#dont worry there will be takoyaki to enjoy

[raisin-writes]

hachi x reader hcs

fishman island got me feeling kinda fruity for this big lug and i know DAMN well the normies aint gonna write for him, gotta do everything myself around here smfh

sfw and nsfw

nsfw under the cut. minors dont interact with that part istg 🫵👁️👁️💢

sfw:

super super sweet bf, like tooth rotting levels of sweetness.

hes the one who asks you out, but hes so shy and awkward about it. any courage he'd gathered beforehand goes right out the window as he twiddles his thumbs and stutters over his words like a fool. its all the more endearing, really; you cant help but laugh when his face lights up and he pulls you into an all encompassing bear hug while jumping around hooting and hollering after you accept.

big kisses from him, likes to surprise you with them when you're looking away only to get a cheekful when you turn back to face him again- that long mouth of his has its advantages. giving him kisses in return makes him squeal and often ends up with you being pulled into him, his arms wrapping around you as he nuzzles you with his cheek, giggling and smiling.

he could never say no to you. he'd give you the world if he could, you mean so much to him. he doesnt have much in the way of financial security, especially now that hes retired from his pirating career, but by god he will try his damndest to make good on his promises to provide for you.

LOVES pda, it makes him feel all giddy inside. even just a peck on the cheek has his chest puffing up and a big grin forming on his face. hand holding makes him weak in the knees. cupping his cheeks in your hands and locking eyes with him while you have that soft, loving look in your eye will make him flush beet red from the top of his head to his chest, you swear you can see steam coming out of his ears.

he gets all starry-eyed whenever he gets the chance to just sit back and admire you, a longing sigh leaves his lips and his heart swells with love.

he doesnt mind making a fool of himself if it makes you laugh- whether that be with some sort of accidental slap-stick routine (he gets so clumsy around you) or singing the worst rendition of a love song in all his tone deaf glory. hes addicted to the sound, he cant get enough of it. your happiness never fails to bring a smile to his face.

regularly gushes about you to caime and pappagu. camie is so happy for him and lets him babble on for as long as he likes, but pappagu will eventually roll his eyes and start to tease him if he rambles for too long. from what hatchi tells them, you seem very nice, they wonder when they'll get to meet you.

really enjoys meal dates, hes lowkey kind of a foodie. dont worry, whatever you dont eat he'll gladly finish for you.

making food together is such a tender, intimate activity for him, it makes his heart ache (in a good way!). likes to show off his culinary skills in an effort to impress you; compliment him on said skill or how good the food tastes and he'll give you the cutest bashful smile youve ever seen, hes so modest. he gets all flustered when you ask him to help you with anything involving him standing behind you and guiding your hands.

endless takoyaki. its on the house, only for you- no ifs, ands, or buts. if you have special requests for him hes more than happy to accommodate.

hes very strong, so no matter how light or heavy you are, he can easily carry you around like a princess in his arms, on his back, or up on his shoulders, whichever you prefer. in truth, he likes carrying you on his back the most, like a little backpack <3

swimming dates are another favorite of his. it feels like youre in his domain while in the water, and he has a duty to keep you safe. loves diving down below the surface and swimming around with you on his back or in his arms. he'll take you to his favorite reefs and show you around the local marine life.

he took you to a kelp forest one time and fell in love with you all over again with the way you looked- awestruck, the sunlight glistening from the surface shining through the kelp made you look ethereal. kissing him under the water makes him feel like hes died and gone to fish-heaven, he feels so at peace down here with you. dont even get me started on the way he screams internally at getting to see you in a swimsuit for the first time; he gets so red, hiding his face in his hands and kicking his feet.

HUGE cuddle bug. hes the reason they call it octopusing, his hands and legs are curled around you so there is absolutely no chance of escape, yet at the same time youve never felt so safe. whether youre sitting in his lap or laying in bed, hes happy as a clam just being so intimately close with you, skin to skin, chest to chest or spooning you from behind. loves having you lay on top of him, his hands rubbing soothing shapes into your back and giving you forehead kisses. on the other hand, he also likes it when you let him rest his head on your chest, his arms over your torso, and your nails combing through his hair (he'll forgive you for messing up his meticulously shaped 'do).

whether you want to live with him down on fishman island or up on the surface, he doesnt care. he'll be content and happy so long as he gets to be with you. if you decide on the former, he might have you live with camie for a while, at least until he can figure out a safer place to live (like hell is he gonna let you step foot in the noah district). but for you, its worth the trouble.

nsfw:

oh this fishman is a service verse fr fr, he lives to please.

because hes much bigger and stronger than you, he feels its just easier for you to take the lead and tell him what to do. he doesnt want to end up accidentally hurting you, so normally he'll just let you have your way with him, whether that be climbing on top of him and riding him while he holds you up with all of his big greedy hands, sitting on his face while he moans into your wet heat, or sinking down on his thick fingers- hes got plenty for you to choose from 😏.

gets a little nervous when you ask him to be on top. he knows hes a big guy, hes afraid hes going to accidentally crush you under him if hes not careful. dont worry, with a little encouragement and maybe some teasing, hes more than happy to give you what you need.

absolutely no degradation, choking, or hitting. he could never intentionally hurt you, that would be too much for him, he'll feel so guilty. youre his sun, his moon, his stars- in his eyes, you deserve only kindness.

hes not the best at dirty talk, but when he gets to the point of babbling, he'll shower you with praises like "you feel so amazing, your face looks so pretty right now", and cries of "need you so bad, youre perfect. youre so perfect. i love you so much." alongside other sweet endearments.

if you really beg him and goad him on, he might get huffy and smack your ass or manhandle you a bit to get back at your teasing, but thats the extent of his ability to dom. deep down you know hes capable of more, but the wall of self-discipline hes built up for himself is damn near-impenetrable.

hes in the 7 feet tall range, so you know that thang is big- around 7 inches to be specific. its tentacle-like, thick, and has a smooth velvety texture with a tapered tip. the underside has small, underdeveloped suckers that feel insanely good when he slowly drags his cock down against your walls. it normally sits inside him, tucked into a slit between his legs, but it unsheathes itself when coaxed out or hes teased in other erogenous zones.

he gets really whiney and whimpery when hes about to cum, its insanely cute. his shoulders will shake and his knees start to buckle but by god is he gonna make sure you finish either before or with him- he'll even stubbornly push himself to the point of tears to make sure he doesnt beat you to the finish line.

he has a weird thing about making sure you're satiated before he worries about his own pleasure. "its the gentlefishly thing to do!" he'll say, but deep down hes kind of insecure you'll leave him if he doesnt go above and beyond. hes not the sharpest tooth in the anglers mouth, but hes got eyes and the wherewithall to realize that theres always going to be other humans and fishmen that'll be bigger, better-looking, and richer than him, and hes scared they'll tempt you away from him. he gets better about not thinking that way the longer youre with him, but it still eats at the back of his mind every once and a while.

to combat this negative train of thought, he requires a bit of special attention; lots of kisses, anywhere and everywhere, but especially on his face and neck, sweet praises whispered in his ear, telling him all the little details you love about him, teasing caresses, maybe a small bit of tickling to get him to laugh, boasting about all the things only he could do for you, etc. he'll bounce right back with a "r-really? you think all those nice things about me??" his face gets all red and he seems to forget how to make eye contact, but the timid smile on his face and the hint of tears beginning in this eyes is a good indicator that youve done a good job of lifting his self esteem and reassuring him youre all his.

back to the fun stuff, hes very good with his hands and mouth. he loves making you moan and whine for him, your pleasure spurs him on to keep going. hes very obedient when you tell him to suck on you harder or finger you faster, all for the sweet reward of your pretty whimpers and praises. hes a hard worker, having much more stamina than the average human, so he'll go on with foreplay for seemingly forever if you ask him to.

when he first pushes inside you, it leaves you breathless. youre whining and taking shallow gulps of air when he bottoms out and you can feel that delicious twinge of pain from being stretched just past your limits.

hes not faring any better; hes shaking, gripping the sheets under you and involuntarily rutting further into your warmth, the action making you cry out and grip his forearms to keep yourself from going insane. his eyes are shut tight, his brows scrunched together in concentration. its taking just about everything in him not to just slide back out and ram into you, you feel so deliriously tight and wet around him he might just explode.

hes so gentle with you. you can see hes trying his best by the way he grits his teeth and slides into you with slow, deliberate strokes, letting you get used to his size.

you'll be more than ready for him by the time he starts actually fucking you. his thrusts are heavy, making your whole body bounce back before meeting him again in a wet slap of skin against skin. it makes you dizzy with how full you feel.

he cums a lot. it gets pretty messy, so be ready for that. once hes gotten past the peak of pleasure, his loud, pathetic whimpering gradually subsiding to quiet little moans, hes slow to pull out, amazed at the sight of his release leaking out of you and around his cock. its not a full on kink, moreso just a fascination for him.

your sigh of contentment brings his attention back up to your face and he smiles. youre both sweaty, flushed, and tired, but hes still a gentleman, he needs to clean you both up first and foremost.

aftercare is so tender with him. hes quieter, his voice a low hum when he checks in with you. hes also attentive to any mess and soreness you have, hes got plenty of hands to multitask so you'll be ready for bed in no time.

cuddling is just routine at this point, but if youre too hot, he'll settle for just holding your hand while facing you, admiring. you conk out soon after youre both settled and sleep like a baby, he'll follow a little later when his eyes get too heavy to keep open.

he snores. it sounds a bit like a kazoo sometimes. its cute.

[crispin-kreme]

Can I have some Headcannons with the Octavinelle trio when their fem crush s/o is spending more time with the young Octavinelle trio(these children somehow isekai to the future and they got to one of Mostro Lounge's tank). Would they be jealous?

The young Tweels are being smug about having all s/o's attention to themselves. Except little Azul cuz he's more shy and confused.Here a drawing of Young octo trio(Art not mine): Link

octotrio with an s/o who spends more time with the little octotrio

pairings: octotrio x gn! reader

warnings: grammatical errors

notes: this took a bit long but this was such a cute idea! thank you sm for waiting and i hope you enjoy this 💓🙇‍♀️

AZUL ASHENGROTTO

this man wouldn’t be jealous- more like embarrassed because you saw azul in his little octo form

“azul, i didn’t know you were this cute before!” you exclaimed “n-no.. its not cute.” he mutters in reply

lrly cringes if he sees you admiring his tentacles

but he does get jelly when you spend time with the leech twins

azul tries to not show he’s jealous

but he is dw you know ;D

JADE LEECH

joins you duh

he really wanted to see his younger self

“look at how cute you are, jade!” you would exclaim

but his jealousy bubbles up if you spend too much time with the little ones

especially floyd ig ig

you know he’s jealous so you reassure him “don’t worry, love. you’re still a cute baby.” you would say

FLOYD LEECH

i dont rlly think he gets jealous

he would excitedly join u :D

“waah keobi chan~ look at how cute they are!” floyd exclaims “i know, right? i didn’t know you were this cute before.” you giggled

its all fun and games then suddenly floyd gets jealous

since you were spending too much time with azul and jade (little floyd is with grown up floyd dw)

“i’m going to make azul into takoyaki if you don’t notice me, y/n!” “FLOYD NO-”

[ji-yaaan]

Anonymous asked:

Hello! I like your blog and the little comments here and there makes me laugh at times hehe ^^ May I request headcanons for Vil, Leona, Mal, and Floyd reactions and what they'll do to reconcile w/ the reader after a very hearted argument to which Reader may have said "I hate you" before storming out. Would they wait for a bit? A few days or hours? Or would they be upfront with their apology immediately? Reader also apologizes at the end, crying slightly if that's okay. If you notice me, thanks! 

°•°•𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐞?•°•°•

HC's with: Leona, Vil, Floyd, and Malleus.

Note: Ofc, I was late yet again. Pls forgive me dear sir... And ofc tumblr hates me so it won't cooperate! Drafts got deleted 3 times.... so if it somehow becomes inconsistent... I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE! STONE ME GENTLY! anyways, i hope you enjoy this, actually no, I beg that you enjoy this?! Idk lololololololololol.

[𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚍? 𝙸𝚍𝚔 𝚕𝚘𝚕]

°•°•°•𝙇𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙖 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧 •°•°•°

“I HATE YOU!” with bits of tears in your eyes, you slammed the door shut behind you leaving Leona dumbfounded all by himself.

You hate him?You hate him!?!? Is that like for real??? He’ll scratch the back of his head in shame of pushing things too far to the point you were in tears.

But what can he do? His pride caught the best of him and he acted rash in the heat of the moment. This prideful lion just doesn’t know when to shut up smh.ಥ‿ಥ

He’ll try to remember when did everything started to go wrong, but he'll just get more and more guilty the more he thinks about it.

“Tchhhh... I messed up big time...”

It's not his style to give up easily, but his mind was set in a frenzy the moment he thinks about you leaving him.

A day without you started to become dull and boring the moment he grew fond of you. So it somehow became a habit of his to constantly seek you unconsciously. Whether it's a whiff of your scent, your voice ringing in the hallways, even the sound of your footsteps is something he could easily recognize.

But now that the two of you fought, this lion will find any way possible to avoid you seeing him.

Yeah... it will probably take a while for him to apologize...(꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)

But when the time does come, expect Leona to prepare a simple yet sincere apology.

“Oi herbivore... Sorry about the other day ok? I missed my pillow for a while now...I lose...”

Simple yet sincere :') The prideful arrogant lion somehow learned to apologize despite his ego way ahead of him. He can't stand the thought of loosing you ok? (｡•́︿•̀｡)

°•°•°•°•𝙑𝙞𝙡 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙩•°•°•°•°•

“VIL STOP IT! I hate this! I hate everything! I hate you!” you quickly ran away to the door as vil stood in his spot stupefied.

You hate him? You hate the Vil Schoenheit himself?Then so be it...

Vil is basically pissed and angry™. Moreover, you had the guts and audacity to tell him you hate him. His pride was shattered in front of him. And he's not happy about that (꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)

Nope. Nah. Never. He's not apologizing anytime sooner now. He'll be waiting for that spicy well deserved apology you have for him...

He'll try his best to avoid you and give you the sassy cold shoulder treatment™. It will probably last for a few days or maybe a week. He has his pride y’know?

Not until he hears a muffled sob in the hallways and realized it was your voice. You looked visibly upset and sad as you cried your heart out, all alone in the empty hallways.

Oh no... What did he do? Was his nagging that bad? Did he take it too far with the makeovers? Guilt ate his soul away as he tried to sort out his thoughts with the clear image of your crying face embedded in his mind.

“Okay... Maybe I did take it a little too far...”

Making up his mind, Vil will try to make everything set for tomorrow and apologize to you to fix this feud  you both have. ( ╹▽╹ )

When classes are over and the two of you finally get to be alone, Vil will try to straighten this misunderstanding now! ( ꈍᴗꈍ)

“Hey Y/n I just want to tell you... I'm sorry.” “Vil I'm so sorry for the other day!-”

The both of you stared at each other with shock... Did the both of you just say sorry at the same time?

“Pfffttttt-” The both of you laugh from how hilarious this moment was. It felt as if the fight you had didn't happened at all. (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)

“Y/n I'm sorry... I took it too far with what I do without asking your opinion first...”

“Yeah... I'm sorry I lashed out at you too... That was petty...”

Vil will definitely make a million dollar once in a lifetime seen smile, so you better treasure this rare sight!!!(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

“No more fighting, okay? ”

•°•°•°•°•𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙙 𝙇𝙚𝙚𝙘𝙝•°•°•°•°•°

“Floyd I hate you!” you slammed your way out of the table, running away from Floyd.

Angering Floyd was not the brightest Idea in the book. His infamous “bad moods” was not something anyone would like to experience. But somehow, he was really pushy and annoying today and you were fed up with it.

“Ahhhh~ Koebi-chan hates me now? what do I do?”

Thankfully, Floyd wasn’t really angry, though he was sad and heart broken that his favorite person said they hated him.(╥╭╮╥)

Floyd is an impulsive boi, so he might secretly follow you to see your face or something lol.

Ofc, Knowing Floyd, he’d definitely skip classes and skip his job at the Mostro Lounge  due to his mood swings. Ofc, a certain octoboi wasn’t really happy with this.

Azul will probs tell Jade to help out his brother or something, lol Azul be secretly worrying for the two of you loooool.

However, with the help of Jade, the mushroom eel himself, he can guide his brother to make up with you!!!

Thank god mushroom eel is here to save the day! ( ´◡‿ゝ◡`)

A fight with Floyd won’t really last long. Because Floyd being Floyd, he’ll naturally come to you like nothing ever happened! That’s why you have to be patient and understanding when it comes to Floyd ok?

With the biggest hug from behind you. There was a cute eel boi that has come to ambush you with love!

“Shrimppy! Don’t avoid meeee! I miss you so much so hang out with me at the Mostro Lounge againnn!”

Floyd is not really good with his words nor his apologies. Though, his blunt and honest demeanor is definitely one of his charming points!!!! (☆▽☆)

“Shrimpy! I have some takoyaki with me! let’s share them together ok?!”

Ugh, Floyd is too cute... It would be a capital sin to not forgive him and decline his offer! Tsk I’m watching you, you better accept that apology!

•°•°•°•𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙪𝙨 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙖•°•°•°

“MALLEUS I HATE YOU!”

Shock. Pure shock. You hate him? The last thing Malleus wants is to hurt your feelings. In his eyes, humans are delicate and vulnerable beings, so he tries his best to protect you and treat you with utter delicacy. Yet it seems as if he failed to do that...

Just before you slam the door behind you and escape this fight, a hand grabs your wrist in attempts to stop you. Nonetheless you still make your way out, leaving Malleus standing there alone.

Malleus was deeply hurt and sorry for making you sad and angry. His heart was shattered with the thought of you leaving him, someone who made their way this close to his heart, someone he cherishes deeply.

But this fight wont really last long because Malmal would definitely try and apologize as quickly as possible!(ᓀ˵▾˵ᓂ)

Malleus is the soft type of person and I feel like he’d give up easily if it was you lol.(｡•́︿•̀｡)

Even if his apology was heard but not accepted, he’d gladly say his sorry no matter how much time and patience it will take, just for you to forgive him.༎ຶ‿༎ຶ

He’ll try to give you and Hour or two to clear your mind, then he’ll apologize!

Standing in front of your room, he’ll knock lightly at the door in front of him... No answer... So you’re still mad huh?

Leaning his forehead at the door, He’ll try to talk to you in hope for you to come out of your room. But nahhh, no signs of you leaving your room soo (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)

He’ll mutter apologies after another just in case you hear them :’D

“Y/n I’m sorry for hurting your feelings earlier... that was rash of me to say, so I truly apologize... I hope my feelings reach you.”

Hearing his voice, it would prolly sound as if he’s ready to cry any moment by now. You’d be a monster if you don’t forgive this fae cutie!!!(┛◉Д◉)┛彡┻━┻

When you finally come out of the door to see him. I bet you he’s moment away from his tear dripping down. Ó╭╮Ò

“You’re not mad now right? Then is it fine to ask if we eat some ice cream later?”

You bet that Malleus would give you the biggest  cheeriest grin in the entire world! oh the things you keep doing to him never surprises him. Pls dont leave this cinnamon roll or else-

That's it cuties! I need to sleep now- my classes are thriving, but I'm not!!!

God, school stuff are taking away my precious freedom and time for writing smh.

Oh god, I'm ranting again... What's new? AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Anyways, I need to woosh now and I hope you enjoyed this one!!!

[sasusakufestival]

Pink Peonies and Lilies-of-theValley

Hello there, everyone. I know its a bit late, but this is my entry for #Day02Insecurity PLEASE ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I hold no rights over Naruto and its characters. 

I have an extended version of this, available at fanfiction.net. You may look for my username: C.S.Isui and it will be under “The Bouquet Series.”

ARIGATOU MINNA-SAMA!!

_____________________________________________________________________

PINK PEONIES AND LILIES-OF-THE-VALLEY

“I dont see why not, anata.”

“I dont see why, Sakura.”

“You’re being difficult.”

“No.. you’re being difficult.”

“The both of you are being difficult. Its my birthday.”

Sarada stood at the kitchen door way, her brow beaded with sweat and her hitai-ate in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Her birthday was a week away and a pair of brand new red glasses came as a package for her.

“I think it will be nice if we paid Karin a visit. It has been a while. And I wasn’t able to see her the last time!”

“I kinda want to meet her too.”

Sasuke gave an exasperated sigh but gave a defeated smirk. His daughter inherited his and his wife’s persistence and stubbornness. It was quite annoying, really; but in a very endearing way. He looked at his girls, both with a determined look in their eyes. He sighed again, in defeat.

“Fine. Sarada, you have to promise me you will not leave my or your mother’s side and we will not stay longer than a few hours. If Orochimaru is there, we will leave immediately.”

Sarada hugged her dad happily as he patted her head with a slight pout in his face.

_____________________________________________________________________

“…And so, Sarada and I got Sasuke-kun to agree to come and visit you! I hope you dont mind. On your last letter, you said you were in a hideout near Konoha since Orochimaru wanted to wish Mitsuki good luck on the team’s retake of the Chunin Exams.

Anyways, we’ll see you in three days.

U. Sakura”

Karin was in a state of panic. The Uchiha family was gonna pop by and judging by the date on the letter, TOMORROW! She didn’t have time to prepare or clean or even do anything.

“Whatcha gonna do about it Karin? Mrs. Uchiha Sasuke is gonna visit with the hubby and little baby Sarada.”  Suigetsu was hanging out in her lab again. Apparently he had nothing better to do.

“I need to get ready. I need to at least have something for them! Instead of gawking and being stupid, why don’t you help by cleaning up?!”

The swordsman laughed it out but still decided to help. He was kinda worried for Karin. Given her history with Sasuke, he wasn’t really sure if she was truly over the guy. He did impale her in the chest with his lightning sword and all.  He watched her as she muttered to herself, panicking and obviously excited about the visit.

“WE NEED CAKE! AND BANNERS! AND ICE CREAM! AND CONFETTI! AND… And…and A GIFT! YES! THAT’S IT!”

Karin turned sharply at Suigetsu and suddenly slumped.

“What kind of gift? We already got her glasses. I can’t think of anything!” She turned her attention to the other person in the room and sighed.  “What do you think I should get them?”

Suigetsu was about to open his mouth when Karin suddenly stood up, fire in her eyes and determination in her fists.

“Im going to Konoha!”

_____________________________________________________________________

It wasn’t that far, Konoha. A 3 hour trip by foot distance was something Karin needed to think.

A cute dress, a book collection, a make-up set…. Her list went on and on and on. For 11 years she had been sending Sarada glasses, a joke she and Sakura shared. She smiled to her self, thinking about how much the little girl she helped release to the world has grown up.

“Karin oba-san… Sounds weird, but I like it.” She said as she entered the gates of Konoha.

The village was in full bloom. The cherry blossom trees were making the landscape look like a romance movie while the chilly spring air gave a refreshing breeze.

Karin remembers the last time she was here. She had been a prisoner of war, but was cordially pardoned by the Shinobi Alliance. She recalls the time when Uzumaki Naruto came to speak about the war and thanked all the shinobi who helped the cause. Never had she seen chakra so fiery and sunny.  Konoha was a place she felt safest in, despite her allegiance to one of the village’s most notorious shinobi; and the people actually didn’t mind her presence. They treated her as if she were a normal person.

Karin walked down the village market place. The scents of yakitori and mitarashii dango filled her nose while the colorful wares dazzled her eyes. Konoha never ceases to amaze her.  Looking at her wallet, Karin contemplated about buying a delicious smelling takoyaki. She had saved quite a bit since she rarely had the need to buy anything.

“Whatever. Im hungry!” She smiled to herself and proceeded to the stall. “Nee-chan, one takoyaki please, with extra mayo and katsuboshi!”  Upon receiving the serving of 5 takoyaki balls, Karin immediately took that steamy first bite and the subtle flavours of leek, octopus and takoyaki sauce bursts into her mouth. She was about to take the next bite until she heard a very familiar voice.

“Your birthday is tomorrow. Is there anything you like?”

Karin froze. It was Sasuke. He was with Sakura. And by the looks of the bags they carried, they were grocery shopping. He was even more handsome than she remembers. His elegant nose, his sharp eyes, his attractive mouth… Karin always did see him as a warrior, a knight in shining armor, a force to be reckoned. His raw power attracted him to her and his kind heart made hers beat incessantly.

“I dont know, anata. Im glad you even reminded me it was my birthday.”

His wife is amazing. A kunoichi worthy of the Uchiha name. Sakura was beautiful, smart, compassionate and strong. Qualities Karin thinks she will never achieve in her lifetime.

Maybe that’s why he chose her instead.

Sakura’s eyes shone brighter than the brightest emeralds while hers were dull and boring. Sakura’s personality was as vibrant as the beginning of spring, hopeful and refreshing while hers was as unstable as Orochimaru’s earliest experiments. Even Sakura’s name was better than hers. Just imagine comparing “Cherry Blossom” to “Phosphorus.”

Maybe Sasuke chose her because she was Sakura.

A goddess to match a god.

“Sasuke and Sakura.” Karin thought. “Even their names go together.”

Suddenly, the steaming takoyaki lost their luster.

“I dont mind giving you a present.”  “Allowing Sarada and I to visit a friend is more than enough, anata. I know how overprotective you can get.”

Visit a friend? Were they talking about her?

Karin decided to finish her remaining food, not wanting to waste them and silently trailed the couple.

“…hesitant at first but Karin was kind enough to help.” She heard the Uchiha matriach say. A grunt was the only sound that came from the patriarch though.

“Don’t be like that! She helped us. She helped bring Sarada into this world, to us. Karin basically helped usher the first Uchiha to be born in decades. You should be thankful.”

“I am thankful, grateful even.” He said. His eyes soft as he gave his wife a smile. Karin swears she can see sparkles.

‘Damn right, you should be grateful…’

Wait, what did he just say?

“I remember how hard it rained that night and how helpless I was because I couldn’t help you and our child.”

“Admit it, Karin was our saving grace that night. Practically an angel in disguise.”

“Yes. Yes, she was.”

Karin could swear she felt her heart burst at the seams. Never had anyone spoke about her at such a high regard. The man she loved practically called her an angel. She was so happy, she could have died. 

Her eyes turned again to the couple and sighed. She was right. Sasuke and Sakura shared a bond nobody in the world can ever replace or sever. She would never be able to step on Sakura’s shoes.

But…

She also shared an irreplaceable bond with them. And she is the only person who has that bond. She realizes it now. She ushered their hope for the future. She helped them restore the name of the Uchiha. She helped complete their trio of happiness.

And Karin is proud to have done so.

She turned and looked at the nearest store. It was the Yamanaka Flower shop, and a fresh batch of blooming pink peonies and lilies-of-the-valley were being carried in.  Karin smiled, remembering a conversation she had with Sakura about the language of flowers and Sarada’s encounter with the DNA machine.

_____________________________________________________________________

“It’s cleaner than I remember.” Sarada said as she tailed her father. He had been in a foul mood since this morning.

“I remember this place being draftier than ever and you were also is a very foul mood, papa.” “Stay close now, dear. We don’t want you dad to get in an even fouler mood.”

Sakura and Sarada laughed. “Hai, hai, mama.” she said as she moved forward and linked arms with the Uchiha patriarch. 

At the edge of the tunnel, they were welcomed with a brightly lit room decorated with poorly made streamers and a peculiar smell of cake mix, burned sugar and smoke.  

“W-w-WELCOME!” said Karin as she coaxed Suigetsu with the confetti. The swordsman only looked at her and rolled his eyes before lamely throwing the tiny pieces of paper. “…yo.” he said. 

“Happy birthday, Sarada-chan!” Karin said awkwardly. “Gosh, you’re bigger than I remember!” She approached the heiress hesitantly at first but proceeded. She handed her a box. 

“Ano… Karin oba-chan, desu ka?” Sarada said, politely taking the package. The red-head smiled and nodded. “I got you an awesome gift. Wanna open it?” Sarada looked at the gift. It was kind of small and hard, much like a book. Sarada looked at her parents, particularly her mother, who nodded that she can open it. 

“A Beginner’s Guide to the Language of Flowers” read Sarada, wondering why she was given such a peculiar choice for a gift. She knows her mom and auntie Ino loved flowers and were quite proficient with its meanings, but why give it to her?

Karin was looking excitedly at Sarada who gave her an awkward thank you. Her gift wasn’t finished yet, she chuckled.

The Uzumaki looked at Sakura who was conversing with Suigetsu and Sasuke about the hideout. She also had something prepared for the pinkette since it was her birthday. 

“Neh, neh, Sakura,” she called out. Sakura turned and smiled “Thanks for letting us drop by. Anyways I brought you cheesecake! I would have brought okonomiyaki but Sasuke-kun insisted on leaving early so I could only…. oh, that’s lovely.” she was surprised when she was what the red head was holding.

It was a bouquet of pink peonies and lilies-of-the-valley.

“It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?”

Suigetsu, who happened to have moved next to Sarada motioned her to open the book at the folded pages. 

“Take it as my apology.” he said. 

The bespectacled teen looked at him with curiosity and disdain but followed the instructions and found highlighted passages.

“The lily-of-the-valley,”she read, “is a flower you give to someone who completes your life, happiness or family.” Sarada smiled and continued to the next page. 

“Pink peonies are given to newly-wedded couples,” tears were falling from her eyes now, realizing the meaning of her gift and her mother’s bouquet. “usually given by well-wishers who hopes that the newly weds would have happy life and a happy marriage.” 

Not being able to control her happiness, Sarada approached Karin and gave her a hug. 

“Arigatou, Karin oba-san. Honto ni arigatou!”