#the somewhat cracked mind of uchiha itachi

[maelstrom-of-emotions]

Could you recommend some SasuNaru fics?

SASUNARU FIC RECS

Alright, so here's a collection of some of my favorite, re-read worthy SasuNaru fics of all time. The list is bound to expand, but for now, we have these gems.

i'll let it grow wild in my veins by thunderpoint

Summary:

“That’s good, right?” He feels somewhat out of his mind. It's a rush he's not used to, something he doesn't particularly like, and it leaves him wondering if this is what he should have felt when this whole thing first started. “When your future brother-in-law says shit like that it means that he approves of you, right? Fuck, I’m getting married to Uchiha Itachi’s little brother, Shika. What the fuck-” Shikamaru’s face twists, “Naruto-” The kitchen door bursts open, and Temari steps into the living room, gaping at them both. “Naruto’s getting married?"

Status: Currently Ongoing, 11/?

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Slow Burn.

Thoughts: One of the best arranged marriage fics ever, the writing is amazing and out of this world, and if you haven't read this masterpiece what are you even doing with your life?

(You can also find the author on tumblr @thunder-point.)

2. everybody knows that you cradle the sun by Lyxxie

Summary:

“Y’know—before mom passed—she used to tell me about my dad. She'd tell me the kind of person you wanted to end up with, someone you kept around. She'd tell me about opposites, about calming the other one down and bringing them back up, about how they'd do the same for you. She'd say that you wanted someone who remembered things about you, not just the big stuff. Mundane shit that doesn't need to be remembered, but they do anyway. She'd say 'keep those who chronicle your life because it's theirs, too'." OR: Naruto challenges Sasuke to a game of “who knows the other person better.” Sasuke panics when he realizes that he might be the winner because what in the actual fuck does that mean? He doesn’t know. Naruto tells him.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Roomates, College/University. Humor. Domestic. Explicit Sexual Content.

Thoughts: A fic I would sell my soul for. You haven't lived if you haven't read this fic.

3. Waiting for an Answer by KinomiAkai

Summary:

After eight years of struggling, Naruto finally caves and confesses to Sasuke. But it's okay; nothing is going to change between them. Everything will be the same. ...The moment Sasuke stops bringing it up every twenty seconds, it'll be the same.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Roomates. Fluff, Humor, Idiots in Love.

Thoughts: Sasuke is an Asshole and I am here for it.

(You can find them on tumblr @kinomiakai)

4. It's All In The Kiss (And Bondage) by Dhampir (Dhampire)

Summary:

Sasuke never looked at Naruto as anything more than an annoyance like all his other peers, but a kiss, and a little bondage, is about to change all that. Reddit Crack Fic Idea: After getting kissed in the academy and then attacked and tied up by Naruto, Sasuke realizes he has followed all the steps of the traditional Uchiha ninja courtship(An old process inspired by the kidnapping of a rival clan kunoichi). Sasuke feels really touched and starts acting like a Yandere, being really nice to Naruto in his withdrawn way and getting really mad whenever someone says something bad about Naruto.

Tags: Accidental Engagements, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff, Humor. Tsundere to Yandere.

Status: Completed, 11/11

Thoughts: Anything by this author is an absolute masterpiece, so do check out their other works! They manage to perfectly balance humor and fluff!

5. you and me, that's my whole world by cloudyheaven

Summary:

“If you wanted me to be your Valentine this bad, you could’ve just said so,” Naruto said. The cheeky grin he was giving him made Sasuke want to kiss him again just to wipe it off his face. However, he wasn’t one to waste a good opportunity. “That’s exactly what I want,” he said, matter-of-factly. The grin fell off Naruto’s face. “Shit, are you serious?” The one where Naruto and Sasuke have been in an unofficial friends-with-benefits arrangement for months, completely unaware of their feelings for each other.

Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Jealous Uchiha Sasuke, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentines Day, Love Confessions.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: A perfect fluffy fic for grey days. Always makes me smile whenever I read it.

6. wear my heart on your sleeve by cloudyheaven

Summary:

Sasuke coughed into his hand and simply looked down at his ass. Naruto followed his gaze and found another uchiwa sown on his left buttcheek. “Oh, this is ridiculous,” he said. “Wait, is this why people have been looking at my ass so much lately?!” He turned to look at his boyfriend again. “Is this why you have been staring at it more than normal?!” Sasuke simply avoided his gaze again. “Not like I need an excuse to look at your ass.” Or, how possessive boyfriend Uchiha Sasuke found a way to mark Naruto and make it sociably acceptable.

Tags: Established Relationship, Post-Chapter 699, Fluff and Humor, Fluff Without Plot, Soft Uchiha Sasuke.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Perfectly balanced fluff and humor fic by the godsend cloudyheaven.

7. all the small wild things by GreatLoversLieInHell

Summary:

Naruto doesn't like to be touched. Sasuke asks him why. (To be loved is to be changed)

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Canonical Child Abuse, Touch-Starved Naruto.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: A fic that makes my soul ache. The author is simply amazing.

(You can also find them on Tumblr @greatloverslieinhell)

8. the vines that grow by GreatLoversLieInHell

Summary:

After getting discharged from the hospital, Naruto returns to a home that’s no longer standing. Sasuke, who doesn’t do well in cages, flees the first chance he gets. Unmoored, unsettled, Naruto looks to his motherland for answers. Uzushio calls her son home. The road to Uzushiogakure is long, but Sasuke walks it with him. Sasuke, who looks at him, hungry. Sasuke, who sees him, wherever the light gets in.

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-War, Uzumaki Naruto-Centric, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Angst With Happy Ending, Uzushiogakure | Hidden Eddy Village.

Status: Completed, 14/14.

Thoughts: I shall create a shrine for this fic one day, for the adoration is not nearly enough as it deserves.

(You can also find them on Tumblr @greatloverslieinhell)

9. A Thousand Summers More by bluelikeskies

Summary:

Sasuke has seen a million sunrises, a thousand summers, but he has never seen anything like the way Naruto smiles at him, brighter than all those sunrises and summers combined.

Tags: Pining Sasuke, Soft, Prose, Mythical Beings and Creatures.

Status: Complete, 1/1.

Thoughts: Beautiful. Simply and utterly beautiful.

10. syzygy by glassedplanets

Summary:

In which Sasuke comes home, an errand needs to be run, several people tell him things, and he realizes just what home really is, for him.

Tags: Not Canon Compliant, Reunions, Homecoming, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending.

Status: Completed, 6/6.

Thoughts: Ethereal, I adore the writing style of this author.

11. kiss me (under the moonlight glow) by ashmes

Summary:

“You count what happened in the Academy as a kiss?” Naruto’s gaze snaps towards him so quick when he asks, “You don’t?”

Tags: Post-Canon, Post-War, Post Chapter 699, Soft.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: I would sacrifice anything for this fanfic. It is utterly amazing.

(You can also find them on tumblr at @sapphicvevo.)

12. Let me help you (this time) by Here_to_procrastinate

Summary:

Sasuke really kind of loves his boyfriend and wishes the idiot would start looking after himself at least a little bit. ~ After the war Naruto can't stop helping everybody and is slowely but surely running himself into the ground. With a bit of help from others Sasuke tries to finally be what Naruto needs.

Tags: Whipped Sasuke, Jealous Sasuke, Everybody Loves Naruto, Fluff, Humor, A Bit of Angst, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Protective Shikamaru & Sakura.

Status: 1/1, Complete.

Thoughts: Perfect feel good fic.

13. Overcoming Distance by Athqh16

Summary:

It starts with a bento box. Black with a white cover and a red strap to keep it together. There was nothing actually pernicious about it except for the fact that the person who'd suddenly placed it in the middle of Naruto's lonely cafeteria table was his one and only rival, Sasuke motherfucking Uchiha

Status: 7/7, Completed.

Tags: Modern Au, Angst, Love Confessions, Hurt/Comfort, Friends To Lovers.

Thoughts: An absolute classic, I adore this!

(You can also find the author on tumblr @atqh16)

14. homeward by mnee

Summary:

Sasuke returns to Konoha. Or, more accurately, to Naruto.

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Chapter 699, Soft, Boys in Love.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: Utterly divine, it's so soft I want to cry.

15. a public display of affection by fiveandnocents

Summary:

In the three hours since their arrival, Gaara has stumbled across them kissing no less than seven times. Considering that they are all ninja, he is very aware that this is no coincidence. Or, five times Naruto and Sasuke get caught (plus the first time no one was around).

Tags: 5+1 Things, Possessive Sasuke, Kissing, Post-Canon, Not Boruto Canon.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: This story could not be any more perfect.

16. The Way To A Man's Heart by littledust

Summary:

Sasuke has no idea how to woo Naruto.

Tags: Fluff, Humor.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: Perfect fic for a pick-me-up. Makes me smile everytime.

17. the time traveler's husband by blind_io

Summary:

Throughout his life, Naruto travels to different moments in Sasuke’s timeline. It changes them both.

Tags: Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Alternate Universe, Inspired by The Time Traveler's Wife.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Brilliant. Simply and utterly brilliant.

18. The sun is too bright, it hurts by waywardfacegarden

Summary:

The first time Sasuke sees Naruto, they are six years old. Sasuke is not stupid, he learns fast, and there are three basic things about Naruto you can know after being five seconds in the same room as him: first, he’s noisy. Second, he talks a lot. Third, he’s annoying. Years later, Sasuke thinks the same, but Naruto is much more than that to him.

Tags: Childhood Friends, Enemies To Friends To Lovers, Everyone is Alive, Modern AU.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: chefs kiss Magnifique. Deserves all the kudos in the world.

19. i want you to want me (i'd love you to love me) by Aethelar

Summary:

Five times Naruto kissed Sasuke and he left, plus one time Sasuke kissed Naruto and stayed.

Tags: 5+1, Angst with a Happy Ending.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: This fic is something to live for. It is just so beautiful.

20. Red or Blue? by ReleasedFromHisCage

Summary:

Naruto took over his godfather's store so he could retire and creates a safe space for his regulars and one-time customers alike, mostly his regulars though. Sasuke Uchiha is one of these regulars.

Tags: Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Mild Hurt/Comfort.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: It's everything I've ever wanted in a fic.

21. don't stay away for too long by kintou

Summary:

With Naruto living there Sasuke's apartement has finally turned into a home. So what he doesn't quite get is that Naruto is here, in his pyjama's, telling him he's going to move out.

Tags: Modern Au, Roomates, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Breakfast.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: And they were roommates. Oh my god they were roommates. I am a puddle on the floor. This is simply too precious. It's not good for my heart.

(You can also find them on Tumblr @soft-fics)

22. Killing it by dawnstruck

Summary:

A year after Jiraiya's death, a new Icha Icha volume gets published. Self-declared Number One Fan, Hatake Kakashi, grows suspicious, but keeps buying them anyway.

Tags: Humor, Mid Crack, Mind Angst, Kakashi POV.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: From the summary to the last line this fic had me hooked. Witty and charming and just the best.

23. The Color Of Your Heart by RedRemember

Summary:

The Uchiha were blessed ninjas who possessed demon-like abilities and demon blood. Their race had been wiped out almost to extinction, but a survivor sat in Kakashi’s midst. Kakashi felt apprehensive about training such a child, not wanting to train a bloodthirsty creature how to be a better hunter. & “You’re experiencing your first heat.”, and “You’re an omega.” These were phrases his caretaker kept saying to him. Naruto felt extremely weak, but he understood one thing, and that was he would never be an alpha like Sasuke.

Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Naruto, Alpha Sasuke, Personal Growth, Blood and Violence, Mating Bond.

Status: Ongoing, 7/12

Thoughts: When I tell you I hit that subscribe button so fast. Simply perfect. All my hopes wrapped into a beautiful fic.

24. Bouquet of hate by FoolishFortuna

Summary:

Sasuke confesses his feelings with an unusual bunch of flowers. Humorous fluff!

Tags: Fluff, Flowers, Humor, Getting Together, Confessions, First Kiss, Sasuke's a Dick but he's adorable.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Hilarious, sweet and amazing - a perfect fic to cheer you up on bad days, sad days or just any day in general.

25. Bare by KinomiAkai

Summary:

He's too bare. Too awake. Too used to the night and too desperate to leave it. Naruto's hand is a lifeline.

Tags: Sasuke POV, Love, Poetic, Romance, Ficlet.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Simply gorgeous, ethereal, beautiful. Short and Sweet. It's perfection to the very T.

26. Just kiss me, you idiot. by yes_iamafrog

Summary:

Ino decided to have the annual New Year's Eve party at her house. Or: Naruto and Sasuke kiss at midnight on January 1st.

Tags: Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Pining, Idiots in Love, Domestic Fluff, New Year's Kiss.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: The sweetest way I have ever been destroyed.

(You can also find them here on tumblr at @whatisgrass!)

27. i love chaos, i love toxic by minttens

Summary:

Sasuke cannot handle the gossip that Naruto is in love with someone, and he makes it his mission to find out who.

Tags: Angst, Fluff, Post-War, Jealous Sasuke.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: I'm gonna be honest, I cried. This fic is absolute perfection, someone please build a temple in it's name.

(Also, you need an AO3 account to read this fic!)

28. unforgivable by eloquentstars

Summary:

Lesson one in Dating Uzumaki Naruto 101 is: Never get between a man and his food.

Tags: Fluff Without Plot, Modern Au, Cute, Tooth-Rotting Fluff.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Sobbing for the tragic ending of Naruto/Pizza, but Sasuke/Naruto are too cute for me to mourn too long.

29. Blue Oceans and Summer Suns by orphan_account

Summary:

“Stop fucking lying to me.” He knows he isn’t, but it’s difficult for him to accept that it’s Naruto’s genuine feelings. “It isn’t a lie,” Naruto insists, leaning in once more to peck his lips as if to prove a point. He’s half on top of Sasuke now, who lays flat on his back staring up at him. “You should see yourself right now. You look as if you’re looking at something worth more than your own life.”

Tags: Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Sleepy Cuddles, Smitten Sasuke.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: I’m, like, one hundred percent super duper unbelievably in love with this fic.

30. Inevitablity by Sanauria_Maldhun

Summary:

Naruto's stressed and pining after a man who views him only as a friend. Deciding to get married to Ino isn't the best decision he's made (ever), given that they had been absolutely drunk while making such a declaration, but it's... a decision. Besides, what does he have to lose?

Tags: Background Sakura/Ino, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Mutual Pining, Angst, Jealous Sasuke, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending.

Status: Completed, 4/4.

Thoughts: It's like a cup of coffee/tea that perfectly hits the spot. I love this fic, I've re-read this so many times and it always make me feel. I love Ino & Naruto's friendship.

31. Armistice by surveycorpsjean

Summary:

Sasuke is still here. Or maybe; love hasn't passed them yet.

Tags: Fix-It, Getting Together, Pining, Takes Place Three Years After The Boruto Movie, Where Naruto Gets Divorced and Sasuke never gets married.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: Best of the best. Like, the best.

32. speak now or forever hold your peace by frogsterz

Summary:

Will the ceremony be over by the time Sasuke makes it back? Is the news even accurate? Maybe Naruto’s not getting married, he’s getting…carried, somewhere. On a palanquin. Or he’s getting buried. No, that’s worse. (Sasuke is convinced by a passing rumour that the love of his life, Uzumaki Naruto, is about to throw the biggest and most extravagant wedding ceremony in Konoha's history...but he's not the groom. How could such a disaster have happened to him?)

Tags: Misunderstandings, Idiots in Love, Sasuke Has The Emotional Intelligence of a Wet Loaf of Bread, Post-Canon, Idiots in Love, Happy Ending.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: These idiots, I love 'em to death.

33. symbol of the uchiha by humdrum_hummingbird

Summary:

Sasuke can't sleep, which, even after the war, is pretty typical. Instead, he stays up and watches Naruto sleep, and tonight, like most nights, Naruto is wearing a shirt with the Uchiha fan emblazoned on the back. You can't really blame Sasuke for being a little possessive after everything they've been through.

Tags: Sasuke Returns To Konoha, Possessive Sasuke, Naruto is a Ray of Sunshine, Comfort No Hurt, Soft Fluff, Boys in Love.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: This is so soft and gentle and tender I'm crying.

34. Final Destination by chaosxxx

Summary:

“The future is never set in stone. Even the smallest decision can alter its course. One action, be it accidental or intentional, can result in you meeting the love of your life! Or it can leave you alone and miserable… or dead. What I have here in front of you are the cards that show what lies at the end of each broad road.” There's a festival in Konoha, and Sasuke and Sakura visit a fortune telling booth. They just wanted a bad palm reading, not this disturbingly accurate nonsense! (SasuNaru fic. Pre-timeskip. Happy Ending)

Tags: Fortune Telling, Humor, Romance, Happy Ending, Confused Naruto, Pining Sasuke, Flirting, Cute.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: Everyone needs this fortune teller. Where can I meet her? Simply amazing and precious. Confused Naruto is just so adorable.

35. You Taste Like Coffee by itadakimasu

Summary:

All Sasuke really wanted was his nightly caffeine fix. How did it turn into this?

Tags: Coffee AU, Barista!Naruto, Confident!Sasuke, Oneshot, Sexual Content, Cute, Fluff.

Status: Completed, 1/1.

Thoughts: Perfect, like a good cup of coffee. Kicking my feet giggling throughout the entire thing.

36. Curiosity killed a cat by LydiaClairvoyanne

Summary:

Naruto realizes Sasuke behaves like a cat, and in his last attempt to make friends with the Uchiha, he tries to treat him like he would a scared, lone, traumatized, stray kitten. (I wonder what can go wrong with a plan like this.) (Nothing, the answer is. Nothing, because the plan works.)

Tags: Sasuke Behaves Like A Cat, Naruto Notices This And Treats Him Like One, Fluff and Smut, Fluff and Angst, Sleepy Cuddles, Traumatized Boys, Soft Boys.

Status: Completed, 13/13

Thoughts: One of the best fics, it manages to give such a good character study without even trying. I love this fic, I would like to marry it.

37. in his arms by loverofgaydragons

Summary:

Naruto was there the night Sasuke left Konoha.

Tags: Angst, No Happy Ending, Hurt No Comfort.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: I sobbed so hard while reading this. It's just so beautiful, it's so beautifully written, it make me choke on sobs, I had to clean my glasses due to the tears, it's amazing. A heartbreak that hurts so good I will let it continue.

38. Time to Smile by hinata22

Summary:

Sasuke is on the verge of leaving the village forever. Naruto has other ideas.

Tags: Boys Kissing, Confession, Happy Ending.

Status: Complete, 1/1

Thoughts: If you thought the last one was sad, here's a happier version. I read this fic back when I didn't have an AO3 account and would desperately keep the tab open as to not lose it. This fic is heartbreaking in it's beauty and lifting in it's sweet moments. A blessing, this fic is a true blessing.

39. The Master Plan of An Uchiha Husband-To-Be by Watermelonsmellinfellon

Summary:

Uchiha Sasuke is determined to marry his new best friend Naruto so he can share his family with the blond boy. He'll be the best husband ever and Naruto won't want for anything ever again!

Tags: Humor, First Crush, Pre-Relationship, No Uchiha Massacre, Fluff.

Status: Complete, 2/2.

Thoughts: Simply adorable, from start to finish.

40. Unrequited: sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't by KizuKatana

Summary:

Naruto hates to hurt people's feelings. So when Hinata puts him on the spot about dating her, he doesn't want to come straight out and tell her he doesn't like her that way. Instead, he comes up with a poorly thought out idea to tell her he is dating someone already. All he needs to do to convince her is to show her a photo of the guy. He just needs to get a picture of someone so ridiculously hot she will know it's hopeless. He actually has someone in mind, a guy he'd had a one-sided thing for from his gym. Although, the guy is sort of an ass and probably wouldn't agree to posing for a picture. Naruto decides to ask him anyway. What's he got to lose?

Tags: Fluff, Unrequited Love Or Is It?, Humor, Cute.

Status: Completed, 1/1

Thoughts: Absolute blast, had a lot of fun reading this!

Aight, that's it for now.

[animeyanderelover]

Hello 🎈How would Hashirama,Tobirama,Madara,Itachi,Pein,Sasuke,Naruto,Obito and shisui react to them body switching with their darling for a month?Thank you 🪄

I had my third vaccination today, wish me that it won’t knock me out for a bit.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, delusions, paranoia, manipulation, stalking

Switching bodies for a month

Madara Uchiha

🌑His reaction is honestly everything except amused, he’s actually quite pissed about this whole situation. And the embarrassment, oh the goddamn and burning embarrassment. Especially if it is a special type of jutsu he would be so much more ashamed because he couldn’t dodge in time and somehow his s/o got involved as well so here and there his anger sips out of him and he lets it out on them. The thing now is just…he feels so awkward scolding himself and under all means necessary will he keep this whole accident a secret from the village and he has the full support of his clan. They’re far too prideful to risk such a scratch on their pride, though to Madara’s huge disapproval Hashirama obviously finds out and being with him now in his darling’s body causes high embarrassment.

🌑One wrong look at this temporary state of his and Madara feels automatically ridiculed, but worse is by far that people lack now some sort of respect since his powers are in his body which you currently own and with that you do not have any reason to fear him really anymore, even you find this situation amusing. The elders do make sure that nothing happens to the bodies of you two whilst the hosts are so inexperienced, but it’s gonna be a long and dragging month for Madara. Darling can see this probably more positively, but they should still be aware that Madara will remember things that ticked him especially off.

Hashirama Senju

🌳He’s more flabbergasted and confused than he is frustrated with all of this at first, even if it comes to hit him eventually quickly what troubles this sudden event will cause. His clan is far more in a sudden alert and even if they already know that this is supposed to be the norm for the whole next month, they run left and right to undo this body switch as fast as possible. Madara as head of the clan is already burdened with duties, but Hashi is a goddamn Kage who must take care of the whole village and if word gets out in what state he currently is, a village might try to attack whilst he can’t use his kekkai genkai. Worst of all is that he is a popular guy and it might be a bit too suspicious if he would disappear for a whole month.

🌳It’s still crystal clear that you can’t act like him for a whole month either so an excuse will be found to why he has to isolate himself a bit for the next month. If his darling is a responsible person they might be allowed to do a bit of the Kage work, Hashirama probably even let them do it in the past a few times so they’re not a complete amateur, Tobirama helps more now as well and Hashirama still does his part as well. Hashi tries to stay positive and in a good mood the whole time to erase the awkwardness, it’s only a month after all. As long as nothing happens, you shouldn’t be so down because you’re in this man’s body and he’s in yours. Though even he has troubles how to exactly handle body hygiene in a body that doesn’t belong to him.

Tobirama Senju

🌊Listen, he really does do his best to stay as calm as possible and to solve this all as fast as he can. But the moment his brother and his clan find out, he still feels like wanting to hide in a corner and stay there for the following few weeks. Tobirama has his pride as well and there is a small crack upon this somewhat humiliating experience. Tobi handles it far better than Madara though and he can grip his mind enough until it has cooled down enough. He has to make some plans quickly since he is the Hokage as well and so he is all too informed about the dangers that can come flying to this village if everyone finds out that the current body of the Hokage is possessed by someone who doesn’t know how to fully use his power and that he is in darling’s body. Just like with Madara and Hashirama, Tobirama can also fully rely on his clan to assist him and make sure that word doesn’t get out.

🌊He doesn’t quite trust you with his body, not as terrible as Madara, but he still would want someone to watch over you if he isn’t with you. He won’t take a break from work though, only that now he works somewhere differently on all his paper work, you’re free to assist him if you possess enough knowledge though. Being stuck in your body and having to talk to his own face turns him maybe for a short while the tiniest bit more humble. It’s not totally obvious, but over time it’s clear that he just wants this all to end, he wants his body back. It’s impossible to talk seriously to you with this body switch and it’s uncomfortable and awkward on top of that.

Pain

🌧Pain is in a way more of an additional personality to Nagato and someone he controls so him and Konan are slightly confused to how Pain and the darling could switch bodies if Yahiko’s body is more of an empty shell. It leads to a huge chaos in regards of the Akatsuki plans since this Pain is a extremely important factor in it all, but Nagato simply is far too paranoid to send him out whilst your soul is inside of it. That isn’t even the main problem in here because if he suddenly isn’t able to control this body anymore because you switched bodies with it, that means you have enough power to escape this place, even if after one month everything would be over.

🌧On further expansion this could only mean that Nagato on the other hand would be able to control his darling’s body now and he will use this out of fear of them running away against them, not to mention that his s/o should know that he’ll take down entire villages if it helps him finding you. That is only if he loses control over this body since he has embedded receivers into Yahiko’s body after all and is able to control the body with the chakra he channels inside the body. If that is the case, you’ll be more of a puppet he keeps close until everything is over. Now if Nagato is the one switching bodies with his s/o, that will at the very last bring a true storm, leaving Konan and a slightly unnerved Nagato, who is living in your body for now, left to try what they possibly can to keep the organization intact and at the same time trying to guarantee that you don’t accidentally or in purpose try to use the Six Paths of Pain.

Obito Uchiha

🔥He has his part to play in the Akatsuki as well as their secret leader so all of this already might get difficult yet that isn’t the part Obito worries that much about. Not even partially enough as about the fact that a sudden body switch happened which has to lead to the instant assumption that it was a jutsu, someone’s attack. That is what freaks him out and it’s the major reason for his frenzy behavior afterwards. It’s by now hopefully known that Obito will gladly see the world in flames if it’s just to assure that you are safe and without any knowledge what happened and if something else will come, he feels the instant threat of that precious safety that is worth any blood and death.

🔥It is less about a fear that you’ll run away or awkwardness that he is now in your body and you in his, it’s just good and old paranoia, a sheer one on that topic, that he won’t be able to protect you like this if someone would choose to attack. Since he is in your body he also has to be so careful with everything since he has to watch out that he won’t put a single minor injury on it whilst his soul is living inside of it. The thing with Obito is that he breaks his darling’s mindset at one point as well and forces them to see the world in the way he does. It’s terrible to drown under such paranoid pressure, but it’ll come quite handy for the Uchiha as well since they obviously are far too frightened to even try to escape or leave Obito who they believe to be the only one who can keep them save.

Shisui Uchiha

🍂Given the fact that Shisui works for the Anbu and gets quite the dangerous and risky missions, he has to inform the Hokage about this unexpected incident. His clan discovers the truth one way or another as well, even if obvious not all of them will be aware. Shisui might not even know what exactly happened in here as well and that unnerves him which is why he will investigate in this case a bit further to know what was the cause of this sudden body switch. Especially if it’s unclear how long his darling and him will be affected by this thing. If informations come out that the effect starts weakening and turning things back to normal after one month and there is no chance to shorten that time, all he can really do is wait together with his s/o.

🍂He tries to be a sweetheart by doing whatever he can think about to cheer his darling a bit up and lessen the thick and extremely uncomfortable tension that has wrapped itself around them like a cloak. Hey, it isn’t like he doesn’t struggle with this peculiar month himself, he just doesn’t pounder about it too much so he can keep sight on important things. He worries too, you know? Not being able to fight as effectively as before and not being able to risk your body for a bloody battle if one should occur, he has to ask Itachi for some assistance. The people of his clan who are aware are bound to watch over his s/o anyways since they can’t be careless and risk an intruder taking advantage of this situation and chase after the Sharingan.

Itachi Uchiha

🍡I have to say, for Itachi this is probably the most difficult to handle since various factors play against him right now. As a criminal who is written down in every bingo book and wanted in several nations, kidnapping his darling and guaranteeing their stay and their safety is already a task not that easy. But with both him and you suddenly being pulled out of your body and placed into the other one, life only seems to want to complicate things further for him. He can’t possibly let his s/o go on his missions like this and get involved with his business, even if they would be not inexperienced with fighting. Controlling and mastering the Sharingan isn’t something they can just learn in one month and all the taijutsu, genjutsu and ninjutsu adds hundred other reasons to the list to why he can’t let them go.

🍡With no one else to turn to, Itachi ends up having to tell his partner Kisame about it so he can hopefully speak up for him if during the month any missions should come in for the two of them or possible meetings. The Kirigakure rouge is…something in between confused as hell and lightly amused when confronted with this scene for the first time, but he respects the Uchiha so he’ll agree most likely to think of something. The following month can really only be spent waiting until everything returns to normal, that doesn’t make it less embarrassing and awkward though. Even Itachi has his struggles here and there and on top of that he is most of the time concerned what he should do if someone finds you two.

Naruto Uzumaki

🍜Naruto is a paranoid and protective Yandere as well so he naturally throws a tantrum if anything happened to his s/o, only that this time it wasn’t an attack he expected. He doesn’t even grasp the full meaning of this situation for a whole while before someone explains it to him and that is when his mind goes a bit blank, the gears in his head turning as if still not fully understanding all of this. News end up spreading faster than wanted, though at the very last it is kept somewhat under control. The majority of his friends and other shinobi do know and since Naruto is so popular and adored by the citizens, it is extremely hard to let nothing seep through. The council pressures to find out what exactly happened and they obviously want their Kage as fast as possible back in his body, even if this all supposedly only stops after one month.

🍜People like Kakashi, Sai and Sakura will lend their help wherever they can as well, be it discovering how to undo the jutsu, helping with the Kage work or simply taking care of two people who have no idea what to do in the body of their partner. Just try to imagine how frustrating this can be sometimes for Naruto, imagining that he wouldn’t be able to do much if someone would plan to murder you in this moment with your body that he can’t risk being majorly ruffled up either. To ease his overprotective paranoia a bit, someone from his best friends will have to look out for you a bit. Kurama is not exactly thrilled about this development either, though he attempts to take it with a dry humor.

Sasuke Uchiha

💙With Sasuke the time where it happens determines how he will act and react to it all. If it’s during the time of his teenage years, it is totally safe to assume that he’s pissed, oh so pissed, about this all and since he can’t quite handle his emotions, he lets his moods out on his s/o. As long as he isn’t proven differently, he will always see his s/o weaker than him and being stuck in their body with his mindset means that he feels like he won’t be able to accomplish anything, blaming along with this his darling for being so weak. Waiting a whole month won’t cut it for him either, he doesn’t have time for this. If Orochimaru is still alive at that point, he will help Sasuke since despite his interest to this phenomenon, he wants Sasuke back in his body as well, Sasuke will force him anyways even if his threats might be in this current body not as affective. If we’re talking about him being already an adult, he won’t act quite as rash.

💙He’s far from having achieved inner peace with this situation, but he thinks it through more carefully and schemes everything out as good and as fast as he can. He wanders around with his darling until he decides to finally settle down which means that he will try at first to handle everything on his own. He has collected some knowledge throughout his journeys and has been gifted new skills and abilities so he will try to find a way to return your souls to the right body instead of sitting around for one month. It’s not only that he worries about bumping into the wrong kind of people, he becomes a bit warily whether or not his s/o will attempt to do something with this temporarily borrowed body.

[jinxofthecipher]

Akatsuki Scene (featuring KisaIta, TobiDei, & slight KakuHida):

“And that concludes this meeting,” Their leader called out, his purple ringed eyes looking around the room. Itachi remained quiet, his sharingan thrums behind his eyes as the rinnegan meets his then moves on. “We will convene a month from now unless something comes up. You’re free to go.” With that final word, their leader’s image fizzled out, leaving the other’s flickering in the dark of the cave.

“Oooo so we’re going after the three tails, Deidara senpai??” Tobi, buzzing with energy (him and Deidara being the only members that were close enough to come in-person) jumped his partner with a pleased giggle. 

“Yes, now get off me.” The artist frowned, pushing Tobi away to open the scroll they’d received. He doesn’t say a word when the masked man instead leans against him, assumingly reading what’s written, but Itachi’s eyes narrow, not missing the obscurred hand-holding, even in the dark. He turns away, however, respecting their privacy, and looks to Kisame instead. 

The shark gives him a broad grin in turn, multi-colored form flickering in and out, “you ready to go, Itachi?” 

"I th-”

“It’s not too far, senpai!!” Tobi giggles, voice hushed but still loud in the dark cavern.

“Yeah. It shouldn’t take too long, maybe a few days, I think. Though we shouldn’t put too much hope in these last corridinates, they were from three months ago.” 

“It’s gonna be so much fun! Can we get snacks? Canwecanwecanwe???”

“Maybe!” Deidara exclaims, pinching his eyes shut and running a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath, “Maybe. But only if you tone it down a bit, yeah?” He straightened his cloak. 

Tobi gives a quick nod, “sure thing, Deidara senpai. Tobi will be silent, like the grave!” And just like that, the masked man fell eerily quiet. The lack of voice sent every hair on the back of Itachi’s neck standing straight up and his gaze flicked to the other obscurred Uchiha. Tobi was watching his partner roll up the scroll and pack it away, a happy shadow. It reminded Itachi too much of that fateful night all those years ago, when he’d asked Madara for help and the shadows had been long and the silence deafening.

As if sensing him, Tobi looked over and, even though he couldn’t see the other’s eye through the hole in the mask, Itachi knew Tobi was looking at him. 

Neither said a word, just stared. 

Finally, “hiya Itachi,” the masked man gave a little wave, ignoring his partner’s rolling eyes at the sudden lack of silence, though Tobi’s voice wasn’t as high or shrill as it had been, “things goin’ well with you and Kisame?” It was a simple question, one no other member would have blinked at. It was just Tobi asking a random question. Yet Itachi’s blood ran cold. He stiffened, fighting a frown, fighting the sharingan behind his eyes and his fingers twitched ever so slightly. Beside him, he could feel Kisame sudden unease even if the other made no outward expression. 

“We’re doing fine, Tobi.” Came the response, cold. “You and Deidara?” 

“Better, though he’s still an idiot.” Deidara answers in Tobi’s place, having begun moving towards the caves entrance. Tobi physically deflates, looking over his shoulder at his partner.

“Senpai!! You said Tobi’s been doing so much better! Especially with-” 

Deidara almost trips at whatever implications he can hear and sends a venemous glare back before Tobi can finish, “Not right now, you’re not!!”

The masked man sighs, looking back at Itachi and giving a shrug, “good days and bad days, but,” he lowers his voice, “our teamwork’s made some leaps and bounds!” Itachi’s eyes narrow a fraction just as Tobi cocks his head, “at least you two seem to be doing okey-dokey!” There’s a giggle and a hand covers the bottom of Tobi’s mask as if to hinder the noise before he gives a big wave and skips after the retreating, grumbling blonde. “See you all later!!”

Watching the proceedings from their corner, Hidan leans into Kakuzu’s space, muttering something to him with a smirk and Itachi shuts his eyes, forcing a deep calming breath. 

“Come, Kisame. We’re leaving.” He re-opens them, ignoring just how close Hidan is to his partner and Kakuzu isn’t pushing him away like he once would have-and looks to Kisame instead who gives a sharp nod, discomfort radiating from his being.

Silent, they weave the signs and end the jutsu. Their multi-colored bodies flicker then disappear, leaving Kakuzu and Hidan as the last members to remain though, after a second, they too vanish. 

The cavern disappears around them and woodland sounds replace it; hazy eyes open to find them back on the bank they’d sat near. A tranquil stream passing before them, lapping gently at the sides.

Itachi blinks a few times, always a bit off whenever coming back to his physical form. He gives a small shudder, moving each body part, finding them stiff from having remained in one spot for too long. Still, he doesn’t get up. 

Not far, seated on his own rock, Kisame is rolling his neck, cracking it to one side, then the next, grunting at the sharp pain in his joints. “Wish they’d give us more warning if the meeting’s going to be so long.” Massaging a forearm, Kisame stands and falters, just noticing how quiet his partner is. 

Yellow eyes slip to him easily, finding Itachi where he had been before the jutsu, back slightly hunched, eyes focused on the slow-moving water. The sun is just starting to set and it brings a reddish tint to the Uchiha’s black hair. It would be pretty if not for the rest of the visual. Itachi’s stare is hard and, to anyone else, blank and unemotional, but not to Kisame, he can see the strain echoing in every muscle beneath the cloak, the narrowed eyes, the somewhat clenched fingers. 

Kisame’s face falls slightly, he brushes a hand through his short hair and takes another step, stopping beside the Uchiha, “it’s cause of what Tobi said, isn’t it, Itachi?”

Black eyes flick up to him, only for a moment then slip back to the water. Sighing, Kisame sits down. Their knees brush, once, twice, then remain together as he crosses his legs, getting comfortable. There are words on his tongue, words and sentences, maybe even a joke, but Kisame remains quiet. He waits, patient as always, and looks out at the water. 

Finally the other speaks, “I am beginning to suspect the other’s know, or at least are suspicious of our relationship.”

Kisame only nods, unsurprised. He knew the moment they had entered the meeting, Hidan had had the gall to wink at him. Which if that hadn’t been a smack in the face then Tobi’s question sure had been. The masked man hardly ever asked specifics towards anyone, not since the on time Kisame and him had talked, face to face. No Tobi facade. Just them. So to have his sudden, undevoted attention back once more, had been unnerving to say the least. It could only mean one thing: Tobi had noticed. Which, as much as he trusted him, probably wasn’t a good thing.

“I thought we were being pretty inconspicious,” he shakes his head, “we’ve not done anything different when they’re around. We’re careful.” The words sound so sure in his mouth and to his ears and yet . . . he considers the few times they’ve met up with the other’s. So far there were two meet-ups with Kakuzu and Hidan, one accidental with Deidara and Tobi and, well, that was it. Sure, he had leaned his leg up against Itachi’s that one time but the place had had poor lighting and Tobi and Deidara had been too interested in each other then them! And it had been out of sight anyways, no one could’ve seen it but . . . if they had sharingan . . . his eyes shut and Kisame squeezed the bridge of his nose. “You don’t think it was that one time with Tobi and-”

“Yes, but I think it was with all of them.” Itachi says, thoughtful, “they each guessed we were . . .” he stalls for a moment, “closer than simple subordinates, though I am unsure what in particular we did to have them guess such a thing.” He worries his bottom lip lightly and Kisame pats the other’s knee in what he can hope is comfort. It must be taken as such since Itachi catches it with his own and they leave them laced togehter atop their knees. “You’re right, we acted as we always have when around them, but perhaps we weren’t as thorough as we first assumed.” 

Kisame hums, a mix of agitation and concern. Tobi hadn’t come after them, hadn’t hinted at things being a problem if two of his men were closer then work partners. So perhaps it was alright? “We might be ok, since Tobi hasn’t done anything . . . but how do you want to play this, Itachi?” He cocked his head, leaving it up to the other as usual, the Uchiha was better at strategy, at taking the lead, and this was no different. 

Thinking, Itachi squeezed the other’s hand, discerning possiblities in his mind, one that came up being that Tobi would hold the information, use it in some way. Itachi couldn’t put it past him, but Itachi hadn’t planned on leaving or doing anything to throw the organziation off so it shouldn’t ever come up, right? He sighed, closing his eyes. 

“For now we’ll play it by ear but . . . I don’t find anything wrong with continuing our areangement.”

Kisame snorts, shaking his head, “you make it sound so professional.”

“Would you wish for me to call it something else?” Black and yellow eyes met.

“You could try with ‘relationship’ unless that’s too much?” Itachi blinked at his partners words and Kisame swallowed. Perhaps that was moving things a bit too fast? He wasn’t too sure. Though, when Itachi’s face softened into a smile that might’ve had Kisame’s stomach pleasantly twist, he found his worries gone.

“I’d like that.” And Itachi’s hand squeezed his, receving one in return as they both leaned against each other, into a sense of comfort born between them.

[7team7]

Choosing Fate: Chapter 1

SUMMARY: Sakura’s peaceful life is disrupted when she learns of her imminent marriage to Sasuke, the handsome boy she had only ever seen at the public market. Arranged marriage AU. Rated M.

A/N: I love a good arranged marriage AU, but I feel like all of the ones I’ve read are powerful political/royal types of things? So I wanted to write one about normal people because that’s of course more common and somewhat related to my own family history and ~normal~ ss is always good Also no major specifics because I’m a lazy researcher and I’ll leave it open to readers. Just know it’s set in the Past lol and in a literal village none of that built up Konoha shit

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Like a good and dutiful son, Sasuke accepted the news that he was to be betrothed soon with a simple bow of his head. It had happened to his brother years ago, it was bound to be his time soon too. He would respect his parents’ choice. It’s all he really could do. Itachi and Izumi were having trouble conceiving a child, but the Uchiha bloodline needed to be continued.

Even if he wasn’t particularly interested in getting married, he wondered what kind of girl she would be. Was it someone he knew? Was she smart? What did she look like?

But after delivering the news, his father began eating and there was no more conversation for the rest of dinner.

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Girlhood. Short lived and usually more bitter than sweet. Her family was poor, but Sakura had a decent life, and she was grateful. But like any selfish teenager, there were things she still yearned for. She daydreamed of a handsome, kind husband sweeping her off her feet and she hoped for a big house where she didn’t have to feel like her mere existence was taking up too much space.

So when her parents sighed before eating dinner and said she was to be betrothed soon, her world simultaneously collapsed and expanded.

She couldn’t help the tears from slipping out and her voice cracked when she asked, “Does that mean I have to stop going to school?”

Her parents nodded, knowing how much her education meant to her. Her siblings had just gotten old enough to allow Sakura some relief and the time to attend school again. But it simply wasn’t possible to fulfill the duties expected of a wife and attend school at the same time.

Sakura continued eating her dinner at the table but she didn’t chatter away like she normally did. She looked longingly at her youngest sister, Moegi, so innocent and carefree. She wondered if Ino would be allowed to stay longer than Sakura had. When would Naruto get married? Sakura would soon be living with a new person, a new family — and there was nothing she could do. Her parents couldn’t manage her and her siblings for much longer. As the oldest daughter, it was her time.

Mebuki’s secrecy made Sakura feel even more on edge. She was itching to know at least one small detail about her future husband, but for some reason her mother would not budge. Sakura wondered if she was doing it to save her.

Sakura wallowed in her own misery the entire trip to the meeting place, imagining him to be horrible, ugly, poor, cruel, childish. Gone were her silly dreams of a romantic marriage of choice. She knew no one would ever come to save her. Maybe if she hated him enough, he would just disappear.

So when she was faced with Uchiha Sasuke as her future husband, she was pleasantly surprised. They’d hardly ever spoken, but at least he was easy on the eyes, even if he wore a frozen mask of indifference.

Sasuke tried not to let his reaction show on his face. He knew Sakura was younger than he was, there was no way she was ready for marriage! Why did his parents make such a decision?

He got his answer soon, as their parents wasted no time and began relaying the exact details of their betrothal:

They would be married in six months time. The Uchihas were more well-off than the Harunos and they would bring Sakura into their household. Fugaku knew of Kizashi as a respectable farmer and found Sakura suitable enough for Sasuke. Her education made her an attractive candidate, and Fugaku appreciated the way Kizashi never tried to present her on a platter to the Uchihas, unlike some other neighboring families. Fugaku’s hand could never be forced.

They were both once again painfully reminded of their birth order: the younger son was nearly disposable, and the oldest daughter could only be of use through marriage and domestic activities.

Young Sasuke hadn’t minded living in Itachi’s shadow. In fact, he thought of himself as the shadow. If he followed Itachi’s steps exactly, then that meant he was doing something right. But as he got older, he realized that his actions didn’t really matter because he could never top the favored first son and his seeming perfection. He was honestly surprised by his father’s careful consideration of a marriage candidate.

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down; the resentment made her throat feel tight. She was always expected to take care of her younger siblings, and now she was being given away to another family to make room in her house. Would she ever have a choice? Did her life even matter?

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They were left to speak alone, although they both sensed their chaperone-parents lurking just around the corner.

“Uchiha-san,” she nodded.

“Haruno-san,” he returned.

They knew of each other, but had only ever exchanged a few words at the market. He’d seen her haggle with the toughest of merchants and successfully bring down the price of medicinal herbs. Sakura had watched him move with effortless grace throughout the market. He bought salt from her once.

And of course he noticed her appearance — pink hair and green eyes were hard to overlook. She was pretty, but he would never admit that.

And Sakura felt a little something like betrayal when the blush crept up her face. She had told herself to feign indifference, her own little form of rebellion, but how could she ignore someone like Uchiha Sasuke? But despite any of his attractive traits, he still represented the ultimate death of her freedom.

They stood next to each other, nearly a foot apart, in silence for ten more minutes until their parents came to collect them.

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“You’re lucky,” her mother reminded her on the way home. “He’s handsome and only a few years older than you. You will never be poor again. I’m sure he will make a fine husband.”

“You’re lucky,” his mother commented when they returned to their house. “She’s a lovely girl, smart and beautiful. Be kind to her.”

.

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A/N: Umm I know I keep saying I'll post/update one work then I do another instead LOL sowwy I cannot control this brain. I'm rating it M for now because hopefully I'll be able to include some spicy stuff but I'm /.\ shy so we'll see. I'm very busy but hopefully I can post updates sooner rather than later :)

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Fifty-Six: Can’t Be Sure ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Shisui ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

He knew it would start happening eventually. It was inevitable. The way the fringes of the crowd had looked at Kakashi’s coronation - which doubled as the announcement of Itachi’s public pardon - gave Sasuke a knowing that they would have no peace. Between the two brothers, their list of crimes was more than long enough. Someone, somewhere, would retaliate.

He just never expected it to be quite this bad.

Back when he and Hinata first started talking about the possibility of being together, he’d warned her. At that point, at its worst, it was glares and mutters. Sometimes thrown mud, or shouted insults. None of which Sasuke minded, unless it was turned on someone other than himself...and already it had. Just being seen with him had subjected her to the occasional pitfall. But if they were to get serious - and even then Sasuke knew, if he was going to try a relationship, it would be all or nothing - she had to be ready for things to get worse.

A lot worse.

She told him she was already expecting it Already prepared for it. No longer was Hinata the shy little genin he barely remembered. The jōnin rank she bore then - even if she’d shifted departments to the police - had been earned the hard way. In most cases, she could handle herself, if it ever came to physical confrontations. And her kekkei genkai gave her an edge: it might not be the sensory ability Itachi’s wife could rely on, but at least it could let her see that which - to most - was unseen.

For a long while, it remained...somewhat unimportant. The insults kept up. As did the taunting, the object-throwing, the glowers at their backs.

...then there was the lone adversary that came after Itachi’s family. Right in the heart of the village. They’d been stopped, but also spouted off dangerous rhetoric that promised it would only be the beginning. That they weren’t acting alone, either.

They’d all reconvened in the manor, the trio still hidden away in the master bedroom as the matriarch tried to dry her children’s fearful tears.

Sasuke had never seen Itachi that angry before.

His temper was always cold, steely, sharp. Unconsciously he’d summoned his Sharingan as he stalked through the main room to pace off his agitation. Shisui looked tempted to do the same...but also held back to let Itachi have his moment.

“...they’re getting bolder.”

“But who are they?” Sasuke cut in, hands gesturing and displaying his being at a loss. “We have no idea where this is coming from - where the root of the problem lies.”

“This is new,” was Itachi’s curt retort. “Everything before this was child’s play. This...is another level. Something more serious, more...organized, and resolute. They meant to kill my family. I’m almost certain the enemy’s underestimation is all that saved them. They didn’t expect her to retaliate as...violently as she did.”

“Well she’s not known for it,” Shisui agreed dryly.

“So we don’t know who these people are?” Hinata asked, seated beside Sasuke and looking perturbed. “They haven’t made any loyalty claims?”

“Not yet...the culprit was taken to the station, but I’ve been informed T&I is taking a crack at them now. For the moment, we know nothing about their motives, their goals...we can’t be sure of anything.”

“All we do know is that anti-Uchiha efforts have official reached a new level of serious,” Shisui murmured, his usually-playful expression hardened. “...we have to be careful. Whoever these assholes are, they know our weak points.”

“Easy enough to guess,” Sasuke rebuked. “My skills are legendary...as are yours, and Itachi’s. Hinata is a seasoned shinobi.” He nodded toward the bedroom. “She’s a non-combat medic, and they’re five-year-olds. No shit they’d be hit first.”

Itachi’s pacing suddenly stilled, a hand over his eyes. “...I let this happen.”

“Like hell you did, they -!”

“I haven’t been putting enough measures in place. I left them open.”

“Who would expect an attack in broad daylight, in the middle of a crowded street?”

“That is the point: it was meant to be completely unexpected. Nowhere is safe. And no one.”

Having faded into quiet for a time, Hinata murmured, “...I don’t think this was meant to be a successful attack.”

“Why not?”

“Like you say...the circumstances were the least ideal. To me...this feels more like a test. Looking for weakness. You say she and the kids are the most vulnerable point. Then why do that? They wanted to be sure. Throw someone at us and see what would happen. And she proved she’s not as open a target as many would likely assume. I’m willing to bet there will be more like this. They’ll come at us from different angles. Randomly. Trying to find a gap in our defenses.”

“...the ones they’ll assume are most open are you two,” Sasuke replied. “My brother, cousin and I all have extreme reputations. They don’t need to test us: they know where we stand. But you two are wild cards. And also sentimental.”

“...for now, everyone must be on full alert,” Itachi commanded. “No one goes anywhere alone. I want a spare officer with my wife and children at all times when one of us is not available. Leave the houses - the district - as infrequently as possible. If they wish to put our defenses to the test...we will harden them.”

They all left the gathering with a clear feeling of edge. Shisui went to report to the Rokudaime, while Sasuke and Hinata lingered outside.

“I want to stay.”

“Out of the question.”

“But -?”

“The safest place for you is far away from me.”

Pale eyes went wide. “...are you telling me to leave?”

“I’m telling you it would be wise.”

“...I’m pretty sure that damage has already been done, Sasuke. Even if I leave now, if they’re extending their efforts to anyone involved with you, then...consider me marked.”

Sasuke’s scowl only darkened. “...I told you it would get bad.”

“And I agreed anyway! I’m not afraid -!”

“Have you considered that I am?”

...that brought her up short.

“...right now, there is an unknown threat, of unknown size, or strength, or origin, that is clearly trying to hunt us all down. Which likely includes you. While I doubt very much it would be easy for me, Itachi, or Shisui to be taken down, they -”

“Are you calling me weak?”

“I’m calling you vulnerable. Hinata, listen to me.” Sasuke put hands atop her shoulders, expression fervent. “...my brother was a nukenin for a decade. There’s little this world can throw at him that he can’t beat. Naruto and I are the strongest shinobi in the world. Shisui had a flee-on-sight order when he was fifteen, and survived a trial most wouldn’t have survived. He’s all the stronger now. I know you aren’t weak. But...you haven’t been through what we’ve been through. You aren’t used to being hunted. Hated. We are. We’ve lived it. For a long time. We have instincts against it. You, and Itachi’s wife, and the kids...you don’t. And I’m willing to bet the enemy has thought of that. I’m not saying you can’t take most people one-on-one. But you have to remember: whoever these people are? They’re not afraid to break laws to get to us. To play dirty. We don’t know how many there are - they might keep coming and coming until we’re all exhausted, and slip up. And if I -”

There was a break as his throat tightened. “...if I lost you...I’d probably do something very stupid. I’d rather let you go than know it was me who brought you to ruin.”

Staring silently, Hinata wilted. “...and I’d rather face this together than let you push me away.”

“Hinata -”

“You said it yourself: your family is powerful. So is mine! We made this alliance for a reason. To help keep the Uchiha safe. Even if you left me, we’d still be connected. I’d still be fighting for you, with you.” A gentle smile lifted her lips. “...so, why distress yourself by breaking us up...when it’s clear we’re strongest together?”

A single dark eye flickered between her pale pair. “...we’ll talk about it more later. But I do want you back in the Hyūga compound for tonight. Your father would kill me if you stayed here overnight, anyway.”

That earned a soft snort. “...all right. But I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Fine. I’ll walk you.”

They parted at the white-eyed clan’s gate, a pair of her kin taking her in. Sasuke just nodded as she left, not wanting to do much more in plain sight anyway. Head bowing, he mulled over the day, and his options. To his chagrin...she’s right. She’s always right.

So, with a sigh, he left her home behind...and headed back toward his own.

     Aaand late again - I'm still very sick, so I took most of the day off...but I'll be darned before I miss a day if I can really help it xD      Anywho, this is actually some meaty ALAS plot...stuff! The third arc of the story (aka everything post 699) is VERY canon divergent, and focuses on the Uchiha and their reintegration...and its difficulties. Not everyone is happy the Uchiha are back in Konoha, let alone alive. And that includes anyone tied to them, too.      Sasuke actually accidentally hinted at the problem, if one looks closely enough :3c      But yes, that's today's piece done! Now I'm going to go drown myself in a shower to try to wash this sickness away, then go crash ahaha - thank you so much for reading!

[koukennin]

@haevatein​ cont. from ( x )

          ✖ II —  Itachi had been alone for a while, not that it bothered him all that much. Loke was allowed - even as his team partner - to take breaks, to do whatever he so pleased. The stoic male wasn’t about to request the taller to stay if he didn’t wish to though, it felt odd being all alone, even if it had only been a few hours, as normally, Loke filled the darkness with chatter and endless suggestions of what they perhaps could do. It reminded the Uchiha of a past long since gone, a past that he could no longer simply look back at and smile without any form of pain blooming within his chest. Itachi remembered the time when he could, when he had still been able to look back and smile at memories that had only carried warmth, a warmth that now pulled at his heart, tearing at the dying organ that felt heavier than the heaviest rock within his softly defined chest.

Loke’s warm and carefree personality, never ending attention seeking mouth and actions, reminded Itachi so much of,

                  Itachi,                                   what’s with that expression?                                           you know I can still see you, even like this.

Blunt nails dug into a ivory palm, repressing the memory that haunted his dreams, his nights, even when he was awake, they didn’t leave him alone, didn’t let him rest and yet, at times, he found himself smiling ever so slightly, such a rare emotion on his ever masked face. His mask might not be physically, but mentally. Beneath it were cracks, where tears and crimson liquid were desperately trying to fill the gaps, but to no avail, something which Itachi had accepted a long time ago.

Having none of Loke’s chatter dancing in his ears, made way for trains of thoughts, filling the stoic male with reminders of what was to come and an awareness undisturbed, which fell upon the pain within his softly defined chest where lungs were burning. This was something he had been able to ignore with Loke’s presence. To think that the male’s simple presence - and at the beginning, annoying - running mouth, could make him forget the pain that laid beneath his perfect surface. Loke was still somewhat of an enigma to him though, one Itachi didn’t mind having not solved yet, as the male was strangely.. interesting. The stoic male would be lying if he said that he hadn’t, somewhere along their journey, grown kind of fond of the other. Especially, with how many times the taller of the two had helped him with that warmth that soothed the pain, soothed his nightmares away and all the things eating him up like acid from the inside, it was a warmth that he had come to associate with the flamboyant male.

Suddenly feeling a familiar presence, Itachi peeked up from where he had been sitting against a tree, only to catch the heavy scent of blood dancing in the air, making the ivory featured male push himself up without a second thought before slender legs carried him closer towards the familiar male. The gurgling sound of blood escaping lips, made midnight hairs stand on edge at the base of the silent male’s head, it was such a familiar - horrible - sound due to having experienced that over and over.

                                                  How did this happen?

left fair lips before Itachi could even think about his words as it shocked him to the core. He had never seen Loke injured, not like this - ever. The taller male just didn’t get injured, he always seemed to be able to avoid such a deadly thing and here he was, coughing up blood.

Activating his sharingan, to see better, Itachi went closer to examine the damage. It was unsettling to see the extend and slight panic was already forming within his chest, making the keen mind speed up. He needed to help, needed to figure out the best course of action. The fine eyebrows upon ivory features, knitted in concern and concentration as sharingan ran over the injured male. A puncture wound, an arrow lingering in the strong back.

He will ignore that statement. Itachi wouldn’t accept such words when the other could barely stand. Deciding to take things into his own hands, the stoic male side stepped the other, uncaring about the blood as he went closer to the arrow while ignoring the panic choking him. To be honest, he didn’t wish to be left alone, not again. Not when he had started to finally accept and understand his emotions towards this enigma that was Loke.

Around the arrow seemed to be lacking a great flow of chakra, making it clear that something was blocking out a much needed flow, if this continued, the taller male would die, Itachi knew that now, now that he had gotten closer and examined the weapon stuck in Loke’s back. He needed to get it out, luckily it was thin at the head, crimson hues could see that due to the entering wound. A strange aura was dancing around the arrow, almost looking like that of flames and yet, it felt so cold, unpleasantly so. This was a jutsu unknown to the elder Uchiha, for usually element channeled into weapons would dissipate as soon as it hit the target and yet, this one still admitted some odd elemental energy that made a strange chill enter Itachi’s body.

              ❝  Answer me truthfully.                                 If I pull this arrow out, can you heal?   ❞

[pomrania]

Comfort fics

Stories that you just read over and over again, because you enjoy them. They may not make you break out laughing any more, but they make you grin. These are the stories that even though I've read them a million times, I'll go through and read them yet again, whenever I'm reminded of them.

Comfort fics aren’t just stories you love; they’re stories you’re familiar with, stories that make you feel better when you read them, stories that are the fiction equivalent of wearing fuzzy slippers and drinking hot chocolate. Therefore, some of my favourite stories would not be included here, because they’re a different type.

This is an incomplete list of my favourite comfort fics; I'll add more when I remember them.

Vulpine (complete) (Naruto)

Uchibi Sasuke (Naruto; Okami crossover)

The Somewhat Cracked Mind of Uchiha Itachi (Naruto)

Master, Pokemon and Master, Pokemon mk2 (Pokemon)

Team Seven vs Paperwork (Naruto)

I Am NOT Going Through Puberty Again (complete) (Naruto)

most stories by Lucillia (various fandoms)

Uprooted (Naruto)

Oh God Not Again (complete) (Harry Potter)

There May Be Some Collateral Damage (complete) (Bleach and Harry Potter crossover)

Ashes of the Past (Pokemon)

Akatsuki Babysitter’s Club (complete) (Naruto)

Phil Coulson is Not a Crazy Cat Lady (complete) (MCU)

I should mention that I'm not in these fandoms any more, if I was ever a part of them, but that changes nothing about my enjoyment of these stories.

On probation: These are the stories that will probably become comfort fics, but haven't yet passed my requirement of multiple rereads.

Seventh Horcrux (complete) (Harry Potter)

reverse (complete) (Naruto)

Harry's New Home (complete) (Harry Potter)

Fox-Kit (Naruto)

Harry is a Dragon, and That’s Okay (Harry Potter)

[la-moonlight-lily]

May I? Chapter 2

Summary: She’d been waiting for the one that would make her feel this way. That tenacious, profound, lingering emotion that no words can encompass. And now that she had, it had to be the one person she could not let into her heart. ItaSaku Soulmate A/U (or is it?). Non-Mass.

Rating: T. Subject to change.

1. Misconceptions | 2. Contemplations | 3. Decisions | 4. Resolutions

I wanted to post this earlier but my (new, infuriatingly enough) laptop had to be fixed multiple times. I hope you like this one, and don’t forget to let me know what you think! :D

Itachi flopped back onto the bed and rubbed his hand over his face, barely stifling a frustrated groan. It was barely ten in the morning and it already felt like a pretty long day. It didn’t help that his cousin really had dragged him into the hospital almost two hours ago to get those check-ups Sakura had insisted on.

He tried so damn hard not to think about her.

It was so difficult when all it seemed like he could do is see her in anything he sees or hears every day. Whenever somebody brings up the hospital, she’d be the first image that pops into his mind. Whenever his mother said that Sasuke won’t join them for dinner because he’s training late, he’d see her in his mind’s eye, beating his brother and their blond teammate within an inch of their lives. Hell, whenever he saw Kakashi in passing or one of the Konoha 11 or even when he went to receive a mission, he’d always think of the little pink-haired apprentice of the Hokage that he just so desperately wanted to lay eyes on.

Itachi never expected to feel so strongly about anyone, especially Haruno Sakura. She was always around since his brother became a genin, with him on the training grounds, around their house whenever his brother or his mother invite Sasuke’s team for a meal, or even at that ramen stand Naruto always dragged them to.  But she was never important, never worthy of a second glance. She was just his little brother’s teammate who had pink hair and a possible infatuation with Sasuke, and Itachi has written her off as yet another overbearing female.

Until she decided to split the ground with her fist.

He didn’t know what made her seek out the Hokage, but she had and was apparently well on her way to be Tsunade’s almost-clone, with violent fists and an even more violent temper, if her scolding of the staff at the hospital and her teammates was anything to judge by. Itachi decided then that perhaps Haruno Sakura was more deserving of further contemplation that he first thought.

At first, he gave her an extra bit of attention because she intrigued him, because he wanted to see what she might be hiding behind her soft smiles and vibrant eyes. To see if she was really made out of something much stronger than her exterior made her out to be or if his initial judgement was correct and she would always just strive to catch up with everybody else around her.

She proved him wrong every time. He didn’t know when or how it happened, but Sakura was suddenly a lot more mature, he could see that from hearing her speak with his mother as the years went by, her interests and ambitions no longer being boys and pretty faces. She was also a lot more confident, he could see that in the way she commanded the hospital at her young age, and the way she commanded the room during official meetings, even if she spoke little, and the way she commanded even the Hokage, always regulating the ratio of drinking to paperwork. And she was hell of a lot stronger, obviously judging by the frequent earthquakes that seemed to transpire in Konoha, and the bruises on Sasuke’s face and body that she refused to heal whenever he annoyed her too much.

Itachi would take the chance to observe her if he ever came by her, curious to see how far she’d developed, if she would be able to meet the expectations he’d once again set for her. But then instead of just watching Sakura punch delinquents and crack grounds, he would often happen upon her comforting a young boy as she healed his broken arm, or making meals that Naruto could stock up on for the week so he wouldn’t run out of food and have to only run on ramen (no matter how much he wanted to), or laughing as she slowly sipped a drink at the bar with the girls, her laughter lighting up her whole face with fond exasperation. And Itachi found himself wanting… more?

He wanted to know more about her, what food she liked and what books she read and how she managed to look so radiant almost every time he saw her even though he knew she was exhausted because of her training and the missions and the hospital work. And he wanted to know what put that smile on her face, because he wanted to see more of it. No, he wanted to put it there.

The first time that thought crossed Itachi’s mind, he was surprised, and he was never easily so. It was stupid to feel attached to someone he barely knew; someone he’d never even talked to or acknowledged beyond the polite nods in passing when he had to. Itachi had always had such a tight leash on his emotions, and them starting to run wild and for someone so strange to him… It almost scared him. But he couldn’t stop seeking her out still, and made it a point to quietly observe her from a distance, even after she noticed him and he knew she was uncomfortable with his stares, Itachi still could not help himself. And then Sakura started reciprocating his… whatever it was, and Itachi was completely lost.

She’d suddenly become around him a lot more than he had planned, and she would smile at him softly and Itachi would feel a strange fluttering in his chest. Sometimes, those smiles would be comforting, as if she felt it whenever he needed consolation. Sometimes they would be teasing or even downright sultry and inciting. Slowly, gradually, the urge to look became the urge to touch, to kiss, to feel, to have more of her that was for him alone, like those smiles that he never saw her gift anybody else.

What Itachi had found strange before became somewhat clearer to him later. It was unnerving to feel so connected to her and develop those almost stalker-ish tendencies, but maybe, just maybe… Haruno Sakura could be his.

It made sense. His soulmate mark appeared a few months before Sasuke was born, so her age would fit. It wasn’t unheard of for soulmates to feel a connection prior to discovering their bond, so that should also explain their strange interactions. And the happiness that had defiantly filled his being when he considered that possibility was something Itachi was willing to take as further proof.

There would be obstacles of course. He was the Uchiha heir, and the clan would certainly need some coaxing (or threatening in some cases) until they accepted her as their next matriarch. The other clans could even protest because of the power the Uchiha clan would gain further from this match. Having such close ties to the Hokage would not sit easy with those who sought a higher status or just simply did not want the Uchiha to gain it. None of that mattered though. If she truly was his (and she was, he could somehow feel it), Itachi would not stop at anything to make her wholly his, and proceed to give her every part of himself in return, to trust her with all of him.

He knew she felt it too. It showed in her eyes, that silent acknowledgment that he recognised easily. And Itachi almost felt feverish in his excitement to hear those words etched on his lower back come out of her mouth, hear her whisper ‘stay with me Itachi’ as he held her and showered her beautiful face with kisses.

She was adorably flustered when she suddenly found him close to her as she and Sasuke were sparring one day. His shock when her first words to him were not what he had expected pinned him in place instead of letting him go after her as she almost ran away from him and Sasuke, his little brother watching them both with confused but calculating eyes. Itachi had hastily excused himself then and bolted towards the Uchiha training field, where he was found hours later by Shisui almost mutilating an old gingko tree.

“So she’s not…?” Shisui trailed off as they both sat down against tree, Itachi struggling to regain his breathing, and his composure.

He didn’t ask his cousin how he knew of his thoughts before. It didn’t matter after all.

“No,” Itachi whispered harshly, his breath still ragged, “she isn’t.”

They didn’t say anything further on the matter and Itachi reluctantly followed Shisui back to the compound to shower and dine with his family, before his cousin took him out again to the bar that night and they both proceeded to be thoroughly trashed.

It was a bit difficult for Itachi to keep his thoughts away from Sakura after, even after a whole month away from the village, and if he were to be honest with himself, he didn’t want to. They fell back into that strange routine of theirs as soon as he got back until Sasuke interfered and they got into that stupid fight more times than he could count and Shisui had to interfere before the two brother took their argument to the training grounds one time. Ever since, Sasuke would be constantly near the pink-haired woman and Shisui would stick to Itachi as much as he could to buffer any accidental interactions and jump in the middle of his two cousins should they decide to voice their disagreement again, making it almost impossible for Itachi and Sakura to even steal longer than a glimpse at each other.

Itachi groaned and slammed his head back against the pillow. It’s been almost a year now. Why he couldn’t move on, he just did not understand. It’s not like Sakura was encouraging him (unless you count the frowns on her face that he wanted to permanently erase), and not like anybody else wasn’t actively discouraging him either. Hell, even his relationship with his brother had become frosty over this madness. Maybe if he repaired his relationship with his brother, it would help? He and Sasuke had always been close, and if they got back to where they were before, it would make him feel better? Better enough to stop brooding at least and move on with his life, and maybe then she could move on with hers.

He was about to sigh again when someone knocked on his door.

“Itachi-chan?” his mother called from the other side of the shoji screen, “are you awake?”

“Yes, Kaa-san.”

“Come down for breakfast then! You left early so we had to eat without you, but I saved you your food.”

“Yes, Kaa-san,” he said again and sat up with a groan, untying and retying his hair before he followed his mother, who was already on her way to the kitchen.

He found her already heating up the rice and soup, some saury being freshly grilled, and Itachi sat down at the table when she batted away his hands after he tried to take over from her. It only took a few more minutes till his mother was laying the table and he began to eat.

Itachi must have been hungrier than he thought because he sat there for several minutes, quietly devouring his food and trying to not burn his tongue again on the hot soup, and looked up to see her staring intently at him with her chin resting in her palm. He raised an eyebrow and went back to his food when she didn’t comment right away. It didn’t take her long though.

“You’ve been sulking lately,” Mikoto observed quietly. Itachi only raised an eyebrow again and continued to eat.

“Is it Sakura-chan again?”

Itachi froze. His eyes snapped up to hers and they stared at each other for one long moment before Itachi smiled wearily.

“Am I that obvious?”

“Not at first,” Mikoto admitted. “But I still knew from the beginning.”

“Can’t keep anything from you, can I?” He said dryly and his mother laughed a little.

“I would’ve thought you learned not to try years ago, but you’re stubborn as always.”

She laughed again as her son grumbled under his breath, something that sounded like ‘no privacy in this house’ and turned serious again.

“So?” Mikoto tucked her hair behind her ear. “What’s the issue with the two of you?”

Itachi watched her for a moment. “Do you have to make me say it?”

“Well it’s not like I know everything!” his mother grumbled, “I have my theories, but you need to confirm them.”

“And they are?”

“Well…” She looked down at her hands. “At first I thought you’d found your mate and were stalling for time until you sorted everything out with the clan. But then you didn’t approach your father and I couldn’t see any obvious efforts with the council.”

“Maybe I’m just waiting for the right time?” He countered.

“That still can’t explain Sasuke’s hostile attitude. Or Shisui looking panicked almost every time you pass her in the village.”

Itachi remained silent and Mikoto sighed.

“She’s not your soulmate then, is she?”

“No.”

Her son looked as if he had tasted something rotten. But they needed to have this conversation.

“Then what’s the issue?”

“Kaa-san, I can’t- “

“What’s the issue, Itachi?” Mikoto’s tone was unyielding.

“I don’t know what the issue is.” He ran his hand over his face, the chopsticks lying forgotten on the table.

“I thought she was my soulmate too. I was almost sure she was, I don’t know how, but I just knew.” He sounded frustrated. “But she isn’t and it’s just… I’m just…”

“You’re just what?”

“Angry.” Itachi almost growled and Mikoto’s eyes softened.

“I shouldn’t be, I know that,” he said before she could say anything, “stray attractions are not uncommon, apparently, but it felt like so much more, and I’m just so angry… I’m angry that it happened, I’m angry that she’s not my soulmate and I’m so angry that no matter what I do, I just can’t stop!”

Itachi could see the hint of surprise in his mother’s eyes before she composed herself. He didn’t really care.

“You want her to be your soulmate,” Mikoto almost whispered.

“Is that so wrong?”

“I wish it wasn’t, Itachi-chan- “

“What’s wrong about it, then?!” His voice rose slightly and he clenched his hands and took a deep breath.

“What makes it so wrong?” he repeated, softer this time, “why should a tattoo dictate my actions? My life? I can’t pursue a woman that I want to so badly because of four words that no one’s even come close to saying in twenty-four years.”

“And what if you both become miserable?” Mikoto countered, “what if one of you or both of you meets their other half? What will you do then?”

“And what if we don’t? What if we decide that this is what we both want, instead of conforming to some meaningless words?”

His mother was shaking her head as he spoke.

“You’re talking this too far for someone who’s practically a stranger to you, Itachi,” Mikoto sighed. “You barely even know her.”

“Don’t you think I want to, Kaa-san?” Itachi ground out.

“Then talk to her,” Mikoto offered, “maybe when you do, you could both realise that this is no more than an infatuation. You could even become friends.”

‘If only I could’, Itachi mentally snorted. He couldn’t exactly tell his mother that her calm, composed older child could barely stop himself from telling Sakura he wanted to kiss her whenever he tried to address her. Shisui had laughed at him for ten whole minutes when Itachi shared that particular piece of information with his cousin once. Something that he deeply, deeply regretted.

His mother kept her dark eyes trained on him. He could see her trying to gauge his thoughts behind that carefully stoic expression.

“Someday, Itachi…” she trailed off slightly. Took a deep breath and got up to sit beside him. “Someday, you’ll find the one meant for you. And you’ll realise how happy she can make you, how she can understand even the subtlest of expressions on your face and comfort you with the smallest look or slightest touch- “

‘Isn’t that what I’m feeling right now?’ Itachi thought to himself.

“-and you’ll see how incomparable it is to anything you might be feeling right now,” Mikoto continued as if she could hear his inner thoughts.

“And whoever she is, you’ll accept her?” He found himself asking before he could stop himself. Might as well have that conversation to its fullest.

“Of course we will!” his mother insisted adamantly, “whoever is your match will be part of our family and that is that.”

“The elders will object if she doesn’t turn out to be an Uchiha- “

“And your father will scorch them alive before they can protest.” He gave her a small smile and let her kiss him on the forehead and she got up to wash the rest of the dishes from the family’s earlier meal.

“Finish your breakfast,” she demanded with a smile, “I want to wash those dishes too while I’m at it.”

Itachi silently complied, eating quickly before handing her the plates and putting on his sandals. He needed to blow off some steam.

The training grounds frequently used by Team 7 was unoccupied, leaving Itachi to mentally list the probable locations he needed to check while hunting down its members.

The Hokage office was empty, save for one comatose Hokage lying face down on her desk. Itachi closed the door quietly to avoid waking the older woman up and having to endure a brutal assault to his ears that early in the morning. The ramen bar that Naruto practically lived in was, very surprisingly, free from said blond individual. The Yamanaka flower shop was only just being opened by the Yamanaka girl, who told him she hadn’t seen any of the Team 7 members since they left the bar the night before, but maybe he should check the hospital (which he definitely was not. If only to not step foot in that place twice in one day).

He was passing by the onsen when a flash of orange caught his eye, and Itachi retreated a few steps to find the blond jinchuuriki heading inside. He followed him inside to find him sneaking with a towel over his shoulder, in the process of forming familiar hand seals (ones that Itachi desperately wished he hadn’t been so familiar with) and almost pounced on the younger man just in time to stop him from transforming into a naked female, probably scaring a number of employees inside in the process.

“What the hell?!” Naruto almost squealed and jumped out of his skin. Itachi had to suppress a smirk as he held the other man steady by the shoulders.

“What are you doing here?!” the blond shouted at Itachi, almost accusingly, who responded by raising an eyebrow.

“This is the entrance to the women’s side, you know,” Naruto continued, pointing out the sign on the shoji screen. Itachi only lifted his eyebrow higher.

“Err… Well…” Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid the raven-haired man’s eyes. “I was on my way to the other bath, you know.”

“Of course you were, Naruto-kun,” Itachi responded in a cool tone.

“Well, what do you want then?” the blond tried to sound cold and angry, but only succeeded in appearing more flustered.

He had always been quite amusing. Itachi led him to the corner of the room.

“Have you seen Sasuke today?”

“Sasuke! Yes! Well he- oh…”

“He…?” Itachi prodded and Naruto shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

“He as in Sasuke…” Naruto trailed off again and Itachi almost sighed.

“Yes, Sasuke…?”

“Breakfast!”

“He already had breakfast, Naruto-kun.”

“Oh, he took Sakura-chan out for breakfas- eep!” The blond squealed again and Itachi had to stop himself from laughing.

“Any idea on when they would be done, then?” he asked instead.

“Oh I don’t know,” Naruto frowned in thought. “He said something about buying Hanabi a birthday gift and infuriating demanding women.”

Ah. Another time then.

“Thank you, Naruto-kun,” Itachi tilted his head slightly to the young man. “Do you know if he’s planning on meeting Hanabi later though?”

“No idea. Why?”

“I might let him know to let her know that you were trying to get into the women’s bath. I’m sure her older sister would be most amused at the situation- “

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“-no peeking, Naruto-kun,” Itachi finished with a smirk, transporting himself out of the establishment before the blond could make another comment.

He found himself back at the Uchiha compound, chasing after his cousin’s chakra signature until he found him escorting his fiancée out of her home. He picked up his pace until he reached the two of them.

“Itachi!” Reika, a distant cousin of theirs and Shisui’s intended, cried happily as he stood in front of them, “it’s good to see you! Do you want to get some dango with us- “

“Excuse us please, Reika,” Itachi interrupted her greeting and grabbed his cousin by the arm, transporting both of them to the Uchiha training grounds.

“What the hell Itachi!” Shisui sounded most affronted at being taken against his will, and away from Reika, whom Itachi knew Shisui hadn’t seen for almost a week while she was on a mission.

Itachi didn’t bother to respond, though. He only whirled around as soon as they steadied on the ground and proceeded to punch his cousin square in the face.

“I hate you.”

The words came out as a harsh pant as both men lay on the ground gasping for breath after a strenuous, surprise spar. Itachi had gone all out and Shisui was not one to be taken by surprise and be outmatched. He definitely gave his cousin a good beating, if his ragged breathing and vigorous coughs were anything to judge by.

“No you don’t,” Itachi managed to get out before another fit of coughs claimed him for the next half a minute.

“What the fuck was that about, you idiot?” Shisui kicked his cousin in the shin. Itachi kicked back.

“I needed a good spar. Sasuke had a prior engagement.”

“Oh so you two are all fine and dandy now?” Shisui turned his head to observe the younger man, who kept his eyes up on the sky, blood red slowly fading back to onyx black.

“Not yet,” Itachi admitted between pants. “But we’re going to be after that spar, as soon as I can get a hold of him.”

Shisui snorted. “Sure. Beat your brother up and he’ll go back to behold you like the sun shined out of your ass.”

“It’s always been a special bond.”

“One that you somehow believe extends to me now.” Shisui laughed and shook his head slightly, smoothing his hair back with both hands, before folding them under his head.

They lay in silence for a few minutes, their bodies cooling in the chilly spring breeze.

“So?” Shisui asked again, “what was that really about?”

Itachi did not respond right away, and his cousin almost gave up after a while and let the younger man ignore him, as he sometimes did.

“Have you ever felt anything for any woman other than Reika?”

Shisui groaned and slapped a hand over his face.

“Are we having this conversation again? Really?”

“It’s just a question,” Itachi murmured and his companion scowled.

“It’s not just a question, and you know it.” Shisui sighed and took a few moments to think.

“I could certainly appreciate other women, you know that,” he finally said, “and at certain points, I even thought that it was a shame one woman or another didn’t say the right words because she would’ve been perfect as my soulmate. But then, when I met Reika at that party it was just… different.”

“Different how?”

“Oh you have to be a pain, don’t you?” Shisui scowled, but continued anyway. “For starters, I’ve never been compelled to be with someone like I am with her. And she can understand me at a much deeper level than anyone else could.”

“Does she make you happy?” The question came out as quiet murmur, almost hesitant.

“Of course she does. I mean, we have our fights and disagreements, but there’s just that level of communication that gets us through them.”

“Does she know how to comfort you? Maybe even with a look that could calm you down after a bad day, or- “

“Yes, yes she does, and you’re going to stop being so weird and sappy, or Kami-sama help me, I will kick you in the balls!” Shisui closed his eyes and tried unsuccessfully to tune out his cousin’s quiet chuckles.

“Just what is wrong with you today Itachi?” He added as an afterthought.

“It’s always a pleasure to see you squirm, dear cousin.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’m not sure Reika would appreciate that.” Itachi had to stifle an oomph as Shisui elbowed him hard in the ribs.

“On second thought,” he smirked, “I don’t think you’d appreciate it either. I don’t have enough curves.”

“One of these days, I’ll send you home in a body bag,” his cousin grumbled and sat up to lean against the tree standing tall behind them, “and if Auntie Mikoto asks, I’ll tell her you finally decided to rid the poor world of your wretched existence.”

“She’ll see right through you and gouge your own eyes out and Amaterasu you with them.”

“You’re all crazy…” Itachi ignored his best friend and smiled serenely at the clouds above him. No matter what his mother insisted, no matter what the words scripted on his skin said, he knew deep inside of him that Haruno Sakura was meant for him. That she would make him as happy as Reika made Shisui, and calm and comfort him as his mother did his father, and he would do the same and so much more for her.

Uchiha Itachi was going to damn well make that woman his. And if anyone disapproved… Well, no said they had to know.

[emalynnstone]

Naruto Fanfics!!

Link to Part 2 here!

***Time Travel***

 backslide by blackkat COMPLETE

 This was one of my first time travel fanfics… and my first slash fanfic as well.  But blackkat is incredibly talented with her writing, and I find myself unable to find a flaw in any of her fics!  She has great skill in characterization and fluff, as well as plot.  I also recommend Stormborn, reverse, Snake in the Grass, Wolf at the Door, and, really, all her fics.  But those are my favorites!

 A Wrinkle in Time by rightforlife ABANDONED

 Just an epic fic.  Naruto, Shikamaru, and Lee go back in time and they are epic.  I love their relationship in here! I guess you could consider them all OP, but I found it fun that way… The fic is abandoned though, sadly.

 It's For a Good Cause, I Swear! By Sarah1281 COMPLETE

 A hilarious fanfic, where Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura go back in time and fixes a lot of things in a hilarious way. I really love how they deal with Orochimaru lol

 Team Tensai and Mangekyo Sharingan by Wingwyrm COMPLETE

 Team 7 goes back in time and find themselves to be kids!  They're both awesome, though Mangekyo Sharingan is a little darker than Team Tensai, due to talks of child rape.  

 Thicker Than Blood by EmptySurface ABANDONED

 Sasuke and Naruto go back in time, though they come back as kids.  Their relationship in here is really sweet and I really wish the story would be continued…

 Time and Again by KyLewin COMPLETE (with a sequel)

 A really good fanfic.  Naruto at first thinks he's in a genjutsu, which is a little unique. It was very well written.

 The Lives Worth Saving by cyywsaphyre ABANDONED

 Awesome fic! And unique in that Naruto goes back in his physical body and the way he deals with Hizashi is really awesome.

 Begging for Forgiveness by Freezing Rain WIP?

 This is Kakashi-centric and incredibly hard on the heart because KAKASHI and he is just so messed up.  I love his relationship with his ninken in here though.

 Just the Usual Habits by mapplepie ONE-SHOT

 Kakashi-centric and incredibly heart-wrenching.  But really well written.

 Unwanted Trip by Solara Myles ONGOING

 One of my absolute favorites!  Team 7 is sent back in time and they're, obviously, kick ass. They're relationship with Kakashi is amazing in here.  Also, the author's plot is very unique compared to other time travels, imo, and it's just well done.  

 Parallels by QuestofDreams COMPLETE

 This is more of a dimensional-travel thing, also SNS. It's pretty good though!  The Yondaime is in here, though I think this was written before it was revealed that the Yondaime was Minato.  

 Silent Guardians by FallenQueen2 COMPLETE

 Naruto and Shikamaru go back in time to fix stuff. They fix stuff epically, of course.

 Steal My Thunder God by Nauro

 Naruto experiments with the Hiraishin and finds himself on the night of his birth… and mistaken for Minato.  It's a pretty unique idea, though I think the fic is abandoned.

 Into the Future by ichilover3

 SNS fanfic!  Sasuke and Naruto go into the future and find their future selves in a relationship.  It's a lot of smut/fluff, but it's cute and funny.  Not much for plot though, since the focus is on the pairing.

 Yet, mad I am not by Erisah Mae ONGOING

 Itachi-centric.  He dies and finds himself in the past of another dimension.  It's a pretty awesome fanfic, and I really like Itachi in here!

 Escape Artist by Fiorea POSSIBLY ABANDONED?

 MinaNaru.  It's a really good fanfic, and it made me like the pairing cause of the way it's done. Naruto has a lot of issues he has to go through in here, and Minato helps him.  They have a very cute relationship, which starts off as friends with Minato hinting interest and Naruto being his lovely oblivious self. But it's super cute and very well done. Really hope it's not abandoned.

 History has its eyes on you by tasalmalin COMPLETE

 Kakashi-centric! It's a five-part series, and it really explores Kakashi's mental state very well.  The whole series is well done and does justice to Kakashi's character.

 A snake among the leaves by blackkat COMPLETE

 Orochimaru goes back in time and he brilliantly fixes stuff, much to the suspicion of everyone haha.

 Hush by Xov ABANDONED

 ItaNaru.  Naruto goes back in time, but it seems to be another dimension.  Naruto tries to fix stuff, but he realizes he really can't because of it being a whole other dimension and all. Minato is alive in here and Naruto has PTSD.

 Tampering with Time by Palaserece ONGOING

 REALLY good and one of my absolute favorites! Minato goes back in time, but as a sort of reincarnation.  The fic is well-written, really long and still updating, and it's really awesome because of the characterizations!

 Stumble by writer168 ONGOING (nearly complete)

 Sakura and Sasori go back in time!  Sakura is epic in here and Sasori is hilarious. There are also other characters go back in time but I won't spoil it!  Sakura has serious trauma in here.  The characters are all well done and I love her frienship with Kakashi!  (I'm a total Kakashi fan… if it isn't obvious by now…)

 Blind Stars of Fortune by 100demons ONGOING

 Kakashi goes back in time and into his 20 year old self!  Well-written and awesome plot!  I just love Kakashi.  

 Walking Backwards on a Tightrope by Lithos Maitreya

 Really good fic!  A lot of people go back in time, including Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Shino.  It's well-written and interesting in its twists.

 Shinobi Rules by Squishfie

 One of the few fem!Naruto fics I enjoyed… mostly cause it's KakaNaru lol.  But Naruto goes back in time and becomes a student under Minato.  It's a cute story, imo.

 ***Gen Fics and Self-Inserts***

 Naruto Hatake by Agent-G COMPLETE

 I really like the idea of Kakashi adopting Naruto and kind of wish he had, even though I understand he couldn't (mentally).  Just a really cute fic with a good plot.

 Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen ONGOING

 One of my first self-insert fanfics and one of the best. It made me fall in love with the Nara Clan.  Just INCREDIBLY well-written with amazing plot lines.

 Sakura by Darkpetal16 COMPLETE

 A SI where the person finds herself in Sakura. Hilarious and the character's pretty awesome.  Good plot too.

 Déjà vu no Jutsu by Vixen Tail COMPLETE

 Really well-written SI, set before/during Third Shinobi war.  I like Minato in here :) Really, all the characters in here.  Also chibi!Kakashi is adorable.  

 Naruto: Myoushuu no Fuuin by May Wren ABANDONED

 A what-if fic.  What if Naruto was a seal master at a young age?  Really well written and pretty awesome! :D

 The Prodigy Namikaze by SoulReaperCrewe

 Features Kushina and Minato alive.  Does have Naruto neglected at a young age by them though… But, otherwise, a really great fic. I think Naruto is a little OP in here, and slightly OOC sometimes, but I still enjoyed the fic and it has an interesting pairing.  

 Unplanned Paternity by TwinTrouble ABANDONED…?

 Another fic where Kakashi takes care of chibi!Naruto! It's one of my favorites and just really well-written and pretty long too.  

 Broken by azfaerydust COMPLETE with a sequel!

 An angsty and fluffly Kakashi adopts Naruto fic. The author characterizes Naruto and Kakshi well, since they both are very traumatized in this fic.  It's just adorable because Kakashi is overprotective and ahh! One of my favorites and I've reread it way too many times!

 Of Harrowed Hearts by Sable_Scribe ONGOING

 REALLY amazing and one of my favorites!  Naruto and Team 7 is awesome in here, and Kurama is also amazing. The story updates weekly (as of now) and it's super satisfying and I love the plot.  

 Tuna Fish and Red-Splattered Pages by Pitch Black Magpie ONGOING

 I really love Team 7 in here.  Naruto and Sasuke's frienship is pretty awesome as well. Naruto's character is very… unique too. I like the supernatural side of the story too, though I guess it seems slightly crack-y.  I like the view Naruto has of the Uchiha as well.

 A Political Perspective by VJ Riddle

 Kakashi creates an epic Team 7.  Really wish this had happened in canon tbh.  

 The Somewhat Cracked mind of Uchiha Itachi by Kereea

 Hilarious!  I really love Itachi in here and, really, everyone.

 Blood Sings by Fireun Feather ONGOING

 Naruto is a half-demon in here. I like Minato and Naruto in here and their father-son relationship.  

 Chiaroscuro by boomvroomshroom

 Shikamaru-centric!  I really enjoy the plot.  

 ***Pairing fics***

 (mostly slash fanfics… you have been warned)

 ~SNS

 (A lot of these fics are dark with fluff mixed in… because I can't see SNS being totally fluffy.  It doesn't really fit in with how I see them.  They're both messed up people, Sasuke more evidently.)

 Sound of Dreams by zrina COMPLETE

 Really, really love this one because it features an amazing plot, is super long, and I love the characterizations of Naruto and Sasuke.  This is a NaruSasu fic and really well-written.

 A World of Truth by luchia COMPLETE

 Enjoyed this one because it's in Sasuke's POV and I liked how his character was done in here. It shows he's very human, but not irredeemable.

 Hopeless Wanderer by dawnstruck (series)

 Super dark but really delicious.  Sasuke takes Naruto with him when he defects and wow… it's really good!  Their relationship is very codependent, which, in reality, they are based on canon imo. I like the idea of Naruto and Sasuke leaving Konoha together tbh.

 Post-Traumatic by IsolaVirtuosa COMPLETE

 Really long and incredibly dark at times. Sasuke is really messed up in here and Naruto isn't altogether sane himself.  Their relationship is very messed-up, but the ending is satisfying after that roller-coaster of a journey.

 All In by Narutos Mother (momhuey) COMPLETE

 The second half of the story is VERY dark, but Sasuke is super sweet in here. Slight Sakura-bashing?  She's the villain of the story in here.

 Lost on the Road of Life by shherie (series)

 Cute story (it's the first in a very cute series anyways), but Sasuke and Naruto do have issues getting into a relationship. Naruto is determined in here though and Sasuke is his bastard self in the first story, though absolutely adorable in the rest of the series.  Hachi, the sequel after a series of one-shots, is really good too!

 Titanic by meowstelle ONE-SHOT

 In Itachi's POV and an AU.  But I found it really hilarious.

 Breaking him down by IvvyMoon COMPLETE

 Another dark fic, because Sasuke is an utter bastard at the beginning, though he redeems himself.  

 Healing the Broken by KizuKatana COMPLETE

 Dark and angsty, but their characters are done well. Great ending and plot.

 An Invincible Summer by ShanaStoryteller COMPLETE

 Naruto is gender-fluid in here, but WOW is it done well! The whole story is absolutely amazing and I didn't want it to end!

 Phoenix Rising by Kai_Maciel

 This isn't really SNS, because Naruto ends up raising Sasuke (you have to read it to find out why), but I really like the relationship because chibi!Sasuke is adorable and Naruto as a father should be this way, not the way he is to Boruto.  

 For Brothers Share This Bond by bluedemon92 COMPLETE

 Okay, this is the definition of dark and angsty. It's really hard to read sometimes because of the issues… but it's more Itachi-centric, with SNS.  But it has a unique plot and is well-written. Also KakaIta and KisaIta.

 The sun within me by fangirlandiknowit ONGOING

 Sasuke and Naruto find themselves in another dimension (from the movie Road to Ninja) and the plot is interesting.

 ~KakaNaru

 (One of my OTPs, nbd)

 A ninja must see underneath the underneath by Blooregard89 COMPLETE

 KakaNaru and their frienship-to-romance is cute.  

 Things Just Ain't the Same Any Time the Hunter Gets Captured by the Game by barspoon COMPLETE

 ONE OF MY FAVORITES.  She does the relationship REALLY well and it's just amazing.  

 Konoha's Orange by purplefox COMPLETE

 Good plot and it's interesting, that's for sure.  I like that there's a bit of dimension travel in here and I like the relationship.  Kakashi is the one who's oblivious in here, which is pretty funny.

 A Safe Haven by Red_Hot_Holly_Berries ONGOING

 I like the plot in here and I really look forward to the rest!

 When You Look Me in The Eyes by blueicequeen ONE-SHOT

 REALLY like this one!  A long one-shot and their relationship is super well done. Especially since it's just a one-shot!

 Fifteen Million Ryo by Riya3 COMPLETE

 An interesting plot idea and I like how the relationship comes about.  It's also funny and the side story with Sakura and Sai is done well.

 (If you have other KakaNaru fics, I'd really, really love you if you'd let me know. There aren't enough in the world…)

 ~Other Pairings

 Break to Breathe by Okami Rayne COMPLETE (series)

 ShikaNeji!  Interesting plot and the characterization is well done, to say the least.

 Hyakumensou by Agni ABANDONED?

 ItaNaru!  I like the idea of an arranged marriage and I like how the relationship progresses. Though Itachi could be considered slightly OOC, but I still enjoyed it.

 Dimension by YukiwaFuru ABANDONED…

 NaruMina… short, but I really enjoyed Naruto in here. The relationship was only a friendship, from what is written.

 Walk the road of life by LasySwitch COMPLETE

 KakaObi.  A soulmate AU and it's cute.

 Stalker by SweetDreamsAreMadeOfNaruto ONESHOT

 A dark ObiKaka.  

 Kiss and Run by SweetDreamsAreMadeOfNaruto ONESHOT

 Cute KakaObi!  

 It's Just That Any One of Us is Half Without Another One is You by Branch COMPLETE

 This is largely Gen and takes the original Naruto plot and fleshes it out and gives a lot more justice to the plot.  It ends up being SakuSasuNaru.

 In Bond and Blood by thehoyden ONESHOT

 KakaIru.  One of the few KakaIru's I enjoyed!  

 A Set-up For A Romantic Comedy by sleepyjeesh COMPLETE

 KakaObi!  Super cute and I like Obito in here!

 Surrender by triste ONESHOT

 Dark ItaNaru!  Interesting idea though.

 Your heart is a weapeon the size of your first by blackkat

 ZabuNaru (rare pairing).  It's well done because blackkat somehow makes any pairing work!

 Another reincarnation story by HeavenOnFire COMPLETE

 KisaIta.  Itachi is reincarnated, as well as Kisame. It's a nice story with a good plot.  

 The Grey Crayon by checkerbloom COMPLETE

 MinaKaka.  Chibi!Naruto is super adorable!  The whole story is cute.  

 The Way Things Are by Aini COMPLETE

 ShikaNeji.  It's a cute story and I like the pairing :)

[broken-support]

“You’re very light on your feet.”

There’s a scream- startled, downright frightened, and far too high-pitched for a boy his age- barely stifled, and an almost disastrous flailing fit before he notices you’re not your father or, Kami forbid, the hokage.

Hands are pressed haphazardly against your face in an admittedly weak (and potentially hazardous) attempt at muffling another one of your soft-spoken, astute, and equally ill-timed observations.

“Why is it that you always have something to say when I’m in the middle of something, huh?” His words are a sharp, whispered hiss that’s more than a little out of tune after his little exercise in pitch. “Do you even know how many years you just shaved off of my life just- just showing up like that, scaring the hell out of me?”

He reluctantly removes his hands after a few nervous glances are spared over both his shoulders and yours, regarding you with an appraising, if not somewhat sheepish, look.

“Never mind, Kami, just tell me your appraisal isn’t going to get me into…”

There’s a sudden chill that races down the length of his spine, and he freezes mid-word, mid-step. Honestly, he wants to just pretend it’s an open window or cracked door; pretend it’s anything other than what he knows to be Itachi’s father catching sight of him in the Uchiha clan head’s house.

So, naturally, he turns towards potential salvation in the form of the wise, brilliant teen- who just so happens to have disappeared as silently as he’d arrived.

“… trouble.”

[lightsaberwieldingdalek]

Fic rec?

Never done this before but it made me cackle out loud so...?

The somewhat cracked mind of Uchiha Itachi

Everyone is happy, no one is dead, and Itachi tries to run a summer camp.