nekisui

[nekisui]

What do you think about Naruto telling Sasuke, 'When I am with you, I feel like if this is how it feels like to have a brother' and to Itachi, 'That's because I consider him as a brother more than you ever could'....???

Literally these are the two panels that are used against SNS fandom everywhere to invalidate us. How do you view this?? Because there are some non-shipping fans who claims, Sasuke loved Naruto in a non-brotherly way for the most part of the series. But Naruto views him only as a Brother. And Sasuke agrees with him in Chapter 699 by saying, 'I finally understand the feeling you were talking about...'

Hey @captnjacksparrow

Sorry, I would have answered this ask sooner but my Tumblr was malfunctioning until very recently. 

I am going to take this opportunity to look at their dynamic through the lens of film references.

I have heard this argument several times from antis who use these moments to support their claim that Sasuke and Naruto are brothers, or that Naruto considers Sasuke a brother. The truth is that these moments are actually significant because they give us a clear insight into Naruto’s feelings for Sasuke. A lot of fans misinterpret these moments because they are unable to see the story as a whole and pick and choose moments without context. Because either they don’t have a frame of reference because of their lack of exposure to media/life or homophobia, mostly both. The antis are not really proving a point in their own favor by giving this argument, if anything, they are proving ours. Let me expand.

I am not an expert on shounen but from what I have observed, and as a lot of more seasoned SNS fans would agree, Sasuke and Naruto’s relationship is different from all the other rival/brother/friend dynamic portrayed in shounen. 

From what I could see, their relationship doesn’t have a match even in Naruto verse. Even within the framework of the story itself, I don’t see any other dynamic that is even close to theirs. We have seen brother dynamic with Sasuke/Itachi, Raikage/Bee, Tobirama/Hashirama, all complex, but still essentially very different from Sasuke/Naruto. Why?

Because Kishi wrote those characters as brothers. The characters know they are brothers, so they act like brothers. Naruto and Sasuke don’t. 

I can see Sasuke was always more in tune with how he felt. You can’t understand emotions unless you have the language to verbalize it, even if to acknowledge it to yourself. Sasuke had a brother, he knew what it felt like, he had it verbalized in his head. I surmise that he knew what he felt for Naruto was different from what he feels for Itachi. Sasuke never had to meditate about the nature of his feelings for Naruto. Naruto however did. Because he had to, he had no frame of reference to understand these feelings. Naruto’s entire monologue from valley of the end battle, is a meditation, his attempt to understand his feelings despite a lack of frame of reference. So he considers Iruka, who takes care of him like how Naruto imagines most parents treat their children, a father figure. Right before those lines where Naruto wonders if Sasuke is like a brother, this is the panel and we see. 

and then,

Now, there’s no reason for Naruto to believe that friends or teammates can’t act like this. But Naruto’s motivation had always been a deeply seated need for family, so this is part of his wish fulfilment. Iruka and Sasuke are the only two people he feels close enough to be his family. He thinks this must be what having a brother would feel like. People ignore the sentiment, the meditation, the mental struggle behind Naruto’s specifically chosen way of expressing this feeling. He ‘wonders’. To himself. This is clearly an act of meditation and introspection. 

Naruto, throughout the manga went through stages of defining his feelings for Sasuke. Everytime when they meet, Sasuke constantly insists that Naruto define his feelings. This action of ‘defining’ itself proves that there’s more to their relationship. Brotherly relationships in any media never require this ‘defining’. 

This trope of confusing or misinterpreting a romantic feeling for brotherhood is very common in gay cinema. Case in point : 

Above screenshots are from a Chinese film called “Farewell, My Concubine’ with similar themes. Two orphans who grow up in very difficult circumstances but still stick to each other, love each other but don’t end up together because of convention and moral strictures. Beautifully haunting film, btw, it will totally break your heart. Interestingly, the titular character, the actor who plays the concubine, Leslie Cheung, in real life had a string of failed relationships with women until he finally proposed to his childhood friend, a man, and they were together in a long term relationship until his death. 

Anyway.

The following screenshots are from a French film called ‘Un Frere’, literally meaning a brother. 

A lot of gay cinema with male protagonist has similar themes. 

The following screenshots are from another French film called ‘Like a brother’ which is a story about two best friends who are close like brothers, but love each other romantically. They also struggle with giving their feelings a name. Which they eventually realize were not brotherly to start with. 

The beauty of Sasuke and Naruto’s story is that it is grand yet realistic, it’s about star crossed love but its also touchingly human. Kishimoto paid attention in order to make their story nuanced. These nuances are unfortunately missed upon by a great many fans because of the reasons I mentioned above and what a shame. 

These are just a few examples, there are many such examples in gay cinema where you see similar tropes and themes. The rival dynamic. The best friends to lovers dynamic. The ‘gravitating towards each other without realizing it’, the need to be close to each other, the homoerotic violence. So many films such as ‘Heartstone’, film makers such as Xavier Dolan, Marco Berger, Greg Arakki, Pedro Almodovar (Watch Bad Education), portray similar themes. 

Bad Education 

Tom at the Farm

Being 17

Now, Naruto says the same thing to Itachi, in his trademark righteous manner. 

Well, Naruto is still far from properly understanding his feelings towards Sasuke at this point. But the next time he meets Sasuke, at the bridge, he still calls him his friend, not brother. 

There is one thing that becomes clear that Naruto is still not able to give a proper name to his feelings for Sasuke. Isn’t this what leads to Sasuke asking this question again finally at VOTE 2? 

This constant going back and forth between friends/rivals/comrades/brothers, this is actually a very realistic portrayal of a closeted boy struggling to understand his own emotions, which is a common enough trope. 

Isolating a moment and putting it under microscope will not bring any understanding. 

Naruto and Sasuke constantly drive and propel each other not only to become physically stronger, but also to become more emotionally intelligent. Sasuke drives Naruto to understand his own feelings towards him, to understand his pain, which Naruto does. Naruto drives him to understand that there there are alternative paths to resolution that won’t drown him in darkness, to accept love. They grow together. 

The understanding of this to and fro is critical to understanding their dynamic. Selective viewing is anathema to understanding media.

Bonus :

In Gaiden, Naruto clearly calls his feelings towards Sasuke ‘Love’. He doesn’t define it further, but we get it. We know the context.

As for Sasuke saying that he understands what Naruto meant when he wondered if Sasuke was like his brother, he is simply acknowledging the fact that he understands Naruto’s need for bonds/family, and that, that’s what he was talking about. Sasuke, during Vote 1, was focused entirely on himself, despite Naruto trying to make him understand his pov. But later, Sasuke relents.

Sasuke is acknowledging Naruto’s confusion about his feelings, he knows Naruto loves him as well but didn’t have the words to say it. He ‘finally’ understands which means he must have been confused about Naruto’s statement before. But now he knows where Naruto was coming from.

In any case, no one ever understood Naruto better than Sasuke. Sasuke understood Naruto’s inherent reason for choosing to steal the scroll for kage bunshin jutsu, his loneliness. Of course, Sasuke will understand what Naruto meant. This is, by no means, him accepting their relationship as brotherhood. Just that he understands.

The reason why I consider it a bold and brave move for Kishimoto to have told their story in this shounen piece, is that he portrayed a very realistic, believable, and layered approach to their obviously romantic relationship. He told a love story that happens to be gay in shounen. And he told it very cleverly, given the mode and accepted restrictions of this genre. 

Had they been brothers, he would never have needed to do it in the first place. No one would have.    

[nekisui]

Hɑll Of Fɑme || Nɑɾuto Uzumɑki ||

A/n: My baby boy deserved so much better, this isn't a relationship fic. It's more of a Parent!Reader x Naruto.

The streets of Konoha were bathed in golden hues as the sun dipped behind the Hokage Monument, painting the village in warm tones. You sat on the roof of your home, the cool tiles beneath you grounding your thoughts as a familiar voice called out from below.

“Hey, (Y/N)-nee!”

Naruto’s voice was unmistakable—bright, full of energy, but today, there was a heaviness in it, one you knew all too well.

You turned just in time to see him jump up beside you, plopping down with a sigh that seemed too heavy for someone so young. His usual grin was missing, replaced by a tight frown, brows furrowed in frustration.

You didn’t press him right away. Instead, you both sat in silence, watching the village below, the people moving about their lives. Then, softly, you spoke.

“Rough day, huh?”

Naruto huffed, arms crossed over his chest. “Tch. You could say that. Stupid Sasuke. Stupid Kakashi-sensei. Stupid villagers…” He hesitated before muttering, “Stupid me.”

Your heart clenched at his words. “Naruto…”

“It’s just—” he kicked at the tiles. “No matter what I do, it’s never enough! Sasuke always seems ahead, and Kakashi-sensei barely looks at me. And the villagers still—” He stopped, balling his fists. “They still look at me like I’m nothing. Like I’m just that stupid fox.”

His voice cracked, and you could see the way his body tensed, like he was bracing himself for rejection, for scolding—for the words he’d heard his whole life.

But you wouldn’t give him that. You never had and you couldn't help but feel your heart break knowing that so many people still looked at him with so much distain.

Shaking your head, you reached out and pulled him close, his spiky hair pressing against your shoulder as you rested your chin atop his head. He stiffened at first, but then—slowly—he melted into the warmth.

“Naruto,” you murmured, “do you know what I see when I look at you?”

He shook his head, fingers clutching your shirt tight in his grasp.

“I see someone who’s going to be great.”

He let out a dry laugh. “Pft, yeah right—”

“I’m serious,” you cut him off gently, holding his shoulders so he could look into your eyes. “I see a boy who refuses to give up, no matter how many times the world tries to push him down. I see someone with a heart big enough to carry everyone’s burdens, even when no one sees his own pain. And I see—” You poked his forehead lightly. “—someone who’s going to be Hokage one day, no matter what anyone else says.”

His blue eyes widened, searching your face for any sign of a lie, but he only found sincerity. You smiled.

“Do you know why?”

Naruto gulped, shaking his head. His eyes were already misting with tears.

“Because you’re a fighter. Because you’re the kind of person who doesn’t back down, who stands up even when no one else will. And one day, Naruto—you’re going to be up there, on that mountain, with your face carved next to the others.”

His lower lip trembled, and for a second, he looked like the little boy who had clung to you when the loneliness became too much. Then, slowly, the smallest smile broke through, hesitant but real.

“You really think so?” he whispered.

You ruffled his hair with a chuckle. “I know so.”

Naruto inhaled deeply, then exhaled, sitting up straighter. “Yeah. Yeah! You’re right! I’m not gonna let this stop me! Dattebayo!”

You laughed, watching as that fiery determination sparked back to life in his eyes. Standing up you then gave him a wink holding out your hand. "Now how about I cook you one your favorite dishes. You gotta get your strength."

"Haha yea! You're the best!"

As the stars blinked into existence above,Naruto jumped to his feet taking your hand for help, the two of you slipping into your home. While people may have questioned your actions it didn't matter because you'll be the parent Naruto deserved and Naruto, he'll be the future Hokage already who's shining bright—even if he didn’t see it yet.

And in your mind, you knew one thing for certain:

One day, the world would know the name Naruto Uzumaki.

And it would never forget it.

⸻

“And the world's gonna know your name,'Cause you burn with the brightest flame.And the world's gonna know your name.And you'll be on the walls of the Hall of Fame…”

[nekisui]

Sasuke: I wouldn’t… alright… but look at me! I-I’m a traitor and I tried to kill you and-

Naruto: I love you, Sasuke

Sasuke: -I was a complete asshole and you’d be ashamed of me and-

Naruto: I love you, Sasuke

[nekisui]

Every Time Merlin Saved Arthur’s Life

So I’ve been rewatching Merlin because I’m pumped af for Coinelot and I was wondering how many times exactly Merlin saved Arthur’s life on screen. So I made this list while watching.

The whole thing turned out to be more complicated than I expected because sometimes, it’s quite possible that Arthur would have survived, even if Merlin hadn’t interfered or Arthur was only indirectly threatened or the whole situation was just unclear. Which is why I stretched “saving a life” to “making an effort to save a life” but a few saves are still pretty questionable. 

I also made a list for every time Arthur saved Merlin’s life, just for a funny comparison, you can see that here.

Since the whole thing got pretty long, I’m putting it under a cut:

Continua a leggere

[nekisui]

Every Time Arthur Saved Merlin’s Life

So I’ve been rewatching Merlin because I can’t wait for Coinelot and while watching I made a list of every time Arthur saved Merlin’s life on screen and of course, of every time Merlin saved Arthur’s life. (You might want to see that first, click here)

The whole thing turned out to be more complicated than I expected because sometimes, it wasn’t very clear, if Arthur really saved him or just sort of looked out for him. Which is why I stretched “saving a life” to “making an effort to save a life” but a few saves are still pretty questionable.

Since the thing turned out a bit longer, I’m putting it under a cut:

Continua a leggere

[nekisui]

that moment when you find out one of your fav ao3 authors dropped off the face of the earth, deleted their tumblr, and privatized their fics because they apparently GOT FUCKING STALKED and you panic for this poor person then feel awful because you wish you had the fics but then you find some discord with a google drive of EVERY SINGLE GODDAMN THING THEY’VE WRITTEN… god bless the internet

[nekisui]

SNStober 2021, Day 12. Double date

If you like my art, consider donating a coin or two: here's my Ko-fi ♥

[nekisui]

*in a ideal world*

Itachi: I know that Sasuke did a lot of bad things but don’t talk like this about him. He is an Uchiha, and he is my brother

Tsunade: he literally declared he wanted to destroy konoha after he got to know that you tried to save it

Itachi: …he is a adopted.

[nekisui]

Sasuke: since when you read books?

Naruto *reading a book*: i’ve always liked reading actually

Sasuke: oh really? so this is totally not about me saying yesterday that you would be worst than Tsunade at doing paperwork because you probably barely know how to read?

Naruto: not at all.

Sasuke: good to know

Sasuke: btw the book is upside down

[nekisui]

Naruto: I have a plan!

Sasuke: don’t tell me it’s one of your weird stu-

Naruto: I have a plan!

[nekisui]

Naruto: isn’t he cute?

Shikamaru: who?

Naruto: Sasuke

Shikamaru:

Shikamaru: listen i’m worried about you.

[nekisui]

Tobi: Okay, Senpai, marry, sleep with, kill: Me, Hidan, Itachi?

Deidara: Oh, that’s easy, hm. I’d sleep with you, then marry you, then spend my whole life “killing” you, slowly, by smothering you with love.

Tobi:

Tobi, in Obito voice: I don’t know whether I should be flattered or really, really concerned.

[nekisui]

[nekisui]

I have seen so many strange things that I am not surprised to see a baby chick doing physical and mental exercise. Art by Lucia Heffernan on Etsy.

[nekisui]

Drawing her brings me so much happiness 

[nekisui]

Sakura: Naruto’s got it bad for Hinata.

Sasuke: Oh.

Sasuke: Which one is Hinata?

[nekisui]

anyone: what’s so great about sasuke anyway?

naruto, instantly in tears: listen