#i love introspective sasuke

[silentvoicescryingout]

Hana

Ino loved Sakura through all her phases–sometimes from up close, and sometimes from afar. Sometimes her love was sweet and bright, like dango-sticks. Other times it drilled deep into parts of her that were dark, cold and dampened like the underlayers of scorched, fertile soil. 

She loved things from their beginning, loved them to their end once or twice.

Her mother had told her she was simply made that way–born with soil in one hand, and seeds in the other, always looking for places to plant roots, seeking new lives to nurture and tend to. A true florist's daughter, able to coax even the shyest petals to unfurl in the light with the gentle strength of her hands. Some were poisonous, some healing and others that could provide sustenance and strength.

From the day she first laid eyes on a girl with cherry blossom hair and rose petal cheeks, lily pad eyes and a cherry-like mouth, it was as if all she dreamed of was spring. 

Sakura. 

She tended to her with more care than she gave to any of the other beings that grew in her garden. She was Ino’s special blossom, which at the beginning needed consistent attention and murmured words to coax quivering buds to spread open fragile petals. Her project of passion that could so easily be scared into dormancy by a strong breeze or droplet of icy water.

She fertilized her soil with her own two hands, imbuing confidence, grit, nutrients of character. She showered her with praises, moistening delicate stems so they might grow firmer, stronger to withstand the harsh winds of harsher words and cutting gazes. 

Ino watched and waited, cradled her close and stiffened her spine when she wilted, when she cried her petals dry. Some days, she wanted to keep her in glass, protect her in full bloom, for people to admire but only herself to reach in and feel.

She pushed when all she wanted was to pull closer, forcing herself away from this sprouting blossom she’d planted, watching as her roots burrow deeper, spread farther than just her own garden. And, oh, did she bloom: a wild thing invading outside soils, rooting itself and taking shape in so many other peoples’ hearts.

And when she was torn, uprooted by his traumas and psychotic machinations, Ino was there once more. Cradling her in gentle hands, carefully replanting. She became sunlight, and drowned her cherry blossom in it. She poured and poured, until Sakura no longer wilted, until the stems thickened and petals unfurled in the brightest shade of pink she had ever seen.

When the day came that the earth split and fell open under their feet and the sky bled with the tears of a thousand lifetimes, she finally looked with her eyes instead of searching for meaning with her planter’s hands.

Ino saw Sakura in a way she had never before. She realized that her blossom, her beloved flower, thrived best under conditions that she was not able to provide. No matter the ways in which she tended her, shielded her (and trimmed away at her, clipped her stems) she grew, stretching higher, branching wide and bright in the nighttime, face upturned to the dark, luminescence of a stoic night sky.

So, she watched as the flower was plucked from her garden, silencing the cries of her aching heart and focusing instead on the way those blood-stained hands handled the blossoms with such care, fingers scarred and gnarled, stroking against those vibrant petals oh so gently. 

She would be planted elsewhere to sweeten the worlds with her fragrance; she could only hope it was under the widest and starriest of skies.

Yugao, Ino mused— breathless as she watched him watch her, with those deep, dark, eyes— would have been a better name for a woman who blossomed as Sakura did, under the dark gray and lavender sides of the moon.

Tag list: @ephemeredoll @lezzxe @psalloacappella

[comikadraws]

sasuke was going to genuinely plan out a genocide and it wasn't something he said in a fit of rage, right?

Was Sasuke Uchiha genocidal?

(2k words of analysis, manga screenshots, and other resources)

To refresh everybody's memory, Sasuke's plan was to destroy Konoha and everybody in it. Not that he actually did but those were his own words.

Now we can interpret this in two ways

Sasuke is blinded by rage and would, in a hypothetical scenario, act on his words (Sasuke is genocidal)

Sasuke is being dramatic and/or would get cold feet when confronted with the scenario (Sasuke is not genocidal)

In my opinion, the first scenario is far more likely to occur and the second lacks sufficient evidence to reasonably rule out that Sasuke is genocidal.

>>Analysis under the cut<<

Let's establish a few things before we begin. But feel free to skip to the next headline.

First, I will judge attempted crime as harshly as committed crime. Since this is not real life, there is no need to reward incompetence or luck. Either way, the focus of this discussion is Sasuke's intent and resolve.

Second, fictional characters don't exist in flesh and blood but as part of a narrative. This means that a character's decisions and psychology heavily depend on the author's intent.

Third, I love Sasuke's character. Do not misunderstand this as hate. This is an analysis of Sasuke's psychology and actions. He has been wronged in horrific ways and deserved better, but that won't make me sanitize his character.

Fourth, the red links are context links, linking back to my own posts. I highly recommend reading them.

The Sincerity of Sasuke's Death Threats

Sasuke rarely jokes around or speaks from a place of uncertainty or dramatics. He says he'll kill Danzo? You bet he does. He says he'll kill Itachi? He does. He says he'll kill Naruto? He tries that as well. Granted, two of these deserved to die (from Sasuke's POV) but what matters here is that Sasuke's threats are meant to be interpreted as sincerity rather than hyperboles.

Not that Sasuke never goes back on his words though, as is the case with the ending (although it is arguably a character inconsistency). The one of the few other time he takes back a threat (chapter 177) it is not a direct threat but an implied one that is based on a hypothetical.

Back then he reconsiders his words - but not really because he retroactively notices he didn't mean them but rather because Kakashi pulls an uno-reverse on him. Afterward, he has 3-4 years to spend on introspection only for him to repeat his threat in chapter 416. Sasuke readiness to induce harm to innocents does not appear to be spontaneous or ill-considered.

Sasuke generally hesitates every now and then. Like when he ends up sparing Naruto after he is knocked unconscious. Or sparing Dosu because Sakura begs Sasuke to stop.

But those moments occurred at an entirely different point in Sasuke's character arc at which he is rapidly bouncing back and forth between cruelty and mercy. More on that later.

The Devolvement of Sasuke's Morals

Sasuke acts entirely differently after the truth reveal. His morals have visibly changed for the worse. Perhaps it becomes the most apparent when comparing chapter 8 to chapter 481. Whereas Genin Sasuke would once help and support his teammates if they could not keep up on their own, a teenage Sasuke disposes of them.

This kind of development first occurs as early on as chapter 56 when Sasuke decides that growing stronger (ends) justifies carrying a curse mark (means). He is on a steady moral decline afterward, first willing to sacrifice his loyalties (Orochimaru), then uninvolved bystanders (Killer B, the other Kage, other shinobi, and samurai), and finally, a friend (Karin) all in pursuit of his goals. It is utilitarian in nature.

Also, please let's not discuss the validity of killing soldiers. We have already dealt with this question during Waves Arc and later when Itachi died. From Sasuke's and other characters' POV (and as evidenced by chapter 343), dehumanizing and discarding a person just for being a soldier on the wrong side is wrong.

What happened to Sasuke over time is, of course, a character arc. A corruption arc, to be specific. Let's make a quick trip.

A character arc is initiated by some sort of trigger event. If said event lies between a version A and B of a character, chances are that their sympathy, competence, or proactivity have become incomparable to each other. This is why a 13-year-old version of Sasuke (pre truth reveal, which is his trigger event for this specific arc) does not inform us about the workings of a 17-year-old version.

Before this triggering event, Sasuke is also in the midst of a turning point in his arc, hence the indecisiveness about killing Naruto. You can view this in parallel to the Hero's Journey's "Refusal of the Call" during which Sasuke is still hesitant about the road he is taking until the triggering event makes the decision for him.

Now, back to Sasuke's morals. Personally, I believe what stands at the helm of Sasuke's corruption arc is a decrease in self-awareness and a growing lack of empathy.

There's a certain hypocrisy to Sasuke's decision-making. Sasuke is grieving a brother but then attacks somebody else's brother. He is enraged about Konoha discarding Itachi as a tool but will then proceed to abandon his own comrades (Team Taka). He condemns the genocide committed against the Uchiha but then plans a genocide of his own. Injustice is only injustice if inflicted on Sasuke but not if caused by Sasuke.

This does not compare to a younger Sasuke, who uses his own trauma to understand and connect with others and to discern right from wrong. Sasuke is capable of empathizing with Naruto because he is lonely (like himself) and Sasuke finds Orochimaru "disgusting" for viewing humans as mere tools (like a genocidal Itachi). But, over the course of his arc, his trauma instead turns into a weapon to distance himself from others.

The in-universe reason for this change is likely that Sasuke's mind is fully occupied with his own grief and rage. He is blinded by it, so much so that he no longer has the mental space to accommodate other people's pain and suffering.

There is also a narrative device to this, usually applied in the "darkest hour", such as "Batman Grabs a Gun". The purpose is to draw attention to the severity of the situation while also providing more depth to a character by giving them an underlying layer (their emotions/struggles/etc.) beneath their facade (their morals/reputation/etc.).

In Sasuke's case, this is used to highlight his grief for Itachi which is greater than any moral principle Sasuke has.

Intensity and Duration

So, Sasuke is definitely blinded by his rage. But is it a "fit"? I suppose that this is a matter of definition.

Sasuke's hatred for Konoha appears to be a constant. It doesn't change. It doesn't lessen. Not after a couple of hours and not after a couple of days.

To me personally, due to its duration, this is no longer a fit of rage but a mindset - one that Sasuke seems to wholeheartedly believe in.

Regardless of this, we have no indication that Sasuke's rage would lessen anytime soon. On the contrary, actually. Sasuke claims that his hatred has only grown since then.

The question we now have to ask is whether or not Sasuke would be able to rein in his rage in time to spare innocent lives. Alternatively, and combined with Sasuke's willingness to kill his own teammates, it is entirely possible that Sasuke's rage would power through, as it did for approximately 300 chapters in canon.

The Attempts

Now, the most damning argument I have to offer is that Sasuke was already intending to make his genocide plans a reality (or take steps to do so) on three occasions. Twice during the Summit Arc and once during the War Arc.

On all three occasions, the reason why his plans don't come to fruition is because Sasuke gets sidetracked or stopped outright.

In addition, there are three other problems slowing him down. Right in chapter 416, Kisame explains that Sasuke is not strong enough to fight the entire village - even with Taka's help but even more so without them. This conflicts with Sasuke's belief that Taka likely won't approve of his genocide plans or should not be involved for other reasons (which is why Sasuke pretends in front of them). He both needs Taka and has to get rid of them.

Later on, Naruto declares that he will always be there to defend Konoha against Sasuke. My interpretation of this is that Sasuke not only honors his bond with Naruto but also recognizes that fighting Konoha and Naruto simultaneously is not strategically wise - hence he needs to defeat Naruto beforehand.

First Attempt

Sasuke takes Team Taka with him, believing them to be necessary backup. Then Obito intervenes who both threatens Sasuke and gives him the wrong impression that Konoha is "no more" - either fully eradicated or too weak to defend itself.

This might erase the need for Taka as Konoha is weakened significantly and Danzo can be targeted separately from the village.

Second Attempt

In the meantime, Sasuke kills Danzo. As explained by Kisame, a greater conflict with the entirety of Konoha is inevitable if you aim at major political leaders.

On his second attempt, he has coincidentally already managed to abandon the entirety of Team Taka, just as planned in chapter 416. But this time, before he can go to Konoha, he instead encounters Team 7. As explained previously, Sasuke soon realizes that he cannot destroy Konoha before killing Naruto. And before that, he needs to get his eyes fixed. This results in Sasuke's withdrawal from the fight.

Third Attempt

On his third try, the one in which he decides to target Naruto first, he instead gets sidetracked by the appearance of Itachi on the battlefield.

"Sidetracked" doesn't mean "giving up" or "displaying disinterest" in a different goal. Otherwise, Sasuke's training under Orochimaru for 3-4 years would be proof of his disinterest in killing Itachi. Sasuke is simply prioritizing urgent matters and acting strategically.

Now, all of this "getting sidetracked" might sound a little convenient. But the question is "convenient for who?"

It is of course possible that Sasuke is openly searching for excuses because he doesn't truly want to eradicate Konoha, making him a harmless villain. The other explanation is that Kishimoto was the one looking for excuses.

In a conversation, @theheirofthesharingan pointed out that Sasuke is being "saved by the narrative" ie. plot armor. Though not in the sense that he is being protected from harm but rather that he is being protected from inflicting harm, probably as an extension of Konoha's own plot armor. This also ensures that Sasuke remains "redeemable" and likable to the audience so that Naruto can fulfill his goal of bringing him back to Konoha.

Conclusion

As I said in the beginning, there is a huge mountain of evidence suggesting that Sasuke not only fantasized but would've acted on his revenge plans against Konoha. This is because

We know Sasuke to be a non-dramatic character who doesn't easily back away from his own words.

Sasuke is on a corruption arc, his morals declining far enough to kill a friend. It seems unlikely that he'd draw the line at a stranger.

From a writing point of view, continuing Sasuke's corruption arc makes more logical sense unless he experiences another trigger event. It also further highlights Sasuke's pain.

Sasuke has repeated his goal multiple times over, leading me to believe that his mood wouldn't change soon enough for Sasuke to second-guess himself.

Sasuke has taken steps towards the fulfillment of his goal. It is entirely possible that, if Konoha didn't have plot armor, Sasuke would've found the right time to destroy the village eventually.

Of course, Sasuke's morals are not entirely gone, as we can see when he refuses to join Kabuto (though potentially just because Kabuto antagonizes Itachi). It is still entirely possible that Sasuke would've gotten cold feet when physically confronted with the task of killing innocent civilians. But this possibility is hardly entertained by any of the characters and Sasuke himself doesn't seem conflicted about his plans. It seems like Kishimoto intended for Sasuke to be genocidal, most evidence pointing toward this reading of his character.

I certainly have my opinions on this matter but, like always, this is a matter of interpretation.

Debating me is fine. I like to discuss my favorite characters. But screenshotting, blocking me, and then attacking me behind my back (and without having ever interacted with me) in a new post is a no-go for obvious reasons.

[sasukesun]

Can I ask your top 10 fav fics ever (from any fandom, if you don't mind)?

i was going to give you my top 12 until i found out that sanguinedawns deleted their profile so now one of my favourite narusasu fics ever is gone 🥺 it was called naked hearts. i guess i can’t give you exactly what you asked for, sometimes i suck at picking favourites. so i will give you my top 11 (😭) because i can’t take any of these out, and with no ranking, i’m unable to do that. i guess i’ve already recommended all of these fics here and they are all either narusasu or satosugu since i need to have a certain brainrot to look for fanfic.

the earth doesn’t move by mostlyharmless

(narusasu) i find this fic in character, really enjoy the dialogues and love seeing my boys being domestic and just weird guys. i love it.

a hostage situation by kinomiakai

(narusasu) i love how sasuke reads poetry here and how he “kidnaps” naruto. sasuke has two lines about naruto realising his feelings for him that changed my brain chemistry forever, i can’t explain the softness and patience and genuine love that contain in these two lines and i find them so real to sasuke’s character.

that’s what best friends are for by heimai

(narusasu) yes, the sasuke’s vibrator one, one of the greatest heritages of the naruto fandom. this is just the most fun and hilarious fic. i love how in character it is in a modern au context, obviously naruto and sasuke in canonverse would be a bit different than naruto and sasuke in a modern au, they are lighter but still in character.

last ones out by hereforwords

(narusasu) what changed my brain chemistry forever in this fic is their love confession, one of sasuke’s lines in particular, also so real to his character and their relationship.

safe in your arms. by ambiguousreality

(narusasu) if you ever feel sad remember that genin narusasu napping together fanfic exists :)

a thousand summers more by bluelikeskies

(narusasu) this one is so poetic and beautiful. naruto is summer and sasuke is winter, literally.

your name and what that really means by kintou

(narusasu) i think kintou writes narusasu very in character and i love how full of passion some gestures are in this fic, plus i love sasuke’s introspection.

king, until i am by iamsomebody

(satosugu) because it’s so in character and i love their dynamics here. the introduction of this fic is so… getou suguru was burdened with power, too.

summer’s first breath by hiraethia

(satosugu) like i said, this is the most satosugu fic ever. great metaphors, exceptional portrayals of grief, perfect introspection. i can’t explain the emotions i felt while reading so many scenes of this fic. chef’s kiss.

carry me home by valleykey

(satosugu) i love following getou’s mind and train of thought here, the author was great at characterising him. there are great dialogues as well, one in particular of teen getou with adult gojou still lives in my mind rent free.

be good to me by championstunic

(satosugu) something something small actions that contain so much intimacy something. i have a real brainrot for it.

[theheirofthesharingan]

In defense of my pov and maybe I wasn't very clear in the ask... I do think the point of Itachi in the earlier arcs is that he is meant to come across as one dimensional (of course to writers and those who read a lot this actually should equal something potentially being incredibly fishy), so when we get the conspiracy reveal after his death I mean that I wasn't surprised there was more to it and I love how it threw every interpretation of his actions from beginning to end into a new light. (And I realize I forgot to fix a sentence and I love Itachi now, but when I first encountered naruto in my early teens, he honestly didn't scare me that much 😅, he comes into town, doesn't kill any of the main characters because that point in the story wouldn't have made sense for such a thing, and then he leaves, seemingly on a tactically considered whim which fits his characterization at that time)

I also think it's actually incredibly important that Orochimaru and Itachi are both meddling in Sasuke's lives at the same time, which is why I brought them up as a "comparison" even though their motives are never even remotely the same! Orochimaru is horrific as an individual and a villain, but from a narrative standpoint serves as an incredibly effective smokescreen. Orochimaru is an immediate threat from the moment he is introduced, he's a constant and threatening presence and Sasuke goes and exposes himself to that for years which leaves him very little time to introspect on the circumstances around his family's death.

Itachi on the other hand is more of a goal than a threat. He's dangerous, we see enough of him vs other cast members like Jiraiya and Kakashi for that, and he very badly wants Sasuke to pursue him (seen as early as the hotsprings town attack and later made abundantly clear to be because he wants Sasuke to spend his vengeance on him, although even that reasoning is multi layered). He's one of Sasuke's primary enemies, but he functions so differently from Orochimaru that the audience just sees him as a different kind of big bad is all.

(Sorry for the long explanation, I just don't want you to think I'm stupid 😅 but I also might be coming at my interpretations from a different place than you and that's fine too! I appreciate your first answer regardless and thank you for those panels! The manga is so long that I definitely forget things.)

For the purposes of my own work, I often think of how information is compartmentalized in the village... because other members of the konoha 11 also come to the conclusion Sasuke should be killed, but the tactical ones have different justifications than Sakura if I'm remembering correctly? I think they're mostly meant to parrot the village policies, esp since they're secondary characters at best, just cementing the way that villages sacrifice individual members for the sake of less war (which is different than real peace!), but it still makes for some interesting considerations of how much/what other characters know and where they get their information from.

Anyways, sorry again for the long ask but thank you for so much uchiha content!

Oh, of course. Initially, he is meant to be a one dimensional villain, and there are hints dropped to give him more nuance, which make sense after the truth reveal. When we move towards the chapters/episodes leading to his death, the story starts to explore his fragility while he's still a villain.

His reveal didn't surprise me. It devastated me. I've been one of those who had some gist of him not being evil, but the tragedy was entirely unexpected.

If you love Itachi too, then welcome to our hell because we suffer forever here, loving both the brothers.

Don't worry, I loved reading your interpretation of both Itachi and Orochimaru and their influence on Sasuke. Itachi is a big deal because even though Sasuke faces an actual threat from Orochimaru, he isn't scared of him. But whenever he sees Itachi, his reactions are always intense. And even after their battle, he was completely shaking, even if he knew Itachi would have exhausted his chakra too. The only person Sasuke was really scared of was probably Itachi. Other than Itachi being invincible, there were a lot of feelings. Itachi had been cruel to him. Not only physically or psychologically but also emotionally. The only one who could dismantle him was Itachi. And Sasuke had all the unanswered questions in his mind because from his POV, his beloved brother one day stopped loving him when he'd always been so supportive of him.

I think other Konoha Shinobi wanting to kill Sasuke is different from her wanting to kill Sasuke. They didn't love him, they didn't care about him, and that also includes Kakashi. She claimed to love him, and concluded that he needed to die for his own sake. I have no expectations from Konoha 11 and I don't care about their opinions on Sasuke either. But she married Sasuke and never bothered to know why he changed so suddenly and why he would want his brother back. Does she even know anything about the Uchiha clan and its history? And what happened with Itachi and all? Probably not.

Don't worry about the long ask. It's totally fine. Thank you. :)

[sneezemonster15]

I wonder why do you think Megumi and Itadori are portrayed as romantic, but not Suguru and Satoru? Sincerely I want to see your thoughts about it, since to me, Satosugu akways appeared as more ambiguous than Itafushi

Ah. You are right, SatoSugu is more ambiguous than Itafushi. But I really want to finish reading the manga, at least the currently available chapters before I write a comparison. I will though. I promise.

But see. A writer needs to establish certain things before he can establish a romantic dynamic between two same sex characters, to make it believable. It needs to be strategic to be believable in a seamless manner. If two men love each other in a generally heteronormative world, then the writer will definitely establish their sexualities because it's an instinctive response, the audience will wanna see it to believe it.

If two characters are gay, or not straight, the writer will show it. And Gege does. He makes Todo ask such a question to Megumi. He makes Megumi think about it. Megumi says - 'person' when he was specifically asked about a girl. Look at the specific choices the writer is making. He says he only cares for compassion in his prospective mate, and what is Yuuji's USP? Compassion. Yep.

Not Nobara.

Yuuji.

Anyway, from that, we are able to glean information about Megumi's sexuality. And it certainly doesn't look straight. This is all very strategic and deliberate. Megumi is characterised as a self assured person, a thoughtful and introspective person, who knows what he likes and dislikes. In fact, if anyone had bothered to ask Sasuke about his preferences, he would have answered similarly, with a similar attitude too. Hehe.

With Itadori, Gege makes it a point to talk about his sexuality as well. So Itadori is shown as a person who is indecisive. Gege describes him as indecisive. Of course if he is made to be in a position where he needs to think, he will. He is a bit slow, but not a complete idiot. He has a decent learning curve.

He likes tall girls, this is what is told to us. But we are SHOWN something else. When he is asked what girl he likes in his class, he says Ozawa, who was neither tall nor pretty at the time. Isn't it contradictory? Didn't we see the same kind of contradiction with Naruto? Like one would have expected a straight boy to react, he didn't. He didn't objectify girls, like most straight teenage boys would do without a second thought. There is so much conversation about what type of girl her likes. But when finally a tall Ozawa comes along, Yuuji isn't interested, not romantically. Todo asks him the same question and he is baffled so he says something he has been saying for a long time.

People get curious but you wouldn't wanna say something private like this to just anyone no? Especially when you are yourself confused about it. Yuuji is also not like Megumi.

So what you are getting from this is Gege is establishing their traits and sexualities without being too explicit. And we know writers can do it, we have seen it with Naruto. Sasuke and Naruto's sexualities are also questioned and established as not straight, not explicitly but it's clear to perceptive fans, no?

There is a lot of other stuff that confirms ItaFushi.

The characters of Yuuji and Megumi are influenced by Naruto and Sasuke, Gege has admitted it. And I am ready to bet that Gege knows what Naruto the story is truly about.

Gojo outwardly seems like Kakashi but he ain't in the most important way, he isn't a slave to the system, he wants to change the obsolete ways of the system, he is the protector of his students, someone who actually understands them. Sasuke and Megumi are quite alike but Megumi doesn't have Sasuke's conflict. Yuuji is like Naruto characterwise, but he doesn't have Naruto's insecurity. Nobara is like Sakura on the surface, hot headed and loud, but at her core, very different from Sakura.

JJK is like Naruto 2.0. I am not saying it's better or worse. They are two different worlds. What I am saying is that Gege is sort of correcting everything that went wrong with Naruto, in his own manga. Things that fans like us hate. There are a lot of notes I have made about this, but I want to finish the manga first before writing in detail.

I updated my stance on SatoSugu when I got a bit more into jjk. But the reason I am not sure is because we don't see their relationship with the same kind of development like Megumi and Yuuji. Yuuta makes a joke about Gojo finally getting a gf, which he dismisses. And I noticed. But we didn't see Gojo and Geto's relationship being developed from the beginning. By the time Amanai incident shows up, we see them as best friends, they are obviously very close. But it really doesn't seem romantic at that point of time. They mirror each other, they roughhouse, they fuck around together and then find out lol, but they really do seem like good friends. However, I noticed some things with grown up Gojo and Geto, which could indicate a romantic attachment.

The markers I need to see to believe Satosugu is definitely a romantic relationship aren't as established as Megumi and Yuuji's relationship. If it's romantic, the writer will give us this information for sure, one way or the other. But there is a lot to be seen yet. Gege's non linear storytelling will certainly come in handy.

[midnightpink]

loving you i can't deny.

read it here on ao3

Naruto dashed for the bathroom, almost breaking his legs when he slipped on the carpet.

"Don't lose a leg too, dumbass, you're already an arm short!" Sasuke shouted after him.

Naruto just gave him the middle finger, then slapped the door shut.

[or: accidentally telling the homie ur in love with him after u get hit with a jutsu protecting him? just sasuke things]

by: ambiguousreality

Words: 2,703, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English 

Collections: Extraordinary SNS Fics💕, Narusasu Favorites, 2023, the GOOD Naruto content

Fandom: Naruto

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto

Relationship: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-War, Fix-It of Sorts, its really just me throwing all my ideas in and calling it a day, Friends to Lovers, Accidental Love Confessions, Getting Together, sasuke gets hit with a truth-serum jutsu bc that is a thing that exists yes, slight introspection, uchiha my-body-moved-on-its-own sasuke in action

[psychewritesbs]

I was reading your post about the megumi character trope and this is related but not?

Anyways, as someone who likes both sasuke and megumi, and I've come to like sasuke recently as I've finally checked out naruto, but it's bizarre to me how superficial their similarities are and it's crazier how people reduce their characters to their aloofness or dar hair or things like that and use that as a way to judge a character overall when their character arcs are so different imo. I have issues with how sasuke's character was handled in the story, but I've become very fond of the things he did for the story overall, so no problem for me, but I'm not sure megumi's arc will end or proceed any similiar to sasuke's with revenge as the main motivation, or at least I don't think so, I'm a couple chaps behind, but yeah, the way both characters process their own trauma or how their motivations are different enough for me to ignore the superficial ways in which they are similiar

I say it's also tough liking both in fandom spaces because naruto is still really popular and jjk is in the spotlight currently, so fandoms can be tense with each other and it's exhausting to see the slander going every which way lol

They say this as a way to slander mgm, but the "Megumi will never be sasuke" is funny because I don't think he's trying to be???

HOLA!

WELCOME to THE ULTIMATE SHONEN BATTLE FOR THE BEST "QUIET AND ALOOF DEUTERAGONIST-KUN": MEGUMI VS SASUKE!

Who's better? Well... let's ask the internet...

ok nvm. NEVER ask the internet for an opinion. ESPECIALLY when the Naruto fans who think Kishimoto is the mother of all anime tropes get involved.

This isn't even a question of whether Gege took inspiration from Sasuke for Megumi because 1) Sasuke himself takes inspiration from a Togashi character and, 2) "quiet and aloof deuteragonist-kun" is one of the most prevalent tropes in animanga--the trope is not even unique to shonen, hell even the 3-man team isn't unique to Naruto.

Nothing against Kishi but... he's doing the same thing every mangaka or author EVER has done--copying tropes.

At least Gege subverts them.

Let's taco'bout it more under the cut because I have many words to vomit about the topic.

Also... man, this is a fantastic conversation to have because, based on the comments I've seen about why Sasuke is "objectively" better, I feel like it comes back to a lack of introspection, dare I say toxic masculinity (?), and perhaps just not understanding or relating to Megumi as a character.

I've written before about Megumi's character development and how relating to him has a lot to do with how deeply you can be introspective about yourself. I won't address character development much here, so if you want to, you can read that post here.

But when it comes to Megumi vs. Sasuke, it's almost like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they're both fruit (quiet and aloof deuteragonist-kun), AND they also have a different flavor profile, different texture, different scent... the list goes on.

And the way I see it, if someone can't see how the differences between Sasuke and Megumi make them fundamentally different despite sharing the same trope, then they can't "objectively" claim one is better than the other.

So I'm going to go ahead and just say it.

I don't like Sasuke. I never did and I never understood why he was so popular.

The comments about Megumi having the depth of a kiddie pool?

I feel the exact same about Sasuke.

I literally can't think of much to say about him other than he was pissy and had a sour attitude the whole time... umm... he wanted revenge and power... ? I guess?

And you know what? It's perfectly ok that I don't like Sasuke because my subjective opinion does not mean that someone who loves Sasuke is wrong about loving him. After all, my opinion should not be a measuring stick for someone who loves Sasuke.

In fact, I have moots who think very highly of Sasuke AND Megumi, and like them for different reasons. So I actually try to refrain from speaking negatively of Sasuke because I respect my moot's opinions and know that perhaps I am not seeing something they can.

That said, when we compare Sasuke and Megumi, we're measuring the characters against standards that don't apply to either of them.

Since Sasuke is on a revenge character arc, you can't really talk about how he explores his sense of self in order to re-define it (which is one of the main reasons I love Megumi). Sasuke wants power, but that just means he has to train harder.

Megumi does go the training route, but in the end, perhaps it was a moment of clarity and introspection that helped him level up, not just the physical training.

Likewise, since Megumi is on an arc meant to re-define his sense of self, you can't really talk about how he went about seeking power to reach his goal because Megumi is not interested in power for the sake of power, and/or does not have grandiose aspirations.

As you say, their motivations couldn't be more different.

Now, I think it bears repeating that when I started watching jjk, even though I liked him right from the beginning, I thought Megumi was underwhelming af given his trope.

But that's only because, again, I was measuring Megumi against the wrong standards.

In retrospect, I also do feel like Gege wanted Megumi to be perceived as "underwhelming given his trope" (MOST ESPECIALLY SASUKE imo), otherwise the payoff in chapter 58 would not have had the same impact.

So anyways.

To your point. Existing at the intersection of these two fandoms must be an interesting experience because most of the bad comparisons are rooted on surface level similarities.

Thing is, being able to see the nuance between the two characters and why neither is objectively better than the other, does require the ability to read below the surface AND to at least have a certain degree of emotional investment in the story and the characters.

Also, can I just say fandom wars are so pointless?

It's just a bunch of people who can't handle the idea that other people could have a different opinion because they see their opinion as the ultimate truth.

And don't let me act like I'm not the kind of pretentious asshat who will say something like "Megumi is a purposeful deconstruction but Aki is a copy" because I can be quite elitist myself. I just also don't take my opinion too seriously because I know I don't own the ultimate truth about what is and isn't good media.

Also I like to indulge in trash tv like every normal human being in this planet so that alone makes my taste questionable.

To that point, I saw a really good quote that is so relevant to your ask:

The price for certainty means that other people must be wrong. And that leads to holy war.

Lionel Corbett

"uwu Megumi is weak"

But... there's something that has been nagging me about why people don't like Megumi in general that is highly related to how his predecessors, Sasuke included, set the bar we use to measure the trope, most specifically in Battle Shonen.

And that's that the way me measure what makes Megumi a good character is based on toxic masculinity values.

Now... I'm not an expert on the topic, so please correct me if I'm wrong or need to expand my perspective here but...

There's something inherently "toxic" about how people are approaching both Megumi independently of Sasuke, and Megumi compared to Sasuke.

Like... if Sasuke wouldn't curl up in a ball because he's had to experience a traumatic event and instead just keeps on going, that's called repression and/or suppression and it's both not a healthy coping mechanism AND not realistically written.

So what if Sasuke would never?

Why is it wrong for a character (or a real human for that matter) to feel so defeated after the trauma they've had to face?

I am more interested in learning why we are so obsessed with looking down on a fictional character for feeling down on himself... like, Momo, are you ok, dude?

Do you ever allow yourself to feel all your feels or do you just berate yourself when you feel down on yourself?

And why are we measuring trauma on a scale of who has it worse just so that we can cancel someone else's trauma?

Actually, the fact that we can sit here and talk about who has it best and who has it worse like it's a competition?

That's gaslighting, and it's toxic af.

But again. The problem is that jjk fans themselves hate on Megumi independently of whether they compare him to Sasuke or not.

And I'm not sure whether kin here just has shitty reading comprehension skills, but...

I'm noticing a trend that has EVERYTHING to do with my female gaze and it's the fact that I kind of don't give a fuck about power scaling.

Like, it's cool. I'm not hating on people who do, you know. I'm just saying I don't care for it. But what I'm trying to say here is that people hate on Megumi for weird reasons...

Like... I don't think Hyena here is reading the same manga if he can't tell that Megumi has had character development, unless what he expects in terms of character development is...

Which is fine too... I loved dbz back in the day.

Who could ever forget Goku looking like he has to poop so bad his hair grows really long?

But like... are we fucking for real? JJK is far too nuanced to limit your experience of the manga to flashy fights and power ups only.

Again, if this is the standard we are using to measure Megumi as a character, no wonder people are disappointed.

So I say let them eat cake.

No shade to all of the people who I screenshotted here, but they're going to have to come up with smarter arguments to back up their subjective opinions about Sasuke's supposed objective superiority and why Megumi sucks.

In all honesty, the fact that Megumi is perceived as weak strikes me as toxic masculinity.

I get that some people read fiction to escape from their daily lives and not have to face the failures and successes they experience in the real world, but I personally want more human characters who fail and cry because that's more relatable to me than Goku's super powered instinct Saiyan form or whatever its called.

I guess we all read for different reasons. All I'm saying is "don't hate on Megumi for shortsighted reasons."

To bring it back to where it all started, let's be real here:

Megumi will NEVER be Sasuke

and that is fantastic news because Megumi is Megumi and that's exactly why we love him.

Dear anon, I think I went on a rant there hahahaha.

BAH! I just get so annoyed when people hate on Megumi for shallow reasons. Like, if you don't like him, you don't like him and that's that. But like some of the comments about him are just...

LOL!

Thank you for stopping by anon!

[mochiajclayne]

hiii!! i would like to ask how do you think a crossover between narusasu and the straw hats would go 🥺 kekdke

Thank you for this ask, lovely Mai!

I do have a few ideas but on top of my head:

Sasuke and Robin would talk about the deep stuff and would relate to each other because shared trauma. I feel like they'd touch upon Sasuke's revenge and Robin's tumultuous life before meeting the Strawhats.

Sanji would love Naruto's appetite for ramen. He'd be floored with Naruto's table etiquette and would use him as an example to point out Luffy and Brook's poor table manners. Lmao.

Usopp and Naruto would stay up and talk for hours, mainly introspecting about their insecurities.

Naruto would win back to back in scratch lotto tickets and Nami would like that very much.

Chopper would wonder why Naruto heals so fast and the blond casually mentions about Kurama then would ask if the blond is a devil fruit user, too.

Franky and Brook would tease Sasuke and make Naruto their bro. LMAO.

Zoro and Sasuke would get along and spar. Same with Sanji and Naruto (not me pushing my sns and zosan agenda lmao).

Naruto and Sasuke mad respects Jimbei.

The Strawhats would pretty much kick the council out and save Konoha from old manipulative bastards.

Sasuke would join the Romance Dawn trio for HATING Buggy.

Naruto would have beef with Moria and Absalom for obvious reasons.

Sasuke and Sanji would bond on how their respective family members traumatized them.

Putting sasunaru and zosan in the same room? MAYHEM.

[kinomiakai]

I fucking love Two is a Crowd. It's the highlight of my month to read. You capture Naruto and Sasuke so well, your writing style is amazing, and the introspection & plot is just engrossing. Thank you for sharing it with us ❤️

Anon!!! Aaaaaa thank you so much :') this is so sweet!! I'm so happy you like it so much and dsfjkdhf it's so essential that I get their characters right for this type of fic hahahah, thank you so much!!! You are giving me the highest praise TT_TT

[sentimental-idiot25]

Sasusaku Shoujo Week Day Three: Love Confessions As they strolled across a picturesque bridge, their footsteps echoing softly, Sakura's eyes were drawn to the mesmerizing sight of a sea of dandelions basking in the warm glow of the setting sun. Unable to contain her awe, she halted their progress and turned to Sasuke, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

"Sasuke," she said, stopping in her tracks, "let's pause for a moment." Without waiting for his response, she swiftly made her way to the bridge's railing, effortlessly leaping over it to land on a cluster of rocks just ten feet below. Sasuke, taking a more conventional route, continued down the path of the bridge and descended the hill on the side to join her.

In the sea of dandelions, Sakura picked out two of them and handed one to Sasuke, saying with a bright smile, "Here! Make a wish!"

Accepting the delicate offering, Sasuke couldn't help but notice how Sakura's radiance was amplified by the enchanting hues of the sunset. The warm orange and pink shades seemed to paint her in an ethereal light, enhancing her natural beauty.

"Now make a wish," she gently said, blowing the dandelion in her hand.

A wish? He thought to himself. What did he wish for? A family? A home? Yet, as their journey together unfolded, he realized that wherever he went with Sakura, he found a sense of belonging and contentment—a feeling akin to being at home. In her presence, he discovered a long-lost peace that had eluded him since childhood. It was then that he recognized Sakura as his home, and one day he hoped, family.

As Sakura blew her dandelion, gazing in awe at the dancing seeds floating skyward, Sasuke watched her intently. It was the first time he truly saw her, captivating and enchanting. Whether it was the sunset's gentle glow reflecting on her or his newfound comprehension of his feelings, he couldn't deny the profound love he held for her.

She turned and looked at Sasuke, never having seen him look so at peace. A smile naturally graced her lips upon witnessing his serene state, and she could swear she detected an expression of adoration on his face. Her eyes shifted towards the dandelion he still held in his hand, and Sasuke noticed her glance.

Offering it back to her, he spoke with a touch of vulnerability, "Could you make the wish for me?"

She giggled, "But it's supposed to be your wish."

"I still want you to do it." For a second, Sakura truly believed that she saw a sparkle in his eye. She disregarded it, thinking she had made it up.

"Let's do it together?" she suggested. She grabbed the dandelion just above where Sasuke was holding it and rested her hand over his. She moved their hands together in front of her face as she blew out the dandelion.

In that perfect moment, Sasuke realized that Sakura was the embodiment of his wish—his desire for a home, for a family.

"What's on your mind? You've been looking at me with those eyes," she playfully remarked, interrupting his introspection.

"What eyes?" Sasuke inquired, his voice softened.

She regarded him with a tender smile, pointing towards his gaze. "Those eyes right there. I've never seen you look at me like this before."

"I was basking in the moment, and us in it..."

"You're incredibly sweet, you know that," she responded, her smile deepening.

"You're the only one who thinks so."

"I'm the only one who's ever truly seen it," she responded. A moment of silence washed over them.

"Sakura, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she said, curious to see what he would say.

"What's home to you?"

She sat down on the grass and tilted her head, thinking deeply about this question. "I suppose it's a safe place? Um, I genuinely don't know how to describe it. It's more of a feeling to me," she said, looking at Sasuke who sat down right next to her. "Why do you ask?"

"That was going to be my wish."

"What did you ask for instead?"

"I didn't ask for anything. I think I have what I have been wanting."

"A home?" Her eyes widened, hope illuminating her face. "Are you planning to return and stay in the village now?" Her face brightened up as she leaned towards him.

"I'm not sure if I can, but at the very least, I want to stay with you," he confessed, fiddling with the grass beneath his hand. "Being with you means more to me than anything else."

"With me?" Sakura's voice quivered with years of unspoken hopes.

"I'm sorry for all the hurt and pain I have caused you. And I will keep apologizing to you because I know those words aren't--"

"It's okay, Sasuke," Sakura interjected, her voice genuine and comforting. "I forgive you."

"How?" he said in a pensive way.

She looked at him puzzled, "How what?"

"How were you able to forgive me? After everything?"

Memories resurfaced, and Sasuke couldn't help but recall Kakashi's words: "She suffers from loving you." The phrase echoed in his mind, spoken by his own teacher, someone who intimately knew both him and Sakura. He couldn't fault Kakashi for saying it, yet it left him questioning himself. Did he bring Sakura nothing but suffering? And she just endures it? Why? The simple answer is that she loves him. The love she feels for him is motionless and absolute.

"It wasn't a difficult thing to do," she confessed, sighing softly as she gazed upward, curling her legs close to her chest. "No matter how many times you may fall apart, Sasuke, I'll always be there to hold you together. I want to be that support for you. Besides, I never learned how to let you go."

Sasuke's eyes softened, for no one had ever expressed such care and devotion towards him. Coming from Sakura, it was not merely a declaration but an oath.

"When I told you that I loved you, I didn't expect you to say it in return. I simply wanted you to know. I love you because you matter to me. And even though we're teammates, my love for you extends beyond that. I don't anticipate you reciprocating those feelings—and that's okay," she stated, her voice laced with warmth.

A moment of silence fell between them once again.

"Sakura, what did you wish for?" he felt compelled to ask her.

Blushing, she hesitated. "I'd rather not say. If I reveal it, it might not come true," she replied, hugging her knees tightly, her head resting against them.

He pouted. "I told you what I was going to wish for-- I think it's fair if you tell me."

"I'll wait a little longer, so it has a chance to come true," she said, a smile gracing her lips.

"Sakura."

"Yes?"

"I'll actually tell you my wish..." A silence fell over them as the only sound was the wind rolling through the field of dandelions.

"I want to take care of you," he admitted. "We've been traveling together, and even though we are constantly moving, I have had this sense of home. And that's because of you. A home is all I wanted. And it's you. My wish, is you, to be with you."

"Sasuke..." She melted at his words.

"Sakura, you're important to me not just because you're my teammate." He looked at her as her eyes widened in anticipation, and her mouth slightly opened, waiting for the following statement. "I love you."

By uttering that very statement, he extinguished all the fires that had long been raging within him.

[sueske]

There are many NH stans out there saying Kushina would've 'loved' H. Is a probable approval from one of Naruto's parents is what they need to prove their ship's love and happiness...😞?

I can't see Kushina, a rather passionate woman she was, taking a real liking to H ― who is the furthest thing from passionate. Kushina would've find H deadly uninspiring and hopelessly boring. Kushina'd support Naruto no question, but she wouldn't force herself to like H, Kushina would be just like Naruto, sitting beside H all the while looking the most bored, wondering why Naruto chose to marry and had kids with H, and in the end she'd doze off from the sheer lack of stimulation. Shio ramen with no salt is not shio ramen but haha does it still smell like one. Minato would probably be the same because he couldn't maintain a small conversation with H.

H: Hello. I-I love Naruto-kun. We-we... we're engaged... *blushes*. I'd like... to have your approvals... to marry Na-Naruto-kun.

Naruto: I dunno how and why but I seem to suddenly love the woman beside me, so we're gonna marry in *looking into the distance* dunno, spring? Anyway Sasuke'd be coming around for dinner tomorrow, so can you prepare a new tomato dish for him, mum? Oh and some omusubi with okaka filling, Sasuke prefers to consume healthy food 'ttebayo. He's kinda picky hehe.

Kushina & Minato: 😶😯🤯😬😓😟 What? *awkward silence*

Sueske, what do you think about this whole approval thing?

“Kushina would love lady h” cuz they need other ppl’s approval to validate their ship instead of the man in the ship itself.

I think Kushina would sit Naruto down and make him think about why he loves lady h. I’m a firm believer that you do need a reason to love someone because that’s… that’s just common sense. So why does Naruto love lady h? Was she there for him when he was a kid? Yeah in the shadows ig, but not in a way that truly mattered because naruto said his most important bonds were iruka and sasuke. What did lady h do in shippuden besides inappropriately confessing in the middle of the pain battle and slapping naruto during the war, holding his big manly hand over Neji’s body? And in the last? Completely contradicts canon material there's just no point in discussing it.

Just as there was no reason for sasuke love pink girl, there’s no reason for naruto to love lady h. And kushina, irrespective of whether she would like lady h or not, would make naruto be introspective and come to that conclusion himself before giving her 'approval'.

Also, Kushina is very headstrong and calls people out. There's a lot to call lady h out on. Kushina would want the best for Naruto so making sure that Naruto himself is sure in his decision is a given. Minato would just follow along with his wife lol.

[wickermayne]

Fic Author Self Rec

Thank you @nightowl27-writer! Snow White looks like my cup of tea, can't wait to read it!

My five favourites from my own fics:

Tenderness (Five Years After)

I like Sasuke, I actually like Sasuke quite a lot. And while I don't write traditional m/m narusasu, I dabble in the genderbent variety once in a while. This is like a small ode to Sasuke and the way he covets Naruto. I was inspired by the poeticism of chapter 699. Anyway, looking back at it, I think some of the dialogue is a bit clumsy, but I like the introspection I had for Sasuke.

Petrichor

The imagery of Naruto smoking, leaning against a door frame, smoke billowing around him, rain pattering outside...I don't know where it came from but it was extremely vivid and out came this smut. Actually I do remember the sort of genesis of the idea, I was listening to the Smiths a lot at the time and the song Well I Wonder just gave me rainy night vibes. I thought I nailed the imagery of the scene I wanted to depict.

Consume

Somehow this is my worst performing fic lol, but I really like it. Maybe it's because I had to headcanon some stuff to make it work, and it's not clearly displayed in the fic itself haha. But I loved the way I portrayed their relationship, the angst Naruto secretly harbours, the tenderness Hinata displays to him. And the smut lol.

Bruises

I'd been thinking about this fic forever before I actually started writing it. Not my greatest in actual writing ability, but more like I love the way I capture the desire Naruto and Sasuke have for each other. It's more than sexual, it's like a borderline soulmate vibe without actually crossing that territory. Although a lot of this is sexual, not to give anyone the wrong impression lol.

Chicken Ramen for the Pervert's Soul

I feel like it's cheating to put this one here but I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of my favourites. I love how low stakes it is, I can just write whatever silly idea I come up with and post it in here. All sorts of scenarios and kinks and whatever else. Reading a lot of smut was the most important thing I did to improve my smut writing ability. The second was writing and constantly posting for this fic. Anyway, I've got so many fond memories for a lot of the different chapters in here, and the fact I completed it then started posting more chapters again 🙈

NightOwl basically tagged all my NaruHina moots, so if @azurelyy@tired-biscuit or any of my Dramione moots want to join in, feel free!

[leastdatablebracket]

ROUND 3, MATCH 16

Propaganda under the cut!

Kenshin Uesugi

Propaganda

He is a cold calculating bloodthirsty warlord, who is also a yandere and overly jealous. Also is obsessed with MC's friend Sasuke, where he both loves and constantly threatens to kill Sasuke.

Cullen Rutherford

Propaganda

stupid racist cop creep whose fans cry about how hes "changed" and "you can't judge him he was addicted to magic drugs" nah he still chose to be a racist cop and abuse his power over innocent people and i hate him. the writers making him romanceable in da:i after how blatantly horrible he was in da:o and da:2 is baffling but i guess they had to appeal to the part of their audience who watch those "mafia boyfriend" videos on tiktok or whatever

He's creepy in origins, though still 100% willing to kill the female mage pc he's crushing on, as well as all the other mages trapped in the circle with him. He's the second-in-command in an even worse circle in 2, listening to and defending the increasingly obviously insane meredith until literally the end. He's one of the people still pushing for the circle system by inquisition, and yes he's going through withdrawals and working through the traumas of previous games. And to be brutally honest his was the first romance i took and while i don't remember much from it, its not worth all the girls going absolutely nuts over knockoff terrible alistair.

He's basically a cop who thinks being born a certain way can revoke personhood and by Inquisition still thinks mages are monsters to be controlled, not people. He gets a fairy tale cutesy romance that focuses on his personal struggles with addiction while showing absolutely no regard to the atrocities he committed and still thinks were justified. He can be romanced BY A MAGE and his actions and beliefs are just glossed over. He believes mages are 'not people like you (Hawke) and me', but if the Warden was a female mage he canonically had a crush on her and would deliberately hang around her despite the fact that he was her *jailer*. If that Warden romanced Leliana, there is war table dialogue in which he pesters Leliana for news of his 'former' crush despite her repeated statement that she doesn't want to talk to him about her. All this shitty behavior and lack of introspection gets swept under the rug by the game, not even giving the PC the chance to really challenge his beliefs. Like damn even Fenris could apologize when he lashed out due to past trauma with mages, and if anyone has a reason to hate mages it's Fenris. If you want an ex Templar hottie Alistair is RIGHT THERE. Tbh I know Cullen is a popular romance and I'm not here to tell anyone what they can or can't do or like in a video game, I'm just saying I think he is deeply undateable

Spends the first two games as an antagonist, fervently devoted to the cause of subjugating mages, then a bunch of "character development" happens off screen and the games treat him like he's completely reformed. However he's actions make it clear he still sees mages as dangerous and lesser. Not to mention if you romance him with an elf he doesn't pay your culture more than lip service respect like most of the devout characters 

He was a total villain in the first two games who was violently prejudiced against mages and uses one single bad experience as an excuse for it (a bad experience that is pretty much exactly what he in his job subjected graduating apprentices to, mind you, but this is never brought up). Now he says he's changed, but his words and actions say otherwise. He still distrusts mages, sympathises with the rebel Templars trying to kill them, and he never owns up to the terrible stuff he did and helped others do in the past two games. He totally knew what Meredith was doing and says he doesn't, and he still tries to defend her intentions. And you have no option to call him out on it. If you romance him as a mage, he angsts about how he might have seen you as subhuman in the past but NOW you're one of the good ones, and when you ask him if he'll kill you if you get possessed, he dodges the question. And the PC is written as being almost sad that she's a mage? Like 'can you love me despite what I am??' Also if Leliana romanced a female mage PC in the first game who is still alive, he asks her creepy questions about their relationship. Fitting considering his original purpose was to be creepy to the female mage Warden. 

I hate him and want to cause chaos. Plus his VA is an asshole.

Cop

I think you covered almost everything but don't forget that beautiful moment in DA2 - Act 2 where you find out some templars had a petition to lobotomize all mages and Meredith, THE HARDCORE TEMPLAR LEADER, rejects it, but Cullen says they got a point. Despite the fact that we just found out that those templars were using lobotomy (or the threat of) to rape people and get away with it. And then Cullen in DA:I is whining that anything that happened it's not his fault because Meredith kept the worse away form him so he didn't know, but also that anyway Meredith had a point and did what she had to do. Meredith does not go mad until Act 3, before she was of sound mind and Culllen was her second in command BECAUSE he hated mages as much as (or even more) than her. What the FUCK did she even hide from you, Cullen. Oh, but he changed! Because the writers make A VICTIM OF THE TEMPLARS say so. And anyway he only says so BECAUSE HE READS MINDS not because Cullen did anything to show it. Also the narrative wants to sympathise with Cullen for his drug problems while Cullen is openly attacking the only other character with the same problem for...having the same problem. And he's the antagonist, so there were OTHER things Cullen could be mad about. But he is mad about the drug problem. Also I'm not an expert on writing characters with addictions but he is an addict only when it's time to have a cut scene where you pity him. Otherwise it has zero impacts on everything else.

[oldgrowthcedar]

for the “top 5” ask game:

• top 5 characters / relationships

• top 5 smells

• top 5 things you’re most proud of

omg so many lets get started >:3

Top 5 Characters/Relationshps:

HAN SOOYOUNG FROM ORV most normal girl of all time. by extension her relationship with yoo joonghyuk and kim dokja.

Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto) i have been horribly into naruto for almost a decade of life now and its all his damn fault. honourable mention is sasunaru literally relationship of all time.

Donna Troy (DC Comics) my dear darling i love her so bad

Bokuto Kotaru (Haikyuu) thats my little guy :-) i love nothing more than characters who are so dedicated and kind they mean everything 2 me

Harrowhark Nonagesimus (The Locked Tomb) oh my god. when i read htn after gtn i was gobsmacked. shes literally a lesbian nun in love with the creature who will destroy god in some of the most catastrophic situationships to ever grace the galaxy

honourable mention: sanji from one piece but especially the 4kidz dub version

Top 5 smells (this is wonderful bc i am a perfume girlie at heart <3):

The Ocean <3 i have a brand and i am not afraid to lean into it. I love going to the beach on a cold day and smelling the salt and kelp

Crushed orange peel

My mom's caldo verde

my everyday perfume (link)

Sandalwood

Top 5 things im most proud of (tysm for sending this, it was very nice to reflect on!!):

My research!! I went through the fucking trenches for it but i recently was able to present a project at a major conference and it was a really magical moment

This might sound weird but my athletic ability. I'm disabled w chronic pain but I've put so much time and effort into being able to still play rugby/lift weights and im very proud of myself for figuring out how to do that :-)

My cooking! I can cook most anything if given a recipe for it and i love cooking for other ppl

My dedication. Mama didn't raise a quitter. I try really really hard to not give up on things I care about, even when it gets rough, especially when I'm supporting other people

My introspection. I've been a person I didn't love for a lot of my life but I have worked really really hard to take a look at myself and improve my ability to be there for myself (and others) and forge a more positive future for myself :'-)

ask me my top 5 anything!

[roobylavender]

sorry if you’ve been asked this before but could u explain ur bakugou truther lifestyle in a world where anime fans hate him lol

LMAO it honestly genuinely fascinates me how much people hate bakugou bc.. his arc does everything right. he starts his journey as someone so obsessed with expressions of power bc that's what he believes all might is emblematic of, that it drives him to bully others he deems weak and subsequently develops in himself a sheer terror at the idea of being weak. a terror that is then exacerbated into a truly ugly, volatile, festering self-hatred when deku gets an insane quirk that threatens to leave bakugou to the wayside after all of the years of effort. it is a very close parallel to the dynamic between naruto and sasuke as it develops at the outset but obv naruto and sasuke are part of an entirely different world. sasuke possesses the same complexes as bakugou not bc he's aspiring to be some revered hero but bc he lives in fear of losing everyone he loves, all over again. so in that sense i somewhat understand why people make fun of bakugou in comparison bc, well, his troubles really aren't that serious comparatively. he's lost no one and has no real reason to fear his own weakness. but i think to go about reading his character arc that way is a disservice to what it's trying to explore against the backdrop of mha's narrative as a whole, bc the point isn't to say that bakugou is justified in how he feels the way sasuke might be. quite the contrary in fact. bakugou is very much wrong and deku doesn't deserve a single ounce of his violence, but at the same time, bakugou is also a product of the society that they live in

i hate to make a comparison to endeavor bc i truly do not think they are anywhere near comparable (one is a child and one is an adult after all) so briefly bear with the reference here, but endeavor is not an anomaly. he's not the one unique person in this world's entire history who developed such an obsession with strength he was willing to put everyone else in harm's way for the sake of attaining it. if there can be one endeavor, there can be more, and i think it's arguable that bakugou is a brief glimpse of that. of someone who could grow up to become that same person, who cares for no one around him and views every person in his path as an obstacle or a stepping stone. but the difference here is that's not who bakugou actually is. his history with deku is complicated and rife with transgressions but there are multiple instances we're privy to of bakugou caring, of living in the world outside of pure achievement even if only for a spare moment. he has a capacity for kindness that others recognize in him and it infuriates him bc why should it even be impt when juxtaposed against strength. why should it matter. why should he even care. but he does care. about kirishima. about denki. about uraraka. about deku. and that's what all might really grasps onto and tries to pull back out to the surface with all of the strength that he can muster. he knows bakugou is better than what he's fashioned himself to be, and he knows bakugou knows it. if the parents in naruto largely go unaddressed for their failures, the crux of mha lies in its confrontation of the parents and their role in society. bakugou is always capable of kindness, but it's bc all might (and deku and uraraka and kirishima) constantly lets him know that his kindness is a strength in and of itself that bakugou starts to look inward. that he starts to evaluate how he's acted, who he's hurt, why he's done the things he's done. how powerless he's felt—not at the thought of not achieving #1, but at the thought of not being able to save the friends he cares about

it's bc of the fact that bakugou exists in this world, and not naruto's world, that he gets to do everything right. he gets the emotional support and guidance from a mentor figure. he gets to do the introspective thinking where his actions are evaluated and conclusions are made as to how he moves forward. it's precisely bc the end goal does not matter, in fact there is no end goal anymore. all that matters is the here and now and being able to stand alongside the people around him so that they can support each other. the parameters by which bakugou is allowed to receive closure and move on are clear cut in a way naruto's world could never have allowed them to be, and i genuinely believe that makes people angry bc if anything this is what they wanted for sasuke. not the relentless baggage and manipulation and lack of support. he didn't deserve not to have those things even though the point being made by naruto was precisely to highlight what a lack of those things in context of an exploitative military-industrial complex creates. no one seems to understand the point being made by mha, while somewhat analogous in nature, nonetheless goes the other way—not to highlight what a lack of emotional support and stability create, but to advocate for what their presence can constructively heal. mha is not so much concerned with addressing systems as it is with addressing individuals. hence why we even have an arc like endeavor's, where he in all likelihood will never be forgiven by the rest of his family, but his commitment to altering course will nonetheless be critical so as not to perpetuate further harm

and that's why bakugou interests me so much. i'm a sasuke truther too and i love him in his own way but i love that bakugou is in a series where personal accountability is so important bc it means he does all of the work himself. yes, he does receive encouragement and guidance from others but it's ultimately his choice to make whether or not he wants to change, and he does. he is repeatedly, consistently accountable to himself and to the people around him and to deku esp and i can't describe how monumental it is to see him not only put that sentiment into action but into words. the conversations he has with all might, with that one small kid whose name totally escapes me in this moment but if you've read you'll know what i mean, with deku. the fact that he takes a whole lightning strike or whatever the fuck it was (sorry. i haven't kept up with mha for a while it's quite sporadic) for deku bc his whole definition of strength has shifted on its access. talented. brilliant. incredible. amazing. showstopping. spectacular. never the same. totally unique. not ever been done before. etc. when they put him in the meat grinder and killed him i was so overwhelmed with joy bc yes on its face it's sad* but he's come so far. from someone who let so many civilians die on his entrance exam to someone who sacrificed his own life for the sake of others. it's insane! and i love him so, so deeply and he's one of my favorite deuteragonists in any shounen ever. i think everyone seems to be caught up not only on whatever i've been talking about so far but also on the idea that bakugou's a shitty deuteragonist bc he doesn't have his own personal villain the way everyone else does and it's like. hello. he never needed one. bakugou's own personal villain was himself. and he unequivocally beat him

*i really don't care that the death was a fake out.. he's still dead to me my sweet babie

[sneezemonster15]

Hi! I enjoy your posts and sorry if my english is unclear but i was curios how the characters in naruto will have reacted if they knew about sasuke and naruto true relationship. And if kishi didn't have to pare them in couples to make money

Hi, don't worry about your English. It's cool. :)

Given Konoha is a heteronormative, and prejudiced society, it would have not have reacted positively to the union of Sasuke and Naruto. Hinata is a stereotypical female hentai bait character whose whole purpose in life is to get a husband of her choice. Her choice happens to be Naruto, and the idea that her love should be ideally reciprocated by her object of desire doesn't really occur to her. She is portrayed as a typical Japanese girl. In Japanese society, women are fairly traditional (not counting exceptions). They typically adhere to traditional gender roles and having an individual ambition or evolution is not at the top of their priorities. She portrays such a woman, whose only purpose in life is to secure a marriage with the guy she likes. In one of his interviews at the end, Kishi said about her character that she would be really pathetic if she didn't get rewarded at the end. What was her reward? Naruto. She was not the only character to get rewarded for doing absolutely nothing, or nothing good at least. She is shown as someone unintelligent and proportionately unskilled, who doesn't move a finger unless it is to show off to her object of desire. If Naruto ended up with Sasuke, her reaction would be the same as when Sakura hugs Naruto at the end of Pein arc.

Just - Naruto kun....

And then - .....

And nothing else. She would mope about and do nothing about it. Just like she didn't in Naruto the last movie. Except maybe knit a scarf. :/ Would it end in her character's resolution, some kind of realization? No. Kishi never showed her as having a capability to introspect and deduce calmly, she never thinks or even wonders about Naruto's feelings for her, she just thinks of her own.

Sakura? She already knows that Naruto and Sasuke's bond is special. But if they were officially united, it's pretty obvious that she would throw tantrums, like she does. She would get upset and angry, she would probably accuse Naruto of stealing Sasuke from her (yeah, she has very limited self awareness, also she is very good at repressing or dismissing stuff that doesn't benefit her objectives), she would probably abuse Naruto some more, she would whine and cry in front of Sasuke. Either that or she would outwardly show happiness for them but inner Sakura would be resentful, bitter, jealous and vengeful. Sakura is a malicious character, make no mistake. Her priority is her happiness, her pleasure, her ego. Like Hinata, she places her own ego satisfaction over the happiness of Sasuke, Sarada or her own long term happiness.

And these ladies had to be written this way to facilitate the Brokeback Mountainesque situation post Shippuden, two entitled and self centred women with very limited amounts of self awareness, who will be happy with their one sided love as long as their egos are satisfied, as long as they get to 'have' the men they like and want.

Where some characters show some awareness/knowledge of Naruto and Sasuke's special bond, such as Gaara, Itachi, Orochimaru, Kabuto, most others seem pretty heteronormative and consequently oblivious. Gaara loves Naruto but his happiness is in Naruto's happiness, so he will be happy to see Naruto happy. Neither does he disrespect Sasuke, like other characters do. Itachi suspected that there was more to Naruto's feelings for Sasuke. And he seems to know that Sasuke has feelings for Naruto as well. Itachi told Sasuke that Naruto will take care of everything, so I think Itachi will be happy to see Sasuke's happiness. Itachi does have a very twisted understanding of love and loyalty, but towards the end, he understands his brother and the world a little better.

Characters such as Kakashi, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sai, Suigetsu (who constantly push the characters of Naruto and Sasuke towards Sakura, Hinata or Karin irrespective of Sasuke's or Naruto's own disinterest or apathy) could never really tell whom Sasuke or Naruto loved, despite seeing how crazy and absolutely single mindedly obsessed Naruto was about Sasuke or that Sasuke would pro actively show concern for Naruto and Naruto only, especially in Shippuden. So characters like these would simply be surprised, and then blanch at Sasuke and Naruto getting together, and some would possibly show disapproval. Characters such as Jiraiya certainly would, who have a very narrow minded belief system about how men and women should be, and what their roles are in society.

Ino would cry and whine, but then accept the status quo. Her interest in Sasuke was also very fangirlish, she wouldn't suffer for long, and certainly get over it as soon as she manages to find another male romantic interest who is good looking.

Naruto's parents are also quite heteronormative, but I think they, at least Kushina will be eventually happy that her son is happy and thriving with Sasuke, that she who could not be there to provide a family to her only child, Sasuke took that role on and satisfied it. Minato would also follow suit. Doubtless, Naruto would be infinitely happy with Sasuke. Sasuke is his oxygen.

Oro and Kabuto would smirk, given they had always known it. Kakashi would probably introspect about how wrong he was about so many things, just like he was wrong about his father, Obito, shinobihood, and making Sakura false promises about Sasuke after the hospital fight.

Tsunade would be mildly surprised but won't have any malice or prejudice. The elders (and Danzo) would disapprove in a major way. Obviously. They represent the traditional and corrupt ways of the shinobi world.

Iruka would be genuinely happy (even if surprised) because his only condition is Naruto being happy. And Naruto will be happy with Sasuke. Tenten would say - Kawaai, and will continue playing with her weapons. Neji won't say anything, would probably just smile, and probably worry looking at Hinata's pathetic self, Neji knows she has feelings for Naruto.

Akatsuki members (except Itachi) won't give a shit. Hahahaha. They are non conformists, disillusioned, they don't care what society thinks. They very well know how hypocritical and unjust their world is.

Kurama would approve and be happy for Naruto, since he knows how much Naruto cares for Sasuke. Karin would also react dramatically, she'd be taken aback, get angry, then sad, but would eventually accept the status quo. Juugo wouldn't care as long as Sasuke is well. Hashirama and Madara would have a fleeting thought/regret about how Sasuke and Naruto achieved what they couldn't. The general population of Konoha would also disapprove, Naruto is their hero, as a hero, he serves their needs, and they won't be happy seeing Naruto breaking convention flagrantly. Also, they are wary of Sasuke, Sasuke's role in the war is not revealed to them, they think of him as a nukenin that Naruto forgave. They were seen approving Naruto and Hinata's union because Hinata is a princess heiress, and it's a fairytale wedding, and Naruto is a hero who eventually ends up with the princess. Typical heteronormative society.

Temari and Kankuro would be surprised, Temari would be subtle about it, Kankuro would be loud and perhaps a bit vulgar about it. In good humor though, I think he knows about Gaara's feelings for Naruto. But Temari and Kankuro would be pleased for Naruto's happiness but probably a bit sad for Gaara? Heheh.

Okay who else, who am I missing?

But yeah, that's how it would be.