#we​ all need a friend like raido
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takosan · 9 days ago
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All the times Raido kun has jumped to outlandish conclusions
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…and the one time he was right! The way I screeched
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elendsessor · 8 months ago
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@lostbizkits i mean as little as we know about how the yatagarasu functions he is literally the perfect example of how the prim and properness of it all does not prepare him for so many scenarios and that’s part of the funniness behind it.
on one hand he gets sent into an au where he finds his edgy fanfic counterpart and sort of just is like “yeah sure i’ll hang with you until i get back home” because how the fuck do you prepare for alternate dimensional selves but he is trying to be nice. doesn’t even explain that shit in his own dimension and then ends up cursed to repeatedly encounter raido in nearly every piece of official material yet is still just chill about it.
on another he’s trying to do his job to the best of his ability and yet gets stopped by infinite banana peels. don’t forget the transformation ability some demons have in in 2 in which one of the things they can transform raidou into is a puppy and he’s just. totally fine with being a dog. and oddly perfectly mimics some of the things he gets transformed into he didn’t need to get into character but ok-
his canonical teams have a mix of uber powerful demons and then ones like mokoi and he has no problem with them. even considers them friends in the manga.
and then of course the best little mini comic in tlm (i swear all of them are canon)
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you can call it tragic to a degree that he doesn’t know a lot of things every child knows the basics of, showing how sheltered the yatagarasu is, but this also just helps with the humor.
he doesn’t know but he’s trying his best. somehow. it’s commendable.
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windalchemist001 · 2 months ago
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Wondertober 2024 - day 16: circus
Npc: warda (begum) al-asim, field agent
Canon: naijma viper
Warda sighed softly. She was already annoyed with her husband's unthought out choices, but the fact is he went behind her back and did this, was enough for her to want to bend him like a pretzel and leave him like that till she felt better.
But now like always she has to come in and fix it, which is why she has told him not to do anything with out runing it though her. But it was fine she knew when she was forced to marry him that she would have to work to keep everything in check, and as a blood begum, she will live up to her (madian) family name.
"I know, and at the moment I am having the water bought to your location and it will be there within the hour. So please relax, and know my husband truly wants you all to give your best act for the festival, and thus we will.do what we can to make sure everyone is well feed and well hydrated."
Waiting for the man to respond but seemed to agree and state he would wait warda again thanked the man and hung up and rub at her temple. Their was a headache starting to form, but she couldn't stop yet.
Sighing again she leaned more into her chaise, using her arm to hide her eyes. "Najmia, can you please get me an ice pack? I know I am going to need it after speaking with my husband."
She could hear the other woman laugh as well as the sound of her drink being filled. "Oh come on, kailim had been on.his best behavior lately, im sure the headache won't be that bad."
Moving her arm away from her face, she shot najmia a look. "My dear friend, he ordered a whole circus from the other side of the world because he wanted to pet some rare nearly extinct animal they had."
Sitting up as najmia finish filling her cup, warda lightly blew some air in hopes to cool the drink before taking a drink. The taste was pleasant, not to bitter or sweet, just perfectly made for her. But than again najima has been raised to serve her since she was little.
According to najima she unlike her brother, who had served her husband, was learning to server the lady of the household. Meaning their wasn't much to do when she was younger but training, but it also meant she had more freedom as a child.
Honestly warda wonder just how deep the issues in this household are, but given that the vipers have pretty much forced themselves into indentured servtied and the fact they practically bought her as kalim's bride said a lot didn't it?
Pushing those thoughts aside, because she had more pressing issues, warda glanced at her clock which ticked along. "He's late." Honestly how hard is it to get that husband of hers to keep his appointment on his own? But than again he had a feeling he was avoiding her again.
Setting her tea cup down a little rougher than she should have she reached for the baklava and took a bite not caring if it would make her fingers a bit sticky cause she always liked her sweets, and they helped destress her.
Warda watched as najima moved about to get something so she could clean her hands. Thankfully she would be given it rather than be cleaned like a toddler.
"Knowing kailim, he's most likely distracted with something, I can go ask someone to go fetch him if you like?"
Humming she took another bite of her baklava. And debated if she should just go and get her husband herself. Though her thoughts on that were cut short as the sound of her phone going off was heard in the room and quickly she set the food in her hand and took the wet rag najima handed her and wipes her hands while the other woman turn her back.
Warda than open the hidden compartment where her phone and with a quick tap saw the message with opening her phone. "Raido!" Najima moved to do as she asked and turn on the radio.
Having it on the news she hadn't needed to change it and the news report was giving the play by play of the three trucks she sound sometime ago and the ones she had just been discussing were being hijacked.
"How awful!"
Glancing to the other woman, warda like always made sure she kept her emotions in check. "May you go get my husband? I am going to need to speak with him and I don't trust to many people to stay on task, so please? I wish to speak with him."
"But of course." The woman bowed slightly and left the room, waiting a few moments warda hit the second panic button which caused metal walls to slam down closing her off to the outside world as lights flickered on allowing the room to be blanketed in light.
But that wasn't as important as she grab her phone and unlocked quickly before calling the person who sent her the text. The phone didn't ring long as it was picked up. The sounds of sirens were heard even from the otherside of the phone.
"Report." Her simple command was all that was needed as the person on the phone begin to speak.
"/the trucks are being driven somewhere and the cops are behind them. He hasn't made an appearance, but once they get enough room he'll most likely make an appearance and draw all the heat. Allowing at least two of the trucks to escape."
Turning the raido up she waited as the news reporter kept describing what happened. But soon like they both thought. A figure would be on the top of one if the roofs of the trucks and the whole force went after the truck with the figure on top of it.
Turning it down she asked for more updates from her agent on the field. In which he described what was going on.
What is described to her is a nerve-wracking scene (and since she is perfectly alone didn't have to hold back on her facial expression.) For had she thought it was some stanger going though these events she might not care in fact she might want them to suffer for thinking they can steal from her. But that was not the case.
For the figure who was currently on some sort of mission, of what she didn't know, but was running from the police, was both the morden king of thevies and her son. So his safety was if her deep concern. Thankfully only two people know of this herself, and her most trusted ally, said ally being her field agent who was the one who was giving her updates.
Still as she switched from hearing the raido to the man on the other side of the phone she couldn't help but worry, and for a moment her heart stopped. Only to breath in realif when she was informed of Irfan (whose wings color were changed) felt into the sky and made a b lime for the captain of the police and drop a package onto the man's head before said man seemed to read it before ordering his men somewhere.
"Follow them and call me when you get updated." When he confirmed he will do as told. Warda hung up and sighed deeply glad to know everything went well, and while she still wasn't completely on bored with her son's nightly activities, he's some how manged to help lower the crime rate (not completely since his group are a band of thevies, but less, not to mention some bigger crimes have minimize some other issues)
So what ever it is that her son found, it has to do with the circus. And while she doesn't know where they are taking two trucks with water in them, but she's sure he's using it to keep that group he rules in control. Along with the other stuff he snatches from croupt people as well as himself (mostly unless he has to hint at somthing being wrong like at the moment.)
Sigh at the thought she pulled out a mirror and checked her face, no need look like a hot mess especially infront of others. Returning things to a orderly fashion she hit the button and the metal slabs open up letting in natural lights again.
And while she didn't know how long they were put there she did hear a knock on her door and she had a feeling she knew who it was. "Come in."
The door open and five people enter, najima who held the door open for the following the next four. First her husband who seemed to move to sit down and a woman who got on her knees the oldest of her children bowed beside her and after a moment the child made the small child next to him also bow deeply.
The woman spoke first braking the silences. "Madam! I am deeply sorry for my transactions, had I known that your husband was needed I would have fought more to make my child move on."
Warda resisted the urge to roll her eyes and went to pick up her digital day plainer, and letting everything sit for a few moments, after all sometimes saying nothing causes more pain than actually saying something. But eventually she spoke.
"It seems you haven't checked in a while, that being the case I will allow your transaction to go by, but their will not be a next time, and I do ask you to check more regularly." The woman begin to thank her but warda rose a hand which caught the concubine attention.
"I said I will let it go, but nothing about forgiving it, but for now we will discuss the issue later, i also wish to see your oldest taking remedial lessons." She watched the horror flash across the concubine's face, but the woman knew her place, after all the only way not to suffer was to be on her good side, and those who are loyal aren't punished, especially since the woman's youngest wasn't her husband's, and should those loyal to the blood al-asims find out it would be a blood bath.
So the woman owed the life of herself and the youngest child to her, her elderest who is her husband's blood child is under her care since she is in charge of those in her husband's heram, and any who cross her tend to have to fend for themselves
Which is basically a death sentence given not only outside forces trying to end those with al-asim blood, but also from with in, how may have tried to take her son's or those under her protection was more than she can count. Some of those being her husband's half siblings or some uncle or event an aunt.
Pushing away the thoughts she shoo the concubine and her children away and told najima to guard the door so thus the woman nodded and moved to leave the room.closing the door behind her while also escorting the three guest out of her room.
Now alone with her husband warda looked to the male infront of her. "Kailim, my dear husband; we need to talk." So thus will begin her continuing to ring leader this crazy circus that is her underworld hole of a life.
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chemmerson · 3 years ago
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CONGRATS ON 300 EM !!! what about "why are you so cold?" with kakashi? much love <333
hello sweet human! much, much love to you. thank you so much. i don't really know what happened when i started writing this lol. i think my love for kakashi took over and we ended up with...this. i hope you enjoy it anyway nonnie, thank you <3
Prompt #34 - "Why are you so cold?"
Pairing: Kakashi/GN!Reader
Words: 1.5k
Summary: There are many things to be thankful for, and Kakashi Hatake is definitely one of them.
Warnings: reflecting on feelings, slight angst i guess?, fluff, friendship (maybe more than..?)
The moment you opened the door to the small back porch, the cool night air instantly gave you relief. As much as you cherished the nights spent with your crazy—but lovely—friends, sometimes you needed a breather from the constant, hyper conversations that always ensued.
Even when the door closed behind you and you walked to lean your elbows on the wooden railing, you could still hear the chattering of everyone. Anko’s boisterous laughter followed by Gai’s deep bellows still made you smile. To you, there was truly nothing more precious than the joy of your friends. Their pure smiles, relaxed shoulders, and warm eyes were things that you treasured because if any of you knew anything, it was that your friends could be taken away in an instant.
It’s easy to slip into a comfortable mindset. To think that it won’t happen to any of them, to you. As invincible as one might think or feel, a shinobi’s mission is never guaranteed. You all learned that over the years as friends left and didn't come back.
Some choose to deflect. Don’t get close to anyone and the pain of losing them won’t hurt as much. It’s a lonely life, but a lot of shinobi don’t bother with letting people into their heart, either from personal experience or how the lifestyle can sometimes lead you into isolation.
You, however, choose gratitude. Memories. Love. Laughter. For you, it’s the only thing that can get you through. Because you’ve heard Anko’s terrible, hilarious jokes and the genuine smile that comes with it. You’ve seen Gai tell a story with his animated gestures and ridiculous expressions. You’ve seen your dear friend Asuma finally ask your best friend Kurenai out and the love in their eyes when they look at each other. You’ve stayed up late with Genma and Raido, talking for hours about anything and everything until you realize the sun is rising over the mountains.
And though he was a tough shell to crack, you've gotten to know Kakashi Hatake.
You smiled to yourself as you leaned on the railing, letting the cool air clear your mind. If you would have told yourself several years back that you would be friends with Kakashi Hatake, you would’ve laughed. Because there was once a point where you had tried, and at the time, it seemed like he was doing everything in his power to stay the farthest away from you.
As kids, Kakashi was one of those that isolated himself. It was strange to see someone so young already fall into that type of life, so you and your friends tried everything. Gai was the main culprit, following Kakashi around, pressing and bugging him to join get togethers with all of you or challenging him to a fight. Asuma would try and pry sometimes, Kurenai would offer him her the tempura she didn’t want with a smile, Anko would try and tease him with her “charm”.
You watched him from afar mostly. His eyes always held something hard and dark, similar to the wall he put up in front of others. But you could also see the pain. The hurt. Rumors flied around the academy, but you didn’t pay any mind. All you knew was that Kakashi was not like the other kids. He was hurting.
As years went on, you started to do what your other friends did. Tried to engage in conversation. Offered him snacks. Asked for his opinion on certain matters. And it was always the same, dismissive kind of response.
You recalled suddenly, a moment with Kakashi when you were teenagers. You saw him walking on the street just ahead of you and thought to invite him to go to dinner with you, Genma, and Anko. You ran up the street, calling his name and waving when you saw him turn his head.
“Kakashi!” You smiled when you stopped just next to him, and he stopped to turn slightly to you as well, though not all the way. But you were used to that.
“I just, uh…” you tried to find the most inviting words to say. “…wanted to see if you want to go to dinner with me, Anko, and Genma tonight. We’re planning to go for ramen, and so…you’re invited to join us!”
What you weren’t expecting were Kakashi’s eyes to narrow at you, irritation present even with a mask covering half of his face. “Sorry, no,” he said simply with an icy tone, and he turned his back to you, continuing to walk down the street.
You huffed in irritation yourself. You were tired of Kakashi constantly rejecting you and your friends. You all were nice to him, showed him kindness, and he deflected it over and over and over again.
“Hey,” you barked, and moved to stop him in his path. “What’s your problem?”
Surprise flashed across Kakashi’s face. “What?”
You narrowed your eyes at him this time. “Why are you so cold? What did we ever do to you? Why won’t you just be our friend, Kakashi? It’s obvious we care about you. Just let us do it.”
You stood in the middle of the street facing Kakashi as the silence after your speech hung between you two. People moved around you, glancing at the two teenagers facing off in the middle of the busy movement.
And Kakashi stared at you blankly.
For a long time, too. You both just stared at each other, you with an angry glare and him with his usual disinterest.
And then he looked down briefly before shouldering past you without a word.
You let him go and continued to stand in the middle of the street, thinking about the look in his downcast eyes. The hurt. Whatever he was hiding. You remembered it sat with you for a long time, and you stayed up late thinking about just what Kakashi Hatake was hiding and how you wanted him to let down those walls.
Thinking back on the exchange, there was a humor to it. You were both moody teenagers just figuring out how to navigate your lives. It’s especially funny to think about it now because of the bond you two had built over the years.
The bond you had with Kakashi gave you insight, however. You know now what Kakashi was hiding and what he felt he couldn’t share with his friends. You know now what the hurt behind his eyes and the coldness towards you meant.
Kakashi opened up to you. Shared himself with you. You got to see what his smile looked like, what jokes he liked to tell, what jokes he laughed at. His favorite foods and his least favorite foods. His funniest stories and some of his guarded secrets. Kakashi showed you his patience, kindness, compassion, and love.
There are many bonds that are precious to you, but the bond you now share with Kakashi is one of the most precious.
So how could you not choose gratitude?
“Yo.”
You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t even hear the back door open. Turning around, your eyes met with Kakashi’s, and you smiled with a warm heart.
“Hey,” you said, and turned to lean back on the porch railing.
Kakashi found his place beside you, his arm pressing closely against your own. His warmth was a familiar feeling. A safe feeling. A good feeling.
“Whatcha doin’ out here?” Kakashi questioned with his deep lilt, though you could hear the curiosity in his voice. You must have been out here for longer than you intended.
You laughed lightly through your nose. “Just…thinking, I guess. Reflecting.”
“Reflecting?” Kakashi repeated with amusement, turning his head to look over at you. “On what?”
You smiled, and turned to meet his eyes. Kind and warm.
You. Us. I’m thinking about precious you are to me. How much I care about you. How glad I am every day that you’re alive. How happy I am to be here with you. How lucky I am to know you.
“Hey,” Kakashi suddenly said, placing his hand on top of your head. “I know that look.”
"What look?"
"You're mopey. Somethings wrong."
You chuckled at that. “I’m not mopey. Just…feeling happy.”
A deep hum of understanding left Kakashi's lips. "Happy huh?"
You nodded. You were happy. Very, very happy.
Kakashi smiled at you, his eyes crinkling your heart swelling. “Good.”
You let Kakashi lead you back inside the house where your friends sat laughing and enjoying each other’s company.
You eventually forgot about all that you were thinking about on the porch, and Genma and Raido had dragged you into a card game with Kotetsu and Izumo. You were so immersed in the game that you failed to notice Kakashi's gaze that kept finding its way to you.
The smile on your face, the crinkle near your eyes as you laughed, the warmth in your voice. To him, those things were so precious to him. Seeing you like this and the joy you bring to others and to him, he is glad he chooses gratitude. It's hard sometimes. God, it's so hard sometimes. But if he can watch you like this for the rest of his life, he'll choose that over and over again.
He'll choose you forever.
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ofhoneyandrosepetals · 4 years ago
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Aarhus Universitet - Ansuz Raido Ravens (6) - final chapter
Pairing: Modern!Ivar x reader
Description: Y/N is a freshman in Aarhus University and, being the roommate of both Torvi and Margrethe, that gives her some privileges and intel on the university, as it on the leading fraternity as well, Ansuz Raido Ravens, the Ragnarssons’ fraternity. Eventually, she gets engaged up with Ivar, who happened to gather a suspicious reputation among girls.
Warnings: swearings, smut content.
Word count: 2,120
A/N: and it’s finally here, after so many years! I’m so sorry I didn’t finish this fic any sooner, even though I always wanted to. I could never rest if I never posted this final chapter. I hope you guys like it!
When you woke up the bed was empty, Ivar’s side not warm enough. You heard the noise of the shower running. He’d probably be finishing up by now. You roll on your back, feeling the most tired you ever felt, ignoring with all your strength the events of last night.
You heard the bathroom door click and looked to see Ivar wearing a zipped open hoodie, his tanned chest on sight. You bit your lips. “What a great view to wake up to.”
“I thought the great view would be something, you know, a little more downwards,” he said, a playful look on his eyes.
“Actually, that would be a great activity to wake up to.”
Ivar’s eyes immediately went to pure lust, but you raised your palms in protest. “I need to go shower first, loverboy. Last night’s party is killing me.”
“I won’t go anywhere.”
Ivar sits on a chair by the window, observing you.
“Be right back,” you state as you enter the bathroom, closing the door behind you.
*
Fifteen minutes later and you felt refreshed, ready to start off your day. As soon as Ivar got sight of you, he jerked up from the chair, a lustful look on his face. His canines shone at the sunlight, making your guts heavy.
“C’mere, woman. I’m hungry for some delicious breakfast.”
Ivar shortened the distance between you two, making you step back until your back hit the wall. He held your chin between his fingers and kissed you, rough as always. You lose no time in opening your mouth to welcome him - there was no need to hold anything back, since you wanted him as much he wanted you. His lips were not soft as they usually were - his bruises and cuts were still fresh. You thought about being careful so his cuts wouldn’t open, but who were you joking?, you didn’t want him to slow down.
His tongue dominated yours, which you were glad for - you had no strength to be the dominating one today.
Ivar’s hands traveled all around your body as he kissed and bit your lips. Your hands were firmly tugging his loose, wet hair. “Grip it harder,” you heard him mumbling between kisses. You tugged his hair harder.
Ivar made no ceremonies as he slid his right hand inside your panties, feeling you already wet. “Oh babygirl, that’s how I like you, all wet for me.” His words sent shivers through your body. He started working his fingers on your clit, slowly going up and down, feeling you panting against his mouth. It felt so good that you threw your head back, hitting the wall behind you. You sighed in pleasure when Ivar paced faster, you getting more and more wet.
You had no care for Ivar kisses and suckings on your neck - all you cared and could think about was his hands down on you. “You like that?” He asked. You only nodded in response, moaning. “What do you think of my mouth going there?” You couldn’t say anything at the thought of him eating you out so, once again, you moaned in response.
Ivar sat on his knees in no time, quickly taking your panties off. You stepped your legs aside, opening yourself for Ivar, back tight against the wall.
“Look at you,” he said hoarsely. “It’s a fucking feast down here.”
Ivar held your thighs tightly, kissing their inner sides. You were eager for his mouth in your pussy, but you wanted to play cool. He kissed and licked the insides of your thighs until you grunted in annoyance, anticipation taking over you.
“Someone’s impatient,” he teased you.
You got chunks of his hair with both your hands, pulling it.
“Just fucking do it, Ragnarsson.”
“Do what?”
You weren’t looking at him, but you could hear his sassy smile.
“Eat me out.”
“With pleasure,” he said and went down on you.
Ivar licked your wetness, the feeling of his tongue making your whole body relax. He worked you out, licking and sucking, his tongue inside you, then to your labia and for last to your clit, switching between these patterns. His pace wasn’t steady - he was slow, then fast, and then slow again. The noises his mouth made as he ate you was enough to make you moan, imagine alone what he was doing.
He caressed with the tip of his nose your clit as his tongue went in and out of you. You sighed heavily.
“Faster,” you tried to manage.
Ivar slid two fingers inside your pussy, curling them.
“Fucking thrust me, Ivar.”
So he did it. Ivar thrusted you hard with his fingers, licking and sucking your pussy at the same time. You were so on edge that you felt your legs trembling, having no more strength to keep on your feet anymore, and the wall wasn’t doing any good on keeping you up. Ivar felt your loose body and gripped hard at your waist with his left hand, keeping you up.
“You’re gonna cum on your feet,” he said. “But damn, am I not a weak man? I wanna fuck you so hard right now with my own cock.”
You came at his words, throwing your head back at the wall, making a hard thump. You pulled his hair hard and moaned loudly, screaming.
“Fuck me, Ivar,” you said without a breath. “Fuck me and I’ll cum again, all around your cock.”
Ivar lost no time in getting up, kicking his shorts and boxers away and wrapping your legs around him, pinning you up against the wall. He held you there while putting on a condom and quickly, roughly, he slid inside you. “No mercy,” you told him, and he had none.
He thrusted you fast and hard, going almost all out to go back all in. He already knew your G spot, so he went directly there, making you see stars at his strength inside you and at the feeling of pleasure. You had no idea Ivar could hold such a pace. You tugged your fingernails on his back, feeling the skin opening. That made Ivar grunt and kiss you, biting your lower lip. You felt the taste of blood, but it was only his cut on his lips opening.
You wanted to dirty talk, but you couldn’t find any words, only scream in pleasure.
“Yes, Y/N, show everyone how I make you feel.”
His steady fast pace was doing its job, and you could feel once again your walls clenching - a couple more thrusts and you felt your whole body trembling, relaxing, pleasure running through your veins as you screamed. Ivar thrusted a little more until he, too, came, moaning.
His blue eyes were pure fire and you couldn’t look away from them as Ivar slowly thrusted you after you two came, your walls screaming in sensibility.
“That was fucking awesome,” you sounded like you had ran a marathon.
“I’ll need to shower again, look what you did to me,” Ivar was wet with sweat.
“Let’s go then, I’ll clean you up.”
*
You hadn’t class today, so you and Ivar were sitting outside, by the shadows of a tree, you comfortably nested between his legs, your back and head resting on his chest as you took notice of the movement on campus.
“I’ve been wanting to ask you,” you start saying.
“What is it?” Ivar sounded like he was at peace.
“About your fraternity names. They usually use Greek letters, but what do you guys use?”
“Runes from the Elder Futhark, Ansuz and Raido. Raido means journey while Ansuz can be the rune related to Odin. My father always told me and my brothers that we descend from Odin, that’s why this choice of runes.”
“But ‘Ravens’ is not a rune.”
“No, it isn’t, but is the animal associated with Odin.”
“So your fraternity is all related to Odin, in the end.”
“One can say so.”
“Well, this is cool, but it’s even cooler to just rest on your chest and take a nap,” you said, nestling more on Ivar, closing your eyes as the sunlight warmed you.
*
Weeks have already passed - Torvi moved out of yours and Margrethe’s room, moving in with Ubbe, but she always avoided yours and Ivar’s path, staying out of the way. Ivar kept working on his bike, saying that he sensed that soon enough he’d take you for a ride. Margrethe wasn’t on talking terms with you, but she was always polite, apt to keep a chill environment. She had her space and you respected that, even though you missed her.
Until one day you finally made the choice you’ve been thinking about for so long.
Margrethe was at her desk taking care of her studies when you started talking, without giving a warning.
“I’m not going to tell you my whole story, since I don’t want to be a bother more than I already am right now,” you saw Margrethe getting so rigid that she could easily be a statue. “I was in deep shit a couple months ago, and my parents arranged me into college, as part of an agreement between us. I go clean and they help me, as long as I majored in something, anything. They got me three universities and I was able to choose this one.
“I know how much you suffered here and how much is difficult for you to be around, you know, them. Me, even. But I always saw you as and considered you my friend, Margrethe. I deeply, truly care about you, and I never wanted to harm you in any way.
“That’s why I spoke with my parents and called in a favor.”
“What favor?” Margrethe asked, her voice shooked.
“You can transfer all the way up to Aalborg University. If you want to, of course. I feel like I owe you this, at least.”
Margrethe stood in silence for what felt like minutes, but it was only a couple seconds.
“Why?” She finally asked.
“I just said, I feel like I owe you this. In my name and in the name of the Ragnarssons. It would really make me happy if you accept this.”
“A fresh start?”
“A fresh start. It’s always possible, and everyone deserves one. I’m the solid example of that.”
“Do you really mean it?” Margrethe turned over to look at you, her eyes watering, tears coming down through her rosy cheeks.
“I’m serious about it, Margrethe. All you have to do is say yes and I’ll arrange everything out.”
It was a storm that hit you - Margrethe got up from her chair and hugged you, crying on your shoulders, repeating without a stop ‘thank you’. You caressed her hair, feeling relief to have that situation sorted out.
Margrethe deserved a break and a good life.
*
You were smoking a cigarette by the window of your dorm when you heard a knock on your door, freezing immediately. Did someone rat on you? You weren’t supposed to smoke inside the dorm.
“Y/N, are you in there?” You heard Ivar’s voice and relaxed.
“Don’t fucking knock like that, I thought you were a supervisor,” you said as you opened the door for your boyfriend.
“Damn, what a greeting. Good to see you too,” Ivar pecked you on your lips and smiled brightly, his left hand behind his back, clearly hiding something.
“What do you have there?” You pointed with your chin.
“Oh, this? Nothing but our great next adventure.”
Ivar showed you what was on his left hand and you gasped in surprise.
He held you a jet-black helmet.
“Is this what I think it is?”
“We’re going for a ride, yes.”
You gave Ivar a kiss and quickly shoved him out of your room, excited to go riding.
*
You were on the roadway without a destination. Your arms were around Ivar’s torso and the wind made the length of your hair go flying all around you. You held on tight, inspiring Ivar’s cologne. You rested your cheek on his shoulder, admiring Denmark’s landscape.
You weren’t thinking or looking for the future with Ivar, but only at the present. It’s not that you didn’t want a future with Ivar - it was just that you wanted to free your head from thoughts and seize the moment, to finally take a break.
Present is all that matters.
Life with Ivar would pretty much be an ugly mess, but at least you wouldn’t be alone.
What would come next was going to be fate, a mere consequence of actions and choices.
Your destiny was already sealed, and all you had to do was go ahead.
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dilly-oh · 4 years ago
Text
Sleep With Me
Kakashi is woken up from a dead sleep at three in the morning by an urgent text from Genma. 
EMERGENCY!!, it says. He quickly sits up, a spike of panic shocking him fully awake as he’s dosed with adrenaline. He stares at his phone, anxiously waiting for the flashing dots to spell out: WE NEED CONDOMS, STAT!
Fucking Genma. He lies back down. 
Another text. YOU OWE ME FOR WATCHING THE DOGS.
...Fucking Genma. Kakashi gets up.
GET A BOX OF CONDOMS, Genma adds as Kakashi tugs on his boots. He shudders at the reasoning behind it. What the hell were he and Raido up to at three in the fucking morning, a sex marathon? Were they trying for the world record? Whatever, he just needs to stumble down the street to one of the nearby convenience stores and buy a box of condoms. Genma lives a few floors down so he can drop them off at the door before crawling back up the stairs and collapsing into his bed. His wonderfully soft, cozy bed.
He hopes it’ll still be warm by the time he gets back. 
It’s way past midnight and all the respectable convenience stores are closed, so Kakashi has to bite the bullet and settle on the least-skuzzy of all the skuzzy 24-hour shops, the one on the corner with the cracked window and perpetual smell of urine. There’s a hobo by the dumpster outside, but he’s busy arguing with a pigeon so Kakashi is able to sidle around him and approach the front entrance, a bell tinkling rather sadly above his head. The hum of the fluorescent lights should be added to the list of known torture methods, and Kakashi does his best to ignore the incessant buzz as he walks along the poorly-lit aisles, trying to find the item in question so he can leave before he catches something.
The condom section of this store is disturbingly well-stocked, and Kakashi spends a good five minutes uncertain on which brand and variety to buy. He has an internal debate on whether to buy ‘ribbed’ or ‘studded’, unsure of the difference or which Raido would prefer. He finally settles on one of the flavored variety, cherry, because who doesn’t like cherries, right? He grabs the box and heads to the front.
Standing in line with the other half-awake zombies, Kakashi yawns, his jaw creaking spectacularly. It really is late and he’s looking forward to kicking down Genma’s door, whipping the box of condoms at him, turning his phone off, and going the fuck back to sleep. He peeks impatiently over the shoulder of the man in front of him to see how close he is to the register-
Oh. God. Oh GOD.
The cashier is hot. He’s smoking hot and Kakashi hasn’t brushed his hair all day and has bad breath and bags under his eyes and a box of condoms in his hands.
OH GOD.
Long, luscious hair pulled back into a low ponytail, dark eyes with even darker lashes, and that TAN. Is it natural? Is he that toasty…all over? Fuck, he can see muscles flexing beneath his shirt when he moves, he’s fucking ripped. Abort. ABORT. There is absolutely no way Kakashi is going to greet this ethereal being of his wicked fantasies with a box of fucking condoms in his hands. But it’s already too late, the customer in front has been dealt with and the hot cashier has spotted him next in line and is waving him over, fuck, SHIT, he’s screwed. He’s made eye contact, there’s no backing out of this now. Fight or flight instincts take over, and Kakashi isn’t about to be arrested for stealing a box of condoms. Taking a deep breath, he strides forward with all the confidence he can muster and slaps the box of jumbo-sized, cherry-flavored condoms onto the counter, refusing to show any hint of shame.
The cashier (his name-tag reads ‘Iruka’ and is a million times hotter up close) looks down at the box, blinks, and looks back up at him.
“…So who are you buying these for?”
Kakashi’s brain shorts out for a moment.
Did he just… He wonders, his sleep-deprived brain slow in catching the veiled insult. Aloud, he answers, “I…they…they’re…for me. To wear when I- you know. With...you know.” He trails off lamely, wondering if he should attempt to elaborate more or just die right here.
“I’d rather not, actually.” ‘Iruka’ eyes him for another beat, then picks up the box, frowning at it. “You know, I’m pretty sure we have extra small on the shelf back there, too,” he suggests. “Might be a snugger fit.”
“No, thank you,” Kakashi replies, struggling to maintain a modicum of politeness. Because, you know, hot cashier. Though he is being a bit of a dick.
“Alright, just remember there’s a thirty-day return policy. I’m sure you’ll be needing it.”
Okay, scratch that. He’s being a huge dick.
If this guy wasn’t such a fox I’d pop him one, Kakashi thinks to himself, fuming inwardly. …Instead of popping one-
Finally moving on, Iruka swipes the box over the scanner with no reaction.
“Huh.” He frowns and tries again. Still no beep. “That’s funny. Just a sec.” He leans over towards a small, black object-
Oh God. Please no.
“PRICE CHECK ON THE JUMBO-SIZED CONDOMS,” Iruka says into the microphone, his distorted voice blaring through the store for all to hear. “CHERRY FLAVORED-”
Kakashi lunges forward and grabs the mic, the feed cutting off with a high-pitched squeal.
“Do you really have to-” he hisses out.
“If you want your cough-syrup flavored DICK, YES,” Iruka hisses back, yanking the microphone away from him.
“Hey, I like cherry!”
“Cherry is disgusting. Your opinion doesn’t matter.”
“Okay, dude, you’re being really rude to me for no reason-”
“No reason?!” The cashier all but bares his teeth at him. “I could feel you eyeing me from across the store! Don’t you think I get enough of that from the rest of the creeps?”
...He has a point there. 
“Look, I’m sorry, it’s not like I asked for your number-”
“Good, because the only numbers you’re getting from me is on your receipt,” Iruka snaps, shoving his purchase in a plastic bag. “That’ll be $19.86.”
“Okay, fine, Christ,” Kakashi takes out a twenty and whips it at his head. “Keep the change.” He snatches up the condoms and storms out of the store. The hobo is still there by the dumpster, babbling on. Kakashi stops, fishes in his pocket for a moment, and hands the man a five.
“Here, have a better night than me,” he bites out. The hobo gasps with delight as he takes the crumpled bill, eyes going wide.
“We feast tonight, Fitzgerald!” he cackles, grinning at the pigeon, which is now perched on his knee and cooing.
Kakashi starts down the street, the bag of condoms bumping against his knee with every angry stride.
“Hey!” A voice barks out from behind him, but he ignores it, intent on sulking. “Hey, you! Cherry dick!” Kakashi stops and looks back.
The hot cashier is running down the road after him, breath steaming in the night. He catches up, panting lightly, his cheeks flushed from the cold as much as the run. He glances up to meet Kakashi’s gaze. 
“…Hey,” Iruka says quietly, flashing him an apologetic look before dropping his eyes to the ground. “Um.” He fiddles with the zipper on his jacket for a moment. “I just got off, and… look, man, I’m sorry about back there. I didn’t mean to be such an asshole. It’s just…I was late this morning cuz my car wouldn’t start, and then my stupid co-worker ditched me so I had to work a double shift, and when I’m tired I get bitchy. Like...real bitchy. I’m...really sorry.” He groans in exhaustion, reaching up to free his hair from its constricting ponytail, scrubbing his scalp with relief. It’s an endearing action that cools Kakashi’s irritation and heats up other things. “I mean, it’s past midnight, for God’s sake. Who’s still up at this hour? I just wanna go home and pass the fuck out in bed.”
Kakashi knows exactly what that’s like.
“I’ve been there,” he says. “It’s fine. Sorry for...ogling you.”
“S’okay.” Iruka looks up at him, hopeful and shy. “Listen. Maybe we could…try this again? During the daytime, when we’re both fully rested?”
“Sounds like a great idea,” Kakashi replies, his voice completely calm while his brain is a litany of high-pitched screeches.
“Yeah?” Iruka’s whole face lights up, and holy FUCK he’s a billion times hotter when he’s smiling. Dear God. How is he going to survive this? He'll probably die when he sees him in the light of day. “Are you free tomorrow? For lunch?”
“Make it a late lunch,” Kakashi agrees, nodding. “I’ll probably sleep in.”
“God, me too,” Iruka snorts, and even that’s hot. “There’s this nice cafe that- oh, wait.” His face drops. “Those, um, cough-syrup- I mean, cherry-flavored condoms…are they for… anyone special?”
Anyone special? What is he talking abo- Oh. Ohhhh.
“They aren’t for me,” Kakashi explains quickly. “I was...there isn’t…I’m not…” He shrugs helplessly. “I’m just doing a favor for a friend.”
“...A friend who needs a box of condoms at three in the morning?”
“Don’t ask.”
“I won’t.” Iruka lets out a long sigh and rubs his eyes wearily. “Anyway, I need to be heading home. Ugh, it’s gonna take, like, an hour to walk back to my apartment, none of the buses run this late and I don’t have the cash for a cab. Maybe if I hurry I can-”
“Sleep with me,” Kakashi blurts out before he can stop himself. He can almost see Iruka’s hackles go up. “I mean, like, actual sleeping, no sex stuff. Not that I wouldn’t want to do that with you, you’re fucking gorgeous, it’s just I’m way too tired-” He cuts off his babbling, unsettled by Iruka’s stoney silence. “I’m just saying I live, like, five minutes away and I thought since it’s closer, maybe you’d appreciate-” Iruka’s still not talking. He’s probably about to kick Kakashi in the dick and run. “I, uh, promise I’m not an ax murderer or anything. You can take a pic of me and send it to your friends to let them know you’re sleeping with me-”
“I’m sure they won’t at all take that the wrong way,” Iruka states, finally speaking. He studies Kakashi for a moment longer. “...Yeah okay I’ll sleep with you. My standards are low enough right now.” He pauses to snicker. “Look at me, sleeping with a guy whose name I don’t even know. It’s like college all over again.”
“Oh, sorry. I’m Kakashi.”
“Iruka.”
“I know, I saw your name-tag. So, wait. You’re not worried I’ll try something?” he asks cautiously. Iruka scoffs.
“I know jiu-jitsu. Touch me and I’ll throw you through a wall.” 
That would explain the muscles. And Kakashi’s desire to be pinned by him. 
“I have eight dogs,” he warns.
“They’ll make excellent feet-warmers,” Iruka says dismissively. “Do you have good pillows? I’m a stickler for good pillows, I need the support for my neck, otherwise I get stiff shoulders.”
“I have a couple memory foam ones, plus a down comforter and some quilts-”
“Oh God, yes, talk dirty to me.”
“Anyway, I get the bed, you can have the couch.”
“Screw you, I just worked a double shift. I get the bed.”
“It smells like wet dog.”
“I babysit a five-year old. I’ve smelled worse.”
“Okay, fine. We share the bed, but I get the right side.”
“That’s not fair, I want the right side.”
“You can have the right side if you cook us breakfast tomorrow. Or lunch, rather. I’m not getting up till noon.”
“I’ll cook, but you have to clean up. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They shake on it, firmly sealing the agreement, and head off down the road together.
They don’t let go.
(Written for @kakairu-fest Nine Weeks of Summer, Week Two Prompt: Shop AU)
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justjstuff · 4 years ago
Note
If you're up to doing some commentary!! I've been interested about how people view Sakura and their over all interactions with her. And I know a few times (though the details now are fuzzy in my memory) being interested in kurenai's and Sakura's interactions... 1/2
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Oh, hey!! Thanks for the ask, hon <3 I’m actually always happy when people ask me about either Shizune or Kurenai because I think a lot of people were unsatisfied with some scenes so it’s good to address it here where I don’t feel like I’m justifying myself. 
This got super huge lmao I’m sorry. If anyone’s wondering what the hell this is, it’s because of this post. I’m still open for questions! Just hmu :)
Okay! Let’s get started :) 
The thing with Sakura is that she had a great part of her growth as a shinobi within she shadow ranks. That means that for two/three years every single bit of accomplishment she got was only really recognised by a very select group of people, need to know only. That changed when the Elders threw their hissy fit and she was unofficially taken out of Team Ro and started taking missions outside of ANBU in jounin-only cells and as a jounin captain. Now, that drastically changed things, yes, but you have to look at it from each individual’s perspective. 
For the general public, Sakura is pretty much a hero already. Think Kakashi level without as many years of experience and with no war. They all know she’s insanely talented, the Hokage’s apprentice and a very high ranking officer. For the Konoha 11, Sakura is... that wildly successful friend you have that you knew in high school so you don’t have the same level of respect towards that person as you would a stranger bc like... you know you’re the same age and they still got called out by teachers and whatever just like you did... does that make sense? Lol. Sakura’s friends are impressed but there’s none of the hero worship some people might express. They know her flaws and they also know just how much she’s sacrificing to get where she is (her social life for example).
For the people Sakura has worked with after being forced to kind of leave ANBU, Sakura is pretty much on their level. They admire her bc they’re aware she’s young and accomplished a lot in just a few years but they don’t look at her and think of her as a child. They would never call her by anything other than her given rank during a mission for example, they would treat her as an equal while in the village. (An example of this group is Tsume and Anko, also people like Raido, etc, they didn’t really know her as  a kid, only really got in contact with her after she was already an OP badass xD)
Then there’s people like Kurenai, Shizune, Gai and even Asuma to an extent. The jounin sensei of the Konoha 11 and Shizune who took on a role as a mentor to Sakura when she was still 13 and kinda clueless. 
Let’s look at Asuma first. To me he’s a bit like the cool uncle, he probably took team 10 out to have their first drink or something. He never really coddled his genin and he knew that Sakura had wildly different experiences with Kakashi as a teacher than his own students did with him. Still, he had to go on that mission with Sakura and Kakashi to really understand who Sakura had become and how her and Kakashi’s dynamics worked. He also had roughly a month with her and then another back at the village to really see her as Sakura and not a genin. 
Gai is the one who took his position as a teacher more seriously. With two orphans and a Neji on his team, his role in their lives really was more as a father than anything else and I think he has a bit of a hard time seeing things in other’s perspective like Asuma does. Keep in mind that while both Gai and Asuma are great guys and even greater friends to Kakashi, Asuma leaving the village when he did brought a different kind of... perspective. In regards to how he views the village and the Hokage and y’know, everything else. 
So, you see, for them Sakura was in “their kids” class. Kakashi’s student. She accomplished great things in theory but she’s Kakashi’s student, that’s to be expected. They never really had to interact with her further, especially because they already had their own team. Keep in mind that only Gai and Asuma saw the Jounin Exams happening, Kurenai was on a mission with Team 8 back then. 
Okay, now that you have all of that, let’s get into  japanese suffixes and how they work. Please keep in mind I’m not japanese myself so there’s people who know about this more than I do. But from my point of view, it’s completely normal for someone who’s in a position of being both older and more experienced to call a girl who’s a friend of your child/younger sister/brother/student -chan.  Kurenai might even call her by her surname-chan but it’s safe to say the Konoha 11 are fairly close and it would probably feel weird to do that. 
So imagine this. Kurenai is a very reserved person and has good reason to want to keep her relationship with Asuma a secret, and even better reason to not want anyone knowing she’s pregnant. She’s stressed because she’s having to actively hide it from everyone at the bar and bc of the situation in general and she’s unsure if this woman in front of her who she sees as a child will keep it to herself. She probably had many more interactions with Ino than she had with Sakura at this point so really... it’s not a very far fetched idea that Sakura might be a gossip or shallow like she was as a kid. 
So she calls Sakura -chan and it’s pretty demeaning for Sakura to hear it after all the work she put into getting better and better seeing as -chan is the suffix you use to talk to either young girls in general or a female you’re pretty close to. Still. Sakura knows all of this and she’s not about to make a big deal out of it, especially since she likes Kurenai and feels for her. By the end of the night, we see Kurenai relaxing, feeling relieved to have Sakura help her out and she even catches a glimpse of her interaction with Kakashi when they’re going home and is pleasantly surprised by it. 
So yeah, Kurenai calling Sakura, Sakura-chan was a bit of a faux pas for her but it came from good intentions. She probably calls Hinata that which is cute and all but since she’s not close enough to Sakura and Sakura is technically her equal, it’s demeaning. Of course, there’s different connotations to calling her that, for example when Kakashi calls her Sakura-chan nowadays, it’s just good natured teasing on his part. Or to prove a point to someone else like we see him do with Boar, lol. He’s a bit of a dick. xD
Anyway, I hope this answered your question!! Please let me know if you have any follow up questions or comments :)
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wing-ed-thing · 4 years ago
Text
Castle (Might Guy x Reader, Part II)
Synopsis: Might Guy was always a man of certainty. He needed no time to decide that the moment he saw you, he was in love. Things become more complicated when he's suddenly assigned to an S class escort mission where he finds out that not only are you engaged to a ninja prince in the Hidden Stone, but you are the eldest princess of the daimyō.
Word Count: 1,264
Warnings: None
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Guy and his team arrived at the daimyō’s estate two days after his meeting with the Hokage. Colored lanterns lit the estate in the pitch black of the night. It was wiser to get a head start under the cover of darkness. The royal carriage was already in front. The guards greeted the team of Jounin and Aoba went to scope out the body of the carriage. Raidō accompanied his team leader as Guy approached the head guard.
“You must be Guy-san.” They bowed to one another. “It is an honor, we’ve heard much of your skill.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Guy responded politely. He glanced up at the estate. “Will I have the privilege of speaking to Lord Daimyō this evening?”
“Lord Daimyō will not be seeing his eldest off tonight.” The guard curtly informed him. “My lord will arrive in the Hidden Stone shortly behind in order to ensure political preparations.”
“Ah… I see.” Guy cleared his throat, holding back a tone of judgement. The man in front of him didn’t seem to notice. “And for the wedding, of course.”
“Yes, the wedding as well.” Guy frowned. Since when was a royal wedding an afterthought? “The Princess will be out momentarily. The women are preparing her for the journey. I have confidence that your Hokage has already debriefed you?” Raidō fidgeted in response to the slight. Guy took a breath, ignoring the insult and focused on niceties.
“Yes, we are well prepared. Is there anything else I should know before we leave? Perhaps how we may best serve the Princess?” Guy inquired. The guard pursed his lips, pausing to choose his words wisely.
The guard shook his head and crossed his arms. He glanced at the manor, then turned back to Guy. The guard spoke in a low voice. “Lord Daimyō’s eldest is… high spirited. It would do her well to learn to hold her tongue in her future marriage.” He glanced back at the door. “My lady is also… well acquainted with the art of stealth. Well befitting of the future wife of a shinobi prince. She requires a vigilant eye.”
Guy fought off a deeper scowl, but once again remained silent. Guy decided quickly that he was certain about another thing: he liked neither the attitudes nor the opinions that came out of the daimyō’s residence.
The front door opened and a long shadow cast itself onto the pathway. Guy took in the shape of the princess as she processed somberly into the darkness. A line of servants brought luggage to the carriage. The train of her jūnihitoe trailed behind her, held up by a handmaiden, as she made her way towards the two men. Guy could hardly see her face in the lantern-light, but as she approached, her features became increasingly more familiar.
You stopped in your tracks, tiara almost falling down into your eyes. Guy’s eyes widened, his heart stopped. It was you, from the market. You took each other in, staring into one another’s eyes. Guy gathered himself quickly. He bowed deeply, a hand across his chest. Raidō followed suit.
“My Lady, we are your escorts for this journey.” You stiffened. The two ninja rose back to their full height. “My name is Might Guy.”
“My name is Namiashi Raidō.”
“Our other colleague, Yamashiro Aoba, is securing your carriage.” Guy explained. As if on cue, Aoba gave a signal that the carriage was clear.
You pushed your shoulders back and gave your name and title in a passive voice.
“My handmaiden will be accompanying me to the Hidden Stone.”
“Of course, My Lady.” Guy turned to Raidō. “Touch base with Aoba, we’re leaving soon.” Raidō turned on his heel and Guy faced you once again. “Might I help you to your carriage?”
“It seems that you are in good hands, My Lady,” The guard remarked, more stiff in your presence than when he spoke to Guy. “I look forward to hearing news of your wedding.” He gave a slight nod to Guy and a deep bow to you. You ignored him, turning to your escort.
“I think I can manage the walk there, Guy-san.” You told him with an air of sophistication. “But you may help me up the step?” The twitch of the ends of your lips betrayed you.
Guy smiled and you stared as he walked you to the carriage. He ran ahead, opening the door to reveal plush seating with area to lounge. You thanked him as he held out his arm. You placed your hand over his forearm, pushing yourself onto the carriage step. Jun assisted with the train of your dress. You could feel the built muscle under your grip. He caught your eye one last time before you settled into your seat. Jun came to sit across from you. Guy found himself holding his breath as he noticed the soft flush across your cheeks. He looked away and gently closed the door.
As soon as the door shut, you turned to your handmaiden. Your proper posture fell as you gripped your chest. Fireworks burst in your eyes.
“That’s him!” You exclaimed in an excited whisper.
“Who?” She asked in a normal volume and you jumped to cover her mouth. You shook.
“That’s the man. The man from the market who I told you about!” You let out a small squeal. She looked around before turning back to you.
“How can you even be sure?” She asked in a hushed tone.
“It’s him, I know it!” You squealed. Jun hesitated. Your smile began to fade as you noticed her pensive face. She blinked. Then she sighed. Then she shook her head.
“My lady, you know you can’t…” She clenched her teeth, looking at you with desperate eyes.
“I know,” You confessed soberly. You paused, the disappointment sinking in. You forced yourself to smile. You took a deep breath. “But I’m not married yet and there’s no harm in spending my last few days of freedom just pretending, right?”
Jun opened her mouth. No, there is harm. But she stopped herself. No joy came from being the daughter of the daimyō, especially the eldest. While there were no rules forbidding ever forbidding a female daimyō, it became increasingly clear as of late that you would not be inheriting your father’s title. You had felt this day looming ever closer in your heart, but what could be done? This journey counted as one of the few times you were allowed outside of the estate. Jun saw what happiness this crush brought you. As your only friend, she would readily allow you to flirt with your escort if it meant some semblance of freedom for you in your last days unwed.
“No, I suppose there’s no harm.”
Guy climbed into the driver’s seat. Aoba and Raido sat on two horses on either side of the carriage. With one flick of the reins, the two horses started off into the night. Two lanterns on both sides of the roof lit the road out of the village. You looked out the window, basking in the moonlight that shone through. Businesses were closed and houses were dark. You wished that you could see more of it all in the daylight.
You lounged upon your plush bench. Jun sat quietly across from you. You cracked the partition open. Cool evening air blew into your face. You caught sight of Guy through the sliver and he met your eye. You smiled and he grinned back. The horses faltered. Guy turned back to the road, leading the carriage into the night.
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applsauss · 5 years ago
Text
The Date
Description: You and Kakashi go out on a date.
Fandom: 
Naruto
Pairing: Hatake Kakashi/Reader

Word Count: 
2.9k+
Warning(s): 
None.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

      You’re out to dinner with Team Gai, which doesn’t happen as often as you’d all like. Lee and Tenten are often busy with missions, as are you, and Gai has been spending so much time at the academy that he might as well sign on full-time; He’s good with kids and he’s good for kids, with his endless enthusiasm and praise. 
The barbeque sizzles in front of you, and you’re beginning to feel full, but Tenten and Lee are still leading the charge through your ridiculously large order. Twenty minutes after the sake comes out is when the conversation shifts from prospective Jonin promotions to yours and Kakashi’s flowering romance.
“You guys just don’t get it. Our relationship is… Relaxed. I don’t really like going out all that much, and neither does Kakashi. We spend time together in our own way.” 
“But where’s the romance?” is the immediate response you receive. “In order for a relationship to last, you need to woo each other,” Gai states enthusiastically, taking another gulp of sake before pointing at you and exclaiming: “You need to sweep him off his feet!”
“W-What?” you stutter.
“Have a date night!” Lee suggests.
“Yes! A date night!” Gai latches on to the idea, and refuses to let go of it. “You need excitement! To surprise each other with romantic gifts and occasions. You have to keep things fresh - To feel the heat of your eternal summer!” 
You don’t think they know what they’re talking about because as far as you know, Lee’s never dated anyone and Gai is more often off-color than anything else. “Sweep him off his feet?” you repeat, unconvinced. 
“Exactly, my friend! You and I, we’ve known each other for a long time. Would I steer you wrong?” Gai attempts to convince you further, waving his arms around and gesturing so loudly he rocks in his wheelchair. Some of the other patrons glance at your table, but quickly avert their eyes once they realize you’re all shinobi. 
You hold your tongue when you think, amused, about all the times Gai has absolutely steered you wrong. You won’t ever forget when you were still Genin and he’d led you and Raido so deep into Tsuchigakure controlled territory that you were nearly captured, and you were only looking for a lost cat!
Unimpressed, you take a chance to gauge Tenten’s reaction to all of this because she’s usually the voice of reason, but she remains quiet all the while, shovelling slices of barbecued pork into her mouth, unconcerned with appearances. She catches your eye and shrugs, not necessarily disagreeing, but not jumping to your rescue either. It hits you that you’ve known Tenten and Lee since they were genin, and now they’re fully fleshed-out Chunin. Equals, in yours and Gai’s eyes. 
Maybe they’re onto something. 
So you shrug and promise Gai and Lee to consider their suggestions, and the night unfolds after that.
***
      A week later, and you still haven’t been able to get Gai and Lee’s advice out of your head. You think about how you and Kakashi haven’t done anything ‘official’ yet every time you see him, and see him almost everyday so you think about it a lot.
You’re picking apart the pack you take on missions, when you think again about Gai’s advice of ‘wooing’ Kakashi, and suddenly, you can’t keep it to yourself anymore. You’re calling out for him before you have a plan of approach. 
“Kakashi…” 
“Hmm?” he’s sideways on the couch, reclining, with his nose in some book he plucked off your shelf. He’d been taking up space in your living room since he decided he wasn’t needed in the Hokage’s office earlier this morning. You’re sitting across the room at the kitchen table.
Though Kakashi is no longer considered an active duty shinobi (he’s only sent out when he’s specifically required) and barring his little, personal excursions to check up on states of affairs, you’re still very much on the active roster and sent out regularly. 
“Would you like to have dinner? Sometime when I get back?” Maybe you feel confident and bold because you know you’re leaving and won’t be returning for at least a week to face his reaction to what you’re about to suggest. 
“Dinner? Do you want me to cook for you or something?” he looks up from his book, amused, to tease you, thinking maybe you don’t know how to ask him to make you something. He’s been told he’s very good in the kitchen. 
“No, I mean… like a… hmm...” This is dumb. You’re an adult and you’re lack of experience in these sorts of situations is leading you to lose your resolve. You can confidently carry out all your duties owed to your village, you can pull on a snake mask and wield your tanto in the face of death, but you can’t ask the man you’re already sort-of dating out on a date. 
He’s waiting patiently for you to finish.
“Like, on a date.” You conclude quietly, gripping the kunai you’d been sharpening tightly. 
Without his mask on, you can see a blush crawling up his pale cheeks and it makes you feel a little more confident, in control. “A date.” he states. 
“Yea,” you can feel yourself start to resume sharpening the blade, “A date. When I get back. Lee and Gai were talking about a new restaurant that opened, that serves food from Suna.” 
He looks back down at his book, but you can tell he’s not reading from how his eyes stare at the same spot on the page. He shrugs. “Sure, sounds like fun.” But the blush doesn’t go away and it makes you smile wider than you probably should. 
He catches the hint of amusement in your tone and glances back up at you. “What?” 
You only shake your head and return the Kunai to its proper pouch. “Nothing. I look forward to it, then.”
***
      When you return, Kakashi isn’t at the village gates, but you don’t necessarily expect him to be there. He’ll make his presence known when he wants to, and you understand that you’re both busy professionals anyways. 
You’re also not surprised when you find him sitting with half his ass on the window sill under the window you usually enter your apartment through, with his faded copy of ‘Icha-Icha: Paradise’ comfortably in hand. In such an odd sitting position, five stories up above the alley cats pawing at garbage bins, he looks like a stray. 
He looks up when you round the corner, then scooches over and drags the window to the side with him so it opens as you approach without so much as greeting you. You pause below him, looking longingly up at your open window and the bottoms of Kakashi’s feet before pushing your tired legs to just make it up to your apartment one last time. 
Rocking back on your heels, you force your chakra to pool on the soles of your feet, then expand outward, assisting your jump as you leap halfway up the building next to yours, then spin around and propel yourself past Kakashi, and into your living room. 
As you stand for a moment, in the stale apartment, you hear Kakashi swing around into the living room behind you. “How was the mission?” he asks as you drop your pack, rolling your shoulders. Afterwards, in a practiced set of motions, you loosen your armor and gear just enough to be able to pull it all off in one motion. He catches the hard chest plate in a hand before it can hit the floor and make a sound. 
You’re too busy with your hand up your shirt, pulling apart the knot keeping the bandages tied tight to your chest to come up with a better response than “Fine. Successful.” The knot loosens and you sigh as your breasts are given space to breathe, “How’ve you been? Do anything fun?” 
You turn to watch as he flops down onto the couch and runs a hand through his hair, dragging his forehead protector off and leaving it on the cushion beside him. “Mm,” he hums thoughtfully. “No. Just a lead on more of Orochimaru’s research that went nowhere.” 
You pause in undoing your sandals, and drag your eyes up to finally get a good look at him. Your eyes meet, warm each others gazes, and he holds his arm out in a silent invitation. You toss the sandal in your hands to the floor and flop into his side without another word. 
Now on the couch and huddled into his warm side, you toe your other sandal off while he pulls his gloves off, the two of you jostling each other a bit until you settle back into a comfortable position. He pulls you up farther and tugs the tie out of your hair, letting it fall around your face, and you hiss at the ache, but he begins to run his naked fingers through your hair, massaging your scalp and so you close your eyes and wrap the arm not wedged between your body and the couch around his torso, eventually dipping down to push your fingers up under his shirt just to touch the warm skin of his midriff. 
“Anything else happen while I was gone?” you ask absentmindedly, rubbing circles into his side with your thumb. 
He pulls his fingers through your hair one last time, sure that there are no tangles, and then twists his body to hold you more fully, resting his cheek on the top of your head. His breath is hot through his mask, and he grunts, then pulls it down below his chin. 
“No,” he says, resting his cheek back on your head, “honest. It’s been unusually quiet. No life-threatening incidents, no non-life-threatening incidents. Naruto even seemed bored when I gave him my report.” 
“Report?” you ask.
“Just a quick border check.”
You sigh heavily, already feeling yourself being lulled by the rumble of his voice in his chest and the secure warmth of his hold. “That’s good… Sounds like you… Got to relax a little.” Your train of thought begins stalling, and Kakashi laughs warmly at your loss of concentration. 
“Yea, and it sounds like it might be your turn to take it easy.”
“Mhmm?”
“Yea.” 
You yawn, and then pull your hand out from under his shirt and set it on his chest, curling your fingers into his shirt when your hand begins to slip. “But what about our date?” 
“Tomorrow,” he says, “or the day after. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Alright, then,” you breathe, “I’ll hold you to it.” 
***
      In the morning, before the sun rises, you leave Kakashi with a gentle kiss and a promise to see him later, tangled in the sheets of your bed. 
As the sun begins to stain the sky red, you’re once again out in the training fields with Gai, Lee, and Tenten, working through the same set of morning exercises you’ve practiced since your days as a stringy genin, with an unreadable teacher and over-confident teammates. 
As the sun pales, and shines its damp rays over Konohagakure, you kneel before your hokage and deliver your mission report. 
As the sun begins to harden in the sky, cutting through the cool mist left over from the night, you find yourself leaping once again, through your window into a now empty apartment. You don’t have much else to do, so you find yourself puttering around, watering the plants Kakashi no doubt watered for you while you were away, and inspecting your various shinobi gear for wear and tear, a habit meant to pass the time. 
Your thoughts eventually drift back to yours and Kakashi’s relationship, and the date he agreed to. He’s never needed much for as long as you’ve known him, and left to his own devices, he becomes rather domestic; but Gai, and by extension Lee’s, ideals regarding a relationship have you as worried as you can be over personal matters like these. Above all else, you don’t want to risk losing Kakashi. You’re glad you decided on action, rather than letting the idea of taking him out on a date burn a hole in your skull.
After checking all of your gear twice, you gather the unrepairable scraps and toss them in the trash bin, then meander into the kitchen to begin considering your choices for lunch. Your fridge is disappointingly empty except for some fresh herbs that Kakashi no doubt brought from his own apartment, so you settle for a plain meal, and after eating, a simple nap.
You don’t see Kakashi again until you sense him strangely at your front door. It’s now late-afternoon-pushing-evening, but the summer sun does nothing to betray the time. He knocks, like a respectable visitor, and so you pad over to the entrance way and when you slide the door open, you find him standing there in his usual uniform, but holding a bouquet of flowers. 
“I promised you a date, didn’t I?” He says with a sheepish smile, raising his hand to scratch the back of his head. 
You purse your lips, and when he sees your lack of reaction, he lowers his hand and looks at your slight frown seriously. “What’s wrong?”
You shake your head. “Nothing,” you say, forcing yourself to straighten your back and smile, “but I just wanted to take YOU on a date. Not… The other way around, I guess.” 
“Well… I guess,” he looks thoughtful for a moment, “we could both take each other out… on a date.” 
You smile immediately. “You always know what to say, Kakashi.” you bounce up to peck his cheek over his mask then turn on your heel, “Let me get some clothes on.” 
***
      You both decide on Yakisoba after finding out the restaurant Gai told you about was reservation only. Neither of you have lost any spirit over the slight snag in plans. 
You take your bowls graciously from the vendor and perch yourselves up on a high retaining wall, backs to a small community garden within walking distance of the ever developing commercial center of Konoha. More and more, you’re bearing witness to all of the changes as the village grows. 
Kakashi has already told you of the Hokage’s tentative plans to build another, larger wall encircling the current boundary of the village to give the residential district some breathing room, though he also told you it was difficult negotiating with some of the civilians who own the land just outside the walls. 
“Have you talked to Gai lately?” you ask before shoving another mouthful of noodles into your mouth. Kakashi shakes his head while chewing, and you let out a sharp, reprimanding puff of air. “Gai was complaining about you this morning, you know.”
Kakashi shrugs helplessly, “I’ve been busy...” 
“You just told me last night how weirdly quiet it’s been.” you accuse, and Kakashi smiles the way he does when he knows he’s been caught in a lie. 
“... Avoiding him. I’ve been busy avoiding him.” he finishes lately, and you snort, then nudge your elbow into his arm. 
“Don’t be mean to him,” you say, “I’ll kick your ass.” He looks at you with such sudden admiration that you feel your face flush and immediately look back down into your bowl of Yakisoba, cursing yourself for being so easily embarrassed. 
“I know. I’ll catch up with him sometime. Promise.” 
***
      The sun sets far later than it should, and you and Kakashi find yourselves strolling aimlessly through the old commercial district as paper lanterns are lit. A couple minutes later, you blink as one by one, flickering light from the neon lettering most shops nowadays are adopting drowns out the mellow lantern light. 
New and old, the juxtaposition of technology and entrenched traditions is something strange to witness. Much like the strange, out of place life breathed into the village after the third shinobi war, the death-bred boom in industry, you’re watching once again as the world progresses faster than you can keep track of. Everything is just swept along with the leaps and bounds each new generation brings about. 
You mention the popularity of neon to Kakashi, and he stares at the bright lights for a few moments before uttering, “It reminds me of how after Pein, or the… Third Shinobi war, the village just seemed to come back twice as strong.”
Your wandering eventually leads you both to Kakashi’s apartment complex.
“That was fun,” Kakashi says at his doorstep. You’re loitering, suddenly embarrassed and unsure if he’s going to invite you in. “It didn’t really feel like a date though.”
“... Yea.. Just sort of like… We were just spending time together,” you say distantly as he opens the door and flips the lightswitch next to the entrance, warm light spilling out and over you into the hallway. You stand there, just inside the threshold, wanting to sink into the warmth of his apartment, but unable to do so without invitation. 
He’s taken off his shoes and shrugged out of his outer layer before he realizes you’re still standing there, not entering. “Do you not want to come in?” He turns to look at you, mask still stretched over his nose and mouth, eyes curious and dark. 
You scoff, relief flooding your body, and shake your head. “I was just enjoying the breeze. Y’can’t blame me for that.” You step into the apartment and shut the door behind you, content in the wake of an evening that will follow a successful date.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Masterlist in blog desc.
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dimigex · 4 years ago
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Losing Control Update
Chapter Five is updated. Kakashi and Sakura finally talk about the things (and my shipper heart dies just a little). Full chapter available on Fanfiction and A03  
Two days later, Genma received a message that he would be moved to gate duty for the foreseeable future. He recognized Tsunade's handwriting instead of Kakashi's, but that hardly surprised him. Genma figured it would be a long time before Kakashi could look him in the eye without wanting to black it. He could accept that, no matter how long it took. The men had been friends for years, eventually this whole thing would blow over.
Sakura was another matter. Genma had stopped by her apartment twice, but she'd either been away or avoiding him as no one answered the door. He supposed that was fair enough considering she'd pretty much broken up with him that last time they talked. Not that they'd been dating in the first place, but he didn't know what else to call it. The whole situation was so fucked up that Genma couldn't begin to understand it. Had Raido been in his place, Genma would have laughed himself breathless. It was a lot less funny on this side of things.
"Are you even listening to me?" Raido's words pulled Genma from his sour thoughts. He found his best friend staring at him with a mix of amusement and concern.
Genma nodded, toying with the food on his plate. He didn't have much appetite lately, not even for his normal favorite of burgers and fries. And, truth be told, he had no idea what Raido had been saying. Raido rolled his eyes. "So? Did it have anything to do with you or not?"
Genma frowned, wishing that he'd been at least halfway attentive to Raido's ramblings. Maybe if he had, he'd have some sort of answer. "Did what have anything to do with me?"
"I don't know why I even bother with you lately." Raido took a long pull from his beer, dragging out the suspense. He couldn't resist gleaning another drop of gossip if it was just there for the taking. Genma remained silent. "Are you the reason that Kakashi came to work with bruised knuckles and a hangover?"
Raising a hand, Genma brushed across his chin as if he could still feel the bruise that Sakura had healed. Deciding that he didn't want to get into it, he shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You're a terrible liar," Raido laughed, finishing the remaining fries on his place, then leaned back with a grin. "Did you two kiss and make up or should I avoid him for a few days?"
Genma shook his head, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite himself. "You know he's not my type, too moody."
The teasing banter felt good, a clear break from the funk that being back in the village had left Genma with. Everything had changed in the three months that he'd been gone. Even the posting on the gate pushed Genma further away from the life that he remembered. He wouldn't be near his closest friends, men that he'd served alongside since he was nearly sixteen years old. Genma would learn about everything second hand, hearing gossip only when Iwashi or Raido let something slip rather than drawing his own conclusions. He'd practically been banished from the Hokage's office.
Genma drained his beer to push away the uncomfortable ache in the center of his chest. "Has Sakura been by the office?"
Despite the casual way that Genma delivered the question, something like pity entered Raido's dark eyes. The man toyed with his beer, not quite meeting Genma's gaze. The tokujo's stomach dropped when Raido continued. "Don't torment yourself over it, man. It's not worth it."
"Yeah," Genma agreed despite the sick feeling worming through him. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and ordered another beer from the man behind the bar.
The conversation drifted away from Kakashi and Sakura, but Genma struggled to keep his mind from returning to the pair. Raido detailed the antics of the new genin, shared bits of gossip about the shinobi they'd grown up with, but Genma couldn't focus on the words. He made himself nod and grin at the appropriate places so that Raido didn't pick up on it. He'd learned to hide his emotions a long time ago.
Genma wondered how much Kakashi understood about his relationship with Sakura. Obviously he knew that they'd slept together on that Kami-be-damned mission, but did he know the rest? Did he know that for all her fury, Sakura welcomed Genma back into her bed with open arms? Did the Hokage know about the way she'd melted into his kiss like it was the first time she'd been able to draw a full breath in months?
Did Kakashi know that Genma had gone to the most recent doctor's appointment with Sakura? Would he care? Genma knew that Kakashi had some sort of feelings for Sakura, hell maybe the man was in love with her, but that didn't give him the right to her. As far as Genma knew, Kakashi had never made a bid for Sakura's affections, never admitted that he felt anything beyond friendship. Of course, Genma wouldn't know if he had; Sakura wasn't the type to kiss and tell. Genma didn't find that reality as comforting as he once might have.
"You aren't going to let it go, are you?" Raido drained the last of his drink, then pushed the bottle away. "How did the other night go? After you left the bar, I mean."
Genma realized that maybe Sakura wasn't the only one who didn't kiss and tell, at least, not anymore. He hadn't seen Raido since the last time they went out and drank together. Everything had been too chaotic for him to make sense of his life. Genma affected the usual smirk he wore when talking about women. "It's complicated."
Raido whistled under his breath, then clapped Genma on the back. "So, have you two talked about what you're going to do?"
"Not really," Genma hedged, unwilling to open a door to all the problems currently running through his head. "It's still so new, you know? There are a lot of things to consider."
For a minute, Raido watched Genma without speaking. He drummed his fingers on the table in the way that he did when he was debating whether or not to say something. He lost the battle with a sigh. "Yeah, sure. Have you guys thought about-"
"I'd honestly rather not think about any of it right now," Genma interrupted. He had a million thoughts already crowding his mind with no chance to clear them out. The last thing that he needed was more to consider. "Can we please talk about something else, anything that isn't this?"
Raido nodded, launching into some story that would have normally had Genma rolling with laughter. For now, he managed to smile and was thankful for that much. Things would eventually get easier, they had to.
(Read more on FF and A03, linked at top of post)
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ener-chi · 4 years ago
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Update time! tl;dr Life update, and Prince update
This week has been particularly busy for me, because I had my best friend and his gf come up and visit me. The first half of the week was me trying to get ahead with school and prepping, and then the past 3 days I have been hanging out and entertaining them. 
It was actually really nice! I love them, and we made some wonderful memories. I actually feel that this was kind of a transition for me energetically... for some reason, things feel different now than they did four days ago. I just... it really helped me think about my life at this point.
I feel that I need to focus more on my Path than anything else at the moment. Once school started, I got really caught up in it, and was just so incredibly busy. Plus, I was trying to work on top of that. All of this didn’t really leave any time for my practice... which at the time I was fine with, because I was going through a low-energy period anyways. But I couldn’t help feeling like I wasn’t devoting as much time to my spirituality as I should have. Turns out I was right. 
I also had a past-life experience that kind of helped confirm this for me. 
I was pulled into the astral, into the cosmic place. Emotional, C took me by the hand, and I found that I was driving. I was an older man. The sky in the horizon that I'm driving towards was just... spectacular. I've never seen such a sunset; incredible saturated hues of oranges and blues and greens. I (as the old man) start crying. So much emotion spills out, as I'm touched by this moment. Sadness, exhaustion, despair, happiness, wonderment; all of these things just kind of overwhelmed me. Eventually I pull over on the side of the road and weep.
I step out of the car once I've kind of stopped, and lean against my car. Just looking and taking it in.
I have this... feeling. In this beautiful, serene moment, I know that everything will be okay. I feel a moment of divine connection; I feel... connected to the Universe. But It's more than that. I (Zach) recognize this feeling; I was feeling it earlier that day, in my own personal life. It’s as if the Universe is looking down, and gives an affirming nod that things are as they should be. 
This feeling... I feel that it isn’t just a feeling, but a thread that runs through my life and my past lives as well. other things as well. 
The scene lingers for a bit longer... I finally get into the car, and drive into the pastel horizon.
I’ve been working with my Guides, as well as Skadi, more again. I actually made an offering to Skadi, and asked for her protection this week with travel, and carried the Raido rune with me, which I liked. I should carry charged runes with me more often. 
In other news... I kind of have a big update with Prince. I haven’t talked about him in a while, and there is a reason for that. 
Prince has always been over-protective of me, but it began to kind of get worse, especially in regards to a good friend of mine. He threatened her, and he was kind of messing with her energetically. I began to feel worried, both for myself and for my friend, which I should never have to feel when working with a spirit.
We had a talk which ended up being an argument; this led to us taking a break. After this break, we got back together and talked about things...
Even despite the over-extension of boundaries and messing with my friend (which he kind of fixed), I kind of feel that our time together is up. Everyone comes into each others’ lives for a reason, and sometimes when that reason is completed, you end up drifting apart. I don’t think that this is a bad thing; it’s a part of life. It’s so beautiful that we get to share moments of time with people, and I think that it’s important to cherish them as much as you can. I’m grateful for the time that I was able to spend with Prince; I’ve learned so much, and I will always look on the time fondly. 
I feel... comfortable and confident, energetically. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster the past 2 months, but I find myself here, feeling confident that I’m where I need to be. I’m ready to get to work, and I’m very excited to also start helping others as my class at RAMA starts this week.
I think that’s it for now. I hope that everyone has a lovely night.
Blessings!
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yoshichao · 5 years ago
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Series: Danganronpa, Detective Conan, Ghost Trick, Devil Summoner, Kindaichi Case Files, Zero Escape
Characters: Conan Edogawa, Saguru Hakuba, Hajime Kindaichi, Lynne, Sissel, Yui Samidare, Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV, Gouto, Heiji Hattori, Raido Kuzunoha the XIV, Goto, Raiho, Kyouko Kirigiri
Summary:  Nine "lucky" guests of DetectiveCon manage to solve a code that showed up in their mailbox alongside their special invitations to the event. But it turns out the "reward" for their efforts is being trapped in a cruel game involving numbered bracelets, a maze of doors, and a ticking time limit. Can these detectives work together to survive the Nonary Game? Or will they be outwitted by their captor - this so-called "Zero"? 
Tags: Crossover, Nonary Game, Temporary Major Character Death, Supernatural Meets Mundane, Amnesiac Character, Puzzles
[As of today’s update (chapter 8), this fic is going on an indefinite hiatus SO I would like to share some previews and teases of later chapters in this fic that I wrote when I was writing out of order. Find it under the cut! Thanks for reading!!]
A few minutes of investigation later, there was a girlish yelp and several metallic rattling sounds, garnering the attention of the others. No one was quite sure how it happened at the time, but somehow Lynne managed to get herself stuck in the chair of a school desk on top of a conveyor belt. Not only that, but she also somehow turned on the contraption she was stuck on. 
In summary: during all her dashing around, she bumped into several inconvenient piles and objects repeatedly, which loosened up several things to cause this catastrophic chain reaction. One shelf she bumped knocked over several planks of wood, blocking off the exit gate to this particular section. While seeing if she could use a long detached chain for anything, she tripped and fell onto the conveyor belt. 
At the opposite end of the irregularly lurching conveyor belt, a large crusher dropped down loudly before lifting back up to repeat the process.
“L-Lynne-san?!” The blond put his hands on the chain-link fence separating the boys from the redhead. He seemed to be in a daze, not quite believing his eyes yet. “What are you doing…?”
“I… I think I’m stuck!” Lynne let out a nervous laugh and tried to lift herself off the chair she was on, but her leg was tangled in the very chain she tripped over. The desk and chair were attached to the belt, apparently. The conveyor belt lurched again, seemingly speeding up for half a second before grinding to a stop. Apparently it was malfunctioning, but whatever was wrong with it wasn’t enough to stop it completely.
Sissel tried to squeeze his small body between a gap in the fence when the belt started moving again, the crusher continuously smashing down at a steady pace. The two humans dashed to the other side of the room to reach the entrance to the area Lynne was trapped in.
“The gate is stuck,” the black-haired boy said quietly, fingers curling against the metal as he stared at the mess of shelves and construction equipment blocking the way. He glanced around calmly for an alternate entrance or something that could help in their situation, but nothing caught his eye, so he settled on scaling the fence instead. The blond hurriedly followed his lead, though he was noticeably less experienced at this sort of thing, as he needed to regain his footing several times in his haste.
Lynne whimpered and inhaled sharply when the shadow of the crusher above her suddenly darkened her space. White as a ghost, she shut her eyes tight when the conveyor belt stopped. The crusher dropped. The black-haired boy vaulted over the fence and landed gracefully on the ground, while Hakuba called out from the other side.
“Lynne-san!!”
Halfway down, the large weight had gotten stuck, and was now looming dangerously over Lynne’s head. The redhead cracked an eye open and slowly looked up, visibly shaking from this horrible, life-threatening experience. The blond, having finally gotten over the top of the fence, stumbled as his feet reached the floor. He turned and called out again, fear and relief clashing together in his voice.
“Lynne-san, are you okay?!”
“I… Y-Yeah, I think--”
Suddenly there was a loud creaking sound, and the chains holding up the weight all snapped. The sound of bones cracking was drowned out by the sound of the crusher hitting the ground, which rang in everyone’s ears long after all was still.
“L.. Lynne… -san…?”
The blond moved past the other boy mechanically, who had stopped moving forward once he realized there was nothing they could do. The Brit stumbled over and placed his hands on the weight, the cold metal icy against his palms.
Breaking the wretched silence was a too-high ding!, which was followed by a small compartment on the death machine opening up to reveal a key. The blond detective just stared at it like it was something alien, while the boy with the cap reached out and took it gingerly, studying it with wide and unblinking eyes, as if he wasn’t really registering its existence at all.
Sissel trotted over and sat himself up against the crusher, averting his eyes from the paint-like splatters around him. The kitten yawned, getting cozy before lying down and closed his eyes. Then the world shifted into reds, oranges, and blues. With a sigh, Sissel reached out and hopped into the yellow core next to him.
“I wonder if you hold some sort of record with all the times you’ve died.”
Before him floating in the red void of the ghost world was Lynne’s spirit, who just grinned cheekily.
“If I did, do you think they’d give me an award for it?”
-
“K… Kyouko-chan…” Yui watches her friend sadly, though despite the situation she can’t help but feel a hint of relief at the implications regarding Kyouko’s behaviour. “Do you… Do you recognize him?”
The ghastly sight that greeted them when they walked into the room was something any detective had come across at least once in their life. A sight so familiar that some of their ilk aren’t even caught off-guard by it anymore.
A dead body.
But the body that the trio found in the study wasn’t just any old person. This was someone both Yui and Kyouko were extremely familiar with - the two of them would recognize this old man anywhere.
Instead of answering Yui’s question, Kyouko silently approached the desk. The room was silent and filled with a palpable dread as unasked questions were left in the air. Once beside the desk, Kyouko slowly put two fingers to the old man’s neck. After a moment, she opened her mouth to speak.
“He’s dead.”
“But… why would they go off on their own like that?!” Lynne asked. “And why would one of them steal the number 0 bracelet? Why not just ask Kirigiri-chan if they could take it?”
“It had to have been Kuzunoha-kun, correct?” Hakuba noted. “Raidou-kun never set foot in the study. But Kuzunoha-kun was there with Samidare-san and Kirigiri-san. He must have taken it before they exited.”
Yui wanted to mention how much sense that didn’t make, because it’s not like Kyouko Kirigiri to miss something like that and the silver-haired detective was the first and last person near the body, but she had no other explanation for how the bracelet could have disappeared. Yui herself didn’t have the bracelet - that was a fact. That would leave either Kuzunoha or Kyouko as the thief. In any other circumstance, Kyouko would seem like the more likely suspect - she did reckless things like this all the time without telling anyone. But when they had two missing persons with a digital root that matched a numbered door...
“As fer why,” Hattori continued, “like th’ 9 bracelet, th’ number 0 doesn’t change th’ digital root. It’s pretty valuable. Maybe he wanted ta have it, jus’ in case.”
“Yeah, it’s not like we had found the number 5 door before now,” Kindaichi said. “I mean, it’s a mighty fine coincidence that those two had numbers that equaled a digital root of 5, but…”
Yui had to think about that. Was it really a coincidence? 
...Well, it had to be, right? Unless there was meaning to the assigned numbers - which she had thought about briefly, but couldn’t come up with consistent correlations for any of them.
“Did they want to work together that badly?” Lynne asked to no one in particular. “Maybe they were just too shy to ask… They were both pretty quiet, after all…”
“To be fair, Yui-chan didn’t really give them a choice the last two times!” Kindaichi said with a grin. Yui huffed at him, but she recognized that he had a point. The only options they would have had this time were door number 5 with Kyouko, 6 with Conan, or 7 with Hakuba. Maybe they didn’t like those odds and figured Yui would want to accompany the lavender-haired woman again, and Conan would want to be with Hattori, and...
“W-Well, whatever!” She childishly stuck her tongue out at Kindaichi, who snickered in response. “Aaaanyways, we should probably go check downstairs to see if they really did go through the number 5 door. If they didn’t and we rearrange the teams, we’ll end up leaving them behind and that door will go unexplored!” Which was something they didn’t have time for. For all they knew, the number 5 door was the key to their escape.
With no arguments, the seven of them rushed down into the basement and through the tucked away door. They came face-to-face with a metal door that had a number 5 painted on it. As some of the boys stepped forwards to investigate the door itself, Yui turned her head towards the RED. 
“Uh, guys? The RED...” Everyone looked over.
On the screen in bright red letters, the word “ENGAGED” confirmed what they had already suspected.
-
“As a reward for your victory, summoner: a parting gift and a word of advice.”
The Pale Rider tossed his scythe to the ground, where it clattered and broke into two separate pieces. 
“When you’ve gone as high as you can go and think you can go no higher, turn your head skyward to find the way forward.”
With that, the horse turned and galloped off, vanishing into thin air with its rider. Silence settled over the basement, and Raidou cautiously approached the broken weapon. The metal had detached from the thin wooden stick, and where they had once been connected, the boy noticed an unusual indent…
He was shaken out of his thoughts by the other summoner, who came up behind Raidou and dropped a hand on his shoulder. He studied the odd gift that was left on the floor in disbelief before opening his mouth to speak.
“...Did Death himself really just give us some ancient wisdom?”
When the door opened, no searching was required. Across the wide and empty room was what they were looking for, bordered by cheap fluorescent lights mounted on the walls.
9.
“We… we did it.” When they all shuffled out of the elevator, Samidare was the first to speak coherently. “We found the number 9… We can get out!”
She whooped and rushed over, putting her hands on the door and experimentally scraping at the paint to make sure it was real. Hajime couldn’t help but grin as he made to join her in inspecting the door. His mirth faded when he realized everyone else remained silent. Turning to face them, none of them shared the smiles the pair of them wore.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, looking between the four of them before settling his eyes on Conan, who wore a thoughtful, serious expression. “Why aren’t you guys happy? This means we can escape, right?”
“There’s only one door, Kindaichi,” Conan said, not even attempting to include the childish chirp he normally used. “That means a maximum of five people can leave.”
“Oi… don’t tell me yer suggestin’ that we split up?”
“Is that not our best option?” Kirigiri crossed her arms. “Would you rather all nine of us die here instead of only four? The five that escape can call for help and potentially save the others before the time is up…”
“K-Kyouko-chan…” Samidare didn’t say anything further, her face betraying how conflicted and confused she felt at her friend’s behaviour.
“H-Hey, let’s not be hasty!” Hajime said, mustering up the most convincing grin he could despite the hollow feeling in his stomach. “Let’s say there is another exit. What if it needs all of us to access it or something?”
“It seems you’re grasping for straws, Kindaichi-kun…”
“He has a point though!” Samidare quickly said. “We should go back and tell Lynne-chan first, and then find the Kuzunohas before we decide on anything.”
“But is that such a good idea?” This had been the most Kyouko Kirigiri had ever said at once during their nine hours together, and every word that came out of her mouth came as a surprise. “The five of you are guaranteed to escape at this very moment, as the only ones who could raise a fuss are yourselves. I have no qualms about staying behind. But if you discuss this with the others, they may not be so… agreeable.”
-
“I-If I had more of these,” Raiho grumbled, hopping on the stool as if to emphasize something, “then I’d be taller than you! Then you’d be looking up at hee, and I’d be a better summoner than you!”
Raidou wasn’t entirely sure what the demon was talking about, but something in his words clicked in the boy’s mind.
“...Raiho, do you mind moving for a moment?”
“Ho? Why? I mean--” The little snowman huffed again, folding his arms over his spherical body. “--Ho way! I’m not gonna listen to you!”
“Raiho, please. Just for a moment.”
“...Give hee your hat first and mayhee I’ll think about it.”
“Hey, Kyouko-chan…”
The beeping had started on Conan and Kindaichi’s persons, but upon turning around, the boys noticed Samidare and Kirigiri were still just outside the door. The brunette had a serious and unreadable look on her face as she planted a hand on her friend’s shoulder. Kirigiri wordlessly studied the brunette, waiting for whatever she had to say patiently.
“Hey, can we get a move on?” Kindaichi asked, nervously gesturing to his bracelet. “You guys need to join us before the door closes…!”
Neither of the girls paid him any mind, staring into each other’s eyes as if they were communicating telepathically. Almost a full nine seconds passed before something happened - Samidare grinned.
“Take care of yourself, alright Kyouko-chan?”
With that, she roughly shoved her friend through the door as it began to grind shut. Taken by surprise, Kirigiri nearly toppled into the two detectives that started shouting at the woman outside simultaneously.
“Oi, Samidare--!”
“--what do you think you’re doing?!”
With the grin still plastered on her face, Yui Samidare gave a two-fingered salute before turning on her heels and running in the opposite direction.
The number 9 door shut between them, three separate sets of ticking bouncing off the stone walls.
They were all horribly out of breath, and only half of them contained enough energy to start stumbling back before the faint sound of an explosion was heard.
“Yui-chan!” Suddenly, Lynne bolted down the way they came, adrenaline revitalizing her. Sissel tried calling out to stop her, but the redhead’s sprint didn’t slow.
“We…” Samidare swallowed, her mouth dry. “We don’t just need a digital root of 9… We also need… nine bracelets…”
The silence was unbearable. Hattori swore again.
“Damn tha’ Kirigiri… She left us here knowin’ this…”
-
“Wait, do you guys hear that?” At Conan’s voice, everyone stopped what they were doing. With the excitement winding down, they all could hear a persistent knocking sound coming from the set of double doors on the other end of the banquet hall. Nobody moved for a moment, but then through an unspoken exchange, they all began to approach the doors as one. Deducing that it was locked, Hattori, leading the pack, cautiously reached out and turned the lock on the door.
Placing both hands on the handles, he looked back at the others for a moment, taking in everyone’s intense expressions. Then, finally, he threw the doors open.
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shinobi-imagines · 5 years ago
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please read my story ㅠㅠ
Hi everyone! It’s been a minute... I don’t really come on Tumblr much anymore, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t write! I just wanted to take the time to plug my new KakaOC fanfic called, The Price of Simplicity (read on fanfiction.net or ao3). 
The story starts in Kakashi’s ANBU days where he meets a civilian named, Tsuru. He finds her incredibly annoying, loud, yet she still draws him in for some reason. Soon, he finds out that Tsuru is terminally ill and is destined to die at a young age. While it is Tsuru could never fully understand the life of a shinobi, Kakashi realizes that the two aren’t so different. 
I would really appreciate it if you guys could read, comment, like, follow, and support my work! I will leave the first chapter under the cut!
The darkest times of Kakashi Hatake’s life were in his youth. The time which many advise you not to waste were tossed in the throes of war for Kakashi. He was bitter. So bitter for so many years and often wondered what the point of living was. However, he swore to himself since he was a little boy that suicide was not an option. Suicide was for cop outs like his father was when the man had left his son that one brutal night. So, Kakashi contemplated to the best way or any acceptable way for a shinobi to die.
By twenty-three, Kakashi was already a well established ninja in Konoha. He had climbed the ranks quickly and by the time he was sixteen, he had already become an ANBU captain. Here he was. Nine years and still an ANBU. Seven years and still a captain. Kakashi had stopped caring for rankings the moment he understood the burden that came with excellence.
“It’s settled then!” his “eternal rival” Gai yelled fiercely. “Kakashi, you’re coming out with us tonight!”
Gai hadn’t changed much in Karachi’s eyes. He was still annoying and much too intense, but Gai was perhaps the only person Kakashi found some comfort in. However, Gai’s attempts to get Kakashi to socialize was starting to get on his nerves.
“Tonight,” Gai continued, “you and I will battle over and over again! We’ll see who the best drinker is! We will see who can get the most girls! We will see-”
“You can stop,” Kakashi denied cooly. “I won’t be going out.”
“I think you misunderstand,” Gai almost growled. “This is no request nor is it a simple invitation. It is a challenge!”
Kakashi sighed. Had he said no to Gai’s demand…well…no wouldn’t have been an acceptable answer. It was Kakashi’s fault in the first place for telling the man he was given a day off the very next day.
Gai had come to visit Kakashi who was getting treated at the hospital for some injuries and a checkup from his previous mission. Although Kakashi hated being in the hospital, it was routine to go and Kakashi liked having routines.
Kakashi let the sounds of Gai drown out as he looked up at the ceiling wondering what he’d gotten into. The two walked down the hall way towards the lobby of the hospital when a girl walked by. Neither of the ninjas noticed her. She was just a patient wearing clothes provided by the hospital. She seemed rather happy and walked with a smile on her face that is until she tripped over seemingly nothing and fell fatefully right in front of two ninjas.
“Are you okay?” Kakashi asked offering a hand to help her up.
“I’m fine!” she replied obviously flustered. She ignored the hand that Kakashi held out and rushed past the two before they could get a glimpse of her face.
“She looked a little young to be in the hospital,” Gai noted out loud.
“Yeah,” Kakashi concurred. “But you never know what happens in someone’s life. Look at me, I come here all the time.”
The bushy browed man merely blinked unsure if Kakashi was being serious or had told a joke.
Night came in almost no time. The sun had gown down and the village lights turned on. There were no kids out on the streets during this hour unless they were trying to sneak into bars to get their first tastes of alcohol with some thrill on the side. Honestly, Kakashi could spot those kids in the farthest corner of the bar from over a mile away without the help of his Sharingan. They were visibly attempting to contain their excitement and attempting to ignore the fact that they stuck out like a sore thumb.He probably didn’t realize that he was glaring at the boys, but Kakashi’s friends surely did.
“Hey,” Asuma called out to Kakashi. “Just let them be. They’re just having fun.”
“Yeah!” Genma jokingly snapped all too stoic man. “The party’s here, Kakashi!”
In Kakashi’s mind, he was thinking about how ungrateful those kids were acting. People like him from a young age put their lives on the line so that people like them could be safe and away from war. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? They didn’t know war because people like Kakashi had made it so they wouldn’t need to know war. Finally caving into his friends’ desires, he rejoined the group with a shot of sake which was met with a round of cheers from the other four men.
“Oh, Raido!” Genma drunkenly whispered to his friend sitting beside him. “Look at that lady who just walked in. Isn’t she pretty?”
Genma’s drunk whisper reached everyone’s ears, and certainly at the door was a very pretty woman with blonde hair that looked almost white and a pair of gray eyes. She wore a tight black dress with long lace sleeves and a pair of black heels. Talk immediately began circulating around the bar. Some speculated, she might have been a model although she looked a little short to be a model. Others theorized the girl was an actress, however, no one had seen her in any sort of production before.
Whoever she was, she seemed to be alone. Kakashi noticed that she had the same light of excitement and innocence in her eyes as the underage fellows who thought that they had beat the system. A naive girl at a bar alone only screamed danger. As predicted, a rugged man with a red flush spread across his cheeks approached the woman.
“Do we stop him?” Raido asks the group.
“I don’t know,” Asuma added.
“Did she not come with anyone?” Genma inquired further.
“If no one’s going to to take this chance, then I-” Gai stopped abruptly as Kakashi got up from his seat towards the girl who was clearly about to be harassed.
“Oh,” Asuma said surprised, “I guess even Kakashi can’t resist a beautiful damsel in distress.”
In truth, Kakashi just about had it with being surrounded by such annoying people. He slowly walked over watching as the drunk man flirted with the girl who looked unsure of what to do.
“Are you new here?” the man slurred. “If you are, I’ll buy you a drink and I could show you around the village tonight.”
“Uh,” she stammered, “no. I was actually born and raised here. Also, I don’t drink.”
“Eh? No way. A pretty face like your’s is something no one could forget!”
The stranger leaned closer and placed a hand on the woman’s knee. His face was right beside her ear when a shadow casted over his back. The woman looked up to see Kakashi with a dark glare in his eyes. It honestly frightened her too.
“If you don’t want any trouble,” Kakashi started to advise, “you’ll go back to your seat.”
“And who do you think you-” the man cut himself off as turned around. “K-K-Kakashi-san! What a surprise!”
The woman watched as the man stuttered like a baby before Kakashi.
“P-Please,” he got up and bowed, “excuse me!”
Kakashi glared down the man as he cowered and rushed away bumping into various chairs on his way back. He heard the woman sigh in relief. When he turned his glare to the woman, she jumped. He noticed that all the girl had her table was a cup of water. Kakashi recalled that the woman had claimed that she doesn’t drink.
“Oi,” Kakashi called out to who seemed like the dumbest woman alive, “are you stupid?”
“Excuse me?” she asked taken aback.
“Hey,” Gai rushed over to his friend, “calm down. You have to excuse him, he’s been really tense lately! Let us take you home. You can trust us, we’re noble shinobi of Konoha!”
“You heard me,” Kakashi ignored Gai. “Are you stupid?”
The woman pouted. Gai could see the flames blaring between the two intense stares.
“Well, who are you to interfere in someone else’s business?” she exclaimed in disbelief at the man’s audacity.
Before Gai could mitigate the situation any father, Kakashi and Gai saw the woman’s expression change from one of annoyance to surprise. As if on cue, another woman barged in.
“Tsuru nee-san!” she screamed angrily.
“Oh!” cried out the woman named Tsuru. “If it isn’t my little sister! Fancy seeing you here, Hyo-chan!”
Then a sound like the crack of lightning made the whole bar still. Hyo slapped Tsuru right across her face. This shocked even Kakashi because he was intending on reprimanding the dimwitted girl, however, this other woman with dark hair stepped in.
The two, who had claimed to be sisters, seemed to be related in only subtle ways. While Tsuru’s hair was light and long, Hyo’s hair was dark and short. Tsuru was much prettier than Hyo who’s appearance looked to be no more than average. However, the two had the same pale complexion and the same shade of gray eyes. Both were also rather short.
Another striking difference between the two was the existence of a Konoha hitae-ate around Hyo’s forehead. She wore the standard shinobi outfit. Judging by what he could see, Karachi deducted that Hyo was probably someone who was less invested in how she looked as opposed to her older sister.
“Wait outside for me, nee-san,” Hyo’s voice was quiet and demanding. It sent cold air throughout the silently stunned bar.
Without complaint, the older sister did as she was told.
“Wasn’t that a little too far?” Gai questioned Hyo. “You shouldn’t disrespect those who are older than you.”
Hyo glowered at the bushy browed jonin, “If she were your sister, you’d want to slap some sense into her too. The bitch keeps sneaking out of the hospital.”
For a moment, Kakashi noticed Hyo’s eyes grow grim before returning back to its original intensity.
The hospital? Kakashi realized that Tsuru was the girl he had tried to help up earlier that day.
“But still…” Gai’s voiced trailed off.
“I apologize,” Hyo bowed to the two men. “I hope my sister didn’t cause too much trouble for my seniors. I’ll be going now.”
Once the dark haired girl was gone, Kakashi said, “Gai.”
“Yeah,” Gai started, “I know. That Tsuru girl is the girl from the hospital.”
“Yes, but there’s something more than that.”
“Hm? What might that be?”
“She doesn’t seem to be a ninja, but she sensed her sister coming.”
“You’re right!”
“Oi!” Asuma called out to the two. “If you’re done making a ruckus, come join us for Kings’ Game!”
Gai marched happily back to the table amongst their friends. Kakashi too headed back, but with Tsuru in the back of his mind.
To put the facts together, Tsuru was undeniably beautiful; however, Kakashi had never seen her around before. She probably had some sort of condition that keeps her in the hospital. And it seemed that although she didn’t appear to be a kunoichi like her sister, she showed signs that she was a sensory type ninja which was a rare talent to have and develop. A spy maybe?
In the end, the group of inebriated and rowdy men certainly provided as a much needed distraction for Kakashi. While Kakashi didn’t really laugh or smile that night, he had to admit that he was rather entertained. Perhaps he was too accustomed in reading into things. Things aren’t always as they seem; but as one of Konoha’s elite shinobi he couldn’t help but think of all possible scenarios from the best to the worst.
Nonetheless, Kakashi woke up with a raging hangover the next morning. Probably from all the thinking.
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thelittlepalmtree · 6 years ago
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@markkzuccerberg and everyone else who blindly follows capitalism. Let’s have a little chit chat about small government. 
When I said small government was bad and cited Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman I was citing two of the most influential members of the modern conservative party. Milton Friedman’s philosophies Barry Goldwater which was basically the first Trump (the only reason he didn’t win the nomination was because the parties were not quite as democratic in the 70s). Now let’s take these concepts out of the historical context which reveals them to be blatantly anti progress and social justice and examine them as ideas. 
The modern conservative (let’s say libertarian as Rand was pro-union and pro-abortion and Friedman called himself a neo-liberal) believes that small-government is best because when government gets involved it messes things up. Rand would often say something about how it was wrong to force the majority onto the individual (I actually have a lot of complicated feelings for Ayn because her books really did influence me a lot as a writer). What this concept fails to understand is that without regulation there cannot be true competition. 
There’s a good documentary on netflix that explains this called Saving capitalism but I’ll give a brief summary of what I’m talking about. Right now we live in a world where a company cannot outright lie to you, and has to disclose any issues that might arise with their product. But without regulation you’d have companies constantly cutting corners and not telling you about it. “Well we could research our products” someone might argue. The thing is that without government agencies actually doing the research there wouldn’t really be any reliable information to go off of. What we’d have instead would be very similar to the Gilded Age when people were constantly sold faulty products with no accountability. 
I remember when I first read Atlas Shrugged Dagny (the main character) decides to build a transcontinental railroad after her brother and CEO kicked the only competing company out of Colorado. She decides to make it out of this special medal created by her friend and future lover Hank Rearden. People are concerned about the metal which is untested and Dagny says something along the lines of “If you don’t think it’s safe don’t ride our trains.” Even back when I loved those books that bothered the shit out of me. People didn’t have a choice, the Taggart company had kicked out the competition! Of course people were upset! 
Too often a similar situation happens with corporations in our world. Companies like Walmart will use underhanded means of keeping prices low. If you make $11 an hour you can’t be the ethical consumer you want to be (I’ve literally been there). You may be saying “well why were you only making $11 an hour why couldn’t you find a better job there must be something wrong with YOU” actually no, I was getting my degree and literally all the jobs open to me without a degree offered me less than $15/hr and I was looking for a job in child care specifically. I couldn’t find a single place that would hire me and pay more than $12/hr. For watching children. Do you want the person caring for, educating, feeding, and entertaining your child to be paid $12/hr (especially considering tuition at that daycare was $330 a week)? Regardless of your answer, I had no choice but to take a job that did not value the amount of work I was doing. Literally every job in the area was going to pay at the same rate. 
And here’s where I quote Karl Marx who (contrary to popular belief) was not some radical revolutionary but rather an economist who was merely reporting back based on his expertise. This quote is from Wage Labor and Capital. 
But the worker, whose only source of income is the sale of his labour-power, cannot leave the whole class of buyers, i.e., the capitalist class, unless he gives up his own existence. He does not belong to this or that capitalist, but to the capitalist class; and it is for him to find his man – i.e., to find a buyer in this capitalist class.
Marx, Karl. Wage Labour and Capital (Illustrated) (Kindle Locations 312-315). LeoPard Books India. Kindle Edition.
Capitalism was seen as a tool of feudal liberation. No longer did individuals belong to a noble lord. The reality was that nothing really had changed. True it is rare these days that someone can say “I belong to that person who lives in the nice house on the hill.” But the entire lower class does belong to the entire upper class. We may be able to choose who to work for but we can’t choose not to work. 
What does this really mean? It means that people with severe physical or mental disabilities will often live in poverty because they cannot work and cannot support themselves. It means that a woman who is being abused will stay with her abuser because she will be homeless otherwise. It means a child may stay in an abusive household because they will be homeless otherwise. It means people forgo taking their medicine because it has side effects that keep them from being able to work. It means people being stuck with medical bills because they took a job that gave them cancer because they had no other options. It means your kid getting the flu because my coworker couldn’t afford not to come into work. 
But the government does other things too. We think of capitalism as a merit-based system but how can it be that way if the government does not even the playing field? Things like copyright (which, to be fair, Ayn Rand did believe was the job of the government), and intellectual property laws keep people like writers, musicians, artists, etc in business. Regulations on every industry not only protect the consumer but protects people who do try to run ethical businesses and keep shoddy work from being passed off as the real deal (there’s a great episode of Rotten on Netflix about Chinese companies importing some sort of food product that was sub-par and hurting the industry in America) Without government assistance we wouldn’t have things like Railroads which were subsidized by the government. In the great depression agriculture was subsidized by the government in order to preserve the infrastructure (both physical and non-physical) that would develop into our current ability to produce food at an amazing rate. 
I am not saying capitalism is evil. It has given us a lot of great stuff, but it never existed in a laissez faire world. Small government is great when it means the King doesn’t have the right to take your pee for gunpowder (yes this did happen). But it’s not so great when it means Walmart can pay people so little that the town it’s in goes bankrupt because of all the assistance its employees needed. We need to balance government with capitalism. That doesn’t mean seizing the means of production, it means taxing the DeVoss family so we can all have the right to life (aka universal or single payer health insurance). 
I get that this was long and I didn’t cover everything I wanted to, but I urge you to read Wage Labor and Capital by Karl Marx, Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman, and The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Another great one is  The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist is another great one about Slavery and Capitalism in America. I also urge you to read or watch Freakonomics or listen to their podcast (freakonomics raido). Or the documentary Saving Capitalism on Netflix. You can also look at this site for a little more information about wealth inequality in America. 
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writer-and-artist27 · 6 years ago
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Not the Last
Note: This was written as a “What-If” story, in response to the whole KeiKashi wedding prompt Lang ( @langwrites ) did a little while back. I never thought I would write this, but since the idea was lurking in my head for a long time, I felt like I needed to.
I’m guessing you’re asking, “because why? Why did you feel like this to the point of writing?”
Well. For those of you following me, you might’ve heard how Tomoko in S&S originally was, at one point, in consideration for death at Orochimaru’s hands. The whole KeiKashi wedding thing would be a catalyst, unfortunately enough, and well, I needed to write this to prove to myself that’s not going to happen with me as the writer ever and I needed to get this last bit off my chest as a way of moving on. The whole “Tomoko-death-at-Orochimaru” was a result of my innermost insecurities about my and Lang’s initial friendship in the early S&S days, and my social anxiety in general, so writing how it won’t happen is a way of nailing that idea in its coffin for good.
So, this. 
It’s also why the DR thing is kinda on a indefinite hiatus, because the angst that was in there was too big of a wallop to the point of Lang getting worried about my mental health.
Songs referenced in this whole “What-If” thing include marasy’s piano cover of Madoka Magica’s Connect and Mermaid Melody’s Kibou no Kaneoto, in that order.
The theme for this specific thing though? Madoka’s And I’m Home. The original and/or Akio Scenro’s piano version work just fine.
Trigger Warnings are in order for implied anxiety, suicide ideation, death, and depression.
And please, for anyone who feels suicidal, please contact a help hotline or a loved one as soon as you can. You deserve to be here. Just as much as anyone else does.
I wrote this to give that original bad ending of S&S some closure and that sad part of Tomoko a happy ending. You all deserve a happy ending too.
“Do you, Hatake Kakashi, take this woman as your bride?”
Isobu, conducting the ceremony like the proud Tailed Beast he was.
“I do.”
These two had definitely changed for the better from the ninja who glared at each other in my living room so long ago.
“And do you, Gekkō Keisuke, take this man as your husband?”
“I do.”
We were all grown up, huh. I never would have thought two decades ago that Kei would ever say such a thing. But here we were.
Isobu’s large arms, covered in sand and seawater, landed on each side of the soon-to-be married couple with gentle grace, a low rumble sounding in his throat. The eight ninken lined up near the platform were all wagging their tails, and I didn’t miss how Isobu’s large eye met my stare for a moment as he lowered himself to eye level with the rest of the audience. “Then you may kiss. And anyone who would dare voice any objections will not do so, or I will eat them.”
I made sure to smile as brightly as I could back at the Tailed Beast while holding back the urge to cry.
Rin nudged me softly while wiping a happy tear from her eye. “Beautiful. Don’t you think so, Tomo-chan?”
“Yeah,” I said softly. My heart beat against my chest. “It is. I’m glad I got to see this.”
My mind already knew that it might be the last.
No one minded my song choices for Kei and Kakashi’s wedding. A full piano rendition of Connect, because of course I had to honor my roots, and then singing Kibou no Kaneoto.
“Sing this last song…”
The Sound of the Bells of Hope. Love Goes On, was the subtitle.
I wished for so many years that my friends could be happy. And here they were.
Obito and Rin, smiling at one another while dancing on the dance floor.
Gai, crying tears of joy when Genma caught the bouquet in front of Raido.
And my best friends. Kei and Kakashi. They were married, they were smiling, and they were laughing.
They all were happy.
It was why I decided this would be my last concert. My last performance as the Civilian Pianist.
They didn’t need me anymore. It was obvious they all were focused on each other.
So, my job was done, wasn’t it?
My stomach shook from butterflies, but by the time I sang the last verse and stepped off the stage past all the loud applause, clutching my Wayfinder necklace all the while, Isobu was turning an eye at me again. Did he notice?
“Tomoko,” he rumbled, almost too quiet from the sound to be his normal conversational tone. “Where are you going?”
He did notice. Of course.
I never thought in my entire life that I would have the honor of being called by name by Isobu himself. Or the fact that he would want to talk with me without wanting to stomp on me like the insect I was compared to him. Still, I put on a smile and nodded in his direction as a sign of acknowledgement. I heard him. “For a walk, Isobu-san. All the performing and party antics can get to someone, see.”
“Hm,” he said softly, and I could’ve sworn I heard a huff of irritation. Or was it another one of my hopeless delusions? “By yourself?”
I nodded again. “I…I just need to be alone for a while in the fresh air, Isobu-san. I’ll be okay.”
Yet again, my stomach churned as a dark part of my mind said, No, you’re not. You’ll never be okay.
Why now?
That large red-yellow-ringed eye continued to stare at me, almost disbelievingly.
He wasn’t supposed to be looking at me like that. Not at me.
I held back the urge to reach out towards him, instead smiling. “Really, Isobu-san. If Kei asks, I just went out for a walk. I’ll be alright.”
You liar.
Isobu stared at me for a few more moments before he took a step towards me, and I wasn’t expecting the almost gentle nudge against my head, rustling my long hair. “Alright. But if anything happens—”
“I’ll call you or Kei or the other ninja,” I said, feeling a truer smile start to form on my lips. “I know. Thank you, Isobu-san.”
The Three-Tails pulled back to stare at me again, and I could’ve sworn I saw understanding in the red-yellow rings. “Do not stray far.”
I finally decided to put a hand on one of his many horns, still smiling. “I won’t.”
My stomach churned as my chakra curled up in on itself, hiding. You goddamn liar, Tomoko. You goddamn liar.  
Yet again, I wished I could hear Hisako’s voice.
Yet again, I wished someone could save me.
The walk to the top of Hokage Mountain wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Despite my wearing heels. Sure, my heels were short ones, actually hitting a bare inch of height, but a part of me expected that I would be suffering from cramps or foot blisters by the time I could see the entirety of Konohagakure.
The moon was already high in the horizon, shining down on the rocks beneath, and I could already see how there was no railing at the cliff.
My heart beat again.
They’re…they’re going to be okay, right? Right?
Silence greeted my mind yet again.
I walked over to the cliff. Looking down, I could see almost everything. The Hokage Tower, the Academy, the shopping district, and the many stone faces of the past four Hokage, Minato-san included.
This was my home. This is my home.
I’ve done enough, haven’t I?
I raised a foot past the cliff’s edge for a moment before immediately drawing back in a cold sweat.
The air felt cold. Chilly and desolate.
What the—what the fuck am I thinking?! I can’t die… I can’t. Everyone would—
Team Minato’s faces flashed through my mind. They looked happy. They were happy.
…Weren’t they?  
The hem of my blue dress fluttered in the wind as it blew against my back.
But…I did everything I could…didn’t I? Should I go now?
You should, that dark part of me whispered.
But not like this. I just thought of leaving the village…like a vagabond, so I could help others…not…not…
You need to die now, though. It’s all over. They don’t need you.
No, no, nononono, I—
My thoughts were already remembering pools of red.
I don’t want to go like this!
“TOMO!”    
It was as if the darkness had stopped. As if all time had stopped. The stars were shining in the sky again, and the moon seemed almost brighter.
My heart leapt in my chest as the first tear started budding in my eye. I couldn’t even get the chance to whip my head around before a hand firmly grabbed my forearm, and I was getting pulled back. I didn’t even realize we had crashed onto the gravel of the mountain until I was staring at the inside of a suit jacket, and someone was huffing above my head.
“Thank god,” they went harshly before another hand landed on the back of my hair and pulled me closer into the hug.
I knew this presence. I knew this voice. They were supposed to be at the wedding. They weren’t supposed to be here.
“K-Kei?” My voice came out hoarse, raw.
My reincarnation buddy didn’t respond, only gripping my arm tighter as the hand on my head went down to the small of my back, winding around my waist to pull me upright, squeezing. Her breath came out short and almost ragged above my hair, and my heart was still beating hard.
“Kei…” My left, ungrabbed hand, hesitantly reached up to tug at the hem of her jacket. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was supposed to be with Kakashi and the others, celebrating her own goddamn wedding. She wasn’t supposed to be here… “Kei, why…”
“Isobu told me you went out, and I got a bad feeling,” was the short and terse reply, and she pulled back to stare at me with hard, almost shocked eyes. What? “Tomo, why were you at the fucking cliff? If you walked any further—” she bit her lip as she slowly let go of my right forearm, hand going to cover her face. “Tomoko, you could’ve died.”
It was as if hot coals were shoved down my throat.
I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to go, but…
When my friends finally found love, where would I be?
“I…” Tears were already starting to bubble up in my eyes as my voice cracked. I tried to smile, but seeing the bride — my reincarnation buddy — like this… She was supposed to be happy. “I just thought…I just thought that my job was done. That I could go, a-and leave you all be so you could be okay without me. I-I wasn’t meaning to jump, if that’s what you were thinking.”
“Tomoko,” Kei’s voice turned hard again, this time with disbelief as she lowered her hand from her face to stare at me. “I saw you lift that foot of yours over the rock. That’s suicide, or suicide ideation if you ask me.”
This time, what felt like cold water splashed over me. “I-I didn’t…I…”
When did my thoughts start leading me to nearly dying like Vy, without even saying goodbye?
I wasn’t expecting Kei’s stare to turn soft in my direction. “Tomoko, what’s wrong? Where’d I screw up? Where’d we go wrong?”
What?
The last straw was everyone else starting to run into the area too, sandals almost beating into the gravel as they approached.
“Tomoko?” Kakashi’s voice. He was here.
“Tomo-chan!” Ricchan, no, Rin — she was here too.
“Kei, did you find her?!” Obi… of course…
“Hime!”
Papa…
Tears were already blurring my vision as a shaky smile came over my face. “I-I…I…”
A calloused hand reached over to touch my cheek, just as the first tear started trickling down. “What is it, Tomo?”
Kei, you absolute dork. It had to be you. You always saved me, didn’t you…
Even now…
The words came out in-between the start of gross-sounding sobs as I covered my face with my hands. My hair was sticking to my face, my heart wasn’t letting up in its marathon, and I just didn’t know whether this was a dream or reality anymore. But they were here, and my friends needed answers. I wanted out of this darkness now. “Kei, I-I think I’m lonely and, and kinda anxious a-and maybe suicidal, from the looks of it, a-and I need help. I don’t know anymore.”
The only response I got was another tight hug as my loved ones started crowding around me. “We can do that, Tomoko.” A hand started going through my hair as people started joining into the group hug. “We can do that. You’re never going to be alone.”
That did it.
For the first time in a long time, I started bawling like a baby.
Even with her wedding suit getting soaked, Kei never let go.
No one else did either.
I clung to them, and they let me.
This was real.
And every time I wailed, the tight, combined grip on me reminded me of that.
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dilly-oh · 4 years ago
Text
Three Strikes
    “Listen up, team,” Captain Yamato says, his face deathly serious, “we are going to murder these guys. They are going to be sent home in body-bags. They’re the enemy, and we’re gonna slaughter them.”
    Kakashi glances over at the other team. They look like a bunch of sweaty highschool kids, same as them, though their baseball uniforms look like they’ve seen better days. Or months. Two messy brown-haired boys are passing around a joint, a douchey-looking kid with silver hair is blatantly screwing around on his phone, and another is straight up sleeping on the bench. Their Captain is facing them, hands on his hips as he tries to rouse his teammates, ponytail bouncing at the effort. It seems a lost cause, just like their chances of winning.
    “Even their parents aren’t going to be able to identify their remains.”
    Yamato’s doing that thing again where he gets too serious and starts creeping everyone out. Kakashi looks over at Coach Minato to see if he’s going to put a stop to this, but he’s too busy giggling and sexting his wife to notice. As usual.
    “Kakashi, we’re counting on your pitches to really massacre them, got it?” Yamato fixes him with that soul-killing stare, all blank and dead-eyed.
    “Mmm,” Kakashi hums noncommittally, his lower face hidden behind his catcher’s mitt. He finds the smell comforting. Also, Asuma is sitting next to him, and reeks of a nauseating combination of B.O., cigarette smoke and Kurenai’s perfume. As if they’re fooling anyone by claiming to be ‘just friends’. 
    “Can we hurry this up?” Genma cuts in, snapping his gum. “I have a hot date in, like, two hours.” 
    “I’m sitting right here,” Raido states. “You’re so fucking embarrassing.”
    “Love you too, babe.”
    “Where the hell is Gai?” Asuma asks, glancing around.
    “He ate too many protein bars again. He’s in the can.”
    Kakashi can’t wait for this to be over so he can go home and chill with the dogs. All eight of them. He makes a mental reminder to pick up some more Milkbones on the way home. 
    The thing is, Kakashi is damn good at baseball, even though he loathes it. He’d drop it in a heartbeat and spend all his free time playing CoD, except his father insists he play a sport to ‘round out his resume’. As if his straight A’s since Kindergarten and 160 IQ wasn’t enough. Kakashi’s pitches are precise, powerful, and virtually unstoppable. The ball almost seems to move as if he controls it himself. He strikes everyone out with 99.9% accuracy, able to analyze an opponent in a single glance and determine their weaknesses. It’s the reason their team has made it so far, despite his teammate’s determined efforts to goof off. 
    The two coaches finally get their shit together and shake hands (the other coach is an elderly man who winks at Asuma for some reason, who groans). The game begins, and Kakashi takes his place on the pitcher’s mound, rolling the ball soothingly around in his hand. The other team’s Captain is up first. After adjusting his ponytail under his helmet, he walks to the plate, taps the ground with his bat, and looks up at Kakashi just as he winds up to throw.
    He’s a nerdy looking kid with gangly arms, a scar over the bridge of his nose, and a determined scowl on his face. 
    He’s the most gorgeous thing Kakashi’s ever seen. 
    The ball slips off his fingers, goes spinning off in a corkscrew, and clocks a drink right out of a bystander’s hand. Soda sprays everywhere, thoroughly coating a good portion of the meager crowd. 
    “Foul!” the umpire cries. The boy blinks in surprise, then squares up again, bat waving tauntingly. Kakashi gets another ball and winds up.
    This time his ball hits a car in the parking lot, the burglar alarm wailing away. The car’s owner wails even louder.
    “Foul!” 
    Kakashi throws another foul. And another. 
    “Ball!”
    The boy walks. He glances at Kakashi as he trots by him, confused. Kakashi keeps his eyes on the ground, cursing inwardly.
    This will not happen again.
    It happens again.
    And again.
    And again. 
    It’s not so bad when the boy’s on second base, because then he’s directly behind Kakashi and out of his line of sight. But when he’s on first or third, he can see him out of the corner of his eye, and his gaze is naturally drawn to him, concentration wavering. It’s even worse when he’s on the bench, because then Kakashi can see him in his natural state, smiling and chatting amicably with his teammates. 
    But nothing compares to when he’s up to the plate, standing ready for the pitch. The intensity of those deep brown eyes is staggering, making his legs weak. He walks each time, Kakashi’s near-perfect pitches always spinning out of control and destroying something of value. He’s just glad he’s hit mostly inanimate objects and not people. 
    After several innings of this, Captain Yamato has had enough, and he calls a time-out, dragging Kakashi to the side of the dugout for a polite chat. 
    “Kakashi, the fuck is going on? You’re throwing the damn game! Literally!”
    “I’m sorry,” Kakashi mumbles, miserable. “I...I don’t know-”
    “Are you feeling alright?” Captain Minato has decided to finally do his job and actually act like a Coach, walking over to join them.
    “M’fine.” Kakashi shakes his head, hiding his face behind his glove. “It’s just...I keep getting...distracted.” Yamato sputters indignantly, but Minato’s studying him, a thoughtful look on his face. He glances over at the other team, and Kakashi’s traitorous eyes follow, latching onto the boy, who is busy scolding his teammates again, cheeks flushed with frustration. Kakashi’s ears start to burn. Minato chuckles and he hurriedly snaps his gaze back.
   “...I think I see what the problem is.” He pats Kakashi’s shoulder with a knowing grin. “Listen, Kakashi...why don’t you sit this one out? Just...relax and enjoy the view.”
    It feels like Kakashi’s ears are going to burn down to nubs.
    “What?! He can’t sit out, we need him! How else are we going to bathe in their blood?”
    “Bathe in their- what? Christ, Yamato, it’s just a game. Calm down. Are we going to have to have another talk?”
    Kakashi drags his feet back to the bench and plonks himself down. The others glance over at him in concern. 
    “What’s up, Kakashi?” Genma asks. “Constipated?”
    “Gai, give him some of your protein bars.” Raido elbows the other boy in the gut, who groans. 
    Nevermind, they’re just idiots. Kakashi cowers behind his mitt in shame. 
    The game continues, and his teammates manage to do remarkably well without him. Gai makes a surprisingly good substitute pitcher, although he screams “Dynamic Pitch!!” every time he throws the ball until Coach Minato tells him to cut it out. Asuma is jacked enough that he can hit a home-run every time he connects, and Kakashi is pretty sure the other team is terrified of Yamato and his intimidating stare. The game makes a quick turnaround, and in the blink of an eye, they’ve won. He’s been staring nonstop at the boy, too, so that might have something to do with the quick win. 
    Everyone cheers and high-fives while Kakashi quickly grabs his stuff, shoves it in his duffle, and scuttles off towards the bus. Coach Minato is suddenly next to him, blocking his way. 
    “Why don’t you go say hi?” he suggests, nodding his head at the other team.
    Kakashi can’t think of anything more horrible.
    “This was an away game,” Minato reminds him. “You might never see him again.”
    ...Dammit. 
    Dropping his bag in the dirt, Kakashi forces himself to turn around and walk robotically towards the boy, who is just wrapping up a speech to his teammates about how they’re still winners for doing their best, but no-one’s really listening. He turns away from them, shaking his head in exasperation, and blinks in surprise as Kakashi stops in front of him. He’s even cuter up close. Kakashi keeps his eyes on the ground to keep from being blinded. 
    “...Hi.”
    “Uh. Hey.” The boy regards him warily. “You alright out there? The Coach made you sit down.”
    “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” Kakashi pauses long enough for the silence to turn painfully awkward. “I’m Kakashi, by the way.” 
    “Iruka.” God, even his name is cute. Kakashi scrambles to think of something to talk about. 
    “So, um. Do you...like baseball?”
    “Not really, no,” Iruka answers. “I’d rather be home playing CoD, to tell the truth.”
    “Oh my God, me too,” Kakashi slumps over, awash with relief. “Have you seen the latest updates? They have a new map that-”
    The next five minutes are incomprehensible gibberish to everyone but them as they debate the best maps, guns, and loadouts.
    “Iruka, let’s go!” a voice calls impatiently from the parking lot. 
    “Yeah, yeah, just a minute,” he calls back, waving at his teammates. Kakashi’s stomach tightens. 
    This is it. His last chance. 
    “Hey, uh...” He takes a deep breath. “You wanna...hang out sometime?” 
    Iruka stares back at him blankly. 
    “I live, like, twenty miles away from you.”
    “Oh.” Kakashi blinks. “Right. Sorry.” He feels like a complete idiot. Here he was, thinking he actually had a chance-
    “Here’s my phone number. Message me so I can friend you and we’ll play later.”
    ...Then again, maybe he did.
    They exchange numbers, Kakashi happily adding a dolphin emoji after Iruka’s name. 
    “So is this a friend thing, or a boyfriend thing?” Iruka asks, blunt as can be. Kakashi just gapes at him, wide-eyed in horror. His face feels like it’s on fire, and he desperately wishes he’d brought his glove to hide behind.
    “...Only...if you want it to be,” he croaks out. Iruka stares at him a beat longer, then breaks out into a blinding grin. 
    “Yeah, sure, why not. You were pretty cute out there, spazzing out every time I was up to bat. I’m surprised you didn’t hit a bird.”
    Oh my God. He knew. Oh my GOD. 
    “I have to warn you, though...” Iruka went on, grinning cheekily, “three strikes, and you’re out.”
    Kakashi has never been more in love.
(Written for @kakairu-fest, Week 1 Prompt: Summer Sports)
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