#sakura black desert

[norrawhite]

YouTube▶️ || Boosty☕

[greenhorn-art]

Keep Your Head Up to the Sky (As Your Day Unfolds) by alphera [Twitter]

Illustrated by Shirou_UOHS @shirou-oh-sakura

Fandom: 全职高手 | The King's Avatar

Rating: General Audiences

Category: M/M

Words: 9 270

Time is rarely kind, and impossible to escape. At the ripe old age of 30, Han Wenqing retires from the Glory Professional Alliance and moves forward the only way he knows how: fearlessly and without hesitation.

About the Book

FONTS: Coelacanth, Segoe UI Emoji

IMAGES: Illustrations by Shirou; pastel sky ID: 7007221 from Rawpixel; dark blue sky ID: 7044483 from Rawpixel; Han Wenqing & Desert Dust image from The King's Avatar Wikia; Ye Xiu & Lord Grim image also from TKA Wikia; Glory card png also made by Shirou via Discord

MATERIALS: regular ol' printer paper (8.5"x11", 20lb, 96 bright); ~1.5mm chipboard; Neenah cardstock (8.5"x11", 65lb, bright white); Iris bookcloth (Madeira colour); paper from Gilded Ink paper pad by Recollections; waxed linen thread (30/3 size, white); wheat paste (1:4 flour:water)

PROGRAMS USED: typeset in Affinity Publisher 2; endpapers designed with Affinity Designer 2 and Affinity Photo 2; imposed with Renegade's Community Imposer (settings: Quarto, snug against binding edge, signatures of 2 sheets).

Text & QR codes printed with colour laser printer (duplex, flip long edge), images printed with inkjet printer (HP Envy 5055; one sheet at a time, single sided, place facedown in tray)

BINDING: quarto (quarter-letter) size, sewn board binding with french link stitch and breakaway spine.

.

Absolutely LOVED this story! I've reread this one a number of times, and keep going back for more. Alphera's writing is so good! Ye Xiu is the series protagonist so things usually follow him, which makes it refreshing to see a story through Han Wenqing's eyes. And the author does it SO WELL! AHHH!

It's been a while since my first read-through, but I'm pretty sure this was the first TKA fic that I actually downloaded and started typesetting. Absolutely chuffed to have it finished! (Love me some growth-- the typeset looks a LOT better than my earlier attempts!)

RAMBLES

Another sewn board binding and breakaway spine! Since this isn't my first go at it, the construction of the book was considerably faster and smoother than my last one. It's just as well, because I ran into a speed bump that stretched out how long it took to typeset and print.

The culprit: (very pretty) illustrations. My laser's colour printing capabilities are shot to hell, so I used my inkjet for the artwork. This involved creating 3 copies of my typeset: 1) the completed typeset; 2) just the text, images hidden; 3) just the images, text hidden/white. Then I ran them through the imposer and printed the text version. The real issue was figuring out how to feed the sheets through my inkjet printer to print the images where I want them. Had to go one page at a time, single-sided. (Just need to place sheet facedown in the tray. So flip along vertical axis.) It took a while, but I got there in the end. And the results were SO worth it! 😊

For the scene breaks I left them as written. I had tried inserting images of the Glory Logo and account card, or using crossed swords emojis ⚔️, but nothing I tried worked as well as what the author did. (It's really neat! Different characters were used to indicate the direction of the timeskip: >>>> for a jump forward in time; <<<< for a flash into the past; and ==== for regular scene breaks, a 'next' rather than 'before' or 'later/after'.)

The cover and endpapers were based off of Shirou's fantastic cover illustration of HQW and YX walking hand-in-hand down a beach at sunset. The art itself is phenomenal so I had it stand alone as a frontispiece and didn't do anything fancy with the title page. For the covers, I looked through my decorative paper stash for something red or black to represent HWQ or Team Tyranny. What I found was paper with pinks, oranges, and purples similar to that illustration -- and that was that. I liked how the colours matched the art, and the gold splashed across it. (Gold for victory, gold for wedding rings and a happy golden future together.)

(Sidenote: I love how the beginning of the end of HWQ's career as an e-sports player "starts with a tingle in his ring finger", leading him and YX to taking the next steps in their relationship and eventually getting married 💍🖐)

I went with a red bookcloth for the spine because it's a common team colour for Tyranny, Excellent Era, and Happy. It also represents good fortune, courage, passion, and love -- things that come to mind when I think about YX, HWQ, and HanYe. The particular shade of red I used is Madeira. It's darker than Ruby Red and leans a little cooler, which suits the decorative paper more.

The endpapers use two background images (overlayed, adjusted, using multiple blending modes) and some images of HWQ and YX from The King's Avatar Wikia.

The background images are from Rawpixel -- I was just minding my own business looking for images of clouds and maybe some mountains to represent overcoming challenges/glory/looking up to the sky, when I found some clouds with the same sunset colours of Shirou's art. Figured it was too perfect, and if I'm going to lean into that design-wise, I might as well go whole hog and full-ass it. Then I found a starry night sky to add some darker blues and stars to it to match. After that it was a matter of overlapping them and positioning them to fit. I also grabbed some images of HWQ and YX from the King's Avatar Wikia and added them to it because HanYe. (After removing the backgrounds).

[completeoveranalysis]

[1]

Chapitre 183 - The World of Sand 

In which ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS INCREDIBLE. 

BLACK AND WHITE INVERSE COLOUR SAKURA AND SYAORANS? OHHHHH CLAMP ARE GENEROUS. CLAMP ARE GIVING.

Even just how each couple is wearing the colour opposite to their background, but also the opposite of the opposing pair.

And how the feathers are in the SAME but OPPOSITE part of the page for each side, showing that they are visual inversions of each other’s reality, but the feathers don’t look the same, and are shown at unique angles. Potentially they’re falling on one side but rising on the other. Potentially it’s the same for each, but its showing that neither story is complete without the perspective of the other. 

And how the small circles on the right are small and clearly defined against the background - perhaps falling water droplets, like the falling feathers around them? - while the ones on the left are fuzzy shiny orbs, like motes of air or magic rising through the sky. I think the implication of movement is a bit open to interpretation, you could go either way. IS one side falling and the other rising? Is the fate of that Sakura/Syaoran pair falling downward while the other rises? Is one falling to ALLOW the other to rise? Is one pair doomed by fate BECAUSE they are clones? Or are they drifting down and out of the narrative and into freedom, while the other pair takes up the fight in their stead? Is one background Black because their future is dark, or because they CAME from that darkness, as created tools of Evil Wolverine? Or is it their clothes that matter? Are they the light in the dark, the fragments of people who fought to change the future despite their origins? White clothing because they were initially empty and devoid of anything? Is the other background similarly white because it hasn’t been written yet - a future so undefined that no-one can tell what it will be when this is all over?

Are the circles actually heading in the same direction on both sides of the page, and the difference is how they are perceived? How one stands out against the darkness while the other needs help to be seen at all? The clones WERE the most visible throughout most of the story, and only through their existence did the other pair get the chance to enter the narrative again. 

I - oH fuck I forgot that this would be in colour and that I HAVE IT. PLEASE HOLD. WHERE IS IT. 

HERE IT IS! LOOK LOOK LOOK

EVEN THE SPLASH TEXT IS INVERTED

MIRROR IMAGES

And OH all that gorgeous golden ornamentation, the gem colours actually staying the same on both sides of the page. The clasp on Syaoran’s upper arm is the same symbol as on the previous cover, on Fai and Kurogane's clothing, which is a very fun connection that shows it wasn’t just an alternate world we didn’t see, but an intended shared thread of imagery for them all. 

The long pieces of jewellery that the Sakuras wear are gorgeous and delicate and intricate. It could be echoing the design of vines and natural growth - perhaps because she can communicate with spirits, and is in touch with the natural world, or perhaps because she is a desert flower herself, growing out of a literal world of sand but also blooming despite the extreme adversity, and blossoming out of pure determination. It also has visual echoes of imprisonment - it circles her neck not at a low level like a necklace, but high like a collar. It spreads across her like roots, holding her in place - or is it the opposite of that now? Is she, aware of her fate as she is, wearing Evil Wolverine’s designs like they're just a gown to be worn? Something she can’t take off but has learned to make work for her?

The Syaorans have a circular loop in the design of their coat around their necks as well - because they’ve been just as trapped in Evil Wolverine’s schemes. For the Syaoran on the right especially the loop around his neck has two circular gems visible that could echo the same shape as the goggles he used to wear, bringing in an element of the past that shaped who he is but at the same time was a design placed on him from birth, one that was all by someone else’s plan. 

AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM. The colour version lets you see the heterochromia in Syaoran's eyes on the right, showing which pair is which, and the DIFFERENCES in how they stand. (If they ARE in the pairs you would expect) Clone Sakura looks down, as if unfocussed, because she IS currently narratively dead. Or is she instead gazing at her hand, being held by Syaoran? She has wanted this so desperately and for so long. Does she look sad because she is currently dead, meaning they might never be actually together? Is she unfocussed because she has not yet had the chance to truly see that her sacrifice worked, and that Syaoran really has been restored? Either way, Syaoran holds her hand up in support, gently from below. 

The Syaoran on the left holds the other Sakura’s hand up close to his chest, hand clenched tight. This Sakura and Syaoran both look ahead - at where they are going? At what lies ahead for them both? Neither looks especially happy, but neither looks especially unhappy either. Lava Lamp has always been particularly unreadable, but the way he grasps her hand betrays how hard he’s been fighting for her. Sakura in turn looks just as unfocussed as her counterpart - and if Evil Wolverine is to be believed, it’s because she’s also dead. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS THOUGH. She could potentially be in dreams, asleep for the entire plotline, held as a backup until they free her. She is not particularly aware that her hand is being held, and isn’t participating in the motion like the other Sakura seems to be, but she looks ahead all the same. Whatever they're looking at, they're clearly moving in a different direction entirely to their clone counterparts.

Meanwhile Clone Syaoran looks directly at the camera.

[maysonem]

Hello if it’s ok with you can I request a Jo Togame x Male reader who is Sakura’s Fraternal twin Brother (like same eye color but having black hair and different enough facial features) . So basically Sakura and his twin had a huge fight years ago when they were little and basically went their separate ways , not seeing each other until Togame wants to introduce his boyfriend to his friend Sakura and after many years the twins see each other again and it’s like an glacier and The Sahara desert . Cue Togame having to play therapist. If this is too long it’s cool I tend to describe too much just let me ok. Have a good day/night 🙂

I was busy yesterday hence I had a moon cake festival to go to with my friend, so sorry for the most latest respond!1!1

But I think I am able to do it, ya! >_<!! Might suck, but I can't turn down male readers!1!1

[dira333]

You can fly again - Itachi x Reader

part 2 to Why they call it falling - Naruto x reader

yes, this is kind of a weird turn of events, but a) this is how my brain works and b) I got a very open request for a part two and if possible, with Itachi. Also I think Itachi deserves a happy quiet life.

After you fall, get back up…

-

“I always wanted to live in the desert.” 

Not even a month into your new position in Suna you realized that although spoken as a lie, the words had turned into the truth.

There was something exhilarating to the vast horizons, the early mornings, the cold nights.

Where soft breezes passed through Konoha, a strong wind pushed every negative thought out of your mind.

Where the sun of Konoha gently warmed your skin, Suna’s sun burned down on you until you hardened.

It felt as if you’d been clay your whole time, moldable by whoever found joy in molding you but here in Suna you found the form you wanted to be and you’d rather crack than be changed by someone else.

-

“Didn’t think Konoha Shinobi could be such hard-asses,” Kankuro told you after another successful mission.

There was that too. 

No one in Suna knew about your history, only what you told them.

If you didn’t flirt back it was because you weren’t interested, not because someone broke your heart.

-

Six months into Suna, you felt like you could breathe again. 

Maybe you’d been reborn the day you stepped through Konoha’s gates but it felt good to be alive.

If only you could stay in that moment, in that feeling.

But Life seemed to have other plans.

-

At first, you thought it was Sasuke. 

No one in Suna had hair as black as his and moved in that fluid way. 

Following him was an unconscious decision, your hand almost raised in a greeting until you recognized him. Then you followed him in earnest.

Through the streets, across the market, and into a narrow alley until he stopped and turned around.

“Are you following me?” He asked, squinting his eyes at you. “Am I in trouble?”

In front of you is a man who should be dead but is clearly alive. Who should be a feared Shinobi but is dressed a civilian? Who’s known for his eyes but squints at you as if he can’t properly see in the dim light of the alley.

Itachi Uchiha.

“Would you like some tea?” You ask and a smile plays around his lips.

“Why not. There’s a nice tea shop down the corner by the market.”

He leads you back the way you’ve just come and you eye him curiously.

“What’s your name?” You ask him, telling him yours softly, like an afterthought.

“Biwa Shisui.” He holds out his hand for you to step through the door.

-

You don’t know why you come back for more tea.

Itachi, or Shisui, as he asks you to call him, offers pleasant conversation and a calm presence. Still, he could very well be manipulating you.

You should call him out, and send the authorities after him.

Instead, you follow him like a lamb to the slaughter bank when he asks if you want to come up to his apartment after tea.

Haven’t you learned anything from your time with Naruto?

Haven’t you burned yourself into your own form, unable to be molded?

The door clicks shut behind you and Itachi, Shisui, whatever his name, gestures to the tiny apartment. 

“It’s not much but it’s mine.”

“You’re real name’s Itachi, isn’t it?”

He doesn’t freeze, doesn’t attack.

Instead, he walks towards the window, a soft chuckle under his breath.

“I have lived here for more than three years now and you’re the first person who has asked me that.”

“Am I the first Konoha Shinobi you encounter?”

“No. But the first one able to see what’s beyond the surface. Why didn’t you report me?”

“Sasuke doesn’t talk about you often, but-”

“Ah.” Itachi tilts his head back. “Sasuke. How is he?”

“He was fine when I left. Happy with Sakura.”

“Why did you leave?”

“I fell.” Itachi turns to look at you, something in his eyes telling you that he knows exactly what you mean.

“We thought you died.”

Another dry chuckle but this time there’s pain so evident on his features, you can feel it too.

“There was nothing I longed for more. I wanted and needed an end to my story. I closed my eyes that day, happy that it was finally over. Only to open them yet again. Changed.”

“How? I mean, changed, how?”

He taps his left eye with one finger. “No Sharingan. And my eyesight is so bad, I can barely tell if you’re human or just a human-shaped tree.”

“What about-”

“My Chakra Control is so weak, a child could beat me. I have to fear more from you than the other way around.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Because that’s the point, right? Why are you spending time with each other, willingly? What is it that makes you come back, that makes him open the door for you each time?

“I just want to be left alone.” He offers. “Or if my life has to end, that it ends quickly and with the least amount of pain. I’ve done and seen enough. I don’t know why you#re here, though.”

Neither do you.

-

“Itachi. Do you think one should harden? Or stay moldable?”

You move your shogi piece and turn your eyes up to his face. He looks cute with his new glasses, but you’d rather not let him know that. 

“Well, it depends, does it not? If you become too hardened in your ways, how would you ever be able to see if you’ve gone wrong? And if you’re too soft, you’ll easily be pushed away from your own moral north, your compass led astray.”

“That sounds very poetic.”

He smiles and your heart jumps, making you fumble for your next move. Itachi beats you again.

-

“Itachi. Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“What an interesting question. You don’t ask if I’ve ever loved before. Or liked someone. It’s the relationship part that worries you.”

“Could you stop analyzing my questions?” You ask, your voice lacking conviction. You know that he knows that you don’t mind. It makes you think twice before you speak but in a good way. You’re sitting on your own balcony this time, sitting so close on the large enough bench that his hand is covering yours halfway, half of his fingers are linked with yours.

It’s purely by chance, of course, or because of the cold. Not because both of you want to be close and even closer.

“I have never been in a relationship before.” He answers slowly, his eyes fixed on the setting sun. “But I have thought about it many times. A relationship is a lot of work. It’s a commitment, to be there, for better or for worse. I’ve wondered countless times how a Shinobi could swear to devote his life to his village and promise that same life to another person. Wouldn’t one always come short? If I had to choose between Sasuke or someone else, I’d have always picked Sasuke, every single time.”

There’s a beat of silence, then two, that pass. 

His hold on your hand tightens, but only for a second, before he speaks up again.

“I’ve got a new life, one that I did not want but got anyway and I think… if I’d ever take that leap, it would have to be with someone who knows what it means to fall and get back up.”

You don’t speak, just turn to look into his eyes. 

-

It has been over six months that you’ve known him. 

It has been over a year since you’ve left Konoha.

You thought you had risen from the ground before, had already known what flying felt like.

As your hand grasped his fully, took hold of a life you’d never known you could want, you realized something…

Even if you fall, you can get back up.

Even if you fall, you can fly again.

-

Sometimes it means falling in love with someone that shouldn’t be alive but is. Someone who’s feared for his powers, but turns out to be a pacifist. Someone who’s known for his eyes and is as blind as a bat.

The Itachi who was and the Itachi that is are two different people and still somehow the same. 

Just like who you were and who you are now.

Konoha Shinobi. Suna citizens.

Heartbroken. Married.

Sometimes you think about going back to Konoha. But what could be waiting there that’s better than what you have here?

In a week, Sasuke and Sakura will visit, their newborn child finally old enough to travel the distance.

In two weeks it will be exactly one year since you married, two years since Itachi has officially been accepted as a Suna citizen under his real name and not some makeshift one. 

In Suna, no one knows your history.

In Suna, you were both reborn. Together.

[sharenadraculea]

Naruto-Characters as Warhammer 40k-factions

After doing something like this with atla-characters, I thought it was fun to do this with Naruto-characters. Again, this is gonna be very silly. Also all 40k factions, not just astartes-legions

Itachi: Night Lords. Renegade that uses copious amounts of terror tactics and there would be a lot more dead if someone else did the job (which doesn‘t justify what they did). Also fan favorites with black eyes, black hair and pale skin. Tough upon further thinking, Harlequin might also work? Very strong, insanly fast, kind of fragile and the terror tactics are more mind fuckery than skining people. Kisame: Carcharodons. Guys with a sharktheme and a lust for blood and I like them a lot. Samehada is allready nearly a chainsword! Sasori: The Mechanicum greatly appreciates your effort in replacing your flesh with machine-bits. Also human-puppets are pretty close to servitors Hidan: Gruesome murder for the sake of gruesome murder and personal entertainment? Sounds like the Drukhari are gonna love him. He even prolongs his life with the suffering of others! Or Slaanesh. Slaanesh would also work just not aesthetically. Kakuzu: Rogue Trader. Near infinite personal freedom and a ton of money? Yeah, he would be up for that (also they are allowed to keep Drukhari around) Konan: I‘m gonna say Sisters of Battle or Sisters of Silence, I can‘t quite remember if she sees Nagato more as a god or just a powerfull guy.

Tobirama: Inquisition. Just look at the guy who invented necromancy to use undead as a never ending tide of bombs and tell me that he wouldn‘t enjoy a little exterminatus from time to time and having waaay too much power over people. Hashirama: I‘m gonna say Exodite Eldar just for the nature-theme. Maybe also avatar of Isha? They are usually nice and have healing stuff, but you still don‘t wanna piss them of Madara: Chaos champion or demon prince, maybe he get‘s a upgrade at some point. Either Khorne or Chaos undivided, because while he does a lot of war and murders a lot of people, he also does some other stuff.

Tsunade, Shizune and Sakura: Space Marine Apothecary. Tanky battle medic. Gaara: Blood Angels. Starts out bloodcrazy and only wanting to fight but he get‘s better and ends up beeing a pretty nice guy. Also both are from deserts. Sasuke: Raven Guard maybe? He‘s suitably emo looking and Raven Guard and Night Lords really dislike each other. Orochimaru: Magos Biologis or Drukhari Homuculi coven. Doing weird, definetly unethical human experimentation as one does. Kabuto: Necrons or maybe something Nurgely? Just a guy commanding legions of the undead. Thousand Sons might also work, a sorcerer controlling empty hulls of what once were people.

Hyuuga-clan: Navigator House, eyerelated superpowers they are super secretive about, a lot of power but isolated from wider society and definetly too much inbreeding Jinchuuriki: Maybe Titans Princeps? Humans capable of controlling giant Battle-things but if they aren‘t carefull, that things mind can take over.

These are just the ones I came up with, if you have more or disagre with one of my classifications, feel free to add your opinion!

[laceyjane44]

GaaSaku 2023 FanFest Day10

Prompt: Desert

(Day 1: Prequel)

Before the sun had risen, Sakura slipped from her sleeping mat and, in the dim light cast by the remaining stars, she quietly tiptoed passed those sleeping in camp and made off for a nearby trail. No one stirred in the encampment, though the woman bed down next to her did turn away at the disturbance when Sakura pulled closed the zippers on her shoes. She’d forgone her blanket for her cloak, it was thicker and would provide better warmth when she left the windbreak of the large dune and stepped out into the open skies of the desert.

Nearly unnoticed, there had been only one that witnessed her departure from camp, and he soon followed a good distance behind her.

With quiet footsteps, her shoes found the hard-packed earth of the trail and she pulled the deep hood of the cloak over her head. Stepping off the winding path, she was now exposed to the winds whipping across the open landscape as she hiked up the side of the towering dune it encircled. She clutched the stiff fabric of the cloak tightly around her as she ascended. Her feet sunk into the sand as the slopped edges of the dunes adjusted to bear her weight, and she huffed quietly as she climbed the few hundred feet to the top. It was exhausting to travel with the ground constantly slipping away under her feet and, ever since they entered this land of endless dunes, she’d wondered how the ones to call this place home managed on a daily basis.

Their hosts had insisted that they have adequate gear for their journey out and, even so, they’d been given a few top rank guides to help them along the way. She had thought it overkill at first, the insisted upon gear alone was twice what she brought with for missions back home, but after their first afternoon of glaring sun, followed by a sudden windstorm kicking up a milewide cloud of dust and sand, and the jarring temperature drop when day shifted to dusk, she began to have a new appreciation for the weight that she carried.

Sakura sat with her cloak pulled around her knees at the crest of the dune, nose going a little pink from the chilly breeze of the early morning, and she looked out to the east. She wondered if the sun had already risen over Konoha, they had come so far in their journey to Suna for the chunin exams, everyone back home was likely already starting their day. She smiled to herself, hoping to return with a new title and a boastful tale or two to regale her parents with. As for now, though, she simply wished to see the sunrise.

At the base of the dune, standing in its shadow, Gaara watched as she huddled in the breeze. He’d been perplexed to see her leave camp and didn’t want her losing her way, but she hadn’t gone far and figured he could let her enjoy the sights that morning in the desert had to offer. He of all people understood the desire; he’d seen nearly every sunrise out here during his lifetime, they were one of the few quiet moments of beauty he’d been privileged to.

Far off in the distance, with no tree lines to obscure the horizon, the dark blue skies began to lift. Overhead was still a kaleidoscope of stars; twinkling, dazzling, illuminating the black backdrop until the light of the rising sun began to snuff them out one by one. Once cool tones of blues and purples, the horizon now began to shine in a pale yellow, chasing away the stars and casting immense dune shadows across the undulated landscape. Yellows turned to oranges turned to reds, a blended swath of masterful design set alight.

Brighter and brighter still, until suddenly the fiery orb of the sun broke past the horizon and the desert that stretched out before Sakura glowed warm and golden. Blazing, obscured by the atmosphere, she watched it ascend in a swift and smooth trajectory, passing behind the wispy faraway clouds and setting their edges aflame. Bewitched, Sakura removed her hood from about her face, wanting to feel the light of the morning grow warm against her skin, wanting the refreshing breeze to blow through her hair.

The frazzled strays from her bedhead caught the sun and, just as the clouds had, the pastel pink of her hair glowed in haloed welcome of the oncoming day. Gaara felt his sand stirring at his feet, a compulsion to weightlessness, and then all at once and without sound, he was standing behind her watching the same sunrise that had beckoned her away from camp.

She must’ve been used to his presence by now, she didn’t seem to notice him at first, and he was able to silently observe for a moment as she pulled some of her windblown locks behind her ear.

“Is it to your liking?” he asked, enjoying the way her eyes widened and swiveled around to look up at him; the fiery red reflection of the sun contrasting vividly with a bright emerald green.

She flinched back and gasped. “Gaara – I mean, Lord Kazekage,” she floundered, surprise and mild embarrassment evident on her face as she glanced down the dune behind him. She cleared her throat, not expecting to use her voice yet. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” he said back, his own voice a little groggy after rousing from his meditation, and he took a moment to ponder her greeting before offering, “It’s just us, it will be all right if you call me by name.” She nodded, securing her cloak around her once again. “So?” he continued. “How is it?”

She laughed a little nervously to herself at being taken by such surprise, and looked back out to the ocean of sand glittering like gold under the growing light. “Amazing, I’ve never seen a sunrise quite like it,” she said quietly after a moment, gripped by the devastating and raw beauty of this landscape that had evaded her until now. “The sights are stunning out here.”

Gaara looked out to the desert she admired, his desert in a way, it always gave him a feeling of being at home and at peace, even as a little blip in the vastness of it all. “There is a certain charm to it,” he had to agree with her. “Those lacking in discernment struggle to see that, though.”

Sakura smiled at this. “I’m glad I’ve had no trouble, then.”

True, he’d been noticing the same ever since he rendezvoused with the oncoming contestants from the east so that he and his siblings could escort them safely to the hidden city. A bit perplexed but accepting of their extensive precautions, she had welcomed every challenge of the desert with a wide-eyed excitement and wonder for a world so unlike her own. In the sweltering heat and glaring afternoon sun; she had been awestruck, when he’d conjured stillness in the presence of the windstorm; she’d grinned with excitement at the monumental force of it overhead and all around, and here she sat in mesmerized appreciation of the artful gift gracing the desert skies each morning and each night.

Looking over her shoulder, she caught his gaze and asked, “Will we be leaving soon?”

Gaara shook his head, studying the way her skin glowed in the unobstructed light. “The camp hasn’t woken yet; enjoy the sunrise.” She looked back out to the landscape before her and shivered a little as a gust flew past them. “May I join you?”

She didn’t look back up at him after his question, but she gave him a nod. “Of course,” she said pulling in the side of her cloak, offering him a spot next to her. “It’s beautiful.”

He took a second longer to study the way the warm gradient of light painted a perfect backdrop for her silhouette, musing that he never thought something so light and delicate looking; like the flower of her namesake, could look so perfectly bathed in the morning glow of the arid landscape that he called home. Peculiar thoughts swam about in his head; skin in the sunlight, hair in the breeze, eyes quietly aflame.

“Yes,” he muttered quietly, the rising sun all but forgotten to him. “It is.”

Thanks for reading!

Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaceyJane

FanFiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2120361/WiccadBaltane0501

[sasheneskywalker]

dc crossover wip ideas

DC & Naruto

[untitled]

It started with a man with a foxy grin punching Joker in the face during a hostage situation.

It continued with a woman with cotton candy pink hair poisoning Riddler while answering correctly all his puzzles.

It spiraled with a man with red eyes decapitating Ra’s al Ghul in front of the entire League of Assassins.

It ended with a frustrated Batman, confused Nightwing, unsettled Black Bat, pleased Red Hood, amused Batgirl, fascinated Red Robin, and annoyed Robin trying to catch three teenagers that accidentally took over the Gotham underworld.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura tumble through an interdimensional portal and land in a place called Gotham. They intend to lay low and search for a way home but their plans go awry when the local villains decide the trio is the most interesting thing that has happened to the city since the rise of Batman.

[untitled]

Learning that his absent father is (allegedly) the world’s best mercenary honestly shouldn’t come as a surprise at this point. He’s always known that he didn't deserve this second chance at life. It was too much to hope for it to be peaceful, especially with all these superheroes and supervillains milling around.

Kakashi’s evening gets interrupted when a villain kidnaps him and his twin sister. The subsequent events drag him back straight into the world of violence and pain that he thought he had left behind after his death. At least messing with people never gets boring, no matter what universe he’s in.

DC & Star Wars

[untitled]

Jedi Master Bruce Wayne died in the Jedi Purge. His first padawan and an exemplary Jedi Knight, Dick Grayson, barely escapes Order 66 and decides to form a crew to fight the Empire.

It includes an information broker and hacker, a dark side-using crime lord, a Mandalorian bounty hunter with strange Force philosophy, a spy inside Inquisitorius, a Jedi padawan and healer trained outside the Temple, and a deserter from an intergalactic organization of assassins.

[untitled]

After a mishap with an alien race wielding technology capable of dimension travel, Babs, Dick, Cass, Jason, Steph, Tim, and Damian find themselves scattered across a galaxy under the rule of the tyrannical Galactic Empire.

DC & Banana Fish

[untitled]

While working on a strange drug case, a newly-established crime lord Red Hood crosses paths with teenage gang leader Ash Lynx.

DC & Naruto & My Hero Academia & Code Geass

[untitled]

Uchiha Sasuke dies during the Battle in the Valley of the End, collapsing next to his soulmate when the last vestiges of his chakra leave his beaten and broken body.

Todoroki Touya dies during the Final War, succumbing to his injuries that he sustained by overusing his quirk in his fight against his family.

Lelouch vi Britannia dies during the Zero Requiem, bleeding out on the dais with his best friend standing over him and holding a dripping sword.

Jason Todd comes back to life with three new voices in his head, a myriad of skills he doesn’t remember possessing, and enough family issues to make him want to kill someone.

[norrawhite]

YouTube▶️ || Boosty☕

[takatsuki-division]

“Here’s to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Yukiko “Yuki” Sakura is the final member of Fractured Eclipse- A former pornstar who’s currently on a break from the industry she now works as a bartender.

General Info

Name: Yukiko “Yuki” Sakura

Mc name: Radient Queen

Age: 29

Height: 5’7

Birthday: May 25th

Tattoos: A bunny tattoo on the small of her back

Scars:Several on her back, a few needle marks on her wrist

Likes:Cake, bunnies, orange juice, chocolate, video games, partying

Dislikes:Vegetables, knives, drugs, dealing with her mental health problems

Favorite food: Chocolate cake

Least favorite food: Peas

Va:TBA

Personality

She’s gentle and kind to everyone she meets- usually a soft spoken sweetheart who loves her friends to death. Always making sure you stay fed and hydrated.

Yet she does have a dark side that occasionally slips out- she picks her words carefully to lure the people who hurt her friends into a spiders web. She can draw out your deepest insecurities and whoops- suddenly she’s got no remorse in posting your drama on the internet. She’s only did this twice though- once in high school and once near the day she went on hiatus.

Backgroud

Yukiko lived in a poor family. Her father gone and her mother just trying to make ends meet. She was a happy child though- her mother and her were extremely close.

Somedays her mother would bring strange men home- the men would disappear with her mother for awhile into the bedroom and the men would come out later and leave. Some men didn’t return and some did- some even would wave goodbye to her whenever they left. Some men were not so nice and her mother always sobbed when they left. Whenever the worse men came around Yukiko would always try and be extra nice for her mom- she was working after all.

In school she met a girl named Ryoko- the two slowly managing to form a close friendship. Every day Ryoko would buy her food for lunch and everyday Yukiko would make the bullies leave Ryoko alone. A few years into middle school she would meet a boy named Aiko and by extension- a girl named Kirumi. She grew rather fond of Aiko- developing a crush on him. As for Kirumi…well she became rather overprotective of her.

Her and Aiko were dropping off papers to a different teacher when she heard Kirumi crying for help that fateful day. She remembers holding Kirumi close to her- taking off her jacket to cover the poor girl up as Aiko beat up the teacher who hurt her.

When Aiko was expelled and the teacher faced no punishment- Yukiko felt nothing but a burning rage. She had a plan- and she recruited Ryoko and a few other kids to help her enact it. Luring the teacher to a deserted location with the help of Ryoko- Yukiko (with the help of a few more stronger kids) jumped the man. Beating him and threatening him to force him to leave town.

The man never left though- he ran right into the arms of the police. If anyone believed him about being beat up they seemed to turn a blind eye to it.

At age 20 she managed to land a job…after a couch interview. Impressed with her…talent- she managed to take gig after gig after gig. Eventually she made her name in the adult film world under the moniker of “Snow queen”. Rubbing elbows with other stars like Aika Yumi.

At the age of 27 though a prominent adult film maker was exposed by Yukiko herself. She opted to leave the industry for awhile after that- wanting the drama to just die down before she even thought about returning.

Throughout the years she kept close contact with her three friends from highschool. The same year she left the adult film industry she finally got together with her longtime crush- Aiko Mayeda.

She never would have thought she would end up where she is now. Taking over as the third member of Takasuki division after the death of Ryoko Minamoto.

Mic/Speakers + Ability

Her mic is a somewhat simple one- a blue mic with a black rose wrapped around it. The vines of the rose seem to also wrap around her hand as well when she holds it.

Her speakers take the form of a sleeping bunny

Her ability is called bunny hop- The bunny “wakes up” and begins to hop around causing the ground to shake violently.

Triva

She’s left handed

Shes won many awards but is too ashamed to tell you what they’re for

Shes on good terms with Aika Yumi of Minato division- often saying that the woman in question was her favorite to work with.

She spoils Kirumi to this day- often buying the actress gifts whenever she lands a big role

She has a pet rabbit named snowball

Her and Kirumi are the only members of Fractured Eclipse that have went to college

She used to suffer from drug addiction issues but is about 5 years clean

Shes openly bi

Her and Aiko have slept with other people before but won’t do it without each other

[cherryxxmoon]

– 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲

Rating: E   Fandom: Naruto Relationship: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke Characters: Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke It was now almost eight in the evening. The Uchiha house was completely deserted, just as Sakura had planned. Sarada was away at her best friend Chocho and Sasuke— he had spent the last two weeks on a mission and, according to his last message, would be returning that very night. He had not specified any time, but usually the dark-haired would never pass through the gates of Konoha if not in the evening, heading to the Hokage's residence to report and only then finally returning home, ready to indulge in some well-deserved rest.

And for this evening, Sakura had decided to welcome her husband with a special surprise, one she knew he would appreciate.

Wearing her kitchen apron and nothing else, the pink-haired allowed herself one last glance at the clock. Eight; she still had time.

On the surface, the Uchiha couple might have seemed definitively chaste in their displays of affection. It rarely happened that they showed themselves in overly intimate attitudes in the eyes of others, even more so if they were strangers. Still, no one was really aware of what was going on within the walls of their home, the passion they shared, the eagerness with which they sought and loved each other, and the funny ways they entertained each other. Not to give in to boredom, Sakura sometimes repeated to herself, aware that this was just an excuse. She knew that, even after years of marriage, their desire for each other had never waned even by an ounce.

At least one more hour and then Sakura would be found at the stove in the kitchen, intent on preparing a delicious meal for her beloved husband, knowing, however, that the main course would be something else entirely.

She smiled to herself, Sakura, extremely pleased with her idea, her body already quivering with anticipation for the night they would finally spend together after weeks apart.

She shivered as she reached the living room, assuming the breath of fresh air was due to her fully exposed body. She would warm herself with a cup of tea, waiting for Sasuke to then infuse her with the warmth she needed.

"Sakura, I'm ho—" She jolted, losing her grip on her cup and turning her head toward the entrance of the room, there where stationed motionless and incredulous was the frame of her husband, whose only visible eye had already slipped from the usual black to the deep red of the sharingan. "—me."

They both stood for a few instants contemplating the moment. Sasuke unable to look away from her exposed back, Sakura mentally cursing herself for her now ruined surprise.

It was he who moved first, advancing toward her as if his muscles were moving on their own. And he was behind her in an instant, his lips pressed against her exposed neck and his one arm snaked around her waist.

"You're early, Sasuke-kun—" She couldn't regret it, not with his body pressed against her own, his lips tickling her skin.

Sasuke nibbled the base of her neck as his gloved hand continued upward until it closed on one breast. A gasp left her lips, impossible to hold after days apart. She wished she could have shown more annoyance at that sudden change of plans.

"Isn't it me you've been waiting for?" the dark-haired teased her, exhaling each word against her ear in a successful attempt to totally shut her mind off.

"Dinner— not ready." Not that she really had any idea of consuming it, not after welcoming Sasuke like that, ready and bare for him, eager for his touch, his lips, his—

"No?" he asked, tormenting her lobe with his teeth, her nipple with his fingers, in a perfect harmony of movements which could make her legs tremble. "It seems to me that the main course is ready."

Sasuke guided her to the wall not far away, to which the pink-haired propped with her open palms. His, on the other hand, caressed her exposed ass before crashing against her cheek with enough force to cause the bruise that Sasuke so adored to glimpse on her skin and that would infuse him with enormous satisfaction the next morning.

"Look at you—" He turned her to meet his gaze, and Sakura could read in his the same burning lust which ignited her, from her lower belly down to every fiber of her body. "My perfect wife in her apron, ready for me." Sasuke whispered the last words, which broke against her lips an instant before his replaced them, finally kissing her.

As they savored each other with greedy eagerness, they explored each other's bodies with their hands, the memory of every muscle, every curve etched in their quivering fingertips.

Sakura inhaled deeply to catch her breath, abandoning her head against the wall behind her. As if truly she was the most exquisite dish which had ever touched his lips, her husband continued to taste her skin, scattering with hot, wet kisses down her neck, descending to her chest. He leaned down on his knees to tickle her belly with his tongue, granting from her what she knew was the first in a long series of moans.

His fingers found the slit between her thighs, running it and collecting her arousal there. He smiled smugly to himself, but even before Sakura could protest or whine, his fingertips were replaced by his lips and with them his tongue, sinking between her folds, licking wolfishly at her sensitive nub.

No night had passed in which the pink-haired had not thought of her husband, and in the moments when absence was at its peak, she had ventured to seek that irreplaceable pleasure for herself. Her fingers could never compare to Sasuke, to whatever part of him he decided to offer her. It was a different kind of heat, a complete and filling ecstasy. It was additive.

Sasuke sucked her clit and she could not stop herself from violently arching her back, already close to the release her body so desperately demanded. Sakura moved her hips spontaneously, chasing that immense pleasure by fucking herself against his face, and she was so close— she should have anticipated that her husband would not be so benevolent as to grant her an orgasm so easily, without first allowing him to be able to catch a glimpse of her completely out of it and exhausted, begging him to rail her.

"Do you want to cum already?" the dark-haired taunted her again, looking at her from below for a few moments, before standing up to overwhelm her again with his most imposing figure, trapping her between his body and the wall.

His gestures were quick but not quick enough, so with ruthless urgency Sakura helped him slip off the heavy black cloak, which fell back to the floor with a dull thud.

He kissed her again, invading her mouth with his tongue, soaked with her taste and his, which mingled and complemented each other to perfection, like an exquisite blend.

Sakura's hands found the waistband of his pants and began to palm the blatant bulge. Now it was her turn to enjoy his groans, to have him in her hands and do with his body what she most desired.

Sasuke groaned against her lips, breaking the kiss to rest his forehead against hers, lowering his gaze to her hands, already intent on unfastening his pants. When her seemingly delicate fingers, but capable of great feats, in surgery as much as in their most intimate moments, closed around the dark-haired's throbbing cock, he closed his eyes, mimicking the gestures in which Sakura herself had performed just now, moving his hips to fuck her hand and imbue himself in every drop of pleasure he could muster.

"Do you want to cum already?" the pink-haired teased him, then emitting a mocking giggle. Sasuke grunted, trying to express a nonexistent dissent, impossible to voice as he was overwhelmed by ecstasy, by arousal. He brought his one hand to hers, guiding her strokes with it when they threatened to slow. "No, darling— you have to fuck me first."

He did not let her repeat it, barely allowing her to finish her sentence. They shed the last of the clothing which stood in their way together, which prevented them from finding themselves skin-to-skin, then Sasuke pounced on her like a feline on its prey, grabbing her leg to lift it up.

They had always been adept at teamwork, able to read each other's intentions under all circumstances. It wasn't just happening on the battlefield or on missions. They could take advantage of that intimate privilege in sex as well.

In fact, her body acted spontaneously, her muscles moving according to their own memory, guiding his hard dick to her entrance, and Sasuke buried himself in her without delay. The couple moaned in unison, finally fulfilled in their most visceral desire; to be together, to merge and unite until they became one, making up for all the lacking due to distance.

They remained for a few moments like this, motionless, basking in the pleasure, in each other's warmth, in the feeling of wholeness which entangling instilled in them.

Sasuke then began to thrust, slowly at first, tightening his fingers in her skin, in the buttock against which his hand was pressed.

"Fuck—" exhaled the dark-haired, hastening his pace, slamming into her cunt with greedy eagerness, hard enough to slap her pelvis with his own, causing pops as indecent as they were arousing.

Trying to stifle his groans, Sasuke leaned down to her chest, closing his lips around her nipple, sucking her mound and reddening her skin wherever he could reach. He continued to thrust inside her, fucking her relentlessly

Sakura, on the other hand, was almost totally abandoned against the wall behind her, supported only by his arm, as her whole body succumbed under the weight of ecstasy, nearing its climax.

She sank a hand into his hair, grasping his raven locks as he reached the peak, imposing him with that single grip not to stop, to continue until she had enjoyed every ounce of pleasure.

Their joint moans soaked the walls, and after only a few moments, Sasuke joined her, releasing his load into her pussy, painting her walls white with warm, dense spurts, familiar and intimate, reserved only for her, just as every essence of Sakura belonged only to him.

Tired and out of breath, the couple remained entwined, indulging in a new kiss, lazier and less urgent, but no less heartfelt, less passionate.

"I've missed you," Sasuke admitted, in a whisper so inaudible it sounded more like a thought mistakenly spoken aloud. He kissed her neck, before pressing his face to it to inebriate himself with her scent. "Home at last."

"Welcome back, Sasuke-kun."

This work is a collab with Riakurou! You can find here her amazing works.

[nothingbutfanfiction]

New Naruto story!

I've been plotting out an arranged marriage story for Naruto & Sasuke and finally got a little snippet written up. The story is tentatively titled "It's Hard To Say "I Do", When I Don't". Here's a little snippet of what I have planned, so enjoy!

Naruto could tell that his best friend/secret crush was in a foul mood, if his perpetual dark scowl and angry mutterings were any indication.  “Something the matter, Sasuke?  Whatever it is, it seems like it’s really pissed you off.”

“My parents just dropped a bomb out of nowhere!”  Sasuke exclaimed, his black eyes narrowing in remembered anger.  “Apparently, they’d arranged a marriage for me with the kid of one of their friends.  What the fuck?!  How archaic can you get?  Like I want to get married to some fucking dumbass I don’t even know…or want to know, for that matter!”  He smirked before adding snidely, “Probably ugly as fuck, too, which is why their parents had to arrange a marriage for them.”

Naruto’s blue eyes widened at Sasuke’s words, hurt seeping into his heart.  Did Sasuke even know it was Naruto he was talking about?  He started to doubt what his parents had suggested as he witnessed Sasuke’s reaction.  Before he had a chance to think about what he was saying, he replied, “So is that what you honestly think about me, Sasuke?  I thought I was your friend, but you think I’m a loser now?”

Sasuke’s reaction was instantaneous.  “You?!  You’re the one they’re setting me up with?  Are you fucking kidding me?”  He seemed disgusted at the prospect of it being Naruto who he’d marry.  “How long have you known about this?!”  He accused the blond.  “You knew all this time and didn’t say anything!”

Naruto rushed to defend himself.  “It’s not like that at all, Sasuke!  My parents just told me about their decision!  I honestly thought you knew since you hadn’t mentioned it before now.”  His mouth tightened in a thin line as he heard Sasuke snort incredulously.  “It’s the truth.  I’m not lying to you.”

Sasuke sneered at Naruto’s words.  “Yeah,” he replied mockingly, “I’m so sure it’s the truth.  Are you so hard up for someone to be with you in a relationship that you had to beg Mommy and Daddy to set up this pity marriage?  Pathetic…just like you are.  Here’s a hint, Uzumaki – I’m not interested in you, never will be, and I sure as fuck don’t want to marry you.  Do yourself and me a favor and just stay out of my life permanently.”  Shoving Naruto to the side, uncaring as the blond was slammed into his locker, he stalked off leaving a heartbroken Naruto in his wake.

Naruto could only stand there, stunned, as he watched Sasuke walk away.  He stubbornly blinked back the tears that formed in the corner of his eyes.  The blond refused to give the bastard the satisfaction of knowing he’d made him cry.  He was just glad the halls were deserted at this time of day so there weren’t any witnesses to his humiliation.  It stung to know that was how Sasuke felt about him.  Not to mention that he thought so little of Naruto to just accuse him like he had.  Needing someone to talk to, he pulled out his phone, fingers already texting Sakura.  He smiled softly when he saw her reply that she’d meet him at his home.  As he walked to his car, he mulled over what he needed to do.  First, he needed to discuss things with his parents.  Their fantasy idea of him marrying Sasuke was never going to happen.  Second, Naruto didn’t want to stay in his current high school.  Day after day of being ostracized by Sasuke as if he didn’t exist?

[bonnieventure]

THIS or THAT pt. 16

BUTTERED TOAST 🍞 or HASH BROWNS 🥔 BETTY 👱🏻‍♀️ or VERONICA 👩🏻 SEA TURTLE 🐢 or DESERT TORTOISE 🏜 GINGERBREAD 🟫 or FRUITCAKE 🍰 KNEE SOCKS 🧦 or THIGH HIGHS 🦵 PICNIC 🧺 or BBQ ♨ BLACK ⚫ or YELLOW 🟡 TWINS 👥 or TRIPLETS 3️⃣ SURF 🍤 or TURF 🥩 ZEBRA STRIPES 🦓 or LEOPARD SPOTS 🐆 BARBIE 👠 or BRATZ 👄 LOVER 💑 or FIGHTER 🤼 CANCER ♋ or PISCES ♓  WHITE OUT ⚪ or CORRECTION TAPE ⬜ ANIME 📺 or MANGA 🗯 PONG 🏓 or TETRIS 🧱 SAILOR MOON 🌙 or CARDCAPTOR SAKURA 🎴 RED CARDINAL 🐦 or BLUE JAY 🔵 BANANA SPLIT 🍌 or FUDGE SUNDAE 🍨

[bleachanimefan1]

Desert Flower Part 27

A Promise to be Kept,

"Ugh. What happened?"

Yuri groaned as she sat up, rubbing her neck. Her eyes widen when she saw explosions happening all over the stadium and far off within the village. The Hidden Leaf Village was being attacked by Sand and Sound Ninjas. There were several Anbu Black Ops fighting them off. The area where the Third Hokage and Kazekage wore was being blocked off by a barrier. There were several Leaf Shinobi trying to break through it but had no luck. Yuri also saw that Sasuke and Gaara were nowhere to be seen, along with Temari and Kankuro and Shino.

Yuri quickly got up and quickly went upstairs to the upper floor of the stadium. The spectators were asleep as they were caught in a Genjutsu. Ino, Hinata, Kiba, Lee, and Choji were all asleep. Shikamaru was lying on the floor passed out as well. But, Naruto and Sakura were gone as well. Yuri saw her mom and Yukina asleep among the crowd as well. When she was about to run over to them, a kunai suddenly flew in her direction. Yuri threw one back, deflecting her attacker's weapon. A Sound and Sand Ninja stood in front of her.

"I see you managed to stay awake during our Genjutsu." The Sand shinobi smirked.

"Lucky me." Yuri deadpanned. "Get out of my way. I don't have time for both of you."

"You're going to wish you'd stayed asleep." The sound shinobi spoke. Just when the two of them were going lunge at Yuri to attack, a voice shouted.

"Dynamic Entry!" Gai was in the air and landed a kick into the Sound ninja, sending him crashing into the wall. Kakashi poofed in front of Yuri and took out the Sand Ninja with a punch to the stomach and a karate chop to the back of the shinobi's neck.

"Why are the Sand and Sound ninjas attacking!?" Yuri shouted.

"It was all an ambush to get to the Hokage." Yuri heard her father's voice spoke from behind her. Yuri turned and saw him walking over to her.

"Let me guess, Orochimaru's behind the sound ninjas attack and they probably teamed up with the Sand as well?" She pointed out. Gai's eyes widened a little in surprise.

"How did-"

"He attacked us during the second exam. But that's not important right now. Where's Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura?" Yuri asked Kakashi.

"They went after the two Sand ninjas who took Gaara with them." Kakashi told her.

"Where are they now?" Yuri asked. Kakashi pointed to where they had run off. 

"Okay, I'll head in that direction and hopefully I'll find them." Yuri took off before either one of them could stop her.

"Let's focus on the fight, right now! I bet I can get more than you, Kakashi!" Gai smiled.

"Yeah. Yeah." Kakashi replied.

"I already got 32." Kisuke smirked. Kakashi and Gai's eye widen shock.

"We can't let him beat us!" Gai shouted.

Yuri hopped through the trees, while being on alert for any shinobi, searching around to find her teammates. Within the distance, Yuri saw Kankuro fighting against Shino.

"Hey, Shino! Where are the others!?" Yuri shouted.

"They went on ahead." Shino spoke.

"Okay, thanks!" Yuri shouted and quickly left, leaving Shino with Kankuro.

"You're not going anywhere!" Kankuro shouted and made his puppet lunge out at Yuri. Shino used his bugs to keep the pupper back.

"You're fighting me or have you forgotten?" 

Yuri went ahead a little further until she heard a commotion up ahead. Then Yuri saw Temari trembling as she was hiding behind a tree, sitting on a branch, covering her ears. 

"Temari!" Yuri called out and hopped down and walked over to her. "Why did you hit me!?" Temari didn't answer or even noticed Yuri when she inched closer to her.

"Where's Gaara?" Yuri asked her, concerned.

Then Yuri heard Gaara laughing manically a little further away and saw him fighting with Naruto. Gaara had transformed a little as some of his sand, covered half of his body. It formed two elongated arms with claws and a tail. On the right side of his head there was a pointed ear and his teeth had become razor sharp. Sasuke was lying on a tree branch, unable to move. His curse mark had been activated. Sakura was being pinned to a tree with by a large claw like hand, made from Gaara's sand. She was being slowly crushed to death.

"G-Gaara Is-He's out of control!" Temari shook her head. "He's going to kill all of if we don't get out of here!" 

"Snap out of it! He's your brother, isn't he!?" Yuri shouted at her. Temari's eyes widened but said nothing.

"Is there any way to snap him out of it!?"

Temari still didn't answer her, still shivering in fear.

"I'm going to try and talk to him." Yuri spoke. Temari's eyes widened, and she tried to stop Yuri, but she had already left. Gaara smacked Naruto away from him as Naruto tried to throw a punch. Yuri landed down a little further away on the branch that Gaara was on. Naruto wiped his mouth, getting up.

"Yuri, run!" He shouted. Gaara slowly turned to her with a wide crazed grin.

"You come to fight me as well!?" He shouted. "I should've killed you the first time I saw you!"

Yuri held her hands up. "Gaara, I know that you're hurting. I can't even imagine what you've gone through." Gaara's eyes widened when he saw her slowly inching closer towards him.

"Stay back." He growled.

Yuri ignored him and continued, walking closer. "I wish that could've been there for you back then, but I couldn't. I'm so sorry. But I'm here for you now." She slowly began to reach out towards Gaara's face. "Please, stop this."

"Get away!" Gaara smacked Yuri away with his arm, hard, knocking the wind out of her chest.

"YURI!" Naruto quickly darted forward, grabbing her before she was slammed into the tree. Then he looked back at Gaara. "Why you!" He growled at Gaara, angrily, gritting his teeth. Naruto set Yuri down before he got up, Yuri quickly grabbed Naruto's arm. 

"Naruto, please don't hurt him. He's not thinking clearly. You have to help him, please!" She cried.

Naruto's eyes widen. He had never seen her cry before, ever, since she came to the Leaf Village. Then he turned to Gaara, facing him.

"I plan on it. But not before I beat his ass." He spoke and stood up. Yuri saw Naruto lunging at Gaara before she passed out.

Naruto and Gaara fought each other before Gaara fell asleep and transformed into his full tailed beat form. A large raccoon, Shukaku. Naruto summoned Gamabunta and used Gamabunta to turn into the Nine-Tailed Fox, so he could grab onto Shukaku. Naruto quickly charged at Gaara and tried to land a punch to wake him up. The sand lashed out, grabbing Naruto so he couldn't reach Gaara. Naruto growled as he struggled against the sand, pushing closer toward Gaara.

"I-I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!" Naruto roared and he slammed his head into Gaara's forehead, waking him up. 

"No! I just got out!" Shukaku cried out before he slowly began to crumble away. Gaara and Naruto fell onto the trees and got up, narrowing their eyes at each other. The two of them panted, heavily, completely exhausted.

"One punch is all I've got." Naruto spoke. "And by the looks of it, you're at your limit as well. Let's make it count."

Naruto and Gaara both jumped, throwing their fists back. Naruto slammed his fist into Gaara's cheek, knocking him back. The two fell and crashed to the ground, both a few feet away from each other. Gaara couldn't move. He had completely used up all of his chakra and so did Naruto. Naruto, slowly, inch by inch began to crawl over towards Gaara.

"Why-Why are you protecting them?" Gaara asked.

"Why? Because they're my friends! Even if I have to kill you, I will protect them!" Naruto panted.

"S-Stay away!"

"It's almost unbearable, isn't it? That feeling of loneliness." Naruto spoke, crying a little.

Gaara's eyes widen a little in shock. An enemy of his, who he didn't even know, was crying for him.

"I know that feeling. I've been there. If it wasn't for them, I don't know what would have happened to me. They saved me from that loneliness. Yuri was the first to ever acknowledge me. She always talked about her old village before she moved here. She told me about you, her friend from the Sand Village. She always said something about a promise between you two, that you two made, but never told me what it was."

"S-She talked about me?" Gaara questioned, a little in shock and in disbelief. She didn't forget about him.

"She wouldn't shut up. It kind of got annoying, actually." Naruto spoke. "Maybe, I was just jealous because you got to meet her before me." Naruto panted. 

"That's enough, Naruto." Sasuke said and jumped down in front of him. "Sakura's going to be fine."

"Really?" Naruto asked, smiling a little.

"The sand crumbled away. This guy used up all of his chakra." Sasuke spoke.

"That's good to hear." Naruto sighed in relief and passed out. Sasuke turned around and saw Temari and Kankuro jump down, landing in front of Gaara to protect him.

"Temari, Kankuro, stop. It's over." Gaara spoke.

Temari and Kankuro both turned back, looking at Gaara in shock to see him in such a beaten state. They have never seen him like this before.

"Alright." Kankuro said and walked over and picked Gaara up, by putting Gaara's arm over his shoulder, supporting him. The three jumped away and left.

As they, hopped through the forest, heading back to the Sand Village. Gaara remembered what Naruto words that he had told him. Love? Is that what makes him so strong? Protecting those that are precious to you. Perhaps, even I can be like him, someday...

"Temari. Kankuro..." He said, softly, catching his brother and sister's attention. "I'm sorry."

Temari and Kankuro's eyes widen in shock. Temari smiled.

"I-It's alright." Kankuro stammered.

As they continued, Gaara slowly reached into his pocket of his pants and pulled out a red familiar ribbon.

Now, he needed to apologize to someone else.

[sharky-the-idiot]

Okay Okay here's all the planned areas for the game.

First Area - Plains

Two second Areas - The Beach, The Woods

Third Area - Mesa/Badlands type place

Fourth Area - Desert

Fifth Area/Final Area of Main story - Volcano Place

Sixth Area - Space

True Final Area - Heaven

Secret True Final Area - My house (Developer Craig is the Secret True Final Boss of the Post Post Game, I have a bs mechanic)

DLC That won't happen:

DLC: Eastern Land Areas - Sakura Grove, Feudal Kingdom area, Coast Area

DLC: 100,000 Feet Under the sea - Deep Scary Trench (Black Pearl Cookie Boss?), Coral Reef, The Sunken ruins of New New Hampshire

DLC: Break some Bad Areas - Albuquerque (Big ass open world, Walter White joins the Party)

DLC: Called Saul, left on read - Expands on Albuquerque (Saul Goes Missing) (Kid named Finger joins the party)

DLC: Man these kids are fucked up - Headspace, Faraway Town

DLC: Haha Evil Route - Literally just the normal game but reversed because you play as Poppy and Whale on their quest to the wedding.

DLC: Home Sweet Home - (In Game) Craig's Big ass Basement, The Temple of the Council of Craig

DLC: We do that Electronic Arts can't - Literally just a big ass empty plot of land that you can build a city in

DLC: Literally just Seattle - Literally just Seatte

DLC: Back from the Future - Dinosaur Jungle, Dinosaur Plains, Dinosaur Volcano

DLC: Back from the Future II - Future City, Future Wasteland, Future Bad Guy HQ

DLC: Back from the Future III - Far Future Space Station, Wasteland Planet, Alien City

DLC: Back from the Future IV - The End of Time

CRYING LITERALLY JUST SEATTLE???? MAN THESE KIDS ARE FUCKED UP???? beautiful.

[frozen-fountain]

Tagged by @bowieandthemickjaggernauts.

Rules: Tag 10 (or less) people you want to get to know better

relationship status: Partner and I will have been together six years in... June? July? And were close friends for three prior to that. It's not a conventional relationship (long distance, non-monogamous, neither of us want marriage or offspring or cohabitation), but by far the happiest and healthiest I've ever experienced.

favourite colour: Berry reds and purples.

song stuck in my head: Billions by Caroline Polachek, which is definitely the most tender and poetic ode to sperm I've ever heard.

three favourite foods: Give me soup, curry, or anything involving seafood and mushrooms and I'm happy. That may be cheating since it's classifications of food instead of specific dishes, but I'm indecisive.

last song I listened to: Memoirs of the Corrupted City by Yikii.

dream trip: Touring the states to meet all my transatlantic friends, sakura festival in Japan, anywhere I can watch the sun set over a desert, getting lost in the Black Forest and probably never coming out again, and despite how much I hate extremes of temperature a part of me would kill to be in a place as unique and inimitable as Antarctica.

last thing(s) i googled: "[Name of town] weather forecast". I was hoping the sun would hold out so I can take a walk this evening while the sky is in pretty colours.

I'm open tagging anyone since it applies to all of you!