks to Kakashi, who is his right-hand man and was once a potential Hokage candidate, so that he can be there for his wife, son and daughter.

-They would teach their children what it means to be humble; especially Obito; he wants them to know that they are lucky to have everything in a shinobi world that only takes and takes - and that he's doing his best to rectify that system as a Hokage, which is why he works so hard.

-His son is a "happy accident", lol, but their daughter is not. They definitely discussed it and when Rin was pregnant with their daughter, their son was pretty curious and he ended up putting Rin and Obito in the awkward position of answering a child's question of how babies were made, lol.

-Their daughter adores her father; so she always ends up being the one to deliver Obito's bento to his office at the Hokage Mansion, lol, and Rin would tag along.

-Obito and his son would bond through training together and having deep conversations about the Uchiha Clan, the shinobi world, goals and dreams - maybe even a little bit about romance, in which Obito starts to throw needless love advice to his son and ends up confusing him, lol. His daughter loves learning Fire jutsus, so Obito would always teach her some signature Uchiha techniques, and while he does train his daughter, it always ends up becoming a playful moment with her.

-Rin bonds with their kids by always being there to support them emotionally, and teaching them and tutoring them, and even sharing some medical ninjutsu knowledge that would help them later on. She's their best listener, and she always knows the right thing to tell them and make them feel better. She'd be the one to pick them up from the playground when they're playing with their classmates, and taking them out for treats sometimes or even have a little picnic with them by her favorite spot at the park, and even training them every now and then.

-Their kids are very close with Team 7 and Kakashi! And even Minato and Kushina. They're usually spending time with Team 7 - Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto, shuriken training with Sasuke, Sakura teaches them some taijutsu and a bit of medical ninjutsu, and Kakashi is already their godfather, and he would teach them whatever advanced techniques they need to know. When they're older, they'd be fun cousins towards Team 7's kids! :) Sarada would have them as her fun cousins, lol.

~~That's it for now! Feel free to share with me what you have in mind, and maybe I'll add more to this when I think of something else. :3

[tsukuyomii45]

ObiRin HCs: Kids (Infinite Dream)

-I mentioned that they would have two kids; their eldest one would be a boy(happy accident), and their second child (on purpose) would be a girl. No, their kids will not be annoying and spoiled. Honestly, I imagine that they would have very calm, collected, and gentle children, and would be very close as siblings because that's what Obito wants to have in his family - the closeness that he never had as a young child who had no parents.

-Rin is a doting and supportive mother, and Obito is a kind father who would do his best to be there for his kids even as the Hokage. It's important to him to make time for them - he would delegate some tasks to Kakashi, who is his right-hand man and was once a potential Hokage candidate, so that he can be there for his wife, son and daughter.

-They would teach their children what it means to be humble; especially Obito; he wants them to know that they are lucky to have everything in a shinobi world that only takes and takes - and that he's doing his best to rectify that system as a Hokage, which is why he works so hard.

-His son is a "happy accident", lol, but their daughter is not. They definitely discussed it and when Rin was pregnant with their daughter, their son was pretty curious and he ended up putting Rin and Obito in the awkward position of answering a child's question of how babies were made, lol.

-Their daughter adores her father; so she always ends up being the one to deliver Obito's bento to his office at the Hokage Mansion, lol, and Rin would tag along.

-Obito and his son would bond through training together and having deep conversations about the Uchiha Clan, the shinobi world, goals and dreams - maybe even a little bit about romance, in which Obito starts to throw needless love advice to his son and ends up confusing him, lol. His daughter loves learning Fire jutsus, so Obito would always teach her some signature Uchiha techniques, and while he does train his daughter, it always ends up becoming a playful moment with her.

-Rin bonds with their kids by always being there to support them emotionally, and teaching them and tutoring them, and even sharing some medical ninjutsu knowledge that would help them later on. She's their best listener, and she always knows the right thing to tell them and make them feel better. She'd be the one to pick them up from the playground when they're playing with their classmates, and taking them out for treats sometimes or even have a little picnic with them by her favorite spot at the park, and even training them every now and then.

-Their kids are very close with Team 7 and Kakashi! And even Minato and Kushina. They're usually spending time with Team 7 - Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto, shuriken training with Sasuke, Sakura teaches them some taijutsu and a bit of medical ninjutsu, and Kakashi is already their godfather, and he would teach them whatever advanced techniques they need to know. When they're older, they'd be fun cousins towards Team 7's kids! :) Sarada would have them as her fun cousins, lol.

[animeomegas]

I read the Naruto Omega request with the alpha commenting about how their kid is just like their Omega (and I loved it so much) but what if the kid is just like their Alpha parent? Like the Alpha hit copy/paste of their kid and it's obvious to everyone, especially their Omega parent.

(Hehe, the reverse, interesting! I got a bit carried away in some places, but this was really fun to write! Enjoy~)

Naruto - Naruto knows his pup looks a lot like his alpha, but they're also like him!! He can see it just fine! You see the way they don't like reading kanji? He didn't like reading kanji when he was their age! You see the way they scratch their head sometimes? He does that too! As far as he's concerned there is lots of him in his child and he doesn't know why no one else seems to see it. He will definitely dress them in the worst orange clothes and style their hair like his to try and get everyone else to notice the similarities.

"No, Kakashi sensei, you don't get it! I had to walk past Ichiraku's the other day and my pup started to cry because we were in too much of a rush to go in. They have great taste, just like me, believe it!"

Sasuke - Sasuke didn't think he was the sort to care that much, but he's honestly a little shocked. Uchiha genes are crazy strong, and he's surprised that his alpha's genes are apparently stronger. He also gets kinda embarrassed because he spent his whole pregnancy telling you that the pup was probably going to look a lot like him and he was very obviously wrong about that. But in the end, he honestly kind of likes it. He doesn't have the best self-esteem and he definitely holds a somewhat subconscious belief that the Uchiha bloodline is cursed, so he finds it relaxing for his pup to look so much like his alpha. It makes him feel like they have a chance at a good life, something he didn't even realise he was worried about beforehand. He prefers his pup to look as much like his alpha as possible.

"Huh," said Naruto, giving Sasuke's pup a glance. "If you were an alpha, I'd say your mate cheated on you, but I guess the pup came out of you, so I suppose you're all good."

"Tch, idiot," Sasuke scoffed, gently brushing his child's hair (his alpha's hair that he loved so much) from her eyes. "Don't be so crude."

Shino - He doesn't really notice, not at first, too enamoured by the fact that his pup is beautiful and amazing and someone him and his mate created together. But after a few comments from others, he starts to realise how little of him seemed to be part of that creation, and he gets a bit melancholic about it. Don't get him wrong, he thinks his alpha has amazing genetics and he loves them both but... he's been excluded from a lot in his life and the fact that he appears to have been excluded from this as well. It hurts. Thankfully, as soon as the pup is old enough to start dressing in the Aburame clan clothes, everyone immediately starts calling them a mini-Shino, telling him how much like their father they are etc. He always puffs up in pride and it doesn’t take long for his friends to notice and they make sure to say that as much as possible to him. I imagine his alpha also picks up on it and goes out of their way to point out the similarities.

"I had to pull him away from exploring in the woods today," you inform Shino, having just walked in from a walk with your pup to allow Shino some peace to clean the kitchen. "He didn't like being told he wasn't old enough yet. Much like someone else I used to know~"

"Is that so?" Shino felt like his heart might burst from happiness that his child loved looking for bugs in the woods as much as he did. "I'll have to take him there tomorrow. Why? Because I want him to be happy."

Shikamaru - If his child doesn't learn to appreciate the beauty of a nap soon, Shikamaru may just have to disown him. He's joking, of course, but he's another one who firmly believed in the dominant genes in his clan, so he is shocked to find that there is now a tiny clone of his alpha running around their house. His pup and his mate gang up on him all the time… poor long suffering Shikamaru. Apart from missing valuable napping/cloud gazing time, Shikamaru doesn't care that much, although he finds it distantly amusing that the future clan head looks nothing like a Nara. Maybe they’ll gain more of his traits as they get older, maybe they won’t, they’re his precious little pup either way.

“If I promise to give you some chocolate later, will you come and take a nap with daddy?”

“No, no, no! Don’t want to! Want to play!”

Shikamaru just let out a long-suffering sigh and resigned himself to being awake for the whole day. Troublesome.

Neji – Neji is so fucking over the moon, he can’t even put it into words. The second he sees his child’s eyes for the first time, Neji starts to cry. They have your eyes. In other words, they have no chance of developing the Byakugan and therefore no need to be given the caged bird seal. The weight that lifts off his shoulders is massive. He has no room in his emotions for any sadness that his pup doesn’t look like him, because he knows how unbelievably lucky he got with this.

You sat by Neji’s bedside, pup cradled in their arms, as you waited for him to come to after the c-section surgery.

When Neji’s eyes finally fluttered open, he immediately focused on the bundle in your arms.

“It’s a little girl,” you answered, understanding his silent question. “Either a beta or an omega.”

Neji didn’t speak, simply holding out his arms to take his daughter from his mate. But just as they transferred him his pup, they whispered something in his ear.

“She has my eyes.”

An unremarkable statement to most, but Neji startled and checked immediately. You were right. She had your eyes.

Exhausted, Neji burst into tears, leaning on his alpha for support and mentally thanking every power that may be for this miracle.

Iruka – Iruka doesn’t have any strong feelings either way. He just wanted someone to love and nurture, what they look like doesn’t mean anything to him. In fact, he’s pretty happy that his pup and his alpha are so similar because it makes him feel like he knows how to parent successfully. He knows his alpha better than anyone after all, so a pup who has the same personality and motivations should be easier for him to parent. He acknowledges every comment about how much his pup looks like you with a laugh. It’s true and it is a little amusing how similar the two of you are. (Also, does Iruka take all your baby photos and then stage matching ones with your pup because he thinks it’s cute how similar you are? Absolutely.)

“Here, if you eat all your vegetables, you can have some of this afterwards,” Iruka promised to his pup, brandishing a plate of both his mate’s and his pup’s favourite food. Without even a moment of consideration, his pup started to eat his vegetables.

Iruka smiled to himself. Works every time. (On both the most important people in his life.)

Itachi – Much like Neji, he’s very relieved that his child is unlikely to be able to unlock the Sharigan. The sharigan has brought Itachi very little good and so much suffering, so knowing his child can avoid that makes him extremely happy. Not to mention, the elders pretty much discard his pup as unimportant immediately, just how Itachi likes it, and while they do start harassing him about having more children, he would much rather that they were bothering him than his baby. He doesn’t let himself be disappointed that his child doesn’t look much like him. He has a healthy and happy pup that he loves with all his heart, and who is free from the perpetual harassment from the Uchiha elders. That’s the best situation he could have asked for.

“They don’t look like an Uchiha,” a blunt twelve-year-old Sasuke said, tilting his head at the bundle in his brother’s arms like he’d never seen a baby before.

Itachi didn’t take any offence and laughed softly, still very weak from the birth.

“Well, technically they are only half-Uchiha,” Itachi answered, absently stroking his pup’s head. “And I think they’re perfect.”

[an-ambivalent]

WARNING: This post contains yandere and violent themes (mentions of murder and brainwashing) and other toxic and creepy behaviours that can be triggering and uncomfortable to read. So read at your own risk. This work is purely fictional. I do not condone this toxic behaviour irl. 

Fandom: Naruto 

Pairings: Itachi x Reader | Shisui x Reader | Sasuke x Reader

Status: Headcanons and scenarios mixed hybrid, requested. 

Ask:  Scenario where Yandere!Itachi, Yandere!Shisui, Yandere!Sasuke and Yandere!Obito realizes that they all have feelings for you and since they're family, they decided that they are going to share.

A/N:   I’m didn’t add Obito to this scenario because I don’t see this dynamic working with him in the mix. Although Obito is an Uchiha, frankly speaking, Itachi didn’t ever trust him. Sasuke used him for his own means didn’t care about him other than that either way. As far as Shisui is concerned, he never really interacted with Obito. 

Itachi and Shisui are best friends, and Itachi and Sasuke are siblings (who do care for each other). Sasuke is stubborn about his own ideals but he can still be persuaded by Itachi, and given that Itachi and the Uchiha clan respected Shisui a lot, Sasuke would do too. So, a dynamic with these three choosing to co-operate is plausible. But with Obito.... not really. I just don’t see how he would fit in this scenario.  So, hopefully this explanation clarifies why Obito wasn’t added to the scenario.

No beta, we die like men. I wrote this at like 2 am so idgaf about grammar errors atm ^.< 

Your background: To be in a position where you can interact with all these three simultaneously, you would have to be part of the Uchiha clan yourself. The only other way might be that you’re Itachi’s classmate and progressed exactly like he did. But then, it just feels like copying and pasting Itachi’s character and that’s no fun.

No ‘duplicate version of another character’ in this household. So there’s two choices for your background that can nonetheless lead to the same scenario. Thus, you can choose whatever floats your boat: 1) you’re the first daughter of the main branch of another clan of your choice, and for some time now, your clan and the Uchiha clan have been planning to form an alliance together. What better way to do that than to arrange a marriage between the two first children of the main branch from both clans that “coincidentally” have to be the same age?

2) You’re an Uchiha child, born to parents who are from one of the side branches of the clan. There isn’t many other kids to interact with, and despite being a side branch member, your father is one of the most respected shinobi in the clan. So, your future as a ninja is given, and with his interactions and meetings  with Fugaku, he takes you along with him. As a result, your introduction with Itachi is inevitable. And so by extension, you will also meet Shisui and Sasuke. And given your father’s good relationship with Fugaku, mayhaps your parents went ahead and arranged your marriage with Itachi behind your back and not notifying you yet.

PSA: For the age balance, you are Itachi’s age in this scenario. Shisui is 2-4 years older than Itachi and Itachi is 4 years older than Sasuke. Having a maximum of 8 years age gap if you were Sasuke’s age, or Shisui’s age, would be a lot LOL. Besides, Itachi would be the mediator between Sasuke and Shisui, so you building a relationship with him first makes the most sense.

Introduction / Meeting

Itachi

You and Itachi are forced to spend time together as ‘playmates’ while your parents discuss ‘official business’ (the arrange marriage) with Fugaku and Mikoto. Itachi is overly polite but there’s an icy coldness underlining his polite greetings and one-word answers he gives to your questions when you try to start a conversation.

You aren’t dumb. You were raised with high expectations placed on your shoulders so although you’re not a prodigy at his level, you have more than enough intelligence to know that he’s patronizing you. And unlike him, you aren’t an immature coward who hides behind their passive-aggressive remarks. Whatever you have to say, you communicate it bluntly. So, you don’t hesitate to spew out what you really think of him (a coward who takes his frustrations out on others aka you, who is also in the same situation, instead of facing his problems), and leave his pretty boy face behind in shock.

You were five when this happened.

Sasuke: Overtime, your ‘playdates’ with Itachi became a norm. You were forced to visit him many times and spend time with him given that he is your future husband. (You don’t know that yet, but at this point, Itachi has his suspicions that something is up).

His baby brother is his entire life. Sasuke makes him smile in the way no one else does, so its no wonder you met him eventually.

You were first held Sasuke was he was about fourteen months old. He was a small, chubby, innocent little thing with his already haughty attitude. He had no problem crying in the arms of the people he didn’t like, which was almost everyone outside of his immediate family. But when you held him, despite Itachi’s warnings that “he doesn’t like everyone” but he instantly liked you (much to his displeasure), you instantly became attached to him. Then in the following years, you babysat him a lot. He was the cute little younger sibling you wanted but never had, so you spoiled him to bits. And with the attention and love you gave him, Sasuke loved you too. Not to mention, unlike everyone else in his family, who picked Itachi over him, you picked him over Itachi.

How can he not fall in love with you?

Shisui: More often than not these days, Shisui would silently watch and observe Itachi. For a six years old, it was terrifying for him how he was already adapting to the shinobi lifestyle is so easily; being an emotionless robot and extremely talented.

But, over the past few days, gone were the seemingly emotionless robot. Instead, he had changed into a boy who acted like how a six year old was supposed to act: whiny, pouty, and frustrated (to an extent), but happy at the same time. It was entertaining for him to watch Itachi’s expressions shift from one to another every moment as he grumbled about you underneath his breath. Shisui was ready to tease him about it, but you had beat him to it.

You had appeared out of nowhere and were hosting the two-years-old Sasuke on your shoulders for a piggy back ride. No one was given any time to react, before rude remarks were slipping out your lips that just humiliated his precious friend into a fumbling mess.

Itachi had tried to get back at you, he really did. But your mouth ran like a sailor and you had a witty remark prepared for everything. It was such a contrast to the “perfect princess” show you put on before your and his parents. And each time, your response was more embarrassing which eventually made him lose his cool. Seeing him flustered, despite how much he loved you, little Sasuke tried to  jump to his nii-san’s aid. Shisui was prepared to snicker and chuckle to himself, if he it wasn’t for the most beautiful sound he had ever heard: your laughter. It was so raw, pure, genuine and innocent, he was instantly immersed. Barely anyone from shinobi clans, and given how they were raised, acted so open. And you brought out a different side to Itachi -- it was intriguing for him to witness.

He wanted to get to know you more. He wanted to hear your life more. He wanted you to share your secrets with him on how to bully Itachi so easily. So immediately, he put out his hand and gave you a wide grin.

“I’m Shisui. What’s your name?”

Realising their feelings

Shisui: Shisui knew he loved you ever since your first laugh. It was love at first sound. However, with the respect to you belonging to his best friend, he would never make a move on you.

Maybe, there might be some lingering touches here and there that lasted a bit too long between ‘friends.’ Maybe sometimes he was harsher on you during your training spars so he would have an excuse to touch you and help you bandage up your injuries. Maybe sometimes, he ‘jokingly’ wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed your cheek to ‘get a rise out of Itachi’ and not because he wanted to touch you.

But he never made a move on you because he knew you were Itachi’s. And as long as you were still his friend and spent time with him, he didn’t care too much.

But he should’ve known better. Just as how he can understand Itachi and cares for him like he is his brother, Itachi is the same towards Shisui. He knew how Shisui felt about you, and although one part of him just wanted to you have all to himself, it didn’t feel right that Shisui had to hold himself back when he needed you too. If only, it wasn’t for your clan, and the Uchiha, and their damn village that believed in monogamous relationships, then he would happily share you with Shisui.

Itachi: There were many rules and obligations Itachi has to adhere to due to his clan. Although he did them, he didn’t want to. He hated it. His thoughts were different from his actions so he was constantly experiencing cognitive dissonance. But, you weren’t part of that. For some reason, when he was eleven and his suspicions were confirmed by his parents and the clan elders that you were set up to wed him when you both turn thirteen, that was one thing he didn’t hate or didn’t want to do. In fact, it was alarming for everyone in the meeting how easily he obliged.

Confirming how he felt towards you, it honestly did not surprise him. He had assumed this was the case for a while. Ever since you called him a coward due to his habit of upholding a facade, he tried to be more honest. Not in front of his clan, evidently, but to the people that mattered. Shisui, Sasuke, you, and himself.

The old Itachi, had he not met you and fell in love with someone, would have buried his feelings without a care. But for you.... it was a different story. He acknowledged his feelings and never tried to get rid off them. How could he? You were the perfect lover for him. You got along swimmingly with Shisui. You took good care of Sasuke, and his younger brother was so attached to you. You were an exceptional kunoichi, put up the perfect facade before your own parents and his, and weren’t afraid to challenge him and speak your mind.

And best of all? You were already promised to him. So, he saw no reason to bury his feelings for you.

Sasuke: Sasuke always knew he loved you.

Ever since he can remember, you had always been by his side no matter what.

His father didn’t pay attention to him. His mother did, but she scolded him too when he just wanted to spend time with Itachi.

Itachi spent time with him but lately, he has been ignoring him. It’s not the same. And him and Shisui always leave him behind to get things done that they say he’s “not mature enough to know.”

But Sasuke does know.

He knows what they talk about his and your back because thinks of those things too. It’s everywhere: princesses, their prince, their love story and happily ever after.

He wants to kiss you to show you how he loves you like the couples in fairy tales. He does. Despite his nerves that are causing fluttering butterflies in his tummy, he builds up the courage to have his first kiss with you.

But you’re faster than him. You just move your head so he kisses your cheek instead, and then laugh out loud before ruffling his hair and telling him, “you’re adorable. But you should save your first kiss for your true love.”

He likes being adorable for you, but why won’t you understand?! You are his first and only love.

There will be a day when you finally understand that.

Sharing You:

ok.... listen.... Uchiha clan massacre (and yours too for scenario A) but both Itachi and Shisui. And although its mission issued by the damn village, that’s not why they’re doing it. It just so happens that its the perfect solution to all their problems because they get rid off the obstacles in their way, and they will have to leave the village. They can take you away far, away from everything, so you only have them left.

Obviously, they will take Sasuke with them too. Except this time, there’s no also hurting and torturing him and enticing him to seek revenge. If anything, when Sasuke is horrified, Itachi tells him the truth. There’s lies as well, but, they would need to brainwash him to some extent so he willingly stays with them. Itachi tells him of how if the clan lived, then he would never get to be with you, or see you again because they were going to hurt you.

“Do you want that foolish little brother? You made big claims to make [Name] yours and protect her, so are you really going to mourn those who were going to take her away from you? She’s my bride, and because I care about you, I will share her. But for that to happen, you need to listen to me and Shisui and not be pathetic as to get in our way.”

Itachi had a way with his words, and it was terrifying how much they could influence Sasuke. And now that they had, and no one else was going to be in the way -- not any clans, the village -- nothing.

It is just going to be you and them for the rest of your life.

[alumort]

@lotus-baby @depressedhatakekakashi

Today I offer you, the fix-it au of sorts i have regarding shippuden/boruto and that, because i keep forgetting to write it down:

- this is kinda self indulgent and is the general canon(?) of some of my fics so this is for reference, too xd (though i don't focus on more detailed aspects so this is for that). i can't focus on all characters but there's mostly stuff for; naruto, hinata, sakura, team gai and kakashi.

long post ahead:

Naruto

(trans, bi & poly)

he always wanted to be hokage, but it was more about the respect the hokage gets– few people treated him well. but if he became the leader of the village, he would be finally respected by civilians and ninjas alike.

they would stop being so mean with him without apparent reason. and after the pain arc, he becomes a hero and they all finally start treating him with the respect he had wanted for so long. so i think he would be satisfied with that and become a jounin instead. maybe even an anbu.

he still gets married with hinata and the last happens, though neither of them feel like it's... genuine. they're friends and all, they still have himawari and boruto– but they're not really happy?

naruto still likes sasuke, and had been hanging out with gaara since he came back from his trip with jiraiya. hinata realizes that the kind of love he feels with sasuke is stronger than the one they both have.

the next time sasuke comes to the village, naruto and hinata separate– but they're both alright with that. Neither naruto nor sasuke have many ties with the village and naruto started kinda crushing on gaara after a while, so they both move to Suna with him and are very happy together(sasuke sometimes goes nomadic for his missions but always sends letters to his boyfriends).

without the responsibilities of naruto being hokage, he in turn becomes a more present dad with himawari and boruto and they're very happy :) they see each other on weekends and naruto doesn't miss any important dates anymore.

gaara still adopts shinki, who loves his siblings very much and is very protective of them.

Hinata

(non binary, grayro & bi)

They're known for doing very good medicinal balms since the first Chunin exam. i think she could just.. Straight up sell some, if she needs to. i think they like gardening so maybe she grows her own herbs and plants, and starts a mini store of natural remedies that are very good. and shampoos and soaps and they becomes actually popular with their crafts.

this started becoming more occurrent when she and naruto were about to go on their own ways. They move back to the hyuga compound with her kids for a while and works more on that, with boruto helping her on this and him finding out that's actually very relaxing. it becomes their shared hobby and they bond with that, too. himawari just likes drawing but helps from time to time too.

Hinata became friends with tenten because she was interested on the spiritual side of the plants, as she likes fortune-telling. i think tenten does witchcraft too, more as a family tradition thing but still being very passionate about it.

after a while hinata kind of started having a crush on tenten because, well. naruto was someone that always did his best to get what he wanted, and tenten is like that too– with her weapons shop and that.

so they just... told her. but tenten didn't like her that way, or anyone. still holds hinata very closely in her heart, but not in a romantic/sexual way– they move together some months before boruto's seventh birthday, and they may not be dating but they still make it work.

later, when they have been together for years and years and people still wonder the nature of their relationship, they discover the term 'queerplatonic' and they feel like that's the word for what they have.

Tenten

(trans, non sam aro)

she is very happy with her weapons shop. started getting closer to hinata, though it wasn't romantic love what she felt– it was stronger than friendship, but. didn't had a name.

after hinata confesses, tenten is very confused and turns her down. she doesn't feel the same way, but... the thought of living with them was really nice. they end up moving together after a while, and enjoy each other's company a lot.

tenten still does her fortune-telling and ends up teaching hinata, boruto and himawari too. its a thing from her family, so it made sense for her to teach to her partner and kids.

Sakura

(demiromantic)

in part one, she was considered the best one out of her team. even sasuke said she was better than him, on genjutsu. she was smart until misogyny from kishimoto acted up, so we'll use the original concept without the misogyny.

smart, even better than an uchiha who even said to her that she was better... it's no wonder that she ended up being the hokage after kakashi. she was trained by a sannin, who was also hokage before kakashi... it makes sense if you really think of it!

well. she's the hokage and is living with ino, they have two kids- sarada, which sasuke helped conceive, and inojin. inojin was an orphan from the yamanaka clan that ino took in.

(sai is a father figure for him, and inojin even calls him dad– nobody minds, sai even smiles when that happens.)

back with sakura. she is a very strong and lovely woman, and is organized though she gets irritated easily so everyone knows to not mess stuff on purpose.

she has a long time as the leader of konoha, and is very loved and missed on the time of her retirement.

Kakashi

(trans, gay)

He pretty much spends most days with his husband after retirement– always made up excuses to cuddle with him instead of going to work when he was Hokage. Is more clingy than he lets show publicly.

He is very happy now than before. Takes a lot of photos as Suikea, and so far only Gai noticed it was him, but doesn't really mind.

Gai

(genderfluid, demisexual)

He moved in with kakashi after he recovered from the war. they were planning it since pain's invasion but life happens™ and they couldn't, then war started...

after everything is over, he makes sure to stay on contact with his team- they're his kids and he loves them with all his heart. makes sure to send them letters when they can't meet for a while for reasons. sometimes they all have dinner together and are very happy :)

Neji

(non binary, reciproro ace)

Neji almost dies in the war, but sakura managed to save him and that kind of started a friendship between the two. They get chronic pain because of all the injuries he suffered, but it's getting manageable with medicine and physical therapy. though sometimes its too bad to get up, but they go walking with hinata almost daily- she goes to his house and usually realizes something is wrong. either her, metal or lee realize and help him on the really bad days.

neji also has some birds and they all have silly names/names that rhyme– the older ones are called feather and heather, for example. they really love them.

Lee

(bi ace, sometime i write him as trans too)

He's still a jounin here and is very good at it. Sometimes he has to leave the village for entire months, but he always send his family and team stuff so they know he's alright.

Neji and him at first weren't going to have kids at all, but lee just saw metal and grew attached to him. They end up adopting him and the three are really happy, even if at first its complicated to adapt™ the two love their kid with all of their heart.

[darkdevasofdestruction]

My Clarity ~ Shikamaru x Kitsune

A little fic in which Shikamaru isn’t the only kid who gets advice from his dad through Shogi.

Honestly tho, I’m in my exam session, 9 exams, thankfully, only 2 more to go next week, and I have a burning urge to re-watch all of Naruto for some reason, and my love for this beautiful Deer boy resurfaced very VERY powerfully.

Oops.

Little fox, little fox, what are you hiding behind that sly, cheerful smile of yours?

Little fox, little fox, why are you all alone?

Little fox, little fox, what's going on through your mind?

Little fox, little fox...Do you wanna play?

---

Shikamaru always knew there was something off with the red haired girl in his class -

She just seemed too perfect. 

She was beautiful, she was smart, she was talented, she was kind, she was helpful, she was selfless..

And his parents were best friends with her parents, so they would often meet up for play dates and whatever.

No matter how much he tried to avoid her like the plague, she didn’t give up, and whenever he asked her why the hell she wanted to hang out with him so bad, she’d just say

“Because I like you, little fawn.”

That stupid nickname, that soon turned into “Deer boy” irked him big time...But in a way...

He was the only one to whom she gave nicknames, so he felt kinda special.

Actually, he was the only one with whom she actually seemed completely genuine...So maybe he should actually enjoy it?

Yeah, why not, right? 

She’s not so bad, after all, and if he gets to learn something form her, all the better!

----

“Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ the obsessive mutterings went on and on like grating. She was trembling, not even realizing her cheeks were soaked, not from the rain, but from the tears her beautiful green eyes that now resembled a rainforest, were producing.

 What was going on? This can’t be happening…This was supposed to be a simple mission with her dad and her dad’s best friend…It was just a B mission at most…How could things escalate this much?

 Being a ninja, she knew things are dangerous and would put you in impossible situations…That you can even lose your life or your friends and comrades…But…

Why now…? Why so soon…?

She’s barely 10 years old…She wanted to go on this mission to see how beautiful the world outside the Country of Fire is…But this…?

 “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she continued rambling, standing there, on her knees, on the wet grass, all muddy, all bloody, not having moved from there for at least a whole hour, so much that she almost thought she started growing roots into the ground.

 “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she went on and on and on with no stopping, with no equivalent of time and space, of self, of body, of identity. She was lost. She was not only broken, but completely shattered. She was blank.

 “Kitsune, that’s enough. Snap out of it. He’s dead. We have to get out of here before the enemies find us. We’ve been here enough.” the man who was her dad’s best friend went on his knees in front of her and grasped her wrists, pulling her hands away from her eye sight so she will stop looking at her father’s blood. “He’s not…He’s not…He can’t be…He can’t…He won’t…He wouldn’t…Leave me…No…He’s just…R-Resting…Don’t mess around with me…” instead of focusing on her hands that were painted with clotted blood, her eyes were now in the vision of the body laying in a pool of its own blood, its chest being cut to access the heart. “I know it’s impossible to accept this, but your parents wouldn’t want you to die here because you froze up. Let’s go home. We’ll get his body in a scroll and I’ll arrange for a funeral.” the man tried to reason with the child, who, in turn, moved for the first time since the incident. “HE’S NOT FUCKING DEAD! STOP LYING TO ME, SHIKAKU, HE’S NOT DEAD!!! HE CAN’T BE DEAD! HE’S NOT! I HEALED HIM! I RESTARTED HIS HEART! HE’S NOT DEAD! I DIDN’T LET HIM DIE! HE’S TOO STRONG TO DIE! HE WOULDN’T LEAVE ME AND MUM! I’M TELLING YOU, HE’LL GET UP ANY MINUTE NOW! I DID EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK! JUST AS THE MEDICAL NINS TAUGHT ME! I DID NO MISTAKE! I DID NOTHING WRONG! I’M SURE!” the red haired girl lashed out at the man, shrieking so loud that her throat felt raw, almost bleeding, her emotions pouring down harder than the rain as she shook hit the man’s chest and shoulder, but he could only look at her with pity in his dark eyes, almost imagining his own son, should that have been him on the ground. “It’s not your fault, Kitsune. You did everything you could, but sometimes, there is nothing anyone can do. Some injuries are so severe that they can’t be healed, even if you are the most skilled healer. It wasn’t your fault, it was the enemies’ fault.  I promise you.” the Nara put the ANBU captain’s corpse in a scroll and picked the girl up, running back to the village and reporting to the Hokage.

 The girl was lost, had no idea what to say, what to do, what to feel – Not when Shikaku was explaining what happened to the Hokage, not when he broke the news to her mum, hell, not even when she was staring at a beautiful picture of the three of them together, at his funeral.

 No children were allowed at the funeral, as per her request – She didn’t want any pity, and she wanted to give no explanations.

She wanted nobody involved. Things were bad enough as they were.

So the only people from the school who knew were the teachers.

Not Shikamaru, not Hinata, not Sasuke, not Shino…

Nobody.

Definitely nobody.

 Her dad wasn’t dead, after all.

She didn’t kill him.

She did everything she was taught to do.

She did the cardiac massage, she was sure she felt his heart pumping again, she definitely saw him breathing…

…Right?

She did, didn’t she?

She didn’t imagine it, right?

She didn’t try to get his heart to pump again when he was already irreversibly dead…

…Right?

  ----

The little red haired girl smiled dazzlingly at the children in her class, who were also her friends. She knew she was the most popular girl in the whole Academy, but she didn't let it bother her, or change the way she behaved with everyone - Everyone was equal in her eyes, even if they were obnoxious or annoying - And in turn, she got invited to everyone's birthday parties or hang outs, and so on.

But most of the time, she couldn't go to those hang outs because she was constantly training with her parents to become an excellent ninja, and in the future, a member of the ANBU - It wasn't only her dream, but her parents jobs too.

ANBU captains

What greater honour could there be?

While other 10 year olds were playing around, she was hanging around adults, learning how to perfect her fighting styles, ninjutsu and genjutsu, but not only -

She wanted to learn medical ninjutsu, she wanted to help people, to save them, for all the times she heard all those scary stories from her parents and their friends...How they lost people, comrades, partners, friends...Because in the Great War, there was barely any medical ninja around to save them...

She couldn't allow that to happen - Not on her watch.

"Okay, class. Today, we are going to do a team activity, and we need 2 captains. Who wants that position?" Iruka-sensei asked his class, and, as expected, most of the kids nominated Kitsune, while Sasuke, Naruto and Kiba wanted to be captains themselves, and Sakura and Ino nomitated the Uchiha. This class' dynamic was always the same, and in a way, this exhausting routine was sort of comforting for the red haired fox-like girl. "Kitsune, Sasuke, step forward. As Kitsune was nominated by the most of you, she will choose first."

"I choose Shika!" in front of the class, the girl with sparkling green eyes grinned enthusiastically as she extended her arms in front of her, as a way of cordially inviting the friend she cherished the most, despite all the gasps of shock she received.

"Sh-Shikamaru? Kitsune, why not choose me first?! I'm so much stronger than that guy who just sleeps all day and is too lazy to move!" Naruto yelled at her, but she merely sweat dropped and chuckled awkwardly.

"But Shikamaru is the smartest in this class and I believe we get along very well. When forming a team, you don't have to always get the ones who are more energetic or physically stronger, but the best strategists and those with whom you can create a perfect synergy and your abilities and skills compliment each other. Having Shika on my team means that we're definitely going to win against Sasuke's team!" the girl shrugged casually, ending her explanation with a sly, incredibly fox-like smirk - One that screamed 'Victory'.

"Uh...Thanks for picking me, I guess." Shikamaru awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, before muttering his usual catch phrase "What a drag..."

Sasuke glared at the girl, despite knowing very well there was barely anyone with any kind of potential in this class, but he got around to choosing Kiba. Then, Kitsune chose Shino, while Sasuke got Choji. Kitsune got Hinata and Sasuke could barely stop himself from facepalming, but chose Sakura. Grinning at the brunet captain, Kitsune chose Ino, so Naruto was stuck with Sasuke - It was the perfect plan.

The two groups went out in the forest, in the opposite parts, and had 15 minutes to come up with a plan to steal the Captain's bandana.

"First of all, I'd like to apologise to Shika for not being able to get Choji as well. I know that the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is incredibly powerful, and that the three of you would have had an amazing synergy, but there's that. However, I'm happy that we have Shino with us, I'm sure the insects are going to scare off both Sakura and Naruto...Which reminds me, Naruto an Sasuke are going to work against each other most of the time. With Shikamaru and I as the strategist, Hinata’s Byakugan and the maturity and knowledge of Shino and Ino, we are going to make the perfect team. Besides…Ino, if you show off how strong you are, and you beat Sakura in the process, I’m sure you’re going to impress Sasuke!” Kitsune clapped her hands together, charming all of her team mates, as per usual. “Oh, but Sakura doesn’t stand a chance! She will swoon over Sasuke-kun all the time and will be completely useless! That Naruto will screw everything up for Sasuke-kun and will be loud enough to give away their position, and I’m sure he’ll argue with everyone, especially Kiba. And Choji eats all the time, I doubt he’ll do much, especially if he sees how everyone argues among themselves and does nothing good. He’s a pacifist, y’know.” Ino grinned condescendingly as she berated almost everyone in the enemy team. “Very well, then I will tell you my plan, and when I’m done, I’d like you to tell me your insight and how to perfect it, if you have any ideas. The main idea is to distract Sasuke while Shika uses his shadow to immobilize Sasuke, so I can steal away the bandana. Ino, you have to stay away from Sakura, so you won’t bicker. I need your Mind Transfer jutsu. Hinata, your Byakugan will be detrimental in finding out everyone’s location, and I have faith in your fighting abilities. Shino, of course, apart from the fact that I’m sure your insects are going to scare away some of those guys, you are a very strong fighter and very intelligent as well.” Kitsune explained simply, and everyone seemed to nod in agreement. “Actually, I think Ino, Hinata and Shino should stay together, at least in the beginning. Ino can incapacitate one person for a short amount of time, so if she stops Sasuke, I can catch him in my shadows, and you can steal away the bandana, while Shino and Hinata fight the others. Those two are sensory types, so they can find out everyone’s positions and the bugs can guide us to them.” Shika pointed out, which made the red haired girl widen her eyes at him in shock for a few seconds, only to grin widely and almost literally glow in happiness. “You’re the best, Shika! It’s always so great hanging out with you! Come on, 15 minutes passed, let’s go and win this!” she cheered to hype the others up, and it worked well enough, and it seemed to give them a little boost of confidence.

 And so, they went to the middle of the forest while Hinata and Shino searched for the enemies – Who they easily found – And Kitsune and Shikamaru split up around Sasuke in a pincer formation. Just as planned, Naruto easily gave away his position, so Shino and Hinata went to fight or scare away Sakura and the others who went down faster than expected, considering they were all split up, not in groups.

When Sasuke was the last one standing, Ino used her Mind Transfer jutsu on him, Sasuke immobilized him and the fox girl stole away the bandana.

 However, just as they were making their escape, Sasuke got out of his immobilized state and went to attack the group – The fox girl gave shadow boy the token of victory and told him to take the team away and make their escape, while she quickly beat the Uchiha and went back to them, only to see the Nara didn’t actually go with the others, but returned to make sure she was okay.

 “Very well played, everyone. Now, the 2 captains, shake hands, and you can all go home for today.” Their teacher smiled at them, while also pointing out the obvious problems in the other team. “Hey, about about we go to the BBQ place to celebrate our win?” Ino asked, smiling triumphantly. “We can invite Sasuke too, since he tried his best, but he didn’t have a team.” Was her plan, and everyone seemed to agree – Of course, the other team wanted to join as well, so there was that, but…

“Oh, uh-uhm…S-Sorry, but I can’t come. I, uh…My parents and I are pretty busy today, haha. But I hope you have fun for me as well! Take care, guys, see ya tomorrow!” Kitsune chuckled awkwardly, rushing to go home and train with her parents.

 However, she didn’t come to school the next day. Or the one after…Or the whole week, for the matter.

She was absent for almost 2 whole weeks, for the matter.

Until she wasn’t anymore.

But when she returned, she was as radiant as always.

For those who weren’t as observant as Shikamaru, that is…

What was he supposed to do, anyway? Go and confront her? No way, that would be a drag…And besides, if she wanted to talk, she’d come to him…Or someone, right?

 The biggest shock of his life was, however, to come home one day from school and finding a certain red haired girl playing Shogi with his own father, and they seemed to be very comfortable with each other? And they were smiling?

“Hey, Shika! Welcome home! Oh, you got here just in time, I and your mum managed to finish cooking earlier! Go and eat something, you don’t want the food to get cold, right?” Kitsune waved at him, smiling sweetly, but the boy could only stare at both of them, incredibly confused, his eyebrows raised so far up that they almost got into his hairline. “Wh-What are you doing here? Dad, what’s going on? Why are you playing Shogi with Kitsune?” the poor boy asked, his head almost snapping from going back and forth. “Oh, w-well…I was pleasantly impressed with your intelligence and strategy, so I came here to praise you to your dad! Also, my mum said she always enjoyed learning and playing Shogi with him, so I thought I’d give it a shot too! You should have heard her, honestly, Shikaku beat me again at Shogi, you should have seen the new stunt he pulled today! It was completely revolutionary, we could totally use it in our next mission!” Kitsune laughed lightly, trying to calm the boy down a bit. “You have to be careful, son, she might just win against you if you slack off too much.” Shikaku teased his son, who could only groan and leave to eat. “Tsk…What a drag…Troublesome woman…” the boy muttered, leaving the place that got immediately much darker. “You can stay for dinner, Kitsune. We can call your mother as well, if you want. I doubt she’d have been up to cooking anything after what happened.” the Nara sighed deeply, crossing his arms and looking attentively at the frail girl in front of him, who may as well be close to shattering. “N-No…I-I…I couldn’t…Do this to her…I’m afraid…Something’s coming…Something incredibly bad…If I’m not there, who knows what will happen…Uhm…Thanks for today, Shikaku. I appreciate it. And he would have as well. See you tomorrow.” She got up and left the place in a hurry, going back home.

However, as soon as she opened the door, she called out to tell her mother…Who didn’t answer. Worried, the red haired girl went to the kitchen, hoping to do some cooking for her mother, who may have been still resting in her room…

But the sight in front of her shook her to the core, for the rest of her life… And since then, the last thing Shikamaru saw of her was her fox necklace that she left over to Shikaku the next day she went for a Shogi play.

He hated to admit it, but this woman…This woman, he actually missed, but no matter how much he pestered his father for an answer, he would only say  “Soon”.

What was such an enigmatic and vague answer supposed to do to reassure and inform him in any way that he will meet her ever again?

He never even had the time to play Shogi with her, or chat properly, hang out by the field to watch the clouds go by…And graduate together, maybe even get put in the same team…

He couldn’t believe this was really happening, and for a while, he actually hated the girl for just leaving like that, without even saying goodbye to him.

Oh, if only the poor boy knew the truth…

  ----

Years passed, Shikamaru was already the first Chunin from his class, they already went in enough missions as teams, and were old enough to see the world in new eyes…Yet nothing could compare to what their parents saw in the Great War, so they were still green ninjas, unaware of the true horrors of this world.

 He was already 16…He couldn’t believe 6 years passed since he last saw that little firecracker named after a cute fox that he used to call “friend” in his Academy days. Every year, when the day of her departure came by, he’d take the day off and go to the spot they would both spend time, watching the clouds – And for some reason, he would always see a fox shaped cloud.

 It was such a drag.

 However, on the 6th year, his father stopped him from going to the field, instead, asking to play Shogi, something that confused the boy greatly, but he decided he should listen to what his father had to say.

 But never, in his life, would he have expected that his father finally saw him as old enough to tell him what happened to that mysterious girl who disappeared so suddenly.

He told Shikamaru everything that happened on that mission gone wrong – The Kirigakure ninjas attacking them, Kitsune’s father saving her and dying in the process, and the little girl snapping, going on a rampage, and when returning to her father’s side, she tried to revive him for so long, that he thought he wasn’t going to be able to pry her away from his body. The shock that completely stunned her, seeing herself in the reflection of the cold water, trying to scrub away the blood from her hands – Blood that wasn’t there anymore, but she kept seeing it – She tried and tried and tried to wash it off – To even claw it off – aggressively scrubbing away with her nails, leaving trails all over her arms.

 And that day, when Shikamaru caught them playing Shogi – When she got home, she saw her mother hanging in the kitchen – She couldn’t take it anymore. Her mother loved her husband so much, that she couldn’t handle being without him anymore, nor could she handle staying in the same house with the daughter who looked so much like him.

 Her mother committed suicide.

 It was a clear sign to Kitsune that she should get the hell out of Konoha, before she would lose herself completely.

But even then, she held Shikamaru in her heart, which is why she asked Shikaku to give him her necklace before she left.

 She had no idea where she wanted to go, but she had to.

 And that day, when she played Shogi, the strategies she took, influenced by Shikaku’s aggressiveness in the game, made the both of them realize that the deer boy was too precious to her to sacrifice, as a mere Shogi piece.

So she left to get better and protect the last person she loved who was still alive.

And Shikamaru felt guilty for resenting her for 6 years.

 ---

“I wonder who’s our other team mate. Lady Tsunade didn’t say much about this person.” Ino asked, dangling her feet, bored, staying on a tree branch. “I heard it’s a girl!” Choji munched on his crisps, not really caring much. “Dad said it’s some ANBU captain or something. What a drag, that means this mission’s going to be more difficult than before…” Shikamaru groaned, slouching down. “As usual, you come up with the best strategies. It’s weirdly nice working with you again, and –“ the angelic voice of a woman was heard by the trio, who immediately perked up in curiosity, as in their field of vision, Shikamaru’s father walked by, wearing a relaxed and joking smile on his face, side by side with a much shorter individual, with long hair, kissed by fire, dressed in the usual ANBU outfit, with a fox mask covering her face, and a few weapons strapped to her back. “Is…Is this our team  mate?” Ino gasped at the beauty in front of her. “I sure hope so.” Choji chuckled, nudging Shikamaru, but the boy could only stare at her, frowning, unable to utter any word. “Here’s your team, Kitsune. I’m sure you missed being around your friends –“ but Shikaku couldn’t finish his sentence, for as soon as the girl saw the brunet boy, she got rooted to the spot for a few seconds, before squealing and throwing herself in his arms, hugging him as tight as possible. “Shika!!!”  she cried out, twirling around with him, not wanting to let him go. “I missed you so much, Shika~!” “K-Kitsune…? Is that really you…?” poor Shikamaru couldn’t even hug the girl back because of the extreme shock he was in, but his father’s chuckle snapped him back to reality. “Yes, silly, it’s me! I’m back.” The girl quickly took off her mask, putting it to her waist belt, flashing the same dazzling white smile of hers – The same one that completely stole his heart many years ago. “Remember me?” “Y-Yeah, ‘course I do, uhmm…” he tried to stumble over his words, despite the blush creeping on his face. “My…! You grew up so much! And you’re absolutely gorgeous! …Eh…~? Look at you, you’re so cute with red cheeks! And you’re even wearing my necklace! I’m so happy, Shika…! Your parents must be so proud to have the smartest and prettiest child in the whole Country of Fire, right Shikaku~?” the red haired girl giggled teasingly, making the poor deer boy so flustered that he had to fry her off and look away, while his friends and dad were laughing at him. “What a troublesome woman…! Tsk…Stop being so familiar with me, you’re annoying.” Shika tried to fend off, but the girl feigned that annoying puppy dog eyes that she always did when she was little and she wanted to spend time with him. “Th-Then…You didn’t miss me, Shika? At all? Not even a tiny bit?” she asked in the most pitiful voice, pouting and getting closer to his face, which in turn, killed him instantly. “…Fine, yeah, maybe, whatever. Let’s go on our mission.” The poor boy grumbled, walking ahead of everyone, not even bothering to say goodbye to his dad, as his friends were already teasing him and laughing. “He’s so cute~!” the girl grinned, carefree, following his lead.

 The road to the mission’s point was filled with light chatting and some catching up, but for Shikamaru, the situation was different – Every word she uttered, he analysed and scanned, as if looking for any string of white lie that sewed together a perfectly made up story.

 She wanted to learn a more diverse range of skills so she went to learn from other Ninja villages and random renowned rouge ninjas and samurais…

And, allegedly, 2 years prior, she returned and joined the ANBU, and chose only the longest missions that led farthest away from the Country of Fire.

 How dubious…

  “Shh, stop, here we are.” Kitsune stopped abruptly, crouching down on the branch carefully, squinting and watching like a hawk every one of the grouped up ninjas, almost as if she was peering at them under a microscope – Every micronic detail, she sketched in her mind and carefully created a plan to take them down, before snapping her fingers once to draw her team’s attention towards her. “See that guy with blue hair, tied up, and black eyes? That’s our guy. We capture him, and kill everyone else. Easy enough?” despite muttering in a low voice, her piercing gaze didn’t move for not even a single pico-second. “But…Kitsune…? I don’t mean to sound doubting…But there must be at least 50 ninjas out there, and they seem to be at least Chuunin level. And weren’t Kirigakure ninjas supposed to be bloodthirsty and to be using poison?” Ino asked, obviously very worried. “They aren’t Kirigakure ninjas, but yeah, you are right about those guys. These ones are in disguise, but not great ones, I’d have to say. See that guy with orange hair? His sleeve is raised up, and a brown tattoo can be seen, which indicates they are from Iwa. Very annoying and strong. Those stupid guys have an Iwakage who can eradicate everything in sight with that stupid particle-something jutsu of his…And they have an explosion department…Thank God I didn’t remain in Konoha…” Kitsune muttered, the corner of her mouth raising into a triumphant smirk that meant she was going to create a blood bath. “Explosions?! How can we protect ourselves against that?” Choji was almost comically trembling, eating crisps even more rapidly than before. “Unfortunately for you, neither has a Lightning chakra nature, so we can’t actively deactivate them…However…I trained with the best puppet master in the world, who so happens to have as a partner the most fanatic, yet talented bomb artist, so I know how to go against these guys. Shika, Ino, I want you to make sure you get the leader away from the group. Since you can get in his body, just say you need to pee or something, and that you’ll be back, which is when Shikamaru will use his shadows to get him towards us, and then three of you will protect him, while I kill this lot, got it?” she asked, finally snapping from her hawk-like self and taking out her weapons, soaking them in poison with a wet cloth. “That’s not the best strategy, I’d say. We do nothing, while you do all the work. I am more than one-man hit, y’know? I grew up and trained too. I can get at least 20 of those guys.” Shikamaru’s annoyed voice perked up, surprising the girl, who could only blink and look at him with big, almost fawn-like eyes. “I never doubted any of you for a second, and if it seemed that way, I apologise sincerely. Thing is, I’m an ANBU, and out of all of you, only you, Shikamaru, promoted to Chuunin. Now, I’m not saying that these grades matter, because they don’t, but at the same time, I’m responsible for you, and I don’t want to go home with one of you dead in my arms, and having to hold your funeral. I told Tsunade to let me do this alone, but she insisted I pair up with you. I want you all to promise you won’t get in my way and attack, unless necessary, got it? As I said, I absolutely REFUSE to get your blood on my hands, capiche?” Kitsune’s voice became very dry, dark and poisonous very fast, which made the blonde and chestnut haired ninjas gulp and nod fiercely, while the brunet only frowned in anger. “We aren’t 10 year old anymore, Kitsune, and neither are you. This ain’t the mission you went to 6 years ago, and nobody will die on your watch, got it? If you keep being afraid of taking risks, you’ll fail.” Shikamaru got closer to her face, arguing her plan. “Shikaku told you what happened, didn’t he? Well, I should have known, it was bound to happen. Nonetheless, as I said, I’m the leader of the team. You do as I say, or you go home. I will have NOBODY’S blood on my hands. Now go do your jobs and do NOT put yourselves in danger unless I say so.” Kitsune, for the last time, warned the trio, then got up, took off her konoha forehead protector and switched it to a rogue-one, then put back her fox mask and raising her arms up, she attached chakra string to each and every ninja, except the target. “Now, Ino, Shikamaru, go get him.” She commanded in such a dark and monotone voice, almost as if she suddenly transformed into the villain of the series.

 Despite disagreeing with the plan, the two did as were told, and very easily, lured their victim into the perfectly placed trap, and now, the trio were his guard.

Further, Kitsune grinne widely behind her mask, chuckling and jumping down from the tall tree, as she used her fire chakra to burn the string, and in turn, the victims they were attached to. With incredible speed and agility, she jumped in the middle of the group and started slicing left and right mercilessly, losing herself in the bloodlust that was surging through her veins, her mind completely away from reality, but in a whole new universe – Of killing strategy.

 …That is, until familiar voices – Screams, rather – Resounded through the forest, which completely snapped her away from her concentration, and in turn, getting cut and scratched in various places.

 Her eyes saw it easily – The leader escaped their grasp and ran to attempt to kill her, but Shikamaru tried to fight him, and failed, and now Ino was trying heal him. But she was crying. She wasn’t a good enough medical ninja yet. Kitsune knew that feeling all too well.

  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ kept going into her mind, unusually loud, almost throwing her off her game.

With a raw growl, close to animalistic, she saw red in front of her, and burnt everything in her paths, slashing, dashing, cutting and ripping apart every living being there, sans the leader, whom she managed to immobilize and knock out with the help of Choji. Without sparing any second, she ran to Shikamaru’s side and fell to her knees, roughly pushing Ino aside.

It was an impulsive rush of rage, for she snatched away her mask and forehead protector and threw them as far away as possible, before shrieking at the deer boy for being so stupid.

“Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ those words just wouldn’t stop screeching at her.

“YOU FUCKING IDIOT, SHIKAMARU, I TOLD YOU TO BE CAREFUL, DAMN IT! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU!” she gripped so tightly at her hair that Ino thought she was going to rip it all off. “If you dare die…I will never forgive you. Never, you get it? Never. Not you. Of all people…You’re the last one alive…So you can’t. I refuse to allow you that. You don’t have the permission to leave me. Ever. Got it?” the red head growled lowly, getting one of her hands inside his chest, performing cardiac massage, and cursed herself for remembering that mission long ago, when she had to do the same thing with her father – But this time, Shikamaru was still alive, and she was sure this time around – No more lies or delusions.

  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she needed bloody therapy, she knew that, otherwise those words were going to be the death of her.

With her other hand, she used her other hand to prop up his head and give him CPR, once again, cursing herself for having to do something like this, when she hoped everyone would remain safe and she would, one day, share a sweet kiss with him – Not have to save his life like that.

  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ they were louder and louder, causing almost a physical discomfort, as if someone was grating her brain.

Once, twice, thrice, and more, so much more – Sasori taught her healing ninjutsu well, and she was confident in her abilities, but there was always that speck of fear and PTSD that was creeping in the back of her mind, reminding her of her past failure.

But the puppet master was an excellent teacher, and she, in turn, was a hard-working and diligent student, so there was no way she was going to put the man she loved on the list of people she let die.

  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP

“Argh…Too close…” a hand suddenly pushed her aside weakly, and a cough snapped her out of her focused mindset – And blinking away to reality, she realized that the Nara boy was sitting in front of her, breathing normally, and coughing a bit, wearing a scowl on his face.

  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ the threat is over now, you can stop already, he’s not dead...Like your parents.

“…Oh thank goodness…” Kitsune groaned, letting herself fall on her back, looking up at the sky, her nails digging into her arms now, trying to snap herself back to reality completely. “I won’t forgive you for the stunt you pulled.” She muttered absent-minded, not caring about anyone around her anymore. “…What a troublesome woman. She’s gonna scold me all the way back home. Great.” Shika tried to chuckle, lighting up the mood, but the red haired girl was already on her feet, tying up the target and carrying it, walking in the direction of the village, without saying another word – Her face now again, covered with her mask, showing that she didn’t want to be approached in any way. “Shikamaru, you insensitive idiot! You, jerk! Is that how you treat the woman you love?! She was just worried about you, and you throw away words like that?! Go and apologise right now!” Ino shouted at him, nagging him like she was his mum, so much that the boy could only sigh and drag his hands down his face in annoyance and resentment.

And he actually tried, for once, to reconcile properly, but the only words that she told him were “You have to rest properly when you get home.” And then she just rushed farther and farther ahead.

And that’s just what he did, as the girl guided him home, let the others go to theirs as well, while she went to the Hokage to report to the mission.

After taking a nap and resting, as advised, he left his bedroom and went to the kitchen, seeing his mother frowning, which confused him.

“What happened?” he asked, knowing something was up. “Well…Nothing, really. Your dad is playing Shogi with Kitsune…And I just remembered her mother and the good times when we were friends. Too bad the good ones always die first.” Yoshino sighed, sweeping absent-minded. “Uhm…Y-Yeah…I guess.” He muttered, not having a clue what to say in such a situation. “Won’t you be a dear and tell her to remain for dinner? Poor girl, she’s been all alone since she was 10…I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been…” but she stopped herself before saying anything more that would have upset her, so Shikamaru left the room, believing that letting her just be would have been better.

 However, instead of making his presence known, he decided to just open the door ever so slightly, enough to peep from behind and watch the interaction going –

Kitsune was sitting in front of the Shogi table, her head slightly hung, her outfit still unchanged – And she said no word, but it wasn’t clear if she was listening to his father either.

  “You can take off your mask now, Kitsune. The mission is over. You can get dressed in Shikamaru’s clothes. Why don’t you sleep over?” Shikaku tried to get a response out of her, even beginning the match, but she seemed to be in her own mind. “No.” she finally muttered after a while, yet she made her move as well, almost robotically. “Kitsune. The mission is over. You can relax now. You are allowed to. You did well and nobody got hurt. Get out of your mission-mind,  you’re home now.” The man tried again, but it was clear the aura around the girl became more and more agitated. “Shikamaru almost died.” She pointed out bitterly. “As far as I’m concerned, my son is sleeping in his room as usual. He didn’t complain about his team leader, nor of any injury or danger. If he is fine, so should you be. You can’t take anyone’s pain.” His father spoke again, and with each word, he found himself nodding in agreement. “I ALMOST KILLED YOUR FUCKING SON, SHIKAKU! ARE YOU DEAD? ARE YOU BRAIN-DEAD?! GET ANGRY! YELL AT ME! BEAT ME UP! SCOWL, CURSE ME, INSULT ME…FUCKING DO SOMETHING! YOU ALMOST HELD YOUR SON’S FUNERAL BECAUSE OF ME! I am the one who killed your 2 best friends, and now I almost killed your son too! Why aren’t you reacting in any way?!” the fire outburst of the girl scared the boy out of his wits, flinching when she slammed her fist on the Shogi  table, breaking it in two, all pieces getting propelled in different directions, as she shouted at the irritatingly-calm man in front of her. “I will do no such thing, Kitsune, because, first of all, I am not mad at you. It was not your fault, I tell you now, the same as I told you before. It wasn’t you who killed your parents, nor was it you who endangered my son. We are all ninjas, and we serve with our lives on the line. Unexpected surprises always happen, and we can’t predict everything, but we can do our best to avoid them.” Shikamaru’s heart was close to bursting with emotions and words that he wanted to let out, as he felt his fingers digging deep into the wood of the sliding door. “I. Almost. Killed. Shikamaru.” The girl hung her head down, prying away her mask and throwing it away in disgust, her long, fire-red hair completely hiding her tear-stained face. “I argued with him. I insulted him. I cursed him. I yelled at him. In the end, he almost died…Because of me. And…It was just like back then. Almost perfectly like back then. They weren’t paying attention, the enemy escaped, he tried to protect me and got hurt…And I got soaked in his blood. My hands was grasping his heart, and I was helping it pump more and more blood…I was helping him breathe…And all I could do was pray…And pray…And pray again…That he won’t end up like them…But I’m selfish, Shikaku. I didn’t think of you, nor that I almost killed your son. I was only thinking about my own self.  I’m selfish and I don’t deserve him.” Her voice become so soft, so broken, as she trembled and sobbed in her hands, not being able to stop the flow of tears and emotions from running astray. “Kitsune…Shikamaru doesn’t hate you, nor is he blaming you for what happened. Stop blaming yourself for things that were inevitable. The most important thing is that you were able to save him and bring him back home safely.” His father sighed, yet his eyes were looking with understanding at the pitiful girl – He knew very well the heartbreak of loss and he didn’t wish it upon anyone, especially such a sensitive young girl. “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off...That’s the only thing that kept going through my mind, over and over and over again, and I couldn’t stop it! Just like back then...I couldn’t control it. I swore I was going crazy. I was sure he was going to die, and I would remain with his blood on my hands for ages, no matter how hard I’d try to wash it off or even burn away the skin on my hands.” she was shaking so much now, digging her claw-like nails deep into her arms, dragging down and scratching her skin, almost giving herself a sort of comfort, knowing she was still alive, and so was Shikamaru. ”You have nobody’s blood on your hands, Kitsune, understand that. It wasn’t you who killed your parents, no matter how you put it. You tried to save them, but they were beyond saving from anyone. There was nothing you could have done.” Shikaku tried to remind the catatonic girl once again. “…If Shikamaru dies, all the people I ever loved won’t be on this Earth anymore…So there is no reason to live anymore…No matter what, Shikamaru, out of all the people in the world, MUST live. If he gets in danger again, I think I’ll go insane.” She gritted her teeth as her hands made her way into her hair, gripping at it painfully, until the whole world stopped – And once again, time and space were absent from this house –

“I think he feels the same about you.” Shikaku smiled, seeing his son frowning at the girl from behind the door, and motioning to him to get out of there and take the reigns properly, like a man. “What would you know?!” she sneered at him, snapping her head up, only to see the man getting up to leave, and, to her surprise, a pair of arms sneaking around her, pulling her into a tight hug from behind. It was the deer boy, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck.

“You’re such a troublesome woman, you know that, right? When I said you were going to scold me, I was hoping you’d do that. I hoped it would help you relax and vent away your frustrations. I never imagined you’d get so upset over it. Sorry I screwed up your plan, neither of us were paying attention to our target…We were worried about you so we were looking at you…I’m sorry.” He spoke in the most sincere voice she ever heard him speaking, and she couldn’t help but start crying again, turning around and letting herself melt in his embrace, burying her face into his chest and gripping tightly at his shirt. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I screwed up everything – From 6 years ago, to even now, I’m so sorry, Shika. I should have told you everything, but I couldn’t and I screwed up everything.” She kept apologizing over and over, but the boy couldn’t understand why, so instead of saying anything, he cupped her face and placed a short, yet very soft and sweet kiss on her lips, hoping to snap her out of it. “Stop blaming yourself for nothing. I won’t die, and you won’t die, okay? We’re the smartest people around, I’m sure we can screw with everyone. Just the two of us, together. Now, come on, get up, fox girl. It’s getting late, and mum’s gonna yell at me if we don’t go eat dinner while it’s still hot. Let’s find you some comfy clothes.” He helped her get up and guided her to his room, giving her a loose white Tshirt and some comfy pants. “Well…I guess I make even leisure clothes look fashion.” She admired herself in the mirror, posing and grinning in amusement, making the boy chuckle. “Yeah, ‘course you do. But, before that…Here. It just wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one wearing one.” Saying that, Shikamaru took out a deer necklace from his pocket and put it around her slender neck, before taking his own fox necklace from under his shirt, and letting it dangle out to compliment hers. “…Haha, you kept it. How nice. I don’t know about you, but if you ask me, we can’t get more soulmate-y than that.” She chuckled, squishing his cheeks and pulling him into a deep kiss that was more playful than anything, yet still dazed him a bit, as he let himself get dragged to the kitchen where his parents were waiting for them. They smiled at each other seeing the two teenagers smiling so carefree, so happy at each other – And those symbolic animal necklaces, almost dangling towards each other, like Yin tried to get closer to Yang, and vice versa. “Tomorrow, we are SO going to go and make fun of Ino and Sakura for being obsessed over Sasuke, when we have the perfect relationship right here! Ha! They’re gonna be so jealous!” she smirked mischievously, and the boy could only shake his head, but chuckle at her nonetheless. “What did I get myself into…You troublesome woman.” He nudged her playfully, and it was one of the first times that anyone around saw him not so lazy. “Fine, fine, we can go to BBQ after with Choji, if you want. Sounds fair enough, doesn’t it? My treat.” She flashed him a charming smile, and he could only shrug in agreement. “You’ll get broke, but you said it, can’t take it back now. You clearly forgot how much Choji eats.” Shikamaru teased her, but she only smirked wider. “I lived as a bounty hunter for years before I got back, Shikamaru. I could buy a villa right now. I’m sure I can afford a meal for my friends.” She flipped her hair and winked playfully at the boy next to her.

The next day, just as promised, she dragged her new boyfriend around to brag about him and how awesome he is, and all that, all while he would just blush and grumble in the background, but at least the BBQ hang out was fun and they had a good laugh, as all friends do.

When all was over, she had him go by to her home to get a neatly wrapped, big gift from her living room, and then went back to his home, before handing him the present.

“Here, open it. It’s not the best…But I’m sorry for my outburst. It was uncalled for, and I’m really, really sorry for destroying it. This…This was my parents’ Shogi table and…You should have it. And my parents were best friends with your parents…So yeah. Please take it. And I’m sorry again.” She urged him to open it already, and inside, as she mentione, a beautiful Shogi table, on the back of it, her parents names being carved, inside a heart. “O-Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. You can have your dad shave it off, cover it, or something, I don’t mind. It’s yours now.” She awkwardly scratched the back of her head,  but the boy merely shook his head. “No, it’s perfect as it is. Come on, why don’t we go out in the forest? I’m sure you want to see the deer.” He carefully placed the Shogi table on his futon and guided her out. “And we can watch the stars in your garden tonight?” she smiled at him sweetly. “Yeah, sure, we can do that. Sounds nice.”

[liam-cadmus]

Sasuke thumps his head on the table, annoyed at the cooing he can hear from upstairs. He straightens up before letting the wet rag fall on the counter, moving to the sink to wash his hands, wincing at Ino’s very loud squeal. He grumbles, before walking around the island, walking to the bottom of the stairs. “Ino, shut the fuck up!” he says calmly in a loud voice, listening to Ino closing the door upstairs and appearing on the top of the stairs with a journal? book? on her arms, with some pictures haphazardly balanced on top. 

She walks— sprints down the stairs, sidestepping him and dumping the pile on a table, her nails digging to his arm. “Sasuke, you didn’t tell me you were childhood sweethearts with Hinata!” she exclaims, making him splutter in disbelief, cheeks coloring in bemusement. “What do you mean? I never—” he caught sight of the pictures, before groaning, hiding his face in his palms. He doesn’t remember, and he didn’t expect that Ino will see this. He thought Ino was the better choice to help him with organizing his house, rather than Naruto and Sakura. 

“We were not sweethearts. We were just friends,” he enunciates, tone slightly defensive, “and besides, it broke off when the massacre happened.” he added glumly. Ino sighs out in exasperation, with pity? amusement? exhaustion? before flicking him on the forehead, spreading the pictures in a line. His brows raise when he caught some glimpses of Shikamaru’s hair, looking at Ino expectantly. “My mom was genin teammates with their dads. Playdates.” 

She huffs forlornly, “You three are hopeless.” He just gives her a shrug, watching over her shoulder as she looks at the pictures one by one. The pile doesn’t have that much pictures, mostly drawings with crayons with scribbled names or half-assed drawings, some with neat lines and proper colors and some mostly empty and scarce. She giggles at one, seeing a wobbly stroke of brown crayon, and small writing in the corner saying : Shika fell asleep again. - Hinata and Sasuke.

He rolls his eyes, failing to hide the smile slipping on his lips as Ino plucks a picture of Mikoto, Hiashi and Shikaku with their three kids in front, ranging around 2-3 years old, wobbly standing and holding unto each other with tight grips. “You were adorable,” she teases, hand hovering over his chubby cheeks and doe onyx eyes, making him scowl, “I was not.” 

“You were.” she laughs, “although you look like an cat hissing a fit whenever you’re scowling.” It was a running joke with Team 7, who at this point are used to his glares and scowls, his intimidation tactic failing, instead looking like one of the cats in the Uchiha compound. He nudges her shoulder instead, Ino taking another picture , moving platinum blonde hair away from her face, blue eyes lighting up in mischief. A shy Hinata peeks from behind him, with a dozing Shikamaru sitting on the ground on his other side, leaning on him. He has a wide smile, hand resting on the tiny brown ponytail. 

Ino snickers, as he takes another one, seeing the three of them wearing kimonos walking hand-by-hand on the streets, the orange tint of the lanterns reflecting off of their dark hair. There’s another one, with the camera close to their faces, a lavender eye and upturned pink lips on the left corner, with Shikamaru’s hair popping up from the bottom, Sasuke’s eye appearing on the right. “You were such cute kids.” she comments, Sasuke finding it hard to refuse the compliment. Maybe, he isn’t, but Hinata and Shikamaru definitely were— are. He flushes at the realization, averting his eyes and stacking the papers instead. 

He tugs on Ino’s shirt, making the woman stand, before relenting to his request, going up the stairs. “Fine, fine, I’ll get going with organizing it.” He smirks, “I’ll let you shift through them later, just finish them first.” She perks up, before darting up, the enthusiastic “Yes!” echoing. He doesn’t get why Ino is excited about it, after all, she was also Shikamaru and Hinata’s bestfriend, she should’ve seen their childhood photos. “I never saw yours, or ones with the three of you. They didn’t even tell me you were childhood sweethearts!” she answers his spoken out loud thought, he glowers grumpily at the sweethearts mentioned, before pocketing his hands. 

He wanders back to the kitchen, taking the discarded rag and wiping the marble counter, moving down to the bottom cabinets. He lets himself hum and get lost in his thoughts, efficiently barreling through his old essentials, throwing away the long used cleaning supplies. He dusts his pants off, swiping at the dust and cobwebs clinging on his arms, before washing his hands carefully. He runs a wet hand through his hair, the black strands staying out of his face as he dries his hands off.

The rest of the house is already clean and organized, including the Itachi’s old bedroom which was surprisingly in good condition, the awards and clothes well kept and free of dust. His old bedroom was easy to discard of the old stuff toys and smaller clothing, changing the muted blue bedding for dark grey, softer ones, and refilling his closet with clothes that do fit him, with his now better color scheme. He absently places the new tea cups on the counter before placing the kettle over open flame, taking the bags of groceries to the fridge while waiting.

He places the tin of cookies beside the cups, as he fills the fridge with fresh cartons of milk, alongside the newly bought perishable goods. He washes the vegetables, plucking a cherry tomato and eating it while placing the fruits in the basket. He pours hot water as the tea bag bobs on the surface, opening the cookie tin to get a shortbread, nibbling on it as he listens to the fumbling from upstairs, heard from the kitchen. He stays quiet as Ino budges the door open loudly, stomping down the stairs, the wood creaking loud as she appears in the doorway, papers flying in her wake.

She looks at him with a determinedly grim expression, offering a smile— that looks more like a grimace, before waving two scrolls in her hand. His mismatched eyes narrow in instinct, the gold sheen on the white paper and the chakra presence of his parents intact on the delicate sheet. “What is that supposed to be—?” he asks hesitantly, not liking the information about to be told. “I don’t know, you tell me. I just found them in a box named Sasuke, with a seal on it.”

A box with my name on it? he thinks incredulously, mouth opening to ask before he shuts it closed, taking the offered scrolls instead. His brows knitted together in concentration as Ino takes the full cup of tea, taking a chocolate cookie daintily. He channels his chakra through the frisky seal, before it opens, his parent’s chakra hitting him full-force. He unfurls the top with bated breath, meticulously written words with precise and sure strokes of ink in beautiful handwriting— his mother’s appear on the sheer reflective white paper. It’s a marriage contract, he realizes, as his eyes follow the words written, the stark black ink blurring against the blinding white.

Marriage contract. With the Hyuugas. Ensuring the bond, and making peace. No more fights. His Sharingan whirl in horror, even if he is inwardly pleased, a pink blush appearing on his cheeks. He blinks, each time dragging on longer, before he reads the last part, seeing the Hyuuga Hinata written in Hiashi Hyuuga’s writing, blocky straight letters against Fugaku’s neatly scribbled one. The date is stamped with the Hyuuga and Uchiha stamp, as he releases a tense breath, shaking fingers following the chakra infused signature of his father.

He stays there staring at his mother’s writing, the cursive handwriting and the loops making him reminiscent of his own, ‘pretty’ handwriting. He exhales through clenched teeth, before pushing it aside, Ino taking it from his hands. He focuses on the other one, blowing the hair out of his face while his chakra unlocks the seal. Ino lets out a surprised ‘ah’ of understanding, munching quietly while she mouths some words, her chakra simmering under her skin. “So it is a marriage contract,” she murmurs wistfully, rolling it to a scroll, “I had my suspicions.”

“I assume you already seen one of these?” he asks, while his eyes start to skim through a different handwriting, tilting his head on the swiftly written words, the ends of some letters dragging lazily. He inhales deeply in realization, Ino letting out some sort of squeak, her eyes widening. “That’s Yoshino Nara’s writing.” He winces, before pulling the curled bottom of the scroll, patting it flat on the counter as he catches on his name on the bottom. Again. With Shikamaru’s name on the side.

Ino whistles in a low voice, amusedly looking at the scrolls side-by-side. “You have a lot on your plate, Uchiha.” He groans, pinching his nose in annoyance before whining pitifully, “Why me.” Ino smirks. “Stop being dramatic, I’m sure your parents wouldn’t contract Itachi with a kid your age. And it seemed like you were being prepared as a heir for emergency situations.” He levels her with a flat stare, “Well, it worked out, because I somehow became the clan head.” he answers with his dry humor.

“Stop with your deprecating shit Uchiha, and find out a way with these.” she points to the scrolls, while he leans on the counter, resting his head on his palms. His elbow digs on the hard surface, but he pays it no mind, biting his lip. “Are these still true? I mean, isn’t Hinata and Shikamaru engaged right now?” he hisses, remembering the two lovebirds recently declaring it. He turns a hopeless glance at Ino, “Can I turn this down? Since my parents aren’t technically here to make it true?”

“Sasuke, you could ask Shikaku-san and Hiashi-san about it.” Ino admits, “Although I’m not sure how this will work considering it’s a chakra-focused marriage contract.” He blows a shaky breath out, before dropping his head on his arms. He mumbles, the sound muffled on his arms, while Ino leans closer to hear the muted, quiet voice. “I don’t want to ruin their marriage.” 

“You aren’t ruining it, Sasuke, you didn’t even know,” she insists, frowning at the tiredly spoken admission. “Maybe they can consider you?” she tries to lighten it, only receiving hunched shoulders and Sasuke burying his face further in his folded arms. The state of the Uchiha is depressing, the male still deep in his after-war depression, even if others are already moving on. Not that Ino can blame him, the people around him constantly crushing him down with whispers and insults behind his back, some of them failing to hide their disdain. 

She sighs, rubbing at her childhood friend’s arm, listening to Sasuke calming down his breathing, his chakra tense and tight like a string. She became Sasuke’s confidant, after his time in the cells, trusting her enough to let her look through his memories. She soothes him, until his chakra coils uncurls into light flickering. Sasuke rubs at his eyes in exhaustion, temples pounding and his eyes aching. She doesn’t open her mouth, instead helping Sasuke clean up the used cups and tin, wiping off the crumbs and droplets of tea on the counter, before taking the scrolls and placing it on the table. 

She arranges the pictures and drawings, placing the scrolls on the side, making sure to not let it roll off. “You know, you’re allowed to be loved, Sasuke.” she smiles, as Sasuke’s eyes dart to her in a glance, “You’re not unlovable, you just grew up unloved.” Dark mismatched eyes cloud over as she pats his shoulder, “I’m here, your team’s always here. You’re not alone. Not anymore.” she presses her cheek on his, “You’re like my little brother now.” 

Sasuke huffs a amused breath, “I don’t fit in the little, in your description.” he says, but hugs her nonetheless, letting himself be vulnerable for once. “You’re always gonna be like a little brother, you don’t have the bones to be an older one.” Sasuke turned misty eyes to her, “I guess not.” 

“You’ve always have been. Now, I’m gonna go and let you settle in. Just send me a hawk, Chiya if possible, when you want or need help, okay?” she says, while she tightens the laces on her shoes, the door ajar. He nods, “I’ll think about it. Thank you, Ino.” She flashes him a smirk, making him grunt in amusement, as she flips her hair over her shoulder. “Ta-ta.” 

The door slams shut, as the tea cups dry off on the rack, while he returns them in their proper places, eye trailing over to the scroll on his way to the stairs. He stops by the table, thumb grazing the seals while he sits down, letting his cheek sit atop his hand. His eyes reads the words again, repeating it over and over his head, dazed. He takes two empty sheets of paper, taking a brush and an ink pot before settling down on the chair. 

He writes with clear lines, signing the letter with a flourish. He seals the scrolls with his chakra, stamping an Uchiha crest on the outside before summoning two hawks, tying it securely in their claws. Ishi and Aya stays on his shoulders, rubbing their wings on his duck butt of a hair affectionately before flying out the opened window, flapping of wings disappearing into the night. Hopefully, they receive his invitation, and talk about the contract. 

No, Shikaku did not die. And yes, Sasuke does have two intact arms. Bless me, I wrote this at 10 pm, and finished in 2 hours. I need sleep. I think I forgot to emphasize that Sasuke has a Rinnegan-

[hatake-no-sharingan]

Time travel AU (Part 2: Minato’s promise)

AU Summary: The world is falling apart, and the Sage of the Six Paths sends Naruto back in time to find his parents and collect the thing that will help him and Sasuke save the shinobi.

Link to part 1: HERE

Part 2 Summary: Naruto tells his parents why he’s come back in time, and asks them to help him save the world. Y/N notices there’s something off with everything that’s going on, but Minato steps up to keep his family safe.

Characters in part 2: Y/N (as Naruto’s mom/ Minato’s wife), Minato and Naruto

Warnings: None

A/N: This is for @itsao-mine, my amazing reader. I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, beautiful. Hopefully you’ll like reading it as much as I’ve loved writing it. I hope everyone else enjoys it too <3 Thank you for being so supportive of my writing.

Minato’s promise

Minato’s mouth dropped wide open. For a moment Y/N thought she imagined the whole thing, but she wiped her eyes and both Naruto and her husband were still in front of her. Minato’s initial shock had transformed into his signature smile.

The resemblance between the boy and him was uncanny. They had the same yellow hair and expressive blue eyes, as well as his easygoing manner. At the same time, he spoke in the same distracted but cheerful way Y/N did. He had the same expressions as her. There was no denying this was their child. But how was it possible?

As if reading his wife’s mind, Minato spoke.

“Naruto, this is very weird so you’d better have one hell of a good explanation on how the same baby she’s carrying is also sitting here all grown up, being a full fledged shinobi.”

Naruto’s stomach made a noise, revealing his hunger.

“We can talk about it over dinner, you both need food to restore yourselves, and so do I, remember I’m still eating for two.”

Y/N served three generous bowls of ramen and had her two ninjas take a seat at the table.

“Wow mom, you really do know how to cook. This is so tasty, maaan I love it. Did you know ramen is my favorite food? Have I mentioned it yet?”

“Well it’s also my favorite food. Don’t I cook it for you often? In the future I mean.”

“Ummm, not really” he laughs nervously “anyway, let me tell you what’s going on. It’s kinda messy really, and a hard story to tell, but I’ll try my best”

Naruto does try his best to summarize everything without getting much into detail, and his parents seem to catch on a bit. Naruto is surprised that they actually believe every word he says and seem keen on helping him, which is a relief, really, because he’d be lost without their support.

“So you’re telling us that in the future, 17 years from now, an evil princess who mysteriously fell from space ages ago comes back to life so she can plant a tree which enslaves all of humanity and feeds on their chakra and the only way to stop it is if you and Sasuke Uchiha, who just so happens to be the cute baby I saw a week ago in my friend Mikoto’s arms, seal her. For that you need to collect a special type of chakra from the Kyuubi because it’s exactly released at the time of your birth and a scroll from the Uchiha Clan which Sasuke is trying to find at this same time, and that’s why the Sage of the Six Paths gave Sasuke the power for one trip in time with his, what did you say it was called?” Says Y/N.

“Rinnesharingan”

“Right, rinnesharingan. So did I understand correctly?”

“Yes you have it all right. So will you let me attend my own birth so we can save everyone?”

“If it’s for the sake of the world I will, right, yondaime?”

“Of course, my love” says her husband.

“Thanks mom, you’re truly the best”

“Come here, let me hold you for a bit, you must be exhausted”

Naruto moves close to his mother, and she embraces him in a tender way he’s never felt before. She strokes his forehead and tries to reassure him that she and his father will help him through it all, but a deep fear settles in her heart.

After spending a few moments like this, and noticing her son is exhausted, she prepares the guest bedroom for him and carefully tucks him into bed.

Once Naruto has fallen asleep, Y/N settles in her couch with a cup of tea in her hands.

“Minato, I’m scared”

He sits on the couch next to her and starts massaging her tired shoulders. His hands are a balm on her fearful soul.

“It’s okay, I’m here for you. I’ll protect you three.”

“I’m worried, for the baby, and for Naruto. I know they’re the same person, but still I worry for them both.”

“I know honey, but think about it this way, if Naruto from the future showed up here, that means the baby will be alright” his warm voice tranquilizes her.

“Still, there’s something off with all this. I mean I do believe him, he’s our son, and I’m oddly happy to have met him. To know that this baby will become such a strong willed shinobi. He’s everything I’ve dreamed our son would be, but this feels weird. He didn’t know who I was. And he makes comments that make me think he hasn’t spent much time with us, Minato”

He knows. He noticed it too, but he didn’t want to say anything about it either.

“Hey, it’s alright.” He planted a kiss on her bare neck “Maybe he didn’t recognize you because you look different in the future. We’ll age, princess. As much as we hate to admit it.” He chuckles kindly, trying to brush off his own concern.

“Yeah I guess. He’s a distracted kid too. Guess whom he got that from?”

Minato laughs gently and encircles his wife’s waist so his hands reach her tummy.

“I’ll take care of my beautiful family. There’s nothing more precious than you. It’s a promise” They fall asleep on the couch, tangled in a loving embrace. Y/N knows her husband’s word is sacred, so she knows she’ll be okay, but there’s a part of her that still feels uneasy.

……

The next day they avoid talking about the topic, and instead, Naruto decides to enjoy the feeling of having his family together until his birth comes up. He helps Y/N do even the most basic tasks, and takes care of her protectively. Minato, Y/N and Naruto fall into a nice, familiar routine for the rest of the week, and Naruto even goes with Minato a couple times to the Hokage office and helps him sort through the day’s work.  Time flies by, and he wishes he could stay here longer, but before he knows it, the day before his birth arrives.

He’s alone with his dad in his office, they’re settling everything so they can return to their house where Y/N is waiting for them with a delicious dinner.

“Hey dad, can I talk to you before we go home? There’s something you need to know. I, uh, well I haven’t had the heart to say it in front of mom, but there’s a reason I didn’t recognize her when I came here.”

“We’re going to die, aren’t we?”

Naruto’s stomach shrinks as he wishes he had another answer to that question.

“Yeah”

“I’ve had the feeling, that something might go wrong. That’s why I’ve had Kakashi follow Y/N, taking care of her. The sandaime and I planned the birth, so she’ll be surrounded by security, but I guess there’s no way to avoid it right? I’m just very sorry we don’t get to watch you grow up. Y/N has been very excited since she found out, having a child has lifted her spirits so much.” There’s a deep sadness in his eyes, but he brushes it away, replacing it with a soft chuckle. “But, hey, let’s worry about death later. Now tell me, did you grow up happy? Were your needs covered? Did you have love surrounding you?”

Naruto was taken aback by his dad’s inquiry, he hadn’t expected that he’d care more about his wellbeing than the news he’d just given him. Warmth spread through his chest and a thought crossed his mind I couldn’t have asked for a better family.

“Yeah, you could say my life has been nice, dad. You and mom have nothing to worry about.” His cheeks felt a bit hot “I eat well and I have many friends.”

“Tell me about it kid, I want to hear everything. It seems this may be one of our few chances.” Minato reached out and ruffled his son’s hair.

“Well, where should I start? Oh! I know, this will make you happy. Kakashi is my Sensei. We’ve been on many adventures together. He’s the captain of my team. I’m there with my two best friends, Sakura and Sasuke. Well, things with Sasuke have been rough, and that’s maybe another topic, but he’s the first person who deeply, truly understood me, and I’ve never given up on him. I never will.”

On the way home, Naruto keeps telling him stories about how he grew up, and Minato enjoys every single one of them. When they get there, he acts as if nothing had happened, and Naruto knows, he’s trying to find a way to protect Y/N.

[kayparker20]

Inner Turmoil

Chapter 1 - His Guilt, Her Yearning

FFN | AO3

Sakura waited with Naruto for Kakashi. He was always late. She smiled as she shook her head and sighed.

"It's been 20 minutes now! He's never this late." Naruto groaned, his impatience more than apparent.

She nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

"Hey… Sakura." He remembered something Hinata had told him. Her teal eyes turned to face him. "Hinata mentioned something to me, and don't be mad at her, because I'm happy for you!" He beamed suddenly and she raised an eyebrow.

The messy head blonde looked around them before speaking and even kept a hushed tone. "She told me that you and Kakashi… Had a moment, you could say." He giggled mischievously at the finish of his statement.

Sakura's heart sank at the reminder. "I guess you could call it that…" She sighed. "We were drunk. He cut it off before it got…" She turned away as her cheeks tinted pink at the memories surfacing in her mind.

"I've seen the way you look at him lately, Sakura." Naruto's voice was tender, and he placed a hand over hers on the bar of Ichiraku's. "And don't fool yourself into thinking it was just lust. Kakashi may be a closet pervert, but he'd never hurt you."

Sakura looked up at Naruto sky blue eyes, which were filled with seriousness. "Thank you, Naruto."

"You should tell him. He'll never tell you how he feels first. Especially with how closed off he is…" Naruto laughed. "And don't forget, it would probably be considered scandalous. A former sensei developed feelings for one of his students he taught who is 14 years younger than himself."

Sakura's face only darkened in the now cherry tint, but remembered the comfortableness the other jounin seemed to have that night. "I don't think it seems as scandalous to at least other ninja…" She said quietly, and then told the whole story of that night to him.

"Sakura, go find him. Really! You shouldn't give up before it even starts! I'm gonna go find Hinata. She's probably training with Hanabi!" His eyes lit up at the thought of her.

"Wait… Does it even shock you? At all? And today is the day Sasuke left, of all days to think about this..."

"Sakura, it makes me happy to see you finally able to move on. It will hurt us forever, but we have to stop letting it stop our lives, you know?" He grinned sadly. "I still will get him to come back one day because he's our best friend. But that won't change because your feelings have."

She nodded. "I guess you're right."

"And besides, if there's anyone I would ever believe you're safe with, its our old, porn reading sensei!" And with that he strode off toward the Hyuga complex.

She walked through the village, having a decent idea where she would find Kakashi, especially on a day like today.

Her stomach twisted with nervousness. Ever since he touched her with such need, and expressed such… Protectiveness, but also possessiveness over her, the thought of him gave her butterflies. She's had feelings for him for awhile now. She knew she loved him, but really, never thought he would love her. Some of the reasons Naruto brought up rang through her mind. Did the age really matter if she was an adult now, twenty years old? She'd been a ninja for seven years.

Even though Kakashi was closed off and flippant; Indifferent most times, they had moments where he was tender towards her. And he had saved her from Sasuke. The memory caused an ache in her chest, all those motions happening so fast around her. Mixed feelings bubbling up, regret she hesitated. Regret she even thought of killing him. Grateful Kakashi had been there. Her heart swelled at the fact that he had followed her, knowing her well enough to know what she had been doing.

She looked up at the sky and smiled at how beautiful it was. She was coming onto the memorial now, and she could see the silhouette of the man she loved so much now, but was scared of being rejected. Seeing him, it seemed impossible to even start the conversation of that night. They had been going on like it never happened. She was glad he didn't distance himself, but she hated that it was almost forgotten. Did he wish for her touch at night like she wished for his?

Approaching him, but not close enough to be sensed just yet, she stopped to stare at the somber man, his head hung low. She found him like that near the memorial stone often.

The sun was becoming visible along the horizon, reminding her it was a shock Naruto had even woke up for such an early breakfast. The sky was swirling with orange, blue, and pink hues. A breeze came and went, just light enough to rustle his clothing. It was a beautiful scene, stark in comparison to figure of silver haired nin standing within it.

I should've done something more for Sasuke, I was supposed to help him.

Silver strands fell loosely around the seasoned ninja's hitai-ate as his gaze fell from the sky and back to the memorial stone. It stood there as it always did, solemn and low. Too many of his own already engraved into the black rock, the reason he came here in all of his free time. How long before the list grows? Will his name be there before his younger genin he trained? If that's what he wants to call it, anyway. Will it be his fault that their names are there?

"What have I actually done for them?" He scoffed out loud. "Can they really defend themselves from Sasuke if they had to?"

I failed them, just like Rin and Obito.

The copy nin gently ran his hand across those two names on the memorial stone. His eyes slid close as he grieved once more silently, feeling the survivor's guilt all over again. The guilt of not being able to love her like Obito had loved Rin; like Rin had loved himself. No matter how many times he came here to make sure at least someone remembers them, it never went away. He sat staring at the memorial stone forever; Only time knows how much time he has spent in this spot.

This pain never goes away, it only dulls. It worsens, having a set of guilt for each person in his life.

What of Naruto? Sometimes I wonder if they purposely put the son of the fourth hokage on the team of his student. However, he has run off, and found a different sensei. Little to the young ninja's knowledge, he was taught his own father's jutsu, by his father's sensei, that Jiraiya. It's kind of beautiful, but shadowed in sadness. His shoulders hunched over. Maybe it's more fitting, considering how much they have in common. But he got through to Naruto better. My own sensei, his father. What would he think of me? Barely able to get them to even work together as genin, let alone giving them any new skills. I taught Sasuke one jutsu and he tried to use it on a comrade, his own teammate.

He scoffed. "They had been doing so well until those days during their chunin exams, that stupid curse mark from Orochimaru. All those missions, I really thought they had finally learned to be a team." He mused aloud somberly. "But Sasuke… His pride and revenge were still too much. One taste of power, and that was it took to remind him. Not to mention that encounter he had with Itachi going after the Nine Tails, and shrugging him off..."

And as for Sakura… He looked up at the trees, her own namesake blooming at this time of year. He shook his head. He taught her nothing really. He had tried to offer her comfort in those times, but after Sasuke was gone, she had known things weren't going to be okay. And he wasn't exactly good at comfort anyway. But that was when she really started to grow. After those five came back, all nearly dead besides that Nara kid from Asuma's squad, something in her changed, and she stopped being helpless. She always had the knowledge and the chakra control especially, but she was still a typical girl until then.

She went under the wing of the fifth hokage, soon becoming one of Konoha's strongest medic nin, and not just in her chakra. That girl packs a punch these days and he was glad he was never the one in front of it, apart from the second bell test. None of those skills were by his doing however. Offhandedly, the thought of her brought on a more recent memory, one with a tad of shame and regret, as well as longing but he tried to shake it away. He couldn't think of that right now, there was enough things to torture his conscience in front of him on a black stone.

But those thoughts addled his mind still. The feel of her in his arms, so intimately. He refused to drink since that night a couple weeks ago. Stupid, stupid, how could he have let that happen. However, it seemed like it hadn't changed things between them, and he was beyond grateful. He couldn't imagine losing her, even though he really kept her at arms length, just barely letting her graze the surface of his guard.

The thought of losing her, of her rejection, is what kept him from exposing that he had some kind of affection for her. Not to mention the shame that really came with it. She was so young compared to him, and so innocent still. She had seen some, but nothing like the darkness he had. And… For goodness sake, he used to be her sensei. The inappropriateness, even if neither her nor Naruto had referred to him as such for some time to mention her heart is our for Sasuke, even after everything he was sure that hadn't changed. He shook his head of all thoughts related to feeling anything besides camaraderie or friendship for the pink haired kunoichi. Besides, really he'd already failed her, nor he or Naruto have been successful in bringing back the man she loves so much…

The pain felt fresh as ever, but really it had been five years ago that Sasuke left. The ninja who were genin at the time, are now all roughly 19 or 20. He still held the burden, feeling it was his fault. He remembered the talk they had, having tied Sasuke to a tree with wire. He really thought he had gotten through to him that night. He should have watched him more closely. He should have been there when he was leaving instead of Sakura. He should have gone after him before it was too late. He should have been there for Naruto and Sakura after everything.

His thoughts stood still as he continued to look at the names on the stone. He was always filled with regret, for those living and dead. For such a strong, infamous ninja, he had lost so much, made so many mistakes. Like killing Run with his own chidori, granted it was really suicide, he'll never forget his own jutsu killed his best friend, after promising the Uchiha to take care of her. Like teaching Sasuke the chidori jutsu. Neglecting Sakura and Naruto during the days of Team Seven. For favoring him. He felt he had been a joke of sensei.

Naruto and Sakura never blamed him for Sasuke the way he blames himself. But he blamed himself for everything didn't he?

Just then, he sensed someone's presence, interrupting his reverie. He didn't bother to look behind him. The soft steps told him exactly who it was, as well as the soft scent of jasmine being carried on the breeze. She often knew where to find him, of course really anyone did.

She was closer now, just behind him at his left side. She delicately placed her right palm on his left shoulder, her slender finger tips gripping the fabrics of his vest.

"Kakashi, you missed breakfast…" The feminine voice rang in his ears as he saw pink strands blow into his view.

He slowly raised his right hand to lay over her left. This kind of touch was normal for them, even as it was platonic, or so they told themselves. But this time he wanted more than that. He wanted her close to him, in his arms. "I know…" He sighed.

Lifting his head to look at the aqua hues filled with concern, he gently squeezed her hand. "Today is the day he left…"

"I know…" She squeezed his hand back. "We all know. But it wasn't your fault. He won't stop, not until he kills Itachi… Not until he feels like he has avenged his family." He still kept silent.

Sakura's mind wandered a bit then. She was really trying to get the courage to tell a different man that she loved him, on the day the man she used to love had left her. She shook her head, there was nothing wrong with moving on, this day didn't change anything for Sasuke, so why should it for her…

She watched Kakashi closely for a moment. He looked haunted, like he normally did when she found him here, if she could find anything emotion that wasn't hidden by his mask. But over the years you learn how to find it other ways, like the way his hair is hanging off to the side instead of spiked upwards, or how he looks at the ground and the cheery sarcasm is gone.

She shifted her gaze to the names on the memorial now. She only knew the third hokage and her teammate's mentor, Jiraiya. Her heart clenched for the hokage, and then for Jiraiya who everyone held dear, especially Naruto and Tsunade. She was thankful in that moment to still have Kakashi, Iruka, and Tsunade alive. She recognized other names, such as the fourth hokage, Naruto's father.

"Do you think they're disappointed in me…?" Kakashi spoke softly now.

She glanced at him a moment, taken aback by the question. He never opened up like this. It was sort of odd, but she smiled slightly. How could anyone ever be disappointed in him, the great Copy Ninja, son of the White Fang, who has copied over a thousand jutsu, and saved many lives including her own.

"No, I don't. There's nothing you've done they could look down on." She chuckled a tiny bit. "Except for maybe those dirty little books you enjoy reading, however I'm sure Jiraiya would be far from disappointed."

His eye creased a bit at the mention of the orange binded books, now forever coveted for more than their content. He reached out his free hand, knowing exactly where the sage's name was engraved and grazed his fingertips over the writing.

"And before you say it, you never failed Naruto and I. You made us tough, and made us see past our judgements of each other. Or, rather my thoughts of how much an idiot he was. You made us learn to work together, as a team. So I believe the fourth, who was your sensei if I remember correctly, would be very proud of you."

Why was he talking about things? He never talked about things, he just buried it in his thoughts at the memorial. He moved away a moment. The pain resurfacing at the thought of being close with someone again, being able to experience more and more of that pain. But really, he wanted to be close with her. It should just so… Painful. Painful to let someone in, to let someone become worth enough to him to destroy him is they left or died…

What if she didn't want this? Or, nothing more than this rather? He couldn't lose her by scaring her away with his feelings... But she made it so easy to talk, to be him, she never expected anything else. She made it so easy to love her without realizing it before it was too late... Was it really worth the risk?

As he shuffled away, she watched him. He seemed closed back up, just as he usually was. Indifferent. Her hand felt cold now, where his touch had been. Something in her sank a little.

"How does your eye feel today?" She asked softly, changing the subject. She didn't want their interaction to end yet. She watched him closely, trying to read into what might be going through his mind, he almost looked scared as he backed off, but what could he have been scared of?

Kakashi turned his gaze back to her, dropping his hand from the stone. "It's felt better…" He admitted.

Her and Tsunade know of the pain he goes through daily from the sharingan, after the mission he overused it. It's gotten worse since then. It's more difficult to use it now. Tsunade had only just healed it, upon her direct order, last week. He hated hospitals. He even disliked being healed, the feeling of someone else's chakra seeming rather intimate in his opinion. He didn't feel his eye needed to be healed often, as it wasn't fixed, just relief. But Tsunade insisted that he needs to be at full capacity and that pain only wears down ninja over time. There was no arguing with the medic sannin. But whenever it was Sakura who offered the kind gesture, he never tried to argue. There was no point with arguing with her either, but he didn't mind the intimacy with her he supposed. Just one more he was slowly letting the walls down around her.

"Come on, let me heal it." Sakura urged, taking a step closer to him again.

"Let's go back to my place." He motioned around, noting the sun was fully up now, and daylight was out fully. "You know how the light causes discomfort to it…"

She nodded and they fell into step walking back to his apartment. The village went on about their daily lives, some gazing with respect at any passing ninja. It didn't take long to get to the jounin's small apartment. He shuffled for his keys and unlocked the bolt, the click being audible in the comfortable silence.

They had passed Asuma and Kurenai on the way. They watched with interest and she fought down the blush as her and Kurenai made eye contact, and the brown hair kunoichi smiled encouragingly at her. Oh no, they know… Of course they know. It wasn't like she hadn't been an open book that night! Asuma seemed to be watching Kakashi intently like he was trying to relay some sort of message, but he hadn't been looking at the dark haired man to notice. They passed on without further acknowledgement.

She'd seen his room a few times in the past. But not since a couple weeks ago, the memory causing her cheeks to flush slightly pink.

"Make yourself at home, I'll start some coffee." He strode inside with her following close behind.

She stepped inside and took in the surroundings once again. It was such a simple apartment. A kitchen and living room, only separated by the change of old worn tile or stringy red carpet on the floor. There was a faded loveseat in the middle of the living room, with a wooden coffee table placed in front of it. By the window on the far side of the living room, stood a short book shelf with his Icha-Icha novels as well as some other literature. On top of the shelf, two frames were poised, Team Minato and Team Seven. She strode over to them, taking the one of Team Seven in her hands, as she always did when she came here.

Her hair was still long here, Naruto and Sasuke on either of her with Kakashi behind them. The two boys were glaring at each other while she smiled happily. Kakashi has his signature eye crease, a hand on each of the boys' heads. She loved this picture so much, having her own copy at her house. Naruto had one too. Sometimes she wondered if Sasuke still had his somewhere. A sad smile spread across his lips.

Kakashi watched her intently. The pink haired kunoichi always went straight for that photo whenever she came to his place, the few times she had. Over the years, the way she stared at it would change.

She used to hold it so tight in her fingers, he feared the glass pane would break, and he slowly slid it from her grasp and set it back on the shelf. That was the first time he ever embraced her. She was 15. She sobbed into his shoulder. Naruto was there and he wrapped his arms around them as well. His face buried into her hair, and he could tell by the rise of the genin's shoulders, he had been crying with her. He whispered his promise to bring Sasuke back once again then. Kakashi was never the comforting type, but they seemed to just appreciate him being there. They were only supposed to be in his apartment a moment that day, he just wanted the next volume of his series. However, they stood there like that a long time in that moment.

She had looked at it haunted. When she was still in the shock of Sasuke trying to kill her, multiple times. He remembered that all too vividly, her being saved by team seven multiple times. But that had passed, and she now just held the picture with somber acceptance as she does now.

He walked over, two cups of coffee in his hands and sat on the couch, gently placing them on the coffee table. Hearing the cup land softly on the wood, she set the frame down. She moved to sit next to him on the loveseat, taking the warm cup between her fingers.

Memories, less tragic ones, slinked back to his consciousness. They were tinged with the effects of a little too much sake, and a tad of regret. Still since that night, he would still notice her even more than before. Even now, she had her long, toned legs crossed. Her medic skirt splayed about her thighs, the shorts under them tight to her skin. The curve of her lips around the rim of the coffee cup as she took a sip. The way her short hair just barely brushed her neck, which he remembered the skin there being soft and sweet tasting. Or becoming intoxicated by the scent of her jasmine perfume. He still remembers the touch of her slender fingers against his bare skin.

He hated that he noticed it, that he couldn't stop noticing it. It felt wrong, he had been her teacher just seven years ago, give or take. He was fourteen years older than her. Why didn't none of that stop him from noticing the way she licked the coffee off her lips? Or secretly love when she healed him, instead of Tsunade. He felt like a creep. Just added to the list of things he hated himself for…

"Are you ready?" She set the half empty cup of coffee down now. She had noticed his intense gaze, and it was a little unsettling.

"Hn." He shifted to face her, and slowly slid his headband off his head, exposing the sharingan that was stuck activated. He closed his blood red eye as she gently placed her hand over his eye, watching her with his charcoal one. He could sense the chakra building up in her palm, her hand started to glow with the aqua aura of her healing chakra. And the intimacy he felt as her chakra flowed into him, reminded him once again of the last time they were both on his couch, and he let it replay in his memory, chastising himself that he should have never thought about it again.

Her eyes slid closed as she concentrated on the damage she could repair. He instantly began to feel the relief, the tenseness in his shoulders relaxing somewhat. He was more than thankful for her in that moment.

As she finished her task, her mind wandered back to the way he had been gazing at her earlier. Her cheeks dusted pink once again, remembering that night. The protectiveness that it had started with, and the feel of his lips on hers that it ended with.

They never talked about it, and she had only ever told Hinata about it, until this morning when she told Naruto. Hinata was the only one who knew much of her personal things anymore, after becoming close when Naruto finally noticed the Hyuuga's affection for him. The memory was coming back to her vividly now.

That night had started out as just a night out with Ino, the blonde trying to distract herself from her broken heart, having found out that Shikamaru and Temari were together now. Ino ended up getting shit faced, and calling Choji crying. The Akimichi nin came to pick her up, holding her tightly as they left. It had made Sakura smile, thinking Ino was rather oblivious to the feelings everyone knew he had for her.

Sakura stayed at the club, sipping the warm sake. She was already here, may as well enjoy it right? She scanned for someone she might know. She didn't see anyone in eyesight, feeling too lazy to get up and check around the corner of the club, where she knew some jounin lounged there at times, she remained at the bar. She was fine, until some guy decided to pester her.

"I'm flattered, but not interested, sorry." She said dismissively.

"Oh, of course. The kunoichi always play hard to get." He wiggled his eyebrows. "I love a good game."

Sakura glared at him. "Get lost." She kept her voice a tad bit harsher than before, but she was getting nervous.

"Why? Because I'm not a shinobi? You think you're better than me?"

She straightened her shoulders. "No. I'm just simply here for a drink, and nothing else. Please, just leave me be." She stood from the bar, and began walking towards that jounin corner.

Maybe Anko or Kurenai are here tonight. They frequent here, usually with Gai, Asuma and Genma. Sometimes Kakashi is even with them.

Her heart fluttered at the thought of her former sensei. The feeling of safeness she had always felt around becoming something she needed at the moment. She picked up her pace.

"You really think I'll let you get away so easily?" His voice sounded dark now, sending a nervous shiver up her spine.

"I said leave me alone!" She hissed at him, turning that corner and making eye contact with Kurenai, giving her pleading eyes. She rushed over to them, noticing the silver hair nin who faced away from her.

"How about you come with me?" His voice still sounded dark, low with intentions she wasn't welcome to.

The silver haired nin she so dearly wanted to be near turned his head slightly at the sound of that statement, she was just getting to the end of the sofa they were sitting at, a space next to him open. The man was close behind Sakura, trying to grasp her wrist. He could feel the trepidation radiating off of his former student.

"If you lay a finger on her, you're gonna find all ten incapable." Kakashi hissed out, taking another sip of his now third careen of sake. Sakura was just in arms reach, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to sit in the empty space next to him, wrapping his arm around her possessively.

"Ah, so she's yours?"

None of the jounin said a word. Sakura pressed into his side, finding comfort in the protection, not caring how it was shown at this moment. She could smell the sake on his breath, just as much as she could taste it on hers.

"I told you to leave me alone." She spoke defiantly and laid her head on Kakashi's shoulder for good measure.

He scoffed and finally gave up on his pursuit.

Kakashi's arm didn't move from around her waist, nor did he shy away from their close proximity. She glanced up at him, the expression on his face unreadable.

"I'm glad you came this way, Sakura…" Kurenai said, breaking the silence.

She met the red eyed female's gaze and nodded. "I was at the bar. I came here with Ino…" She paused and moved her gaze to Asuma. "She's torn up about Shikamaru… But she drank too much and cried. Called Choji and he came right away to get her. I should have just left with them…" She took a deep breath, releasing the tension she had been holding in her body. "I came this way from the bar when he started bothering me, hoping at least one of you was here."

Genma chuckled. "Well, I'm always here, blossom." He winked, the senbon in his mouth bouncing with his flirtation.

"Oh yes, run from one creepy flirt into the arms of another! What a saviour you'd have been." Anko teased and hit Genma on the shoulder.

Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed, thankful for the other ninja.

She looked over at Kakashi once again, this time his exposed eye was on her, and she met his gaze. "Thank you, Kakashi."

He nodded, and his hand began to gently rub her hip ever so slightly. No one else seemed to notice. She didn't dare move. She suddenly realized she couldn't remember the last time she had been so… Close to someone else. She felt warm where his arm held around her form. She'd never been this close to him, being able to feel how solid his torso was or how rough his fingertips were against exposed skin. He smelled like the forest, which was kind of intoxicating. She was beginning to think maybe she also had too much to drink, despite her very sober feelings for him, she never dared to expose them.

Kakashi offered his careen, and she took just one more sip of the alcohol. She felt his gaze on her as she did so, and it made her feel hot all over.

Asuma watched them discreetly. Taking notice how they didn't move away to a more 'appropriate' distance once Sakura's assailant was gone. When was the last time Kakashi had a woman at his side? Sakura was the same age as Ino, looking just as much a woman as his beloved Kurenai now. Even he had noticed how attractive the kunoichi of the upcoming generation had become. He wondered if her former sensei did too, or if it was just the effect of the sake in his system. He chuckled to himself and looked over at Kurenai, who had a small smile playing on her lips.

"Feeling safer now, Sakura?" Genma said in a sultry voice.

Her eyes widened a moment. Of course she felt safer, what's he getting at? That's not abnormal is it, or am I just obvious... Like always.

"Well, wouldn't you feel safe in Hatake's arms? I know I would…" Anko raised an eyebrow and Sakura cheeks grew hot with a blush. Genma just smirked.

So they do notice…

"Leave the girl alone. Anyone would feel safe in the presence of their sensei." Kurenai spoke matter of factly, though Sakura could tell she almost seemed to intentionally come to her rescue from further embarrassment.

Sakura was thankful for the comment but also embarrassed by it as she turned even more red and just hoped it wasn't too repulsive to have feelings for your sensei.

"Oh come on, what is it between our age and your squads'? 13-14 years? That's not so bad in shinobi terms." Genma drawled out. Asuma laughed lightly at the remark.

Kurenai sighed but sent a reassuring look towards Sakura.

Kakashi didn't seem phased, his hand still gently rubbing her hip.

"I should probably get home soon…" Sakura mumbled to no one in particular. She stood, Kakashi's hand slipping away from her hip, and her body feeling cold from where his touch now vanished.

She took one step and stumbled, catching herself on the table between them all. She went to take another and her leg seemed to lose all its strength. Just as she realized she was falling, a strong arm wrapped around her waist tight and held her upright again.

She looked to see Kakashi, his eye was creased so he must have been smiling at her. Her heart thudded a little bit harder in her chest.

Did she really drink that much?

"How about I take you home?" Kakashi said with a deep tone she couldn't place.

"I'd appreciate that a lot…" She smiled timidly, somewhat embarrassed at her drunken state, among the fact that she was almost certain everyone knew she loved him now.

He gently picked her up, one arm around her back and the other tucked under her knees. She lazily wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. The man from earlier caught the sight and growled. "Not interested, huh?" He scoffed.

With the flick of his tongue, Genma sent his senbon in her assailant's direction, landing it right next to the man's drink on his table. His angry gaze met Genma's indifferent one.

"She wasn't interested in you. Hatake on the other hand…" He smiled widely now. "You never had a chance. And if it wouldn't have been him, it would have been me." He added snidely. Anko and the rest of the group laughed. "Kunoichi need men that are a challenge, and you're not even close to such a man. Too simple... And too creepy."

Sakura gazed up at Kakashi at Genma's words. She began to wonder what he looked like under that damned mask, wanting to know even more now than before. Her bet still ran that he was handsome under that pesky fabric. That made him a challenge from the start…

Oh what was she thinking. He's just taking her home… And he doesn't see her like that. Her cheeks turned red again, her mind wandering now. She always cared about Kakashi, appreciated him. He has been there for her and always protected her… She felt safe with him.

Her fingers slowly found their way into the hair at the back of his neck and just kept twisting her fingers in the shortish strands of silver. He kept everyone so closed out… He would never. He cared for her as his student, his comrade… She was so much younger, she knew it would never work, but it didn't stop her. She was used to unrequited feelings…

And then her heart sank, as memories came rushing through. Feeling alone all over again and cold, she focused on the places her body was in contact with Kakashi's. The warmth and closeness of it.

"Kakashi…"

She felt his throat vibrate with the noise he made in acknowledgement.

"I don't want to be alone…" Her voice trembled ever so slightly. His grip on her tightened.

"You won't be." and then he turned in the opposite direction of her house.

Those words echoed in her mind once more. She smiled. She hated being alone, which was part of the reason she always found herself in his company. Even after that night, things didn't seem to change. It went on like it didn't happen, but she thought of it often… How she wanted more than this companionship from him. Beginning to wonder if he was just too drunk like she was, or if it was real desire slipping past his guard that was fractured by alcohol, and halted by what he felt was right.

They were staring into each other's eyes now but nothing was being said. His hand slowly reached out to her, landing on her hip, but still nothing was said.

Kakashi walked purposely to his apartment and when he got there, he set her on the couch gently, and sat next to her. She was watching him and he liked it.

He shouldn't feel this way. But the way that man had been trying to harass her, woke something in him. He always cared about her, hell he was beginning to think he might love her as unacceptable as it would have been and how out of reach of an idea that Sakura of all people would look any other way than Sasuke... But the thought of someone else having her angered him in that moment. And she never shyed away from him once the moment was over. She didn't flinch away from his touch on her hip. And she looked so damn hot when she blushed. And when she said she didn't want to be alone... He couldn't stand to take her home where she would be exactly that.

She almost seemed to welcome his touch, as he thought back on the moments.

He felt the couch shift and he looked at her just as her side made contact with his again, and slid his arm around her waist, holding her tight to him, just as he had at the club. She laid her hand on his thigh, lightly, timidly.

He began to wonder what she was thinking. She was drunk, maybe it wasn't what she really wanted.h=

"Its funny; How Ino begged to go out tonight, and I went happily, always ready to help a friend…" She sighed. "But now I'm the one who's sad…" Her lower lip twitched slightly. "Choji was so...tender towards her. I swear, she's so oblivious. We all have known he's loved her since we've been 12, but she was so infatuated with Sasuke, and then Shikamaru." The mention of the Uchiha's name shook over her lips. "No one has ever looked at me the way Choji did her tonight. Or the way Naruto gazes at Hinata… Even Neji at Tenten." Her eyes stung with tears now and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I've had too much to drink…"

She went to move away, beginning to situate a pillow to lay her head on. Just as she started to feel cold again from his touch leaving her body, his hand gripped her wrist.

"Sakura…" His voice came out soft and low. His other hand came up to gingerly touch her cheek and turned her to face him.

He wanted to kiss her… To make her feel cared for. Even loved…

Anything to send away those terrible feelings she was feeling.

She's drunk. This is wrong. He let go of her wrist. "It won't always be like this…" He tried to say something comforting.

Their eyes locked, her aqua hues staring into his single exposed one. She reached up and slid off his headband, now looking into his sharingan.

She could see something in him but she couldn't tell what it was. It seemed like he was holding something back, and she wanted to know what it was. Her wrist where his hold on her had been seemed to feel a chill as he let his grasp loose.

She brought her hand up to his face, and curled her finger tips around the edge of his mask slowly.

He tensed, just a little bit, and set his hands on her hips lightly. "You should get some sleep…" He stated flatly. He broke their gaze and looked to the side. He wouldn't take advantage of her.

She made no response to his comment. A few moments passed, and then she slowly slid the mask down his face. As it hung around his neck, her fingers gingerly traced the scar that went through his eye. He closed his eye at her gentle touch.

"If I wasn't drunk, I could make that less obvious for you…" She whispered softly.

He shook his head. "Rin tried but I want it to be there…" He spoke in a whisper. She understood, knowing how and why the scar existed.

The rest of his face was pale like the rest of his body, a slight line of color difference around the areas the mask didn't cover, as it was exposed to the sun, but it was still pale. He had clear skin and a strong jawline. His lips were thin and light in colour.

Handsome, just as she always thought.

He could feel her scrutinizing his now exposed face, the first time she's ever seen it. It made him feel a little self-conscious but he didn't let that on as he let her stare. He met her eyes once again, and this time, she came forward and kissed him.

His hands gripped her hips tighter, he didn't respond right away. The kiss was soft, her lips were soft and timid in their motion. He slowly responded to the kiss, keeping the gentleness she began with. She relaxed as soon as he tilted his head, and moved a little closer to him.

He shifted them, laying her back against the couch and hovering over her slim, but toned body. The silver haired nin slipped his hands up just barely into her red shirt, resting them on her sides. The feel of his calloused skin and the leather of his gloves made her shiver slightly. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him closer.

He was kissing her back, and her head was spinning. His body felt so fitting to hers as it pressed her against the couch. His tongue swiped her bottom lip and she gasped in surprise, and moaned as his tongue found hers and swirled around it.

Kakashi could feel her chest rise and fall against his chest as her breathing quickened. Her toned legs were on either side of him, he hooked his fingers under one of her knees and moved it to wrap around his waist. Her hands were in his hair and her scent filled his presence. He pressed a little more urgent into the kiss, and she moaned, the noise snapping him out of the arousal.

Instantly Kakashi's warmth vanished from all around her and she whimpered, and opened her eyes to look at him confused. "Is something…"

"You're drunk. That was wrong of me. I'm sorry, I…" He spoke fast and with sudden sobriety. "You can take the bedroom, I'll sleep on the couch."

She wanted to protest that she was perfectly okay with what had happened, that she wanted it, and wanted more. But he gently grabbed her hand and led her to the room. "If you want to change into something more comfortable, go ahead. Clothes are in the dresser."

And he left her in his bedroom to sleep on the couch.

She remembered waking up, having slipped on one of shirts, deciding that was the closest she'd probably get to his touch ever again…

She stared at him with curiosity in her expression now. He had just been looking at her, his hand resting lightly on her hips.

She's fully sober now. He still wished for her. To hold her and cherish her. To protect her. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her. He brought his other hand to rest gingerly on her cheek, and she almost immediately turned into his touch.

She still wasn't shying away from him. Her gazed seared into him with the wonder of what was happening.

He'd never open up like this, but she made things better. She was able to give him comfort no one else ever did. He couldn't bring himself to even address that night, even now. He still regretted the alcohol, letting himself kiss her, even for just a few moments, while she was intoxicated and emotionally vulnerable. But now, he just needed it, even as he hated noticing she was grown now. Hated that he was so much older than her and felt this kind of desire. Even if she was an adult now, it still seemed inappropriate. But did any of that matter if she felt it too? He had to know if she wanted it too, the same way she seemed to want him that night…

"I remember the last time we were on this couch together…" Her breath was a little shaky. "I wasn't that drunk. Drunk enough to stumble, but I still knew what I wanted. That I still want you." She stated matter of factly. Her hand reached out to his face, and she slowly, cautiously slid her finger tips into the top of his mask. He made no motion to stop her. "I understand why you stopped it… It even made me respect you even more than I already do." She smiled and began to pull the mask down. "But it still hurt a little. I wondered if it was only the alcohol that had made you want me…"

He shook his head, still holding her gaze, and his grip on her hip tightened.

"I cried to Hinata about it… But she insisted that it wasn't it." The mask was hanging around his neck. She placed her hand on the back of his neck and began to lay back on the couch. "You told me it wouldn't always be like this… I wouldn't always feel alone." Her hand moved into his hair and he moved to hover over her again, and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You haven't been alone for a long time, Sakura…" He breathed out low, his lips almost touching hers. "It just felt… wrong. For me, your former sensei, to feel the way I do…"

"Kakashi...?" He could feel her chest moving up and down with her heavy breathing again.

"I always cared about you. And I've...loved you for some time now." That word felt foreign, sounded foreign, but he knew he did. He brought his hand to the back of her neck, tangling his fingers in her hair. "It wasn't until that night that I thought you would ever want me.." He mused softly. "We were both drunk and I wanted you so much… But I didn't want to take advantage of you…" He sighed. "I feel guilt and shame for how far it did go."

"Please… Don't. I want this. I want you." Her voice shook a little as she spoke those words.

He placed his lips over hers gently, gripping her hair just a little tighter. She made a sound of contentment before moving her lips against his, pulling him closer. She needed to feel his body against hers. Her hands tugged at his hair and she turned her head, deepening the kiss, feeling the heat spread through her body just like it had that night under his intense gaze.

He pulled away and looked at her deep in the eyes. "Sakura…" He slid his hand under her shirt, this time pulling it up.

"Kakashi, please…" She whined. She pulled the zipper of his vest down and shrugged it off his shoulders.

"I know." He smiled and lifted her shirt over her head.

She'd never get over being able to see his full smile, the curve of his lips seemed so precious.

He left hot kisses down her jawline and neck and she tilted her head back to give him better access. His hair tickled her skin as he moved. Her breathing was becoming ragged. She slid her hands under his shirt, running her slender fingers across his toned abdomen, feeling the scars that rose a bit off his torso as she ran them up his body. He shivered, her touch felt like electricity surging through him.

As much as she wanted this, a small fear began to creep up on her. She needed to tell him…

"Kakashi, I've never…" She started and he slowly halted and he met her eyes, understanding what she was about to tell him.

Of course, she hadn't. The only other person she ever seemed to have eyes for was Sasuke, and obviously that never went anywhere for them…

He pecked her lips as she slid his shirt off. He stood up and lifted her off the couch into his arms, holding her tight to him, the faded black garment forgotten on the floor. He carried her to his room and laid her delicately over his shuriken covers. He kissed her, deep and slow. It made her heart melt. His tongue swiped across her lips and she parted them for him.

He was being so passionate yet so gentle at the same time.

And it was really happening. He wasn't going to stop, and leave her alone in his bed this time. Even though his foresty scent engulfing her in his covers that night had been comforting, she had wished she could have at least been in his arms that night. And now, she was going to get it all, she thought as his lips were trailing down her body again and she was panting.

Kakashi's thoughts were wild. He wasn't just going to lie with her, but he was going to be her first, and hopefully only. It only made him feel like it was wrong all over again, only for a moment. The love reflecting in those hues casting away any doubts he had about them. If she wanted this, wanted him then he wasn't ever letting her slip away from him.

He didn't care that she used to be his student, or that she had grown up before his eyes. He didn't care that he was fourteen years older. As long as it was she wanted, what would make her happy, that's what he cared about.

And there was no denying she wanted him as she panted, whispers of his name filling the air in his bedroom. Her body pressing into everything he did.

"Kakashi…" It was going to drive him crazy.

"Say it." He said in a hushed tone. He looked up at her. "Tell me this isn't just about being alone…"

It suddenly nagged at him still, even when he was enjoying this. That fear to open up, just to lose someone again. It'd kill him if he finally gave in, for her to be gone later. To never be at his side.

Understanding crossed her features. She sat up and held his face in her hands. "I love you, Kakashi Hatake. I've loved you since I realized who has been there for me since those two nearly killed each other." Tears filled her eyes. "I've loved you since you held me in your living room the first time I ever came here, and clung to that picture and cried, and you held me." Her eyes were sparkling. "I've known I loved you since you saved me from Sasuke…" She kissed him hard, her hands moving up into his hair and pulling hard. He moaned into her mouth and gripped her hips.

"I'm not going anywhere." She whispered against his lips, and it was all he needed to finally completely let the wall down to her.

His hands trailed up her form once again, finding his calloused fingers wrapped around both her breasts, before he started to tear away the wrappings, kissing the skin as it was exposed to him. She gasped and threw her head back against the mattress, her pink tresses splaying across the covers.

He took one of her now hardened buds into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the skin. His hands moved in a gentle caress to grip that pesky little skirt and the shorts underneath and slid them both off in one motion.

And now he felt her hands leaving his hair, trailing down his bare torso, leaving fire on his skin in their chasteness, and just like her slender fingers had curled around the edge of his mask, they did the same around the waistband of his pants. They were just a little hesitant now, and he gave her peck on the lips to encourage her further.

"Is the bold medic getting flustered now?" He smirked slightly at the blush that stained her cheeks deeply now, much like that night when Genma teased her.

Sakura tightened her grip before closing her eyes and jerking the fabric away from the silver haired man that she finally had him to herself. No amount of nervousness was going to ruin that. She gulped as she peeked between then, finally seeing the hardness that she had felt against her leg a couple times. She bit her lip, noting the size. Not that she had really seen and paid attention to any other, he just seemed a little bit more… Gifted.

Kakashi chuckled deep in his chest, finding the way she ground her bottom lip between her teeth upon seeing himself a little sexy and adorable all at once. "Don't worry, I'll be slow… Gentle." He kissed her softly and she reciprocated instantly.

He pulled away lightly. "You're really gonna like what's coming next if you've never been with anyone at all." His voice sounded like honey to her. He began kissing, and nipping every so often down her body and suddenly she started gathering where he was heading when he didn't stop at her chest… Or her hips. He was on his knees in front of the bed now, and lazily slung her legs over his shoulders, gripped her hips and pulled her body towards him.

"Oh my god, Kakashi!" She moaned and squirmed slightly as she felt his hot, wet tongue glide between her lips, and circle the tip expertly around her clit. He did it again, delving a little deeper, and sucking when he reached the bundle of nerves again. Her body was starting to gleam with sweat.

She'd heard how much a treat this could be from Ino, but she never could have imagined this. She squirmed and moaned low as he continued the motions, so slow and intentional.

"Kakashi… More. Please." She pleaded with him. Her legs were wrapped tight around his shoulders now, pressing him to her core, and she was thankful he didn't seem to mind at all.

He decided the only response needed was to oblige, and he trailed his fingers delicately over the pale skin of her right thigh, inching them closer and closer to her entrance. He slid in one digit slowly, testing, instantly he felt himself harden more at how soaked she was already. She was dripping with need, and it was all for him. She moaned a bit and didn't seem to feel any discomfort. He added another, still she seemed in perfect pleasure, just moaning and writhing on his bed as he still continued to use his tongue against her. He spread his fingers inside her and her back arched off the bed but it was pure ecstasy that fell from her lips. He smirked and decided to stop to raise up just a bit, enough to talk, but enough that his breath still breezed over her sensitiveness.

"It would seem you're no stranger to these feelings…" He spoke in a low, accusing tone. And there it was, that heat again on her face.

"I… " Damn him. "Sometimes I just need… Relief." She looked away, refusing to make eye contact as her cheeks burned scarlet now.

"Well, you're plenty loose enough and wet enough." He said flippantly now, and stood up from his knees, pushing her more into the bed. He crawled onto the mattress, making himself comfortable between her legs, his knees digging into the mattress, wrinkling the shuriken covers further than she had with her writhing.

Suddenly all her muscles tensed, gathering that she was about to lose her innocence to him. She wanted this, but it didn't make slight fear completely dissipate.

Hinata said she didn't feel a thing when Naruto took her. But Ino said it was agony when Choji did and it took minutes to pass. Tenten said it only stung for a moment with Neji. Temari never talked about what it had been like with Shikamaru. So many mixed reviews, how was she to know what to expect. Then she glanced back down, remembering his size. Perhaps it was silly to even question. There's no way Kakashi wouldn't hurt at least a little.

He watched her gaze, wondering what was flying through that pink little head of hers. He watched her gaze shift back down again, and her hips squirmed a bit. He gripped them gently and leaned to whisper softly in her ear.

He was trying to push away the fact he was about to strip the very innocence he lectured her so much to hide years prior.

"This is probably going to hurt… And if you want me to stop at any point." He kissed her cheek, pecked her lips. "Don't be scared to tell me to."

She nodded and brought her arms to link around his neck. He laid his forehead against hers, and slowly moved his hips forward into hers, pressing the tip of his length just against her entrance. They both moaned low.

When was the last time he had been with someone, even though they had all been one night stands. No strings attached.

It was obvious this was going to be different, it was going to feel different. It was going to be so much better.

He slid his arms up under her form so that he was hugging her close to him. She sighed happily, before he pressed on a little further, just enough to break that barrier. Her body tensed, her legs squeezed his hips and her eyes knit shut. A small whimper escaped her lips, but she moved her hips into his.

This was more straining than he expected it to be. He wanted all of her, now. But he couldn't do that, not yet. This had to be tender. He pressed a little further, half of him inside her now. Her face still looked a little pained, but she gasped and her mouth hung open now.

Sakura was taking deep breaths, bearing it. It wasn't so bad, but it was definitely there. But the more he moved, the more the pleasure came, and pain subsided. She was beyond appreciative for his sincerity in this moment, but she could feel in the tenseness of his muscles it was difficult for him to hold back.

He moved further again, and there was nothing but pure ecstasy this time.

"Oh, Kakashi…" She unlinked her fingers from each other, just to dig them into his back. She arched her back into him, and swiftly thrusts her hips upward into his, and he gasped, his full length in her now.

"Sakura…" The strain in his voice couldn't be held back anymore. He bit down on his lip hard. That one swift motion, the way his name sounded coming from her in such tones. It was becoming too much.

She looked up at him, and every bit of innocence that had been in those eyes had fled from them, and now they were dark and seductive. She flicked her tongue over her lips, wetting the chapped skin from her panting.

"Kakashi, I need you…" She leaned up and began kissing his jawline, and down his neck. She bit the crook of his shoulder that met his neck and snapped whatever restraint he had.

In one fluid motion, he pulled his hips back and slammed back into her. The nails only dug deeper into the skin of his shoulder, her moans getting louder.

"No, Sakura, I need you." His voice was low and husky against her ear, and then he slammed his hips into hers again and she was too far gone in pleasure to reply. She wrapped her legs around his waist, linking her ankles. She pulled him deeper into her.

He couldn't have ever imagined it would have ever ended up like this. She was just as needy as him, and he wondered if she would be just as aggressive as time went on.

He swiftly brought his head down and bit down on her collarbone, and sucked the pale skin, with full intention to leave red and purple with the bruise of his needs. He could feel the stinging pain of where she had bit him and it only urged him on more.

"Kakashi, I..!" She felt her whole body start to tremble, her eyes squeezed shut tight and she buried her face in his shoulder, her hands flat against the muscles of his back. Her legs shook.

"Shit!" Her lover hissed into her hair, stroking the strands lightly. He could feel her tightening around him as she was climaxing and he wasn't going to last much longer.

She felt his body tighten, his toned arm that still held her tight against his body as he let out a low groan and she felt warmth between her legs as they climaxed. She fell back, the copy nin following, collapsing on her chest, his breathing laboured.

It may as well have been his first because he vaguely remembered it had been years now, and was slightly disappointed in himself for lasting so short. But she seemed exhausted anyway.

"I love you…" He murmured, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder.

She was still reeling from her first full orgasm but the precious words rang through her reverie and she beamed with joy.

"I love you too…" And she brought her hand to his head, her fingers twirling in the strands lightly. His breathing was steadying now. She placed a kiss on the top his head.

She couldn't believe it. She was in his bed, naked in his arms after making love, after losing her virginity to him.

Everything felt right in the world. She couldn't give a damn what anyone would ever think, because she was happy. And so was he.

Kakashi hummed contently at the motions of her fingers in his hair. Nothing could have ever made him happier than this morning. Peering over at the clock on his night stand, it was 11:30am now. Just as he was deciding right here and right now in her embrace, his resting between her breasts would be the perfect time for a nap, there was a light knock on the door, and then it opened. Sakura tensed and brought the blankets up over them, but seemed more in fear of being seen naked, rather than being seen in his bed. Once she felt she was covered, her body relaxed.

Kakashi groaned at whoever it was. "Go away."

The timbre of Asuma's voice came through the doorway. "Hey old friend, we need talk, because I know your self loathing will keep you from ever dealing with it."

Kakashi's eyebrow raised at what he could be referring to. Curious, he remained silent. Sakura's face was turning a slight pink, like she knew what it was.

"That Haruno girl has eyes for y-" His figure appeared through the door, and his eyes found the sight of the famous copy nin tangled up with the hokage's apprentice.

Sakura's face was deep red now.

Kakashi smirked slightly. "Oh believe me, I know." Kakashi said in his usual flippant tone. And turned to plant a kiss on Sakura's burning cheek.

"Well, Kurenai will be pleased to hear that you didn't even need a nudge." Asuma laughed.

[animeomegas]

Omega!Naruto - Family Night

Now I’m so curious as to what a typical family night would entail with the boys! When the kids are pretty young and they finally have some time off and their alpha also has some time off to spend together? 👉🏻👈🏻with house husband itachi because that is the only way><

I assume you want the Naruto boys, I’m going to post them one at a time, so I can keep active this week. Up first is Naruto!

Warnings: Mpreg (implied)

Naruto:

As Hokage, it was rare for Naruto to get a full day off without some emergency calling him back to work, but today he had left Shikamaru in charge, (against his will), so that he could come home to spend the evening with you and his children.

And what better way to spend time together than with a board game!

Naruto picked up a simple board game (suitable for younger children) on his way home, knowing that you had sorted out the snacks last night.

“I’m home!” Naruto calls out, shuffling through the front door with the new game and a couple of stacks of paperwork in hand.

“Daddy!” He heard his eldest son shout, followed by the sound of little footsteps sprinting towards the door.

Naruto put the bags on the floor in preparation, crouching down and holding out his arms as his son flew around the corner with a huge grin on his face.

“Oof,” Naruto had the wind knocked out of him as his son barrelled straight into his chest. He stood up, holding his son tightly in his arms.

“You’re getting so big now!” Naruto exclaimed, over dramatically wheezing as his son giggled. “Can’t believe you’re already nine, soon I won’t be able to pick you up anymore!”

His son gasped and tightened his arms around Naruto’s neck.

“No, I always want daddy to pick me up.”

“Hmm,” Naruto hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose daddy’s just going to have to train more so he can keep doing it then, huh?”

His son nodded furiously. “Yes, daddy, I think that’s a good idea.” He then nuzzled his face into Naruto’s shoulder, taking a deep breath of his father’s scent and purring gently. Naruto purred back, pressing a kiss onto his son’s head.

At that moment, you rounded the corner, a one-year-old twin in each arm, smiling tiredly at him.

“Looks like someone is trying to get out of doing their homework again,” you teased your son. “You know we aren’t playing the board game until all homework is done.”

Your son huffed but wiggled his way out of Naruto’s embrace and made his way back to the kitchen table to join his sister to finish his homework.

You and Naruto both laughed gently at his antics, before moving to embrace each other, careful not to crush the twins.

“Missed you,” you murmured.

“Missed you, too,” he responded.

You stayed like that for a few seconds, just enjoying each other’s warmth, before one of the twins reached up and yanked Naruto’s hair.

Naruto swore lightly under his breath, before trying to remove the tiny hand clenched in his hair. Both twins were giggling at his struggle. You suppressed your own laughter.

“I told you these two are going to be trouble,” you laughed.

“Yeah,” Naruto grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on his head, “I can see what you mean.”

“Daddy!” came a voice from the kitchen, “Can you come here, please?”

“Oh,” you remembered. “She wants you to proofread her homework before she gives it in on Monday.”

Naruto nodded. “I can do that. Coming!”

Naruto headed into the kitchen, where his oldest children were working on homework. It looked like his son was working on maths homework from his civilian school, while his daughter was writing about the history of the Shinobi nations for the Academy.

“Can you read this please?” his daughter asked, shoving a piece of paper in his face.

Naruto slipped into the chair beside her and picked up the document to read. He felt his eyebrows raise up the more he read. It always astounded him how good his daughter was at history.

“How is it?” she asked, fidgeting with her fingers a little.

“Honestly?” he started, “Better than most of the mission reports I have to read. Good job!” He praised her, ruffling her hair.

She grinned at him, carefully rolling the paper up and slipping it into her school bag.

“How was your day at school today?”

“Great!” His daughter exclaimed. “Uncle Sasuke’s daughter beat up this boy in the playground for pulling her hair! It was awesome!”

Naruto snorted, not surprised in the slightest.

“Sounds like fun,” he laughed. “Why don’t you go and help set up for game night while I finish up the homework with your brother?”

Once all the homework was complete, everyone settled down on the living room floor, surrounded by plenty of snacks.

The twins had been put to bed, and now you, Naruto and your two oldest children were ready to play the game.

Your son had dragged half of his nest with him, laying blankets and pillows down next to Naruto before climbing onto his father’s lap and refusing to sit anywhere else.

 Seeing as they were sitting together, you decided to play in teams; Naruto and your son vs you and you daughter.

The game was fiercely competitive. Well, your son was a lot more focused on getting cuddles from Naruto, but everyone else was very invested!

In the end, you and you daughter won! Her excellent strategic skills coming in handy!

It was late by the time the game had finished, and everyone, stuffed with junk food, was starting to get sleepy.

You left to check in the twins in the nursery while Naruto tucked your other children into bed.

His daughter always wanted to talk more about her day before bed, so Naruto sat on her bed, gently stroking her hair while she talked about her day.

“-and then I said he was being stupid, and I got sent out into the hall! Which wasn’t fair because he was being an idiot.”

Naruto nodded, still listening with full attention. He always enjoyed the faces of his shinobi when they realised he knew every bit of academy gossip. Those with children in the academy could guarantee that Naruto knew more about what they did there, than they did.

“-and then you came home, so you know the rest.”

“Sounds like an eventful day,” Naruto laughed gently. “I’m very proud of you for working so hard on your homework today. Maybe try not to get kicked out of class again though.”

“Iruka sensei said that you didn’t even come to class most the time.”

Naruto choked on nothing, flushing pink. “Well… Iruka sensei is exaggerating a bit, but school is very important okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” she whispered, eyes already closing.

“Good girl, sweet dreams.”

Naruto left the room quietly, leaving her door open a crack, before heading to his son’s room. His son was already ready for bed, sitting patiently, waiting for him to come and tuck him in.

“Hey, buddy,” Naruto whispered, stepping fully into the room. “Ready for bed?”

“Yep, but,” he hesitated. “I don’t want to go to bed yet.”

Naruto frowned slightly, moving to sit on his bed with him.

“Why not? You not tired yet?”

His son shook his head, playing with one of the many blankets on his bed.

“Then why?” Naruto asked gently, stroking his son’s head.

His son didn’t answer but climbed onto Naruto’s lap.

“Will you be here when I wake up?” he asked, voice muffled into Naruto’s shoulder.

Naruto sighed sadly. “I have to go to work, my sweet boy, I’m sorry.”

His son started to cry and sniffle into Naruto’s shoulder. Naruto’s heart broke more and more with every sob/

“Shh, shh,” he hushed him, rocking him slightly and purring to try and calm him down. “Please don’t cry…”

“Don’t want you to go!” His son wailed, gripping tightly onto Naruto’s shirt.

“Shh, shh, calm down, I’m right here,” Naruto tried desperately to soothe his son. “You don’t have school tomorrow, right?”

His son nodded.

“How about you come and spend lunch with me, yes? You could go and grab some ramen and bring it to my office and we can have lunch?” Naruto offered, desperately hoping it was enough to calm him down.

His son considered the offer for a moment, before slowly nodding once again.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief.

“There we go,” Naruto settled his son back into bed. “I’ll see you tomorrow at lunch, okay, don’t forget!”

“I’ll never forget, daddy!”

Naruto smiled proudly at him. “I know you wouldn’t.”

Naruto leaned down for one last cuddle, scenting a cuddly toy for his son, before leaving his room with a soft ‘Goodnight’.

You were standing right outside the door, obviously having heard the previous conversation. You gestured for him to follow you back into the living room. Naruto slumped onto the sofa, head in his hands.

“It’s not your fault, Naruto,” you whispered to him, sitting beside him and taking him into your arms.

Naruto laughed bitterly. “It feels like it is. He shouldn’t have to miss his own father that much; I should be here.”

“You are here,” you disagreed, rubbing circles on his back. “You’re doing as much as you can, and as long as you keep joining us for family nights and having lunch together, no one can accuse you of not loving your family enough.”

Naruto let out a breath, sagging like a puppet with cut strings. “Sorry, it’s just hard sometimes. I can’t stand it when he cries for me, it makes me feel awful.”

“I know, baby, I know.”

“I don’t want him to grow up without me, he’s already so big, I feel like I’ve missed so much.”

“You haven’t, baby, I promise. They all look up to you and love you so much.”

“Yeah…” Naruto leaned back fully into your embrace, feeling a little better. “I guess…”

“Come on, I think we should both get some sleep before the twins decide it’s play time again.”

Naruto whined in disagreement. “Let’s cuddle here for a bit longer.”

You laughed at his dramatics, but agreed, pulling him firmly into your arms, and settling onto the sofa. Naruto pulled a blanket from the arm and laid it over you both.

“This is nice,” he purred, pressing a few kisses to your neck.

“Yeah, it is,” you tightened your grip around him slightly. “Relax as best as you can, baby, you deserve it.”

[migila]

Fic time! It’s Inojin’s birthday!

December 5th

“Sai?”

“Yes, Beauty?”

When Ino didn’t answer, Sai turned to look at her, seeing her biting her lip, her eyes going around the room, looking at anywhere but him. That was never a good sign, the man had learned. Insecurity, slight fear, sometimes quilt. It made him wonder what his wife had done “What’s wrong?”

Ino took a deep breath.

“I’m pregnant”

There had been many life changing moments in Sai’s life, but none topped that one. His wife, pregnant. He was going to be a father… probably.

“Am I the father?”

The answer to that question was Sai having to sleep on the couch for the rest of the week.

XXXXX

It had been months since then, and Ino was now in labor. Sai had been kicked out of the room, against his wishes, but Sakura had insisted that his insensitivity would only make things worse for his wife. Maybe she’d been right; Sai knew he still didn’t have a proper instinct on what words were considered okay when and what weren’t. He was studying hard though, both from books and in practice.

“Waa…” Sai looks down at Sarada, Sakura’s daughter, who’s tugging at his shirt. Naruto had shoved the toddler in to his arms not too long ago when he’d left to change his own son’s diaper “Waa-aa…”

“What is it, Sarada?” he asks “Is something wrong?”

The baby just raises her hands, like trying to reach for something. Sai blinks.

“I have no idea what she wants” he thinks, frowning “I don’t think I’ll be able to understand our baby, either.”

This wasn’t the first time he had these concerns, and he’d asked advice from Sakura, but she’d only shrugged and told that no one knew what to do immediately, that he had to “grow in to the role of a parent.” Sai honestly didn’t even know what that was supposed to mean.

“What if our child learns from me too much and becomes as hopeless?” he wonders “He’ll have a hard time making friends.”

“I think Sarada wants you to pay more attention to her, you know” Chouji, who’d just arrived with his daughter in his arms, says. Looking at the baby girl, Sai supposes that at least one of his fears was unnecessary; his baby would be part of Konoha’s legendary Ino-Shika-Chou; it would have at least two friends.

“Is that so?” Sai asks, just staring at the baby “…What exactly am I supposed to do?”

“I can show you” Chouji says, holding out his daughter to Sai “Hold Chou Chou for me.”

Sai takes the sleeping baby, watching as the bigger man picks Sarada off his lap. He can see the baby’s smile fade.

“Hello Sarada~!” Chouji says, making a face that Sai assumes is meant to be funny. Sarada however, seems to disagree as she starts crying.

“Oh no” Chouji panics “No no no, don’t cry!”

“Chouji has yet to grow in to the role of a parent, it seems” Sai thinks. In a way it’s a relief; the man had been a father for a while now, yet didn’t have a hang of it, so Sai wouldn’t have to hurry, either. But if even Chouji had trouble with it…

Another scream joins Sarada’s crying, and Sai notices the older baby had woken up the younger one.

“Oh no, not Chou Chou, too” Chouji whines “It takes a forever to calm her down!”

That Sai was not so eager to know, but it made sense; the girl had apparently inherited her mother’s temper. He just hoped that their baby wouldn’t inherit Ino’s… though the more it’d be like its mother otherwise, the better. Ino would be able to raise the baby in to a proper shinobi and tell him what to do, too.

Sai jolts as a third scream joins in, but this time it’s not a baby’s, it’s his wife’s. Again.

“It has been two hours already” he thinks. He’s read about childbirth, so he knows it can take a long time, but the wait is agonizing as he fears that Ino and the baby won’t be fine. Not that he has any right to complain; Ino obviously has it the hardest.

“It’s like a concert in here” Shikamaru says as he walks in, his baby in his arms “Troublesome.”

Sai cringes, seeing that the baby boy had been asleep, yet was now waking up. Another one to join the concert-

…Or not. Shikadai opened his eyes, frowning in annoyance, which Sai hadn’t known was possible for one so young, before closing his eyes again, seemingly undisturbed.

That was weird.

“Looks like we have Lazy Junior here” Naruto snorts as he returns with his son in tow “I’ll bet a dinner that his first word will be “troublesome!””

“Haha” Shikamaru huffs as the others laugh “But I’ll take you up on that bet; there’s no way Temari’s letting it happen.”

“We’ll see” Naruto laughs, then frowning “Why are Sarada and Chou Chou crying?”

“Chouji scared Sarada, and that made Chou Chou cry, too” Sai tells honestly, getting a frown from Chouji. Naruto sighs.

“Alright, Chouji, switch with me” he says, holding out Boruto for the bigger man to take “And don’t make my son cry while you’re holding him.”

“I won’t I won’t” the man assures, taking the boy as Naruto takes Sarada. Sai watches as the Hokage to be, yes, he’ll definitely be one eventually, coos at the toddler, swaying her up and down slightly, and soon the baby’s crying turns in to laughter.

It seems that at least one of them knew what he was doing. Sai was surprised by the fact that it was Naruto.

“Phew” Chouji was relieved “Sai, take Boruto. I’ll handle Chou Chou.”

Sai did, and watched the baby calm down as Chouji pulled out a bottle and started feeding her. Figures. But it did work.

He winces as Ino screams again, and hopes that it doesn’t upset the babies.

“…I think we should take the kids away from here before they start crying again” Chouji says.

“Might be a good idea” Naruto agrees, taking Boruto from Sai, balancing two toddlers in his arms “We’ll see you later, Sai.”

“Yeah” he mutters. He could’ve used the distraction from his worries, but he couldn’t ask them to stay; they had their own families to take care of. And in Naruto’s case, Sakura’s family too since the woman was aiding with the childbirth and Sasuke was off on a mission.

Sighing, Sai tried to get his emotions under control, wincing as Ino screamed again.

“Ino’s going to be fine, you know” Sai jolted, having not realized that Shikamaru had remained behind and sat down next to him. He saw Shikadai still in the man’s arms, his small face holding a frown again, but the boy didn’t let out a sound.

“I hope so” Sai says, not taking his eyes off of the baby “…Does he ever cry?”

“Our Dai? Mostly only if he’s hungry” Shikamaru laughs “Temari has been worried, but mom assured her that I was like that too when I was a baby.”

“Ah” Sai says “Lazy from birth, then. Is it a medical condition?”

“Shut it” Shikamaru answers “If your baby is anything like its mother, you might want to invest in some earplugs.”

“I’ll tell Ino you said that” Sai laughs, and Shikamaru glares.

“One doesn’t get friends with that attitude” he grumbles. Not too long ago, Sai would’ve thought the man was angry, but now he knew it wasn’t the case, not really.

They were friends after all.

XXXXX

Ino slumps back in her bed, exhausted. Eleven hours, eleven! She knew childbirth could last long, but she’d thought it’d be a few hours max. She should’ve read those books Sai had bought, too.

“Congratulations!” Sakura says, holding the newborn heir of the Yamanaka clan “You have a healthy baby boy!”

As tired as she is, Ino smiles, holding out her hands. Getting the hint, Sakura hands the baby over. Holding her child for the first time, Ino can’t help but get emotional as the tears start falling down her face.

Understanding the privacy of the moment and that they’re not needed for now, Sakura and Shizune leave the room, the former saying that she’ll tell Sai as she goes. Not long after, the fresh father enters the room. And stays at the doorway, unsure of what to do from here. All those books hadn’t prepared him for this.

“Sai, it’s okay to come closer” Ino says “He’s your son, too.”

Son. It was a boy.

Nervously, Sai does walk over, seeing the little bundle in his wife’s arms. The baby had its mother’s hair, he notices.

“Hold him” Ino says, holding the baby out, but Sai hesitates. He had never held a child that small before.

“It’s alright” his wife says “You’ll do fine.”

Sai smiles, though still unsure of himself, but it’s not like he could say no. Like Ino had said, this was also his child, also his responsibility, so he hesitantly takes the baby in his arms.

“He’s so small” Sai says. Babies always were, but somehow, theirs seemed smaller than he’d expected… but then again, he hadn’t seen one right after birth before.

“Maybe a bit more than he should be” Ino says, but after Sai looks at her in alarm, she continues with a reassuring smile “But Sakura said that he’s healthy, so everything’s fine. I’m sure he’ll grow up to be strong.”

“…Strong, huh” Sai mutters. He supposes their son will be a shinobi like them. That’s natural, of course, but Sai’s surprised how reluctant he feels about the idea. Somehow, the thought of his son willingly putting his life in danger out there doesn’t sit well with him.

“Yes” Ino says, smiling “But even so, we’ll always be there to protect him.”

“Absolutely” Sai agrees “…I just really hope neither of his teammates have inherited the tempers of their mothers; if they have, we’ll really have our hands full.”

Ino laughs.

“Well if our baby got my temper, he’ll be fine even if they have!”

Sai shivers.

“I think I might need some protection in that case”

Ino just laughs. Normally, she’d let Sai have it for a comment like that, but she’ll let it slide today. Only today.

“So…” she says “Do we still agree on the name?”

“We decided it together” Sai says “It’s a good name.”

Ino smiles, and right then there’s a knock on the door.

“Ino, can we come in?” Chouji calls “Chou Chou and Shikadai want to meet their teammate to be!”

Sai’s about to retort that the babies are too small to express wanting something like that, but holds his tongue. Not the time for that.

“Of course!” Ino calls back “Come meet our Inojin!”

[lopithecusfanfiction]

We All Wear Masks Sometimes

Author: Lopithecus Pairing: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy Rating: General Audiences Word Count: 1674 Alternate: AO3 Summary: Kakashi comforts Gai after Lee gets injured during the Chunin exams Warnings: N/A Author's Note: This is for day 6 of KakaGai Week 2020 ( @kkgweek ).  I have a feeling a lot of the fics/art that are going to use this prompt are going to be Kakashi focused. So, I decided to do the opposite. This is set just after the preliminary round during the Chunin Exams. Also, it’s not made explicitly clear that Kakashi and Gai are together, but it is implied that they are. Please enjoy! Prompt: Day 6 - Mask

Gai has a habit of pretending to be okay for everyone else's sake even if he's not. He'll smile and laugh, say something with poetic prose, and then throw out a thumbs-up with a hand on his hip. Sure, on good days he actually is like that, Gai's personality having been molded very carefully and lovingly by his father, but Gai's father could only do so much. Kakashi knows this.

Sometimes Kakashi thinks he's the only one to know this about Gai.

On days that are hard, the really bad days that all shinobi get no matter how cheerful and optimistic one can be, Gai amplifies the theatrics to one hundred. No one really notices, no one besides Kakashi, because Gai never lets anyone get close enough to him to show his real personality. Sure, the man is close to his friends, closer still to his students, but he can't act weak around them. He can't let his friends' teasing bother him and he has to be the perfect role model for his students.

With Kakashi, it's different.

Maybe that is what happens when you grow up fighting a war together and lose everyone you love? You tend to latch onto the one that never left. You hold onto them like they are your lifeline and if that line were to ever get cut then you would drown.

Or maybe Kakashi is just being overly dramatic and it has nothing to do with that. Maybe it's just a testament of how long they have been friends that allows the two to be open with each other and no one else. Kakashi has never been great at interpreting attachments and he's the last person to try to make it into a healthy conclusion in his mind.

He's always been a little bit codependent on the people he's cared about.

Gai especially. 

Maybe that's why, before he goes to fetch Sasuke from the hospital to begin his training, he sets out trying to find Gai. He checks the training grounds first and finds Tenten and Neji there. Tenten is helping Neji train but Gai is nowhere in sight. Not surprising, considering where Lee is currently and in hindsight, Kakashi probably should have checked there first.

Still, just so he doesn't make a wasted trip to the hospital, he steps out of the bushes and makes his presence known to the Genin. "Yo."

They both turn to him. It's the first time Kakashi has actually interacted with Gai's students in the year that he's had them. It's shocking, really, considering how much Gai loves to challenge him. Although, Gai hadn't interacted with Kakashi's students until the beginning of the Chunin Exams either. It almost makes him want to laugh and he's kind of sorry he missed that introduction. He would have loved to have seen the little brats' faces at meeting Maito Gai.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Tenten greets him eagerly, pink coloring her cheeks, while Neji doesn't acknowledge him at all. He's not surprised they know his name. Maybe the Hyūga is mad at him for stopping him from killing that Hinata girl?

"Is Gai at the hospital?" he asks, getting straight to the point. He doesn't have all day. Sasuke is waiting for him.

"Oh, yeah! You just missed him," Tenten tells him, her smile disappearing. "He's visiting Lee but said he'd be back soon if you want to wait."

It's just like Gai to divide up his time between his students despite his overwhelming worry about Lee. Kakashi waves the invitation off. "I'll go see him there. Thanks."

Tenten slumps in disappointment and Neji crosses his arms, turning away. He waves goodbye at them anyway. He doesn't need them complaining to Gai about his behavior and then Gai giving Kakashi a huge speech about treating young Genins with more respect.

He doesn't go into the hospital once he's there. He'll be back to get Sasuke and going into the building one time is one too many in Kakashi's mind. So, he waits outside, flaring his chakra a little to let Gai know he's there. He doesn't expect Gai to come out and greet him right away and about five minutes later, he is exiting the building with a wide smile.

Kakashi can already tell it's fake.

"Kakashi! My dearest Rival, what do I owe this pleasure?" Gai strolls up to him, arms out in a gesture to hug Kakashi. Kakashi lets him, wrapping his own arms around Gai's solid frame. He has a feeling Gai needs this comfort right now.

When they separate, Kakashi gestures with his head. "Take a walk with me."

Gai's smile twitches, threatening to fall but Gai has always been a master at forcing himself to smile through everything. It stays steady on his face. "Very well."

They walk in silence and they eventually make it to outside a hot spring. Kakashi leans down on the railing of a bridge, staring at the water beneath them. It reminds him that Naruto is probably searching for him this very second to train him and a pang of guilt clutches at Kakashi's chest. He does wish he could train both him and Sasuke. They both have very different skill sets, however, and if Sasuke is going to be going up against that sand jutsu, then Kakashi needs to focus on Sasuke at the moment. He'll have to get someone else to train Naruto and, although the thought to ask Gai to do it does cross his mind, Gai has too much on his plate right now. Plus, Naruto is going up against Neji. It might be a bit of a conflict of interest.

So, instead, he settles on someone else. "Is Ebisu available?"

Gai walks up beside him and leans his arms down onto the railing, much like how Kakashi is right now. "I believe so, yes. Why?"

"I was thinking of asking him to train Naruto before the final competitions in the Chunin Exams," he says.

Gai looks out into the water. "I think that would be a great idea. Ebisu is very capable. I can ask him if you want?"

Kakashi shakes his head. "Just have him meet me at the hospital. I have to pick up Sasuke."

Gai perks up at that. "Has Sasuke fully recovered?"

Kakashi picks his words carefully, thinking about Lee. "More or less."

Gai narrows his eyes at him, suspicion playing on his face. "You don't have to be gentle with me."

"And you don't need to pretend with me." Gai stares at him and Kakashi pokes him in the cheek. "Let yourself feel things."

Gai scoffs, goodnaturedly. "Says the man who is the master at suppressed emotions."

"I think we both are pretty good experts at it, wouldn't you say Gai-kun?" Gai scowls at the honorific. It's not very often Kakashi uses it. It's mostly to try and lighten the mood a bit. It doesn't seem to work. "Gai, what I said during the preliminaries about the gates…" He trails off, biting his bottom lip. He sighs and wonders if he sounds a bit hypocritical. He’s never been a fan of the gates for obvious reasons, after all. "I meant what I said afterward. I was out of line."

Gai shakes his head. "No." Kakashi furrows his brows in confusion. "You were right. I should have never taught Lee it. He's too young."

Kakashi frowns and reaches up to place a comforting hand on Gai's back. "You were even younger when your father started teaching you how to open the gates."

Gai huffs and pulls away from Kakashi. "And maybe he was wrong, too."

"Gai…"

"He died because he used the gates and… and I'm not condemning him for it. He used them to protect something precious to him, to protect me, and that is something to be proud of. But maybe… maybe I was too young, too?" Gai bows his head. "Maybe he should have never taught me it… because now Lee has almost died from using the gates."

"Gai," Kakashi pulls him closer so that their sides are pressed together. "That wasn't your doing. It was that kid from the Sand. He is the one who almost killed Lee."

"Lee would have given up sooner if he didn't have the gates."

"No, he wouldn't have." Gai looks up then, surprise written all over his face. "Gai, that child, is exactly like you when you were his age. You wouldn't have given up, would you?" Gai shakes his head. "Exactly. So gates or no gates, there is no doubt in my mind that Lee would have fought with everything he had and would have never given up."

"So, then you're saying it's a character flaw?"

Kakashi chuckles with exasperation, laying his forehead down onto Gai's shoulder. "No, I'm saying it's admirable." He lifts his head to look Gai in the eyes. "Stupid sometimes but admirable."

It gets Gai to laugh, a real laugh, and Kakashi's heart warms at the sound. He pulls him a little closer, carding his fingers into Gai's hair. He ruffles the strands, messing up the bowl cut and Gai tries to pull away in complaint. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi lets him escape and watches as Gai tries to smooth his hair back down with his lips set in a pout the whole time. It's adorable and he's glad he's managed to make Gai feel a little better. He's not very good at it most times but when he succeeds it makes him happy. Especially if it's Gai.

"Gai." Gai stops his ministrations on his hair, looking up at Kakashi. He's much more relaxed now, genuine seeming. "Lee will be okay. He's stubborn like you. Nothing will keep him down."

Gai stares at him for a few seconds, thinking, before a real smile breaks out on his face and he sticks out a thumbs-up in Kakashi's direction. "Most definitely, Rival!"

Kakashi chuckles again and, with an amused shake of his head, he throws an arm around Gai's shoulders, walking back to the hospital with him.

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A/N: Don't worry. I didn't forget about the fact that Gai needs to have Ebisu come to the hospital. I just didn't write it in. What I imagine happening is, once back at the hospital, Gai uses a messenger turtle to instruct Ebisu to get to the hospital. It probably scares the shit out of Ebisu at first, thinking something bad might have happened to Gai until he gets there and Kakashi explains everything to him. He is not amused. XD

Thank you for reading!