#especially given her feelings for kakashi???

[itischeese]

anyways i fully believe that canonically madara and/or zetsu made her do it with a slave seal because the alternative leaves me too salty to mention.

YESSSSS. I'm of the opinion that while the seal didn't fully control her, it wrecked her ability to think rationally and also probably made her mind fixate on the idea that she had to die or everyone else would.

Either way, the seal having an Effect on her that pushed her to do it makes so much more sense than her (canonically incredibly intelligent and compassionate) not considering the danger she would leave Kakashi in, or the fact that their teacher is a teleporting seal master...

[jumexju]

NUREBAIRO

Pairing !! : Sasuke / Fem Reader

Fic Type !! : One-Shot, Angst to Fluff

CW !! : Mentions of anxiety

Summary !! : You lose a hairpin he gave you.

Note !! : Inspired by the Sasuke figurine that somebody stole from me, I havent gotten it back to this day <////3

✦ MASTERLIST

A cold sweat ran down your back after not feeling it there.

You turned and inspected the floor. ‘Had it fallen?’ You bit your bottom lip anxiously as you looked around. Setting your tote bag down, you retraced your steps with hopeful eyes glancing over every blade of grass. You couldn’t have lost it, he just gave it to you three hours ago! 

“Hn..” You groaned under your breath worriedly as you inspected every step you’d taken before coming home, not finding it anywhere. Maybe tomorrow you’d go back to the shop and ask if they’d seen something like it before you left? You hoped that they did.. 

“No, I’m sorry, _____. I haven’t come across anything like it, if i saw it I would’ve told you..” Ino frowned slightly, empathizing with your situation. 

“Damn.. Alright, thanks anyway, Ino ..!” You waved her goodbye and left her flower shop, biting your bottom lip anxiously. Sasuke would probably get irritated that you lost it so quickly.. But it wasn’t like you wanted that to happen! You were so sure you’d had it on.. As you walked back to your home you thought of the events of yesterday. You had it on when you walked into her shop but it wasn’t in your hair when you came home.. And it couldn’t have fallen since you would’ve found it when you retraced your steps last night. 

You felt a pit settle in your stomach, disappointed in how easily you’d lost it. Especially after getting it on the same day! Sighing, you decided to bake some cookies to take some of the stress off. You’d felt incredibly guilty, especially since you knew that it was a gift that he had given to you with much thought. You couldn’t believe that you’d lost it and frankly, you were worried that he’d be upset if he found out. 

You let out a small sigh as you mixed the cookie batter in the bowl, “Could someone have swiped it off of me? Did it fall ..?” All these questions filled your mind, ruining the calm environment you were seeking through baking cookies. Soon enough, the sun started to go down and the evening greeted the sky. Sasuke was off on a mission so you didn’t know how long he’d be away, you just hoped you could find it before he came home. 

As you popped the cookies in the oven to bake, you decided to pick up that book that Kakashi sensei had recommended to you. You’d been trying to read it but it seemed like whenever you found it, it went missing as soon as you turned away.. 

Sasuke let out a sigh of relief once he stepped into the Uchiha Compound, he was glad he was home now and wondered if you were there yet — It was quite late after all. When your husband opened the door, he was met with the pleasing aroma of sweet, chocolate chip cookies. Sasuke wasn’t a fan of sweet things but he’d be lying if he said it didn’t smell good. 

“I’m home,” He announced, wondering where you were since usually you would greet him at the door. 

After he took off his shoes at the genkan, he wandered into the living room to find you sleeping soundly on the couch and a batch of freshly baked cookies on the kitchen table. Were you tired? It was late so maybe you just decided to sleep here? Though.. The way you were mumbling things and knitting your brows in your sleep didn’t seem good. 

Sasuke came close to you and leaned in to press a kiss to your forehead, your expression seemed to relax after his simple gesture. Your lover glanced down, seeing one of Kakashi’s books in your hand. ‘Were you trying to read Icha-Icha again?’ he sighed as he took the book from your hands. ‘I thought I'd hidden it..’ Sasuke thought to himself, freezing in his tracks once you began to shift in your sleep. 

“Sa..suke?” your eyebrows furrowed a little as you rubbed your eyes from the sleep. “You’re home?” Your husband nodded and sat next to you after you sat up and greeted him with a hug. “When did you come home?” 

“Not too long ago,” he answered you as he softly smiled, hiding the book within his cloak. “You made cookies?”

You nodded, reminded of why  you’d started baking cookies…. Now you were face to face with him, you could only hope he wouldn’t notice that it was gone. You shifted nervously, “Uhm.. So, do you want me to run you a bath-?” 

“You were talking in your sleep.” Sasuke cut you off, abruptly changing the conversation. This made you even more anxious than you had been in the entire day. 

“Was I? I Didn’t say anything embarrassing, did I?” You sheepishly brought a finger to your lower lip — A gesture you usually did when you were nervous — This, Sasuke took notice of. It was both a blessing and a curse that you had married one of the most observant shinobi to exist, because there was no way that Sasuke wouldn’t notice that the hairpin he had given you yesterday was missing. You haven't been wearing it since you were sleeping.. And it wasn’t on the table.. So the only conclusion he could come up with was that it was missing. 

Sasuke shook his head, “You didn’t.. Although, you were mumbling my name.” You could feel the heat rise up to your cheeks and avoided his gaze. Sasuke was the only one who could make you feel so bashful under his tender gaze. 

The night wasn’t too eventful, you were just glad to be spending time with him after about two weeks of him being gone. ‘Maybe the hairpin conversation could wait..’ you thought to yourself as you laid in bed beside him. Your lover had been tired, so he fell asleep pretty fast, but all your worries had kept you up. You sighed as you shifted and looked up at the ceiling, you knew you’d have to tell him soon.. But..

“Stop worrying.” Sasuke mumbled, his eyes closed and his black hair in his face. 

“..I’m not..” 

Your husband chuckled, “you bite your lip any more and you’ll draw blood,” he warned. You turned to face him, an unamused and slightly sheepish expression on your face. 

“I hate that you know me so well.” 

“If only that were true,” He chimed as he welcomed you when you snuggled up to his side. “Now go to sleep..” You reluctantly complied after giving him a kiss on the cheek and let yourself succumb to slumber. You slept the rest of the night like a baby, Sasuke made sure not to wake you up when he got up early in the morning to search for the pin. 

Needless to say, when you got up, there was a certain book missing, but the hairpin was on your bedside table. 

Along with a small note, 

‘Try not to lose it again, okay?’

[cool-thymus]

I was tagged by @maireyart 💛 Thank u! 🤗

I'd like to tag @t0moyo @ollyvoile @back-to-rose @anannua

Template

Favorite characters: THEM *heart emoji*

Character I relate to: I just saw the clip of that ridiculous interview where Kakashi was given the "pervy hedgehog" nickname and eventually brought to tears for being an unconventional adult xD I relate to him in many ways, but this is a winner!

Underrated character: Shizune! That woman carried the hokage office on her shoulders, and everybody took her for granted. I wish Kishi'd given her a chapter or two with a nice backstory.

Favorite design: This was a thinker. Eventually, i chose two elements i particularly love in Kakashi's design. First is him in a sleeveless undershirt. It's so very simple, but OMG! It adds such fascinating nuance to his character. On the outside, he's distant and aloof, always wearing the uniform or some baggie fatigues. But under all that he's wearing a tight shirt exposing so much skin xD It looks so good on him, makes him a bit androgynous and seductive. I like to believe he feels nice wearing it :3

The second thing is Kakashi's ears 😂 I think prominent ears make him so endearing and adorable in contrast with his cool and laid back vibe. (i should've drawn them bigger! xD)

Character I'd get along with IRL: That's definitely Tenzo. We have very similar energy. My irl personality is not that affectionate (especially in my mother tongue) and i totally get his "i'm not gonna baby you" (continues to actually baby his students like a single mother of three) xD And we both would wanna impress SeMpAi and be on our best behavior 🤭

Favorite side character: My foster son Sai <3 This character is very special to me. He managed to survive the horrors of the Root ANBaby camp and find that warmth and light within to make right choices. He knows that his trauma made him different and, he can't socialize well, but again, he's putting in effort to better understand the people he cares about. And i appreciate that even after his change of heart we are shown his melancholy moments, and how he lights up every time he's shown kindness.

[narutouzumakiarchive]

A while ago, I made a post about hypocritical Sasusaku stans that pretend to be anti Konoha so they can criticize SNS (despite having no grounds to stand on), and in light of recent annoying discourse, in this post I'm going to go over a case example at length because this perfectly encapsulates the typical behavior of that fandom.

So let's take a look at this post. In this tweet, they mention their criticism of Sasuke being saved from the darkness at the end. Now in order to deconstruct this post, we have to look at what "darkness" symbolizes in Naruto's text.

And when you look at the text, you'll see that "darkness" was attributed two distinct, but sometimes interconnected, senses. The first meaning of darkness in the text was loneliness, plain and simple. Wee see pitch black imagery when Naruto recounts the pain he experienced before he met Team 7, when he was all alone. And we also see this imagery crop up when Sasuke enters into a shroud of darkness after experiencing the pain of leaving Naruto, who is symbolically represented as the juxtaposed light to Sasuke's darkness. Though he doesn't cut off Naruto, an issue which is the crux of their conflict after the timeskip, the panels of Sasuke talking about pain still serve to contextualize his state of mind when leaving Naruto: "If I leave Naruto, I will experience pain, much pain."

The second meaning of the darkness is also established during the Sasuke retrieval arc: hatred. Itachi, in his desperation to be judged by Sasuke, forces Sasuke to seek out hatred in order to acheive his goal of avenging the clan by killing Itachi. And of course this meaning of the concept of darkness comes with a host of attendant negative connotations, as darkness is frequently associated with evil — especially in the Christian mythos that Kishimoto drew from.

Now there is certainly something to be said for Kishimoto's conservative framing, but that's for another post. The purpose of laying out the two meanings of "darkness" invoked in the text was to compare and contrast Sakura and Naruto at the end of the manga and see which particular meaning of darkness was salient in their motivations regarding Sasuke, and well... things don't look good for "sasukeslawyer."

Because Naruto continually reinforces his motivations for saving Sasuke. In the text it's explicitly spelled out that Naruto wants to help ease Sasuke's loneliness. There's a reason why the resolution of their feelings is spurred on by Naruto admitting to feeling pain for Sasuke, the same pain that Kishimoto narratively links to being alone.

Sakura, on the other hand, wanted to save Sasuke from the darkness of "evil" at the end of the manga. It is established during the 5 Kage Summit that because Sakura "loves" Sasuke, she wants to prevent him from continuing on a path of darkness and progressing towards evil. And Sai's description of Sakura's actions receive authorial endorsement. In this scene, Kishimoto builds up Sai's credibility by having him accurately assess that Sakura was quite likely planning on killing Sasuke and that her smile, when she stated she was planning on working together with her Konoha comrades to acheive that objective, was forced. The reader is given no reason to doubt this.

But most significantly, not once does the text show Sakura reneging on her beliefs about Sasuke's darkness. When we get insight into her feelings about Sasuke during the war arc, it is made blatantly clear that she distrusts him which is shown through the same fake smile she showed Sai before heading off to kill Sasuke. Additionally Sakura's to desire to save Sasuke from the darkness is reinforced, this time through another mouthpiece in Kakashi. And athough Kakashi is not the most reliable character, the text doesn't contradict this particular fact.

But Kakashi's reliability doesn't particularly matter for this post because "sasukeslawyer" and most other sasusaku fans believe Kakashi to be a reliable character that understands all of Sakura's actions. As indicated below, she takes no issue with Kakashi's assessment that Sakura wanted to save Sasuke from this negative darkness. And yet, there's no attempted moral harranguing or criticism of Sakura for wanting to save Sasuke from the progression towards evil by *checks notes* killing him. Nor is there criticism of Sakura never changing in this regarding and maintaining that desire to save him from the negatively connoted darkness.

In fact, "sasukeslawyer," has no problem with the idea of Sasuke, the genocide survivor, traveling for years to reedem himself and be "worthy" of the same Sakura who attempted to kill him on behalf of the same village she claims to hate only when she can use it in an attempt to downplay Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic.

Like aside from the fact that this obviously isn't true [Kishimoto wrote 9 pages of Sasuke reflecting on his journey in the manga and not once is Sakura mentioned, because he can't individuate her and Sakura had to chase Sasuke on his journey because Sasuke never came back and Sakura couldn't take a hint]...

On what earth is Sasuke not worthy in general, let alone for Sakura, who's shallow romantic inclinations he repeatedly rejected to begin with. It is Sakura who didn't take accountability for trying to kill Sasuke instead of bothering to find out why Sasuke took the actions he took. She is never forced to reflect even once on how she acted towards Sasuke nor do we ever see her make a single negative or critical statement about the shinobi system. But these alleged anti-Konoha warriors have no complaints about that, and that's because it's not about them disliking Konoha or the elders who deserve to die. It's about them trying to undermine SNS because they resent Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic and want to prop up SS. But don't just take my word for it.

They take the canonical scenes of Sasuke looking at Naruto, which mirrored Sakura's own body language towards Sasuke, in order to attribute it to Sakura (this is one of many examples).

The sharingan is obviously a reflection of love and Naruto was explicitly associated with Sasuke's sharingan on three different ocassions. Kishimoto cared so little for SS that he couldn't even bother to associate a crucial element of Sasuke's character with Sakura in manga that he wrote with his own hands. So Sasusaku have to use filler novels that Kishimoto didn't write, let alone acknowledge, to say that Sasuke would transform a new and unheard of sharingan if he lost Sakura. LOL.

There's the editing the panels of VOTE 2 to claim that Sasuke made Sakura watch Naruto and Sasuke's personal memories, despite the fact that 1. We clearly see the only thing Sasuke shows Sakura is a violent genjutsu of her getting stabbed in the chest.

2. The manga utilizes clear visual language to depict the transition from memories into real life to indicatr who is thinking about the memories, something not present in the panel that Sakura wakes up from which makes because

3. Naruto and Sasuke thought about memories which Sakura wasn't even present for and Sasuke cannot telepathically transmit memories.

And this isnt even all, but the point stands nevertheless. Sasusaku fans harass SNS shippers using fake moral justifications that they don't even abide by. Don't be fooled. It's always been about their frustrations over the romantic tones in SNS. But it won't change the fact that more than anyone else, Naruto and Sasuke both saved eachother from the darkness of loneliness more than anybody else.

[dira333]

Sweet like Dango - Sasuke x civilian reader

words: 2207, pure, domestic fluff, a lot of children - requested by @iminlovewqr0w​   

tagging @ardentalley because they love Sasuke

“Shino-Sensei has given us homework.” Itachi exclaims as he hugs your leg in greeting. Sarada’s just waving quietly, taking a seat next to her younger brother Keiji at the table. 

“Really now? What did you get?”

“We’re supposed to write down what a normal day looks like.”

“Your own or that of someone else?”

Itachi looks at his twin sister for help, already having forgotten half of the assignment.

Sarada pushes her glasses up and looks over, relishing the fact that she’s the smarter one again.

“He said he would like it if it’s about our family but we can choose someone else if we want to.”

“I want to write about Mama and Papa.” Itachi exclaims excitedly. “But if Sarada wants to write about Papa, I can write about Mama.”

“I want to write about the Hokage!” Sarada tells him pointedly. “That’s more interesting.”

You can hear movement at the door, Sasuke making more noise than necessary to let you know he’s approaching and you’re quick to soften the blow Sarada’s trying to deal today.

“Well, don’t you think Boruto might want to write about his father?”

Sarada’s face falls, but you’re quick to redirect her. “If you really want to write about the Hokage, you could ask Kakashi-san. I am sure, Grandpa would be happy to tell you all about it.”

Sasuke steps inside the Kitchen at that moment, which has Keiji looking up from his drawing, stretching out his arms to him in a wordless plea.

Sasuke steps closer and leans down to kiss the top of Sarada’s head before picking up Keiji.

Keiji’s needy, Itachi’s always excited, and Sarada tends to feel like she’s got the shortest end of the stick. Especially with the youngest set of twins now at the stage where crawling turns into walking, demanding more and more attention.

“Hi everyone.” Sasuke’s voice is calm and steady, as usual, but you can tell he’s agitated by the way he holds himself. 

You untie Hitoka, your second girl and fourth child, from your back and hand it to him. Predictable as she is, the little one is fast asleep.

“Can you get her to bed?” You ask and he nods, telling the kids to wait with their stories until he’s back.

Mikoto, her younger twin sister, is still wide awake, waving her hands and babbling from where she’s tied to your chest. 

“You’re a smart girl.” You tell Sarada softly, “I know you will do great work no matter who you pick.”

She sucks up the attention but her perfectionism still throws a shadow over her face. “But I want it to be great.”

“What did Shino-Sensei say exactly? If you know what’s expected, you’ll have an easier time deciding on it.”

She repeats the assignment and you wait for her to make the connections as Itachi helps to set the table with you, a task that mostly involves keeping Keiji distracted before he can accidentally throw another plate down.

“Shino-Sensei said he wanted us to write about our parents but you do so much together, Itachi and I will have almost the same paper.”

“I’m sure Shino-Sensei doesn’t expect you to invent something new.” Sasuke’s back, his shoulders a bit more relaxed now. He taps Sarada on the forehead, a gesture you know reminds him of Itachi. “And I don’t see your mother that often during the day, at least not half as much as I’d want to.”

“Gross.” Sarada mumbles and sits down, pointedly taking a sip from her water. “Can we eat now?”

-

The next morning, you wake up at three because even after maternity leaves and a change of shifts, your body is still used to the early hours a bakery demands.

But you’re not mad at it, have long learned to embrace it, as it gifts you precious moments. Morning is when the Uchiha household is at its calmest. Sasuke’s a light sleeper and an early riser, often awake the moment you move closer to him. Your children are the product of early mornings spent in each other's company.

It’s easier for him to spill his worries in the morning, to tell you about a memory that resurfaced, an emotion that had held him in a chokehold the last day. It’s when he can let himself be held when he can rest.

Itachi is usually the first to wake up but reads in bed until Sarada stirs as well. In the mornings, they are a union, Sarada picking Keiji up from his crib while Itachi climbs up the counters to start the coffee machine. By the time you smell the coffee, the youngest members of your household can be heard, a quiet murmur from Hitoka and excited babbling from Mikoto.

You make breakfast while Sasuke directs the chaos. Itachi needs to be reminded to check his school bag, Sarada needs help with her hair, Keiji’s pulling on everyone’s pants and Hitoka is crying unless she’s being carried. 

Today, Itachi and Sarada sit at the table with their notepads ready.

“Do you always make rice, miso soup, and natto?” Itachi asks while Sarada eyes her father. “Do you always drink two cups of coffee in the morning?”

“Yes.” You both answer at the same time. “Who wants a fried egg?” You add.

As usual, Itachi helps with making the Bentos. It’s still only three, one of Sasuke and two for the kids to last until lunch. The smaller kids stay with you at the bakery until noon.

Sarada’s on Keiji duty, letting him draw on her notepad while Sasuke takes multiple trips to get the dishes into the dishwasher. He’d be faster with two hands but he manages with one.

“What are you going to do now?” Sarada asks. 

“I will meet up with the Hokage to discuss missions. If he has one for me, that’s what I’m doing today. If not, I’ll meet up with Kakashi-sensei and train until noon when we have lunch. After that I’ll train with you and Itachi until it’s time to close the shop.”

“Can I come with you?” Sarada asks. “To the Hokage, I mean? Or to train with Kakashi? It’s for the paper!”

“Can you miss a whole day of class?” He asks back and she hesitates.

“If you want.” He says when her agitation becomes visible. “I can take you tomorrow. Both of you, if you want. I normally don’t do missions on Saturday but we can visit Naruto and show you how we normally do things.”

“Really?” Sarada’s face lights up like he’s just made her the best present possible. He probably has.

“Yes. Promise.” He links his little finger with hers and then with Itachi who smiles up at him like his father hung the moon. 

“But now we have to get you guys to school. Say bye to Mama.” 

Itachi hugs you, Sarada waves and Sasuke kisses you before the three of them leave through the forest, the quickest route to the academy. 

You’ve got a bit more time to gather everything, take Keiji’s hand, and walk the shorter distance to the little bakery that has been in your family's possession since the first people settled at what is now known as Konohagakure.

The name is still the same, even though there’s now the Uchiha Symbol adorning the sign above the door. You moved out of the apartment above it when the second set of twins were on the way. The comfort of only having to walk down a set of stairs to get to work is easily outweighed by the comfort of being able to fit all children into one house. 

You know that your family might no longer be the talk of the town but it’s certainly still a topic people like to discuss. 

Had you ever interacted with Sasuke before he left the village? You had, but it had not been very public. No one knew that you and Itachi had been friends - or something like that - before the massacre just like no one knew that he had asked you to look after his brother when he was no longer there. You were only eleven when Itachi left the village and there was hardly more you could do but offer him a sweet treat every time you saw him but the taste must have edged itself into his brain, making him remember you after all this time. 

When he came back, things were different. It was no longer weird to be older than him and the fact that you knew his brother in a way no one had before seemed to be the comfort he sorely needed. 

Sasuke went from being a regular customer to being engaged to you in a time span that felt perfectly natural to you but surprisingly shocking to everyone else. 

Now the family was growing with no sign of stopping - not that anyone ever asked you how many children you were planning to bring into the world. Something about Sasuke made them hesitate to form questions like that at all. 

But the interest in your person has certainly gathered more people in your corner of the village, your bakery now being frequented regularly by Civilians who wanted to catch a glimpse of that famous Shinobi and by Shinobis who wanted to catch a glimpse of the Civilian girl that managed to pique Sasuke’s interest.

-

As lunchtime rolls around, you’ve managed to wrangle Keiji into napping in the corner behind the counter. Hitoka and Mikoto are sitting in high chairs overlooking the bakery, a welcome sight to most customers who greet the children with warm words.

Shohei takes over for you just in time for you to start cooking, food almost ready when Itachi and Sarada make it back, both of them still filled with questions.

“How many customers do you have during morning shifts?” Itachi asks.

“Are you making curry again?” Sarada’s eyeing the pot. “Can we have tonkatsu tomorrow?”

“Sure, honey. Can you set the table? About 85, I think.”

Lunch is as calm as a meal with five children can be. 

After that, Sasuke gathers Sarada and Itachi to train with them. If Itachi isn’t in the mood to train, he lets him stay with you at the bakery where the boy is usually eager to learn everything about your profession. His Dango needs a little work but he’s already coming up with ideas and the recipe he made you try out last fall had gotten a lot of praise. 

You close the shop around six and Sasuke only misses that when he’s away on a mission. The kids are usually tired out from training by that time, unlike Keiji who’s been drawing and playing in the bakery all day and now gets to have his father until bedtime. You often see them at the lake, Keiji running laps around his father.

The evenings are quiet in the Uchiha house hould, not as calm as the mornings, but still soft in their own way. 

Sarada and Itachi usually sit at the kitchen table to do their homework or lounge in the living room, each twin cuddling one piece of their younger twin set. Hitoka likes Sarada more while Mikoto makes grabby hands at Itachi every chance she gets.

When the chaos in the kitchen isn’t that big and the weather outside isn’t that nice, all of you end up in the living room together, cuddled up like a giant pile of tired house cats.

It’s your favorite thing in the world because it makes you feel like everything is alright and everyone you love is cared for.

It’s Sasuke’s favorite thing too, because at times like this, he feels so perfectly normal that he can look into the future and think to himself, yes, the Uchiha Clan will be great again. But this time, they will do it right.

-

When your children get their assignments back, Itachi, as usual, demands that you read it.

It’s good writing, not spectacular, but he's a good student.

One passage stands out to you, however.

My family is like a plate of Mitarashi dango.

Mom is soft and moldable, like the dough. But my dad is serious and a really awesome Ninja, so he makes up the crispy and slightly harder edge. 

But our parents love us really much and gave me a whole lot of siblings, so we are the sweet sauce that covers everything. One thing alone wouldn’t be tasty but the whole thing together is an amazing treat!

You laugh as you set down the paper and can’t help but think to yourself that he’s right.

Maybe in another universe, you’d never befriend Itachi or if you did, Sasuke wouldn’t be interested in you. Maybe in another Universe, he married Sakura or some talented Anbu Shinobi. Maybe he’d only have one child or none at all. Maybe he’d never come back to Konoha.

Your heart goes out to all that possible versions of your husband, hoping that whoever and wherever they are, they are happy. 

But you hold on to the man you have, the one that makes up the crispy side of your marriage, who lets himself be coated by the love of his family.

[tozettastone]

for the ask prompt thing: itachi/sakura #6

Sakura woke to the fire alarm.

I am going to kill Uchiha Itachi, she thought, in the furious privacy of her mind where she kept all her most antisocial impulses.

Instead of leaping out of her bed and scrambling for her wallet so she could walk down five flights of stairs and stand out in the cold, she lay silently in her bed for ten shrill, agonising seconds. In the apartment to her right, dogs began to howl, but they were almost drowned out by the alarm.

The idea that it might actually be a real alarm this time finally got her moving. She wrapped herself in her blanket, scooped up her bag from beside the door, and shuffled outside to the landing.

The first time this had happened she'd ended up in a long stream of evacuees marching down the stairs at midnight, all in their pyjamas and house slippers and dressing gowns. Her right-side neighbour had been out on the landing, clipping leashes and harnesses to three large dogs to take them along down the stairs. One of them was a lean, high-strung racing breed that had panicked and started screaming in the close, windowless space of the stairwell and had needed to be tossed over his shoulder to come along.

"Sorry," her neighbour had said, smiling with one visible eye over his face mask. "He's a little excitable. Could you hold Pakkun?"

And so Sakura had ended up cradling Kakashi's incredibly chill little pug all the way out onto the street.

That was two months ago.

Two months... and sixteen evacuations.

This afternoon, Kakashi hadn't even bothered to evacuate. Sakura wished she could be as blithely irresponsible as him. He was undoubtedly going to be rewarded for ignoring the alarm. But she worked in the ER and had seen, plenty of times, what happened to people's lungs when Konoha's—historical, wooden, highly flammable—residential buildings went up in smoke.

Now, the evacuees were a trickle, not a stream. Half the building had clearly gotten Kakashi's memo and stopped bothering. So she was really torn between thinking, it had better be a real emergency this time, and hoping it was another piece of burnt toast.

Sakura really did not want to get called in to treat half her building for smoke inhalation. But she also didn't want to be woken up three hours after she'd got off work for another failed stir fry or whatever it was this time.

It was the left-side neighbour who was the problem. At first, she'd been annoyed. Then she'd discovered Uchiha Itachi was hot, which had given her a boost of patience that had lasted through another few evacuations.

Well. Okay. Another one evacuation.

It was winter. The streets were cold. And Sakura? Sakura was way more judgemental on the inside than her external facade ever showed.

Her prurient curiosity led her to some snooping, and then to some gossip. Ino had pilfered some police records and reported back that his parents had been brutally murdered when he was thirteen, which had made her feel bad for being annoyed, and also explained why he was such an awful cook.

And then he'd set off the fire alarms six more times and she'd really come all the way back around to being annoyed. She'd reluctantly concluded that you simply could not be hot enough, or sympathetic enough, to make up for the constant scream of the fire alarm. Especially if you lived next to someone who worked long ER shifts and really valued her sleep.

Now, Sakura was standing out in the cold. Her toes were freezing, because she hadn't put on proper shoes before introducing her feet to the frost. The rest of her was cocooned in her blankets as she stared grimly up at her apartment complex. It wasn't on fire. It wasn't even smoking.

The fire department arrived and inspected the building.

Hoshigaki Kisame, ex-missing-nin turned local fireman of apparently endless patience, had evidently adopted their building specifically. Now he was leaning on his giant sword, playing with a ball of water in one hand, and casually questioning the facilities manager. He had a warm-looking cloak.

Was it an electrical fault?

Was there a real fire at all?

Sakura could have answered these questions, but she stayed silent and only glowered at her building from the street.

Listening closely, she learned that Uchiha Itachi had burnt his instant ramen.

The man in question didn't look embarrassed about this: his unfairly beautiful face was calm and composed as he explained what had, through some insane fluke of circumstances, happened in his kitchen. Kisame-san looked like he was taking this very seriously, nodding along with his head bowed towards Itachi.

Eavesdropping, Sakura learnt that you could burn it to the bottom of a pot, if you cooked it on the stove top, and then eventually it would turn to charcoal and start smoking. And then that smoke would trigger the alarms. And then the building would empty out onto the street while the fire department was called.

Some of the occupants standing out in the frozen wonderland of the streetscape chuckled.

Sakura envied their patience. She looked up at the awnings and wondered if any of those icicles was sharp enough to kill Itachi-san on his way back in. Maybe she could engineer a freak accident.

Itachi-san was fully dressed. His toes looked warm.

They looked like they were going to be here for a while. Baleful and filled with grumpy ire, Sakura wandered off down the street to the welcoming glow and bright lights of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Ah, Sakura-san," said Ayame, looking concerned. "We heard the alarm. Is everything okay?"

As much as she liked Ichiraku's food, Sakura was pretty sure the only reason Ayame knew her name was that she so often accompanied their favourite bottomless pit, Naruto. She lived much closer to the place, but they could have probably kept their whole business afloat on Naruto alone.

"Aa," said Sakura, darkly. "False alarm." She didn't buy anything today. Instead she collected six identical menus, each printed on flyers that lived near the front of the store.

"Again?" Ayame scratched her chin. "Is there something wrong with the wiring in your building...?"

"No." Just the neighbours. "Thank you for your time," she added.

"...You're not going to order anything?"

"I'm sorry. Another time." Sakura bowed, a stiff little caterpillar in her blanket cocoon, and backed out of the store with her hands stuffed full of menus.

By the time she got back down the other end of the block, people were allowed to return to their homes and there was a little queue of mildly disgruntled bodies waiting for the elevators.

Itachi was still talking to Kisame, blank-faced. If he was embarrassed it was impossible to tell.

Sakura took the stairs, despite their inconvenience in the blankets, because it was faster than waiting for the single, ancient elevator.

She called out, "It was a freak ramen accident, Kakashi-san!" to Kakashi's door as she passed—no real answer, but Pakkun yipped—and then shuffled past her own door to contemplate Itachi's.

There were a couple of traps, but unsurprisingly they mostly triggered when one tried to open the door, which she had no intention of attempting. Unhindered by these precautions, Sakura let her blankets dangle precariously off her shoulders while she flicked through seven hand signs at a rapid pace.

In the hospital, you got plenty of ninja who thought they should be able to remove, rearrange, edit or destroy their own notes, and there was a cute little jutsu to stop that from happening.

Now, Sakura used it to attach six Ichiraku Ramen menus to his door. If he wanted to get those off, he was going to have to work for it.

Her message, she thought, could not have been much clearer.

Then she tugged her blankets back up and went back to her own apartment—and her bed, where she slept the righteous sleep of the petty and passive aggressive.

Next time, she told herself, snuggling down into her sheets. Next time she'd simply kill him.

(She was woken again at 6.

She did not kill him this time, either.)

[mayhem-neverending]

The Big Bad Wolf

Part XVII

Word Count: 2,632

Warnings: cannon violence, cursing

Obito and Hina slept peacefully while you shivered against the bitter chill. The night was dark; clouds covering the light from the waxing moon and the otherwise bountiful sky of stars. The clattering of your teeth and your muscles taut against your frame kept you from falling to sleep, but also tired you further. Your lids would fall every so often, only to be lifted again by a gush of northerly wind. 

You steeled yourself against it, wishing for fire, but more importantly, debating whether the tiny use of chakra to circulate heat through your system would be worth the risk. You reached your gloved hands and pulled out a small wrist watch you had forgotten about. It was almost half-past five. You inhaled the icy air through your numb nose, a steadying breath. You reminded yourself to be patient; less than an hour was left before it was reasonable to pull them from their slumber.

You thought of Hikaru while you waited. He was probably warm and cozy, tucked into a bed with your mom, considering it was now the weekend. You hoped beyond hope that he was alright for Kakashi, and you hoped Kakashi hadn’t been overwhelmed. A two-year-old is difficult, such a headstrong one especially. You imagined Hikaru had probably given him a run for his money more than once, and the delightful thought cut through your haze of crankiness. 

You held onto it for a few moments while the cold did its best to drag you back down. That tugging brought you into a flurry of thoughts about Hina’s child. You thought about the two little ones playing side by side, creating mischief, just as the two of you had done. It occurred to you then that you hadn’t asked Hina what its name would be. An ugly feeling curled in your gut, accompanied by the pained expression your cousin could not hide when it flashed over the blankness. 

This should be a time of celebration for her. She should be receiving baby clothes, toys, all the essentials while eating cake and joyously laughing with her family and friends. She should be whispering to her husband in the corner, giggling and sharing looks of love that you could have never fathomed for yourself. Looks that reminded you of how wondrous and magical and full of grace the world could be when you saw them at their wedding, hiding their conversations behind half full champagne flutes in the candlelight. 

A tear froze early in its tracks along your cheek. It wasn’t fair. You could be grateful all you wanted for her getting the chance to experience love of fairy tales, but it wouldn’t cancel out the sorrow. She deserved to live and love and raise her baby with a father and a family that chose her so wholly. Her child deserved to know their father, and would have been made not just better, but brilliant by the warmth of their love. 

You grit your teeth and angrily wiped at that frozen tear while others made their escape. In the midst of your angry thoughts, a calm voice emerged and reminded you: The only thing you can do is bring her home and be there by her side with as much love as you can spare. 

Shuffling entered your train of thought and you managed to dry your face before the tent unzipped. It was still almost pitch black, so you couldn’t tell very well who it was until they called your name. 

“Hina? What are you doing up?”

“I’m ready to keep going,” she croaked. 

“Are you sure? We have a few more minutes before I planned to wake you,” you replied, attempting to make out her features.

“No, let’s go. I don’t want to be out here any longer than I have to,” her sentence was punctuated by the tent zipper moving even further up. 

“Okay, then, let’s get this show on the road,”

…

Your group passed through the town you had stopped in early enough that not much commotion was in the streets. You were grateful to make it through without the call of the vendors as you passed by their empty stalls. Hina was heavy on her feet, too, no matter how much she tried not to show it. It wasn’t just her feet concerning you, though. It was a dangerous game to be walking so much so close to her due date, especially with the stress she had been through. 

You didn’t mention anything to her, though. Instead, you kept a watchful eye on her while she waddled along the main road. It had been decided between you and Obito that you would travel down that road all the way back. There was no chance she was making it through the heavy snowfall that you were reapproaching, so the two of you kept on guard, passing people every so often as the day began to wear on. 

At some point you also took a bag from Obito. He kept insisting that he was fine, but you could see his discomfort in the gentle downturn of his lips. So, the three of you traveled closer and closer to the border. The closer you got, the more you wished you were already home. The quiet from your companions left your mind unoccupied, but you struggled to break the silence unless it was for a short stop to rest. 

You finally passed the border sometime in the afternoon, and you couldn’t have been more overjoyed to put Akujia behind you. The three of you stopped for a dinner break, maybe an hour or two after. Obito had spotted a rabbit off the side of the trail, and before you two could blink, he skillfully captured it just out of your line of sight. He came back into view with it, proclaiming that he was finally going to be eating some real food for dinner. 

It left you with a silly grin, even as Hina gagged at the process of skinning it and putting it on a stick while you built the fire. She looked between your expression and his. He had puffed himself out at the chest and kept glancing over at you out of the corner of his eye while he worked. She tilted her head to the side with curiosity, but her lips stayed sealed. 

The three of you ate in peace, not minding the greasiness of the animal and truly relishing in having something hot in your bellies after being in the cold for so long. You sat in a semicircle, with Hina on one side and Obito on the other. She hardly glanced at him, though she hardly looked at you, either. She was in better spirits, but she seemed to be in a lot of discomfort. 

“I’m ready to have this thing out of me,” she groaned, leaning back and placing a hand on her massive belly.

You huffed a laugh. “Now don’t go saying things like that. We have another whole day to go before that thing is allowed to come out,” 

She gave you a half smile. “Still, he’s awful heavy,”

She paused for a moment. “Who’s going to deliver him?”

You blinked. You had completely forgotten about that bit. She looked at you expectantly, and you frantically wracked your brain. “Well… anyone at the hospital should do just fine, unless you had someone in mind?”

“Oh, I thought you’d do it,”

“Me?”

“You were trained in the medical field,” she stated matter-of-factly. 

“Sure, but I’ve never delivered a baby,” you raised a brow.

“I want you to be the one to do it. I trust you more than anyone,” she asserted resolutely.

You looked at Obito as if he could offer help. “I think you’d be a good fit for that job, actually,”

Your jaw dropped at his statement. “What?”

He nodded thoughtfully and glanced at Hina, who shot him a small, grateful smile. He returned the gesture, if a little unsurely. 

“If that's..” you faltered. “If that’s what you want, of course I’ll do it,”

“Good.” She stood slowly and wiped her hands on her long coat. You two followed suit, and you were back on the road before you had truly rested. 

The next stop didn’t come until after dark, when Hina almost couldn’t keep going. Her feet had started to drag and she looked positively miserable. You set up the tent and she slipped in much like the night before, passing out before properly getting comfortable. Obito took the first watch again, so, being exhausted yourself, you said a quick ‘goodnight’ and went to sleep.

You were awoken sometime later by commotion outside of the tent. At first, it sounded like several pairs of boots in the snow, then it amplified into crashes, grunts and shouts. You reacted after the first shout when your adrenaline kicked in and plunged out of the opening of the tent, a kunai in hand.

There were five or six men in black all attacking Obito, who was deflecting their attacks and attempting to push them back from the vicinity of the tent. Kakashi’s command to not kill unless necessary came to mind as you joined the fray. 

A man to your left spotted you first, and you met him head on. He had a thick dagger in hand, and it glinted in the moonlight as he swiped at you. He was slow, though, and you were able to dodge his attack easily, taking a calculated dive to slash at his femoral artery. You made your mark, sliding beneath his legs in his overly wide stance. 

He howled in pain and fell forward to the ground. You had no chance to look at him, because another attacker was on you without a moment’s notice. This one was thinner, likely someone who could match your speed better. His blond hair flowed eerily behind in the moonlight when he lunged at you. He was using a katana, and narrowly missed your right arm. 

He laughed cruelly as he swung again, his accomplices' voices mingling with his own as you could make out a crude taunt thrown at Obito. You could tell he was holding back, only pushing them away instead of taking them out. This would be child’s play to him if he were giving it his all. 

“Gonna do something, little girl? I’ll kill you and that Zen’in bastard, no matter what you think is going to happen. I’ll slice it right out of that bitch’s belly,” 

You snarled at him and made your move, catching his blade by feigning a lean to the left and moving right, effectively catching your blade on his exposed neck. But it wasn’t quite deep enough and you moved back, just out of his range. He swung wildly at you, one hand on his bleeding neck.

“Hey, Obito!” you called mid jump.

“Yeah!?” His kunai clanged loudly with an opposing one.

You backed up so you were closer, both of you catty-corner and facing toward your attackers. “Kill ‘em,”

“Are you sure? Kakashi said-”

“I’m making a judgment call on-”

One of them cackled. “No one’s dying but you three,”

That’s when Obito let his blade arc wide. You plunged your own into the gut of your attacker. A nasty gurgling gasp escaped him before he fell. You spun around to see the attackers’ bodies fall to the ground with resounding thumps, one after one. 

When the last one was down, Obito turned to you, breathing heavily with blood stained hands. Despite his state, you could see his eyes shining under the moonlight. 

“Fuck,” he breathed.

“We need to leave, now,” you said hurriedly. 

The tent unzipped and Hina poked her head out, tears streaming down her pale face. Shakily, she asked, “Are you okay?”

Your eyes met and you inhaled sharply. She looked around at the dead men and back at you, fear marring her beautiful face.

“Dammit! We’re across the border, so all the bags are going in a scroll, I don’t give a fuck. Obito, can you carry her? We’ve gotta get out of here,”

Obito was staring at the bright blood on his hands, and you could see a tremor run through them. He didn’t hear you, it seemed, so you instead turned to Hina. “Get your coat back on and come stand out here,”

She disappeared back into the tent and you followed behind her, hauling the baggage out and opening your backpack. You rifled through until you found a spare sealing scroll. With haste, you piled the bags on top of it and signed above it. They disappeared and you shoved the scroll back in your backpack. You slung it over your shoulder and walked over to Obito where he was standing stock still next to the mass of bodies. 

“Are you okay?” you asked in a low, urgent tone.

He glanced from his hands to you and back. Scratchily, he choked out, “I don’t- I don’t know,”

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have the time. More could be on the way,” 

In a swift movement, you used your water style jutsu to wash the blood from his hands. He blinked in surprise and looked at you, his senses returning to him. “But Kakashi said-”

“Let’s go, please,” you nearly pleaded now. 

It only took a half second for him to nod in understanding, and he walked over to a shivering Hina. Whether it be from the cold or the dead, you weren’t sure, but you weren’t going to stick around and find out. You had to move, and fast.

He swept her up in his arms. “What about your tent?”

You glanced at it and back at him. “Not important,”

You nodded at each other and jumped up into the thick trees. You could see Hina clinging for dear life as the two of you flew between the overgrown branches in the dark, but you didn’t dare look further behind you than that. 

She would continue to cling to him for the hours you fled from the scene and back to the Hidden Leaf. The sun came up after a long time, but you did not stop. Breakfast came and went, and so did lunch, but not once did you stop. Only safe in the forest surrounding your home did you even consider slowing down. But even then, you and Obito silently agreed not to stop. 

Hina slept in his arms while the two of you kept pace. Obito didn’t even act like he was tired of carrying her as his home came into view and his speed renewed. All either of you could feel was relief, and a distinct need to make it. He worked through it, arms and shoulders tight as the two of you stepped up to the barrier and finally crossed through. 

You opened the unlocked door to his home so that they could come in and shut it behind him. Obito grunted as he placed a still sleeping Hina on the sunken couch, and you went to the counter in the familiar kitchen where your phone was. You turned it on, your exhausted body slumping against the cabinets and onto your bottom while you waited for the lock screen to load. Obito came up next to you and followed suit, leaning heavily against you.

“We made it,” he uttered under his breath.

“Thank Kami. We made it,” You made eye contact with him, and pulled him into a loose hug with the last dregs of your strength. 

Still in his lap, you unlocked your phone. You leaned against his broad chest and clicked the call button. It only rang once before a familiar voice answered, relief already leaking into his tone.

“Hello?”

“We’re home,”

Part XVIII

Tag List: @mostlyunsure, @humongousdreamlandbear, @ichaichahatake, @mandy-yeager, @detectivestucks

[erumai-maadu]

(Slowly going back to my naruto era again…. Yay ) it’s so frustrating that Team Gai didn’t get to mourn completely. Like only Lee did and I get it that’s his rival and tenten that was her friend who also dealt with Lee and Gai ‘s shenanigans and Gai felt out of character when he told Lee like I get it but he never grieve after losing one of his students….

(muhahahaha come back to the pits with us mel. we have cookies!)

So much about Neji’s death was handled so badly, which explains the commonality of Neji Lives AUs. because EVERYONE knew that was bullshit.

So earlier I was watching an OSP Trope Talk (that series is a goldmine for writers btw everyone should go check it out) on fridging, and there were a few things that Red said which stuck out to me a lot.

Side note here: Neji wasn’t fridged, necessarily, but since fridging is a bad character death, Red was discussing a lot of character death tropes and how to write a good character death.

The main takeaway from the video is that a good character death feels like a conclusion to their arc somehow. Like even if it cuts off their life and their arc/future to some degree, things have wrapped up enough in their arc that the death feels correct or acceptable in some way. That clearly doesn’t happen here.

I think the reality is that Kishimoto designed Team Gai to be side characters, and killed Neji for emotional impact to Naruto and Hinata, as well as to set an example for how brutal the war was going to be. Nobody else died. It wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to his arc in any way, especially given that his whole narrative was about breaking free from the idea of the branch protecting the main family with their lives.

I think the arc of the Hyuuga clan was handled badly just in general but that’s a different (and related) conversation.

People can talk about “well it was Neji’s choice not because he had to” all they want. it just doesn’t feel satisfying. it’s a spit in the face to everything that Neji’s arc had worked up for till then.

Another thing is that a good character death has the characters around them grieve and be deeply affected by it.

Lee didn’t really grieve. He got to be sad, got to go “nooooo nejiiiiiii” and then never really mentioned it again. Naruto got a scene with Neji (that was longer than anything he got with HIS OWN TEAM RAHHH GRRR) and then was at the funeral.

The war was raging around them so one can argue they didn’t have the time to grieve. And honestly that could’ve been a very interesting thing. Forcing all of them to delay their grief because there’s a war going on, we’ll have to deal with this later, having them fight to stay focused on the task at hand, and the consequences of putting off that emotion.

Seeing something, anything that Lee and Tenten and Gai do to keep Neji in their minds. Even just them visiting his grave. Gai lost his father in a war and to lose a student, someone he probably saw as like a child to him, in a war would have been incredibly traumatic and hard for him.

Insane that in the manga there is literally no panel of Lee and Tenten at Neji’s funeral. We see team 10. but not Gai or Lee or Tenten. In the anime they’re there, so small condolences I guess.

Neji, like Shikamaru, is what I like to call a “main side character”. They are the side characters with a lot of screen/panel time and have these big and important narrative arcs that take up time and have an impact on the main character.

Lee, and Tenten especially are minor side characters who don’t get much. And Gai to some extent.

Lee gets his match against Gaara and his time during the chunin exams, and then beyond that I don’t believe we see much of him in a major narrative way. Even in the retrieval arc he’s mostly just there to show how strong Kimimaro is, rib Gaara a little about injuring him, and then sit there and ooh and aah while he summons enough sand to change the landscape.

Gai gets a bit of panel time as elite kickass jounin and Kakashi’s good friend, but still gets relegated to the side for Obito once he pops up. Madara vs Gai changed the culture the same way Lee dropping his weights did, and I think having Naruto bullshit no jutsu him back to life was…. A Choice. I got thoughts about that one too. I like that they did permanently disable him as a consequence, so his choice does have some narrative weight that others don’t. Gai gets a level of respect and dignity as a character but doesn’t really get an arc.

Tenten is the side character of all side characters. Doesn’t have a canonical last name, we know nothing about her, gets a fairly forgettable jutsu that you only really think about if you’re obsessed with her (diagnosis), and gets less screentime than Tsunade’s pet pig or Naruto’s sad boy hours swing. Her main traits come from anime filler arcs that only exist because some mfs on SP’s team LOVE team gai with all their hearts, and i adore them for this. But again, as a very minor character, she doesn’t get an arc or a focus or anything. and that’s fine, such is the nature of side characters, and such is my burden for getting obsessed with them so hard.

the point of all of this is that Tenten and Lee, and Gai to some extent, aren’t narratively important enough to bother getting panel time for grief. I think that’s why they didn’t get any sort of scene mourning Neji. I and the rest of the team gai fandom care more about Team Gai than Kishimoto ever did and that’s a little sad.

In the end it’s just bad writing, plain and simple. If Kishi needed Neji to die, there was a lot of narrative setup that he skipped in the process, and a lot of narrative afterward that would’ve helped justify the choice and make it actually satisfying.

Neji Lives AU for the win, as always.

[jinnxd]

🍅 CHAPTER 48 OMAKE 🍅

Kakashi had just settled into bed, book propped open above his head as usual. Kiya’d had a busy day, wrangling her little brats all around the village. Currently, they were all camped out on the sofa, dozing off.

A nice end to a nice day.

So imagine his surprise when no one other than Mizuki knocked on the front door.

He’d actually groaned out loud when he heard two sets of feet climbing the stairs and heading right into Kiya’s bedroom. Which he was all too aware was directly next to his own room. After what had happened to him the last time he… accidentally overheard them, Kakashi knew that there was no way he could sit through this again.

For one—hearing the way Mizuki continuously disrespected Kiya was infuriating.

For two—he’d popped a boner the last time, and he did not want to repeat that.

And for three—after that last time, he hadn’t been able to look at Kiya the same way. He kept noticing certain things about her, things that were plain wrong.

So Kakashi grumpily heaved himself up from his futon, sliding open the window and climbing up onto the roof. As far away as possible he could get from her bedroom. There was a part of him that was concerned for her safety, but realistically he knew that she could take down that pathetic excuse for a man any day. So why did he still feel so… vexed?

“Mmm, yeaaaaahhh, gonna cum so… hard…” Kiya’s voice moaned out loudly, her voice dry and lacking any real passion. Even from his position on the complete opposite side of the roof, Kakashi had still somehow been able to overhear what he just knew was Kiya faking it. It was equally sad as it was amusing—especially given the fact that it had been so laughably fake. After all, he’d heard how she really sounded when she…

Clearing his throat, he thought that perhaps he should move farther away—maybe a nighttime stroll would do him some good? …But what if she needed his help?

‘She’s fine. That’s her boyfriend, remember? They deserve privacy.’

Kakashi sighed deeply, doing his best to put the images of whatever was going on out of his mind. But somehow, instead of leaving, he’d ended up inching back over to the patch of roof that covered Kiya’s bedroom. It was much more muffled than it would be if he was inside, but he could hear what must have been the end of their little encounter.

“Not in me, Mizu.” He heard Kiya say. He took a second to roll his eyes over the fact that she even felt the need to have to remind him of that.

The teacher scoffed. “I’ll do whatever I want, unless you beg for it somewhere else like you did last time.”

Kiya’s voice sounded much more assertive, the bite that he was familiar with creeping back into her fake, sugary, oh-so-sweet tone. “I said no, Mizu.”

“What’s the big deal? You’re on the contraceptive jutsu aren’t you?” Oh, yeah, because that was the only thing he was worried about. As if the only valid reason for him not to… cum inside of her would be if she wasn’t on any birth control. “C’mon, kitten, let me cum in you. I came all this way just to see you, and you’re gonna deny a man’s needs?”

Was this guy serious? A man’s needs? How could he sit there and say that when Kakashi didn’t even need to listen in to know that Kiya’s needs hadn’t even been taken care of. How could Mizuki look at her and not want to fulfill those needs, over and over and over again?

But of course Kiya was just too fucking selfless. “I’ll swallow it again. Or you can cum on me—”

Mizuki whined like a child. “It doesn’t feel as good that way—why are you being like this? What, you think I don’t deserve to cum in my pussy?”

His pussy? His? It wouldn’t be so laughably funny if Mizuki had spent any time on pleasing said pussy, but it was what it was. Kakashi wondered if Mizuki was even capable, or if he was just such an idiot that he didn’t realize or even care.

And didn’t feel as good?

How could it not? What was it about having the privilege to look down at Kiya’s face as she swallowed his cum that wasn’t good enough? Or being able to look down at her chest, the painting of his cum on her milky skin looking pearlescent in the moonlight—what about that wouldn’t be good enough? What about Kiya wasn’t good enough?

“Mizuki, please, just… I said no, alright?” He hated how fragile she sounded, pleading with him like that.

“Hah. Or what?”

That had done it. Kakashi’s tenuous vow to stay out of this had snapped in half at the blatant threat. He’d just have to live with Kiya’s anger that he’d been caught eavesdropping on her—

“Fine. Then don’t cum at all. Goodnight, Mizuki.”

He stopped in his tracks as he heard the sound of sheets rustling angrily. Had she just…?

‘Good girl.’

“What the fuck, Kiya? Are you being serious right now?”

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, a feeling of pride coming over him at her dismissal of Mizuki. He’d been right all along—she could take care of herself. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed that he hadn’t been able to knock Mizuki flat on his face.

“Fine. Fine. Be like that—see if I care.”

Soon enough, Mizuki had stomped his way out of the Uchiha compound, and Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. Looking down as he prepared to climb back inside through the window, Kakashi paused as he realized it had happened again.

“Damn it.” He muttered defeatedly, eye trained on the traitorous bulge that pushed against his pants.

[chattegeorgiana]

Hey Chatte, hope all is well. I wanted to share a head cannon I thought of revolving around NarSaku kids. And I wanted to know what you think about who would be appropriate for their godparents?

For me Shina are Kakashi, and Dan younger sister( I forget her name)

Hanami Sasuke and Karin (I ship them too)

Arashi Iruka and Ino.

All of these characters are important to the parents on a lot levels but these pairing just make sense. For me KaKashi should be Shina godfather for a number reasons I think would fit in the OG canon. Kakashi would no doubt see the parallels between Minanto and Kushina and Naruto and Sakura, given the fact of his guilt complex for not doing enough and NarSaku being aware of that. It wouldn’t be like an olive branch or redemption the gesture of be telling him that you don’t have to carry this guilt forever and we trust you to be there for our son.

I also have a head canon that Shina & Kakashi relationship is similar between Jiay and Naruto and a his father and Jiay.

Hanami I feel that Sasuke and Karin favor girls and they would be a better as Hanami godparents. Arashi being the youngest I wanted to include characters that people I feel forgot how important their are to their parents not only personally but also developing their story. Ino and Iruka played a similar role even though they themselves aren’t connected directly.

Omg this is so perfect?!?!?!

I never really thought about it until now because I’m not exactly sure if in Japan they have this custom. Here in my country for example, we do too and I THOROUGHLY agree with the combination you just made.

So what I’ll do is research if it’s a custom in Japan as well and if so, do I have your blessing to use this combination in Kaika, since it wasn’t initially my idea but I JUST LOVE IT?

I think it’s perfect to have Kakashi be Shina’s godfather, especially since Shina does resemble Minato as well? And I believe you meant Shizune as well, which I totally see given she is Sakura’s senpai and would most likely want to help & be there for Sakura, along with Tsunade.

It would be like the family that could have been in Tsunade & Dan’s case since they are also direct parallels of NaruSaku, too. Shizune knows how much Taunade loved her family & having Sakura succeed where her master sadly couldn’t, I feel like both of them (as in both Shizune as a godmother & Tsunade as a granny for real now haha), would absolutely want to help Naruto & Sakura with their firstborn.

Likewise, later on after Hanami comes along, given how Hanami is literally a prankster like her father & Karin is eccentric herself, I feel she’d be autie Karin’s favorite niece!!

And Sasuke would grow to love her tremendously given that she is literally a young Naruto replica & so that would remind him of their genin days. Sasuke would probably love the fact that Hanami IS A TROUBLEMAKER and would always be on her side just to mess around with Naruto and be like “see how it is to taste a dose of your own medicine?” 🤣.

And last, but not least, for Arashi, I think Ino and Iruka is also the best choice given Arashi’s personality.

Let’s not forget Arashi has his mother’s temper from the time Ino met Sakura so for her it’d be like a walk down memory lane & just the fondness of that time.

Likewise, Iruka’s calm demeanour is perfect for Arashi’s introverted personality.

So yeah, I’d say pretty top notch ideas!!

Chapeau to you, my dear!

[teatitty]

Do you ever wonder if Iruka was being groomed to be the next Hokage? 🤔

I actually have wondered if that's the case because you'd think Hiruzen would have given all those assistant duties to Asuma or Konohamaru's parents, but they were all going to Iruka, and we know Hiruzen kept a lot of his plans and ideas secret except to a select few

It could be a fun avenue to explore at any rate - I tend to ignore Kakashi's tenure as hokage anyway because a lot of the changes he made feel like ones Tsunade would've been doing, especially in regards to education and the kids, so it could be really interesting to explore a possibility of Iruka being groomed to take over and, well, obviously not realising it, and Tsunade having to decide what to do about that

If we use the anime only scenes of him standing over her shoulder when she's giving out mission alongside Shizune, maybe this could be a way for him to be one of her assistants as well, since the knowledge he has of Konoha and its politics would make him too high profile a target to be allowed out of the village unsupervised. + with Senju headcanon it'd be an excuse for her to get to know her baby cousin and not have to worry about losing another family member :')

[Can you tell I love Iruka & Tsunade cousin bonding. Can you tell]

Could also have another AU scenario where Iruka is made the stand-in Hokage during the gap between Hiruzen's death and Tsunade's arrival OR after Pain when Tsunade is in her little coma have some politics where Danzo isn't the only sixth candidate, but Iruka is too because of Hiruzen's plans for him. There are other roads you could take with it too [Iruka as the stand-in after during the gap following Hiruzen's death; Iruka just straight up takes the seat which pisses off Danzo and Kakashi decides to be his personal bodyguard etc] and they're all really fun to think about ~~~

[rayshippouuchiha]

For me, The Prince Of Leaves And Deep Water, because, well I've been in the Naruto fandom for a long time and I've seen so many fics demonise and push Kushina to the side while focusing on Minato who's 'cooler' and we see more of in canon, and I've also seen fics that make her a really annoying loudmouth version of Sakura which I guess has context given Minato thinks it when they meet in canon, so for me her character outside of her love for Naruto is really nebulous y'know? I've just seen so many 2dimensional takes she's kind of just there for me usually.

But the prince of leaves and deep water changed that, it impacted me significantly with its characterisation of Kushina, her desire to believe in the home she loves warring with her deeper awareness of cruelty than Minato, her trust in Minato, her fucking rage at the unfairness of the day that was supposed to be one of their happiest ending with their baby orphaned and alone. The way she can feel her people dying around her during the 9 tails attack on Konoha, the way that hits knowing how uzushio was wiped out of existence, the way she grieves uzushio in an old aching kind of way and Konoha's dead in a fresh raw wound kind of way, the way she grieves herself and the love of her life and her son, her poor son who she'll never get to know grow up. It's fucking insane. It drives me insane when I think about it! This woman made of all the grief in the world hoping and gambling and praying that the world will be kind to her child. And that, all that contrasted with the softness of the nickname "my little prince of eddies and leaves".

So yeah that's the fic that sticks with me.

Also don't intend this as backhanded or anything but sincerely, I'm especially impressed as I am personally not mad on the kakanaru pairing in the least given Kakashi's failure to tell him fuckall about his parents in canon or really train him in any tangible way beyond helping with the rasenshuriken years after Naruto's been apprenticed with Jiraiya which is really just.. plot driven and not enough to make up for things imo and also the whole sensei student thing in canon making it iffy (for me). But the writing in this fic is in fact so fucking good and reflects so much of my own feelings about Naruto's childhood I can literally enjoy it past the notp which is incredible, very few fic are good enough to keep me locked in 100% investment despite a NOtp but this fic achieves that and then some. Also just, the way it highlights these facets of characters that make sense but for some reason I'd never considered being a thing? Great. I love it. And this fic made me love Kushina again despite her shaky handling by the fandom in general inuring me to her presence a lot. And by love, I mean I adore her and I'm grateful for it.

no but this is just one big ass huge compliment in my opinion because being able to get that emotion across with Kushina and then to even make you stick with the fic through a NOTP? That means so much to me

[watermelonsloth]

Hinata Jumping into the Pain Pit is Weirdly Executed

The Pain Arc is among my favorites, but something’s been bothering me about it; Hinata jumping in to save Naruto before she gets folded by the Deva path. Not the fact that she did it(I think it’s a really nice way for her to overcome her anxiety) or even the scene itself, but the fact that it was her.

To me, Hinata’s role in the arc feels very disconnected. She has no presence at the start of the arc. She doesn’t comfort Naruto after Jiraiya’s death, she certainly has no connections to Pain/Nagato or Konan, she has no relevancy in the question about world peace, and I don’t even remember her making a passing appearance. When Pain attacked, she didn’t take out one of the paths or anything(again I don’t remember her even appearing). Then she suddenly has all of the attention on her as she jumps in, proclaims her love, and gets “killed,” which causes Naruto to flip his shit. Then, she’s back to being near irrelevant. Kakashi carries Naruto back, Sakura hugs him, Hinata makes a brief appearance to show she’s alive, and the arc ends. She doesn’t say anything to him, Naruto isn't especially relieved to see she’s alive, and the confession is never addressed.

Do you see why I think this is a weird decision?

She has one moment of relevancy and then she fucks off until the war arc where she will once again have a brief moment to matter before the epilogue. This decision gets even weirder when you take in the bigger picture. For the scene, Kishimoto needed a liked character with an established relationship with Naruto to futilely jump into save him before getting “killed” by Pain. That character’s “death” would cause Naruto to lose control of the nine-tails, resulting in Naruto meeting Minato and yada yada yada you get the point. (Bonus points if that character jumping in progresses that character’s arc.) Now, I’m not saying Hinata doesn’t meet the criteria, but there were certainly better options. To list a few:

Sakura Haruno was literally right there. She is the primary heroine and love interest of the Naruto franchise. She wasn’t a focus character in the Pain arc, but she was at least present. In early shippuden, it was established that she was insecure about being unable to help Naruto in bigger ways. It was also established that she wanted to help Naruto fight back against the Akatsuki. Moments before the Pain Pit scene, Sakura was shown screaming for Naruto’s help so her having a moment of desperately realizing that someone has to help before turning the tables would’ve been a nice scene. Sakura “dying” would mean that Naruto wasn’t just pushed over the edge by seeing another friend die, but by pretty much losing the last member of the original team 7. I could go on about it being in character for her to do and her saying her choice to step in is selfish would be nice foreshadowing to her later actions in the Five Kage Summit arc and her hugging Naruto at the end of the arc would not only be more impactful but make more sense, but this post is long enough already.

Shikamaru Nara would’ve been a nice segway to becoming Naruto’s right hand man later. He was already one of the most present characters in the arc(helping decode Jiraiya’s code and Naruto moving forward) and it would justify the amount of screen time he’s given in both the arc and the manga. I like Shikamaru as much as the next guy, but it is odd how he’s given disproportionately more character depth and growth than the other tertiary characters despite contributing little to the greater themes of the series and stories of the main characters. Him participating in such a major moment would not only make the prior screen time make more sense but him protecting Naruto specifically could be an alternative start of him choosing to become Naruto’s advisor/assistant. Granted, him jumping in wouldn’t be very “protect the king” or “200 iq” of him, so his decision would have to be justified somehow or lead to some sort of character change.

Iruka Umino would’ve been a gut punch. I’m biased and I love Iruka, but sometimes a story needs to twist the knife and this is literally the arc’s darkest hour. He got a little screen time prior to the attack when he comforted Naruto, Iruka’s death was already teased when the Deva path nearly killed him while he was trying to protect someone, and he appears again at the arc’s finale. Iruka “dying” would, at least temporarily, make Shikamaru telling Naruto about the old generation protecting the new all the more grim. The scene could also be a nice call back to chapter one of the series. I’d also like to add that, while any of Naruto’s friends dying would’ve set him off considering the amount of buildup, him reacting so extremely to Iruka “dying” would’ve been undeniably an in character response and it would’ve added at least a little more weight to him choosing to forgive Nagato.

I think I’ve made my case why, without changing anything outside of who jumps in, at least three other characters would’ve made more sense narratively. So, why Hinata? I have two theories as to why Kishimoto thought he should choose Hinata.

1. Kishimoto originally planned to do something more with her character, but ultimately didn’t. Maybe the editors stepped in, maybe he changed his mind, who knows? Not me. I wasn’t there and even if I was, I’m not fluent in Japanese. This would explain both her stepping in specifically and her actually confessing her feelings, but neither being mentioned or relevant again(save for the one movie). It’s also possible that her encouraging Naruto after Neji’s death was that “something more” but it was just awkwardly executed.

2. Hinata is meant to be thematically relevant in the grand scheme of things.

Remember when I said Hinata didn’t have any relevancy in regards to the larger question about world peace? That wasn’t wholly accurate. To explain why, I have to explain the thematic conflict of the Naruto series very quickly.

The series is packed with commentary on humanity, but the thematic question most relevant to what I’m talking about(and arguably the franchise) is “Is it possible for people to understand each other?” (This is specifically in relation to conflict resolution.) This is why talk no jutsu exists, this is why Naruto and Sasuke’s rivalry is so relevant, and this is why the resolution of Naruto is international alliances rather than systematic change or whatever alternative plot resolution people where expecting. This question is lingering in the background since Part 1, but it’s first vocalized in the Pain arc when Nagato asks Naruto if he thinks world peace is possible(which is a stand in for the thematic question of if he thinks two people understanding each other is possible). Naruto answers that he doesn’t know but he’ll find out then spends the rest of the story doing just that. The Five Kage Summit arc is him finding an answer(only if the anger/hatred which would normally cause conflict is directed at a single target), the War arc is him reevaluating that answer once he sees it fail when put into practice(the infinite tsukuyomi/Obito/Madara), and the Valley of the End/Ending is the presentation of the final conclusion(yes). There’s more to it than that and the discussion of how well the theme was executed and if the conclusion was accurate is still open, but all of that is irrelevant in this discussion.

What does Hinata have to do with this? Simple, Hinata is integral in both Naruto reevaluating his answer in the first place and the conclusion he comes to. Naruto treats a large chunk of the war arc like a personal conflict. To him, it’s less of a world war and more of a “Naruto vs Obito/Tobi/Madara.” Because of that, he’s done whatever he can to shoulder all of the weight of the war. However, Neji dying for his sake was like a personal failure. Naruto, unsurprisingly, began to crumble at that failure(with the help of Obito’s taunts). Hinata snaps him out of it(slaps him out of it?) and reminds him of his ninja way. Specifically, she tells him that his conviction to protect his friends is shared by all of the shinobi there. She tells him that it’s not shared hatred or pain that connects all shinobi, it’s the love they have for their comrades(as cheesy as that might sound). That’s all to say that Kishimoto may have chosen Hinata to enter the Pain Pit to connect her to the theme that she’ll later be an impactful player in forwarding. By having her face off against the antagonist that brings the theme to the forefront, it makes her transition into her later role smoother.

However, I still think the execution was weird and the product we ultimately got leaves something to be desired. This isn’t to say that the Pain arc is ruined by this scene by any means—I wouldn’t blame you for thinking this is a nitpick—but I’m still bothered by it. Hindsight is 20/20, but even without hindsight I think the scene could’ve been better. Kishimoto should’ve either chosen a character other than Hinata to jump in and connect Hinata to the theme in some other way(or use the character she’s replaced by if you want to completely scrap her) or he should’ve given her more time to be present in the Pain arc.

[cool-thymus]

Rin Week 2023

A drabble and an illustration for the most special girl in Narutoverse.

Day 4 | November 15 Secret

Team Minato; Rin has a secret; Kakashi has a secret; Obito ...is asleep; they are all tipsy; this is supposed to be funny

The shinobi world is a cruel place. If you’re raised a ninja, it often feels like running naked through a nettle field. No matter how fast you are trying to get out, it always stings. Constant pain and misery touch your bare skin, and you slowly get used to it. The shinobi world is greedy too. It takes the people you love and hardly ever returns them. And you are expected to go with it, no questions asked. But as one Red-Hot Habanero shrewdly observed, this world had room for smiles, laughter, and occasional celebration, especially when your loved ones were given back to you. 

A team of three young shinobi of the Hidden Leaf was that lucky. But miracles didn’t just happen for them. They had to claw back their teammate from the darkness and then fight day and night for his life. Cry for each other and hold shaking hands; lose sleep and hug tight.   

Since then, the hardest and the happiest day of their lives turned into an anniversary that was celebrated as the team’s birthday, their own little festival. Kushina and Kakashi would prepare a feast making sure everybody’s favorite dish was on the menu. Rin was in charge of decorations and flowers. Every year she would make a special arrangement for the table and provide small bouquets for her teammates. The location for the celebration was Minato and Obito’s duty. They liked scouting out picturesque spots, preferably near water. The hike was their small ritual: they traveled alone, mostly in silence. Obito felt special because he was on the same task as the captain, but for Minato it was a pilgrimage to the day when he carried the dying boy back to the village cursing himself for every wrong choice he’d made. Now he let Obito lead the way watching how the 16-year-old jumped left and right like a puppy chasing a butterfly. He followed and silently renewed his vow to always have his back, always protect the kid he’d almost lost. 

This year they picked a cabin near a small waterfall. The view was worthy of the occasion, and there were enough rooms to stay overnight. The Namikaze-Uzumaki family had grown a new member who enjoyed the attention and liked making everything about himself. He was three. The baby added the ingenuousness that the team gradually grew out of, and he kept his parents occupied, so that Rin, Obito and Kakashi could have more privacy and party the way they wanted.

However, none of them was a party animal.  

***

“Isn’t he adorable?” Rin said quietly tugging at Kakashi’s sleeve. Obito had rested his head in her lap; his eyes were closed, lips parted; soft snuffling noises made it clear - he was fast asleep. 

“The word is ‘pathetic’, Rin. We didn’t even drink that much, and he’s already out like a light.” Kakashi took another sip of his beverage (being on good terms with the Sannin had its benefits: their favorite genius was allowed a drink of his choice now and then, in moderation though), “Or… maybe he just really wanted to get to his comfort place as soon as possible.”

“You mean he’s dreaming of something comforting?”

“I mean your lap.” 

Rin paused for a moment, startled with the misplaced sarcasm, but then smirked at him and continued stroking Obito’s hair. “Are you trying to be funny or irritating?” 

Kakashi’s snarky comments never worked on her; at least they never escalated into a full-scale fight like they did with Obito. Rin was just… smarter. If Kakashi all of a sudden started showing his sassy attitude, it only meant he was uncomfortable. She reached for his face and playfully squeezed his cheek like she would with their captain’s little son. 

“Rin, are you trying to be … cheeky right now?” He barely finished the sentence as they both started giggling. Making terrible jokes was their thing, especially when they were tipsy like that. 

“What is it, Kakashi? How did he piss you off this time?” 

“He didn’t. Everything’s fine.” 

“Come on now. You know you’ll feel better if you tell me. Is it because he kept teasing you about that girl?”

Kakashi pulled his mask down and drank some more, then he looked at Rin, the mask still under his chin. 

“Bingo,” said the girl with a half-smile. “You know he’s not trying to be insensitive, right? It’s just that you never talk to him about this kind of stuff, and he probably needs it. So he’s simply trying to start a conversation with you.”

Kakashi turned his gaze to the floor in front of him pulling his yukata over his knees.

“I know we’ve been over this, but… why don’t you just tell him?”

“Let’s not do this tonight, Rin.”

“You told me…”

“It was different with you! You had a thing for me, and it wouldn’t be fa…” 

Rin quickly pressed her finger to his lips, “Yeah-yeah! Let’s pretend you told me because I’m your best friend and not recollect the moment I made a fool of myself?”

Kakashi took her hand in his, bowed his head and pressed his forehead to the back of Rin’s hand, “I’m still sorry about that by the way.”

“Hatake Kakashi, stop being so suave, or my inappropriate feelings will return again!” 

They both started laughing causing Obito to stir in his sleep. Rin pulled Kakashi closer, and he moved to sit next to her, their attention returning to the sleeping teammate. 

“Although… he was kind of an ass to you today,” whispered Rin. “Do you want to teach him a lesson?”

“I might wanna teach him a lesson, yes. About the importance of respecting other people’s boundaries,” Kakashi whispered jokingly, but then, to his surprise, Rin carefully lifted Obito’s head, laid it onto Kakashi’s lap, and sprang to her feet.

“What are you doing?” 

“Be right back. Don’t wake him up!” she shot back and dashed to the hall.

Obito’s head felt heavy. Without Rin in the room, it was too quiet, and Kakashi could hear his friend’s breathing: in and out, the chest rising and falling, slowly, evenly; no gasping for air. “Good job, buddy. You’re doing a great job, just keep breathing, okay? Just like that.” His own words from a long time ago echoed in his mind, but he suppressed them right away reminding himself that there was no need to monitor Obito’s breathing anymore. He was okay now.     

Rin suddenly reappeared next to Kakashi, eyes sparkling with mischief. Noticing that his hands were still hovering near Obito’s temples, she gently nudged Kakashi out of his trance. When his eyes gained focus again she proudly demonstrated a black marker that she'd fished out from Kushina’s bag with the baby stuff.

“Are you actually going to draw on his face? Like a five-year-old?”

“Yep! Can you steady his head a bit, Mr. Boring?”

Kakashi’s hands reluctantly landed on Obito’s cheeks tilting his head in Rin’s direction. She proceeded to draw a funny-looking beard and a mustache. 

“You know, he can’t grow a beard anyway, so this is offensive as hell. Keep drawing.”

Rin raised her eyes at Kakashi covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. Then she started to draw a pair of very thick eyebrows. 

“Oh, that’s just cruel! He’ll never forgive you for making him look like Gai.”

“Me? Who said I was responsible for this? It’s totally your doing,” she said in a mockingly indignant tone as she traced out ‘Kakashi did this’ on Obito’s cheeks. 

“Hey! He’d happily let you off the hook, but me?! I’ll never see the end of it!”

Rin ignored Kakashi’s words, admiring her work. 

“Isn’t he adorable?” Having said that, she was carefully watching her friend whose left hand was still resting on Obito’s cheek. 

“Yeah… he is.”

“Kakashi, you can tell him. He’ll be okay with it, I promise.” 

There was a minute of silence between them.

“But you can’t promise me that, Rin. What if he’s simply weirded out by it? Or feels uncomfortable? What if he stops hanging out with me at all?”

“That’s not gonna ha…”

“I know! I know this is probably not gonna happen, but what if it does? What if I'm not a part of his life anymore? You were there, Rin; it was hell without him. I’m just… I’m not ready. I’m not ready to lose him… again.”

“Kakashi, you idiot! Did you really think I would…” Obito opened his eyes and tried to prop himself up with his elbows, but in an instant a very precise hand hit several chakra points on his neck knocking him unconscious. 

“Kakashi! You can’t do that! Why did you hit him?!” 

“It was a reflex, okay!” They both leaned over to check on Obito.

“Has he been awake the entire time?” Kakashi was getting worried.

“How should I know? Seriously, Kakashi, I just wanted you to be honest with your best friend, and you go and do this?!”

“I said I didn’t mean to knock him out, okay?! And by the way, maybe you should stop berating me? It’s not like you’re completely honest with him either. Did you have enough courage to tell him about your secret nurse-boyfriend?”

“Rin?! You have a bo…” Obito regained consciousness but only for a few seconds before another hand made him pass out again.

“RIN!”

“I’m sorry!” 

@rinweek2023

[theminecraftbee]

fanfic ask game: for hermitcraft specifically, those two fandom plots - "grian watcher angst" and "dsmp character goes to therapy". your thoughts, both on the concepts and on the typical execution thereof?

oh i see you're coming in with the controversial ones for me. hm. okay like.

....both of these are in the D-F range but i'm reluctant to put them fully in F because there are good examples out there that i like and i don't like saying "yeah i outright won't read this" when like, if a friend or an author i trust writes it, or someone puts something in a summary that makes me say "oh they're doing something new with the concept okay" happens, i will read it. also i always feel bad about my knee-jerk dislike of hermit!tommy given that hermit!tommy is actually pretty directly what got me into hermitcraft, so like. cannot possibly be that bad. just...

the problem with these types of fics tends to partially be "overdone" which like, once again. not always a problem in fanfic spaces. i'll go back to my naruto team 7 as family example i have read COUNTLESS of those fics that basically all have the same plot (kakashi puts them through hell training! bonding about trauma! the very specific plot point of 'they go to the chunin exams and are wildly overprepared for them and everyone goes 'what are they feeding those kids', often with the exact sakura/ino fight except sakura wildly outclasses her because she's 'grown up' now or whatever') and i eat them all up! for the people who like those tropes the fact they're popular is GREAT. the problem is, of course, when you're sort of tired of it and would like something else but that something else is annoyingly hard to find and then you're sitting there like "i know that complaining doesn't actually generate more fic, me WRITING generates more fic, but i only have but so much capacity and i want MY popcorn reading, where's MY popcorn reading".

...that extended ramble got a little out of hand but like. you see where i'm coming from, right?

the other problem is that i have a very, very limited patience for certain types of angst. which is silly, because i'm an angst writer to some extent (or, okay, i have a very complicated relationship with that, i actually wouldn't describe myself as an angst writer but people who do are valid and i fully understand where they're coming from). i also have a very limited patience for whump unless it scratches exactly the right itch for me. and i really, REALLY don't have patience for when the angst is just... circular, nothing ever gets resolved, you spend ten chapters in the same repetitive cycle of angst and comfort, and it's not really those tropes' fault that a lot of this happens there, right. it's that they're POPULAR so a lot of new writers write them. but writing angst that doesn't just make me bored is HARD and because i have trouble finding a lot of those fics that do write it well i have a tendency to write it off, because the other involved tropes aren't things i like enough to make me keep reading despite it doing a thing i dislike.

(the third secret reason i tend to mistrust these genres is 'i am so fucking picky about mumbo characterization these days and no one ever writes him right i am the most suffering person ever and also now whenever pearl is used for grian angst with no character of her own i descend from the trees like a feral tiger and maul something". these, however, are personal problems. especially the mumbo thing. my pickiness about mumbo is deeply self-inflicted and not even entirely accurate sometimes.)

but the thing is, as i said... if you're already my friend. if i already know i like your writing. and you write this stuff? yeah i'm on top of it. if i have had a friend vouch for you? yeah sure i'll check it out. it's just that i dislike enough of this stuff that i just... fundamentally will not read anything that hasn't been vouched for me or doesn't have such a good high concept that i can hold my nose and hope.

"but second didn't you just write a watcher thing last night also" yes i know this is the other reason i feel bad writing this one out because the problem really is "lots of baby writers hitting exactly the points of writing that i personally can't stand and also a complete saturation of it when i'm trying to find other stuff" instead of necessarily. anything wrong with the trope itself. i don't know. fandom oversaturation can be frustrating.

...so yeah. D or F.

[sentimental-idiot25]

SSMonth: The Great War

Sasuke gazed pensively through the window of his secluded hospital room, feeling the weight of his actions pressing upon him. The once revered shinobi had become a betrayer of his village, fully aware of the gravity of his transgressions and the inevitable retribution he deserved. Sighing with a mix of resignation and anticipation, he awaited the arrival of the new medic who would tend to his wounds.

Despite his treachery, there was one demand he insisted upon: Sakura, his former teammate, should be the one to heal him. It was a condition he set forth, acknowledging the potential risks and consequences it entailed. Sakura, understanding the significance of this task, promptly agreed to his request. However, convincing the village authorities to allow her access proved to be an arduous endeavor.

Numerous meetings were held with Kakashi, the village's Hokage, and other officials, as they deliberated Sakura's involvement. Throughout these discussions, Sakura found herself seldom given the opportunity to voice her own thoughts and desires. It was Kakashi who eloquently advocated on her behalf, emphasizing the crucial points that swayed the hesitant officials.

"She was his former teammate," Kakashi asserted, his voice resonating with conviction. "He specifically requested her presence. Why would he bring harm to the very person he chose to heal him? We will station Anbu agents outside his room, ready to protect Sakura if the need arises."

Sakura, aware of her own capabilities and unwavering trust in Sasuke, knew that she didn't require such protection. Yet, in order to secure her position as Sasuke's primary medic, they had to appease the village's concerns on their own terms. 

Sakura's heart raced as she approached the door to Sasuke's hospital room, torn between fear and a deep longing to see him. Standing before the door, she watched as the ANBU guard opened it, granting her access. Stepping inside, her eyes immediately met Sasuke's intense gaze.

"Hi," Sasuke initiated, breaking the silence that hung between them.

"Hi. How are you feeling? Are you experiencing any pain today?" Sakura asked, consciously maintaining the boundaries of their doctor-patient relationship. Her guard was up, and Sasuke could sense it. He couldn't blame her, for she didn't want her personal feelings to interfere with her duties, especially considering the impending punishment for his crimes.

Walking over to his bedside, Sakura's every move was followed by Sasuke's eyes. His face betrayed his uncertainty and helplessness in this moment. What could he possibly say or do?

"Sakura..." Sasuke began, searching for words amidst the complex emotions swirling within him.

"How's your pain?" Sakura interrupted, focusing on her task of unwrapping the bandages he required.

"Admittedly worse than yesterday," Sasuke confessed, diverting Sakura's attention back to him.

"Where is the pain originating from?" she inquired, her concern evident in her gaze.

"My left ankle," he responded, using limited and carefully controlled movements to indicate the source of his discomfort.

"Don't move it!" Sakura urgently cautioned, her eyes locked on him. "It will only make it worse." Regaining her composure, she added, "Sorry."

Sakura let out a sigh, rising from her seat to review the detailed medical reports left by the previous nurses and doctors. The reports outlined the necessary medical attention Sasuke required and documented the treatments he had undergone thus far. She couldn't help but scoff at the severity of his injuries.

"Well, it makes sense... Your ankle is almost entirely shattered," she commented, her tone tinged with a mix of professional detachment and underlying frustration.

Sasuke remained silent, observing as Sakura placed the paper down and swiftly moved a rolling chair closer to the bed. She shifted the blanket, exposing his injured ankle, and gently rested her hands upon it, channeling her healing jutsu.

"It feels warm... The other doctors always made it feel cold," Sasuke remarked, his voice filled with a hint of surprise.

Sakura turned her body slightly, ensuring he couldn't see her face. "Well…a common misconception is that cold helps heal wounds…that’s wrong— it’s warmth…," she explained, her voice cracking towards the end of her sentence.

"Sakura... I'm sorry," Sasuke offered, a pang of remorse evident in his voice.

Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Sakura turned her head to face him, a single tear streaming down her right eye. Just one look at his face caused her to crumble. As silent sobs shook her body, she continued to shed tears, her hands never ceasing their healing process.

"You said that last time..."

"I still mean it," Sasuke replied, gazing at her tenderly. "But you don't have to forgive me..."

"I already did," Sakura whispered, shutting her eyes tightly. "I can't find it in myself to hate you." Releasing her hands from his ankle, she stood up, her back turned to Sasuke, her posture unmoving. Sasuke could sense that she was trying to compose herself.

After a moment, Sakura turned back around, picking up the bandages from the tray. Approaching his side, she slowly lifted his injured arm and began unwrapping the dressing. It was an unpleasant sight, but Sakura had grown accustomed to the scars and consequences of battle. What distressed her more was the way Sasuke was looking at her—his eyes filled with tenderness and sorrow.

Sakura's gaze couldn't help but linger on his, pretending, if only for a moment, that everything was fine. "You left me... and I forgave you... Now that you're back, I don't know what to think," she confessed, releasing a sigh and resuming her work of removing the bandages. Goosebumps ran down Sasuke's body, as he too was uncertain of his own thoughts.

She had given him her love years ago, and all he had done was leave. She had told him that she would be alone if he departed, and yet he still chose to go. Furthermore, each time they crossed paths afterward, he hurt her. He wanted to believe that she still loved him, perhaps even yearned to love her in return. But if his love only caused her pain, maybe she would be better off without him. She deserved better, he thought to himself.

Yet, in this second chance he had been given, he was determined to treat her better, to care for her more, and to become the person she deserved. He understood that his current self was undeserving, but the mere thought of Sakura being with anyone else was a notion he refused to entertain any further.

Reaching out to touch her hand, Sasuke felt Sakura freeze. "Can you do this tomorrow?" he asked, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.

"But you'll be in a lot of pain..."

"I don't care. I want to see you tomorrow."

Sakura looked down at their hands, her mind conflicted. After a brief moment, she sighed and replied, "Okay." Placing everything back in its proper place, she prepared to leave.

Just as she was about to depart, Sasuke called out her name, his voice laced with gratitude and sincerity. "Sakura... Thank you." As Sakura smiled and exited through the door, Sasuke was engulfed once more by an overwhelming sense of emptiness. He never wanted to be alone again, but his actions had pushed everyone away, especially her. The regret weighed heavily on his heart. She had given him her unwavering love, and in return, he had chosen to abandon the village. In that moment, he realized the true significance of her affection—the knowledge that there would always be at least one person who remained connected to him, anchoring him to the village he once called home.

Despite his relentless efforts to sever that bond, driven by the festering hatred that consumed him, her love prevailed. It was a love stronger than the hatred he held for the world.

After Sakura left the room, she took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. Memories of when they first met flooded her mind. Back then, he hadn't yet pushed everyone away. Time had passed, and the truth became painfully evident—he was now engulfed in solitude, a self-imposed isolation. Witnessing him in such a state of detachment weighed heavily on her heart, even though she knew it was a consequence of his own choices.

She held onto a fervent wish deep within her, hoping that he would find the strength to accept the love his friends offered, to accept the love she offered him. She yearned for him to open his heart and allow that love to fill the void that seemed to consume him, and to know that he didn't have to bear this burden alone.

The next morning, Sakura returned, determined to make the most of her final opportunity to see Sasuke before his impending imprisonment. Kakashi and Naruto had been tirelessly searching for an alternative punishment, one that didn't involve death or a lifetime behind bars. Wanting to spend more time with him, Sakura entered the room with newfound confidence, closing the door behind her and offering a soft greeting, "Hello Sasuke."

Sasuke, shifting from lying down to a sitting position, expressed surprise, "Sakura, you're here early," almost as if it were a question.

"Well," Sakura replied, looking down at the floor, "today is the last day I'll be able to heal you before you're taken into custody."

"Yeah," Sasuke acknowledged, his mind filled with thoughts of confinement whose duration remained uncertain. Despite recognizing that being held in prison was a mercy for his grave sins, he couldn't shake the discomfort it brought.

"Now, let's attend to that arm of yours," Sakura said with determination, clapping her hands. Moving to his side, she began healing his injured left arm, or rather, what remained of it.

As they engaged in small talk, their conversations steered clear of recent events, focusing instead on their shared childhood memories as members of Team Seven. They discussed their respective days, Sakura's progress as a medical ninja, deliberately avoiding any topics that could ignite negativity. In that moment, it was just the two of them, existing in their own space.

"Let's have a look at your ankle, Sasuke," Sakura spoke softly, her kind eyes fixed on him. Conducting a thorough examination, she nodded reassuringly, "Good news, it seems to be healing well. Now, let's get you up and moving."

After spending several days confined to the hospital bed, Sasuke hesitated but eventually swung his legs down to the cool floor. Slowly, he rose to his feet and took a cautious step forward. "It actually feels normal," he remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Encouragingly, Sakura prompted him, "Walk around the room a bit, let's see how you're doing." Sasuke complied, taking deliberate steps towards the window. Pausing there, he gazed outside, as if searching for solace in the open sky. In response, he opened the window, inviting a breath of fresh air to ease his troubled mind.

Behind him, Sakura's gaze softened, a sad smile gracing her face. Observing all that Sasuke had endured, she couldn't help but admire his enduring strength and resilience. Her attention was diverted when she noticed an Anbu member stationed at the door, monitoring the situation. They must have heard the window opening.

An idea formed in Sakura's mind, and without seeking permission, she declared, "We're going to the rooftop. It's crucial for his recovery to walk beyond the confines of this room and ensure he's fully healed." She knew it was what he needed.

Sasuke didn't turn to face her, but a faint smile played on his lips as he closed his eyes briefly. Despite the passing years, Sakura remained the same caring and determined person he had always known.

The Anbu member nodded in acknowledgment and opened the door for Sakura and Sasuke.

"Sasuke," Sakura called out, motioning towards the door.

Walking behind him to ensure his stability, Sakura guided him in silence during their journey to the rooftop. When they finally reached their destination, it marked Sasuke's first step outside the hospital room since his admission.

He looked out to the sky and took in the breath of the fresh air from the outside.  His face lifted toward the heavens as he exhaled, his breath trembling. 

"You know," he began cautiously, his voice laced with concern, "if the village officials find out you took me outside..."

"I'll handle it," Sakura interjected with a reassuring smile, her eyes meeting his.

"Thank you, Sakura," he expressed sincerely, his words carrying a weight of appreciation.

“Oh, it’s not big deal—“ “No, not for that..”

Curiosity sparked within Sakura as she responded, "For what?" Her interest was piqued by his unexpected display of gratitude.

With a momentary pause, Sasuke's eyes remained fixed on the cloudless sky. Gathering his thoughts, he opened up, his voice revealing both vulnerability and earnestness. "You mentioned the other day whether you still had a place in my heart... Well, you did," he admitted, his tone softened with honesty. "You did, and you still do...”

"You've always had a place in my heart, Sasuke," Sakura confessed, her voice filled with tenderness. "Even when I thought I had lost you, even when I was angry and confused, my love for you never wavered. And it still hasn't."

Sasuke turned to face her, his gaze filled with a mix of gratitude and longing. "I don't deserve your love, Sakura," he murmured, his voice laced with vulnerability. "But I want to change, to become someone who does."

A gentle smile graced Sakura's lips as she reached out to touch his hand, their fingers intertwining. “You don't have to change for me, Sasuke—“ Sasuke squeezed her hand lightly, “But, I've caused so much pain, Sakura," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I want to make amends, not just for you, but for everyone I've hurt….I want to rebuild the bonds I've shattered, starting with the one between us," he declared, his voice steady. "I want to be there for you, Sakura, just as you've always been there for me…”

With those words, all the fires engulfing Sakura's life were extinguished—the flames of uncertainty, doubt, and loneliness.

As they stood side by side, their hearts entwined, Sakura felt a renewed sense of hope. The weight of their shared past had finally been lifted, replaced by a future brimming with possibilities. The scars of their journey were reminders of the battles they had fought, but now, they could move forward together, supporting each other every step of the way.

Sasuke's presence beside her brought a sense of calm and strength. The darkness that had consumed him for so long had started to fade, replaced by a flicker of light in his eyes. Sakura saw the sincerity in his gaze, the commitment to change and to make amends.

With a gentle breeze brushing against their cheeks, Sakura leaned her head on Sasuke's shoulder, taking solace in their shared moment of tranquility. They remained there, absorbing the beauty of the world around them, knowing that their journey was far from over.