#this has been konah's thoughts

[konaharts]

smol and stabby

[13as07]

Spitting Image #3

(Gaara Sabaku)

[Artwork is not mine! Credit to Tamengkay]

Requested by: Myself

Word Count: 3,874

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Should I do a prequel of their night together? Hmm… probably

———————————————————————

The opal eyes my son inherited from his father are staring back at me from the door frame of my apartment. "Yoshiki isn't here right now," I mutter, clinging to the door I've cracked open.

     "I know. Shikadai and Inojin were playing with him at the flower shop when I stopped. I stopped at the flower shop, on the way, for these," Gaara races out, shoving one of the fancy bouquets toward me. Ino and I tease that it's the 'I fucked up' bouquet since its starting price is twelve thousand yen.

     "The thought is appreciated but flowers aren't a good present for a nine-month-old," I point out, a ting of sadness aching in my chest. Yoshiki has officially been out in the world longer than I carried him for.

     It's been about two months since Gaara met his son and since we met Yoshiki's family. The Hokage keeps randomly showing up, never going longer than a week without appearing back in the village. More often than not he's only gone three or four days, and while he's away his older sister tends to show up.

     The extra help is nice, for the most part. I'm still a bit on edge about letting Temari help though. I don't like someone I barely know around my kid, even if it is his Aunt.

     The only person stressing me out more than Temari is Gaara himself. He seems cold most of the time, definitely not the blushing 'oh my this is happening' guy he was the night we spent together. He also seems to not know what he's doing, which I get if it wasn't for the older son he has. It leaves room for speculation.

     That and I can only imagine how the sand village is reacting. It's a good half-a-day trip either way, and with him spending so much time in the Leaf I'm sure his council isn't too happy, especially since rumor has it our council isn't too happy with his constant appearance.

     Pair all that with the constant shove of money in my face and it doesn't sit too well in the gut. I know he's doing it in good nature, the fancy dinners, constantly buying new things for Yoshiki and leaving money around the house when I deny it from him. I know it's all meant in good faith... I think, but it stresses me out too.

     I don't need Gaara to take care of us, to take care of me. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Yoshiki's father can offer him the nicer things in life and a part of me is glad that he wants to. But it still stresses me out. It makes me feel like he's setting himself up for a 'you owe me'. Another worry that doesn't get stomached too well.

     I haven't used any of the money Gaara keeps leaving behind. I have been saving it though, squirreling it away, keeping it as a little nesting egg in case Yoshiki and I do have to make a run for it. My father might have kept me blind to the Shinobi world but he didn't keep me blind from ways to keep myself safe. Rule number one: always have a packed to-go bag and an exit plan. At the rate things are going, that might just come in handy.

     "I know that," Gaara says a bit defensively, pressing the flowers to his chest before leaning them back towards me. "I got them for you," he mutters, eyes jumping around the apartment I'm in the middle of cleaning. "What is it that you are doing?"

     "Cleaning," I answer, eyeing the flowers. Is Gaara acting suspicious or am I being paranoid? We shall see. "Yoshiki has grown out of his pre-me clothes and some of the other outfits he has so I'm going through them. Whatever Konah and his wife don't want is going to be taken to the women's shelter."

     "Pre-me?"

     "It's short for premature. Yoshiki was born just short of thirty weeks. He was really small, three point two pounds. He's doing good now. His doctors say he's still a bit underweight but it's nothing to worry too much about. Just something to monitor." During my rant I've shuffled away from the door, focusing on folding more of Yosh's clothes and placing them in the box to bring Konah.

     "I was born premature," Gaara whispers, following behind me to watch as I fold.

     "My mother was too, so the chances of Yoshiki being a pre-me was always there. Besides that's a thing that comes from the mother's DNA, so don't work yourself up over it."

     "I was not going to," he murmurs, eyes jumping around the small space as his cheeks slowly dust themselves pink. I hum in disagreement, carefully watching as Gaara makes the short walk from the living room to the kitchen. "Where do you keep your vases?"

     "I don't have any vases."

     "What do you mean you 'do not have a vase'?" He asks, face scrunched up as he looks at me.

     "Exactly what it sounds like. I don't own a vase. Never have cause I've never needed one."

     "I am going to get you a vase."

     "You really don't need to, Gaara. I don't need a vase and I don't need flowers. I appreciate the gesture but I'm good," I tell him, panic banging around my chest at the thought of him buying me something else, much less more flowers.

     His head tilts and his face scrunches more before he shakes his head. "I am going to get you a vase," Gaara says more to himself than me, nodding in agreement with himself. "And new cups," he mutters, opening the cabinet, being met with the mix-match cups I've somehow gained over the years. "You shall have a vase and new cups next time I stop by."

     "I really, really don't need a vase and those cups work just as well as any others. I don't need new cups or anything else from you. I'm doing fine for myself and my son."

     "Our son."

     "My son," I repeat, feeling like I'm going to throw up despite the hardass tone I've managed to maintain.

     Gaara blinks at me a couple of times, seeming a bit dumb-founded and looking it as he stares, still holding the 'I fucked up' bouquet. "As you wish," he mutters, finally back in motion. He sets the flowers down before opening random drawers in search of something. When he finds it - a pad of paper and a pen - he goes to work scribbling on it. "Nonetheless, I shall walk around and make a list of things you two need."

     I let out a laugh of disbelief, clothes completely forgotten because of the madman's words. "No, you are not. I already told you -"

     "If you wish me to stay out of your room I will, but yes, I am going to figure out what it is that the mother of my child and our son needs," Gaara freezes for a second, imaginary eyebrows jumping up. "My apologies, what your son needs."

     "Are you being a smart-alec right now?" I ask, another disbelieving laugh leaving my lips. "Is that what you're doing?"

"No," he says matter-of-factly. "You are not okay with me referring to Yoshiki as something we share, so I will avert from doing so."

"Dumbass," I mumble under my breath, turning my attention back to the pile of clothes I'm giving away. "I got knocked up by a dumbass."

————————————

"I'm just saying, Gaara is being a little much," I grumble, messing with my keys in search of the one that unlocks my front door.

"And I'm just saying, Gaara wants to take care of you. What's the harm in letting him?" Ino asks, her eyes are shiny with amusement.

"If you like the idea so much, ask him to take care of you," I groan, finally managing to get the key in the lock.

She laughs focusing on the grocery bags she's shifting in her arms. "Ya let me just ask Gaara to give me a baby too. I'm sure that'll go over well. Honestly, I still don't know how you managed to talk him into bed."

"You and me both," I mumble, pushing the door and leaving it open for Ino to follow. She does follow after me, silence flaking between us as we head towards the kitchen to place my groceries down.

     "Welcome home!" Shinki calls out, racing into the kitchen to greet us. "Oh! Hello Auntie Ino!"

     As Ino greets him, I head back out to the living room in search of Yoshiki. Panic starts to rise a bit when I don't find him - or Gaara.

     The panic doesn't last long though, the two of them falling into view when I push Yosh's nursery door open. Gaara looks uneasy as he sits in the rocking chair, my - our - son fast asleep on his chest. "Hello," he calls, stiffening when our son stirs in his sleep.

     "Hello," I echo, softly closing the door before I head towards them. "You know you can lay him in his crib," I tell him, carefully picking Yoshiki off his chest.

Gaara stiffens again, face scrunching up as he inches forward. "I am aware. I did not wish to."

A smile weighs on my lips as I cuddle with my son, pressing soft kisses to his head as I rock the sleeping boy. "Do you want him back when I'm done?"

He blinks at me in his slow way, his face slowly softening as he thinks. "Yes," he mutters, relaxing in the rocking chair again. "I enjoy our time here."

"I'm glad," I hum, soaking in my greeting to Yoshiki for another beat before I gently lay him back on his father's chest. "Yoshiki enjoys it when Shinki and you are here too."

"Do you enjoy when we're here?" Gaara asks, eyes locked on me, his stone-face expression on it like usual.

I think about it for a moment, trying to decide what answer to give: honestly or sugar-coated. "I enjoy spending time with Shinki, he's a sweet kid. I absolutely adore him. I'm happy the two of you are in Yoshiki's life." Both, that works.

"Are you happy we're in your life?"

"Yes," I answer before I have the chance to fully think about it. It's not a lie, I do enjoy having the Sand Shinobis around. I truly adore Shinki and like having him around. Gaara isn't terrible to have around either, it's nice having an extra set of hands, to have a man for Yoshiki to grow up looking up to, and I might have grown a bit fond of the flowers and the pale blue vase he got me.

He nods to himself, slowly rocking himself and Yosh in the chair as he spaces out. "How was your grocery shopping trip with Ino?" He finally murmurs, opal eyes set on me in their intense way. I swear Gaara can't look at anything calmly.

"It was alright. I think I'm going to make homemade ramen for dinner. I'm thinking of topping it with pork and boiled eggs."

Another spaced-out look and agreeing nod. "You should wait until Yoshiki wakes up so I can help you."

"I think I'm capable of - "

"- I know," Gaara cuts me off, eyes scrunched in a way that makes the markings of his eyes stand out. "I am aware you are capable of a lot of things. I am here to help, so I shall help. I wish you would let me help you more often."

I open my mouth to respond but get cut off again, this time by a knock at the door. "Hey, mamas," Ino's voice rings out as she opens the door, slowly poking her head into the room. "I have a meeting soon so I'm going to head out. Shinki is working on putting the groceries away. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Enjoy your meeting, I'll see you later," I call back, waving at my friend before she pulls the door closed again.

"Let me help with dinner," Gaara butts in once the door is closed, ending my attempt to respond before I can even start it. "I want my sons to see me helping around the house. It is not fair for you to work all day and then come home to do the household duties. Let me help."

I let out a long sigh, crossing my arms over my chest as my eyes jump around the nursery. "Fine, you can help with dinner," I say, giving in to Gaara's request.

I suppose there's no harm in letting him help more around the house, especially since he and his son spend most of their time in the village here. Of course they don't sleep here, it's only a small two-bedroom apartment, but if they're not sleeping or spending time with friends and family in the village, they are here. Which means they're here most of the day.

As I leave Yosh's room, thoughts of getting a bigger apartment cross my mind. Should I start looking for a three-bedroom or a four-bedroom? Probably a three-bedroom, I don't think Shinki would mind sharing a room with his younger brother... maybe. I'll just look for both. After all, at the rate we're going Gaara isn't going to let up anytime soon.

————————————

"You're doing that thing again," I grumble, shifting the strainer back and forth to shake the water out of the noodles I'm prepping for dinner.

"What thing?" Gaara asks, his eyes still intensely on me as they have been for the last ten minutes. I swear he hasn't even blinked during the time.

"That thing where you sit there and stare at me. You did it during..." My mouth snaps closed, not sure how to refer to our night together so long again. Not really, it's only been eighteen months. Though a lot has changed in that year and a half. "Our time together," I murmur, shaking the strainer harder.

"Did what?"

"Just sit there and stare. Even in my drunk stupor, it creeped me out a bit."

Gaara finally blinks a few times, slow and steady as he thinks of his response. "You are a very beautiful woman. Besides, I like to look at the mother of my children."

The plural use of the word makes the strainer tumble from my hands, crashing into the sink as I lean down to rest my weight against the edge of it.

"Are you okay?" Shinki asks, his head popping up from the wood blocks he and Yoshiki are playing with. Shinki is trying his hardest to teach his younger brother how to spell his name. I don't think he has grasped the concept of how young Yosh is yet. Still, it's been cute watching him try.

"Yes, sweetie. We're fine," I call before letting out a silent sigh, my eyes snap closed as the sink edge digs into my palms. "What the fuck, Gaara?" I hiss out quietly, refusing to let the boys see me lose my temper with their father.

"What?" He asks, blinking in his slow 'trying to comprehend' way that's starting to piss me off.

"Child, the mother of your child. Singular, one, I have had one baby. In total. Not just one of your sons, one in total."

"Yes, I know that," he says, face scrunching in lack of understanding. "But you are the closest thing to a mother Shinki has known, and I fully intend to get you pregnant again. Perhaps we will have a daughter this time."

"What the hell, Gaara?!" I yell before I can stop myself, snapping my eyes open and standing up straight.

"There is no need to yell. It is not something I plan on doing soon. There are things we need to get in order."

"Like what?" I hiss quietly, shifting closer so it's easier to keep my tone quiet. I don't need the boys noticing the fit heating up, and Shinki's glancing eyes let me know he's starting too.

"Well, I would like to get Yoshiki and you situated in the Sand Village, again not anytime soon if you don't wish it but preferably within the next couple of months. Then we will need to get the events in place for the wedding and of course the papers to update Shinki's adoption order. Then the matter of getting pregnant again. I do not mind the age gap between the boys but I think it would be best to have our next child sometime before Yoshiki is three or four."

"Get out." The words come out airy, disbelief and anger rooted in my mind.

"What?"

"Get out," I repeat, anger quickly outweighing my disbelief. "I need you to get out of my sight. I need you out of my home, I need you out of the village. I need you as far away from me as humanly possible. Get out, now."

"What is it that I've - "

"Get out!" I repeat, shouting at him now. My hands jump forward, connecting with his chest before I start shoving him out of the kitchen. "Out! Get out! Get away from me! Get away from my son! Go away!" I yell, continuing to shove him.

"I do not understand what it is that - " Gaara tries to say, his hands jumping up and gently cupping my elbows, he's not even trying to stop my shoving.

"I swear to the lord I'm going to stab you, Gaara. Go away," I shriek, tugging myself from his grip before slamming the front door open. Once the door is open, I go back to shoving him out of the house, leaving the Sand Hokage in the hallway before slamming and locking the door shut.

When I turn back around, Yoshiki is crying and screaming in fear because of my yelling. Shinki is wide-eyed and his mouth hangs open as he stares at me. "I swear," I mutter under my breath, taking quick steps towards my son. I swoop down, picking him up before I try rocking him. "It's okay, Yosh. I know, I know. Mommy is sorry for yelling. Everything is okay," I coo, shifting us back and forth as I rub his back.

"Are you kicking me out too?" Shinki's soft voice calls out, the volume being his failing attempt to hide his sadness.

"No, no. Of course not, sweetie," I continue to coo, my fake calmness aimed at him instead of Yoshiki. "I'll never kick you out of my home, okay? You're always welcome here," I continue to soothe, dropping the arm not holding Yosh down so I can run my fingers through Shinki's hair.

"This is a safe space for you, Love. I'm sorry I've made it unsafe," I continue to soothe the older boy, placing his younger brother back on the ground now that he's calmed down. I fall to my knees in front of Shinki, wrapping my arms around him and pressing his head to my shoulder. "How about we put Yosh in his high chair and you can help me make dinner, okay?"

"Okay," the older boy whispers into my shoulder, willingly laying his head down now. "I'm sorry Papa upset you."

"You don't have to be sorry for him. Just because I'm mad at Gaara doesn't mean I'm mad at you, Sweetie," I tell him, littering the side of his head with kisses. "Let's finish making dinner now, okay?"

"Okay."

————————————

Ino lets out a loud chuckle, hunching over the counter as she giggles. "I'm sorry, it's really not funny... except it is."

A groan escapes me as I lay my head on the counter, rolling over my fight with Gaara again. "I do not know what is funny," Sai says, looking quite confused as his head switches between his wife and me. "I think it is nice that Gaara wants another child."

"My dear," Ino says, wrapping herself around Sai's arm. "Gaara's bluntness is what's funny. They barely know each other, they are nowhere near close enough to get married, let alone have another child together."

     "Well, why not?" He asks, head tilting as he looks at his wife. "Gaara is here about as much as he's away. They practically live together and already have one child together. The only person in the village who knows Gaara better than her is Temari... well, and possibly Naruto. It seems that the only way they are not married is by the law of the Great Nations."

     Now it's my turn to giggle at Ino's unaware father of her child. "Well," she starts, mouth gaping like a fish as she struggles with her words. "The... there's not the emotional part of it. No one should marry someone they don't love, Sai."

     "Are you blind, my love?"

      "What?!" Ino shrieks, letting go of Sai's arm.

     "Please calm down. I meant it in a joking way, not literally. I am just saying it is obvious that Gaara enjoys her company."

     "What do you mean?" I ask, turning my attention away from the hissy fit Ino is throwing.

     "Like I said before, Gaara spends a lot of time in the village. I am aware it is to see Yoshiki, but he seems quite interested in taking care of you as well. If he did not love you, why would he be interested in your specific needs? Personally, if I was not interested in the mother of my child, my sole focus would be on my child. I would not care about the mother is all I'm saying. My child's needs would be met and that's it."

     Ino's lecture about the hypothetical situation goes into full swing, a few groans of manners and politeness thrown into the mix. As she gets after her husband, I replay Sai's words in my head. Maybe he had a point, or maybe he didn't. I don't know.

     Gaara's and Shinki's constant travels have been weighing on my mind recently though. They travel to and from the village at least once a week, if not twice. It would be a lot easier on them if we all lived in the same village, and well... it would be easier for Yoshiki and me to move to the Hidden Sand than Gaara and Shinki moving here. After all, Gaara is their Hokage, and leaving that job wouldn't be easy or smart, financially.

     "Maybe I will," I mutter, letting out another sigh.

     "Maybe you will what?" Ino asks, stalling her discussion with Sai.

     "Maybe Yoshiki and I will move to the Sand Village. It's the least I can do since Gaara is doing so much for us. Besides, it would be easier for me to get a new job at the same pay I have now than it would be for him."

     Ino and Sia fall quiet for a couple of minutes, the weight of my words hovering over them as much as it's hovering over me. Ino finally pipes up, saying "Whatever you choose to do, we'll support you. Always."

I swear I'm never drinking a margarita for the rest of my life.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

[inactiveanimeblog]

remember the konoah characters as high school students post you made? Well how would konah characters act in a night club

naruto characters going to a night club together

a/n : umm oops i thought i posted this like two months ago

tw : drinking, smoking, throw up

naruto : would be on the dance floor drunk, throwing back shots most of the night, tries to drag hinata on the dance floor but she’s too shy

sasuke : doesn’t even know why he’s there, his friends forced him to come and he regrets ever even coming. stands in the corner looking cool the whole night

sakura : is being flirted with by every guy there, has had at least 10 drinks bought for her tonight. she kindly turns them down and stares at sasuke the entire time

kiba : tries to one up naruto on the dance floor, is shamelessly drunk and got kicked out because he snuck akamaru in

hinata : sits at the bar next to the girls all night and watches everyone have fun, she has a shy smile on her face and cant even hide her nervousness when naruto asks her to come dance

rock lee : gets too drunk and tries to fight everyone there. no seriously, if someone looks at him the wrong way it’s absolute hands. please do not go near him

might guy : is forcing kakashi to have a drinking contest with him, kakashi of course ends up winning while guy is throwing up aggressively in the bathroom

kakashi : after his drinking contest tries so hard to act sober but he just can’t. all the girls there are flirting with him and he can barely even form a coherent sentence

sai : is confused on what’s going on. he’s never been in a situation like this before and once he drinks he’ll be even more confused. just sits there and smiles with his eyes closed like he isn’t dizzy and is about to throw up

choji : orders bar food and beers the whole night. he ends up throwing up everything he’s consumed because his stomach can’t handle it all. eventually gets kicked out with kiba because he passed out

ten ten : doesn’t really get noticed by anyone there until she shakes her ass. then all of a sudden every guy there is trying to buy her a drink and she’s shitfaced ass shaking on the counter

neji : acts like he’s too sophisticated to be there and judges every single drunk person. has to babysit lee and ten ten most of the night because they’re both a hot mess

shikamaru : pulls up to the club absolutely stoned and is really quiet the entire night because he smoked way too much weed beforehand. takes a few shots to balence himself out but leaves a couple hours in because now he’s way too crossfaded

[vesperlionheart]

i love your work so much ! honestly you improved my whole world of fanfics by bounds and im so thankful

Space!Angel

She was a lot smaller than he expected, prettier too.

Kakashi glanced up over the top of his clipboard. She was right where he left her, smack dab in the center of the room with her hand on her hip and a devil may care gleam in her eye. The standard navy colored space suit he saw sold in malls all along the space colonies was zipped down to her hips, the top half being tied messily around her waist.

Behind her sat the dull red head who followed her around. Gaara had been what she called him. The rest of her crew waited elsewhere, less concerned with sticking to her side.  

“So,” Kakashi cleared his throat. “You’ve done this sort of work before, I see. Why chose to go at it alone? It’s much safer and far neater to go through the system as an agent of a larger entity.”

“I’m aware of that. I never had a problem getting work when I had Konah telling me what to do, but I like calling my own shots.”

“Is that for any particular reason?”  

She shifted the weight of her body from one leg to the other, but the gleam in her eyes didn’t change. “I don’t like people telling me what to do. That’s how I choose to live my life.”

“Even if that means extra danger?”

Sakura laughed prettily and Gaara looked up. “Kakashi san, nothing about the bounty business is safe, regardless of who backs you or doesn’t.”

“I suppose so, but every precaution counts if it keeps you alive.”

“If that’s what you call living.”

Kakashi glanced back down at the papers she had given him. Listed up and down where the ranks and details of missions she had completed on her own. It said she started young, at twelve, but the lowest she listed was a C mission. There were plenty of B and A ranked missions that sounded challenging, but it was the handful of S class missions at the top that made him stop and look at her twice.

She was young and a beauty. There was no way he would have pegged her as an assassin skilled enough to survive suicide missions. Before defecting from Konah for a solo career she had been ANBU class. It was hard to picture her with blood on her face, especially when she smiled so easily.  

Kakashi felt like a dirty old man when his thoughts started to wander before he reminded himself of the age difference. Also he was a professional contact. Relations with work people was a no-no. He knew that.

“I’m sorry to say this, but you’re jumping in at the worse season for this sector.”

“Really? I thought with the tri gate races there would be plenty of traffic and plenty of criminals. It’s such a seedy sector to begin with…”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong, but the Dawn Guard work in this sector during the races. Other bounty hunters and agents can try and do business here, but the Akatsuki don’t leave a lot to the competition and can be even worse than the scum you’re collecting. I’ve heard stories.”

Sakura snapped her fingers and nodded. “I thought that name sounded familiar. Dawn Guard….back in Konah we called them the Akatsuki exclusivly. I’ve run into them before on my own.”

It wasn’t lost on Kakashi how her companion tensed at the mentioning of the name. From the looks of it, Sakura wasn’t the only one who had tangoed with the deadly organization.

“Don’t think lightly of them. They’re financially unmatched and rumored to do dirty work on the side. Each and every one of their members has a reputation that stands on its own, but together they have the equal power of Konah.”

“That’s debatable.”

“No, it really isn’t,” Kakashi murmured, reaching up to touch the end of his mask below his left eye. His hair hung down over that side of his face, but Sakura could see the raised flesh of a scar traveling straight up through the place where his eye should have been.  

“You were from Konah, weren’t you?” she asked after a moment. Kakashi blinked.

“Retired.”

“Son of the white fang, if I recall correctly. They spoke well of you.”

“Ah, I would imagine ANBU like to tell stories of past. While not the most talkative, they could always be counted on for a good story when it came down to it.”

Sakura smiled again, and this time it was wide and bright. “I liked the stories they told about you. They always came out great.”

Kakashi vaguely recognized her manipulation. She was feeding his ego in hopes of getting the work she wanted out of him and it was working. He liked being smiled at by pretty young girls, and Sakura was both.

Inwardly chiding himself for what he was about to do, the older man reached down and pulled out a binder before selecting a folder to hand over to her.  He picked two more and turned those over to her as well.

“Here. These are cases you could work in the area. The last two are easier and likely not something the Akatsuki would wast their time with. But the first one is the one most suited to your particular skill set. I…wouldn’t encourage you to pursue it, since it is a case they are most likely already working.”

Sakura ignored the latter two files and went straight for the S ranked mission. A wicked smile spread across her face to match her dazzling eyes and Kakashi knew there was no way she would head his advice. A moment later she chuckled. “Yes, I can see exactly what you mean. This is something Deidara san would be good at, and the reward is exorbitant. I can’t see Kakuzu not wanting that.”

There was something relaxed about her tone, as if she were speaking objectively about friends and not deadly rouge operatives who would likely kill her if ever they crossed paths.  

Kakashi closed his binder and returned it to the alcove under his desk before coughing to gain her attention. “You sound familiar with the Dawn Guard. When did you first hear about them?”

Sakura looked up, her smile still in place. “We’ve crossed paths a few times. The first time was when I killed the main android body of Sasori the scorpion, and then we met again when their leader Madara Uchiha decided it would be a good idea to skewer me on a stick, so yeah, I’m familiar.”

The way the word familiar rolled off her lips sounded so suggestive it almost made the old man blush. Without much trouble, Sakura took all three files, bowed, thanked Kakashi for his time, and then left with the red head who had remained silent all throughout the meeting. Sakura paused in the doorway to wave and smile, to which Kakashi waved and smiled back. Once the door fell closed he sagged down into his seat and sighed.

“I hope they don’t kill her, she seems nice.”

Sakura drifted with the gravity turned off around her quarters, taping down photos and downloading information stolen from larger archives onto her mobil device. Paper was such an archaic thing that no one ever saw off the home world, but Sakura liked visuals that never turned off when having to drift through monitored zones in occupied space.

She paused to push down the curled edges of a photo of Sasori of the Red Sand, AKA Sasori the scorpion. A man who was no longer as human has he once was. Still, he was deceptively handsome, and if the rumors were true, he was still using his original human body while his android army worked on building up a replacement vessel.

“Good,” she chuckled, kissing her finger and then pressing the digit to the photo where his lips were. “And they call me an angel.”

Pushing back, she twisted on herself and grabbed onto the back of a magnetized chair that sat in front of her large screened computer. She was trying her darnest to get past Shikimaru’s firewall and the only reason she had as much luck as she did was because the lazy bastard never bothered to keep security up to date.  She knew how to get around his usual traps. She had helped him with half of them for the longest time, after all.

“Sakura chan!”

She didn’t bother looking up from the screen as she taped out access codes and passwords with her second hand keyboard. A moment later the banging on her door shook her whole room and she couldn’t ignore it anymore. Returning her room to normal gravity levels, she skipped over to the door and dragged it open with a groan, allowing the obnoxious blond entrance.

“Gaara  said we were going up against those bastards! What do you mean we have to fight with them so soon?”

“Naruto, everyone is a bastard according to you. Who are you talking about?”

“You know who I’m talking about, those red clouds. The Akatsuki! What are we doing messing with them when they’ve been nothing but bad news?”

Sakura reached out and ruffled the blond’s hair making Naruto cry out and pull away. “Because we’re better than them and we don’t have to be afraid of them when we do our job. What’s wrong with you? You’re never the one that wants to back off from a fight. You don’t think we can hold our own?”

Naruto reached up to push her hand away and pouted. “You know what I mean. The last time you crossed paths you got seriously hurt. What if this time you didn’t come back?”

Sakura laughed. “Who do you think you are talking to, Naruto? Maybe I did get banged up, but they always left worse off than me. Have a bit more faith.”

“I…just don’t wanna see you get hurt. Ino would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”

“That’s a problem, though. You see yourself as everyone’s shied, but you’re not. You’re you, Naruto. You aren’t responsible for anyone than yourself. Don’t think you’re my keeper. I’m okay with taking on my own danger.” Sakura moved back to pull her door open wider. “Speaking of danger, your cousin should have some ready for me by now.”

“Sui-buttface just dialed in and said he was done with the one mission you assigned him. That’s the only thing she’ll tell you,” Naruto grumbled, throwing his hands behind his head and following her out.

“What about Jugo?”

Naruto shrugged. “He should be done soon, but he did leave later.”

Sakura dropped down into the common area, skipping the short ladder Naruto used. Gaara looked up from the control panel he had been working with. Karin didn’t move from he spot in front of a star map. Winking to Gaara, Sakura slid up beside Karin, throwing an arm over the red haired girl’s shoulders. Karin didn’t react or try to shove Sakura off, but she did frown.

“Do you have anything for me?”

Karin shifted her eyes over the star map. “I have a pattern, but it’s not viable until I can have it confirmed.” Karin clicked through a few buttons on the control panel and a red line bled through the stars, showing the activity of their bomber.  Gold halos pinpointed areas where the supplies he would need to build his bomb were located. There were not a lot of halos.

“He’s been planning this a while, it seems.”

Karin’s face was still sour looking. “The Tri Gate races only happen every four years. He had a lot of time to get his shit together.”

Sakura climbed onto the control panel, careful to avoid stepping on the buttons, and reached out to pass her hands through the lights that made up the star map. “Can you tell me where we will be able to find him?”

Karin didn’t move. A little stunned, Sakura turned back to see her friend glaring up at her.

“Okay, what did I do? First Naruto and now you, the both of you need to cool your jets. I’m not being irrational here. It’s just a job.”

“The Akatsuki bomber should be left to handle this job. We could do it, but we’re not the ideal team. Aren’t you being a bit too…cockish with this whole move?”

Sakura bent down, but didn’t get off the ledge. “You don’t think we should be working here?”

“Not this case in particular.”

“Why?”

Karin  sighed and flipped a switch on the control panel. The star chart shrunk away and was replaced with an image of what looked like a reactor. Sakura recognized the toxic warning signs easily enough.  

“Part of the mission requires that the core be deactivated, but that’s not something a human body could do thanks to the weird ass star radiation.

“There’s UV and Gamma radiation on this tank,” Sakura explained, pointing out the symbols.

“Both of which we can’t get close to, so while Deidara would be ideal for finding this guy-tracking him down and bringing him to justice, Sasori would be the one who would have to go in and defuse this bad apple. The two of you have history.”

“Has he recovered enough to sustain a second android body?”

“That’s what it sounds like. You would have to fight him again, and it won’t be like last time. He’ll know you better and you might not get out with a simple puncture through the liver.”  

“I thought you were going to say something scary like Madara san or Itachi kun, but I think I can handle the puppet boy.”

Karin huffed. “You’re not going to take this seriously, are you?”

“I’m always serious.”

Before anyone could say anything more, the signal for a transmission cut through and Gaara moved to answer it. Jugo’s face came on screen and Gaara took the call, recording the information details and signing out. When Karin turned back to say something to Sakura, the pink haired captain was gone. Left in her place was the floating star chart.

“I want that pattern in an hour, Karin. I plan on beating the scorpion to the goods before it comes to a fight, comprende?”

Karin tisked loudly, before jabbing at the buttons with her nails more violently. Naruto squeaked and slowly backed away.

Gaara wasn’t so timid. “How long will it take you to confirm the pattern?”

“It’s nearly done, but I won’t tell her about it for another twenty minutes.”

Gaara nodded. “Naruto and I will be dispatched to deal with Deidara. Let Suigetsu and Jugo know where they should meet us for backup.”

“We’re not sending anyone in for Sakura?”

“We can’t. She’s the only one who can withstand that sort of radiation without protection. That’s her speciality.”

Karin jabbed at something and the panel beeped angrily.  “Some days I just want to kill her! Does she know how much of an ass hero she’s trying to be?”

“She can do it.”

“I don’t care!” Karin screeched. “She shouldn’t have to. We should just take the easy jobs and live as peacefully as possible in another sector where-.“

“Is this about Sasuke?”

Karin stilled, frozen stiff by Gaara’s words. Her hands were slack over the buttons and her throat was dry. She hadn’t been expecting Gaara, of all people, to be the one who brought it up. Maybe Sakura, but Gaara was the last person who could be counted not to mess with a person’s sourest wounds.

Gaara didn’t wait for her to recover. “We will not have contact with Itachi, but there is a chance Sasuke could cross our path on this mission. If you feel like you can’t operate under the-“

“I’m fine!” Karin was pure venom as she hissed out the words. “Don’t you ever bring up his name again as a means of devaluing my capabilities. I will do what I have to do and we’ll all be fine.”

Gaara didn’t move for a while, but then, hesitantly, he nodded. “Very well then. I’m going to prepare the fliers and make sure Naruto is ready to be deployed.”

Gaara got up and walked away, his footsteps fading the further he traveled, but somehow his presence never left Karin. It was as if his words were a physical force that hung over her, slowing her fingers and weighing down her breaths.  She couldn’t let them do that to her. Not Gaara with his judgments, not Sasuke with his treachery, not even Sakura with her pity.

Swallowing his discomfort, Karin returned to the control panel. She would do her job and everyone would come home, safe and sound. She would bring them back home.

Such an old piece, from 2013/4 I think. I’ve no idea where it was going tbh, I just wanted an android Sasori and space angel Sakura showdown…in space.

[yogaadvise]

The Surprising Things I Learned by Starting a Daily Yoga Practice

After unfurling my trustworthy purple mat, I took a deep breath and also a great take a look around the sun-drenched, Hudson River-side studio. As my fellow experts at Hoboken, New Jersey's Commitment Yoga staked their insurance claims to the quickly disappearing places on the wood flooring, I browsed the room for indicators recommending I was outrageous for just what I was about to do. I quickly found one.

There, in the last row, fixed up in huge block letters throughout a woman's storage tank top, was my New Year's resolution: Yoga Every Damn Day.

I had not been certain if it was implied as an equipped, euphoric exclamation-' Yoga exercise Every Damn Day!'- or a declaration sputtered in large exhaustion after an endless time of overdosing on Downward-Facing Dogs. But as someone who was standing at the beginning line of a 31-day-straight yoga marathon, I sensed I 'd come to be acquainted with both.

Of program, many yogis claim a daily practice helps them remain balanced, and also as an ADHD-afflicted resident of our significantly time-crunched and social media-saturated culture, I wished it would certainly do the exact same for me. I obtained a preference of just exactly how renewing a yoga exercise life could be last September, while attending my first yoga exercise hideaway in Ojai, California. Throughout three remarkable and practically completely Facebook-less days there, I spent sufficient time with among the organizers, Julie Hovsepian, a founder of the LA-based retreat and also health advertising firm, Birds of a Plume. Julie is one those constantly tranquil, always grinning, always positive people, and I liquid chalked up a minimum of component of the near-constant calmness to the reality that, for her, yoga exercise is not simply a way of physical conditioning yet a full-on way of life. Though she's a hectic business owner, Julie manages making it to a yoga exercise class almost everyday. Just what's more, she finds a lot happiness in it. In Ojai, I admired how she seemed to welcome each and every single moment on the floor covering, regardless of how challenging the present. When I asked her if she ever before obtains distressed at the start of a class, thinking of just how she was 90 minutes or even more off of laying down in last rest, she addressed with a huge, beatific smile: 'No, never ever.'

Me, I was all also acquainted with those pre-class anxieties. Although I 'd been practicing yoga for 17 years, going right into the retreat I bothered with making it through four courses in two and a fifty percent days. Would I feel also tired? As well sore? Also from my organization? However by the time we convened the closing circle, I was wanting I would certainly registered for a seven-day retreat rather. I took pride in my body for carrying me through, and also my mind seemed like it 'd simply been given a system update.

That got me thinking: Wouldn' t it be remarkable if I could feel this centered, this material, this confident everyday? Would an everyday yoga exercise technique assist me to invest more time in the minute as well as less time toggling between Instagram and Twitter?

I also wished day-to-day yoga would certainly help me to be literally stronger. And my normally limited hips had come to be so closed-up I 'd lately started expensive physical therapy.

Thus, I fixed to begin 2016 by doing yoga exercise, well, every damn day. Continue reading, as I share just what I found out, as well as useful insights as well as advice from the instructors and also trainees I came across along the way.

The globe of yoga is vast-and every day is an opportunity to broaden your horizons. Prior to, I virtually participated in the exact same course as soon as or two times a week: exact same time, exact same educator. During my daily-yoga experiment I've found out that there are as several course styles as there are instructors, so why adhere to the exact same dish when you can sample all the flavors as well as cuisines that this all-you-can-eat buffet has to provide? During the previous month I've taken classes in the Bhakti, Jivamukti, and also Iyengar traditions. I obtained direction from greater than a lots various instructors throughout weekdays, weekend breaks, as well as vacations. I experienced my initial full reflection in a course setting at Devotion Yoga, and at Euphoria Yoga exercise in Woodstock, New York, I participated in my very first yogi 'birthing canal,' an emotional experience where I walked eyes-closed via a lane of my fellow pupils that murmured kind long for the New Year in my ears. Lesson discovered: Great things concern those that venture beyond their yoga comfort zone.

It's not as challenging to locate time for yoga as you think. Among the points that stood in between me as well as a daily method was the idea that I really did not have the moment for it-or the cash. Nevertheless, there are a myriad of alternatives that anyone can access whatsoever hrs from their living-room, such as complimentary videos on YouTube or right here on Sonima.com. This month, whenever I couldn't make it to a studio, I appeared one of the 12 DVDs in the The Prasha Method by Dashama collection ($ 12.69 at Target), which features 90-minute lessons for all levels led by the happy, internationally-known Dashama Konah Gordon. Moving forward, I'm going to sign up for her Thirty Days Yoga exercise Challenge registration program ($ 14.97 for one month), which offers bite-size 10- to 20-minute clips. 'If you always constant the exact same yoga exercise course, you'll obtain a great deal of the very same postures, so with my yoga challenge, my purpose was to offer variety and even more thorough experiences, to take individuals much deeper,' states Dashama, who was among the initial yogis to supply courses online (her exercises could additionally be streamed via FitFusion.com). She designed her month-long program based upon the idea that it takes 21 to 1 Month to form a habit. 'When you do something one or two times a week, you will certainly see very little results,' she states. 'Occasionally you can keep, however you will not see the kind of renovations you will certainly when you do something with even more frequency. I desire people to see arise from their effort.'

I have actually involved see everyday yoga exercise as a requirement, not a luxury. When I informed individuals I was doing yoga exercise every day, some reacted as if I 'd checked out a Swiss health spa for 4 weeks. As a matter of fact, the opposite was real: Last month was one of one of the most tough of my life. A cherished aunt passed away, my mom suffered a stroke, and also I needed a biopsy after a mass was identified on my yearly post-mammogram sonogram. (The good news is, the cyst was benign.) As hard a time as it was, however, I picture it would have been much less bearable - I would've been much less bearable - had I not had that hour approximately every day to turn internal and set a tone of positivity. Rather than reaching for a Xanax or a glass of wine, I made a beeline for my floor covering. 'I have actually seen modifications in my pupils, individuals that showed up with specific body concerns and also who have fought cancer,' states Thea Daley, yoga exercise educator and co-owner of The Daley Technique in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Personally, Daley has actually discovered that her 15-year everyday method has 'assisted me to deal better with just what has actually been handed to me. If I had to miss also one course, it would seem like something was missing.' Includes Sarah Bond, among my regular Devotion Yoga exercise teachers and also co-founder of the yoga exercise as well as travel business One Hundred Skies: 'Having a day-to-day method matters. Frequent, otherwise everyday, yoga exercise prepares you to handle life and all its obstacles in a more loosened up and less damaging method. Through everyday practice you are a lot more existing each time you concern the mat, which moves to your life. We could concern yoga exercise for numerous other factors at initially, yet in time it's the technique of living in the minute that really grounds us as well as aids us to get that utmost calm, clarity, and eventual happiness.'

Yoga Every Damn Day, yes-but my brand-new goal is Yoga exercise Every Damn Minute. 'I think about my life as being yoga exercise,' Daley told me. Now that I have an everyday technique, I have a concept what she's chatting about. These days, when I depart the workshop, I'm furnished in yoga armor that shields me as return to right into the lively outside world. I bring with me the uplifting rules presented by my educators, permitting me to 'settle my dust' and remember 'I am enough' well after the final Om. A large benefit of a day-to-day method, claims Bond, is 'you find on your own keeping your yoga exercise as well as your practice top of mind. The initial trait you perform in the early morning is find out just what course you are attending as well as you work your day around it, not vice versa.' Actually, that's the second point I perform in the early morning. Currently the first point I do is open my eyes to the sound of comforting songs and a tranquil voice leading me via some invigorating stretches or a short led reflection, politeness of Yoga Get up. The new application, which takes the area of an irritating ringing alarm clock, is the brainchild of Joaquin Brown, who was influenced by a yoga exercise class that started in the typically class-ending Savanna position. 'I thought, 'This is the most fantastic way to start your early morning! I intend to get up enjoy this each day',' said Brown, that, after that, together with his spouse, yoga exercise and wellness PR veteran Lizzie, started hiring noteworthy yogis Derek Beres, Elena Brower, and also Jen Smith to videotape the 10-minute 'wakeups' (some downloads are free, others set you back 99 cents). Says Smith, group fitness supervisor for Equinox in LA's Santa Monica as well as Century City: 'Yoga Wake Up enables you to begin your day from the beginning with clarity, equilibrium, and a feeling of body-mind link. This is a wonderful foundation for a day filled with success, while feeling grounded.' It's likewise enabled me to finally damage my behavior of immediately getting my smartphone and also going away down the email and also social networks bunny holes. Namaste!

Having an everyday technique suggests not constantly having to do yoga exercise - physical asanas, that is. Frequent yoga has actually plainly made me literally stronger. For example, while upper-body stamina has always avoided me, as the month endured, discovered I had the ability to hold slabs for longer than in the past. Brendan Gibbons, instructor and also co-owner of Commitment Yoga, adds that constant yoga exercise makes him 'feel like I recover faster from injuries as well as health issues.' However even the most musclebound of dedicated power yogis should not transform it approximately 11 every single time. Gibbons encourages every person to 'make certain several of their method is gentle to make sure that they typically aren't triggering any kind of injury to themselves by practicing also hard. Include a restorative class at the very least when a week or even more.' And also, some days, abandon the physical yoga exercise completely. 'An individual with injuries or limitations might additionally exercise pranayama, which is a means of utilizing our prana or energy, likewise known as chi, by managing the rhythm of our breath in various means,' he says. Furthermore, one 'can additionally practice dharana, which is concentration and dhyana, which is reflection. These are all extremely effective tools in order to help us discover our true nature, which is the heart of yoga exercise.'