#.really makes it sound like neji would have wanted to hear this as a kid

[everyneji]

[chemmerson]

em em em i would love to hear more about ur naruto theater nerd headcanons if u are willing to share 🥺 i need to know who the leads are, who are the supporting ppl, who's running the lights, who's about to lose their mind with the costumes, literally anything u got i will eat up like a 5 star meal

WAIT NONNIE WHAAATTTT LMAO how do you remember this???? i think i literally talked about it ONCE but you just made my day by bringing it up againnnnnn!!! okay okay but are you ready for this lmao.

(hi this is em after i read everything that i wrote and im so sorry if you didn’t want this much nonnie??? i tend to get carried away so pls ignore if you’re like “wait why are you insane” anyway lol)

if we are talking like, community theater headcanons, there are definitely a few that get almost every role every time they try out for it. sakura kills the scene as the lead for a lot of productions because she's worked her ass off, and sasuke, though reluctantly, gets a lot of the leads (no matter how often he tries out for just ensemble) because he's really talented no matter how much he hates it. rock lee is also insanely talented, and he's your typical theater kid. enthusiastic to a fault, is constantly singing and knows every musical ever made. sasuke has beaten him out of some leads a few times, and he vows to improve himself as an actor and singer every time it happens.

naruto has gotten supporting roles a few times, and much to everyone's surprise, he's a damn good singer! but naruto has a habit of trying out for a role, actually getting the role, realizing how much work it is, and then trying to back out. after all, he would rather be doing prop crew because he just likes to mess around backstage. but iruka never lets him back out and he vows to never again try out (and then he does because he loves the attention from the crowd).

don’t ask me why…but sai loves being in the shows too. he says he it’s fun to pretend to be other people and pretend to feel different emotions. don’t tell him he’s a terrible singer though.

shikamaru and choji are our prop crew managers. you can most likely find them hanging out backstage (along with naruto when he should be rehearsing) and not really super enthusiastic about the theater scene. but they are organized and get the job done and are just glad when the show is finally over.

tenten is in charge of set. and when i tell you that this is her passion. she puts her heart and soul into every production. she's creative, driven, and a great leader. she wants every production to be all out (despite iruka telling her that "this is not in the budget ten!!") and she'll make sure it happens one way or another. ("what do you mean we can't have fireworks? explosions? what about just fire? i promise it will be safe!!!")

neji is our stage manager. he's level-headed and calm and keeps a very tight ship when it comes to the week leading up to the show. to be honest, when tech week comes around, he's a little grumpy and on edge, but the show always turns out fantastic thanks to his attention to detail. sometimes he has to tangle tenten in from her crazy visions, and tenten pushes neji to think outside the box. tenten and neji are the dream team, and iruka thanks them every day for their expertise and focus.

ino yamanaka. the best damn costume designer and seamstress you've ever seen. this girl whips up the most amazing costumes for the cast, and if you get a tear in your costume during the show, she's calm cool and collected when she patches it up in the blink of an eye ("stop freaking out sakura, i've got this."). she's got an incredibly creative eye and has a vision (and don't you dare question her vision iruka).

then we have the booth. kiba and shino. kiba on sound, shino on lights. shino has his shit figured out. he's actually an amazing light designer and wants to go to college for it. kiba on the other hand...is never on the ball like he should be. iruka always has notes for him and the end of rehearsals...("mic. mic. MIC KIBA!!!" "oh damn my bad!!!")

one day, neji brings his cousin hinata to check out their new production. she actually gets along with kiba and shino up in the booth, and then asks to be trained on lights and sound! she starts helping out with productions and eventually gets introduced to everyone. theater helps her come out of her shell, and she really loves helping out with the shows when they come around.

hinata is up in the booth one day going over lighting cues, and she's humming one of the songs from the show. thinking no one is around her, she sings a little louder and is just enjoying the space to sing. then she hears a "HEY!" and she turns around with a yelp, only to find naruto who is in the booth to get fitted for his mic. "hey you're really good! you should sing!" naruto gets in her face, only for her to blush. "why don't you sing in the shows? try out next time, you're amazing!" and then naruto tells everyone that she can sing and she's mortified lmao.

oh yeah and iruka is the director :)

anyway. there's my mess of headcanons!! my college theater headcanons are different where everyone is assigned different songs lmao.

BUT ANYWAY NONNIE I LOVE U AND I HOPE YOU LIKE IT <33333

[poison--ivory]

Neji Hyuga/Uchiha!Reader (Modern au)

Warnings: “Guy talk”, cursing, smoking, kissing, and fem. reader 

Domestic fluff with Neji

(Neji’s pov throughout the story)

Neji would be lying if sex didn’t run through his brain every now and then. It was a normal human habit that a lot of people did, but not him. He did manage to masturbate before, however he felt ashamed each time he dug his hand down his pants. He never liked the mess afterwards either. The pain of cleaning everything that he touched, because in his mind he thought someone might come into his room and see the little Neji’s swimming on his headboard or nightstand. Let’s not get started on the nudey magazine Naruto left at his flat, he only looked at it one time before burning it. The two pages stuck together made his skin crawl just knowing that idiot came all over that paper and gods forbid if you saw it and thought he was like Naruto, just wanking off to any material he can find.

To say it in less words, it was a pretty taboo topic for him. Especially, when his dad and uncle heard he got a girlfriend. The tiny sexual remarks were pretty hard to miss whenever his relationship came up. Small jabs at how when they were younger they were pretty sexually active in college and wouldn’t be surprised if their kids were the same. He knows Hinata is pretty sexually active since Naruto is always talking about their sex life. But, him on the other hand was the complete opposite.

If any of the guys started talking about intercourse he’d get uncomfortable. But, neji was in that type of predicament right now and all he felt like doing in that moment was slap the hell out of Naruto for initiating this conversation.

‘A nice night with the boys’ is what Naruto said. Which usually meant him watching them play video games, eat fatty snacks, play drinking games while Shikamaru gets high in the background. However, the only requirement met were the snacks and left a pretty irritated Shikamaru. 

Naruto and Kiba started with their stories, and Neji had to sit through Naruto's raunchy story of how he fucked Hinata on Sasuke’s dorm bed. The noirette boy sitting next to him smacked him on the back of his head. Kiba’s story consisted of him only receiving blow jobs form random girls on campus, they mostly never wanted to have sex since Shino creeps them out. So, they never stayed after the bj. Shikamaru was next and once he was done talking about his personal experience Kiba was quick to jump into action.

“So, when you and Ino were fucking was it better or worse than what Temari does to you?” Kiba asked.

Shikamaru eyebrows creased together, “Well, Ino was pretty good in bed, but she couldn’t give a blow job to save her life. Temari on the other hand swallowed me whole on the first try.” Neji visibly and internally cringed at the thought of some of your girlfriends doing anything sexual. “Just don’t go blabbing to anyone about what I said. Temari still won’t let me go anywhere near third base hell even second base sometimes.” Shikamaru disappeared in the kitchen, snatching a bag from Choji bundle of snacks.

“I can’t promise.” Kiba yelled. Paying close attention to the other black haired boy in the room. Kiba was quick to turn to Sasuke who in return glared back at the smirking Inuzuka. Scooting closer to the Uchiha a smirk appeared on his face.

“What?” Sasuke said, clear annoyance in his voice.

“C’mon, you and Sakura seem buddy, buddy lately and I’m pretty sure she had a limp walking around campus today. No need to be, so secretive, we all know.”  Glancing over at the noirette teen, Neji could tell he was reaching his limit of stupidity for the day.

“Naruto and Shikamaru told their stories, you could at least give us one, indulge us.” Choji rebuked, looming over the kitchen opening. Shikamaru glanced up from his phone for a split second, before shoving his earphones in.

“Maybe some of us don’t want to talk about their sex life right now.” Sasuke snapped back. Kiba jumped back, yet refused to let up.

“Are you mad that your friends are getting some while you're not, didn’t know you were that petty.” Kiba nudged him, which Sasuke evidently shoved back. “Or are you still hung up on your cousin, (Y/n), shagging Neji.” Black eyes filled with anger, blared at the brunette. Yet, the idiot kept going. “She’s pretty innocent, doncha think, just imagining he-” Kiba was interrupted as both fist of Sasuke and Neji collided into Kiba’s sides. Knocking the brown haired boy further on the couch. Sasuke gave him another harsh hit to the shoulder. 

“Don’t you know when to shut up, Kiba.” Neji glowered.

Neji stood up at this point and as he took his leave Sasuke trailed close behind. They both left the blonde haired boy’s house without hesitation. Reaching for his keys in his back pocket he noticed Sasuke just loitering in the yard. If you found out that he just left Sasuke standing there, he’d never hear the end of it. You were always close with your younger cousin and would go to him whenever you guys argued. Turning back around to face the younger Uchiha he asked, “Do you want a ride home? I don’t really care what you pick, I just don’t want (Y/n) thinking any less of me.”

Scoffing, Sasuke moved to the other side of the car and as Neji unlocked the doors the dark haired man quickly sat in the passenger seat. Pulling off Sasuke spoke up, “Mind if I smoke?” Out of the corner of Neji's eye he could make out the square box being waved back and forth.

“Sure, but roll down the window I don’t my car smelling like smoke. (Y/n) would flip.” Neji nodded his head towards the window, his hand automatically rolling all of the windows in the car down. The sound of a lighter flicking rang under the noise of the engine and soon the smell of cigarettes filled the air.

“She gets pretty upset whenever I do it. I quit smoking for about a year, because she didn’t want to see me get lung cancer. But, I got back into the habit a couple of months ago.” He said, and inhaled the thick smoke that blew from his lips, flying out the window soon after.

“She really cares about you, ya know.” Neji mentioned, yet the man sitting next to him remained silent. Sighing Neji kept his gaze on the road, this is going to be a long car ride.

The rest of the car ride was pretty silent, well it wasn’t really a surprise since both of the men in the car are pretty solitary people. It didn’t take too long for him to drop Sasuke off at his family’s house, not giving Neji a proper ‘thank you’, he settled for a two finger salute as he walked up the stairs. Neji pulled out and headed straight for his place, you and Neji moved in together your senior year of college. He grew accustomed to your habits pretty leisurely, not that he minded them, well maybe he hated the way you did dishes or ate really unhealthy foods. But, he never voiced out loud with you, like how you never told him off for his out of nowhere belching.  

As his car pulled up in the driveway he took notice of your car parked on the street. You always gave him the driveway, he didn’t really complain about it though. He couldn’t help, but pay close attention to the way he nearly skipped several steps to open the front door. Swinging the hard wood wide open Neji slipped his shoes off before adventuring further down the hall. You were usually watching whatever crap you listened to whenever you came home, however you didn’t seem to be in the living room. Feeling worn down, Neji opted to take a quick nap, this day left him feeling heavy. Lead feet trudged up each stair, feeling his feet getting heavier with each step.

Reaching the master bedroom Neji stared down at the curvy figure laying on the bed sheets. (Y/n) laid still on the only sign of life was her soft breathing sounding through the silent room. Laying over Neji sat himself on the comforter, scooching closer to your body. His toned arms pushed under your limbs, bringing you in closer for a soft hug. A kiss planted on your cheek, he finally closed his eyes.

“Love you, (Y/n).” He whispered.

Smiling, you held onto his thick forearms, “I love you, too Neji.”

[fa-headhoncho]

Amajiki Tamaki x Reader

Prompt: You get drunk at a party and Tamaki saves the day.

Word Count: uh 2487

Reader: Female

Warning: very Americanized, out of character Tama??? I've never written for him before so be nice

Masterlist

=====

You walk up the stairs to the large house, the music echoing through the street through the open door. The party was in full swing, drunk college kids littered the lawn playing various games or talking amongst themselves. It was a normal occurrence by this point. Mirio threw a party almost every weekend and invited everyone he knew… which was a lot. His kindness and ability to make anyone feel welcomed made him friends with almost everyone he encountered.

The blonde was impressive, to say the least. He managed to keep his place in the top three of his class and party. You didn’t understand how he did it. He never seemed stress either… Oh, to be Mirio Togata.

“(Y/N)!” A voice calls interrupting your thoughts. You look around, spotting Nejire trying to wiggle her way between the dancing twenty-year-olds. She gives one of them a hefty shove, apologizing before finally standing in front of you. The periwinkle-haired woman, pulling you in for a short hug, “I didn’t think you were coming-- Oh, my god.” She cuts herself off as she takes in your outfit.

You fidget nervously under her gaze, pulling down the end of your skirt. You were wearing something you stole straight from Pinterest, a black lace top with a simple blue miniskirt and some boots. It was simple enough for a college party but edgy enough to catch a certain someone’s eyes. She stares a little too long causing you to rethink the entire thing.

“Neji, finish the sentence. You’re scaring me.” You snap her out of her thoughts, shaking the arm she had a gentle grip on.

A small smirk comes across her face, leaning in slightly as she whispers, “Are you wearing that for Tama?” She innocently questions. Blood rushes to your cheeks and you duck your head away from her. “You thought you were being subtle, I know why you come to these parties. Mirio isn’t good at keeping secrets.”

You let out a groan, bringing your hands to your face to hide. A couple of weeks ago, you got a little bit tipsier than you planned and ended up confessing how you felt about the awkward, indigo-haired man to his best friend. Explaining how the only reason you came to these parties was to catch a glance of him. Mirio, of course, encouraged you to just ask him to hang out but you were too scared to ruin what little friendship you built up.

Nejire giggles, knowing she caught you redhanded. “He likes you more than you think, (Y/N).” She mindlessly confesses causing a kaleidoscope of butterflies to erupt in your stomach. “He was actually talking about you the other day! Oh, you should’ve heard him. She just so sweet for her own good--” She lowers her voice to mimic Tama. somehow keeping a straight face in the process.

“--The way her eyes light up when she talks about--” She stops talking again, his intoxicated state making her distracted. You furrow your eyebrows and try to figure out where her mind just went before she lets out a squeal. “Oh, I love this song! Come dance with me!”

“Actually, I wanted to go see Tam--” You don’t have any time to finish your sentence before she drags you into the sea of drunk college students.

=====

Tamaki sighs, running a hand over his face as he contemplates the pros and cons of not going downstairs. Pros: he didn’t have to interact with anyone or possibly embarrass himself in front of almost everyone in their grade. Cons: starve to death… which sounded better at this point. The last time he went down to the kitchen during one of Mirio’s parties, he accidentally ran into someone and made them spill their drink all over themself.

He feels his face start to burn at the memory, he couldn’t even bring himself to apologize before Mirio stepped in and lead him back up to his room. After that, Tamaki stocked up on snacks in his room but they, unfortunately, ran out when he got a bit too hungry last night.

A loud growl sounds out from his stomach finalizes his decision. He decides to rip the bandaid and sets his laptop on the floor, flinging his covers off then marching towards the door. He makes his way down the stairs, the confidence he found now diminishing once he reaches the bottom.

Indigo eyes scan the first floor. Bodies were everywhere, people from different grades and even some from nearby universities filled the small three-bedroom home. It was times like these that made him grateful for his two best friends.

When Mirio, Nejire, and Tamaki moved in together, it was an unspoken agreement that Tama would get the room in the attic. It was tucked away and you couldn’t hear the noise from the constant parties they threw. And, no matter what state of mind the two were in, the severity of the “no one goes past the second flight of stairs” rule was no joke. If they caught anyone trying to sneak off up there, they were kicked out and never invited to their home again.

Tamaki sucks in a breath then b-lines towards the kitchen. He skillfully avoids the bodies and safely makes it to his destination. Quickly, he goes to his cabinet of snacks and grabs the first thing he sees. He turns around and rushes back to the stairs but is stopped when he hears someone call out his name.

He immediately recognizes the voice and closes his eyes. Don’t say something stupid, don’t say something stupid, don’t stay something stupid--

His eyes snap open and his whole body goes stiff when he feels arms wrapping around his neck. Your signature scent flooded his nostrils making him relax into the hug. It feels as if the whole room disappears around the two of you, the music going silent and the people vanishing. His anxiety of coming down here was worth seeing you.

“Tama! I’ve looking for you everywhere!” You slur out, keeping your arms around him as you pull away from the embrace. “I asked Nejire where you were and I’ve been trying to get up to say hi but people keep dragging me away. I came here to see you, I--” You start to ramble off, your drunken mind taking over and allowing you to word vomit. He listens with stars in his eyes, his heart singing at the thought you came to one of these parties just to see him.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for hugging you.” You suddenly unattached your body from his, a frown slipping onto your face at the action. “I know you don’t like that kind of attention. I just messed everything up--”

“It’s fine,” He rushes out before you could start rambling again. A small blush coats his cheeks as he watches your shoulders relax. “I don’t mind it from you.” He wasn’t sure you could hear him over the blaring music in the background but the large smile on your face says you did.

You open your mouth to respond but are cut off by some guy sliding next to you. “Hey there, sweet thang.” The man chirped out with a small smirk on his face.

“Hi!” You innocently giggle out, eyes turning to him for a second before directing it back to him to continue your conversation. “Tama, I found this little cafe you might like--” The man looks Tamaki up and down before going back to you, stepping in between the two of you causing a pout to appear on your face. “Hey, I was talking to Tama.”

“Why don’t you and I go find a place alone?” He more of demands than offers. You furrow your eyebrows in confusion at him, opening your mouth to deny him but snap it shut when he rests a hand on your hip.

“No, I don’t feel comfort--”

“Come on, don’t be a buzzkill.” He interjects, moving to lead you away from the crowd of people. Tamaki doesn’t know what takes over him when he reaches out and pulls the guy off of you. He has his hand on his shoulder as he looks down at him. He could tell by the steadiest of his words and the overpowering smell of body spray that he wasn’t drunk. He’s heard about the guys at parties that stay sober and scope out innocent girls who drank too much to take advantage of them.

He doesn’t realize how hard he was gripping the man’s shirt until he feels you gently place your hand on his lower back. “Tama, it’s fine. Let him alone.” He snaps his head to your voice and then back at the man, giving him the most intimidating look he could muster up before releasing the cotton.

“Tch. You can have her.” The man scoffs out, fixing the collar of his shirt and smoothing down the wrinkles. “She’s not even that hot anyways.” He mumbles out before walking away. Tamaki watches in satisfaction as Mirio stops him a few feet away, the bright smile on his face replaced with a scowl as he talks to him and then leads him out of the house.

Reality seems to come back to him when he hears a whine squeak out behind him. He spins around to see your lip pouted out and tears brimming your eyes. “Am I really not pretty?” You question causing his eyes to widen.

“No, no.” He rushes out, quickly moving forward to comfort you but stops himself. He didn’t want to make the situation worse by giving you an unwanted touch so he just stands there frozen. Your cries soon turn into body-shaking sobs, bringing attention towards you from other party-goers. Tamaki starts to panic on the inside, he was never good at consoling people but he couldn’t just stand there and let you degrade yourself.

Pushing down all his anxious thoughts, he reaches out and rests a gentle hand on your shoulder. He starts leading you out of the kitchen and towards the stairs as you continue to let the sleazeball’s words get to you. He couldn’t let you put yourself in front of all those people when he knew you were far from that.

Tamaki lets out a sigh of relief when you finally make it to the comfort of his bedroom. It was much easier to talk to you without anyone else around especially in this state of mind. He could focus on his thoughts and let you release your emotions freely without fearing the embarrassment tomorrow.

“I am ugly, aren’t I?” You suddenly croak out, voice still muffled by your hands.

“No, I-I think you’re very pretty, (Y/N).” You shake your head at him, dropping your hands to reveal your face. His heart sinks at your puffy eyes and red cheeks.

“You’re just saying that, Tama!” You cry out, stomping your foot like a child.

“No, I’m not!” He rushes out but you don’t look up at him. He allows his body to move over to you, cupping your cheeks and making you look at him in the eyes. Your lips were still in a pout but he noticed your tears yield. That gives him enough confidence to continue talking,

“You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” He confesses with a small blush on his cheeks. “You don’t even need to dress up to make an impression. When you show up to class in sweats and a sweatshirt, you still take my breath away. Don’t let that guy’s words make you doubt your beauty.” You let his words soak in, sadness replaced with fluttering in your stomach.

“Thank you.” You manage to whisper out with a tiny smile on your lips.

He lights up, a large smile on his own face seeing that he succeeded at comforting you. “No problem, bunny.” He gleams and presses a gentle kiss to your forehead. He doesn’t even realize he let his nickname slip until you let out a giggle.

“Bunny?” You innocently ask with a lift to your tone. He feels his face heat up, eye-widening once again. “I like that. Bunny, bunny, bunny.” You repeat as you rest your hands over his on your cheeks. “I’m your bunny.”

He can’t help the chuckle that escapes his lips at how joyous you were with the term of endearment. “You’re so cute.”

“So are you.” You're quick to reply, nuzzling yourself into his cheek. There's a moment of silence as you just bask in each other’s presence. The air shifts around the two of you as it happens. His gaze absently flicks to your lips then back to your eyes. You seem to notice since you start leaning in.

Before your lips could touch, Tamaki turns his head. He knew you weren’t in the right state of mind and he didn’t want you to regret kissing him. He dreamed your first kiss would be much more than that, something the two of you would remember.

Your kiss lands on his warm cheek. Your eyes flutter open to meet his downcasted ones. “I’m so sorry. I thought--”

“No, don’t apologize.” He cuts you off with a whisper as he takes your hands into his. “I really want to kiss you…” Your face lights up at that, “but I-- just think about it more, okay, bunny?”

You nod excitedly, “Can we cuddle then?”

“Of course, let’s get you into some comfy clothes first.” He suggests then presses another kiss to your forehead. You let out another giggle and wait patiently as he moves to his dresser and pulls out a t-shirt and sweats.

Tamaki turns around to give you some privacy while you change. He holds back a laugh when he hears you struggling behind him. Once he hears your shuffling stop followed by the sound of something plopping onto his bed, he decides it’s safe to turn back.

His heart nearly explodes as sees you in his clothes laying on his bed. You easily burrow into his pillows and find comfort in his blankets. He shakes his head, knocking out all the inappropriate thoughts and makes his way over to your grabby hands.

He slips under the covers and you’re immediately cuddled up to his side. He tries to calm his internal dialogue as you press against his side, carefully sliding an arm around your body and adjusting in a more comfortable position. Your head lays on your shoulder with a leg and an arm slung over him to get as close as possible.

You let out a content sigh, feeling the warmth of his body completely relaxing you. Your eyelids start to get heavy and you yawn, “Night, Tama. Love you.”

Tamaki’s body stiffens under you like a board, the hand that was absently playing with your hair comes to a halt. “I-I love you too.”

[holycow99]

石田お寿司 12/9/21 stream translation Part 1

This is not the full translation of the stream. I only translated the parts I could understand & interpret or parts I found interesting/important. I’m still a beginner in Japanese, so the translations may not be accurate. If you want to repost, please repost at your own risk.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I: Hello. Can you hear me? Good night. (t/n: He’s replying to a comment.) You can hear me? Hello. Welcome.

I: My tone sounds great today, ***-kun? (t/n: OP commented that his tone sounds great.) Of course I’ll be excited in the beginning of the stream. But only in the beginning.

C: Your voice somehow sounds young.

I: It’s because I just slept.

*Typing on twitter

I: I finally did it. This is a simultaneous worldwide stream. Do you understand it? Ah, I’m so tired. I’m tired of sleeping.

I: I’ll be drinking my coffee. Itadakimasu.

I: It was a long vacation, wasn’t it? When was the last time you guys heard from me? On September…Well, it doesn’t matter.

I: I don’t have anything particular to do for this stream. I just felt like it.

C: I’ve been listening to your streams repeatedly during holiday.

I: Thank you.

C: We last heard from you at the end of August.

I: I see. Thanks.

C: Thank you for your hard work on the manuscript!

I: I did the rough sketches first. I was brainstorming.

*Someone commented on Animal Rap.

I: Animal rap? I actually wanna try this. Actually, I’ve done recording for one video, but won’t it be scary if suddenly in the middle of the stream, animal rap video is uploaded. Without saying anything, suddenly there’s a new animal rap video being uploaded. Won’t it be scary stream?

(t/n: I’m not sure if the translations for this part is correct. He said something more but I haven’t reached this level of Japanese understanding skill. Forgive me.)

C: Animal rap itself is scary, so it’s okay.

I: What a hilarious thing to say. Are you actually afraid of animal then?

C: Have you got vaccinated?

I: Nope, since I’ve been locked up in my house. I want to though. I want to get injected a lot. Around 10 times.

C: Sensei, did you read Berserk chapter 364?

I: Is it the final chapter?

Y****: Let’s inject the head.

I: Nice one, Y****. Well, since Y**** is an introvert at school, he must be a non-popular kid. Because he doesn’t have any friends, he can’t wait to meet me. Is it like that? Hahahaha.

I: I’m not even aware of the things happening around me. I don’t even know when the exhibition in Osaka will open. I want you guys to tell me about me.

C: I’m aiming to be a mangaka, but having someone that can be a mentor for me to learn from is better, as expected?

I: I don’t think so. It depends. In some degree, it’s better to do it by yourself. If you really wanna write a manga and you wanna create an environment that allows you to do so, if there’s a chance to be an assistant, I think it’s better for you to grab it. Because you’re still not familiar with how these things work. I think it’s better to be an assistant first. You don’t have to be one for a long time though.

C: I want to diet. Where should I start?

I: Record your weight. Measure your weight and record it in calendar. Doing that makes you feel conscious about your weight. You’ll probably can lose weight that way.

C: Are you still eating oatmeal?

I: I’ve been eating Onigiri only. 

C: I wanna change job, but I’m anxious to because of the economic situation. Please encourage me!

I: It’s better for you to change job, since you said you wanted to. I think everyone is anxious. There’s no one who isn’t.

C: I’m happy that the JJ illustration that you posted on twitter will be made into goods!

I: Yeah, without my permission. Hahaha. When the illustration was made into goods without my permission, I was like “Eh? This is…”. I’ll stop talking about this. Hahaha. I won’t talk about this.

*Someone commented about Kingdom exhibition.

I: I wanna go to the Kingdom exhibition.

I: What I said just now (about JJ illustration) was a lie. Please forget about it. Are there companies like that? Of course not. I was just joking. If that’s the case, then anybody can freely turn my illustrations into goods. Though there’s a person who sent me the PugMax t-shirt.

C: I wanted to be a mangaka when I was small. As I got older, I only immersed myself in the real world. I’ll be a civil servant starting from next year. I don’t have the courage to challenge myself, so I want to give my unconditional support to those who are.

I: I don’t know how old you are, but you can still draw even if you become a civil servant. Just draw one if you really want to.

C: You have to collect royalty.

I: I do get royalty. I get 5 yen in total.

C: How old will you be this year?

I: 250,000 years old.

C: How are you?

I: Like usual. But I made progress on the manuscript, so I’m relieved. I kinda forgot how to draw it.

C: I thought you were in your 30s.

I: Nope, I’m far older.

C: You haven’t started game streaming?

I: I’m haven’t decided yet for today.

*People were discussing about his age.

I: Doesn’t matter how old I am.

C: Do you prefer women with long hair or short hair?

I: Short hair.

*People commented about Heavy Rain.

I: Oh, you want to see me playing Heavy Rain? I’m okay with that. I’m okay with playing games or anything. I’ll be a yes-man for today. Everyone’s yes-man & toy, Ishida Osushi.

*Someone commented about Animal Rap again.

I: I wanted to say something about this. I’ve done the animal rap video. I only upload videos I’ve received from the animal themselves, not me. But I was afraid to upload it, so I refrained from doing so. I wanna try uploading the video while streaming. That’s what I wanted to say. Well, it doesn’t really matter. I just upload it after I finish streaming. I don’t understand the need to upload the video and streaming at the same time.

(t/n: He said something more, but again, info on Animal rap is hard for me to decipher. I’m really sorry.)

C: What did you watch recently?

I: Movies.

C: There were people who got scared by the fact that Ishida Sui raps.

I: No, you’re wrong. Ishida Sui doesn’t rap. Ishida Sui doesn’t do streaming as well.

C: Do mangakas have the chance to meet women?

I: It depends on the person. The ones who’re locked up in the house won’t. But…That’s right. You might if the workplace has mixed genders. You also have the chance to meet people during party or some sort. I’ll always be at the corner every time I go to parties. It’d be nice if the party was fun and the staffs could enjoy themselves. I also said that I went to parties to take a break, but I hated it.

C: You’re not going to parties?

I: Nope, I won’t. The company doesn’t hold them as well because of the current situation.  Even if I did, I wouldn’t know what to do. I don’t really eat the food, and introducing myself to people is tiresome.

I: S****** is here.

S******: Ishida Osushi can become a pro mangaka.

I: I’m aiming for it.

C: Fukuoka suits you, sensei.

I: Somehow, I feel grateful. It’s like you’re telling me that it’s okay for me to live in Kyushu.

(t/n: Kyushu is an island where Fukuoka is located.)

C: Sir Osushi, what do you think of Sir Sui?

I: I have a murderous intent towards him.

C: Does the thumbnail hold any meaning?

I: It does. Look forward to it.

C: Being a streamer suits you (Osushi) better than being a mangaka.

I: Hahaha.

C: The drawings of Neji (JJ character) by Ms. Towada were wonderful!

I: That’s right. Neji drawn by Ms. Towada. I want you guys to tell me something like this. I want you guys to tell me about my current situation. Things like, “would you retweet this?”, “This is JJ’s…”, “The CD’s also…”. Let me change my twitter account. First is Ms. Towada, right? Let’s retweet Ms. Towada’s tweets. I thought of drawing something like this. She drew quite a lot. She drew him more than me. I feel bad having her to draw it. I feel grateful rather than feeling bad. She drew a lot of them. Yonaga’s illustration looks nice. I see… There’s like an incomplete rough drawing. I thought of copying and drawing that illustration. I’ll just retweet this. Tell me what should I retweet next.

C: Is Ms.Towada doing well as well?

I: I talked to her a few days ago.

I: Do read Fool Night.

C: Do you like Aespa? (t/n: Aespa is a kpop girl group. Ishida had drawn one of the members.)

I: The girl caught my attention. I thought she was beautiful.

*Someone commented about his illustration of Ano-chan. (t/n: Ano-chan is a Japanese singer. Ishida had come to her radio programme once, and he did the album cover for her latest album.)

I: Ano-chan! What happened to that? Have you seen the album cover? It’s already out?

*Someone commented about Fool Night.

I: The world in Fool Night is super amazing. It was quite a while ago, the person in charge of the Superior magazine watched one of my streams and asked me if I could write some comments. I was like “Don’t tell me that!” (referring to watching his stream). I hate being seen. But then, I was like “whatever.” I usually turned it down, but I just wrote for this one.

*Someone commented about Wooma (t/n: an illustrator.)

I: Who’s Wooma? Let me check it.

C: Sensei, I’m a good child. So, is it okay for me to sleep?

I: Yes, of course.

C: Sensei, do you smoke?

I: No.

I: Ah, Wooma is the illustrator for the song ‘Usseewa’. Sorry for the lack of knowledge.

C: Do you watch Christopher Nolan’s works?

I: I’m not that familiar with movies, but I may or may not watch it. I’ve been getting into movies lately. I searched for the movies Takahashi Kunimitsu told me about. You tend to watch anything when you’re obsessed with movies, right? I was also obsessed with history for a while after I learned how fun it was from Takahashi Kunimitsu. I’ve been reading 2-3 books on history a day lately.

C: Until what time are you gonna stream?

I: Today is infinite as well. We have another 12 minutes left. Haha. I’ll keep on streaming today. I won’t end the stream today. It may end tomorrow. (t/n: He definitely kept his words.)

C: Sensei, do you like itzy? (t/n: Itzy is another kpop girl group, and Ishida had also drawn one of the members.)

I: Yes.

I: Tomorrow is a holiday? There are people who are not working tomorrow.

C: What are you drinking?

I: Coffee.

C: You only need another 800 people to reach 30,000 subscribers.

I: Yeah. It’s gonna reach 30,000. I have to make an appreciation stream or video for 30,000 subscribers. A lot of youtubers are doing this, so I have to do it too. I wanna do it. Feels like a youtuber. Isn’t it fun? I wonder what should I do for it? What would be fun? Let’s go with this concern first. I get lost if I don’t go one-by-one. It’s one of my bad habits.

*They’re planning on what Ishida should do when he reaches 30,000 subscribers.

C: Show your nails.

I: I don’t do manicure.

C: Heavy Rain.

I: Wanna play Heavy Rain as well.

C: Please let us hear your sneeze.

I: There is such person sometimes. Creepy.

C: Why don’t you play Ghosts n Goblins for now?

I: After the stream, I felt like playing the game. They had something like magical clock, though I forgot the name. The one that double the speed of the game. I really wanted to play that, honestly. Though, it wasn’t suitable for streaming. I thought of playing it in my own time. I really like that kind of games.

C: Will you sing when you reach 30,000?

I: During the previous silent stream, Queen Bee’s song was playing. Those who watched may know. I thought of appearing for a moment and sing and then end the stream. I wouldn’t do it, but I just thought about it. At that time, I wanted to try having just an illustration stream.

C: I’m waiting for an autograph session after the Corona ends.

I: The pandemic probably won’t end for at least 2-3 years.

*Someone wanted him to sing Gaston’s song.

I: Gaston. Singing, huh? Hahaha, why am I having second thoughts? I thought I’m okay with anything.

C: how about a karaoke battle?

I: Karaoke battle, huh?

C: Do you have any piercings?

I: I’m not wearing one right now, but I do have it. (t/n: I didn’t expect him to have a piercing. He’s really different than what I imagined a mangaka to be. XD)

C: I’m hoping for JJ’s song covers!

I: JJ? JJ’s songs are difficult. It was super hard during the time I did the covers. Seriously, when I heard it back…The cover for the opening theme was scary. I thought my singing ability had increased since I recorded this one the last. A few months ago, I listened to it after a long time, it was…what should I call it? A sutra, no, a curse. Me and JJ’s opening theme. I forgot the title of the song. Jack and something. There were parts in the songs where the female and male characters had to harmonise. To convey that part, I had to cover the song multiple times. I multiplied into 7 people, since I had to record as Kisa as well. When I was recording Kisa’s part, the other version of me at the back, probably Kai, was harmonising with me. I was told to deepen my voice by Mr.Kasama. So embarrassing. The voice was really low. I was drawn by Mr. Kasama’s voice. His voice was really good when he said ‘Broccoli’ for the cm.

*Ishida imitating Mr. Kasama.

I: It’s cooler than this.

*Imitating him once again.

I: I was like “So cool!”

C: Invite the animals that appeared in Animal rap as guests.

I: That’s a good idea. But what would the guests be doing? It’s absolutely hard to do that. It’s hard to invite the animals because of corona.

C: The title is “Jack & Jeanne of Quartz”.

I: Right. Thank you.

C: Won’t you invite Hanae?

I: I won’t. That’s impossible. (t/n: I want to see him playing horror games with Hanae Natsuki.)

Part 2

[animedaddymilkers]

Kinkmas 2020: Day Four

Prompt: Rope Play w/ Neji

Genre: Smut/18+ || Tags: Rope Play, Praise, Soft Dom, Sex || Characters: Neji Hyuuga, Female Reader || read it on ao3 here

"Don't move, (Y/N). I've already told you twice." Neji's irritated voice sounded from above you, followed by a sigh, "It will only make it hurt."

"But what if I want that~?" You teased with a smirk on your face and even though you couldn't see your boyfriend through the blindfold, you could feel his steely gaze.

He scoffed, "and how many times must I remind you, if you move while I'm tying, it will only result in your limbs going numb. Is that really the pain you want? You're well aware how long it takes to get you out of my rope. Now just hush and keep still, beloved."

No matter how annoyed Neji was with your antics, he always reminded you that his words weren't out of ire. The pet name tacked on to the end of his mini lecture was proof enough of that. So, you heed his warning and tried to stay as still as possible while the velvety rope was wound around your body expertly. Truly, he wasn't kidding when he said it took a while to get you out of his ropes, but it took even longer to get in them. Neji was an expert ropes master by now and you were his prized canvas. The shapes he created on your body were his masterpieces, each created with the utmost love. His fingers led the rope deftly around you, going even as far as undoing parts just to redo them. Everything had to be perfect, it's what you deserve after all.

As his hands deftly wound around your wrists, he pressed soft kisses into your neck. The kisses were light and barely there, until he made it to the one spot he knew you were most sensitive. When he reaches it, he licked your neck before sucking on the skin. You moaned much to his approval and the hand that wasn't holding the rope brushed up your arm, tracing over the material already wound around it. Ever the secret artist, Neji left an array of hickies along the back of your neck and shoulders. Those were definitely going to be a problem for future you. Right now though, you chose to focus on the rope that was finally being finished off after what seemed like an eternity.

"You're gorgeous," his tone was so much softer than before, every word dripping in adoration for you to the point where it made your face heat up, "Are you ready to see, my love?"

"Yes please."

With your answer, he untied your blindfold, light returning to your vision as you took in the sight of yourself in the mirror. His rope work was never something to laugh at. Hell, he never did anything short of perfection and this was clear when you took in every carefully planned knot and twist. Neji brushed his fingers against your hair, just barely touching you. In scenes like this he was always nearly afraid to touch you, as if you were made of glass. The heart shape left in the middle of your chest was a nice touch, usually he only did shapes with sharp edges and right corners. Meaning, he went out of his comfort zone this time and the thought was endearing. Another kiss was left on the unabused side of your neck, his hands wandering over his handiwork and lingering on the places where your flesh bulged in between the ropes.

After an inhale of breath Neji spoke again, his voice deeper now, "You look absolutely intoxicating."

His hands met yours and intertwined your fingers together. Next, your lips met, first in gentle embrace which quickly became more feverish and desperate. Sitting still and waiting as the material was wound around you, only moving when he asked, it was downright torture on a horny bitch. And so when you finally met his lips it was hard to hold back, you just wanted to show him how much you appreciated him making you this pretty. Though if you would voice it out loud with words he'd be quick to assure you that it was you who made the rope pretty, not the other way around. His hands wandered down to your tied together legs and gently pushed you to lean on your side. The new angle gave him access to your wetness from behind and he took advantage of it. He fingers moved up and down, smirking slightly at just how soaked you were from his tying.

A heavy sigh left your lips and you embraced the position more, fully laying down on your side. Neji's free hand continued to run over your skin while the other slowly slipped inside of your heat. He slowly fucked his finger into you before adding another. The rope on your thighs dug in as you tried to separate them to no avail. Another finger invaded you, this time curling and you moaned into the bedsheets.

"Let me hear you, my love. Your sounds are too delectable to hide."

His words alone had you moaning again, this time giving in and lifting your head. Your hips moved back onto his fingers before they completely left you altogether. Not evening giving you enough time to voice your contempt, Neji was helping you position yourself face down ass up on the bed. Or, at least, as ass up as you could get considering you couldn't bend your knees. Still, the sight was intoxicating to him and he attentively put pillows under your hips to help. Your tied arms outstretched in front of you gripped the sheets as Neji slowly slid into you. He bottomed out and groaned, hands running up and down the ropes along your hips. The feeling of him was always breathtaking, stretching you so pleasantly and thrusting solely to pleasure you. His first pace was always agonizingly slow, leaving you breathing heavily and nearly begging for more.

But Neji would never make you beg, no, he was far too infatuated with you to force you to beg on nights like these. Instead, he would whisper more sweet nothings into your ear, playing with your tightly tied breasts. It was good for distracting you for a while until he picked up the pace a bit. His hips kept moving, always trying to find that special spot of yours. And when he did he wouldn't leave it alone. You gasped and pushed your hips back into his and he knew he found it. That's when the show really began. His pace quickened and Neji's grip on your hips tightened, lifting you up to meet his cock. Both of your moans and pants mixed in the air between curses and prayers. The obscene sound of your hips meeting only makes you feel hotter as he kept abusing your g spot, practically daring you to go ahead and cum. Finally, you gave in to the suggestion, yelling out his name as you clenched around him.

Your orgasm shook your whole body, toes curling and pussy clenching. Neji was lucky to be able to fuck you through your orgasm but before you come down he's spiraling down his own climax. He grunts and holds your hips flush to his as his cock twitches inside of you. The aftermath is blissful as you two pant almost in unison, Neji slumped against your back. After regaining the willpower in his legs he slowly pulls out of you, admiring how his cum looks dripping out of you, contrasting the dark color of the rope. It doesn't last long though as he knows you need to be untied. With that he sets about the task, unraveling the rope at only a slightly faster pace than before.

"You were heavenly. I wish I could replay it on command. You're a work of art, beloved. You took it so well too."

His words barely stopped giving you praises as he untied and unwound your body from its aesthetic cage. To add to the praise, with every inch of skin he released, he'd kiss it tenderly. Most nights you found yourself lost in the hazy after sex thoughts about how he could kiss you constantly yet still talk so much. Not like you minded, having Neji talk was something you rarely were able to experience much in public. Given his quiet, stoic nature it was a stark contrast, a very welcome one. Especially given the topic his words were about. Your legs finally free, you stretched them out while Neji rubbed them, savoring in the indents the rope left. His hands slid up your legs and continued the process on your torso, deftly untying the knots.

Once you were finally free of the restraints you cupped your hand around Neji's cheek and pulled him in for a kiss. Now that you were basking in your post orgasm, sleep began to hit you. It felt so pleasant to be so satisfied and sleepy. As if all was right with the world and really, if Neji was by your side it was alright. His hands cleaned you up with a warm washcloth that you weren't exactly sure when he got. Still, the action was endearing, because heaven knows you did not want to get out of bed now. While he returned the washcloth you snuggled underneath the covers, reveling in his reappearance. As if he'd be able to resist coming back to you. Neji climbed into your waiting embrace and returned it happily as his arms wrapped around you. Sweet kisses were pressed to the top of your head as sleep quickly overtook the both of you. If every night you could fall asleep like this, that would truly be the best life.

hope you enjoyed! remember likes & reblogs help me reach more people! :)

[pinkhairedlily]

Freedom

Prompts: Crossover, Distant, Safe and Sound | A03 link here | Connect with me on Twitter. Happy SS Month everyone! 🌸🍅🥗 @ssskmonth

Some confused drabble on Gundam Seed crossover with SS, referencing the scene where Lacus Clyne saved Kira Yamato from his fight with Athrun Zala. Technical notes at the end of the post!

The clanging of metals, the smell of burning wires, the endless beeping of the monitor, and the sickening slash of Justice’s sword through his cockpit. He remembered being exposed to the open air, hearing the waves of a nearby ocean, and seeing Naruto’s face in a Zaft uniform – his face constricted in extreme anger and hatred. He thought this was what he deserved for killing Hyuuga Neji, but he was caught in a crossfire and war was a matter of survival.

Then there was the explosion.

No matter which way one saw it, he should have been dead. Naruto’s Justice detonated after the blonde ejected out of safety. His stomach was bleeding out from a debris when they clashed into one of the PLANT’s areas. He should have been dead, but instead, he woke up to the gentle singing of a familiar voice.

Sakura Haruno, the famed icon and face of PLANT and the only child of the leader of Haruno Faction which was the primary peacekeeping force and bridge between the Zaft Forces and Earth Alliance. Long pink, wavy hair framed the sides of his face and tickled the bandages on his skin while striking green eyes try to follow the movement of his pupils. Some months ago, he rescued her while she drifted in space inside an escape pod, her escort having been mistakenly struck by Earth Alliance as an offensive party. Some months ago, he amicably returned her safely to her fiancé, Naruto, in a covert operation. Some months ago, he met her and got to know her kindness. And now, he was bound to receive it again.

“Sasuke? Can you hear me?” Her hands gently brushed the fringes away from his face. How long has he been out? Somewhere, he heard the waves go up against the same shore. “You can sleep, if you want. Sleep for as long as you want. I’ll be here.”

-------------------------------

What was this place? It seemed devoid of war – pristine shores, blue sea, the quiet rustling of palm leaves, the warm sunshine. So far off from the neutral colony he grew up in – of the sudden attack and open fire from the skies, so far off from the open space where galaxy belts have been littered with gundam debris and frozen bodies.

She found him on the edge of the ocean, the waves lapping his wrinkled bare toes. He has been here for hours. She made her way to his side, followed by a small pink circular shape hopping across the sand.

“Haro! Haro! Haro!” The robot cried out after its owner; Sakura spun around and caught Naruto’s creation between her hands, nuzzling it as if it was her pet.

Sasuke hesitated for a while – she was a Coordinator after all, conceived with the most superior genes, and he was too, he was but he hated their kind all the same. The same kind who saw themselves far above the Naturals to the extent that they would wage war and kill.

“How tiring, isn’t it?” Sakura suddenly asked out of the blue, her green eyes arresting him in all their sincerity. “The senseless fighting when there is good in everyone.”

“That’s not true,” he rebutted…which was stupid because he hadn’t thanked her yet for saving him.

“Naruto is a good person even when you were kids, isn’t that right?” The circular robot was wriggling in her hands and she let it go, only for it to almost fall to the water and to its electrifying death if not for Sasuke’s quick hands.

“You also have some good in you,” she said with a smile. She took the fussy robot from his hands and went back to their family mansion.

-------------------------------

Sasuke found himself drifting in and out of his own consciousness; he would always fall into a daydream, the collage of the civilian ship ejecting from their mother ship and getting struck by a missile keep replaying in front of him. Screams would often escape him, even during daylight, but the touch of her hands steadied him, and her green eyes would reel him back to safe ground.

He would allow himself to lean further into her skin, liking the warmth a little too much, but torn all the same. She was his childhood friend’s fiancé, and he stole too many precious people away from him already.

It was effective, the way she led him in walks along the shore, her hand in his, and haro following closely behind, filling in the gaps of silences with his automated voice. When the robot finally stopped chirping to recharge, she would let go of his hand and hum a random song. He might have heard it before, in a far away moment and now unfamiliar moment of peace, when he was still a student and led a normal life.

“I killed Neji,” he blurted out, unaware of the consequences, but possibly to rile her up, to make her angry at him, to make it easier to go away.

Sakura brought her loose strands to the side of her shoulder, braiding the length of it while averting her gaze from him. “When I was fifteen, the Zaft Forces struck the civilian plane my mom was in. She accompanied my father to a diplomatic meeting with the Orb Union while I was here in PLANT. But I caught a fever and I asked for her despite being surrounded by nurses. I really missed her that time, you see. So she went on board the earliest civilian plane in Panama. Unfortunately, it was also the day the Earth Forces skirmished with Zaft and a stray missile hit their engine. That put a metaphorical dent as well in the diplomatic discussions.” She returned her attention to him, her pink hair unfinished and already coming undone. “We all suffered deaths, one way or the other, and each loss only breeds hatred if the cycle isn’t broken.”

“And how do you propose to do that?”

“Kindness,” Sakura extended her hand to him, and he subconsciously reached out to accept it.

-------------------------------

“Sakura-chan!”

Sasuke avoided the throng of kids that suddenly surrounded Sakura. He found himself standing beside Sai, the reverend who pulled him from the wreckage some weeks ago.

“They’re Naturals, if you’re wondering,” Sai said. “Rescued and fostered here under a neutrality agreement.”

“Savior’s complex?” Sasuke asked, still defensive about the matter.

“Just common moral decency.” The reverend had this mysterious smile etched forever on his face, and while Sasuke learned to read people, he could never read him accurately.

When the orphanage visit calmed down, and they were left alone with biscuits and tea on the gazebo overlooking the ocean, Sakura received the video message transmitted through Haro. She instinctively angled her body so whoever was on the other side won’t see him.

“Ms. Haruno,” a voice started. “We caught wind of some news.”

Sakura nodded, a cue to continue.

“It’s Operation Spitbreak. The real target is the Alaska HQ.”

Sasuke hitched a breath – if he recalled correctly, his mother ship Archangel intended to refuel there and stock on supplies. All the big guns were in Panama, strategizing for the penultimate and inevitable battle. So why Alaska?

Ah, they were the remaining big ship with the firepower that could match them.

Sakura noticed the change in his countenance, and she immediately ended the call after a quick word of thanks. Arms engulfed him in a gentle hug. “I guess it’s time.”

His arms wrapped around her waist tentatively. “I want to stay a little bit longer in this place where everything is safe and sound.”

“Not for long.” She tightened her hold on him. “Not for long, Sasuke.”

He did the same, trying to savor her fleeting presence in his embrace.

-------------------------------

That night, she and Sai led him to a facility under the Haruno family mansion. The steel doors opened after the usual biometrics – iris scan, hand print, and voice recognition. The sight astounded him when the lights started to come on. The gundam was bigger than his previous, Strike, and visually had more missiles and armaments.

Sai handed him a paper bag containing his new mobile suit. “It’s X10A Freedom Gundam, one of the two newest developments of Zaft. You’ll find that it’s much more lighter compared to previous models with faster mobility stats, and more devastating firepower. But you’ll be all right, you have the seed of the coordinator after all. What a dream it would be to see it used for coexistence.” He didn’t wait for Sasuke’s reply and quietly moved away to give the two privacy.

“Isn’t this too much?” Sasuke asked her. She hasn’t even asked him whether his views of the world have changed.

“I believe you’ll do the right thing.” Sakura leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Come back to me safely?”

Sasuke held her gaze, sincere in the uttering of his next words. “I will.”

TECHNICAL NOTES

GUNDAM – General Purpose Utility Non-Discontinuity Augmentation Maneuvering Weapon System

Coordinators – genetically enhanced human beings; improved traits e.g. faster learning, stronger bodies, more honed talents

Naturals – naturally born human being which did not undergo genetic modifications

Earth Forces/Earth Alliance – predominantly Natural

ZAFT – Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty; PLANT’s national army, members comprised fully of coordinators

PLANT – space colonies

Orb Union – nation composed of neutral territories located east of New Guinea

Music used for this writing: Mizu no Akashi | Fields of Hope

[kumeko]

Prompt: School!AU SasuIno, fighting for the place of “main bitch of the school” (love/hate, slow burn)

A/N: For @im-a-friend-you-need for the @narutosecretsanta ! Ahaha, Sasuke was a little hard to twist into this AU until I remembered Kare Kano and then BAM, idea.

…

…

…

…

Ino knew how to handle fame. Ever since preschool, she’d always been the most popular kid in her year and sometimes even her whole school. And why wouldn’t she be? She was gorgeous, with her cheerleader figure, long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. With a charming smile, witty attitude, and the generosity to help her classmates, it was little wonder she was the center of every party, play, or even music recital. Every club named her an honorary member, and she’d saved the student council more than few times. Her classmates loved and admired her. Her teachers adored her. People lined up to confess their love. Fanclubs watched her every move.

 In short? Ino was used to attention and knew how to handle the spotlight.

 “Ino-chan!” A girl waved eagerly as Ino stepped on the schoolgrounds. Her ponytail bobbed as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “You look as amazing as ever.”

 And in high school, that hadn’t changed in the least. Smiling graciously, Ino waved back. “Thanks!”

A senior approached her from her left, several papers in his hand. “I know that you wanted to help the student council only occasionally, but something—”

 “I’ll stop by at lunch.” Ino carefully took the papers, making sure not to crinkle them. “We’ll figure it out.”

 “Oh, thank you.” He slouched slightly, relieved.

 Ino hummed as she continued to greet her loving fans. Honestly, what would they do without her?

 A loud squeal behind her answered her question and Ino stopped stock-still at the infuriating sound. She didn’t have to turn around to know why people’s eyes slid past her, why she was suddenly the moon to someone else’s sun.

 She pivoted anyway, fighting the urge to scowl as Sasuke Uchiha walked onto the school grounds, utterly uninterested in the attention he was getting.

 One of these days, she was going to kill the bastard for doing this to her.

 -x-

 “He doesn’t even care!” Ino whined, lying on a bench in the school’s greenhouse. There were very few places where she could fully relax here, the chief too being the greenhouse and the roof. Unfortunately, the teachers kept the key to both.

 Fortunately, her best friend and somewhat nerd, Sakura Haruno, was in charge of watering the plants in the greenhouse. With her key, it was easy for the pair to slip in for a private lunch, away from prying eyes and ears. Finished eating, Ino rested her head on Sakura’s lap as she ran through her daily rant.

 “Like if he wanted it or even cared for it, I could respect that. I’d hate it, but I get it.” Ino crossed her arms, scowling as she remembered this morning. Sasuke had walked past the throngs without so much as looking at them. “But he doesn’t care! And no one is bothered by this.”

 “You are,” Sakura replied absentmindedly, flipping through her science textbook as she listened.

 “No one else is bothered by it,” Ino amended grumpily. “He doesn’t put in any effort and they all just eat out of his hands.”

 “They eat out of your hands too,” Sakura reminded.

 “Not as much they eat out of his!” Ino crossed her arms. “I mean, I get it. He’s hot. He’s smart. He’s a jock. He’s a freakin’ triple threat. But doesn’t anyone care about how he acts?”

 Sakura flipped another page, her response automatic. “I don’t know, he doesn’t seem that bad.”

 “No one looks at me when he’s around.” Ino glared up at Sakura. When her friend just scanned the page, she reached up and tugged her soft pink hair. “You’re not even looking at me now.”

 Sighing, Sakura put down her book. “There. Happy? I’m looking at you now. Why do you even care so much about how popular Sasuke is? You’re still top in the school.”

 “I’m second!” Ino hissed.

 Sakura raised a brow, bemused. “That’s still really popular.”

 “I know you’re a nerd and think you’re above all this,” Ino growled, “But you’re second smartest to Shikamaru and you bitch about that all the time.”

 Immediately, Sakura stiffened. “That’s different!” She scowled, pouting childishly as she thought of their classmate. “He doesn’t even study and he gets perfect grades. I don’t think he even knows what we do in class.”

 “Well, it’s the same thing here!” Ino retorted. “I bet Sasuke doesn’t even have a skincare routine! And he’s so goddamn gruff and abrasive and everyone still likes him.”

 Calming down, Sakura smirked and leaned forward. “You used to.”

 “That was before he stole my position,” Ino grumbled. Suspicious, she squinted up at her best friend. “You still like him.”

 Sakura flushed, her face matching her hair. “Okay, but in my defense, he is really hot.”

 “That’s why you don’t care, you’re on his side!” Ino poked Sakura’s stomach. “Traitor.”

 “Bitch, you used to oogle him with me.” Sakura swatted Ino’s hand away, shaking her head. “Honestly, if anyone saw the real you…”

 “Well, that’s why we eat alone.” The bell rang and Ino sighed, getting up. “We’re going to crush him.”

 Sakura picked up her bento and wiped her skirt as she stood. “We’re?”

 “We’re,” Ino repeated firmly, smirking. “You’re smart, think of something.”

 -x-

 If Ino really wanted to, she could have been the student president. It was a popularity contest, no matter what anyone else said, and it would have been a cinch for her to win it and take the top spot. It was also entirely too much work for her and she was more than fine with letting other people handle the menial tasks while helping out with some of the more visible promotions.

 Actually, she would have been vice president if Sasuke had applied.

 She could feel her brow furrow at the thought and she forced herself to smile. Frowns made wrinkles and she refused to sabotage her skin regime because of that douche. Even worse, she was standing in the school foyer, handing out flyers for the school festival—she couldn’t let her adoring fans see her as anything but their bubbly idol.

 “The school festival’s in a month!” she called out, forcing a cheeriness in her voice. Recognizing a brunette passing by—Tenten, from her math class—she pressed a flyer in her hands. “You should sign up.”

 “Huh?” Tenten looked at her quizzically, then at the flyer. She grimaced. “You know I can’t dance, right?”

 “That’s fine! There’s other things to do.” Ino grinned, slipping into a martial arts stance. “I hear you’re pretty good at fighting.”

 “More than good,” Tenten corrected with a wolfish smile.

 “Well, we’re thinking of having a martial arts demonstration, and it’d be great to have someone who really knows what they’re doing.” Ino tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and sighed. “But if you can’t, we’ll just have to find someone else…maybe Neji…”

 Tenten bristled immediately. Good. It seemed that the rumours were true—she couldn’t handle being second to Neji. “It’s fine. I can do it.”

 “Great! Thanks!” Ino internally pumped her fist. Now all she had to do was lure Rock Lee in by using Sakura as bait, and they were all set. As she watched Tenten leave, she heard a set of footsteps behind her. “Hi! The cultural festival is looking for…volunteers…”

 She trailed off as she stared at Sasuke. Judging by the gym bag slung around his shoulders, he must have been heading to basketball practice. A small part of her had to begrudgingly admit that he at least worked at keeping his body in shape; there was a reason girls tried to sneak into the gym when he trained.

 Ino had seen his abs in person a few times and well…if he hadn’t been her (self-appointed) rival, she’d be all over him. He raised a brow as he looked at her impassively and Ino flushed. She’d been staring.

 Stupid.

 “Yeah, uh…volunteers.” Gathering her wits, she pressed the flyer on his chest. If she was lucky, he’d treat this like he treated everything else: dismissively. Maybe he’d even forget that she’d been staring or just shrug it off. “If you have the free time.”

 “I don’t,” he replied bluntly, though he did take the flyer. She tried not to shiver when his hand brushed hers.

 “Oh, that’s too bad.” He was far too close, but she couldn’t take a step back. It’d be showing weakness. “I guess you’re too busy with the team.”

 “Yeah.” Oddly, he didn’t leave. Instead, he lazily scanned the paper. “You’re on this too?”

 Ino blinked. She hadn’t thought she’d even registered on his radar; he showed almost no interest in anyone outside of his teammates. “Uh, yeah. Just helping out a bit.”

 “Cool.” Sasuke looked at her now, and she fought back her blush. His stare was even more intense this close. “You shouldn’t.”

 It was like a bucket of cold water washed over her. Unable to stop herself, she glared at him. “Why?”

 Sasuke shrugged dropping the pamphlet on the ground. “It won’t work.”

 Despite the angry flooding through her, she fought back the urge to yell at him. People were watching. She was in the middle of the school. He was not going to best her. Forcing her smile back, she asked, “Why? You think I won’t do a good job?”

 Okay, maybe she hissed more than asked, but at least her voice was low enough that no one else could have heard.

 Sasuke raised a brow, clearly not expecting this reaction. Maybe everyone else took his insults without arguing, but Ino refused to. “You’d do a good job.”

 “What?” Ino resisted the urge to tear out her hair. What was with this contradictory bastard? “Then why shouldn’t I do it?”

 “You have even less time than me.” Sasuke shrugged. Clearly done with the conversation, he side-stepped her and continued down the hall.

 Ready for an argument, Ino dug her heels, opened her mouth, and—

 “Huh?”

 He glanced at her over his shoulder. “You’re overworking yourself.”

 “Huh?”

 -x-

 For once, Sakura didn’t read her textbook, do her homework, or anything else really as she listened. Instead, she thoughtfully tapped her chin with her pencil. “That’s good, right?”

 Ino shot her an incredulous look. “I thought you were listening. How is that good?”

 “Well,” Sakura slung an arm around Ino’s shoulder with a shit-eating grin, “That means he’s been paying attention to you, right? He couldn’t have known how much you do otherwise.”

 She couldn’t argue with that. Reluctantly, she nodded. “Yeah…but how is that good?”

 “He’s looking at you.” When Ino stared at her blankly, Sakura groaned and ran a hand through her hair. “I swear to god you are so dense sometimes. Isn’t half the reason you keep bitching about him because he didn’t know you existed? Well, he clearly does know.”

 Ino’s jaw dropped. Hackles raised, she punched Sakura in the arm. “What are you talking about? And here I thought you were smart.”

 “Nah, you’re just dumb.” Sakura snorted, rubbing her arm. “I don’t get why you’re complaining. He’s right, you know. You’re in waaaay too many things. You’re going to burn out.”

 “You’re just taking his side cause you like him,” Ino growled, crossing her arms and looking away in a huff. And here she thought she could rely on her best friend. Clearly not.

 “Ino.” Sakura rolled her eyes and got up. “I’m going to toss my trash…just think about it, okay?”

 Ino grunted undignifiedly, refusing to look as Sakura left the greenhouse. She should have expected this, really. Sasuke was a triple threat after all. Even Sakura wasn’t immune to his charms. No one in the school was, really, which was why she had this problem in the first place.

 So what if Sasuke had been a little concerned? Was that even concern? The entire conversation had been confusing and infuriating as hell—did he even know how to speak properly? All it had proved was that she’d been right.

 Sasuke clearly had to get knocked down from the most popular position. Maybe then he’d learn how to talk to people properly. At the very least, she’d be able to oogle him in peace. Hearing footsteps, she stubbornly looked away as Sakura returned. “I’ll forgive you if you come up with a plan to take him down.”

 Sakura didn’t respond.

 Apparently Sakura was just as mule-headed as she was. Ino frowned. “Come on, it’s not that hard. You know Naruto, right? Just use him to get some of Sasuke’s weaknesses and I’ll figure out the rest.”

 Still, Sakura didn’t respond.

 “What, are you angry?” Ino rolled her eyes, turning around. “It’s not like—”

 Sasuke stood behind her, his expression unreadable. In the distance, Ino spotted a panicked Sakura poking her head in through the door.

 How this happened, Ino had no idea.

 “How long were you here?” Ino asked weakly.

  “Long enough.” Even his tone didn’t give anything away.

 Shit. Ino felt the blood drain form her face. Shit shit shit. There was no way she could wiggle her way out of this one. “…what’re you going to do about that.”

 He didn’t reply, only smirked, and she shivered.

 Silently, she prayed that they got struck by a meteor. The end of the world didn’t sound half to so bad compared to whatever he had in store.

[lotusfartstwice]

“You did all of this for me?” Sakura & Lee? 🌸

[from these prompts]

“You did all of this for me?”

--

Rock Lee had all but forgotten about his dojo and his dream of fighting rival fighters.

Pain’s attack had decimated the village and along with it his beloved dojo. Soon after, talk of war came about so rebuilding wasn’t even a blip on his radar. Once that had passed he had considered rebuilding but ultimately all his efforts were a shaky skeleton of a building. He had become quite busy after becoming jonin so he simply had no time to pursue any passion projects. A fact he often lamented to his fellow shinobi when goals were brought up in conversation.

“I think, if I ever got a chance to just work on the dojo again I would make it more appealing.”

“Appealing?” Tenten asked, brow quirked.

“The exterior! I would add a garden or a fountain! Maybe even a koi pond! That would be pleasant, would it not?”

“That is if you ever had the time,” Neji said with a sigh. The two had just returned from a mission so the Hyugga was really feeling the fatigue start to set in.

“No kidding. I’m still looking for a place to set up a weapon’s shop,” Tenten said before patting Lee on the back. “No worries! One of these days we’ll be all set.”

The three rejoined the rest of their friends.

--

Sakura had been busy training medical ninjas but once that had been taken care of she found herself with plenty of free time.

What was a kunoichi to do?

She decided to foster her bonds.

Her and her fellow shinobi had gone through many trials and tribulations together. They now lived in a tentative peace but it was peace nonetheless. She had learned many things from Tsunade but one thing that always stuck out to her was her teacher’s occasional regrets in life. The distance between friends had not done the former hokage any favors.

Sakura found herself having lunch with Ino or Hinata when she could. Then one could find her sparring with Tenten or Kiba. Naruto and Shino were helping in the academy so when she could she would offer advice on reading material they could use (and maybe scam some dango afterwards). Choji and Shikamaru were busy working as representatives to visiting shinobi from other villages. She'd join either or in giving tours around Konoha which always ended in a satisfying meal.

Sai, Neji and Lee were the only ones she didn't have much chance to spend time with one-on-one. The three men were often sent away on missions before they could get a chance to breathe. So oftentimes when she ever had a chance to interact with any of them was when she and the rest of their friends invited them out.

She would take what she could get, sneak in some conversations when she could.

Sakura had just gotten done catching up with Sai when she moved to join Team Gai, only to pause when she heard their conversation.

“I think, if I ever got a chance to just work on the dojo again I would make it more appealing.”

She blinked as memories of spending time in the secluded building as genin sprang forward. Lee had been so proud of it. She was impressed he had finished building it while recovering from injuries. It really had been years.

“That is if you ever had the time,” Neji said with a sigh.

Time?

Well, Sakura had plenty of that to spare at least more so than Lee did.

--

It was a lovely spring day and Rock Lee was happy to have it off.

“Sakura where are you taking me?” Lee couldn’t help but ask as his friend guided him through the village.

“It’s a surprise, Lee!” She stopped for a moment. “We’re getting close so you’re going to have to wear a blindfold.”

“A blindfold?”

Sakura snorted. “Concept of surprise is really eluding you today.”

Lee blushed but complied as he tied the blindfold. He heard the waving of Sakura’s hand in front of his face, for fun’s sake he quickly grabbed her wrist like a snake. “I might not be able to see but my senses are still keen.”

“Yeah, yeah you just wanted an excuse to hold me.”

Lee felt the tips of his ears heat up and he quickly let go of her.

“No good I need to hold your hand, remember?” He could hear the mirth in her tone which just made heat creep up his neck. She was so insufferable in her teasing sometimes.

--

Sakura rolled her eyes whenever Lee was able to name a street or a shop nearby despite a blindfold. He was such a show off.

“I guess they promoted you to jonin for a reason.”

Lee laughed. “Ah yes, my skill of memorizing my village. A very important qualification.” He paused as she led them outside the village and into the woods. “Interesting...what could be out here, I wonder?”

“I’m not gonna keep repeating that it’s a surprise.”

“You just did.”

She squeezed his hand with some force. “So I did.”

“Mm.” He squeezed back with equal force.

--

Something was familiar about this but Lee couldn’t put his finger on it. Wherever they were he had been there before. They had finally stopped and he could practically feel Sakura buzz with excitement.

“We’re here!” she let go of his hand. “Go ahead and take the blindfold off!”

He smiled at the tone of her voice before doing as asked.

“Wha-” the words got stuck in his throat at the sight before him.

He took a few steps forward.

His dojo stood proudly before him. It was still quite simple and no doubt worked off of the bare skeleton he had built beforehand. It didn’t look like a patchwork mess like when he was genin. It looked structurally sound. He peeked his head inside and grinned. There was plenty of space to work.

There was a new addition of flowers outside the building and was that a koi pond? He walked closer to investigate and sure enough. There were two koi fish lazily swimming about in the water. Two lotus flowers floating on the surface made him pause. “This is…”

He took a step back, swallowing hard as his eyes took in the rest.

“Do you like it?”

Lee looked back at Sakura. She was smiling but she looked nervous? What was she nervous about? This was wonderful!

“You did all of this for me?” He managed to whisper, his voice somewhat tight.

Sakura rejoined his side. “Of course!” She then pouted slightly. “Rock Lee, are you saying I’m not capable of doing nice things?”

His eyes widened. “N-no! Of course not!” He felt an uneasy laugh escape him before he looked back at the dojo. “I just...I cannot believe anyone would go through so much effort for me.” He could see Gai-sensei with maybe the reluctant help of his teammates sure but Sakura? Or anyone else for that matter? “This must have taken so long and I had no idea.”

He swallowed again but despite his efforts he couldn’t keep the tears at bay.

“I had some help,” Sakura said. “Naruto and I tried rebuilding everything from scratch but wound up knocking the frame you had up over.” She sighed remembering the failure. “Luckily Captain Yamato was happy to help us.” She moved to hold her friend’s hand. “We told him to keep things simple because that’s your style. He really wanted to make a two-floor dojo.” She giggled at the recollection of his disappointed face when they told him the details.

Lee chuckled, wiping his tears with his free hand.

“Then Choji and Kiba helped me make the pond.” Sakura laughed. “Akamaru was swimming in it a couple times before Shikamaru was able to bring in the koi fish.”

“Then Ino provided the flowers and everyone who could help came and we planted them everywhere.”

Lee imagined all their friends working together, laughing as flowers were arranged.

Sakura let go of his hand and he watched as she entered the building only to reappear with a blank piece of wood. “All that’s left is for you to make the sign.”

He took hold of it. He was sure it was the same size as it was when he was genin. Back then it had seemed so large and imposing. Now his hands were so big as he held it.

“You’re lucky I managed to keep that away from Sai! He was really insistent he make it but we compromised. He got to decorate your walls with some paintings.”

He laughed. “I did not even notice! I will admire them later.” He clutched the blank sign. “I do not know how to thank all of you.”

Sakura smiled. “Well, let us help you make it a proper dojo.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “We’ve got a couple civilians who are interested in learning taijutsu so once you have the time…”

“Absolutely!” He grinned. “I will take anyone in as a student! We will all be splendid together!”

“Excellent.” She gave him the nice guy pose before giggling.

“Sakura.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

“Well, it wasn’t just me-”

Lee shook his head. “I am aware that you had help but you organized it and made it happen.” He set his sign down to wipe freely at his eyes. “I am so very overwhelmed with all of this. It is so wonderful. Thank you.”

“Well, maybe the two of us can take everyone out for a meal.” Sakura suggested. “Does that sound good?”

“That sounds excellent!” He grinned. He couldn’t wait to thank the others.

“Excellent.” He blinked when he felt Sakura lean her head against him. Shyly, he moved to put an arm around her.

“Y’know you never did answer my question: do you like it?”

Lee blinked. “I thought it was obvious.”

Sakura just hummed.

“I love it! I love it all!”

His friend cheered and pumped an arm. “There we go!”

“I think later on I would like to add a tree, close by.” He says after a beat.

“Oh?”

“Yes, I think it would be lovely.”

“What kind of tree? Maple or something?”

Lee blushed, pointedly focusing on anything but her. “I was thinking maybe a sakura tree.”

Sakura blinked before chuckling. “Yeah, maybe a sakura tree would be nice.” She sighed but made no move to untangle from Lee. “The blossoms will be a pain to keep out of the pond.”

Lee shook his head. “Not at all! I will think of it as training! All of it will be worth it.” He finally glanced at her, smiling now. “It will be a place to rest against. It will be lovely, I promise!”

“If you say so.” She poked his side, eliciting a laugh from him. “Ready to work on that sign?”

“Ah! Yes!” The two headed into the building where a brush and paint waited. 

[frogjutsu]

Pairing: Hatake Kakashi x Maito Gai

Word Count: 2088

Warnings: slight angst, lots of tomfoolery

A/N: written as part of the KKG server gift exchange! Feel free to read here or on Ao3

The sun filtering through the branches felt like a lover's caress. It was almost enough to make Kakashi forget how lonely he was. With a sigh he settled further against the tree. The bark scratched against his back and the grass felt cold against his thighs but the scent was comforting. The scent was home. 

Kakashi turned a page in whatever copy of Icha Icha he'd brought with him today. He'd read them so many times he could probably quote them from memory, but he had appearances to keep up. Anyone who saw him would simply assume he was reading his pervy books again and leave him alone. Well, almost anyone. 

"Ah, there you are, rival," Gai's voice boomed as he jogged up to Kakashi. He was surprised Gai wasn't running on his hands this time. "I've been looking for you."

"And you've found me," Kakashi said, not looking up from his book. It would be too much like looking into the sun. 

"I've devised a new challenge for us. One that will truly test our limits as shinobi. Are you interested?"

Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes, Kakashi thought, but what came out of his mouth was: "I suppose" coupled with a shrug. 

Gai laughed and it echoed through Kakashi's heart. It might've been the most beautiful sound he ever heard. "Cool as ever, dear rival. In that case, you'll need this." Gai whipped out a small booklet - from where in that skintight suit Kakashi couldn't tell. If Kakashi's eyes lingered too long, Gai didn't mention it. 

Finally, Kakashi set his copy of Icha Icha to the side and reached for Gai's hand. Their fingers brushed as he took the booklet and Kakashi wondered if all of Konoha could hear his heart pounding. Before he could ask what the book was, Gai interrupted: “Meet us at the theatre tomorrow night.” 

“Us,” Kakashi asked as he opened the book. His eyes trailed across a hand-written script. The character “Damsel” was highlighted. 

“Yes! Team Gai is going to put on the ultimate display of youth and you are to be our damsel in distress. Then the audience shall decide who embodied their emotions better: the infamous Copy Ninja or the Green Beast of Konoha.” Gai planted his fists on his hips, striking a pose as Kakashi stared at the pages before him. What had he gotten himself into? 

It was not the only time Kakashi asked himself that question. In fact, it seemed to be the only thought he could form as he memorized the few lines he had and showed up to the theater, only to be rushed into what was clearly a storage closet someone had hurriedly turned into a changing room. Sakura and Ino had been roped into helping Team Gai with makeup and wardrobe, though, as they forced him into a rather skimpy pink dress and braided wig, Kakashi doubted they really needed any convincing. At least Sakura was thoughtful enough to include a matching pink mask. 

As he was ushered onto the stage and the curtains lifted to reveal most of the village gathered around to watch this farce - play, Kakashi corrected himself - Kakashi tried to pinpoint exactly which decisions in his life had led him to this point: dressed in pink and lace surrounded by a trio of children with plastic swords and too-big costumes pretending to be pirates. Perhaps if he’d never joined the ANBU or if his father had never died. Maybe it was just an inevitability. Perhaps Kakashi Hatake was always doomed to give more of himself than he would ever receive. 

He was broken out of his gloomy reverie when Gai burst forth from the wings, dressed in a loose flowing white shirt and pants that seemed even tighter than his green jumpsuit. His hair was held back with a leather band and - Did he oil his chest? Kakashi thought, noting how Gai’s skin glistened under the stage lights. 

Lee elbowed Kakashi in the hip. “It’s your line, Kakashi sensei.” 

“Oh,” he replied, forcing his thoughts back to script. He cleared his throat and began: 

“Blessed be the gods for sending the Green Beast. Save me from these scoundrels and then we shall feast.” 

Gai stalked across the stage, pulling his own plastic sword out of its sheath. “My dear Princess, it would be my pleasure / for rescuing you would be life’s greatest treasure. / Avast, ye pirates. Stand and fight! / Draw your swords and face my might!” 

Now it was Lee’s turn to jump forward into the spotlight. “First you must pay the princess’s ransom! / I don’t care if you are devilishly handsome. / 10,000 yen is what we agreed. / If you can’t pay she’ll be tossed to the sea.”

Silence fell over the stage for a moment as Lee and Gai stared each other down. Then, Lee coughed and looked at Neji out of the corner of his eye. Kakashi thought he heard Neji mutter something about wishing the swords were real so Gai could kill him, but he stepped forward nonetheless. 

His voice was blank as he spoke, brandishing his sword as if he wished he were anywhere else. “Captain, please. Don’t be a fool. / There’s no way you could beat the Beast in a duel.” 

TenTen took a step toward Kakashi. She was definitely the most comfortable of the three of them, and, as she pressed the sword under Kakashi’s chin he honestly had to remind himself that this was just a play. “Take another step and I’ll end her life,” TenTen said. “And then you’ll never take her as your wife.” 

Wife. Kakashi let his mind turn the word around in his head, wringing it out until he could pull a drop of meaning from it. He’d never been one for domesticity. Never really given a thought to marriage, having spent so much time alone already, but Kakashi had to admit the thought of being whisked off his feet by a local folk hero and devoting himself so wholly to them held some appeal. Then again, as Gai leapt forward and began his choreographed fight with his teammates, Kakashi realized he was already devoted to someone. 

The fight was beautiful, really. Kakashi was sure Gai choreographed it himself. He could see the fluidity in the movements, the way each step was tailored to each character. Kakashi found himself distracted by the sheen of sweat dripping down Gai’s chest, trailing down and out of sight past a tear that appeared where one of the kids got too excited by their role as villains. The clash of plastic swords could barely be heard over the cheering of the audience as Gai gave one final blow to Lee and he died dramatically, dropping to the stage floor next to Neji and TenTen. 

Kakashi walked forward, hands still bound behind his back. “You truly are a hero, my dearest Gai. / Stuck with those pirates I was afraid I would die.” 

Gai closed the distance between them, reaching around Kakashi to pull at the rope around his wrists. It fell free with little effort, but the action brought their chests together and Kakashi swore he could feel the rumble of the next words Gai said in his ribs. “I will always save you, my dear Princess. / No matter the challenge. No matter the test.” Gai brushed his knuckles against the underside of Kakashi’s jaw, pulling his mask down just past his lips, and wrapped his left arm around his waist. “You’re free now to do what you like. / Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” 

“The honor is mine,” Kakashi said, more breathless than he’d intended. He hoped Gai would just write it off as good acting. “After such a brave feat. / No better man could I hope to meet. / So ask me again. I’ll respond with a sigh. / There’s no greater honor than becoming Mrs. Maito Gai.”

The audience cheered as Gai pressed his forehead against Kakashi’s, but neither of them heard it. There could have been a stampede of elephants running across the stage or a surprise ambush from a neighbouring village and it wouldn’t have mattered. All Kakashi could think about was how warm Gai’s skin felt against his and how Gai’s hand felt like it belonged on the small of his back and how easy it would be to just lean forward and claim his lips and argue that it was an acting choice later, but that would require spine and Kakashi may have been reckless at times but he’d never been brave and - 

And then Gai did something unscripted. He pressed his lips against Kakashi’s and his knees buckled. Kakashi was sure he would’ve fainted if Gai’s arm hadn’t been there to hold him up. Gai was always there to hold him up. 

The audience erupted into cheers again, but Kakashi only cared about the taste of Gai’s lips. Salty and sweet, tasting vaguely of sweat and matcha and the dango they’d all had backstage before the show started. Kakashi let his tongue brush against Gai’s lips, but he broke away with a laugh. 

“Eager, I see, my dear Princess. / But after such an ordeal, I’m sure you must rest. / After all this concludes our heroic tale. / So now I must bid you all farewell.” Gai stepped away from Kakashi and took a deep bow. It wasn’t until Lee, Neji, and TenTen returned to the stage that he realized he was supposed to do the same. Gai’s hand felt like a hot coal in Kakashi’s. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to toss it to the ground or cling to it until it became a diamond in his grip. 

After what felt like an eternity of bowing and clapping and greeting the audience, Kakashi finally escaped back to his changing room. He quickly peeled the dress off and yanked on his uniform pants. He wondered if it wouldn’t be easier to simply use a teleportation jutsu to get home. Otherwise, he might have to face Naruto in the audience, and Kakashi wasn’t sure his nerves could handle that right now. 

A knock interrupted his plans. Before Kakashi could say anything, the door opened as quickly as it shut and Gai stood before him, still in his costume. The closet changing room didn’t offer much space and, with Gai blocking the exit, Kakashi knew there was little chance for escape. 

“You were wonderful out there tonight, rival,” Gai said. His voice seemed even louder in the small space. Kakashi didn’t think he’d ever get tired of it. 

“Thank you, but I think you’ve bested me this time.” 

“Almost certainly,” Gai laughed. “But I must say, pink is your color.” He stepped forward and brushed his knuckles against Kakashi’s jaw again. In the dim light of the closet, far from the scrutiny of his peers, Kakashi let himself enjoy the moment. He closed his eyes and leaned against Gai’s touch, let himself be led as Gai pulled Kakashi closer by the hips. “What do you say to rehearsing for our next performance?” 

Kakashi might’ve said something in response, but it was lost as Gai claimed his lips with his own. It quickly became clear that the kiss on stage was an act, a buildup to this beautiful crescendo. Gai was more insistent now, pushing his own tongue between Kakashi’s lips as one hand slid up Kakashi’s bare back to tangle in the short hair at the nape of his neck and the other held so tightly to Kakashi’s hip he knew it would bruise in the morning. He couldn’t bring himself to care as he cradled Gai’s face close to his, unwilling to let go. Unwilling to admit that this was probably just a dream or an act or something unreal because good things simply didn’t happen to him and there was nothing more good than Maito Gai. 

Finally, Kakashi’s brain caught up with him, though, and he jerked away. “Wait. What do you mean next performance?”

Gai only smiled, reaching behind to pull another booklet out of his back pocket. “A chance to regain your honor and prove who’s the better thespian when we perform the sequel.” 

Kakashi hummed in response as he took the booklet. Gai’s hands settled on Kakashi’s waist, stroking the skin over his hips and sending fire coursing through Kakashi’s body. He flipped through the booklet and pretended to read the words as Gai began to kiss the skin of his shoulders. There was a single character highlighted: Damsel. 

[shikakunaras]

36 or 57 for shikashino if that's ok?

I chose 57.) Heart eyes when the other talks, sings, dances, argues, does literally anything especially things which others make fun of them for or find annoying

It’s in Shino’s POV but Shikamaru has the heart eyes I promise. It’s another long one. I like this pair tbh. 

Ao3 Link

“What insect is that again?” Tenten asked, leaning closer to Shino. 

“Not an insect. A bug. There's a difference between the two.” Annoyed Shino immediately regretted joining everyone for dinner. They were all piled in a private room waiting for the food to arrive. 

He really only came for Shikamaru, who surprised everyone by showing up. He felt comfortable next to the Nara. Like he knew that if Shikamaru was there, someone would be listening. 

“Either way they’re gross.” Ino shivered at the sight of the insect on the table.

“I just squash them. It makes Shino sad but it’s a reflex.” Kiba frowned, he already wanted the bug on the table dead. 

“Please don’t hurt my beetle. I’ll put him away.” 

“Him? Do you name them?” Lee asked, meaning well but it just made the table erupt in laughter. All except Shikamaru. He looked at Lee and rolled his eyes. 

“You name your weights. What’s the difference?” 

“You got me there Shikamaru!” Lee sat back and smiled. “I have several weights and it’s easier to name them. I don’t know any other way to organize them.” 

“By size?” Neji snorted. “Or by color? Maybe?” 

Shino let out a sigh of relief as the conversation shifted to Lee. He always felt like a monster when they discussed his collection. They have no issue when they save them but he’s used to it. 

The food came and Shino’s appetite left him. He just watched as his teammates ate. He was going to make an excuse, anything so he can leave and not come back. 

Someone tapped the table in front of Shino, throwing off his thoughts. 

“What’s the difference?” Shikamaru asked. Shino furrowed his brows and tried to understand the question. Shikamaru didn’t roll his eyes or let out a long sigh like others do when they have to repeat themselves. He just smiled and reworded his question. “Between insects and bugs, what’s the difference?” 

“Oh. Uh, insects are of a different class. They usually have six legs and three visible sections in their body.” 

“Like ants?” 

“Yes, like ants.” Shino smiled. Shikamaru was engaging in the conversation. “Bugs are also separate from arachnids.” 

Shikamaru shivered. “I’m sorry Shino but I hate them.” 

“Not many do.” Shino’s appetite came back and he added a few pieces of beef to the grill. “I’m trying to find a certain beetle, it’s rare but not extinct. Our clan wants to revive them.” 

“What does it look like?” Shikamaru waited patiently for Shino’s meat to cook before he added his own pieces. He seemed to be listening so Shino continued the conversation. 

“They are small and have a metallic shell. They are good for tracking chakra sources on a smaller scale.” Shino’s bugs can only feel for chakra if it’s in large quantities. 

“Still talking about bugs?” Ino huffed. “I’m trying to eat. At least save that for after dinner.” She usually spoke for the whole table. 

“Kiba talks about eating dog food and no one bats an eye.” Shikamaru matched Ino’s glare. 

“Dog food is different.” 

“How?” Shikamaru asked and then held his hand up. “Don’t elaborate. Whatever.” The Nara looked at Shino and smiled. “We can talk about it later. That bug sounds familiar.” 

The rest of the dinner dragged on. When the separate bills came Shikamaru snatched Shino’s and paid for his food. He didn’t fight or argue, instead he accepted it. 

The Nara walked next to Shino on their way home, allowing Shino to talk more about the elusive bug. 

“I know I’ve seen something like that but I can’t remember where.” Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck, sounding apologetic. 

“It’s okay. They were around a lot more when we were kids.” Shino stopped in front of his house and turned to Shikamaru. “Why are you being so nice? You don’t owe me anymore for leaving me behind for that mission.” 

Shikamaru shrugged. “I think it’s fucked up how they treat you sometimes. I like when you talk about bugs because you smile and you look genuinely happy. I might not understand the love but I like you so I’ll listen” Shikamaru’s eyes drifted away from Shino’s face and towards the ground. The sun was setting but Shino could still see the faint blush creeping on the Nara’s face. 

“Thank you.” Shino smiled wide and placed a hand on Shikamaru’s shoulder. 

“It’s no problem.” The Nara laughed and then waved goodbye. Shino wandered into his house and to his room, his mind empty of all thought. He landed face first in his pillow and let out a cry of happiness. 

~~~~~~~

“Hey! Shino!” Shikamaru shouted at Shino, stopping the bug user in his tracks. The Nara was holding a box that looked suspiciously like a specialty bug box. The clear plastic was catching the sun’s reflection, blocking Shino’s view of its contents. 

“Shikamaru?” 

“I remembered where I saw them. My Clan forest has a few. They hang around a tree I like to nap by.” Shikamaru held out the box for Shino to grab. Sure enough there were a few of the rare beetles sitting inside. 

Shino looked up and Shikamaru who was still smiling about his find. The Aburame couldn’t help it. He kissed him right in the middle of the street. 

“I’m glad you like them.” Shikamaru laughed when Shino pulled away. 

“Sorry I should’ve asked.” Shino’s embarrassment was written all over his face. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Shikamaru’s face was just as red. 

They stood around, not really knowing what to say to each other. Then Shino got an idea. 

“Since you paid for my dinner, let me pay for lunch. You can tell me how to play shogi.” 

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “You sure? It’s boring as hell. I put Ino to sleep once.” 

Shino just smiled and nodded. “I want to hear about it. Maybe we can play a round or two.” 

The Nara laughed and led the way to Ichiraku’s. Shino felt elated, finally having the bugs in his possession and Shikamaru. 

[passionbooties]

title. do not let this moment pass pairing. nejiten rating. t for teen vibes wordcount. 2.9k  summary. Neji is here. He is real. He is tangible. In that moment, Tenten breaks and realizes that she cannot let another moment pass her by. She will follow her impulse to consume, to devour, to be greedy. Because Neji is alive. And that, is what matters.

ao3 link ! or read below !

I. 

Tenten’s body moves before her mind can catch up. 

All she’s thinking is that Neji is hurt. Hurt so badly. Impaled. And she’s gone right for his side. With Naruto holding onto him. Their eyes meet, and her breath catches. At this moment Naruto looks so young.

Younger than he should. A boy in a warzone holding onto the form of his dying friend. 

And she feels so young and so old at the same time. Her throat is already raw even though she hasn’t made a sound apart from Neji’s name being torn from her mouth when she witnessed him get hurt. 

They’ve been hurt before. Of course, that’s their lifestyle. To be a ninja is to deal pain and deal with pain. All the times she’s tended to his wounds, and he to hers, flash through her mind at rapid speed. Scratches and bruises, where some were deeper than others. But they always managed to find one another by campfire or moonlight, and patch up any wound that came their way.

And death, they’ve seen death. What shinobi  hasn’t? What shinobi made their mark on the world without dealing death and dealing with death in return?

But it’s in this moment where she is watching Neji die, where their eyes meet and she can’t help but say, “Don’t go” all wrecked and broken, that the reality of their world hits.

They are kids asked to be soldiers. They are kids asked to die for their people. They are kids who can never really be kids because before they could walk they had to run. Before they could learn how to count they had to learn how to fight. She’s wielding kunai before pencils and summon seals before spelling. 

It feels so wrong. The biles sky rockets. 

“Don’t go,” she drops to her knees and grasps onto his hand that becomes colder with any second. “Don’t go! Neji I swear if you die I’m dragging you back from heaven or hell! You can’t go .” 

“Tenten,” Naruto rasps beside her but she doesn’t look at him. Her eyes are set on Neji, who smiles at her so weakly. 

“I am content, if this is how I must go out.” Neji starts, and Tenten makes a rather choked sound. 

“Don’t. Don’t talk. You have to s-save your strength. Ok? Some, some medics are on the way. Ok? So you have to-you have to stay,” alive. You have to stay alive until then. She wants to say but the words get trapped in her throat. 

She looks desperately at Naruto, who looks equally horrified and at a loss. And if Naruto felt lost, felt seemingly defeated, then Neji… Neji was going to. 

“I,” Naruto goes to speak and then stops. His eyes widen, then shuts as if he’s speaking to himself and Tenten is trying to not think about how every second they’re here and a medic is not on the way, Neji is dying. When his eyes snap open, there’s a renewed sense of determination-harried and fried at the edges, but with hope . “I think I can save him.”

“ Please ,” is the only word that comes out of her mouth as Naruto lays Neji on the ground.

Lee joins. He’s yelling Neji’s name to kingdom come as Tenten watches Naruto become cloaked in fiery red chakra. She bites her lip and reaches out for Lee’s hand, who clutches onto hers with a fierce grip. 

“Naruto thinks he can save Neji,” Tenten says.

“He will,” Lee says so resolutely that Tenten couldn’t do anything other than nod, and believe. 

Soon, the red chakra flowing from Naruto’s body envelops Neji. It bubbles and hisses and Tenten can’t help but stare and pray. Pray and pray that this will work. That whatever miracle Naruto is attempting to make in the middle of a warzone would bloom from the cracks like flowers after the winter. She prays and she prays and then finally, she sees it. 

The breakthrough.

The color in Neji’s face returns. The wound, gaping, starts to close as if being stitched back inch by inch. She watches through her tears enrapt at the vision of Naruto healing Neji. Bringing him back from the brink of death. By the time the others arise Neji is able to sit. His wound is gone, like it never left. 

Neji’s eyes are wide. Like he can’t believe he’s here and not crossing the bridge to the afterlife. He looks at Naruto, who smiles at him all sunny and bright and tired. Lee is the first to move, running over and barreling Neji into his arms. Neji is shocked, but he takes it. Holds onto Lee feverently. 

Tenten hears a gasp and looks behind her, only now realizing that Hinata was there the entire time. With tears down her face and relief shaking at her shoulders. Tenten swallows, because if she opens her mouth she’ll wail. And it’s been a blessing that during battle they’ve even had this time at all to process and work through navigating death.

Then, their eyes meet. 

Neji looks at her, and Tenten looks back as if Neji is a whole new world. And he is. In that moment, she leans forward to join the hug. Squeezes both her teammates tightly, and swears that when she goes back into battle she will fight and fight and fight so that they do not have to repeat this anytime soon. 

II. 

Tenten hadn’t expected to see Neji at the training grounds so late.

Then again, she hadn’t expected to be out so late either. Though that was a lie. The training grounds had seen more of her in the past few weeks than her own bed. No one at the academy had taught them when they were kids what war could do after it was over. How war never really left you even though you have left the battlefield.

Tenten could still see the bodies. She could still feel the blood on her skin and the dirt under her nails. She could still picture Neji impaled, nearly lifeless, nearly dead every time she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to take her. 

So the training grounds became her new nightly routine. It was simple. She’d work herself until her bones felt weary and her eyes became heavy. Then she’d crawl into bed and sleep into the midday and attempt some normalcy after a nice bowl of breakfast.

For now, it was a doable routine. The healthiest? Probably not. But Ino had already made her promise several times to stop by the clinic to see someone sometime soon about her insomnia. Until then, throwing kunai into anything she could on the grounds would suffice.

But to see Neji was not a part of the plan, nor the routine.

They hadn’t seen each other much since the war. Life went on too fast, with everyone being pulled into different directions to help rebuild and replan and rethink what the future was going to look like now that they were entering an era of peace and prosperity.

When she last saw Neji he was recuperating in the hospital. While Naruto’s chakra did miracles in healing the wound, it wasn’t a complete fix. He still had to see a doctor for additional care. Lee and Tenten and Gai had stopped to see him multiple times, of course. But once Neji was healthy enough to leave, the Hyuuga household had taken hold of him. Since then, it was hard to find time to see Neji.

“You’re out late,” Tenten attempts to be casual, and ignores the way her heart constricts when Neji pauses in his movements to look at her. 

Alive. Alive. Real, and here , she thinks.

“As are you. Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I don’t think you have the right to ask me that question since you’re also here too,” Neji had such a way of saying things as if he himself also wasn’t guilty of the same thing. Tenten can barely hold back rolling her eyes, though it’s in fond exasperation at best. “ You at the very least should be resting.”

Neji frowns, “I’m well rested. Too rested.” he flexes his hands into fists. Tenten gets it. She does, because she feels so energetic it’s maddening. It’s not even good energy. It’s restless, chaotic, war tuned energy that doesn’t know where to go now that things have dulled down. 

That’s why they’re here in the first place, after all. 

“Yeah,” she nods, eyes dropping to the floor. “I get what you mean.”

“Well, if you’re here. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t make use of our time.” Neji fixes his stance into a ready pose, hands raised ready to fight. 

Tenten’s eyebrows spark up, “You wanna spar?”

“No. I want to bare our souls under the pale moonlight with only the stars to bear witness to our souls’ vulnerability.”

“Hey! Watch yourself, Neji. I was only making sure because I wanted to give you a second chance to rethink your decision!”

She gets into stance herself, and the smirk Neji gives her in response does something to her. A shock, all the way down to her toes. She blinks. And recognizes how her heart rate spikes slightly-not in the usual anticipation of a good fight. Or maybe that, and then some. 

“Nothing to reconsider,” Neji says. “Come, Tenten. We don’t have all night.”

Sparring with Neji was always-electric. That’s the only way Tenten can feel about the way her skin buzzes and her cheeks are flushed. The way their bodies mesh and clash in a way that can only occur from years of watching one another fight, learning how the other moves, and working in tandem for so long. 

Neji moves so gracefully while Tenten’s always been a heavy hitter. Her taijutsu was good, but Neji’s was better. And while he never held back with her, because that would make her mad that he wouldn’t use his all against her regardless of their skill levels, she knew Neji was adjusting for Tenten with each blow. 

“Not bad,” Neji goads. 

Tenten meets his gaze with a slightly wild grin, “Shut up.” 

When she brings out her seals and summons her weapons, the sparring ramps up in electricity. She brings out a staff, twirling it around until she rests at her ready stance. Neji tilts his head, intrigued, and mirrors her stance. They both move at the same time, staff meeting gentle fists. They move in synergy, in practiced synchronization. 

But there’s an edge to each hit. Barely under the surface as they clash. Tenten gets a few hits. Some to her side, to her arms. She’ll feel those for days, and she thinks rather distantly how just a few months ago she was worried an enemy would pierce her to the point she’d never feel again. 

The thought disappears though because she blocks a kick from Neji. 

They go for what seems like hours until Tenten has the end of the staff pointed under Neji’s chin. They’re both breathing heavily with satisfied smiles mirroring one another. 

“I’m pretty good, huh?” Tenten teases. 

“Shut up.” 

III. 

She’s not sure when this becomes part of her routine, meeting Neji at night to spar, but she finds that she looks forward to the restlessness that creeps under her skin when she tries to go to bed.

Neji never holds back. And that’s good, because Tenten never liked to be limited. Not once, not atll. With Neji, she could go all out. He always met her halfway and then pushed her to go even further. 

They’d fight until one of them was either pinned or too tired to continue. They flip flopped between using weapons and taijutsu. To making up silly competitions like who could get the most bullseye on the target practice dummies. 

Neji had the byakugan, sure, but Tenten had excellent aim. You can’t bloodline that. 

“Alright. That makes the score between us seven to six.” Tenten sits on top of a tree branch while Neji rests down below. “With me being the seven, of course. Since I’m the best.”

“Your low sweep kick was uncalled for,” Neji scoffs, folding his arms. “If you hadn’t caught me off guard I would have had you.”

“Would have. But didn’t. You sound like quite the sore loser!”

Neji clicks his tongue in disapproval and Tenten laughs. Laughs harder than she anticipates, or wants. When she jumps down from the tree she’s still laughing. So hard her sides hurt. Doubled over, laughing and laughing until Neji breaks the chain. 

“Are … you crying?”

Tears were running down her face, streaming as she laughed. Coming out more broken, more relieved, more tired, more … something. This could have turned out to not be her life. In another universe, in another time, Neji would be buried. Dead. Gone. They wouldn’t be able to spar like this? They wouldn’t be able to have this moment where they’re both avoiding demons that are coming for them in their sleep, and so they find each other because they both knew without having to say anything at all what the other was running from.

Yes, she’s crying. She’s crying between the bubbles of laughter not because she wanted to. But because somewhere, somewhere deep, is crying with relief that she can have this moment where Neji is here and real and alive. 

“Tenten-” Neji starts again, softly, and she throws herself at him. He stumbles from the weight, and the two end up on the ground with Tenten sobbing into Neji’s chest. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she gasps into his shirt. Over and over again. “I’m so glad you’re alive. Neji, Neji, Neji.” 

There’s a moment and then, Tenten feels Neji’s arms wrap around her. Feels his breath near her neck, hot and soft and quiet. “I am here. And I’m not going anywhere,” he responds, among a litany of other promises and words Tenten can’t quite catch through her tears. 

They lay like that until Tenten realizes how embarrassing this must be. Pushed to the ground by his teammate but not in a fighting way. She pushes herself up until she’s hovering. Looking down at Neji who is looking up at her in return. She feels his hands on her waist, and there’s heat pooling at her cheeks because . . . this feels intimate. 

He must feel it too, because his hands move so fast and his cheeks also turn red. “I-I’m sorry,” he clears his throat and looks away. 

Then something clicks. Something breaks. And Tenten gets this thought in her head that she should kiss him. She should kiss him over and over until his breath is on her tongue and his lips are the only thing she can remember. She should kiss him because he is alive and this moment may not happen again. 

War has taught her to be desperate and greedy and impulsive. To never hesitate when there are people in your lives who may be violently ripped away from you by death. 

“Neji,” her voice grows quiet and foreign to her own ears. Covered in some sense of heat and emotion she’s not sure of what to call. Her heart picks up in speed, hammering loudly. He looks back at her, and Tenten feels his breath hitch when she leans down to kiss him. 

He tenses under her. Which makes her flinch. Shit. No, she should-this wasn’t how-but then, he relaxes. He kisses her back. Their kiss is soft, and gentle. A test, as they both become aware and attuned and adjust to the reality that they’re kissing on the grounds of the training field. 

She pulls back, her cheeks still warm. Neji is searching, looking for something, as is she. 

“I have wanted to do that for…ever.”

“Oh?” Neji’s eyebrows rise to his hairline. 

Tenten scrunches up her face, “Ew, don’t say it like that. Gods, this is embarrassing. I hadn’t planned-”

“We can kiss again.”

“Huh?”

“I said…” Neji looks like he wants to sink into the floor. Tenten will be right behind him. “Kissing-that. We can do that again.”

“.... Oh.”

“Ew stop-” and she descends, devouring whatever else he might have said. This second kiss is less hesitant. Not when Tenten has so much to say that she doesn’t have the words to vocalize. So she hopes Neji gets it all with the way she kisses him as if she may never get the chance to again. 

This time, Neji’s hands do hold her hips. And she gasps from the sensation. Neji takes the chance to slip his tongue in slightly, in question. Asking if that was alright, if a deepening of the kiss would be allowed. Tenten responds with her tongue. A little hesitant, but eager. She’s never done this, and it’s clear that neither has Neji.

But together, they’re learning the shapes of each other’s mouths. How to kiss, albeit a little sloppy and novice but with passion. A desperation that can be tasted on both of their tongues. They kiss and kiss. Tenten breaks the kiss again, but only to pepper Neji’s face in kisses. On his forehead, on his nose, on his cheeks. To his lips, where she nibbles on his bottom lip before going back for more. Over and over. She melts on top of him, and Neji holds her with such a tightness. She feels more anchored than she has in weeks. 

Neji pulls back next. His lips are swollen and red and there’s this possessiveness that comes over Tenten knowing that she made his lips look like that. Enjoying the fact that she has. Wanting to know when and how she can make his lips look like that every time, everyday. 

“I’m glad you’re alive,” she says again after moments of silence. 

Neji only smiles, with his red glistened lips. “Likewise.” 

[nosybookworm]

Ninja Academy vs Hero School Rant

Naruto was my jam back in the day. I stayed up late to watch the new episodes, bought the dvd box sets and manga volumes, collected toys and cards just to stare at adoringly, even pretended to be sick so that I could stay home and watch a Naruto marathon. Point is, I LOVED Naruto.

I was invested in the characters. My heart ached for every single character that gave me a backstory. I ugly cried on more than ten occasions.

The action and moral dilemmas sucked me in and spit me out, made me the person I am today thinking critically about the stuff I love because wow that universe is in no way safe or sane for the people living in it lol.

The villains absolutely TERRIFIED me DESPITE STILL WANTING TO SEE MORE OF THEM, Orochimaru alone had me sleeping with the lights on and ripping the arms off his action figure just to be safe.

When I started watching My Hero Academia those old happy feelings started slapping me in the face drawing me in. MHA hits a lot of the same points that Naruto had and I didn’t really notice until the end of season 3 because those points weren’t as in-your-face or emotionally impactful as it was in Naruto I guess. Not to say it didn’t have an impact! Just that it rolled off me a lot easier which might just be a me problem.

I Mean:

The main character getting bullied/excluded because of something he can’t control. 

Underdog character then meeting or making an emotional connection with a mentor figure truly feeling “acceptance” for maybe the first time and taking that all important first step toward their life long dream. 

A teacher willing to sacrifice himself to protect the students. 

A school training teens to protect/serve. 

Rivalry that may or may not be actual friendship.

Students fighting against each other to “rank up” by showing how capable they are to their superiors.

Enemies invading to terrorize the kids and escaping to terrorize another day.

Traumatic family backstories that child will now attempt to seek justice through own power.

Previous underdog character actually having a secret power that no one knows about but a select few and that he has to train to learn how to use, but it makes him a powerhouse that is always surprising the enemy and inspiring his fellows.

Sure all that can be tied to any story when generalized like this, but the way MHA presents them is pretty similar to Naruto.

(Okay, ALL OF THIS is going to be my personal opinion. Things I want to say to get out of my system so that I can move on. It’s long too. So, now that you’ve been warned continue on.)

The more I got into it the stranger it felt because despite hitting those same points I loved they hit in a different way that....well... made me a little uncomfortable to sit through.

Like Aizawa

Very clearly the Kakashi in MHA. He’s sly hardly ever telling his students the truth but has incredibly high expectations of them, has been known to expel students left and right until his most recent batch of kids, is ready and willing to throw himself in harms way for them, and surprisingly competent despite his exhausted persona/personality. However the way these two teachers act get two very different results from me. Naruto got a chance to introduce Kakashi in a way that endeared him to me, the bell test was more than just showcasing the kids current abilities it was introducing Kakashi (the Jounin that is a kind of jack of all trades, the known perv that will publicly read porn, the guy that will happily mess with a bunch of kids to “teach them a lesson” and because its funny, the guy that requires the students under his care to care about each other because caring for his team matters to him more than any mission, that guy). MHA gave the quirk test. Aizawa mostly in the background taking notes and jotting down scores after his speech about expelling whoever comes last. We didn’t get to hear Aizawa’s thoughts until the very end when Izuku surprised him. 

I didn’t really feel any connection toward Aizawa until I stumbled across fanfics that wrote him more involved with the students and I think that’s the problem. Aizawa is dedicated to his student’s education, he believes they will all be amazing heroes one day, but he hardly ever interacts with them. He can be seen watching their training from afar, sleeping in a corner as another teacher takes over for a bit, protecting them from danger or fighting along side them, and proudly declaring that Bakugo would never turn villain but all of that means very little emotionally when I can’t see him making connections with these students to make this standoffish confidence understandable. He comes off as one of those super smart teachers that have undecipherable lessons because he has no idea how to connect with his students enough to explain in way they understand. Similarly, he like jots down that he’s taking note of Bakugo and might need to step in before he goes down the wrong path but then does nothing and confidently tells the press Bakugo would never be a villain.

Kakashi was pretty standoffish too, no denying that, and the little episodes when the kids conspire to try to see him without his mask are the kind of outside interactions that would be weird for a modern teacher-student relationship like in MHA, so I get why Aizawa doesn’t really have that with any of the kids. However, Kakashi saw the path Sasuke was going down and spent time with him and confronted him about it (it did nothing to stop him but he tried). He took time to find a teacher for Naruto. He was present and awake for just about every milestone in there education with him. He told them when he was proud of them not other people. He involved himself in some of their high jinks to measure their growth and as such was able to have confidence in them when they went off on their own.

The Villains

And My Hero Academia villains, namely All For One. 

I felt nothing when he showed up. I was all caught up in All Might and his passing of the torch. The guy without eyes didn’t feel threatening, didn’t feel like the big bad he was suppose to be. The League of Villains really didn’t feel like “serious enemies” either cause I actually really enjoyed them when they were on screen for their dynamics with each other. Similar to how I liked the Akatsuki in their more light-hearted scenes when they where super strong idiots banded together by sheer force of will and explosive personalities that refuse to leave a job half finished. With the League I would be just as entertained (probably more so) if they were in a slice of life anime just being terrible people together.

I get the feeling All For One was supposed to be MHA’s Orochimaru. (And I say this despite knowing Orochimaru’s introduction is probably a lot closer to Stain what with the confrontation and all, but his whole “the world is corrupt, I will cut out the wrong and remake it into the pure world it should have always been” aligned more with Pain especially with his quick turnabout saving Izuku.) 

Orochimaru always felt in control even when he was in hiding or on the run, he felt like he had more up his sleeve which is the only thing I got from All For One when he was imprisoned. Both Orochimaru and All For One showed up out of nowhere, very obviously in a class of their own that the teenage main characters had no hope of beating, and a mysterious backstory that clearly put all the adults in the know on edge. But I just don’t see All For One as a villain. Nothing about him screamed “Run for your lives this man will smile as he tears you apart!” like Orochimaru. Nothing about All For One’s secret Mad Scientist lab gave me creepy vibes that left me on the edge of my seat clutching at the nearest pillow the way the Sound Village that practically worshiped Orochimaru and the many base of operations he had did.

Terrible Parents

The Todoroki family. 

...

Look. The world of Naruto has terrible parenting, but they also live in a dictator/military run nation where kids can be a front-line defense or key players in a war zone so it’s hard to measure how to view these people. Cause a father that beats his kid and yells at him to get stronger has genuine reasons to rightfully freak out when children as young as 8 get sent to ninja academy. Families that have a rare genetic trait like the Hyuga or Uchiha have every right to be tough and stern if they feel that will protect their kids when they know putting them out into the world makes them an easier target for enemies that would rip out their eyes. 

I can judge their actions based on their consequences. Like the Uchiha clan planning a revolt forcing their eldest to massacre them to keep the peace and their youngest to live with a crazy amount of trauma. Like the Hyuga clan branding their branch members to protect family eyes, but forcing them into being lesser than the main branch and all the trauma that forced on Neji’s poor head. The stupid level of expectation set on Hinata’s young shoulders that she couldn’t meet in the way her clan wanted that made her self-confidence practically non existent. The Hokage leaving Naruto mostly alone for his entire childhood in a village that openly hated him. The Kazekage trying to have his lonely three-year-old assassinated multiple times once by his beloved uncle - the only person that was kind and loved him - that scarred him so entirely that he carved “love” into his forehead and rampaged around the village and did casual murder intentionally for years before meeting Naruto. 

All that... I can get behind as abuse. I want those sad kids to be happy. They deserved better and I will happily lose myself in a fix-it fic where they get that.

MHA gives me similar scenarios but without the clear-cut consequences that shows when parenting for that world is abuse. 

Endeavor is not a good husband. He is emotionally abusive to his wife to the point she has a mental break and attacks a child. 

However, in a world of heroes, in a world where high school students are trained to protect and serve and that self sacrifice is a noble heroic trait. How do I compare such a society to my own? They put children in harms way with hero internships yet don’t allow them to defend themselves if they don’t have a hero license, that would be like getting a learners permit but not being allowed to practice driving.

All this to say I have a hard time telling when bad parenting falls into abuse when it comes to MHA. Endeavor is not a good parent, he is an abusive husband, but is he an abusive parent? As a hero training up the next generation of heroes can it be argued that he is pretty okay even if his methods are a little harsh? None of his children fear him from what I’ve seen. Shouto happily tells him his plans to never use his fire and all the reasons why without fearing he might be punished for it. The other kids seem to be pretty okay going on with their lives. Toya being the exception but again I don’t know what happened to him and he’s a follower of Stain so did he have a falling out with heroes or did his father push too hard?

Nighteye & Tsunade

Okay so this is where I get super rant-y. I have feelings on Nighteye and none of them good.

Nighteye being the estranged comrade of All Might the underdog’s teacher, Tsunade being the estranged comrade of Jiraiya Naruto’s teacher.

Tsunade has been hurt deeply. She ran because she felt that was the only way to save herself from more pain. Here comes Jiraiya with his new little tag along demanding she come back home, she gets appropriately angry and tries everything she can to get them to leave her alone. Naruto being the special little underdog that he is immediately gets under her skin reminding her of all the loved ones she lost bringing back all of that old pain back, so she gets even. She beats him down and challenges him to an impossible challenge to show him how small he really is and get out of her own responsibilities. But he wins. He wins, and shows Tsunade how closed off she’s become forcing her to face reality head on and face her fears at last. He changes her whole world view through action.

Nighteye has been hurt deeply. He sees the future for every person he touches and as such sees futures in which people he loves get hurt and sometimes die. He believes there is nothing he or anyone can do to change these visions. All Might is his hero, His friend and mentor, his comrade. His friend gets hurt in a way he can never fully recover from and he sees a vision where his friend dies on the battle field. He then tells All Might who refuses to retire and leaves without a backward glance. They don’t speak until years later when Nighteye picks out a successor for One For All, but Toshi chooses Izuku and never meets Nighteye’s pick.

Izuku, needing an internship not Gran Torino, goes to Sir Nighteye All Might’s old side kick. He gets tested, told he’s not worthy of One For All, and has to work under this man as he tries to get Izuku to see how Mirio is more worthy of All Might’s quirk. Facing off against Overhaul when they are at their most desperate Nighteye uses his quirk to see what will happen and sees the worst possible scenario. They lose. Then Izuku flies in sweeps Eri into his arms and fights Overhaul saving the day. Izuku proved, unknowingly, that the future Nighteye sees is not set in stone with his actions and on his death bed Nighteye acknowledges that without acknowledging it.

Nighteye’s treatment toward Izuku makes me uncomfortable. This is a man in a position of power over this student telling him that he is not enough, will never be enough, and that he is a disappointment.

His glorifying of All Might makes me uncomfortable. He was All Might’s partner and yet he practically had a shrine of the man in his office. He made him more than just a man, built him up as The Symbol of Peace and kept him there (as many of Toshi’s friends seem to do except for Nedzu and Naomasa) despite getting close enough trusted enough to learn about One For All. And despite all that “love” and “devotion” he left Toshinori alone to deal with his new normal of a permanently damaged system alone for years then takes out all that frustration and grief out on his friends chosen successor.

Then when all is said and done and he’s dying and he’s confronted by Toshinori and Izuku what happens? Does he apologize? Explain his actions? Get closure in his final moments?

No. Well, Toshinori got some measure of closure. Izuku got a few words that essentially boiled down to “Good job, your better than I thought.” without talking about the newfound hope Izuku’s action gave him that his visions are only possibilities not absolute. All of his attention then goes to his choice for One For All, Mirio. 

Understandably. 

He’s dying and Mirio was always his main priority as a mentor, and you know who Mirio looks like? All Might. He’s blonde, buff, blue-eyed, cheerfully friendly, and with a happy-go-lucky persona about him. Sir Nighteye taught him to smile. Chose him to be the new wielder of One For All and without telling him anything planned to introduce him to Toshinori to make his choice reality. Doesn’t that sound... I don’t know... uncomfortably close to manipulation? Grooming? To taking this child under his wing and molding him to be pretty close to a new version of All Might?

I don’t know. Maybe if Sir Nighteye had lived this uncomfortable impression I have of him would be lessened as he began to internalize the full extent of possibilities for the future that he never thought possible before and acted more hopeful, more willing to take gambles because his visions were no longer a guarantee of what will happen. 

[akatmitsu]

the spying genin | neji hyuga

not requested, just randomly wrote some shiz down and i got this. neji has little to no short stories over him and my neji heart needs it. hope you like it uwu.  

SPOILER WARNING, NOT REALLY BUT IDK

°ʚ(*´꒳`*)ɞ°

pairing: neji hyuga x reader

word count: 2,102

warnings: fluff,,,just fluff

summary: you and neji have been seeing each other in secret. naruto suspects that something is going on between you two, his failed attempt at spying on one of your training sessions gets him caught and questioned. lee invites everyone to go to the bathhouse for a relaxing time off, naruto almost slips out the very secret he had recently discovered soon getting himself in a little trouble.  

“Have you given up?” 

You smile through staggered breathing, you lay flat on the ground with one arm covering your eyes from the sun. The beaming sun accented every bead of sweat that lay on your face and neck. Soon after catching your breath you sat up, a smirk plastered on Neji Hyuga’s structured face. His own face and neck glistened with sweat giving him a glow that was strikingly beautiful.  

“Come on, Neji. That’s not fair!” You leaned back on your hands gazing at the gorgeous jounin standing in front of you. 

“You think your enemy is going to give you time to think and perform your ninjutsu for him? Now up, let’s try again.” He turns around walking back to the mark he drew for himself in the dirt. You sat there watching him, distracted by the slight swing of his long hair as he walked, your eyes trailed down slowly. Stopping at just the right spot.

“I do hope that is not how you gaze at Kakashi while he is training with you.” 

“You want the truth or the lie about that statement?” You teased him, he closed his eyes and shook his head. You bit your lip, tilting your head toward your left shoulder. You were getting on his nerves slowly but surely. 

Growing up with Neji, he never seemed to have any patience for immaturity and sly comments. He’s grown now, recently named a jounin of the leaf village. The more grown, the less patient. All the more reason to aggravate him as a way of passing time. Neji crosses his arms, gazing back at you, “He would be very upset with you right now, your lack of motivation to keep training would be bothersome to someone as busy as him.” 

“Come on, Neji. He’s been my sensai since I was a kid-.” He cuts you off, “You are still a kid in his eyes, especially with this behavior. He left you to me to train.” 

“Well he doesn’t have very much insight on just who he let train with me now does he?” You stood up, brushing the dirt from your pants. You started to walk toward him, his arms stayed crossed over his chest. 

You stood very close to him at this point, you slightly pouted while resting your chin on his firm chest. Keeping his arms crossed over his chest, he leaned down to press a light kiss on your nose. It was short and sweet, the gesture causing you to flush. You stood lightly on your tip toes, just before your lips attempted to meet his, you heard rustling in the bushes. 

“Neji.” You pulled away from him fast, he seemed to notice the rustling too. Grabbing your hand, he pulled you behind him as he focused on one area of the small forest surrounding the training grounds. 

“Byakugan!” 

You rested your hand against his back as he looked around, the strain in his eyes visible as he turned to the side. You looked closely behind the both of you. Straining your own eyes it didn’t take the eyes that held the Byakugan or the Sharingan to spot a bright blonde tuft of hair peeking through the bushes. 

“This chakra.” 

You walked away from Neji and started to make your way over to the bushes. The blonde genin didn’t seem to notice that you had spotted him. You folded your arms over your chest.

“Naruto.” 

He froze at the sound of your voice. Neji stood behind you when the genin sheepishly stood from hiding. Naruto scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, a beaming smile of guilt on his face. 

“Uhh, hey guys!” 

“So you lied about going on a mission,” Naruto nervously giggled, “Spill it, Naruto.” You raised your fist up at him causing his blue eyes to widen.

 “O-Okay, okay! I noticed something...strange. When I returned to the leaf village from my training, you and Neji were oddly close,” You could feel Neji’s eyes on the back of your head, “I asked Sakura and Kakashi-sensei about it and they didn’t have any idea what I was on about. So I uh...I followed both of you here, when I saw that you were just training I figured I’d just leave but then.” He stopped rambling, looking between the both of you. 

You sighed, disappointed was the most simple word to explain your feelings. You and Neji tried to keep your public displays of affection for times when you were alone, it was a surprise nobody noticed him sneaking out of the main house of the Hyuga clan to be with you. It wasn’t the smartest idea to tease Neji like you had today in an open training ground. How were you to know there was a perv spying on you both? 

Neji had stepped closer to you, he noticed how tense you were. Though he wasn’t too happy with the situation either, it was only Naruto that saw. He had just hoped that the loud idiot would keep their secret to himself. Neji gently placed his hand on your lower back as a sign of comfort. 

“Naruto.” 

His big blue eyes had turned to look at Neji’s light lavender ones. Neji’s gaze was stern, he narrowed his eyes at Naruto in warning.

“You are to tell no one about what you saw. For obvious reasons, we have kept this a secret. You will deeply regret telling a soul.” 

There was a pause, Naruto blinked once and smiled real big, “Ah don’t worry, your secret is safe with me!” He gives both of you a thumbs up to which you responded with a facepalm and a sigh from Neji. 

“Oh! Bushy brow wanted me to find you both anyway to tell you that we’re having a get together with everyone at the bathhouse. He rambled on and on about relaxing after endless missions and caring for ourselves...or something like that. It’s been awhile since we’ve all hung out, so come on, let’s go!” 

You started to follow Naruto, Neji had grabbed your hand,”(Y/N), we’re not done training.” 

You groaned, by now Naruto had skipped ahead and left you two by yourselves, “Neji, we’ve been training all day, let’s take a break, we need it. Please, please.” You bounced on the balls of your feet. Neji responded with a huff, he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. You took the opportunity to look around you, straining your eyes yet again to see if you could find a soul nearby. 

Calling it safe, you rested your hands on his arms, leaning up on your tiptoes you gave him a simple peck on the lips. Neji was worrisome after the pure action, panicked, he looked around. You grabbed the sides of his face, pressing his forehead against yours. 

“It’s alright, I promise.” 

-

You and Neji arrived at the bathhouse separately like normal. You arrived at the same time Tenten did, she shared some mission stories as you walked into the area where ladies only stayed and relaxed in the bath. You both undressed and playfully pushed each other to get to the bath. Sakura, Ino and Hinata already getting into the hot water. 

You and the girls made small talk here and there about missions until the subject of boys popped up. This was no surprise, you’ve been to dinner get togethers with just the girls and this is the one topic that pops up. Hinata blushed as usual talking about her very obvious crush on Naruto, Ino and Sakura putting a damper on their mood talking about Sasuke Uchiha, Tenten didn’t really say much about it, she only made a sly comment that boys were stressful.

Then they all looked to you, “I agree with Tenten, boys have cooties.” You pucker your lips and make kissy noises at all of them causing an eruption of laughter. 

On the other side of the wall is a room full of guys relaxing in the water slyly listening in on the girls as they talk. Neji can’t help but smile a little at your comment, he cleared his throat, sinking deeper into the water, hoping nobody had seen him. 

“Those girls sure are noisy,” Shikamaru groans, leaning his head back on the tile surrounding the bath. All six guys murmur in agreement. 

“Hey Neji, how’s training going with (Y/N) anyway?” Kiba scrubs Akamaru’s head as he directs his question to the flushed jounin. 

“Oh, well. She’s quite a handful, she’s incredibly strong but she seems distracted which is causing her actions to be slower. I’m not sure why she is.” 

“Haha, sure you know why she is, Neji!” 

The guys turn to look at the beaming Naruto who sits on top of the tile with his legs in the water. After realizing shortly what he had said, he made immediate eye contact with Neji who was glaring at him. 

“Uh, I mean. Hey, I think I hear bushy brow, I’ll go meet him!” Naruto swiftly jumps up, wraps his towel around his waist and quickly walks out of the bathing area. 

That idiot, Neji thought. 

“What was he on about?” Shikamaru glances from where Naruto had just left and back to Neji. Neji shrugs nonchalantly, “He’s been acting strange. He could be going on about anything.” 

A few minutes of the dropped subject had passed as the boys finally sat back and relaxed. 

A loud crash next door startles them, Neji being the first to jump out of the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist. He ran next door, shortly followed by everyone else, “Naruto, you perv!” Neji spots a stunned Naruto standing in the doorway of the women’s bathing area, “No, wait, it wasn’t me!”

“Don’t act all innocent Rock Lee!” 

“Rock Lee.” 

Neji and the others scatter into the bathing area, “What the hell is going on here?” A small part of the roof had collapsed, the dust cleared and he sees all of the girls dressed except for you who held a kunai knife in one hand and a towel that barely covered your body in the other. 

“Rock Lee has been peeping on us,” Tenten points over to where Ino has grabbed onto Lee’s collar screaming insults at him, Lee is helpless and panicking as the girl screams in his face about being a pervert. 

“He did what?! How improper!” Neji wanted so bad to run and find your clothes so weren’t so exposed to all of the guys in the room but his focus was on Lee. 

Lee had managed to escape Ino’s grasp, with tears in his eyes he ran as fast as he could away from the angry shinobi. 

‘Don’t let him get away!’

‘That pervert!’

‘He’s gonna pay for this!”

You and Naruto were the only ones left behind as you frantically looked for your clothes but couldn’t find certain items that could be under the rumble that Lee fell through. 

“Naruto, come on.” 

“He didn’t do it,” Naruto mumbled.

“What? What do you mean?” 

“He wasn’t peeping, he was training on the rooftops and he must’ve-.” You cut him off, believing him you grabbed his hand, “Well come on then, we can’t let him get beat up, he’s scared. Come on! Let’s go!”

You and Naruto had made it just in time to break through the forming circle around a frantic Rock Lee who was trying to defend himself. 

“Wait, stop! Bushy brows isn’t that kind of person, so if he says he’s innocent then I believe he’s innocent. Don’t judge him when you don’t have any proof that he’s guilty. Trust in your comrade.” 

You glanced over the guilty faces of your friends, “Maybe you’re right.” 

“Have a big heart and an open mind.” Naruto starts to turn to Lee, Lee seemed nervous as he did.

“Naruto, wait!”

The formed circle of shinobi all gasp as they spot a laced bra hanging out of Naruto’s towel. Neji glared at the provocative item, he thought he recognized it. 

“Hey, that’s mine.” You self consciously wraps your arms around your chest. Naruto had taken your bra? 

“Naruto, you underwear thief!” Sakura, Ino and Tenten all glare at Naruto. You were pulled behind a soaked Neji in only his towel who was fuming with anger. 

“What?” 

Sakura was the first to get her punch on Naruto, her strength idling him enough to where no one else needed to take a hit on him. 

You leaned your forehead on Neji’s bare shoulder.

“Oh, Naruto.” 

[raspberryfanfics]

La Primavera—NT Month Day 2

Day 2 - Primavera or spring

I know i’m late ok? Only 17 minutes of day 3 so making the most out of it

On FFn

Introduction

The optional part of a sonata, slower than the main theme, usually in the dominant key. May contain material later stated in the exposition.

Lead violin.

Tenten swore those words would haunt her until the day she died. She was so close. Her audition was perfect. Her music was expressive, her calloused fingers rolling across the strings with grace and her arms moving the bow with so much feeling.

And the worst part was that even if her audition was perfect, she still knew that there was no way she would have made solo violin compared to Neji Hyuga. Because the moment she heard him play, she knew he did everything she did twice as well.

To be honest, La Primavera wasn't even that hard to learn as a girl who had played the violin for 18 years. She shouldn't be so upset. It wouldn't be her most important gig. It was a charity one. She wasn't even going to get played. But she knew immediately that she lost the position very easily to him. She had never lost so badly

So the past four weeks, it had been playing the first violin leading the string quartet rather than the solo violin leading the song. Tenten had been responding to the solo violin on the music rather than asking. But what could she do? No matter how much more effort she put in, she couldn't have beat Neji Hyuga, whoever that was.

But who was she kidding? She had stalked Neji Hyuga on Instagram, Twitter, and every other social media he rarely used. He appeared more frequently on the news, awards, charities, and small albums. He wrote his own music.

Meanwhile, she was making pop covers with a violin.

Of course, Tenten wrote her own music too, but it was simple, nowhere as extravagant as his.

Tenten walked into the rented church, her case heavy in her arm. A smiling boy joined her side, he had shiny black hair cut into a bowl-shape, a case similar to hers, only larger. She assumed he was the violist.

"I'm Tenten," she offered.

"Lee," he flashed a smile, bright and glaring. It made her wince, though she thought he seemed like a sweet person.

"Are you familiar with the other musicians, Hinata, Gai, and Kakashi?" she asked.

"Not Hinata," Lee said, his voice loud. "Gai-sensei taught me everything I know about the viola, Kakashi is his husband. They are incredibly talented. Do you know of Neji Hyuga?"

Tenten nodded weakly. "Yes, I've listened to his recordings. He's great."

Fucking amazing, she meant.

And he was already sitting in the room with supposedly Hinata, tuning his violin without the help of the harpsichord or a tuner.

"Do you need me to play and 'A'?" she offered, already reaching for the keyboard.

Instead, he looked up at her, his cold pale eyes meeting her warm brown ones. A tingle went down her spine, but it didn't seem to be because of the cold not because she was intimidated.

"I have absolute pitch," he replied curtly before going back 'D'.

Tenten scoffed at his abruptness and his arrogance. Of course, he'd have perfect pitch. Who would expect?

Hinata gave a slight smile. She had the same eyes as Neji did. And last name, for that matter. "I'll take an 'A', please."

Tenten smiled at her, pressing the note so it rang out. She knew that Hinata easily could have listened to her cousin's note in reference to her own, but took the note anyhow.

Lee had taken out his viola as well, tuning his instrument. With the notes fresh in her mind, Tenten started as well.

When Gai and Kakashi burst in late, she was surprised by the similarities between the former and Lee. They really looked like father and son. More so than Neji and Hinata looked like siblings or cousins.

"I COULD HEAR YOUR YOUTHFUL TUNING ACROSS FROM THE ROOM! DO PLAY ME AND 'A', MISS—"

"Tenten," she said, her voice sounding like a squeak compared to his boisterous one.

Nonetheless, she let the note run through.

And when everyone was tuned, warmed up, and ready, they started. Just from the pure grace expressed on his violin, Tenten knew she was screwed. Neji Hyuga was too good, even with only a month of practice.

Exposition

The primary part of a sonata, the beginning, presenting the main motif, commonly repeated throughout. The key changes near the end of the section, preparing for the development.

Weirdly enough, after a few practices, Tenten met him again not at the church, but when she was performing on the street, greeting strangers as they walked by, pausing to talk after each song. So she finished her cover of Riptide and smiled at him.

"Hey," she said to him while answering the questions of a few admirers. However, his posture seemed to scare off the rest of her audience.

"You use your talent for this?" he scoffed.

Whatever was the opposite of a backhanded compliment was what he had done.

"I like talking to commoners," she replied. "Everyone should hear good music."

He raised an eyebrow, she began the next song. Tenten expected him to leave but he stuck through each one of her songs, even as she talked to the people who ignored him.

"Requests, anyone?" she shouted to her audience. They looked at him and she rolled her eyes, seeing that they didn't dare speak.

"An original," he provided.

Tenten's face reddened. Did he want to make fun of her or something? Shove his superior skills in front of her face? Make it obvious that he had better music than she?

"I don't have originals," she replied. The spring breeze seemed to bring a strangely gentle smile to his lips.

"A person like you has to have originals,"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she scoffed.

"Have you really never composed anything?" Neji inquired.

Tenten paused. Any musician playing as long as she had was bound to have written something, to have memorized something. She just didn't choose to make money off of them. "I've never played them for anyone."

"Play one for me,"

And somehow, the expression on his face convinced her.

"An original for Neji here," she announced. "I call this one, Spring."

A few cheers came from her audience.

Tenten rested her bow on the strings, her calloused fingers pressing down on the board. Everything tuned out until the first ring of the music drifted through the air. It was her own interpretation of spring. Tenten played the flowers blooming, the gentle breeze, and the birds singing. When she stopped, the tips in her case looked heavier and the look of admiration and fascination in his gaze made her breath batch.

Something was different between them after that.

—

"I didn't know you had a studio," Neji walked into the apartment, offering the homey nature of where her many students would learn from her when she wasn't practicing at charities or for the people on the street.

You don't know a lot of things about me.

"Yea, it gives me more privacy. And it separates work from home. An office, in a way."

He smiled. "Impressive that you can afford it in a place with such expensive rent."

Tenten looked at him to see if there was any suspicion on his face. There weren't any. "I have my ways."

Though her ways might be questionable.

"It's not like you'd have any trouble affording it."

He shrugged, slowly looked around, sitting at her keyboard. The score on the stand took his attention. His pale eyes skimmed through the music. Her music. She could see him playing silently in his head.

"You've added more to this," he held up the page, half littered in notes. Then he motioned the piano, making her blush. "May I?'

Tenten nodded, slowly sitting beside him on the bench, the way she would with her student. Yet usually she'd listen to her students play and judge them, but now she was listening to Neji play and he was judging her.

His fingers played the first motif, then continued, playing the simple melodies with usual grace, giving her music more of a solemn feel than playful. He went through what she had not yet composed for him and the way he brought something she had written herself to life made her fall for him just a little more.

Neji filled something that Tenten made with the life only he could give, the magic he seemed to bring with him.

"It's beautiful," he said, his baritone voice deep in admiration. While her voice was high like the violin they played, his was low like the cello. Tenten's heart stopped.

"You can have it when I complete it," she blurted without thinking. He turned to her, his expression unreadable other than the fact that he thought she was crazy. "I mean, you don't' have to, of course. I know the song is super simple and definitely nothing like Vivaldi or Beethoven—"

"You'd give it to me? Your song?"

She flushed. "Well, you'd have the original score and I'd have a photocopy to play but yea, I'd write it for you."

Her face turned so red she thought she had a fever.

Yet Neji just seemed flabbergasted. Every emotion usually masked until he played the violin was open for her to see. Surprise, confusion, captivation...though she understood the expression, she just didn't understand why.

"No one has written me a piece before," he admitted, a breath escaping from his lips. And the admiration of her music turned to the admiration of her. He looked something between wonderstruck and struck. Her heart pounded in her chest a few tempos faster.

"I—I can give you one of my scores as well," he said. "It's one of the pieces I've memorized for my next concert so I'm completely finished—"

"You don't have to," Tenten said quickly, eyes wide. "You don't owe me—"

"I'd like to," he insisted. "Should you wish to learn it one day."

"Without thinking, she took his face into her hands and pulled his jaw towards her. He was still. She could feel the shock on his frozen lips. But his surprise seemed to melt like the thawing mountain streams, growing trails of new life and magic that only music could describe.

And Tenten was slowly falling for the man who tasted of spring the more she kissed him.

—

She didn't know when or even how, but there was a point where playing the Vivaldi seemed more emotional than it was. Because now, though Neji's violin was still calling, he was calling for her. She'd answer, light as the birds, like a nature spirit. And though Hinata would answer the call, then Lee, it still felt like he was calling for her only.

There they were, six strings, making one song. And it truly felt like spring.

That evening, Neji and Tenten went back to her studio. He brought his violin. He played for her the music he was still perfecting. Tenten could barely breathe. The sweet sounds made her eyes flutter shut instantly. They played for her ears only. She believed, let herself believe that this song was for her. When he finished, there was a pause. There always was a pause at the end of a great performance.

Only when he lifted his bow from the strings, had he truly completed the song. She watched anxiously as he set the instrument down, turned to her and stared into her eyes. His pale gaze was strangely warm. She breathed slowly, he breathed over her, and their legs were a tangled mess. But their lips? Oh, what was going on between their lips was far from messy.

Tenten felt like she was on cloud nine. His kisses trailed to his neck and what was supposedly warm became heated and all she could do was cling onto his dress shirt with helpless whimpers. But he pulled back, to her dismay, and it was only the grin on his face that kept her from taking charge herself.

She slowly opened her phone and tapped, then handed it back to her.

"I want to take you on a date."

Tenten nearly passed out.

"Just before the charity recital," he added. "Wear what you'll perform in and bring your violin."

She nodded dumbly.

Neji kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you then, Tenten."

After he left, she opened her phone and realized he had sent himself her real address.

All of the heat froze with a wave of fear.

—

The doorbell rang. Tenten adjusted her hair, makeup, threw her shade of lipstick into her purse in case the dinner messed it up. Or his lips.

Tenten threw makeup wipes in there just in case.

She opened the door and she had to keep herself from pouncing at him at the sight of how he looked in a perfectly tailored suit and somehow even neater hair. His tie probably cost her her her dress, shoes, and purse combined. There was a bouquet of flowers in his hand, not roses, but crocuses. Tenten didn't know a lot about flowers but she knew that crocuses were among the first flowers to bloom in spring.

As she stared at the thoughtfulness, it gave him a chance to look her apartment over. It looked normal, hopefully. He didn't point anything, in particular, out so she was in the clear.

"Shall we go?" he held his elbow out for her, which she took happily.

They walked out of her apartment, violins in their free hands.

—

The restaurant was fancy.

Tenten had feared these types of restaurants when she was younger because she knew it would be much too awkward to be enjoyable. Yet somehow, with the way he smiled and explained the French dishes to her, it didn't matter.

She cracked light jokes. They talked of their music, their lives, their dreams.

"You would have very popular concerts," he spoke.

"Yet I can't compare to you."

"I disagree," he said. "Your music is much more memorable than mine."

"I do not have the fluency that you play with, Neji."

"Will you consider being a composer?"

Tenten nodded. "I'll write you some music. You'll record them for me, make me famous."

He chuckled. "As you wish."

Her eyes widened. "Ooh, speaking of which, Lee and I got tickets to your next concert. We'll be listening very carefully for any mistakes."

"Thanks. You didn't have to."

"I would listen to your playing even had I not pursued you," she teased. "Lee would too."

Neji's expression changed. "With Lee—is there—I don't want to—if you and him—"

Tenten's eyes widened in surprise. "I've only known him since we came together for the Vivaldi. He's like a brother to me. You don't have anything to worry about."

He flushed slightly. "My apologies."

"You don't do this too often, do you?" she asked abruptly.

"Do what?"

"You don't do the dating thing a lot. You haven't had many girlfriends."

Neji stared down at his ridiculously expensive food. "It's easier for me that way. I can focus on my music."

"Then why date me?"

"Most of the time, dating distracts me. Yet you inspire me, Tenten."

Fuck, I love him.

She only smiled. "Why haven't you been inspired by the other girls?"

"I've never been as attached to them as I am with you."

And she could see every ounce of vulnerability he had like all of the snow melted under her. But she was worried about when it would burn.

Development

The second part of a Sonata, introducing new or varied motifs and begins in the key the exposition ended in.

The charity recital had brought in plenty of profit. Easily said, it had been their best performance. Tenten sat by Neji's side in the fluorescent lighting backstage, exclaiming opinions and admiring the way his face seemed all the more contoured, more like a god than man.

She held his hands, firm, calloused fingers on hi his right, softer ones on his left. She was subtle, only her quartet and harpsichord noticed. His pulse would quicken at certain actions. Tenten found that she liked discovering what those actions were.

Tenten was led into his car after the recital and he didn't put keys into the ignition, rather kissed her the moment she closed the door.

"You were driving me crazy backstage," he said between breaths.

"Really? Totally couldn't tell."

"You were."

"Looks like you're gonna have to sneak me backstage during your concert." she joked.

But alas, the moon started to grow tired of them making out in the car and she was yet to go home despite rather staying with him.

"I'm planning the date next time," she told him as they walked to her apartment, lingering because neither wanted to leave. His memory would still cling onto her, though it would never beat the real thing.

He was spring now. He used to be winter; cold, harsh, and thrilling, but she had melted into spring; warm, gentle, relaxing. She liked to think of herself as summer; hot, fierce, and playful, so she was able to do so. She liked to believe she was the only one to make the icy exterior thaw.

They reached the top of the steps to her apartment. She shoved her keys in her door, fumbling. And she looked back at him, let go of her unlocked doorknob, seeing his pale eyes staring at her so wondrously. They were darkened by the dim lighting and Tenten was filled with so much desire and amazement that she let the words at the tip of her tongue slip.

"I love you, Neji."

Tenten was afraid of his reaction so she quickly reached for the door again. Yet he grabbed her hand and pushed her wrists above her head. He attacked her with his mouth and fuck, spring was definitely summer now. She could only wrap her legs around his waist, accommodating his kisses by tilting her head and gasping for air.

Fireworks went off in her body. Symphonies played in her head. Even as he pulled away slightly, she could tell that he wanted to lean in again.

"Say it again," he breathed. She was amazed that he managed to get any words out.

"I—I love you,"

"Again,"

"I love you.

"Again."

"Aren't you going—"

"I love you, Tenten."

Her heart stopped. And it stopped again when he reached up to her cocktail dress and she realized where this was going.

"Wait—" her voice trailed off when he squeezed her bottom and sucked at her collarbone. "I—"

He opened the door and Tenten had to force herself away.

"Neji, I—"

But she was too late.

His pale eyes, previously filled with desire and lust were filled with confusion, slowly morphing into anger. In them, she could see the reflection of a warm light, the type that tried to imitate the sunshine but never worked, and a familiar silhouette.

"Tenten," though he was trying to stay calm, she could hear a slight quiver in his voice. "Who—"

The guy on the couch had obsidian hair and eyes. He seemed bored, a horror documentary playing on the television. In all, he didn't seem to care. "Who am I? I should be asking you, shouldn't I be? You're in my house, after all."

"You live here," Neji said, though it was quite obvious now.

Tenten wanted to hide in a corner. She was going to have a panic attack if this went—

"And you don't. Nice flowers you got for my girlfriend, by the way. I'm sure she appreciates it—"

"Sasuke—" she started, but Neji interrupted.

"My deepest apologies. I wasn't aware that Tenten had—"

"It is not your fault that she failed to inform you of her commitments."

But he was already out of the apartment.

She didn't even spare a look back at Sasuke, following after him with hasty steps.

"Neji!"

He didn't answer her. She called his name again and again yet he continued walking. He walked to his car, the door unlocking. With a burst of speed, she intercepted him from opening the door, biting her lip and holding back the tears she didn't deserve to have.

"Neji will you listen to me—"

"Why should I listen to you!" he shot, suddenly, face red, burned, scorched by her. His chest heaved up and down and though he feigned pure rage, it sounded more like pleading.

"So I can explain—"

"What can possibly explain you having a boyfriend already? I thought I was your boyfriend! What can you say that will excuse not telling me in any fucking circumstance?"

She was silent. Tenten didn't have an answer.

"Fuck," he said, voice breaking as if she had put her hand over the strings, stopping any further sound. "You said—you said you love me and I fucking believed you."

"I do love you!" she said. "I don't love Sasuke, I love you! I want you, Neji—"

"But how can I trust you!" tears started to roll down both their faces.

She shook and he pushed her away to the side roughly. Tenten didn't feel it. She could only feel regret and guilt and knew that she deserved it.

"I don't want to see you again. I don't want you in my life anymore," he said, voice too much calmer than before. He slammed the car door and drove away, not even looking at her through his rearview mirror.

And she broke down in the parking lot of her apartment building, feeling more helpless than she had ever been.

—

It wasn't like Tenten had ever loved Sasuke Uchiha. Not even a little bit. How could she have ever had an ounce of feeling other than platonic for him when that was the only way he felt for her too?

The thing was, she was his rebound friend with benefit. Two bad ideas in one. But bad ideas often outweighed each other and while friends with benefits often caught feelings and as did rebounds, being both made her even colder to him than she used to be.

Sasuke had just broken up with Sakura Haruno, a bassist under Kakashi, while he was a violist like Lee. They had known each other forever. They had loved each other for a little shorter. But Sakura wasn't someone he could just get over. Sex wouldn't change that but would sure distract.

He and Tenten took many of the same classes in university. Were they friends? Not really. But they often collaborated together and knew each other well enough. Around the same time he broke up with Sakura, she needed a studio for her students. So he let her live in his one-room apartment and in exchange, she became his girlfriend, which really just meant she was his sex buddy and warded off any other girls who wanted to be.

And it worked for her too. Like Neji, boyfriends distracted her. She didn't like falling for guys even though she knew she would cave under some of their charms. Sasuke warded them off for her as well. He wasn't bad in bed either. They only considered themself as actual friends when she was so drunk that she brought home a guy who wanted to take advantage of her in her own house, whom he nearly beat up.

Maybe it would have been easier to explain to him had she not slept with him since meeting Neji. Tenten really had done that. She felt dirty, a mistress, and Sasuke didn't know any better than to drive Neji off too. He had been right. Nothing could have possibly excused her actions because he deserved to know about Sasuke in a way better than what had happened, and he would have understood why she did what she did.

Tenten sulked around her house for a week. She emailed her students and said she was sick. She practiced the violin all day, playing the songs he had given her for hours on end.

That was when her "boyfriend" approached her.

"I think it's around time you and I broke up."

Tenten blinked, then saw he was sincere. She set down her instrument and he sat down on their bed, sighing.

"The past few weeks, you don't seem to want sex as much."

She nearly slapped him for his words but he held his pale hand out, stopping her.

"In the times we did have sex, you muttered someone else's name," he explained. "I couldn't figure out what you said. But now that I think about it, it was his. The man you brought home and cried for a week ago. I can tell you love him, the way I love Sakura. I don't want to get in the way between that."

Tenten didn't know what to say. She just stared at him. It was obvious that he still wasn't over his ex, but he had never admitted loving her out loud.

"I'll help you move out. I can loan you some money as well."

"But why? I'm the one who has been in the wrong. Why are you being so nice to me?"

He shrugged. "You were the only person who understood not wanting to talk about Sakura. And you've made me realize that I want her back."

She found herself calling Lee that day, explaining to him the mess she had gotten into. He offered her the empty room in his space.

Recapitulation

The repeat and slightly altered version of the exposition in a sonata. Usually consists of a transition to keep the tonic key so the section can conclude.

"TENTEN! DID YOU SERIOUSLY FORGET?"

It was the middle of the evening. What could she possibly forget? She was in her studio, writing music.

"Lee, what is it this time?" Tenten muttered, setting her score down as he walked in, wearing a green button-up and nice pants. His hair was neater. He looked like he was going on a date. Had he needed a ride for his date or something?

"The concert!" he shouted as if she was stupid. To be fair, she was.

"What concert?"

"NEJI'S CONCERT! NEJI'S CONCERT IS TODAY! WE HAVE TICKETS, REMEMBER?" he shoved a black dress into her hands. "GET READY."

Tenten's heart stopped. She hadn't seen him in weeks. She thought of him every day. She cried herself to sleep thinking of him. She thought of him in her sleep. "Why the fuck would I go to his concert?"

"Because even if you are in love with him, it doesn't excuse the fact that he has great music."

She could see very little resemblance between the two subjects.

"Oh, come on, Ten. Are you seriously going to miss it?"

She wasn't and he knew it. So she threw on the dress and joined him in the concert hall, blending in with hundreds among hundreds of other people, waiting in line just to see him play. Tenten didn't know what to expect.

The lights seemed to dim in what felt like years and he walked out onto the stage. Her breath caught painfully in her throat. It hadn't caught this way in so long.

He was the personification of elegance. His dark suit made him took tall, his hair drifting down his back in a low ponytail, his pale skin glowing in the spotlight. Tucked under his arm was his violin. Even though he was on the stage and she was far into the audience, she could still see those lilac eyes clearer than ever.

Neji took a spot at the center of the stage and closed his eyes, shifting as everything was so silent she could hear a pin drop. When he opened his eyes, music started to drift into the halls.

She recognized the music. She had listened to him play it over and over again, sometimes slowly, sometimes in different rhythms. She had played it over and over again, the music that he had given her the scores to. Upon hearing the sounds coming from his violin rather than hers, Tenten felt like she was going to burst because even though it was the same music, it sounded so different as he did.

And the whole concert was like that. She had to close her eyes and listen so she could be fully immersed in it. Tenten felt herself falling all over again. The music was sombre, cold, and distant. Yet she felt it all. She had been summer before and now she was turning into autumn. Everything was chilly. Shivers ran down her spine.

When he ended his last piece, it felt like no time had passed. Everyone was quiet. They could only breathe it in. Neji bowed, and she could only stand like the rest of them, clapping. He looked forwards and she felt like he was looking directly at her, but he wasn't. He only looked to a sea of faces, faces he couldn't even see, and she knew she was only imagining things. They cheered for an encore, even the staff cheered for an encore, and he slowly raised his hands, allowing them to quiet so he could perform.

Yet he spoke instead. She hadn't heard him speak this whole time until now.

"This piece was composed for me by someone dear to me. She calls it Spring."

Tenten clutched onto Lee's arm with terrifying strength. "Fuck, fuck, Lee, that's my—"

But the first note of her song filled the hall with a warmed feeling than all of his other songs. He was playing her song. He played to exceptionally beautifully, with all the emotions she had felt in her heart. She heard love, she heard spring, and she heard the beautiful thing they had developed in a heart wrenching way.

Tears slid out of her eyes as he finished and when she left, the talkative exclaims of how their favourite piece had been the encore at the end.

—

Hinata had given her his address so there she was, standing at Neji's apartment with only hope and a violin.

She rang his doorbell slowly, holding her breath as she heard his footsteps come closer.

The door opened and he met her eyes, holding her gaze for a solid second before slamming the door in her face.

"Neji Hyuga!" she screamed, tired, fed up, and terribly, terribly in love with him.

"Fuck off!"

She didn't think that such foul and ungraceful words would ever come out of his mouth. Yet Tenten had long predicted such an outcome would happen. So she sat her violin case on the opposite wall, then took out her tuner. She watched as the notes hit a whole tone below what the standard tuning was and started on the song.

Though it was awkward at first, she soon got the hang of it. The melody was the one he composed. Music in exchange for music. A song an audience had heard but only two knew to play. She mustered all the emotions she could into it. Tenten tried to play it as well as he did.

Her performance caught the attention of a few other residents of the building. Perhaps they were enchanted by the music, perhaps they were going to threaten Neji with another sound complaint. Yet they saw her, not him, playing differently, playing in the hall. They listened to her, reciting his music until his door opened once more.

Neji's eyes were brimmed red, he looked more tired than he had during his concert. She stopped playing at the sight of him and couldn't move her sore fingers. She saw his adam's apple bob and he bit his lip.

"You're out of tune," he whispered. Because of course even though her music had brought him to tears behind the door, he would only point out her purposeful mistake to flaunt his absolute pitch.

The people of the apartment watched in interest.

"It's driving you mad," she said, referring herself more than the instrument. Yet she tucked the violin under her arm, grabbing her case, and entering his apartment before he could drive her out yet again.

Neji leaned against the door after closing it, rubbing his temples. He didn't meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry for everything," she whispered, setting down her violin and touching his face lightly.

Neji leaned his head back further into the door, almost as if he wanted to escape her touch, but he tilted it and somehow his jaw fit even tighter into her hand.

"I won't make excuses. But I have never had feelings for Sasuke, only for you, and we broke up a couple of weeks ago. I still love you, Neji." Tenten inhaled sharply. "I know you love me too."

And he started to shake, trembling into her hand, clinging onto her.

"Will you give me another chance?"

Neji nodded.

She hadn't realized how badly she needed that. Relief flooded her veins and she kissed him, slowly, steadily, and never planned to let go.

Spring meant new beginnings, but most of the time it was just being revived again.

[sakura-blossom28]

Heartbroken

All fixed! Thank you to everyone who has read and left encouraging words, they’re really helping! Hope everyone likes the direction of the story. My goal is just to write about how I wish to find happiness one day and just projecting my thoughts out there! Let me know what you think!

Part 1 / Part 2 /  Sakura hadn’t felt this awake in a while.  She was excited about starting her new kickboxing class today with Temari and Hinata.  Last night was non-stop laughing between the three of them.  Sakura was finally starting to get back her appetite.  For the months since the breakup, her eating habits were all over the place.  One minute she feels so sick she could barely eat, the next she is scarfing down food as if her life depended on it.  Last night was good for her.  She felt closer to Temari even though they had just met, but she felt a true genuine feeling about her.  

Things were feeling okay.  Sakura got up at 8 AM to get ready for her new class.  They had to get there early to fill out some forms and pay for their class.  The gym was pretty close to where Sakura worked, so if she liked it enough she could go right after and not have to go home first.  That was the hard part for Sakura if she went home she would never leave her house. 

Today she wore her favorite maroon workout pants, a white t-shirt with a little cartoon cactus on it, and her usual black running shoes.  Sakura looked in her mirror in her room and decided to put up her hair.  Normally she liked to keep her pink hair down, but now that it was almost touching her shoulders she could make a real ponytail.  She thought back to when she was much younger and had long beautiful hair.  Sakura missed braiding her hair, it felt like forever.  It made her feel soft and delicate, but she hadn’t felt like that in a while. 

Clearing her mind she looked at the time and she was ready to go.  Sakura already felt her adrenaline rising as she quickly drove to the gym.  When she pulled up it was a simple brick building.  The gym’s name was simply called Power.  A bit intimidating, but Sakura did want to get strong.  Figuring Hinata and Temari would pull up any second she decided to go inside to get started on the paperwork.  

Walking into the gym, Sakura did not expect the design to be the way it was.  The front desk was very clean and organized with all silver detailing matching the equipment behind the desk.  Being early on a Saturday morning Sakura expected the place to be bustling with grunting men and women pumping iron to their heart’s content.  Instead, it was just a handful of people just calmly going about their routines. They weren’t super muscly like everyone thinks a typical gym has, but just average people.  That made Sakura feel better.

Nowhere in sight was any punching bags.  There were two doors next to each other in the very back, and two doors side by side on her left.  Maybe locker rooms? Surprisingly enough it was a very calm atmosphere.  This completely relaxed Sakura of any lingering fear that she had in the back of her mind.  The front desk attendant smiled at her kindly and welcomed her in. 

“Hello! My name is Tenten. Welcome to Power.  Are you here to join one of our classes?” she said still continuing to smile.  Tenten clearly used the privileges of her job, because she was fit.  She had deep brown eyes and dark brown hair styled as two buns sitting on her head, a style Sakura always wanted to try but could never pull off.  Maybe she was teaching the women’s class, Sakura wouldn’t mind working with her.

“Yes, I’m here to sign up for the kickboxing class with my friends,” Sakura said offering a smile of her own.  

“Great here are the forms while you wait for them!” Tenten said reaching under the counter to grab a printed out form.  Sakura thanked her and sat down at a small table in the front to fill out her information.  If Sakura had been paying attention she might have noticed Tenten taking out her phone to snap a quick picture of her and start frantically texting on her phone to her work group-chat. 

Tenten: Hey Gaara, is this the girl your sister was telling me about last night??

Gaara: I have no idea why Temari is making such a big deal out of this, but yeah that must be her. How many girls have pink hair like that?

Tenten: She’s pretty cute! You better get down here pretty fast, I think I hear Lee coming…

Gaara: What does that have to do with anything?

Neji: That must be the girl who Lee wouldn’t shut up about for weeks. He was introduced to her by Naruto. 

Lee: Don’t let her leave!! I’ll be there in 10 minutes!!!

Gaara: I’ll be down in five.

Tenten snickered to herself.  Finally some workplace drama!  She totally remembered this was the girl that Lee was obsessed with for a while.  She heard Sakura turned him down nicely and was kind enough to listen to his crazy ramblings for one whole night.  Tenten thought it would be good for Gaara to start seeing someone.  Maybe he wouldn’t be around the gym so much bossing them around.  Thankfully Neji was level headed and ran the books for them, or the place would already be in the ground.  

Normally girls would fall over any time they caught a glimpse of Gaara and he could not be bothered by them.  And this girl who he seemed to barely know was getting him out of his apartment, very strange.  Temari made it a point to say that Sakura didn’t even see Gaara’s face when they “met” so she had to watch her face very closely and report back to Temari.  Hearing the door open Tenten was ready to see her redheaded boss, but instead, she saw a blur of green rush past her towards the table that Sakura was sitting at.  She was too shocked to see that Gaara was coming in right behind it.

“Sakura!! It is so good to see you again! I am so glad that you have decided to join our gym! I am most looking forward to you improving your skills so you may join my advanced class! If you ever need any personal help…” a voice said right in her ear.  

Sakura knew the voice immediately.  She only knew one person who could give Naruto a run for his money for talking that fast and had no concept for personal space.  She peeked up from her forms to see a bright smile attached to bushy dark eyebrows and an unfortunate bowl cut.  

“Oh hi, Lee…” Sakura started with a weak smile, but before she had to continue the conversation a deep stern voice broke her train of thought.  

“Alright Lee back off.  Don’t go scaring the new recruits like that,” Gaara said as he made his way over.  Sakura looked up to meet cool jade eyes somewhat like her own.  This was Gaara.  His eyes were what was drawing Sakura in, she couldn’t place where she had seen his eyes before since she had never seen his face before.  His face was clear of any emotion, but the tone of his voice wasn’t harsh and he didn’t give off the vibe of being a gym buff.  He really didn’t have any defining features except being very handsome, but as Sakura was searching his face she noticed a tattoo on the corner of his forehead.  What a strange place for a tattoo, she thought to herself.  Not wanting to be rude she gave Gaara a small smile of thanks as Lee slunk away behind the counter next to a snickering Tenten.  

Gaara turned back to Sakura and asked, “Do you need anything before we start? I’m sorry my sister is running late, it’s her trademark.” 

“No, I think I’m alright, I just need some gloves to borrow.” 

“Alright you can follow me then,” he said as he started to walk towards the back of the gym.  Sakura got up trying not to look at the smiling Lee that seemed to follow her every move.  As they moved through the gym, she noticed that one of the doors led to the training room and the other was an office.  

“Typically people bring their own gloves, but since I knew you guys were coming I brought some of my old gloves for you and Hinata.  They’re pretty worn in so it shouldn’t feel too bad,” Gaara said to her as he was searching through a big duffle bag. “Here these look like a good fit for you.”

He handed her a well-worn pair of brown gloves.  With Sakura having smaller hands she was surprised at how well they fit.

“How old are these gloves? You must have been a kid when you used these!” Sakura said gently hitting the gloves together.  For a first impression and talking to a guy this good looking Sakura thought she was doing pretty well.  

“Yeah, you’re actually right,” Gaara said with a small smile on his face.  His face completely changed when he was smiling.  Uh oh.  Sakura could already feel her face heating up.  Not what she needed.  No crushes.  Plus he was Temari’s brother! That made him off-limits right? But if she did think about it, wouldn’t it be better just to have a crush on Gaara and not do anything about it because she couldn’t?  

You’re getting way too ahead of yourself as usual.  Slow down you LITERALLY just met the guy.  What if he’s a total jerk? Talking to herself always helped Sakura think and the voice in the back of her mind was usually right.  But he went out of his way to bring old gloves for them when he didn’t have to.  

As Sakura was thinking, really talking to herself, Gaara noticed the look of concentration on her face.  He knew that look very well.  He too would talk to himself in his mind and think no one was watching.  No one had ever noticed before because he learned to control his face while he thought, but clearly, no one had told Sakura about this tip.  She actually looked kinda cute while she was arguing with herself.  That thought shocked Gaara.  Normally he didn’t notice girls, especially one with pink hair and delicate looking.  But who was he to judge a book by its cover? His whole life people did that to him and he promised himself he wouldn’t do it to others.  

Before they knew it they were both staring at each other lost in their own thoughts.  At the sound of the door opening to more students walking in did they look away.  Neither one of them noticed the slight blush that was growing on each of their faces.  Throwing it up to the room being too hot.  

“I recommend a spot towards the middle in the second row. You’ll be able to see pretty well without having to be right in the front,” Gaara said turning to pick up his duffle bag. 

“Thanks!” Sakura said with a real smile, it felt nice chatting with Gaara.  It felt like progress being able to look at a guy and actually have a conversation.  Maybe a little crush wouldn’t be so bad?  But what if he already has a girlfriend?  That nagging thought would be pushed into the back of her mind for now, “Would you happen to know who’s teaching the class?”

“Don’t worry it’s not Lee,” Gaara said with humor in his voice.  That made Sakura look at him.  He did give off the impression of being super stoic but in the few minutes of talking that didn’t seem to be the case.  

“Not that he isn’t nice, I don’t think I’d be able to keep up with him,” Sakura said with a small chuckle.  

“Don’t worry I’ll go easy on you guys since you’re new.  Don’t want to scare you off too quickly,” Gaara said as he started to smirk.  With that, he took his bag and walked to the front of the room, leaving Sakura shocked right where she stood.  

XxX

Hinata and Temari eventually showed up and the class started.  Gaara gave a small introduction to a group of about 10 people in the room.  Not only had Gaara been boxing for most of his life, but he owned the gym!  Sakura felt her jaw drop a bit when he mentioned that and she could hear Temari snickering next to her.  

Gaara went over the basics for them and it was pretty simple, kicking and punching.  Now just to do it a million times to create muscle memory to do it perfectly.  Then increase your speed and make a routine out of it.  Piece of cake.  The class was only an hour and Sakura could not remember the last time she worked this hard.  She could not perfect her moves in a single class.  Her arms and legs were jello by the time they were finished.  As they practiced Gaara walked around the small room to help everyone with their form.  

He purposely told Sakura about the spot in the middle so that he could keep an eye on her progress without being too noticeable.  Plus he knew Temari would have been mad if she was in the back of the room.  Sakura was actually doing pretty well for just picking up a pair of gloves for the first time.  She was a little stiff, but that was to be expected.  He started to walk towards her punching bag.

“You’re swing is a little off.  Try keeping your arm straight and pull it right back.  Arching your arm is for a different day,” Gaara said after watching Sakura give a few punches.  

She looked up, face flushed bright pink from the effort she was giving.  He was happy to see she perked up at the sound of his voice.  Lowering her arms and shaking them out, Sakura nodded at him and tried to do as he said.  After a few swings, she turned to him with a bright smile on her face.  She had a brilliant smile and her eyes were bright and alight compared to how she looked while she was going through his sketchbook.  He returned her smile with a small one of his own.  

“Alright everyone, that’s enough for today.  Go take a walk to cool off.  Sign up for another class if you’re interested.  Thanks for coming,” Gaara called out dismissing the class.  Everyone let out an exhausted sign with a few laughs.  

Sakura sat down hard on the ground out of breath.  She couldn’t remember ever being this tired, but she felt really good.  She would definitely be signing up for more classes.  Maybe Gaara would be teaching more classes…

“So what did you think?” Temari asked the two of them once they all caught their breath.  

“That was amazing! If I didn’t think it would kill me I’d come every day!” Sakura said with a laugh.

“And would that have anything to do with the teacher?” Temari asked with a sly smile on her face.  Sakura was surprised at the question, but Temari seemed to be the teasing type.  

“Temari that’s your brother! Plus he probably has a girlfriend or something right?” 

“Oh, so you’re interested hmm? Are stiff redheads your type Sakura? I can vouch for him he’s warm and fuzzy on the inside!!” At this point, Sakura was bright pink again from Temari’s teasing.  And of course, Gaara chose this time to walk up to them. 

“Temari are you being annoying again?  Leave Sakura alone,” he reached out a hand to help Sakura up, “Just ignore her that’s what the rest of us do.” The simple gesture touched her.

“Oh haha, you’re so funny, brother,” Temari said while rolling her eyes, “Hey I know! Since it’s Saturday we should all go out tonight! C’mon, it’ll be fun.  We can invite your whole crew! What do you guys say?”

Sakura was quiet at first waiting for someone else to respond, but it seemed everyone was looking at her to answer.  Strange, normally she didn’t make the choices like this, but it kind of felt nice.

“I’m pretty exhausted so I’m not too sure how much fun I can handle, but there’s a bar by my house that is pretty relaxing and has a lot of seating!” Sakura suggested.  Hinata and Temari seemed to be on board with the idea.  Gaara was walking away, but Temari called out to him.  

“Gaara you’re coming right?”  He seemed to pause but turned to look at them.  He seemed to be looking at each of them but lingered on Sakura to see what she would do.  Sakura smiled, she wouldn’t mind if Gaara came, it would be a good chance to get to know him better.  

“Fine I’ll go,” he said as he turned back around and walked out into the gym.  

“Finally! I’ve been trying to get him to come out for weeks.  And it’s all thanks to you Sakura,” Temari said and patted her on the shoulder.  What was that supposed to mean? She never did get an answer as they walked out after Gaara.  

“Tonight will be a great night you’ll see!” was all Temari said, giving Hinata a wink.  Oh, but did she have plans for tonight...

Part 4