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you-didnt-see-that-cuming · 4 years

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Shy Glances | George Weasley x Reader

Summary: George Weasley was quite possibly the most perfect man to ever exist. He’s smart, funny, charming, and incredibly handsome. Pansy Parkinson has known about her roommate and best friend, Y/N’s crush on George for while, watching her do nothing about it. Pansy decides that it’s time for her to take matters into her own hands and quite literally pushes the two of them together with the help of Fred Weasley. All they really did was speed fate up a little bit.

Warnings: Smut towards the end

Word Count: 8.1k

A/N: This took me a while to finish, it was a request from an anon so I’m hoping that I did their vision justice! This ended up being over 28 pages so it’s a nice long one for you guys!

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Ever since Umbridge had taken over teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, spirits at Hogwarts were not exactly high. The only things that managed to put a smile on anyone’s face were the Weasley twins’ ridiculous pranks and the weekend trips to Hogsmeade. Occasionally, a loud explosion would go off in a nearby hallway, followed closely by the shrieking of Umbridge and the smiles of students who had witnessed whatever had happened.

Despite the twins being identical, Y/N had always had a crush on George. Fred always seemed to be the one to start the chaos that followed them around, but there was something different about George, he was more compassionate, he genuinely cared about other people. The Hogsmeade weekend before the beginning of the Christmas holidays was the subject of almost everyone’s conversations. It had snowed for almost two days straight and Christmas decorations were already being erected around the castle, only adding to the general feeling of excitement.

Y/N was feeling excited for a whole other reason. The Hogsmeade trips were some of the only chances she had to see George. Being in different houses and years complicated things, and staring throughout mealtimes wasn’t exactly subtle.

The morning of the trip to Hogsmeade, Y/N and Pansy were woken up abruptly to the sound of feet running down the hallway towards the common room.

“Damn! What time is it?” Pansy grumbled. She wasn’t exactly a morning person and interrupting her sleep was not a good way to get on her good side. She stretched her hand out to the bedside table and blindly felt around for her watch. Bringing it up to her eyes, Pansy suddenly turned her face into her pillow and screamed in frustration.

Y/N tried to blink the sleep from her eyes, staring up at the velvet green canopy above the bed. It was dark in the room, the heavy curtains that had been drawn the night before, blocking out the sunlight from the windows at the top of the high ceiling. The only light currently in the room came from the crackling fireplace in the corner across from their beds and the strings of fairy lights that they had taken from the Great Hall to liven the place up. Rolling onto her side to face Pansy, who had now waved her wand to light some of the lamps that were scattered around the room, Y/N yawned loudly and stretched her arms over her head.

“It is absolutely disgusting that we have to be awake this early, absolutely no respect for other people,” Pansy continued grumbling about her disturbed sleep as she swept the covers dramatically to the side.

The fire began glowing a little brighter once Pansy’s feet touched the rug covered floor. Y/N soon swung her legs off the bed before sliding out from under the heavy comforter. Pansy flicked her wand and the curtains swished open. It was snowing heavily, and by the looks of it, it had been snowing through the night. There was already a substantial layer of snow on the bottom of the window sill.

“C’mon, we better get going before everyone leaves without us.” Pansy had already pulled on a pair of jeans and was sliding a black turtleneck over her head. Y/N walked over to her trunk and began pulling items out.

“What should I wear? I was thinking a sweater, I want to stay warm.” Y/N held up a cream fisherman’s sweater for Pansy to look at.

“Ooh, you need to wear that one, you always look pretty in it. George is going to love it on you.” Pansy smirked at that last bit, dodging a rogue pillow that Y/N threw at her head.

“We don’t even know if he’ll be at Hogsmeade today,” Y/N looked down and began fiddling with the hem of the sweater she was holding. “Besides, I heard that he was interested in Alicia Spinnet, they’re always at Quidditch practice together.”

“Just get dressed will you? You’re being ridiculous. I’m going to brush my teeth, I’ll wait for you in the common room.” Pansy pulled a sherpa jacket around her shoulders and a knit hat before she swept out of the room leaving Y/N to herself.

Y/N sighed and pulled the sweater over her head. Pansy was right, she did always look good in that sweater, especially when she wore it with something green to make her eyes pop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pansy was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when Y/N finally walked into the common room.

“Agh! It’s about time! Let’s go, the last group is leaving in a few minutes.”

The two girls hurried out of the common room and up through the stairs of the dungeons. Once they had reached the courtyard where the last Hogsmeade group was congregating, Pansy pulled Y/N close to her side and whispered into her ear.

“Listen, I spoke to some people and they said that George is definitely going to Hogsmeade today. This is your chance to actually say something to him!”

Y/N opened her mouth to respond to Pansy when her eyes fell on George Weasley jogging into the courtyard next to Harry Potter and his brother Ron. He was laughing at something Harry had said as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back carelessly. He was in a maroon sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his wand loosely grasped in his left hand. He began twirling them across his fingers before Y/N forced herself to turn around.

“You alright? You look like you’re about to be sick,” Pansy asked. She hadn’t seen George walk into the courtyard yet.

Y/N shook her head and straightened her back. She put a smile on her face and turned to Pansy.

“I am absolutely fine!”

Pansy had a frown on her face as she studied Y/N’s reaction. Once she had seen George over Y/N’s shoulder, her face dawned in realization.

“You absolute idiot, I thought you were dying for a second, what’s wrong with you?” Pansy lightly punched Y/N’s shoulder.

Y/N began making excuses when Professor McGonagall’s voice rang out around the courtyard.

“Could I have everyone’s attention? Now, this is the last trip to Hogsmeade before the winter recess and I expect everyone to be on their best behavior. I don’t want to have to send an owl to anyone’s parents after today so let’s not ruin a nice holiday,” She gave a pointed look towards George, who only smiled brightly in response. “Alright, remember to be back at the castle by 6 o’clock, promptly!”

People began filing out of the courtyard and walking down the path to get to the main road that led into Hogsmeade. Pansy looped her arm around Y/N’s, pulling her close into her side.

“I want to stay warm, I wasn’t built for cold weather.” Pansy was shivering, even through the heavy jacket she was wearing. She looked down at Y/N’s outfit with a hint of jealousy. “Ugh, I wish I had thought of wearing corduroy trousers, my legs are freezing. I like that color on you though, house pride and all that.”

Y/N was wearing some green corduroy pants, the cream sweater she had pulled from her trunk, and one of her Slytherin scarfs that her mother had knit for her a few years before. She unwrapped the scarf from her neck and placed it around Pansy’s shoulders.

“Here, wear this if you’re so cold then.”

Pansy smiled and squinted her eyes shut.

“Ooh, thank youuuuu! You know I love you right? This is why we’re best friends.”

“Why, because I give you my clothes when you’re cold?” Y/N asked, laughing a little.

“Yes, was that not clear from the moment we met?” Pansy’s serious tone didn’t match her smiling face. Hogsmeade was slowly coming into sight down the hill.

“C’mon, I want to get some Fizzing Whizbees and Chocolate Frogs, we can go get a butterbeer to warm up a little after that,” Pansy started running down the hill, pulling Y/N along as they ran past the rest of the group and made a bee-line to Honeydukes.

Honeydukes was one of the best places to visit in Hogsmeade. There was no better sweets shop in all of England, the entire place was filled to the brim with different assortments of candies and chocolates. For Christmas, the entire place was decorated in red, white, and green decorations and the air smelled like gingerbread and caramel. Needless to say, it was difficult to not be in the Christmas spirit once you walked into the shop.

Y/N was looking through the different flavors of licorice ropes when Pansy began drawing her attention to the two different types of chocolate frogs they had that she was pretending to be interested in.

Pansy’s eyes glittered in the way they usually did whenever she was planning something mischievous, but before Y/N could say anything, Pansy’s hands collided with her shoulders and shoved her backwards.

Y/N stumbled back a few steps before she crashed up against someone.

“Oof!” Y/N felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. “Oh my god, I am so so sorr-” Y/N stopped apologizing as she turned around and looked up to see whose chest it was that she had just slammed into. To her surprise, she was soon staring into the eyes of George Weasley.

George had a surprised look on his face before a mischievous smile took its place. Now that Y/N was this close to him, she could smell his cologne. It was intoxicating. Notes of evergreen and birch smoke wafted across his chest and Y/N felt her knees go weak.

“Oh you don’t have to apologize, I should have been watching where I was going,” George’s eyes narrowed a little, the smile still present on his face. “I don’t think I know your name. I’m George, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Uh, my name is Y/N, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

It was quiet for a few seconds as the two stared at one another before Pansy suddenly appeared next to Y/N.

“Hey, are you ready to go? I want a butterbeer.”

“Um, what?” Y/N asked, a little dazed. She didn’t get an answer to her question before Pansy was dragging her by the arm towards the door. Y/N looked back at George, only to find him staring back at her, a confused smile on his face. The two made eye contact for a second before the door slammed shut and he disappeared from view.

“Oh my god! What the bloody hell was that?! I shove you into him, hoping you’ll take that moment and seduce him with those bedroom eyes you make at him all the time, but no! Instead, you stare at him and become fucking Bambi!”

Y/N gaped at Pansy who was still dragging her down the street.

“Wha- I do not make bedroom eyes at him!”

Pansy gave her an exasperated look.

“Now I really do need a butterbeer, and you’re paying.” Pansy sighed before they walked into the Three Broomsticks.

After Pansy had gotten two steaming mugs of butterbeer, the two of them sat down at an empty table in the middle of the tavern. Madam Rosmerta had obviously spared no expense with the decorations and had put up evergreen garlands and red bows across the walls and beams. It was easy to feel comfortable and at home in the Three Broomsticks.

The two girls were chatting aimlessly to distract themselves as they sipped on their butterbeers until the entrance to the tavern blew open. Their eyes were drawn to the door as the Weasley twins walked in, followed closely by Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger. They were shaking snow off of their heads and stomping their boots when Y/N felt Pansy’s hand squish her cheeks and turn her head towards her.

“Hey! You need to keep it together this time, alright?” Pansy let go of Y/N’s cheeks and went back to her butterbeer as if nothing happened. Y/N was rubbing her cheek when someone cleared their throat.

Standing next to their table, was George, who was towering over the two of them with a kind smile on his face.

“Hey,” His voice was soft and reminded Y/N of melted caramel and velvet. “I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye back in Honeydukes. I think I’ve seen you around Hogwarts, you’re in my brother’s year, right?”

“Oh! Yeah, I am, we’re in the same Potions class together I’m pretty sure. He’s really nice.”

The two of them stared at one another for a few seconds before Pansy finally broke the silence.

“So! Y/N here was actually just telling me about how much she liked your most recent prank on Umbridge with the firecrackers in her office.”

Seemingly out of nowhere, Fred Weasley appeared right next to George.

“Does she now? Well, I can tell you for a fact, that George was the brains behind that one.”

Fred and Pansy shared a knowing look with one another while Y/N and George both shyly made eye contact.

“Um, yeah, I thought it was really clever of you guys, I heard that Umbridge was trying to get rid of the smell of it for weeks. She still smells like smoke sometimes in Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

The twins smiled and laughed a little at your response.

“Yeah, apparently Umbridge spent four hours trying to get rid of it before she gave up,” George said, a little bashfully.

Fred and George pulled two chairs up to their table and the four continued talking, especially George and Y/N. By the time it was almost time to head back, the two were heavily invested in listening to the other’s voice. The entire walk back to the castle, George and Y/N both fell into a comfortable conversation that ended far too quickly.

They were talking about their favorite books when they reached the entrance to the Great Hall.

“Unfortunately, this is where I have to leave you, Ms. L/N,” George said in a solemn, posh voice. Y/N smiled.

“I suppose so Mr. Weasley. Until we meet again.” Y/N gave a shy little curtsy in response. George grabbed Y/N’s hand and swept into a deep bow before kissing the top of her hand.

The two then parted ways, heading to their respective house tables where they continued to sneak glances and stares at one another through the rest of the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A week later, Y/N was still thinking about George. Occasionally, their eyes would meet from across the room in the Great Hall or as they passed by one another in the hallways. It was difficult to think about anything but George.

However, on the last few days remaining before the winter holidays started, George stopped showing up around school. In fact, all of the Weasleys seemed to have disappeared from Hogwarts.

By the time the Hogwarts Express came to take everyone back home for the holidays, Y/N had given up on looking for him. Pansy was good at distracting Y/N by coming up with different plans to see each other before school resumed. This distracting continued up until they reached Platform 9 ¾.

The first three days of the break were peaceful and relaxing, a much-needed change from the O.W.L exams preparation the professors at school had them doing. On the fourth day, Y/N received a large barn owl carrying a letter. It had crashed into one of the closed kitchen windows during breakfast, completely missing the open one right next to it. After making sure that the owl was uninjured and able to stand back up on its feet, Y/N looked at the letter that the owl had been carrying.

The front of the envelope was addressed to Y/N in a messy scrawl of blue ink. Once she had opened the letter and scanned to the bottom of the page to see who it was from, her eyes widened.

“Sorry, I’ll be right back, this is important.” Y/N quickly excused herself from the table and ran to her room where she leaped onto her bed in order to read the letter thoroughly.

Dear Y/N,

I hope your holiday is going well! I know I had to leave pretty suddenly before the break and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye or even spend a lot of time with you. Maybe we could spend a Hogsmeade trip together when we get back?

- George Weasley

Once Y/N had read through the letter another three times, just to make sure she had actually read it correctly, she turned and screamed into her pillow.

After laying there for a few seconds, contemplating what to do next, she quickly ran over to her desk and pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from the drawer. Dipping the quill into the open inkwell that was sitting in front of her, she began writing a letter to Pansy.

Dear Pansy,

I have just received a letter from George Weasley! He has asked me to spend a Hogsmeade trip with him once we get back to school. How do I respond?! What do I say?

-Y/N

Y/N blew on the page to dry the ink and quickly folded the letter into thirds before shoving it into an envelope and closing it with a wax seal. In green ink, she wrote Pansy’s name and address before rushing back into the kitchen. She would need to send the letter by the family owl, Athena.

“Mum, I’m going to borrow Athena, I have a letter I need to send to Pansy.” Y/N didn’t wait for a response before she opened Athena’s cage and let her hop onto her wrist. She held out the envelope and the owl took it in its beak.

“Take this to Pansy, alright? Make sure she writes back immediately.”

With a muffled hoot, Athena flapped her wings before taking off and soaring out through the window and over the treeline.

Only a few hours later, Y/N received a response from Pansy.

Dear Y/N,

I was going to send a Howler with Owlexander, but Mum said I couldn’t. Apparently, Owlexander would get too spooked if the Howler went off mid-flight. SAY YES!! Tell him that you would love to spend a Hogsmeade trip with him and that you are looking forward to it. Also, ask about how he is doing and stuff like that if you want to keep receiving letters from him during the holiday.

-Pansy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once it was time to return to Hogwarts, Y/N was filled with dread and excitement. On one hand, she would be seeing George for the first time since they had started writing letters to one another. On the other, Umbridge and the other professors would be piling on the homework and O.W.L.s preparation to the point that Y/N probably wouldn’t even be able to enjoy spending time with George.

Y/N didn’t see George until they were disembarking from the train once they had arrived at Hogsmeade station. He was standing with the rest of his siblings, as well as Hermione and Harry. When the two had finally made eye contact, Y/N gave a shy wave to George. However, once George raised his hand to wave back, Ron’s voice spoke loudly.

“Is that the Slytherin girl you fancy, George?”

Y/N had to stifle a giggle as George’s face went red and he quickly elbowed Ron in the stomach. Y/N felt Pansy’s hand close around hers, pulling her off towards the carriages that were waiting to take the students back up to the castle. Once they had arrived at an available carriage, Y/N began looking around for a familiar glimpse of copper hair but was quickly yanked in. Pansy was yet again ill-prepared for the cold winter weather and was shivering so hard that the seat was almost vibrating.

“Close the door, I want to keep as much of the warm air in.” Pansy’s sock-clad feet were pushed up against the small metal furnace in the middle of the floor. She gave a smirk as she leaned back against the cushioned seats. “You can invite Weasley to join us if he happens to ‘walk’ by.”

Y/N continued looking out the window, hoping for even the smallest sign of George, but the fogging of the windows only made it more difficult to see anything through the crowd of black robes.

Soon enough, the carriage was filled with some girls from Ravenclaw who had managed to get a last-minute seat before the carriages began up the path.

Pansy noticed Y/N’s defeated look and lightly poked her leg.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, you’ll see each other in only a few minutes, then you guys can stare at each other all through dinner.”

Throughout the feast, Y/N and George made eye contact several times which was closely followed by fierce blushes. Their glances couldn’t have been more obvious, and by the time Professor Dumbledore had cleared their plates and dismissed them from the Great Hall, both Pansy and Fred were shoving Y/N and George towards one another so that they could finally talk.

Their paths finally crossed when they walked through the large wooden doors that guarded the entrance to the Great Hall. George pulled Y/N aside and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Can I walk you back to your dormitory?”

Together, they took the long way down to the dungeons, talking quietly.

“How was your holiday?” Y/N asked once they had started the descent into the dungeons.

George gave a strained smile in response.

“It was alright, I’m sure you must have heard about my dad and everything.”

Y/N felt a surge of sympathy, her parents had come home from working at the Ministry with the news of what had happened to Mr. Weasley.

“Yeah, I’m really sorry that you all had to go through that. I’m glad he’s alright now, Mum and Dad said that St. Mungos had discharged him.”

“Yeah, we were all really relieved to hear that he was going to be okay. But what about you, how was your holiday?”

“It was alright, nice and relaxing, you know? But it could have been better.”

George had a confused smile on his face at her last comment.

“Oh? How so?”

They had finally reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room when Y/N turned to answer him.

“It would have been better if I had been able to see you.” Y/N then entered the common room and left George with his mouth hanging open slightly in surprise and a vibrant flush across his cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting in the Astronomy Tower late at night was one of Y/N’s favorite ways to distract herself from the stress of assignments and exams. On nights when Astronomy classes weren’t being held, Y/N would lie on her back and watch the night sky through the enchanted ceiling. Focusing on finding constellations in the silence and stillness was meditative.

It was crisp in the tower, and Y/N choice of sleep shorts and one of Pansy’s silk pajama tops didn’t do much to fend off the cold breeze. Y/N was lost in thought when a sudden knocking on the side of the door alerted her to another person’s presence. She turned to see George leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed across his chest. He was wearing some plaid pajama pants and a loose, black t-shirt. He looked really good in casual clothes like this. The corner of his mouth was turned up slightly in a reassuring smile.

“Hey,” Y/N said in a soft voice.

“You don’t mind if I join you, do you?” George asked, taking a few steps into the room.

Y/N smiled and shook her head.

“Not at all.”

A comfortable silence surrounded them for a brief moment.

“So what brings you up here this late at night?” George asked, now leaning against one of the window sills.

“I like to come up and watch the stars, it’s a nice way to relax after a long day.” Y/N looked at him quizzically. “I could ask you the same question, what are you doing up here?”

George laughed quietly before pulling out a piece of parchment from his pajama bottom’s pockets.

“I received an owl at my window with this letter.”

George unfolded the parchment and read aloud.

“Y/N is up in the Astronomy Tower by herself. Go for it.”

Y/N turned to hide the blush that was forming across her face. There was no doubt in her mind that Pansy had sent that letter, she was the only one who knew where Y/N had gone to.

“You know, I wanted to ask you to Hogsmeade earlier, before we left for the holidays.” George was looking at his feet, his hands shoved in his pockets. “I was too scared to ask you when we were in Hogsmeade, I didn’t think you would say yes.”

Y/N studied George’s posture closely. His shoulders were curled in, he seemed to be trying to make himself look as small as possible without being too conspicuous.

“Well now you know that there is nothing to be scared about,” Y/N hesitated before pushing herself away from the wall she was leaning on. “Come and help me get some blankets from the closet, I’m pretty sure Professor Sinistra keeps some extras in there.”

George had a bemused expression on his face, but followed Y/N to a small closet door. Inside the closet were scrolls of parchment, planetary charts, and astrological drawings for Professor Sinistra’s classes, some dusty telescopes, and rolls of blankets that were used for cold nights.

Spreading the blankets on the floor, they laid down next to one another, staring at the sky above them. There wasn’t a cloud in sight and the stars were bright, the perfect night for stargazing. They watched the sky silently before Y/N broke the silence.

“That constellation over there is Perseus,” Y/N was pointing to a cluster of stars above them, “I always loved hearing his story in class.”

“Why’s that?”

There was a beat of silence.

“He was one of the only Greek heroes who actually had a happy ending. That’s all any of us really want, a happy ending.”

“Well, what was Perseus’ happy ending?”

Y/N smiled to herself.

“He got the girl and married a princess.”

George was quiet for a moment before he responded.

“Yeah, that does sound like a happy ending.”

Y/N felt George’s fingers brush against the back of her hand. She opened her palm and felt George’s hand clasp hers, their fingers intertwining together.

“You know, if you had asked me during that first Hogsmeade trip, I would have said yes.” Y/N spoke softly. It was quiet between them once again and Y/N turned her head to the side.

George had turned onto his side to look at Y/N. The usual mischievous smirk was gone, replaced instead by a look of relief and a gentle smile resting on his lips.

Y/N’s eyes flitted down to his mouth before looking into his eyes once again.

George’s other hand came up to her face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before stroking her cheek. His thumb traced down her cheek and around the outline of her lips, parting them slightly.

Y/N softly bit down on his thumb, a smile behind her eyes. George withdrew his hand a little before gently tilting her chin towards him. Y/N raised her hand to caress his cheek and pulled him into a soft kiss.

His lips were soft and warm, and she felt herself melt into his embrace. The kiss felt sweet and comforting, almost like warm honey running down her throat. She hadn’t realized how pliant she had become in his grasp until he moved his hand to the small of her back and around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Y/N could feel the warmth of his chest pressing against her own, fending off the crisp coolness that had filled the tower.

Her hand that was resting on his cheek moved to the back of his neck and she tangled her fingers through his hair. A low moan resonated from his throat and he gripped her waist, pulling her even closer to him.

Her heart was racing and she felt a spark in the pit of her stomach that was growing more ravenous by the second. George pulled back a little, breaking the kiss before he started kissing down her neck, slowly tracing a line to her collarbone.

Euphoria couldn’t even begin to describe what Y/N was feeling as George’s hands slid underneath her shirt, his hands warm and comforting.

With a sudden burst of bravery, Y/N took their still clasped hands and guided them to her sleep shorts. George froze for a second before slowly drawing back.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you into anything you don’t want to do.” His face had a nervous expression painted across it.

“I’m sure. Are you?” Y/N studied his face, his mouth twitching into a smile.

“Yeah, yeah I’m sure.”

George pulled the sleep shorts down Y/N’s legs, who kicked them off carelessly to a corner of the tower. Y/N felt a shiver course down her body once her legs were fully exposed to the night’s air.

George pushed himself up, his legs straddling Y/N’s waist, and pulled his shirt over his head in one, seamless movement. His body was toned, no doubt from the hours of Quidditch practice, and the way the silver light coming through the open windows glanced off his body made it look like moonlight was made just for him.

George’s head was cocked to the side, as if he was considering what to do next. His eyes looked heavy and dark, a stark contrast to their usual bright and lively expression.

“Why don’t you take that off for me?”

He nodded to the sleep shirt that Y/N was still wearing. Y/N’s hands moved slowly, undoing the buttons carefully. After the shirt had been completely undone, George brushed the fabric off her shoulders. He paused for a moment, looking at Y/N, before he cupped the back of her head and pulled her into another kiss. There was something different about him now though, this kiss felt more passionate and heated. Y/N’s hands were embracing George’s cheek and the back of his head, once again tangling themselves in his soft hair.

George’s hips were slowly grinding down into Y/N’s, setting off sparks deep within her stomach. Her reaction to his touch made her reflect for a moment, no one else had ever had this kind of effect on her before, no one else made her swoon just by looking her way, and certainly no one had made her fall apart under their touch.

Y/N’s hand traced down George’s neck, down his chest, and down to the waistband of his pants. He seemed to understand what she was asking and wordlessly pushed the elastic band down, kicking the pants somewhere haphazardly. The sparks Y/N had felt in the pit of her stomach earlier were coming back in full force.

George pushed Y/N’s legs apart and slotted himself in between them, pulling her hips closer to his face. There was a smile behind his eyes as he pressed a kiss to each of her hip bones, never breaking eye contact.

“You know, I have been wanting to do this for ages,” George began kissing up the inside of her thigh. Y/N threw her head back, her eyes closed as she reveled in his touch.

Y/N didn’t have time to respond as George’s thumb found and slowly circled her clit. A low moan escaped from her and Y/N threaded her fingers through the fringe on his head. Y/N could feel his smile against her thigh.

“But don’t worry, I’m about to make it up to the both of us.”

His thumb drew back suddenly, and Y/N was about to groan in protest until she felt his tongue take its place. Her grip on his hair tightened between her fingers. Y/N’s breaths were shallow now as she tried to keep her voice down. But with each passing moment, she found it more difficult to keep the sounds at bay.

George’s tongue expertly moved, making Y/N fall apart with each passing moment. It was almost as if time didn’t exist, all that mattered was the pleasure that Y/N was experiencing and that George was the one making her feel this way.

Y/N felt the pressure in her stomach begin to rise and grow in intensity. Each breath was now a gasp for air as George became more fervent with his movements. His hands were tightly gripping her thighs and waist, pushing them down so that she could not writhe around. Her leg began to shake and Y/N had to bite down on her hand to stop the loud moans that were threatening to escape from her.

“I-I’m going to-” Y/N couldn’t finish her sentence, but George seemed to understand. He increased his relentless pace, not giving Y/N a moment to fall from the high she was about to experience.

Her vision went white and her back arched as the feeling of euphoria became all-consuming. With one final gasp, Y/N’s orgasm faded into a muted throb in the core of her stomach once again. Her grip loosened on George’s hair, her hand sliding down to his cheek.

The mischievous knowing smirk was on his face again, his tongue resting between his teeth.

“That was-,” Y/N took a deep breath.

“Amazing? Wondrous? Phenomenal?” George had a proud tone to his voice.

“Aren’t you smug? I was going to say mind-blowing but you don’t seem to need an ego boost.”

Her hand dropped from his cheek and rested on her stomach, which was rising and falling with every deep breath she took.

George pushed himself up onto his arms and moved so that his face was only inches from Y/N’s. Her hands came up to his bare waist, where they then slowly moved up his back, tracing over the lines of muscle, and finally to his shoulder and the back of his neck. Her fingers threaded through the short hairs at the nape of his neck, tracing light patterns that sent shutters down George’s spine.

“You,” George leaned down and kissed the tip of Y/N’s nose, “are so,” a kiss on her left cheek, “incredibly,” a kiss on her right cheek “beautiful,” and finally, a kiss on her awaiting lips.

“Are you ready?” George’s voice was soft, a vague expression of concern on his face.

“Yeah, I am.” Y/N pulled his waist closer to hers, giving George the permission he needed to continue.

George slowly entered Y/N, moving carefully as to not make any sudden movements. Once his hips were flush with Y/N’s, he paused, giving her a moment to adjust to the sudden pressure. Y/N let out a content sigh, which George took as a sign to move, and he slowly began pulling out.

His hips began to find an easy rhythm and Y/N pulled him down into a heady and meaningful kiss. Every movement was slow and deep, Y/N’s hips raising to meet George’s with each thrust. The cold breeze that was washing over them went unnoticed, the heat from their bodies shielding and keeping them warm. Y/N could feel George’s muscles flex with the rise and fall of his chest and the rolling of his hips which only added to the electric feeling in her core.

Y/N’s back arched as George drove into the very spot that made her fall apart, soft moans falling from her parted lips in concurrence with George’s quiet grunts. With each thrust forward, George kissed along the line of Y/N’s neck and down to her chest, his lips grazing over her collarbones.

“D-don’t stop,” Y/N gasped, tensing as his cock somehow drove deeper into her than it had before. Her request elicited a breathy laugh from George’s mouth.

“Does that feel good sweetheart?” his voice had a teasing tone to it, she could hear his smile in his words.

“Yes, yes it feels so good,” she moaned loudly, not caring anymore about keeping quiet. George pushed himself up in response, his hand tightly gripping onto her waist as he drove into her, pulling her down onto his cock with force.

‘Oh my god, right there,” Y/N continued babbling praise, her mind going blank. Each breath was a gasp for air, her legs were trembling violently as she began to approach her high once again. Once George’s calloused fingers came down to her clit, she felt her orgasm crash over her once again, loud moans falling from her mouth.

Y/N felt herself tense around George and his hips began to stutter, the steady rhythm losing its pattern as he began chasing his high after Y/N’s. It only took a few more stroked before his orgasm finally washed over his body, his toned arms supporting his upper body as he fell forward.

They were both panting, trying to catch their breaths in the wake of their climaxes. George carefully pulled out and laid down beside Y/N, his arms trembling slightly. Y/N turned to face George and rested her head against his chest, which was rising and falling rapidly. The only sound within the tower was their heavy breathing as they took a few moments to recover.

George’s fingertips brushed the tops of her thighs, following the curves and dips of her waist and hips. His hand finally came to rest on her lower back, where he began tracing aimless patterns. The light patterns sent exhilarated shivers down Y/N’s spine, keeping her in a state of bliss. If heaven was anything but this, she didn’t want it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After they had magically cleaned up after themselves and put the blankets back into the closet, they walked down the spiraling staircase from the Astronomy Tower, hand in hand. They were surrounded by a comfortable silence, the only sounds being their footsteps on the stone steps and the occasional whisper from the portraits on the walls.

George noticed the hint of a smile that was resting on Y/N face. When they had turned the corner to an empty hallway, George nudged her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“What are you smiling about?”

She shook her head, smiling.

“I’m just really happy right now.”

“Me too,” he responded, squeezing her hand reassuringly. A smirk suddenly appeared on his face, “how long did you actually like me then?”

Y/N felt her cheeks flush with heat.

“Well I’ve always liked your pranks and I’ve always thought you were attractive, but I think it was the Yule Ball where I realized that I liked you. I don’t know if you remember this, but you asked me to dance. No one had ever asked me to dance before,” she glanced up at George’s face, which was now dawning in realization.

“Oh yeah! I remember that, Fred dared me to ask the prettiest girl in the room for a dance. I asked McGonagall but she said no, so I asked you instead,” a teasing smile was on his face now, “Have you really liked me for all that time?”

“Yeah, I think Pansy became so fed up that she had to start intervening.”

“Is that why she shoved you into me that day in Hogsmeade?” George laughed, “I think Fred was getting fed up as well, he’s practically been shoving me towards the Slytherin table every day.”

They crossed through the entrance hall towards the grand staircase, where they would descend down to the entrance to the dungeons. A gust of cold air blew down through the halls from the Quad, sending a shiver down Y/N’s spine. George pulled her close into his side and they continued, his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders.

They descended the steps to the dungeons and past the Potions classrooms and down one final set of stairs to the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Most of the time, the cold and wet feeling of the dungeons before walking into the warm and cozy common room was unsettling for Y/N, but she didn’t mind it as much when she was standing next to George.

“I had a really nice time tonight. I’m glad you came up to the tower,” Y/N said, turning to say her goodbyes to George.

“I had a nice time too,” his voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. Y/N looked up to the hair that was falling across his forehead and tucked it away from his face.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then? At breakfast?” she tried not to sound too hopeful, but it was difficult to not look forward to the next time they saw one another.

“Yeah, I will. And then maybe I can take you out on a real date?”

“I would love that.”

They both leaned forward for one final kiss goodbye, then Y/N turned to the stone wall and uttered the password. The wall dissolved away and she walked through, looking back at George. As they brought their hands up to wave goodbye, the wall reformed and became solid between them once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The common room was pretty much empty, with the occasional cat stretching out on the plush velvet couches, and the fire in the fireplace now a pile of crackling logs. Different patterns of light were dancing around the room, shining through the transparent ceiling beneath the Black Lake. The only thing that could be seen through the inky darkness was the rippling moon, which was hanging brightly in the sky. Even the lake seemed to be asleep at this hour.

Y/N quietly tiptoed up the winding stone staircase to the girls’ dormitories where she shared a room with Pansy. She attempted to silently slide the door open, trying not to wake anyone, but her efforts were abandoned as soon as Pansy crashed into her, a barrage of questions pouring from her mouth.

“Was he there? What happened? Why were you up there so long, I thought Filch had caught you for sure!” Pansy was pulling Y/N by the arm to her bed, insisting that she answer every question that was thrown her way.

Once Y/N was situated on the bed, she began to tell Pansy about everything that had happened in the tower. Once she had gotten to the part where they kissed, Pansy let out a gasp and her hand flew over her mouth in shock.

“So he admitted that he liked you and he kissed you under the stars?” her voice was a whisper this time, her eyes rounding in shock.

“Mmhmm, but wait, it gets better,” Y/N giggled, leaning forward to continue her story in hushed tones. Pansy swooned at all the right moments and gasped encouragingly whenever a new detail of Y/N’s night with George was brought up.

It was almost sunrise by the time they had finished talking about George and sleep was pulling at their eyes.

“We better get some sleep now before we have to go down to breakfast,” Pansy yawned loudly, stretching her legs out before walking over to her bed. She looked at her watch as she crawled under the covers, “we should be able to get a few hours in before those damn first years wake us up again.”

Y/N pulled the covers back and slid between the cool sheets, thinking about the next time she would see George and what she would say to him. The fairy lights above their heads dimmed slightly and the fire in the fireplace slowed to a soft crackle.

“I’ll see you in the morning then. Good night,” Y/N began to draw the velvet curtains around her bed closed. There was a smirk on Pansy’s face as she began to close her curtains as well.

“Oh, you definitely had a good night,” Pansy ducked, laughing loudly as a hairbrush was thrown her way, narrowly missing her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once they had gotten a few good hours of sleep, the two of them walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Y/N was fiddling with the hem of her sleeve nervously as they entered the entrance hall.

“Oh my god, will you stop futzing with it? Just act normal, you’ll be fine,” Pansy whispered, hooking her arm around Y/N’s. They finally walked through the large doors that entered into the Great Hall and were greeted by the loud chatter and clattering of silverware against plates. The hum only grew louder when Slytherin’s Quidditch team walked into the Great Hall wearing their emerald green Quidditch robes.

“I completely forgot, there’s Quidditch today!” Y/N remarked to Pansy as they sat down. Pansy was already filling her plate with some bacon and scrambled eggs.

“What do you mean ‘you forgot’? They’re playing Gryffindor, I would have thought you’d have the Gryffindor Quidditch schedule memorized.”

It wasn’t until a few minutes later when Y/N finally caught a glimpse of fiery hair walking through the entrance and over to the Gryffindor table. George and the rest of the Gryffindor team strode into the Great Hall to cheers and applause from the Gryffindor table. They were wearing their scarlet Quidditch robes, a stark contrast to the black school robes everyone else was wearing. George was carrying a brown paper parcel wrapped in twine in his hands which he slipped underneath his robes.

It was nearing the end of breakfast when George stood up and walked over to the Slytherin table, stopping in front of Y/N.

“Can I speak to you for a moment?”

Y/N nodded her head slightly.

“Yeah,” Y/N’s voice was quiet, almost a whisper. She stood from the bench and followed George out into the entrance hall. Y/N could feel people’s eyes on her as she trailed behind George, it wasn’t every day that a Gryffindor walked up to the Slytherin table to talk to someone, let alone pull them aside for a private conversation.

George pulled her behind a pillar so that her back was against the stone wall. He pulled the wrapped parcel up and held it out for her to take.

“I was hoping you would wear it at the match today,” George said as Y/N carefully untied the twine holding the brown paper together. The paper fell away to reveal a red and gold scarf.

“I know we’re playing Slytherin and all, you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to.”

Y/N brought it up to her nose and breathed in, the scent seemed to envelop her senses. She glanced up at George’s face, a smile resting on her lips.

“I would love to,” Y/N wrapped the scarf around her neck, tossing one end over her shoulder, “how do I look?”

George cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Wonderful. Really wonderful”

Y/N walked back into the Great Hall still wearing the scarf. She sat down next to Pansy again and casually grabbed a croissant from Pansy’s plate, the corners of her mouth upturned slightly. Pansy leaned forward, her elbow leaning on the table and an amazed look on her face.

“Are you going to tell me what that was about?” a smile was growing on Pansy’s face as she stole a few glances at the scarf.

“Oh nothing,” Y/N paused for a moment, the croissant inches from her mouth. She had a look on her face like she was contemplating something amusing before she spoke again, “I’m just really excited for Quidditch today.”

#george weasley #george weasley x reader #george weasley fluff #george weasley smut #Harry Potter #pansy parkinson x reader #pansy parkinson x friend!reader #wingman!pansy parkinson #mutual pining

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me-and-your-husband · 3 years

Text

Christmas Countdown Day 6: Christmas Lights w/ Andy

Word Count:1.1k

“It was my first Christmas living in the same house with Andy. When he asked me to move in, it would have been nice for him to let me know how competitive his neighbors are about Christmas displays.

Every year, Newton holds a Christmas lights contest, and Andy’s neighborhood is especially involved. He was never one to participate, being busy with work and all. I’ve been busy with work too, but that doesn’t mean I’m not up for a little festivity. Definitely not as intense as our neighbors, though.

I kicked the door of my car shut with my foot, keys in my mouth and arms full with a brown paper bag filled with groceries. I was trudging towards the front door when I heard a honeyed voice calling from behind me.

“Mrs. Barber! Let me help you with those,” hollered Mrs. Trent. She was a snoopy neighbor, the one who’s voice was dripping in mockery. She held her arms out to help me carry the bag, but I gave her a kind smile and declined. I dropped the keys in my mouth into the bag and turned on my heel to face her.

“Oh, and by the way it’s not Mrs. Barber. You can just call me Y/N,” I said, and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she averted her gaze from mine.

“Oh, well, I apologize. You do look young enough to be his daughter,” she taunted.

I let out a huff, the cold air accumulating in front of my face. “Actually, Andy and I are very much in a relationship, not that it concerns you,” I said, offering a sarcastic smile afterwards. She looked winded, struggling to find words.

“Uh, well I....” she stuttered as I turned back to my front door. “You know, your house looks a little bland. We were hoping that the whole street would go all out to decorate, you know, to gain the contest’s attention? If you need a little help me and my husband can-”

“No thank you Mrs. Trent, we’ve got it,” I said over my shoulder, ignoring her goodbye as I walked into my house.

A few hours later, I stumbled through the front door with varying assortments of Christmas lights and blow ups. After a trip to Walmart and Home Depot, I was ready to drag this bitch through the snow.

Getting to work right away, it didn’t look too hard. Pulling the ladder out of the garage, I set it up in front of the house, I began stringing the lights across the trim of the roof, measuring exactly how long it would need to reach the power socket. After they strung across the whole roof like an average house, I decided to go all out.

A few hours later it was almost dark, and the whole outside of the house had been outlined in some type of light. All that was left was the chimney. It wasn’t a very brilliant idea to crawl up on a slippery roof in the dark, especially with no fall plan, but I had to beat this bitch.

Crawling up the roof on my hands and knees, I didn’t see the headlights of the car pulling into the driveway. Once I got to the top, I slung one leg over so I was straddling the roof. It was extremely uncomfortable...down there.

“Y/N?” Andy called up from the ground. Craning my neck, I could see him standing beside his car with a bewildered look on his beautiful face.

“Hey babe! Don’t mind me, I’ll be inside in a sec,” I yelled down, continuing my task of wrapping the lights around the chimney.

“How many Christmas lights does one need?” He called back, putting his briefcase down and crossing his arms.

“Enough to beat the bitchy neighbor.”

“Oh, I get it. But get down from there, it’s dangerous!” He shouted sternly.

“But I’m almost done, I-” as I began speaking, I shifted my weight more towards Andy, and the ice on the roof caused me to fall on the side completely and slowly start sliding down the roof with a yelp. Andy noticed this, and ran to the targeted landing spot. Trying to claw my way back up wasn’t working in my favor. When I reached the edge, I closed my eyes and prayed that when I hit the pavement I wouldn’t die.

But instead of the pavement, I hit Andy’s arms with an oof. Opening my eyes, I could see his blue eyes staring down at mine, shaking his head in disapproval. Setting me back on the ground, I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned up towards his face.

“Thank you,” I whispered onto his lips, connecting them in a greedy kiss filled with love wanting to be expressed.

“Well, I couldn’t let my girl fall,” He said into my hair, wrapping his arms around me and setting his chin on my head. “Besides. The only thing you should fall for is me,” he mumbled. I laughed into his chest, squeezing his bicep.

“That was so cheesy, Barber,” I said, muffled by my face buried in his broad chest, “But I’ve already done that.” Pulling away from Andy, I raced towards the switch on the side of the garage. Flicking it on, the house was lit up in an assortment of bright colors, The blowups inflated, and Andy was mesmerized. His mouth was agape and the reflection of the lights shone in his eyes.

“You did all of this by yourself?” He wondered out loud.

“What can I say, I’m competitive,” I shrugged.

The bright display drew in the attention of a few neighbors, including Mrs. Trent and her husband. A brittle hand covered her mouth as she squeezed her husbands arm. Peering out from behind Andy, I raised my hand in a wave.

“Hey Mrs. Trent,” I called out, but she gave no reply, just looking at her husband. “Your house is looking a little...bland.”

Andy smirked at me, yet furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He knew I was never one to be so cruel towards neighbors.

“I’ll fill you in later. She deserves it,” I whispered to him, not that anyone else could hear us.

Ushering him in the house with his briefcase, taking his jacket.

“So it was totally warranted,” I explained.

“Wow, that’s...”

“I know, I know. I could have ignored it but you know me,” I defended.

“No, I was gonna say...that’s kind of...hot?”

“Me putting up Christmas lights?” I questioned.

“No, no, you being so competitive,” he answered, taking a step closer to me. He was now towering over me. I brought my hands up and loosened his tie, and he hummed in contentment.

“Well, why don’t I show you what else I can do in only a few hours?” I whispered against his cheek.

TAGLIST:

@sunflowercaptian @zaddychris @ilovemarvel-andcats

CEVANS/CHARACTERS TAGLIST:

@patzammit

#andy barber x reader #andy barber fluff #andy barber #andy barber x reader fluff #defending jacob #chris evans #cevans #chris evans x reader

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seb-owns-these-tatas · 4 years

Text

Witcher of the Night (Chapter 21)

THIS IS MODERN ERA READER WHO WOKE UP IN THE DIMENSION OF THE WITCHER.

CHAPTER 20.1

WOTN MASTERLIST

Characters: Geralt of Rivia x small!Naive!Reader

Summary: Bearing the child from a man who promised was sterile gave more anxiety as you lived in their world, knowing that Geralt will resent as the offspring was forged by a cursed spirit that held her own reasons and consequences. Your fate becoming more complicated as each day pass by with a dreading feeling that you surely have no idea about.

Warnings: The usual blasphemy. Lore about the Djinn. (I've made it up) Matka means 'mother'. Ingrith is an OC of mine so she ain't real in the witcher story. Hehehe. (Surprise! Guess Geralt knew Ingrith after all. HE LIED. LMAO. 😂😅🤣) Panicking reader. Pregnancy.

Words: 5.4k

A/N: Is this a boring chapter? I dunno. But, it will provide everyone the lore they need for some of your questions to be answered. I forgot to actually edit this because I was too focused on ranking up in Free Fire. Hahahahah. 😂 Had to edit this a day before I actually publish it in Tumblr. (I usually take 2 days because everybody loves to disturb me in my house. Also I need to manually tag people in taglists, check my grammar and typos. Oof. It makes me squint my eyes too hard on the screen because of how small the letters can be)

TAGLIST IS STILL OPEN FOR THIS ONE! Heehee! Don’t forget to REBLOG, COMMENT OR GIVE FEEDBACK IF YOU DID LOVE THIS CHAPTER! IT’LL MAKE ME SMILE! Sorry for the grammatical errors and such because English isn’t my mother tongue! PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER READING, BB! I apologize for errors!

Disclaimer: PNG’s and pictures used in edits are not mine even the GIF’s too. Character development and personalities are based from my understanding and how I want them to be. I only own my original characters in this fanfic.

MY WORKS ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOOOOOOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER WEBSITES. My official username in Wattpad is “TATATHEPOTATO” and that’s the only other site I have for writing aside from Tumblr. Thank you, Tater tots!

"Geralt of Rivia,"

Vicious and cunning as she may seem, her tone was utterly redolent. Familiar faces finally met in such a fate that not any fortune teller may assume would happen. Loved ones being involve in adversities that has been unflattering for the witcher who stood before the queen's long associate in the castle of Kaedwen, a victorious smirk warping her sharp-edge face that Geralt has not reciprocated. Twisted in a smile that tells she was hopeful over her plans being moved into the right places.

"---I knew you would come," Ingrith spoke as a matter of fact.

The witcher knew that this encounter was inevitable for the second time. Their previous meeting lingering inside his head---being the reason why he chose to live in the outskirts of Kaedwen which eventually made him tarry a bit over going to Kaer Morhen after receiving no answer from her. Receiving much of an answer he needed through Cuthbert, his neighbor who happened to heard rumors about 'her' whereabouts more than from the sorceress he'd decided to talk with.

He'd finally knew where Yennefer has been travelling when you've arrived, his search being an easy one as Geralt discovered her location after trying not to seek for the sorceress he has been looking for years---ending up knowing her area when he gave up finding the sorceress after a month or so.

"Where is she?" he beseech his avows, the scowl stern and never fading as he was eager to see you since the moment he step foot in the castle.

"Yen or your futile human? Oh, it wouldn't be that cursed princess you've butchered in Blaviken because she's already dead, Geralt."

The cunning sorceress tutted before him as they stood at the foot of the abandoned round tower, no guards being publicly seen because of the fact that they were too much of a milksop. Ingrith, Tybalt and Eanraig---the ones who had cabbalistic abilities were the only people who tries to take care of the prince. His own parents and siblings never giving bother about checking how he was doing despite of being harmless in daylight.

"---You've disappointed me---I knew you had a penchant for sorceresses or women whom you could consider as your kind---strong, discerning....and even whores paid to entertain you through your pitiful solitude,"

Ingrith went on with her vouching, leaning her head to the side with a knowing gaze inside her eyes; a forewarning that she was dismayed from his foolish decisions that she finds, continuously mocking his settlements, "---But, you've chosen a useless woman who could not defend herself even by telling the queen that she was not the thief who has stolen her precious necklace,"

The butcher barred his teeth, jutting his jaw forward as he felt his back turn tense and rigid from how he was turning furious as each second passes by with the sorceress he'd regretted to seek for help before---not knowing she would also be the person to afflict pain for his midget in the future.

"You've told the queen that she stole her jewelry when you know it wasn't her, not a canny persuasion made, Ingrith."

Her grin turned bigger, finding his anger satisfying and entertaining in her perspective. Ingrith could disguise as a devil and nobody would notice because of how wicked she'd been turning herself into; a wretch that Geralt have seen from her with the sacrilegious intentions living inside her mind.

"I've expected more from you than to choose and defend a mortal, Witcher."

"---I've remember the night we first met," she continued to ran her mouth, sardonic as she gladly hinted. Ingrith could see the blaze in his golden eyes, how he wanted to unsheathe his sword that was carried behind his back to show her his indignation for everything---from leaving her niece in the hands of her father who detested her due to deformity.

Hence, she has left young Yennefer with no guilt in her eyes despite knowing everything---leaving the past behind and acting like it never happened, taking the initiative to ignore her whereabouts and look the other way from how she grew into a strong woman.

"You were asking Yennefer of Vengerberg from me," she stepped a foot closer towards the witcher, making Geralt deeply breathe through his nose from his pique and lack of personal space that she was trying to bombard him with.

Ingrith couldn't help but let her grin fall when Geralt took a step back, steering clear from her suggestive gestures as he gave her a low hiss and rumble of his chest when he added words to complete her sentence, "---and you had other plans,"

"I've had better plans for us, Geralt."

"I do not wish to be involved by those treacherous plans of yours. You want power---you wanted to become stronger. Settling yourself in the castle to do what you want. Even planning to extirpate your own niece because she is more powerful than you,"

The sorceress scoffed to herself, exasperated from how he blocked her advances. His amber filled with fury as it has still not yet died down after going the deep end. Her trials involving on discouraging his faith for a mere mortal like you. Her ears felt like it was being rattled from the inside, triggering her pride and ego over being told that she was below of her niece in terms of strength and magic, "Yennefer of Vengerberg? She is not powerful as you may seem, Witcher."

"You've left her alone with people who do not care for her,"

"Sorceresses don't die easily than mortals. It's in her blood; our blood, Elven blood. You know this."

Geralt couldn't help but give her a snicker, the small curl of his lip raising in disbelief for her intentions over you and being involved in his god-forsaken life that he didn't want you to be a part with, "You want my mortal to die,---" he gruffly muttered, the words tasting bitter on the ends of his tongue for the idea of you dying in his arms.

"---I won't let that happen, not until I'm alive, Ingrith."

The witcher continued to brood like how people described him to be; his mood turning sour for not seeing you yet and not knowing what was happening to you as it kept his chest bothered and heavy. Ingrith's features warped into a twist, her nose scrunched from how distasteful she found his protection over your vulnerable, weakened self; how pathetic he was caring for a mortal that could die easily especially having the curse, you were more impuisant than any other woman in the continent because a curse had effects and consequences.

His safeguarding would be useless because of the inevitable juncture that would give him sorrow and Geralt had no idea what he was in when he was trying hard to shelter you out of harms way.

Ingrith crossed her arms, shaking her head at his determination, "She'll eventually die, witcher. It's her fate in the continent. Humans like her reach their demise with misery and regret because they're nugatory, serving no purpose but to be insignificant over us,"

The latter turned his back away from her, ending the discussion with his perseverance being unyielding, shaking his head for her estimated fortune telling that he believed was a lie; understanding that she was only saying it because you didn't belong to their world and you were at high risk over danger for the chaos living in the continent.

"She won't die nor will you have the opportunity of doing so,"

"Her existence would bring more despair; more sorrow for your fate. She's just a nuisance value of human kind!" Ingrith loudly exclaimed from behind, watching him courageously push the doors to the round tower where the cursed prince has been living. Disregarding her warnings like the wind passing through.

He heard her but didn't give any acknowledge over her words. Whether it was true or not, the witcher may never know unless the day that Ingrith has been foretelling has actually been damned after all.

The fairly large throne room was filled in luxury, themed in gold and red. Such color that simply tells how their bloodline lived around the hierarchy that they highly take care of. Blood and coins. It says all. Their ornaments and artifacts spent with coins seeming to be conceived in detail for their palace rather than for the people who deserved it better living in Kaedwen.

Queen Makeda tapped her fingers along the arms of her throne, her gaze sharp and pondering over Geralt and Tybalt who stood in the middle of the room. Both having an obvious lour; deepening when she started to give orders about what was to be expected over the hunt, any hints as to where the witch has been rumored to be last seen or any more information that must be shared before Geralt takes off.

"Tybalt shall be coming in search for the witch with the witcher,"

Prince Markith, he was the queen's younger son before Prince Althalos. A lot more younger than the cursed man, immature as the maids say so. He stood beside his seated mother, wearing a simple doublet over his black breeches. The fading freckles on his cheeks stretching when a giggle escaped his lips; an obvious space between his two front teeth shown as his laugh echoed around the throne room that has gotten Geralt to give a gander.

"Witch. Witcher. Witchest." the teenager playfully mumbled beneath his breath, finding amusement over the whole thing going on with his family especially seeing the white haired witcher all brooding and silent, subtly mocking his kind in the least offending way as possible.

The queen immediately given him a sharp warning of her gaze, cocking her head to the side and seeing her son continuously chuckling from his own joke, having his own world that he always manages to live in. Seeming to be like he had imaginary friends rather than real ones that his parents seclude him amongst children because Markith should be remained untouched from the filth that people had.

"Markith, that is not a proper attitude of a prince," she lowly scolded in the midst of talking, the child's interruption obviously irking her temper.

Markith raise a brow, the child's tone utterly sardonic as he spoke, "But, I'm not the crown prince. Brother is. But, if brother dies then---"

She cut him off with a brusque hiss, "He will not die from our hands! He will live and rule the future of Kaedwen,"

"Does this kingdom even have a future when it is ruled by your hands?"

Quietude filled the throne room after her son's sarcastic retort. The silence was frothing; bubbling from her expected aggravation over the younger prince's shameless answer. Much to her chagrin, she has never received an apology nor an explanation as to why Markith suddenly blurted it out in the open for Geralt to hear.

Upon hearing those words coming from a child, the witcher couldn't help but stood nonplussed. His expressions coming off as emotionless with his brooding charm jumping off the four corners of the room. In which has received a glower from the vampire who also stood beside him, his eyes seeming to be taking Geralt much more of his attention when they were both called to stay beside each other.

Queen Makeda raised a finger, ushering one knight to march his way up the numbered stairs under the lavish canopy where the king and queen's throne sits.

"Bartley, bring him back to his chambers," she roughly ordered, her teeth barred as she glared at Markith who was also feral for disregarding his opinions over their corrupted reigning throughout their kingdom. Bartley gave a courteous bow for the queen before walking to where her son stood, forcefully grabbing onto his shoulders as he gently pushed him around to leave.

"But, Mother---"

The queen never takes no for an answer. Hence, one loud yell was all the child has taken before being thrown out, his gaze lingering longer at the witcher whom he has heard tales about; having quite the eagerness to see if the tales were true to their words. Yet, his mother decided to lock him up in his room again for being curious and playing around.

"Now!"

Geralt stood completely still. The scowl never changing as he gave a heavy sigh, seeming like the world was carried on his burly, armored shoulders. His sour mood being the result of your prior, quick separation before he even walked to the throne room. Your pained words ringing inside his head for a thousand times like a plague that he had finally not been immune for.

He shouldn't have left you in that condition especially when you were physically injured. Geralt actually just proved to you how much of a witcher he was; cantankerous, blunt and emotionless even though you've had this strong faith for him that you believed being the opposite of it.

But, he just needed to fuck it up by leaving you without a word and also calling you pathetic in such ways.

The butcher continued eating his own heart out by staring at the queen with brooding eyes, waiting for the go signal for his hunt. He wanted to get this over with; planning to do his job right and find the witch, bring her in the castle to reverse the spell then off you go with him. Leaving all of these behind as a past that you would never forget or decide to forget forever if you wanted to.

Tybalt audibly scoffed for Geralt to give him his regard, taking the side-eye from the witcher as he publicly stated his cavils, "Why am I traveling with him now, yer' majesty? to be his guard? Hilarious!"

One familiar hum was heard; gruff and utterly sarcastic once Geralt began to frankly acknowledge. His hostility over the vampire obvious when he has opened his mouth, "I work better alone and away from blood sucking monsters." a feigned curl of his lips appearing to be a smile has been received towards the queen, her quick understanding seeing that it was a forced one that Geralt was trying hard to perceive over his altercations.

"---I'm a witcher. I slaughter beasts. Monsters of any kind."

In the spur of the moment, Geralt turned his head to let Tybalt see the mocking flicker inside his golden eyes.

Tybalt knew he was pertaining to his kind. Vampires. He couldn't help but clench his fists on his sides, his nostrils flared while the witcher was trying to get on his nerves---or he just basically hated the higher vampire to send his animosity by being forthright, "What ye' lookin at, Weccan?" he sneered back at Geralt with barred teeth while the white wolf had the end of his lip curled into a leer, irked by his smug pillorying in the presence of the queen like he didn't give a fuck.

He really didn't especially when he wanted to behead everyone in his way.

Geralt's presence was already making Tybalt's hackles rise without even trying to nettle his temper. The image of his newly bathed hair was already narking him without even seeing his face and the feeling was mutual for both enemies.

Tybalt began forming his own ridicules, seeing the witcher become the object of his scorn.

"Your skin is as pale as your tresses. I doubt you still have any amount of blood in ye'!"

"The joke's too old. I'll assume you've asked me if I do bleed." the white wolf was nonchalant as he quipped. Displaying to be quite blase from his attempts of hurling more anger out of him when he was too furious from the start to even begin with.

"---Witcher, do you bleed?"

Geralt couldn't help the most jaded expression he could ever muster upon hearing the most asked question, uttering out a grumble of his insouciant timbre of his voice that has gotten Tybalt bellowing from his remark.

"My blood's not tasty enough for you. Don't bother."

"This feckin' arse!"

They've both sent each other deep growls against their chests, a low rumbling sound that was bouncing off the castle walls that everyone who was inside the throne room could notice as they stood side by side, giving each other glares and their derisive taunting.

Queen Makeda had a finger supporting her head from falling. Her arm folded and leaning against her throne whilst sighing over their random twits. Foot tapping along the stoned floors as she gave them both her enervated attention.

Tybalt's fixated gaze has been cut short when he'd knelt on the ground with one knee, bowing his head to pay his respects for the queen---probably, seeking support over not letting him travel with the witcher who must have a difficult time finding the witch that couldn't be found at all; not wanting to share his time with Geralt because their personalities were clashing against each other like rusty, acidic metal, "---Your highness, If you're worried about him dying in the middle of saving yer' witch whom can lift Prince Althalos' curse, I can assure you, he will not die. Legend says witchers die from monsters they hunt. The witch obviously isn't---"

The queen has raised her palm to cease his comments, completely unimpressed by how privileged he was being when it was her decision whether he would let him go or not.

"I can see how you both despise each other," she plainly stated, sounding nasally like she was too disappointed by Tybalt's actions.

At the mere exclamation of that, both men spoke in the same time. Their antipathy colliding even with their words sounding exactly what they felt for one another.

"Hate him." Geralt and Tybalt both snarled with such rancor, glaring for one more time before partially giving their whole attention to the queen who sat before the throne.

They've seen her mouth turn into frown, turning a blind eye towards the higher vampire who was left sulking for his sudden hunt. His plans with his sorceress coming to a stop for the queen's orders, intending to guard all your whereabouts in the palace as Ingrith tries to formulate a scheme to have you suffer without raising their hands on you nor using magic that will eventually fail because you were protected by a djinn.

"Tybalt. Be with the witcher. I want you guarding him until he finds the witch. The witcher shan't go back empty handed."

Tybalt couldn't help but curse beneath his breath, subtly rolling his eyes as he stood on both feet, adjusting his fur coat resting along his shoulders, "Oh, feckin' bullocks." before shaking his head as he forced a nod and approval out of him to gesture at the queen of Kaedwen.

Geralt calmly tried his best to exhale in a relaxing demeanor, his facial features twisting in utmost pique from the idea that he would be spending five days with the vampire he had a fight with back in the marketplace.

"Fuck." he lowly snarled to himself, momentarily shutting his eyes to breathe in disappointment. His head cocked to the side. Geralt felt Tybalt grip onto his armored shoulder, giving him a shallow pat to state his indignation with the whole ordeal. He turned on his heels, marching out of the throne room to fetch and pack his belongings for the journey ahead, quickly jogging out of the throne room that was making him want to curse as every second passes by with the witcher.

Queen Makeda can't help the snicker on her face, a smile forming wrinkles on the apples of her cheeks as she stated her false promises.

"You have my word about your little woman, Witcher. We will not touch her again."

Though, Geralt knew deep inside that it was all just a lie.

You've been receiving lots of personal questions from the druid. One of his queries was about the idea of wholeheartedly accepting a child from Geralt which you explained an approval if it was given in the future---or if he was even capable of giving you one. You strongly believed he can't.

Though, in the back of your head, you couldn't help but think how your child would look like with his genetics. Will she or he have white hair too? you gotta' have a child with beautiful genes somehow. An echo of hopeful, deranged voices filled your thoughts, quickly disregarding the thought in the back of your crazed head whilst hearing Eanraig bombard another question of his that kept you aware of how zealous he sounded.

"Do you love Geralt?"

"Woah. Hold your horses, Eanraig."

Subtly swallowing the anxiety away from hearing such question, you've warily cleared your throat. Your mouth wincing from the pungent taste of your after-retch. The inconspicious nullify of the subject taken heed by the scholar when you've avoided his eyes.

In-denial of the truth. Eanraig thought silently to himself while he brought his hand down, away from patting your back, "You will be giving the witcher a miracle," he lightly convinced you and decided that particulars shall be provided for the mother of the miraculous child growing inside; delaying the details with the father that would surely bring him into a shock and red-light from the witcher himself because of how having a pickney in the midst of his life will only bring his descendant danger.

"---From the night of the full moon, between a man and woman who had nature take its course, a child shall be produced,"

Mentioning that in a hot second, you were quick enough to counter the lie you ought to believe in. Trusting Geralt and his words more than ever because he knew himself better than anyone else especially in 'that' department. Thorough objection was promptly written all over your shocked, disapproving expressions; brows furrowed in worry with lips turning ajar for such sensible responsibility being given to your head like a crown fitting for you.

Was Geralt lying and he actually just wanted to get you pregnant? If so, then he was certainly a wacko for even doing it---in your world he could be arrested for lying.

"Geralt's infertile! What are you even---?!?!" you couldn't finish your sentence as the responsibility for having your lechery take over you a few nights ago was worth enough to blame. How did Eanraig knew when it hasn't reached a month after a tangle of passionate desires with the witcher? did everyone knew about it but not you both? was it why you were being hated by Ingrith because she knew you were bearing Geralt's child?

A ton rounds of bulleted questions rang inside your head after one query hasn't been answered. One by one it was hopping like rabbits chasing a baited carrot because on the other side of your head, it knew answers for your disputes within yourself.

Panic and fear over an unborn child was beginning to take a toll as you grabbed onto your roots, frustratingly tugging on them while you listened to Geralt's old friend.

"Infertile or not. As long as the other is human who possesses no magic---or better yet, both humans who possesses no magic shall receive results beyond their expectations. I have never told Geralt about this because he will never believe me. A Witcher does not take that kind of news too well---might be even saying that he would take his child as a bait to be eaten by monsters than to bring them to this world,"

You've pursed your lips, finding how true it was to hear those words from the witcher knowing that you were pregnant by his child. Was this a hoax? a dream that God wanted you to never wake up from?

Being transported to their dimension; loving a mutated human you never expected to and eventually baring a child from him when he knew he could never bore a child at all. Was this your destiny for him? giving him miracles---a child that he certainly didn't expected and needed because accepting his child of surprise was already difficult for him to undertake.

"I can totally hear him saying that." you uttered completely defeated and benumbed from the breaking news that made you forget how upset you were by Geralt's prior actions.

"You are having his child, my dear. You're carrying his scion that has been forged by the Djinn." Eanraig started his elucidation about the serious topic at hand, educating you about the accelerated gestation that the Djinn's curse may come between. Earlier telling you about the expected development because you might be seeing changes over your body than how a normal woman will be expecting.

"---The process is faster. Three times hastier than a normal pregnancy---Though, never fear for the child not to be normal."

With sangfroid, the breath that you've been holding has been puffed out with your eyes drooping closed; letting the calmness sink in without having the panic rise through your head for a hundred times because of the thought that the child would turn out different in which she may suffer in the end.

Until Eanraig decided to continue his statements that has given you whiplash.

"---Because that child is beyond normal. She'll inherit the Djinn's powers because it is a part of Matka's three wishes."

"She?" you've managed to feebly and shakily mutter beneath your soft breath, feeling the coldness wrap around you for knowing more about the child that you were currently bearing---keeping you in a constant disorient that had you staring onto your twitching fingers laid upon your thighs.

"I'll assume that the Djinn you have gotten was a Matka. The cursed Djinn who lovers try to find in order to bore an heir if they cannot create their own offspring. Matka was created to give her own powers to a progeny that would inherit her abilities---believing that her existence will help the world from lessening the bedlam within the lore of monsters and humanity,"

"You're telling me I'm really pregnant with a girl? with...with Geralt's child? This child is also...owning such power that is making me hyperventilate right now?! Is it a vampire?! What if it eats my insides just like how Edward's baby did?!" your back was still utterly stiff from the nervousness that this news has given you, the mere fact of taking care of a powerful baby pouring ice buckets on your head---the dread hitting your core from the stupefaction and fear raising a child of your own.

Your modern references has given Eanraig a nonchalant stare from him, never knowing to laugh or smile over your panicky state.

"Is the witcher a vampire?" he hesitatingly spoke, his throat sounding dry before Eanraig cleared his throat when he'd lately realized.

"No."

"Then, it shall not have any vampire blood."

Skin felt tingling as your heart couldn't stop the beating so fast, throwing you into a swivet, "I'm not prepared to be a mother, Eanraig!"

You couldn't help but reach a hand to clasp around your tightening throat, further listening to Eanraig. His expositions making you want to give him a bark of laughter due to the disbelief over what reality that destiny started giving you when the Djinn happened.

"The continent has its own supernatural contingencies that nobody may ever explain---which has given you a child of yours with the witcher. Your kingdom knows no magic based on your reactions, correct?" the druid raised a brow and grabbed both of your shoulders, firmly letting you look into his grey eyes that continued inspiriting your devastated self.

You've tentatively shook your head to give an answer. The dread gripping your heart so tight that you started breathing heavily, your fingers suddenly grabbing onto your stomach because of the sudden memory that the castle guards have placed a kick to your gut. The worry for your unborn baby bringing you into utter distress for her condition.

A loud gasp left your lips, "Wait, I've been---I've been abused---hurt---what about my child, Eanraig? If---If Geralt knows about this now, he wouldn't want my child, would he?"

"I...may never know what he thinks, little woman. He hardly speaks. Only to you, the bard and his surprise child, I assume."

"Then, should I keep this from him?"

"I doubt his mutations can keep your pregnancy as a secret,"

Panicking more than ever, you've felt your eyes well up with warmth. Signalling tears threatening to come out of it as both of your palms were on either side of your head. Quiet whining were heard in the back of your throat for the future that was bound for you especially by being thrown on the face by a brick, the brick being fate moving mountains for the witcher and his ill-fate infertility---that has been surprisingly controlled by the power of magic; black magic.

"Then, what do I do?! I don't want to raise a child on my own when I'm not even prepared to be a mother?!" Eanraig heard the sobs from you and he'd quickly gathered all of the comfort he could give by patting you on the back, calming down that tough anxiety you have.

"Cease the tears," he continued to pat, "---It'll be bad for you and the child,"

"I have a witcher baby! What do I do?!" you ranted and raved, sniffing in the same time as your fingers spread across your chest, feeling it tighten a lot more because of this serious matter. Time stood still for you, imagining what Geralt would say or tell when he couldn't even accept your love; when he was still secretive over things he wasn't comfortable about telling.

Would he be fine to have a child with a woman who was in love with him when he doesn't even know his true feelings for you until now?

"I don't know how to tell, Geralt! I don't wanna let this child grow without a father---what if I leave this world all of a sudden without him? Eanraig, what if he dies out there right now and this child grows up without a father?"

You knew, he would refuse the child you were having because of how he had a long time accepting Cirilla. A child who has already been taken care of by another---what more for a baby that he certainly had no experience of having nor wished to have?

The druid welcomed all your rants over such an important and surprising incident that existed in the white wolf's life. Completely knowing for it to be an unexpected route in his path that Eanraig could never see for him. He gave one last comforting pat on your back, nodding to you as if he was trying to let his words seep inside your head---your apprehension that he solely hoped to be the maturity of your mind.

"Let fate decide what will happen. You'll eventually need to tell the father of your child---and the witcher will know about it soon,"

Little did you know, there was already a tiny beat of a heart that seem to be inaudible for a mortal; but not for a witcher who had sensitive hearing created to catch onto the tiniest rustle of leaves till the quietest thumps of every heart.

Taglist for WOTN: (Strikethrough means your blog can’t be tagged. Please check your settings, bb’s! Thank you.) @alyxkbrl @himarisolace @barkingbullfrog @ayamenimthiriel @hellodevilslittlesister @turkish276 @spookypeachx @grungelovebug @fangirl-inthe-us @nympeth @amirahiddleston @gabethelobster @dreaming-about-fanfictions @uncoolcloudyhead @melaninstylezz @psychosupernaturalhero @missjenniferb @dance-dreamer @marvelousell @kingniazx @angelias134 @tapismyforte @chook007 @covid-donotenter @deadlydemon @cheesecakeisapie @angelofthor @carrieannewaywardson, @plantingmum, @stuckupstucky, @shesthelastjedi, @a--1--1--3, @gutfucks, @raynosaurus-rex, @britty443, @suhke3, @shadowclawstudio88, @ruthoakenshield, @just-a-sad-donut, @gxrdenr0se, @singeramg

Overall witcher taglist: @pizza-eater-i-ate-the-pizza, @crazybutconfidentaf

General taglist: @agniavateira, @iloveyouyen, @rahdaleigh, @silverkitten547, @henrythickcavill, @kaatelyyynn, @marvelousell, @madelinelina, @summersong69, @raynosaurus-rex, @fckdeusername, @evansislife

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imaginingsoftly · 3 years

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Wedding Date Pt 4 - Tyler Seguin

Type: strangers-enemies-lovers, series

Requested: no

Warnings: swearing

Three weeks. Melissa made it three weeks in Dallas before she ran into any members of the Dallas Stars. Her brain, paranoid as it was, had convinced her it would be Tyler that she ran into. Everyone else she could skate by unnoticed, but not Tyler. He’d tried to message her on Instagram a few times after the wedding, though he gave up after a couple of weeks when her messages remained short and detached or nonexistent.

It wasn’t that she was uninterested; if anything, she was a little too interested in him. She also knew that he wasn’t the type to do a relationship, and despite all of her joking that weekend of the wedding Melissa wasn’t the type for a hookup. Kirsten was still pissed at her for ghosting him. Actually, pretty much everyone that had seen them together was upset.

Melissa strode out of a coffee shop and directly into what felt approximately like a brick wall. Said wall made a small “oof” noise, like her shoulder had knocked the wind out of it, and she squinted up to see it was a person, not a wall. Most of the team should have still been out of the city; training camp wasn’t due to begin for another month or so. Instead of being on vacation like a normal NHLer, however, Jordie Benn was standing in front of her. One of his hands came up to Melissa’s shoulder to steady her as she stumbled backward slightly. “You’re Melissa. You were in that wedding Segs went to.” It was impressive that he had recognized her from one Instagram post, and Melissa knew that lying to him would get her nowhere.

“I am. How the hell do you know who I am?” She hadn’t meant to sound so combative, but Jordie just laughed.

“Segs hasn’t shut up about you for weeks. Plus, he posted those photos.” True. He’d even tagged her in them, despite her best efforts to convince him not to. She’d been deleting follow requests on her private Instagram account ever since. “Segs was under the impression that you live outside DC, but I’m gonna guess you moved?” He waited for Melissa to nod. Damn, he was good. “C’mon.” Jordie gestured at his car. “I’ll bring you to my place to meet my wife. Make a friend your age, and maybe you can get her out of the house on occasion so that I can have baby time without her hovering over me?”

Melissa laughed. She wouldn’t normally just follow some random person, but this was Jordie. Tyler had talked about him that night he word-vomited and made her coffee, and he sounded like her kind of people. Plus, it’s hard to resist a bear of a man talking about wanting one-on-one time with his baby. “Lead the way, then. I’ll never say no to friends and babies.”

He led her to an SUV that didn’t fit what Melissa expected him to drive at all. She’d almost expected a jacked-up truck or a Jeep. “He hasn’t shut up about you, you know.” Melissa fumbled with her seat belt when Jordie spoke again. Sure, he’d been messaging her, but she hadn’t expected him to talk about her with his friends. Melissa didn’t respond, and the pair fell silent as they drove to the outskirts of the city.

The outside of the Benn house looked cozy, mostly natural woods and an all-American type front yard. Melissa felt a jolt of nerves as Jordie pulled into the driveway, like it had finally hit her that she let some random stranger drive her to his house without a second thought. It was probably the dumbest thing she’d ever done. “Hey. I promise you and Jess will get along. And everybody loves babies, yeah?” He sounded like the older brother she’d never had, and his voice was more reassuring than she expected.

Jordie led Melissa inside, calling out a quiet “babe?” as he shut the front door. They walked down a long hallway into the kitchen, where a woman was shuffling coffee and a baby. “Jess, I brought a friend of Segs’ home with me. Melissa just moved to the city, needs some female friends.” It was a little embarrassing to hear Jordie lay it all out there like that, but he was right. Melissa had been in the city for almost a month now, and she’d yet to meet anyone outside of the other professors in her department. Introversion a million, Melissa zero.

“It’s nice to meet you, Melissa. I’m Jess and this,” she bounced the baby on her hip slightly, “is Billie.” Billie made grabby hands at Melissa, and she laughed. Jess put out her other hand for Melissa to shake, and she gripped the other woman’s hand gratefully. Jordie slung an arm around Jess’ waist, pulling her in so he could plant a kiss on her forehead. Melissa made faces at Billie while Jordie whispered in his wife’s ear, and Jess nodded. “You up for burgers and drinks?” she asked. “We’ve moved Billie completely to baby food, so I can actually consume more than one drink a day now.” Melissa nodded in agreement. It would be stupid to pass up such a good opportunity to make a new friend. And one with a cute baby, no less.

They made their way out to the patio, when Jordie turned on the grill and Jess handed Billie over to Melissa. “So,” the other woman said with a smirk, “you and Tyler?” Melissa groaned. Not even ten minutes. She looked over at Jordie for help, practically begging him with her eyes to step in, but he leaned back against the railing of the patio like he wanted to know as well.

Melissa turned her gaze down to Billie and ran her fingers through the baby’s hair. “My best friend Kirsten is his cousin. She got it into her head that Tyler and I both needed a good person to be in a relationship, and that meant we should be in a relationship with each other. She spent most of her wedding weekend trying to set us up, and that included putting us in the same hotel suite.” Jordie groaned in sympathy, muttering something about Tyler as a roommate. “We got along really really well, actually. It was fun to talk to him. He made me laugh harder than any guy has been able to in a long time.” She smiled down at Billie gently. “The night of the wedding he got me to dance with him, and then we went back to the hotel suite. We hooked up, it was awkward the next morning, and then I kinda ghosted him.” That was where it all went wrong, really. It was a pretty asshole thing on her part, and she knew it.

She didn’t get a chance to continue before Jordie was stepping in. “He doesn’t even know you’re in the city, and he’d been talking about how much he wants to see you again. He talked about trying to get you to see him when the team plays in DC this season.” Melissa’s stomach dropped. She didn’t see the judgement in either Benn’s faces when she looked up at them, though Jordie’s face still made her feel bad. He looked almost disappointed in her, and it hurt a surprising amount for someone she had literally just met. “He really liked you too.” Melissa didn’t have anything to say to that, and Jess quickly changed the subject.

It was nice to just sit and talk with Jess and Jordie, especially as the conversation moved to how they’d met and stories about Jordie’s career. Hours passed as they sat there and talked, and Melissa and Jess managed to work through a bottle and a half of white wine together. For once she was relaxing and just enjoying the flow of conversation without the crutch of a familiar face alongside her.

She was still holding Billie when Tyler appeared. Billie giggled sleepily on Melissa’s shoulder as she swayed along to the country song playing softly on the patio, though Melissa froze when she saw Tyler staring at her in the doorway. “Tyler,” she breathed. Her words broke the spell that held him in place, and Tyler strode back into the house without a word. “Shit.” Melissa handed Billie back to Jessie and took off in Tyler’s direction. She could hear Jordie arguing with Tyler near the front door, and then a thud as Tyler threw the door open.

Jordie stared at Melissa as she ran past him and out the front door. She threw an apology at the larger man over her shoulder, though she didn’t stop. Tyler was almost at his car. “Tyler!” He didn’t stop. If anything, it looked like he sped up. “Ty, stop.” He froze at the sound of his nickname. Melissa’s breath came out slightly ragged when she finally reached him, taking in the set of his shoulders and the way the muscles in his neck clenched. “I’m sorry.”

Of all the things she could have said in that moment, it seemed like those were the worst words she could have chosen. “Oh, you’re sorry?” Tyler whipped his head around. His eyes were angry, but there was more there. Frustration? Embarrassment? She couldn’t place it. “What are you sorry for, exactly? Sorry that you hooked up with me? Sorry that you ghosted me?” He gestured shortly at the house, where Jordie was standing outside with his arms crossed. “Sorry that you showed up at my friend’s house after ignoring me for weeks, acting like nothing happened? Sorry for what, Melissa?” He was breathing heavily, arms spread out on either side of his body, and the guy standing in front of her was nothing like the Tyler she’d seen on television or the one that had made her laugh so much over that weekend.

She didn’t get a chance to say anything else. “I really don’t want to talk to you right now.” Tyler jumped into his car and slammed the door shut before Melissa even got a chance to open her mouth.

“You deserved that, you know.” Jordie’s voice sounded from beside Melissa. “I’m sure that’s not what you want to hear, but you do.” Melissa looked over at the larger man to see him staring down at her with something akin to sympathy. “Doesn’t mean I won’t help you fix it though. You’ve got friends in Jessi and I now, and Segs is one of my best buddies. We’ll help you work it out, if that’s what you want.” Was that what she wanted? Tyler leaving her alone had been the goal, or at least she’d thought it was, so why did him leaving bother her so much?

Jordie put a hand on Melissa’s shoulder when she nodded. “Alrighty then. We’ll start tomorrow. I’m hosting a barbeque, and Segs will be there. For now, let’s get you home, yeah?”

#nhl imagines #nhl imagine #wedding date ml #tyler seguin imagine

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queen-of-my-goofball-army · 3 years

Text

"Let Me Patch You Up" A MatchaBlossom Kid Fic

Hi everyone! So this is one of my favorite newer things that I have gotten interested in. I love writing as most of you know and one of my newer favorite fandoms is Sk8 The Infinity! MatchaBlossom is one of my favorite ships in the last few months, they're such a good and unique ship. I got super into the show and eventually made my own fan-kids for the ship. I love making OCs and they make me really happy. So welcome to my newest fic, with Sakura and Haru. I have art of them as well if anybody wants to see what they look like! (By the way, they are twins, both are biologically female and Haru became trans. Kaoru and Kojiro had them through a surgate.)

“Sakura, get up. Your brother is gone, we don’t know where he is.” I jolted upright at the sound of my mom’s strict take no for an answer tone and the sudden brightness in my bedroom from him turning on the lights.

“Sorry flower, I tried to stop him I really did.” My dad quickly followed behind him and I rubbed the tiredness from my reddish brown eyes.

“Do you know where Haru went sweetheart?” He asked me sitting at the foot of my pastel bed taking one of my pillows and handing it to my mom so that he could have something to calm him down with.

“I have really no idea where he could have gone. He told me that he was practicing tonight but that he’d be back before curfew so I haven’t texted him. I’m sorry…” I apologized and my mom just sighed a little bit at me.

“No it is not your fault Sakura you shouldn’t have been left home alone today. He’s still transitioning so I’m even more paranoid about what could happen to him.” My dad put his strong arm around my mom’s shoulders and I watched the familiar tension sort of melt away at the love and affection.

“Do you know where he could have gone flower?” My dad tried his damndest to keep my mom calm and collected but even I could tell that he was just as stressed out as my mom was.

“I mean I thought that it was a joke…” I thought back to earlier that day when I had thought he had jokingly challenged Ichigo to a beef. Ichigo was one of the techies for the drama department that had been talking to me that I really liked who was a fellow skateboarder.

“What was a joke Sakura?” I sighed a little bit crossing my ankles together and playing with the ends of my long pink hair.

“I thought that it was a joke when he challenged Ichi to a beef for a date with me…” My mom took a deep inhale of breath and I could tell that he was visibly holding back the yell of rage.

“What?” His voice took on the deep and ominous tone that I had only heard a handful of times in my life when I had done something that was absolutely unseemly. It used to terrify me to my core when I was little kid and even now it still sent a shiver down my spine and made me fear for my own life.

“Hasn’t that boy asked you out on his own yet?” I shook my head a little bit plucking at the ends of my sheets sighing a little bit.

“No he hasn’t. I think that he’s waiting for me to ask him and make the first move. I was getting really close to doing it too. I really thought that there was no way they would actually agree to a beef. It just seemed ridiculous. Sometimes I wish I knew what in the world went through his head when he joked about it.” My dad put his arm around my shoulders bringing me closer to him and drawing a comforting circle there somehow calming both me and my mom down in one fell swoop.

“Well I think that if he doesn’t get murdered by your mother by the end of this then it’ll be worth it to go out on a date with that boy. I happen to like him. It reminds me a lot of how your mom and I were at your age.” My mom rolled his golden eyes with a small smile. I yawned a little bit rubbing the water from my eyes. I had only gotten to sleep a few hours ago having been doing homework for most of the night before.

“I know that you had just barely went to sleep Sakura. I’m really sorry but I had a mother panic attack when I went to go and make sure that Haru fell asleep.” I smiled softly at him since he had always been the doting parent it didn’t surprise me that he still regularly checked on my brother to make sure that he was getting enough sleep.

“It’s fine mom. I understand why you did come and get me instantly. I probably would have done the same thing in your case. Let me just try and text him or try and track his cell phone.” I went onto the find my family app clicking on my brother and it led me directly down the hall to his bedroom.

“Oh my god that stupid, idiotic, dumbass, moronic, he forgot his phone!” I ranted and my mom sighed muttering a string of curses underneath his breath.

“Of course he did, he’s the son of an idiotic gorilla. I am not at all surprised that he left his phone at home. Then again if he did go to a beef it was actually a smart decision for a kid who worships his phone it could have gotten broken. He should be lucky he forgot his phone. It’ll take longer for me to find and lecture him.” I laughed a little bit at his nearly stunned stupidity. I wasn’t at all surprised that my brother would leave the house without his phone. He was the forgetful type, one of the few things that he hadn’t picked up from mom was his sharp analysis and he usually followed our dad’s himbo logic of just GO.

“I’m going to try Ai and see if he has seen him at all…” I turned on my own phone sending out a rapid text to my brother’s best friend. He was basically our cousin as the son of Reki and Langa so we had grown up together. If anybody were to be at a beef that my brother was skating at it was Ai.

Me: AI, is my brother wherever you are?! My mom woke me up, he’s not at home and I have no idea what is going on. I thought that he was joking about the beef earlier with Ichi! My phone instantly pinged with a text from Ai of my brother doing a rail slide with Ichigo right behind him.

“Oh he is so dead when I get my hands on him…” My mom threatened and I already saw the marks of injuries.

“Idiot, he hasn’t practiced enough professionally recently, not since he started doing basketball.” I muttered and my dad leaned into my space to see what Ai had said.

“He bailed pretty early on and got some bad scrapes but he’s been giving Ichigo a run for his money. The beef is that if Ichigo wins he has to finally ask you on a date and if Haru wins then Ichigo has to give up on you. That’ll be bad if he loses. That’s not a fair bet too you can’t bet things like that. It’s usually for little things, the date thing is fine but he has no right to tell Ichigo that he has to give up on you.” I scowled feeling the burning rage inside of me building into an inferno.

“Mom if you don’t kill him can I and turn him into a dessert?” My dad laughed a little bit at me putting his arm around my shoulders.

“Sorry my loves neither of you can kill Haru. Both of you are going to have to just lecture him and Kaoru you can ground him.” My mom sighed before resigning himself to his fate that if he couldn’t kill his son he could at the very least ground him until the end of time.

“Sakura, I hope that you know that this is not your fault. You did not know that your brother would go for the beef and thus his injuries are not yours to blame.” My mom reminded me and I sighed heavily going back to that picture and feeling my eyes well up with tears.

“But I should have done something, I could have stopped them if I didn’t know that they were being totally serious…” My dad lightly shushed me bringing me into a tight and warm hug. My dad always gave the best hugs in the entire world, they were warm and everything good. I felt my mom being pulled into the hug as well and felt the small smile on his face rub against my hairline.

“Whelp, we might as well go and rescue our kid. Grab your boards people!!” My dad encouraged me and I went to go and grab the longboard that Reki had made specifically for me when I was eight so that I could learn to skate.

“The first person to find where he is on the course will get to pick the movie tomorrow.” My mom told me and I was already internally plotting how to get them to watch another Disney movie.

“That is so not fair Cherry you already know that she is going to do everything that she can to beat us in finding her brother so she can pick some kiddie movie.” I heard the whine of my dad and my mom just smirked a little bit.

“That’s why I made that bargain so that she would consider it an incentive to find her brother. Which one are you thinking about princess?” I hummed in thought spinning my wheels on my board in my hands, looking at the beautiful enchanted rose that Reki had carefully painted on the bottom of it.

“Well gee I fucking wonder what she’s going to pick.” I heard the soft oof that meant mom had once against elbowed him too hard in the ribs.

“Watch your language you worthless gorilla. I am trying to raise our daughter to not be a potty mouth.” I heard the muttered this coming from the cursing king.

“He has a good point mom, I think I heard words I’m not even familiar with when you stubbed your toe last week on the dinner table when you got up too fast.” I taunted lightly and he ran a hand through his long but slowly graying pink hair.

“You got me there Sakura, alright to the car.” He put his arm around my shoulders and I snuggled a little bit farther into his arms. I held back the yawn that was threatening to erupt from my mouth.

“You can just stay in the car sweetie in case that you fall asleep on your board.” I shook my head with a small smile on my face. I had not skated for fun in a few weeks and I had missed the feeling of the wind in my hair as I went zooming by on my board.

“Not going to happen dad, I’ve got my eyes on the prize. That being another shot at torturing you and Haru. I’m thinking maybe Beauty And The Beast.” I heard the groan that I knew was coming but saw my dad’s loving smile on his face.

“I would expect nothing less from my little girl. Are you sure that you want to go in your pajamas though?” He snarked lightly and I blushed a bright pink hearing the lecturing Kojiro followed by my dad’s argument, somebody had to tell her. I grabbed my sunset graphic tee and a pair of black skinny jeans tying a pair of converse around my feet. I grabbed my bright pink hoodie and carefully zipped it pulling my hair into a loose bun on the bottom of my head.

“That’s better sweetheart, now I can’t lose you with that hoodie on either.” I lightly stuck my tongue out at my dad and went down the stairs to the restaurant seeing the scary lack of people on the streets.

“It’s kinda creepy out there at night…” My thoughts drifted and my mom put an arm around my shoulders comfortingly.

“This will be a quick grab your idiot brother and get out situation most likely. Then we patch him up, keep from school tomorrow, and yell at him once I get done with this big project.” I laughed a little bit at my mom and his thoughts on the matter.

“Here kiddo, I got these too just incase it’s loud where we go.” My dad handed me my over the ear headphones that I had to use sometimes when I went on school trips.

“Thanks dad… I swear Haru better appreciate this. I am dragging him back to the car by his freaking ear if I catch him first.” I threatened and they knew that I meant business too. My mom just lightly kissed my forehead pushing the hair out of my eyes.

“There’s my beautiful girl.” I preened a little bit at the praise but looked out the window at the pitch blackness of night.

“Ai texted again, he sent me the coordinates to where the beef is being held.” I plugged the information into my phone and handed it off to my dad who was whirling his car keys around.

“Don’t drop them gorilla.” My mom taunted lightly and I couldn’t help but smile at their familiar bickering. That was their love language and it was something so uniquely them even if it did sometimes cause me to get dragged into the harder debates.

“I might be stupid but I’m not that stupid.” I smiled softly shaking my head at the two of them tapping my shoes on the ground.

“Doesn’t your brother have a crush on your costar for Hairspray?” I nodded my head with a small sigh rolling my eyes.

“Yes he does so he doesn’t have a leg to stand on right now. I wish that I could tell you what he was thinking but I don’t know. Usually he’s a pretty easy person for me to read and get a handle on but not today.” My dad just lightly ruffled up my hair and I pouted at him. I clutched my longboard to my chest and felt the cold of the outside go through my bones. Haru had better be grateful by the time that all of this is over he’s going to owe me big time.

“You two are growing up, your not little kids anymore where you would be able to finish each others sentences. Part of me misses that as a parent since I never got to be around during the day very often to see that.” I squeezed my mom’s hand since I knew that he had a lot of regrets about how often he worked. I never really minded that much, it just made the moments when he could be around all the more special.

“Mom I know that you feel like this is your fault too. It’s not anybody’s fault. I feel like that Haru would have done this anyways. He’s always trying to prove himself to anybody. He probably challenged Ichigo to a beef to try and prove that he could protect me or something along those lines.” I sighed a little bit buckling my seatbelt and my mom sat in the back of the car with me.

“I want to be next to my little girl right now Kojiro.” He told my dad and I saw the small pout but knew that my dad wouldn’t fight him on this.

“I guess I’ll just have to sit up here all by my lonesome then.” My mom muttered just drive you stupid primate and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit at the two of them.

“I’ve missed you lately anyways mom, it seems that you’ve been more busy than normal.” He sighed a little bit nodding his head.

“More and more orders have been coming in, I envy your brother for wanting to work on tattoos instead of going my route. Have you ever thought about getting ink done?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.

“I already told him that once he gets his own shop together that I would be his first customer. I’ll always support him no matter what he wants to do. It’s what siblings do even though sometimes we fight about trivial things.” I shrugged my shoulders and my mom chuckled softly at me as I leaned my head against his side tiredly.

“Did you have a lot of homework?” I nodded my head through my yawn. That was always my problem was that I had too much homework and it took me forever if I wanted to get things done the right way. It left me with minimal free time with my brother or just to myself at all.

“I’ll talk to your principal tomorrow this is getting ridiculous Sakura. You can’t be pulling these all nights. Your still just 15 and this is not what you should be doing as a young teenager. You should be out having fun with your friends, spending time with your brother, working with the drama club instead of worrying about the test tomorrow.” My mom tied his hair up into a tighter ponytail so that it wouldn’t get in his face once he was on his board.

“Mom you don’t have to call anybody it’s fine really. Everybody else has to do the same amount of work. It’s my fault for being so slow at getting things done. Haru doesn’t need to stay up this late in order to get his work done. I’m just stupid…” He squeezed my hand lightly running his thumb along the knuckle of my hands.

“You are not stupid Sakura. You are extremely smart it just takes time for you to learn how to do things the right way and that is not your fault that the teachers aren’t doing their job properly. Don’t think that I haven’t heard the videos that you watch in your room that explain the concepts to you.” I blushed a bright pink now feeling even more stupid than I did a few minutes ago.

“Needing help in school, it’s not a bad thing flower. You don’t have to be perfect at every little thing in fact I prefer you when you aren’t. You’re my little girl and you can bake me out of my own restaurant. So what if it takes you longer to do homework than everybody else? That doesn’t make you dumb or anything, it just means that you put in more effort instead of just wiping it out for the sake of doing something else.” My dad reasoned as he pulled out of the restaurant’s driveway. All the lights in the homes being off and people’s establishments being closed in this neighborhood that usually was lit up felt almost unnatural to me.

“I am calling the school because this can’t go on any longer. It’s bad enough that you have to do late rehearsals but staying up until three in the morning to do homework right it’s ridiculous. You’re just a kid you shouldn’t have bags underneath your eyes.” Something about my mom’s tone told me that I had already lost this argument.

“Okay mom just go easy on them. I don’t need my teachers suddenly getting more on my case because I have a demanding parent.” I tried to joke but his gold eyes told me that I had just talked myself into an even deeper hole than I had originally started off with.

“Do they give you extra work because of us?” I sputtered because the notion of that just seemed so utterly ridiculous.

“Mom no they aren’t homophobic everybody is really nice at my high school. I mean they accept Haru just fine so everybody is great just trust me. I love my friends and my drama club mates there. It’s just that I have a lot of homework that has nothing to do with either of you. My teachers warned me that they would give out several hours of homework per class when I started high school.” I reminded him and my mom just sighed running a hand through his fringe.

“It just doesn’t seem right that your brother gets done with his homework in no time at all while you seem to take all day and night. I haven’t seen much of you lately because of all the homework that your getting. I like seeing my little girl’s smiling face when I come home and not seeing her buried in homework.” I sighed a little bit. Now I felt guilty for always having to do my schoolwork and pushing out family time. I hadn’t meant to withdraw since it wasn’t my choice in general. I wished that I didn’t have so much homework so that I could spend more time with my parents.

“If you’re trying to get your mom to back down trust me it won’t work sweetheart. He never backs down from anything believe me I know. I haven’t been able to get him off my ass since we were seven years old.” My mom kicked my dad’s backseat muttering insatiable gorilla under his breath that caused me to laugh at the two of them.

“I know I give up, you can call the school. You’ll probably need to for Haru anyways. He’ll be out for a little while if the injuries in the picture that Ai sent me are anything to go by. He’s going to hate not being able to play basketball. Of course, it’s his own fault for being such an idiot.” My dad just laughed at the two of us interacting off each other.

“He’ll be lucky to be a benchwarmer for the rest of the season if I have anything to say about it. Consider it his ultimate punishment. I won’t ground him for too long but I still want him to learn his lesson about how his actions have consequences.” I could see the look of cold dead seriousness in his eyes and I knew that my mom meant business. There was no way in anything that Haruki was getting out of this scot-free.

“Am I in trouble too? If I had just asked Ichi out in the first place then we wouldn’t be here…” He stopped his tirade making a gentle shushing sound putting his arm around my shoulders.

“Never, this is not your fault Sakura okay? You didn’t want to ruin your friendship that you have with that boy and this is not your fault for being scared. I remember I was terrified to my core about asking your dad out on our first date.” My dad smiled at me through his mirror at the front of the car. I hugged my mom tightly and he just thumbed at my cheeks.

“It was not your fault. This would have happened at some point anyways because your brother is competitive. He gets it from your dad.” My dad laughed brightly and I felt a big hand ruffle my hair lightly.

“Hands on the wheel you stupid primate, you do not want to get on my bad side right now.” My mom threatened and I laughed a little bit at how fast my dad pulled his hand away from my hair. I sighed at the messed up hair that he had given me as I retied it this time slightly tighter than the last so it wouldn’t come undone as easily.

“Sorry Kao just trying to give her some affection. I don’t blame you either flower you’re just doing your best Saki and quite frankly I’m proud of you for getting such good grades even if it’s been taking a lot of your free time away from the things that are really important. Your mom just wants to spend more time with you and I don’t blame him. You’ve been working crazy hard and we’ve all missed you.” I sighed a little bit. In trying to not let everybody down I had done just the opposite and let them down in a different way.

“I’m sorry that I haven’t been as attentive as I could be. I learned my lesson though and I know better for next time. Hard work is important but so is spending time with the people that you love more than anything.” My mom put his arm comfortingly around my shoulders pulling me closer into his side while avoiding me getting pulled out of my seatbelt.

“It’s a lesson that I am still struggling to learn and I’m an adult. You get your lack of knowing when to actually quit working from me as well as your stubbornness.” I heard my dad mutter at least he finally admits it as my mom once again kicked his backseat.

“I don’t believe that I asked the opinions of an oafish meathead. I’m trying to be sincere.” I laughed at the two of them mentally logging oafish meathead for my next argument with Haru.

“I know you were mom and thank you for that. I needed to hear that. I’m going to stop working so hard, besides it seems like the harder I work the more tired I am to actually focus during classes. I could probably start doing a little bit of the work at lunch…” My mom shook his head at my getting out his phone.

“Carla, leave a note for me.” He told his AI and I looked at the machine as I always did in sheer awe. Haru was always better at science then me so this kind of thing always amazed me.

“What note would you like for me leave master?” I saw my dad lightly mutter he could have just told me and I just mimed a lip zip. I didn’t want to get him even angrier because the angrier my mom got the more likely one or both of us would get caught in the crossfire.

“Don’t make me hurt you up there you primate. I want you to remind me once Sakura’s rehearsal starts tomorrow to call her school and lecture her principal. I also want to see if I can organize a meeting with her teachers.” I felt my eyes well up with tears at the fact that he really was serious about taking this all the way to the top.

“Done master, it is in your calendar. Do you need anything else for me at this time?” My mom sighed resting his cheek against my head.

“Can you also see if there is an opening with Haru’s doctor tomorrow?” I saw the buffering signals and saw three options appear in front of my mom.

“There are three openings for Dr. Fujiwara tomorrow, would you like for me to pick the earliest one master?” My mom hummed in thought before picking the second option and a checkmark appeared in front of him.

“The first one was too early wasn’t it beautiful? It’s already late, should we just call both of our kids in sick tomorrow? I can have my help run the restaurant tomorrow if you want me to go with you to the doctor.” My heart warmed at the typical sweetness that my dad exuded. Even though they fought and bickered more often than not there was always these sweet soft moments that reminded me they loved each other more than anything.

“If you can do that I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. I love you.” I saw the smile that my dad had and it outshined even the sun on it’s brightest days.

“Love you too baby. How are you hanging in there flower? You doing okay? You can sleep in tomorrow. I’ll make pancakes.” He promised and I cheered lightly for my dad’s breakfasts. It was rare that we had breakfast as a family on the weekends. Dinner time was designated family time when we all had to hang out together even I had been avoiding that for the last little while.

“I’m alright dad, thanks for checking in. I’m a little bit more tired then I would like but I’ll probably have an adrenaline rush once I get to skating and then be up all morning.” My mom sighed a little bit looking out the window.

“I’d like for you to get some sleep as soon as we get your brother in the car. I would also like for you take it easy if you stay home from school tomorrow like I want for you to. No doing anything strenuous. You never take downtime for yourself.” My mom mentioned to me and I nodded my head. I knew that I would have to follow his orders because once he got like this his word was law and needed to be followed.

“I agree with your mom flower. I won’t be there all day to make sure that your not doing anything too crazy so I’m just going to have to trust you. Can you take one day and just do nothing? Please? For me?” I nodded my head resigning myself to my fate. My fate of sitting on the couch and watching cartoons with my brother tomorrow. It didn’t sound like too bad of a day. Plus, tomorrow was Friday so getting a three day weekend was just what the doctor ordered.

“But then can I go out with Ichi this weekend?” My mom playfully hummed in thought and I heard the screech of the car as my dad came to a stop too fast.

“Kojiro.” The low hiss of his voice just screamed that bad things were to come if he did that again. I partially blamed myself for the bad driving.

“Sorry dad! It was a legitimate question, I didn’t know that you were going to go and do that.” I waved my hand and my mom sighed a little bit getting back to his original position.

“I don’t see why not Sakura, you will not interrogate the poor boy Koji. He probably has to go through enough with Haru at school constantly telling him that our daughter deserves better.” I sighed not forgetting about that. I would have to sit my brother down and have a nice long talk with him.

“Flower, I know that you’re growing up. I did everything that I could to stop you from getting a boyfriend but I guess I didn’t try hard enough at scaring them all off. Either that or Ichigo is just super persistent. I think it’s both because from what I’ve seen of him he worships the ground you walk on anyway. I won’t interrogate the kid just yet, I’ll wait until he’s your official boyfriend.” My dad waited for the light to turn green again and I felt my eyes well up with tears. It was far too early to have nearly cried this many times and I tried to suck back the tears.

“She’s growing up Koji, we always knew that we’d have to let her date at some point and I think you’ve pushed it out long enough. I remember when you used to chase the neighborhood boys out of the restaurant for just wanting to spend time with her.” I laughed a little bit at the memory of my dad chasing after six year olds with ladles yelling at them to not ever come back.

“Hey I’ll have you know that all of those kids were punks and they didn’t deserve my angel of a daughter hanging out with them.” I tentatively raised my hand from the backseat wanting to interject into this conversation.

“Umm dad, one time you did that with Ai and another time with Klaus…” I reminded him not wanting to turn this into a heated debate. My mom just laughed at the memory.

“I still remember the look on their faces! It was so funny, they have been terrified of coming into the restaurant ever since then.” My dad rolled his eyes at his husband’s over dramatic nature but even I knew that he was making a good point. My dad had the tendency to take the term overprotective and make it into a whole new thing.

“Okay maybe I have gone a little bit overkill in the past. I think that you should at least go on one date with the boy and see if he’s everything that you’ve been building towards in your head.” I smiled softly at the encouragement from both of my parents. I could always count on them to bring their own unique personalities that so often clashed with each other to each problem that I had.

“I have a feeling that boy would treat you right otherwise I wouldn’t be encouraging this at all. I spent a long time looking at the two of you together whenever he would come home from school with you. I know that he makes you really truly happy and that’s all I’ve wanted for either of my kids.” My mom gently kissed my forehead and I found myself in this warm bubble of happiness.

“So the beef looks like it’s on the other side of town, near the caves.” My dad mentioned as he began to head in that direction and I yawned a little bit too obviously.

“Do you want to get some sleep Sakura?” I shook my head animatedly. If I fell asleep I would miss this time that I spent with both of my parents together and those were rare occurrences.

“How are rehearsals going flower? Your mom and I are really excited for the show that you put on!!” I smiled softly at my dad. Both of my parents had been encouraging of my hobbies to the point where they had started going to every show, even the awful ones back in elementary school when I was bit by the theater bug.

“The rehearsals are going really well! Everything is starting to come together, I was fitted for my final costume for Penny today so I’m really excited to start performing. I’m kind of glad that I didn’t get Tracy since that would be even more work for me, plus I don’t really have her physique.” I smiled at the idea of my friend Kanade who was going to absolutely own the role once our shows actually started. At first when I got the role I had been a little bit angry that I got such a simple character but I had grown to love Penny.

“I’m just glad that you are happy with how everything turned out. I know that you were frustrated with your casted role but I’m proud of you for making something unique out of it.” My mom reminded me of how hard he knew I was working to get everything perfect for opening night.

“Our flower working so hard to make the best product possible. It’s when she’s rehearsing that she reminds me the most of you Ru. She’s always so into her roles and it reminds me of watching you do calligraphy.” I saw my mom blush a light pink before I heard one of my favorite sounds, his laugh, come from him.

“Alright you idiot I forgive you for that earlier screeching stop. You don’t have to woo me with false flattery.” I heard my dad protest to the fact that it was entirely true as I slipped my headphones around my neck.

“He’s right mom he was being entirely genuine right there as sickeningly sweet as it was. Props to you though dad that was really cute. Is that true?” I rarely ever acted like my mom. Most of the time I was a carbon copy of my dad’s passions and his general personality and Haru acted like mom.

“It is true, trust me I’ve watched Ru do his work for years and you look the exact same whenever you get really into a character.” I smiled softly at my mom waiting for his approval as well. He just smiled at me nuzzling his nose against mine.

“I never thought that I actually looked like that but people other than the oaf like gorilla have told me that I do get a certain sparkle in my eye when I’m working. I mostly see it in you when you’re performing or when your brother shoots a three point basket during a game.” He talked about how he thought that I looked and I smiled softly through my laugh.

“I’ve definitely seen the look on Haru’s face before! I love when he gets happy like that. It’s something that I usually see when he makes a hard basket or a dunk. I really hope one day he decides that he wants to go pro with it but I don’t know if that will happen.” I sighed a little bit. I knew that was secretly Haru’s dream, more than opening his own tattoo parlor but that being trans would be a major problem for him.

“I think that if anybody will find a way to do the impossible it would be our Haru. The first trans national basketball player has a nice ring to it.” My dad smiled a little bit and I could tell that he would do whatever it took to support him in his endeavors.

“Haru will find a way to achieve whatever dreams he so desires. It is not our place to tell him what he should or should not do oaf. I would support my son no matter what he wanted to do.” My mom blew his hair out of his face and I could tell in his golden eyes that he loved both of us equally no matter how often his work forced him to be away from us.

“We’ll have a family day tomorrow flower, it’ll be fun!! You deserve it you’ve been working really hard. I’ll let you make all the snacks.” My dad promised and I felt my eyes light up at the idea of cooking. I had resigned myself to being the future owner of my dad’s restaurant once he decided to retire and it was something that I was actually really looking forward to. I loved cooking about as much as I loved musical theater.

“I’ll make the freshly made popcorn, that’s how you’ve got to do it. I’ll also make the hot chocolate recipe for Haru. Something tells me the poor thing is going to need it.” I sighed a little bit wondering what in the world my idiot brother had been thinking.

“From now on I want you to keep an extra eye on your brother whenever you can. When you can’t send Ai to look out for him. Just in case. I know I’m probably just being overly protective and you can tell me if I am Koji.” My dad smiled softly at his husband squeezing his hand lightly with a small smile on his face.

“I wouldn’t consider that overprotective baby you care about your kids and the way that our son is acting right now I’d say that somebody needs to look out for him.” My dad tried to joke but I just smiled softly at him gazing out the window at the world around us.

“I’ll try my best but I won’t promise that he’ll actually listen to me.” I joked humming under my breath as I saw the entrance to the beef or what looked like it.

“Your both stubborn but I’m proud of you sweetheart. Just go out there and find him. Please.” I gave my mom a thumbs up and grabbed my board.

“We’ll be right behind you flower!!” My dad told me and I looked around the audience seeing Ai. I quickly walked over to him.

“How far ahead is he?” I asked my old friend and he just sighed a little bit showing me another picture with even more injuries.

“It’s obvious that he hasn’t been skating professionally very often. He’s a long ways ahead by now, the way that he’s going he might actually beat Ichigo if you don’t get to him first. This is his exact location.” He told me showing me on the map and I nodded my head virtually filing that information away as I set up my longboard. I plugged in my headphones to my phone and went speeding down the hill hoping that I would find my brother. I went around the corner with practiced ease. I really hoped that my brother wouldn’t be too banged up by the time that I got to him. It had been so long that I skated for something that was fun. Usually it was just a mode of transportation to get me to and from school when my parents were too busy to drive me. As I rounded another corner and went up a ramp I found myself going up it and doing a familiar rail slide. I looked ahead of me seeing that I still had a long way to go. I saw a familiar head of black hair that told me Ichigo wasn’t too far ahead of me.

“Hey Ichi!” I called out to him and watched his sea green eyes turn around worriedly as if trying to placate me and tell me that this wasn’t what it looked like.

“It wasn’t my idea I swear, he challenged me after school. He told me that I needed to prove that I was worthy of your heart and if I didn’t do it then I was a coward.” I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose tightly.

“Can you direct me in the general direction of my local idiot?” He laughed at me directing his board just ever so slightly in front of me.

“Will you go out on a date with me on Saturday?” I blurted not able to keep these feelings to myself anymore and heard the shocked laugh from my friend.

“Only if I get to plan the next one kay? I can’t believe that you actually beat me to the punch. I guess it took us long enough. I’m sorry that I made you wait so long that apparently your own brother had to challenge me to a beef in order to get this far ahead.” I rolled my eyes at the mention of my moronic younger brother.

“I wouldn’t pay much attention to him. He sometimes says things without thinking. Not that he has many brain cells to begin with.” I heard Ichigo’s laugh as he led me down the pathway and I turned my longboard around the corner.

“I’m catching up to you flower!!” I cursed under my breath at the sound of my dad’s voice since he was only a few feet behind me.

“Is that your dad?” Ichigo asked me whipping his head around clearly terrified. Not that I could blame him, my dad basically put the fear of God into all of my male friends which most of them were.

“My mom is here too, he’s the one who woke me up a while back. I am so tired but I just want to make sure that my brother is okay. I might bicker and insult him a lot but I can’t help it. It’s the environment that we grew up in. My parents lovingly bicker almost 24/7 so I guess that just passed onto me and Haru.” My friend just smiled softly as I talked about my parents. Ichigo rounded the corner doing a flip on his board and I saw the bright laugh that left him. I couldn’t help but think that he was the most attractive and amazing person that I had ever seen. He was constantly surprising me with what he could do on his board since I couldn’t do a whole lot of tricks on my longboard other than a rail slide.

“Haru!” I yelled out to my brother seeing a familiar mop of green curly hair that was sticking out awkwardly outside of his helmet.

“Sakura, what are you doing here?!” He asked me exasperatedly and I jerked a thumb back at our parents who were lovingly bickering.

“Mom woke me up because he went into your bedroom and saw that you were gone. He promptly freaked out and woke me up panicking because he thought that you were kidnapped or something. You know how he gets. So anyways, he woke me up and now I’m here to talk some sense into your stupid head.” I caught up to him gasping at the wounds that he had that were staring me in the face. I would have to patch him up once we got back home. After mom had finished yelling at him for being reckless.

“Come on moron, let’s go home. I already asked Ichigo out on a date this weekend anyways so you challenging him to a beef was virtually pointless.” I told him stopping his board and grabbing his arms to stop him from falling.

“Why can’t I ever just do one thing for myself? It seems that you get all the free will and I’m left with jackshit. I always get busted.” He kicked a rock sitting down on his board. I looked at my brother with wide eyes.

“Is that really what you think babe? Because that’s not true, I have just as much freewill as you do. Which is to say not a lot with mom around and dad scaring off every guy that’s ever come into contact with me. I just dealt with it because that’s the hand that was given to me. I love mom and dad more than anything in the entire world even if their bickering is exhausting. They love us too otherwise they wouldn’t have worried about you so much. I get busted sometimes too incase you’ve forgotten.” I kicked his foot lightly with mine putting my arm carefully around his shoulders.

“Let’s just go home yeah? We can talk about what you were thinking tomorrow after I patch you up and you go the doctor for any mandatory stitches.” I told him and he rested his cheek against my shoulder. Even though it was bloody and getting blood on my hoodie I couldn’t care less. My brother was physically okay and to me that was everything that really mattered. Even if he got on my nerves more often then not he was still my younger brother.

“I’m sorry that you had to be woken up for my stupid ass shit…” He told me and I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“Let me go out with Ichigo and we’ll call it even okay? Not that you could ever physically stop me from doing something that I wanted to do. I don’t need your permission to do anything. I’m not happy that you made that decision for me ass.” I yanked on his piercing that was in his ear harshly and he winced in pain. I could see the remorse in his usually bright and sparkling yellow eyes.

“I was just trying to do something right by you for once. I thought that it would make you happy. We fight so much that I just wanted to see you smile…” I lightly nudged my brother’s side with a small sad smile on my face.

“I fight with you because I worry about you and the life decisions that you make sometimes. It’s hard for me to see your side of things and I promise that I’m not that mad at you.” I reminded him that I could always be more angry with him and I had been in the past over things that were way stupider than this.

“I know I owe you big time for this one. I really messed this up and mom is probably so pissed at me right now.” I laughed a little bit at my brother’s thoughts because yeah, that was the understatement of the century.

“You’ve got that right Haru. I am very angry with you for sneaking out.” I could hear the cold tone of my mom’s voice and I just patted Haru’s back in good luck. I did not want to be around when this ice storm started. I grabbed my board and my dad just put his arm around my shoulders.

“I’m proud of you kiddo. You didn’t get mad at your brother when you easily could have. That alone means that your growing and I’m proud of you for that flower.” He encouraged me and I smiled softly at my dad.

“I asked Ichigo out for a date on Saturday. He said yes but that he gets to ask me out on the next one.” I couldn’t help the happy skip in my step at the idea that I had something to look forward to this weekend.

“I’m glad sweetheart, not that he would’ve ever said no. I’ve seen the way that boy has always looked at you.” I blushed a light pink at the idea with a small laugh of not being able to hide anything from my dad. Ichigo had been one of those people that I had grown up with since a young age because our parents knew one another despite the fact that Miya was so much younger. It had taken him a while apparently to settle down with somebody and have Ichigo.

“He’s the only guy that you haven’t managed to have running for the hills so far dad. I hope that for your sake it stays that way because I don’t think I’m ever going to find another guy quite like him. I know that I’m young and everything but he’s special to me.” My dad just softly nuzzled his cheek against mine wincing when he felt the wet squish of blood.

“Sorry! That’s Haru’s he was leaning against that side, I have to patch him up when we get back home.” I slipped my headphones around my neck and my dad just sighed a little bit. “

This has been quite the eventful evening and not at all was expecting when I eventually went to bed this morning.” I laughed at my dad totally understanding where he was coming from. I bounced on the heels of my shoes with a small smile on my face.

“I’m just glad that Haru is okay. I know that mom probably has the lecture of the century planned out for him but in reality just the fact that he isn’t gravely injured is enough for me.” I reminded him looking back at my brother who looked absolutely terrified of our mom.

“He could have been hurt a lot worse if we hadn’t gotten here so quickly. They were barely even halfway down the course. How did Ichigo look?” I blushed a bright pink remembering the moves that he could do on his skateboard.

“He wasn’t injured at all. Then again, he still boards professionally for the most part. He only took the techie job so that he could look after me. For some reason he took that job upon himself.” I looked at my dad with a raised eyebrow.

“Well gee, I wonder who put that idea into his head. It certainly wasn’t me I can tell you that right now.” My dad was never the type that could lie or look conspicuous easily. My mom always lightly teased him that he couldn’t lie to save his own ass.

“You look stupid dad, I know it was you so you don’t need to cover it up like that. Why did you say something like that to him?” My dad sighed a little bit keeping his arm around my shoulders supportively. For as much as he knew that I could handle myself sometimes I wondered if he didn’t trust me at all.

“I just want to make sure that your properly looked after. I’ve always liked Ichigo. Ever since you two were kids and he first came into your brother and yours lives. He makes you happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you was to be able to be happy. Also to not have to pine for decades after one person because you were too stubborn. I knew that he was going to be different from the other boys that hung around you when you were younger. He was the persistent type. So I told him to look after you as much as he could. That’s why he became a tech crew member.” I looked over at Ichigo who was in his own little world with his headphones on. I could already tell what he was listening to just by his feet movements. For as much as he prided himself on being a badass skater boi he was deep down a huge nerd.

“I am happy dad, even if I didn’t have Ichi I would still be happy. I have a great family, an amazing brother, and I get to do musical theater for fun something that I’ve always wanted to do.” I shrugged it off and my dad just smiled softly at me.

“I know your happy flower but you’ve always been happier when your with that boy doing your own thing. Besides, without him you wouldn’t be nearly as confident as you are right now and I’m happy for that.” I laughed a little bit at my dad shaking my head. I knew that there was no way that I was going to win this argument and I was far too bone deep exhausted to carry on with it.

“Twenty thousand yen says that you can’t guess what he’s listening to.” He told me and I couldn’t help but laugh because this was the easiest bet that I would ever win.

“Lost In Paradise. He does the foot movements for the ending song all the time whenever he listens to it. I’d recognize it anywhere. Want me to go and fact check for you?” My dad laughed openly at me and let go of my shoulder.

“Go work your magic kiddo. I’ll handle your mom when he eventually catches up to me.” I smiled softly at my dad catching up with my best friend and lightly tapping him on the shoulder. I saw his startled jump and him clutch at his hoodie.

“Were you listening to Lost In Paradise?” I asked him and he just smiled a little bit sheepishly at me showing me his phone and that I was one hundred percent right.

“I was right dad!” I smirked a little bit when he sighed. Ichigo just laughed at the familiar bickering with my dad and me.

“You just know me way too well. Are you-umm are you sure that you want to go on a date with me?” He played with his index fingers and I nodded my head.

“My brother doesn’t make decisions for me. I do. I’ve liked you for a really, really long time. Probably about four years now Ichi. I was just too worried about ruining our friendship to say anything.” I took his hand with a small smile on my face.

“You could’ve just told me that you liked me. I knew that you were hiding something from me because you suck at lying it’s one of the few things that makes you like your dad. If you had just told me then we could have started dating in middle school. I’ve pretty much had a massive crush on you since I met you Sakura. I mean how could I not?” I blushed a bright pink cursing my stupid anxiety for getting me this far ahead.

“Well I’m just me there isn’t really anything that special about me. Unless you like your girls with a temper.” I tried to joke even though it sort of fell flat due to how tired I was right now. Ichigo just blinked at me.

“I don’t think that you have a temper it just means that you care about people. I don’t know many people that would get up at three in the morning after only getting two hours of sleep to rescue their younger brother with her parents. You love your family, it’s something that I’ve always known. Even though you pick fights with them it’s so clear that you care about who they are as people. You love your mom and your dad even though they exhaust you. I don’t think that anybody else could put up with all the bickering the way that you do.” I sighed a little bit with a small smile on my face picking up a rock on the ground and thumbing the edge of it.

“They do exhaust me but at the same time I wouldn’t want them any other way. They’re loud, crazy, bicker constantly, most of their nicknames are low key insults, but they’re my parents. They’ve done everything within their power to make sure that I’m okay at school and at home. Even if that meant that my dad scared off every guy other than you from his restaurant. And you only came back because you were persistent.” Ichigo just laughed a little bit at the memory of him being smaller and my dad towering over him.

“I thought that your dad was super admirable because of how often he was there for you. Everyone knows that mine was off and on not that I have any room to complain. He taught me everything that I know about skating and I still am trying to get on his level.” I smiled softly at my best friend walking up the slope next to him.

“You’ll get there one of these days. If anything, I get your feeling. The idea of taking over dad’s restaurant terrifies me. There are all sorts of what if’s that run through my head on a daily basis. Mainly the idea that I’ll let him down. That bugs me constantly.” I didn’t usually mention the amount of pressure that I felt dealing with the looming dread of inheriting one of the most popular restaurants in all of Okinawa.

“Your dad gave you the restaurant because he knows that you can handle it Sakura. It’s a lot of pressure but you don’t need to do everything by yourself. I doubt that he did too. He had your mom on his side even if it was with leering sarcasm a lot of the time.” I laughed a little bit wondering if he would do the same for me, even if this didn’t work out in the long run.

“I know I don’t but asking for help is easier said than done. I say that I can handle it myself but even he can’t do that and has people that help him out. I love cooking and baking. I always will even if it’s a lot of pressure for me to be perfect consistently.” Ichigo leaned against my side causing me to flush a bright pink. It was a miracle that he hadn’t figured out my feelings so much earlier than he actually did because he was a super tactical type.

“I’ll be there to support you, no matter what happens got that? You were my best friend first for our entire lives pretty much so even if dating doesn’t work I’ll always be in your corner. You will run yourself into the ground if you keep going like this though. Is your mom going to do something about all the extra homework that you get?” I gulped a little bit hearing the familiar footsteps coming up behind me. I knew that this wasn’t going to end well.

“Extra. Homework. Ichigo. Explanation. Now.” My mom said, his voice an ominous dark thing that had me cowering behind my best friend.

“Well they always give her extra homework because she isn’t the best in a lot of subjects. She manages to get straight B’s but to her that’s not good enough. So she begs them for extra homework to maintain her straight A track record.” Thanks Ichigo, you know what I take everything that I just said back. I hate you. You suck.

“Sakura, is this true?” I nodded my head faintly and the hug that I got I wasn’t really expecting. My mom had never been much for affection in public preferring to be doting in private.

“You do not need to be perfect all the time. I know that this is something that you’ve struggled with for longer than you would like to admit. This is not okay though. We will work on your self worth. You are worth so much more than you know my darling. It is not worth all this staying up all night just so that you can feel more accomplished. It’s exhausting you and that is not something that I will put up with willingly.” My mom reprimanded lightly and I sighed a little bit into the hug that I was receiving. Ichigo just smiled softly at me.

“There was that so hard? I told you to just talk about what you were going through but as usual you never listen to me.” Ichigo mocked slightly and I glared half heartedly at my best friend for throwing me underneath the metaphorical bus.

“I just wanted you to be proud of me mom. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. I know it probably sounds selfish but I thought that if I worked hard enough I would be smart like Haru…” My mom cradled my face in his hands resting his forehead against mine.

“Both your brother and you have different strengths and weaknesses. I have never known you to be the academic type, you’ve always been more practical. Your head is full of recipes rather than algebra, your dad was the same way when we were in school. It’s not about who gets the best grades at the end of the day. It’s about how hard you work. I know that you work hard and you do your best. That’s all I’ve ever wanted from you my darling. You didn’t need to beg for extra homework just to maintain the same grade point average that your brother does.” He comforted me lightly even though I could tell that what I had said bothered him.

“I will always be proud of you Sakura. You work hard. That alone amounts to how amazing you can be. You baked your first cake all by yourself for your dad’s birthday when you were five. That is not something that the average person can do. For that I will always be so proud of you. You and your brother are naturally different people, much like your dad and I. I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world my darling. I know how hard you worked even before all this extra homework and I was always proud of you.” He doted on me putting his arm comfortingly around me in a tight hug. I clung to my mom trying to rein in my tears.

“It’s okay to cry Sakura, it’s perfectly natural. I’m sorry that you had to hear it from me Kaoru. I think that it was about time that you knew about the true meaning behind the extra homework.” Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck his dark hair sticking up at odd angels.

“Thank you for telling me Ichigo. It appears that both of my children have forgotten what it is like to be a member of this family.” I felt the sweat drip down my neck and pool at the base of my spine knowing that this conversation was far from over.

“I will proceed with this talk on Sunday. Be prepared for it.” He warned me and I nodded my head stoically grateful that he was giving me at least two days to myself.

“At least he’s letting you off easy right now? Before he would’ve demanded that you talk about it right now. I guess he was really worried about Haru?” I nodded my head with a small sigh. I actually felt a lot better getting that off my chest. I knew that my mom had been worried about me for a long time coming but actually admiring to the reasoning behind all the excess homework made my chest feel a whole lot lighter.

“Are you skipping school tomorrow?” I nodded my head rubbing at my eyes with a big yawn almost tripping.

“Here, lean against me Sakura.” Ichigo told me putting his arm around my shoulders to make sure that I wouldn’t trip and fall flat on my face.

“Sorry that you have to do this for me…” I apologized but my best friend just laughed a little bit at me resting his cheek against my pink hair.

“It’s no big deal really, you’ve had a really emotional night and I know that you haven’t had the easiest time right now. I’m glad that you feel better after talking to your mom and telling her the truth.” I smiled softly at the never ending love and support from my childhood friend.

“I’m actually not dreading the lecture coming because I know that I’ll feel better once I get it done. Though his angry voice just now did terrify me.” I laughed a little bit at my friend as I felt him shutter against me.

“Nothing is scarier than your dad’s interrogations if I’m being entirely honest. It used to scare the absolute crap out of me when I was little. The only reason that I kept coming back was because you were there and you made me happy. I got to teach you skateboarding and we got to have fun together.” I smiled softly since he was the one that got me my first longboard and taught me the basics. I just happened to pick it up super fast and finally had the ability to say that I could ride a skateboard. True, it was a longboard but I finally felt like I fit in amongst my family.

“We did have a lot of fun together as kids. I’m grateful that you were one of the few that stuck around Ichi. I know that he couldn’t have made it easy. He promised me that he wouldn’t interrogate you again unless you became my boyfriend.” I saw the colors flush across my best friend’s cheeks at the idea of him dating me. It was a pretty amazing thought, it wasn’t like he needed to work that hard to make me fall for him when I was already in love with him.

“Then I’ll just have to prepare a thick set of armer for when that happens. For I shall not let milady fight alone.” He joked. I laughed a little bit with a bright pink blush on my cheeks. When I was younger Haru, Ichigo, Ai, and Klaus had been my himbo knights of the round table and we had acted out different stories that we made up as we went along. Even as a young kid I still had the same best friends that I did now. They were the greatest things that had ever happened to me.

“I love you Ichi…” I told him tiredly and he flushed a bright pink with a small stumble but I could tell that he was still happy, ridiculously happy.

“I love you too, I’ll tell you so much that you’ll get sick of it.” He promised me and my heart melted at the sheer idea of having somebody that loved me. True, I had my parents but part of me felt that they were contractually obligated to love me. Ichigo loved me by choice.

“Me too. I can’t promise that my sharp tongue will be tamed or that I won’t bicker with you because it’s basically in my blood at this point. It’s how I show love thanks mom.” I mocked jokingly and my best friend? Boyfriend? Just laughed at at me all the same.

“I wouldn’t trade your sharp tongue for anything in the world. It’s just another thing that I loved about you from a young age. You were the only person that could shut down any jerks on the playground and I just followed you around like a lost puppy dog.” I smiled fondly at the memory. I missed those days when I felt like I could be queen of the playground and tell off bullies instead of being too scared to do it like I was now. As a kid, I didn’t fear anything. I just said whatever was on my mind no matter how rude or unseemly it was.

“I’ll cover you for you in theater tomorrow. God knows that you need a break. I don’t want you doing anything strenuous tomorrow. Not if you can help it.” He advised me and my heart warmed at the idea that he was trying to protect me.

“Don’t worry, my whole family is taking a vacation day and we’re all relaxing. Nobody is doing a damn thing other than taking Haru to the doctor. To which I’ll probably still be asleep. I have a lot of sleep that I want to catch up on.” Ichigo leaned his head against mine with a small loving smile on his face. I couldn’t help but smile along with him, it was such an adorable boyish smile.

“It’s been a while since you’ve had a family day. Seems like it to me anyways, I used to hate them when I was younger because I would be super bored. Hanging out with Ai and Klaus without you just wasn’t the same.” I smiled softly poking his pink cheek with a small laugh. I couldn’t help but do all the things that I had always wanted to do flustered Ichigo. A big part of it was sleep deprivation I needed to get more sleep at night.

“Aww Ichi, I didn’t know that you cared about younger me so much.” I teased lightly and he just rolled his sea green eyes at me.

“You totally knew you can’t lie to me Sakura. You had to have known that I was smitten with you all these years. My dad pretty much never let it go telling me how gross it was thinking about how basically his parents would one day be his future in-laws.” I blushed hotly at the idea of my uncle being the way that he was. Some things would never change and Miya was the youngest out of all the group that came before us. He retained a lot of that childish love of pranks and messing with other people.

“I know that I’m a rotten liar. It’s amazing that I was able to lie to my mom for this long about the extra homework. I’ll just be grateful when I don’t have to beg for it anymore.” I sighed heavily the idea of all that work finally going away not fully sunken in yet.

“I don’t think that your rotten at it really. It’s just that your too pure to be lying to people like that. You were always way more open than most of the other people that we hung around with growing up. I miss that.” I smiled softly at my best friend seeing my family’s car in front of me thankfully done with that walk back up the hill.

“Hey Sakura!” I heard Ai call to me from his spot where he was seated on the ground next to the television screen that was hooked up.

“I see that you found your wayward brother, your mom did not look happy when he got here. Did something happen on his way back up the hill?” I sighed a little bit running my hand through my fringe at the ends of my pink hair.

“He might have found out the reasoning behind all the extra homework and needless to say I am not his favorite person right now. I probably won’t be for quite sometime. But it’s okay, I know that he loves me no matter what. It’s just that I wouldn’t be happy with me right now either.” I told Ai and he just laughed a little bit at me.

“Well better you then me I’d say, is he at least giving you some time before he reins hell upon you?” I nodded my head taking off my helmet and setting down my skateboard.

“I should really get going home, do either of you want a ride back?” I asked my two best friends and they both shook their heads.

“We’ll ride our boards back. My dad already knew that I was going out tonight he told me to do my best to win your heart.” I blushed a bright pink hearing Ai’s laughter at the antics of our favorite crazy uncle. I had no idea how long that my uncle had been shipping us but I had a feeling that it was a long time.

“Flower, time to go!!” I heard my dad call from where he had parked the car and I smiled softly at my family.

“I’ll text you both, preferably when I’ve had a bit more sleep than I’ve been getting.” I waved to my two best friend’s as I walked through the crowds to get to the car. I got into the passenger side since my mom already had my brother cuddled up next to him.

“Did your friends want a ride home?” I shook my head buckling up my seatbelt carefully and put my skateboard onto the floor of car.

“They said that they would both ride their boards home and that Miya already knew that Ichigo had gone out tonight.” I smiled softly feeling my eyes droop a little bit. Everything had turned out alright in the end just as it always did. In this family of chaos where something was always happening it was sometimes hard to catch my breath.

“Sweetheart, get some sleep. I’ll wake you back up again when we arrive back at home.” I melted into into the seat and felt my eyes finally fall shut. I hadn’t even realized that I was so exhausted before I had sat down officially in the car. My dad kissed my forehead with a small smile on his face. He put one arm around my shoulder ignoring my mom’s protest and pulled me into his side.

“Just let me have this Ru, she’s tired and she’s been working so much lately.” I melted into the warmth and drifted off into a small catnap on the way back home.

“Flower, we’re back home.” My dad lightly shook me and I rubbed my eyes yawning openly. I looked back and saw my brother snuggled against my mom.

“I do need to patch him up as best I can before his meeting with the doctor tomorrow.” I told my mom and he just smiled softly at his son.

“Haru, Haru get up darling…” I smiled softly at my brother as he rubbed at his golden eyes. I thumbed my dad’s knuckle and I stretched my hands over my head.

“Come on idiot, I need to fix you up as best I can.” I reminded him and he glared lightly at me for calling him an idiot.

“Don’t call me an idiot…” He whined a little bit and I laughed at him and I got out of the car putting my arm around his shoulders.

“I love you Haru, I’m sorry that I’m teasing you I just want you to take better care of yourself.” I reminded him lightly and he leaned his head against my shoulder.

“I love you too Sakura, I’m sorry that you had to get up so early to come after my stupid ass.” I laughed a little bit at my best friend as he clung to my shoulder. I opened the door to the restaurant and he hobbled a little bit up the stairs.

“Did you twist your uncle you moron?” I asked him and he shook his head a little bit against my shoulder. I looped my arm around his waist and helped carry my best friend back up the stairs.

“No I’m just tired. I did something really stupid and I know that mom is really pissed at me.” I sighed a little bit turning my brother around. I led him through the bathroom and he hopped up onto the counter as I got out the first aid kit so that I could heal him.

“This is going to hurt at first as you already know. I’ll be as gentle as I can. I want to make sure that you’re okay.” He hissed a little bit as I dabbed the antiseptic over his varying wounds to her my brother. I carefully bandaged up all his different injuries.

“Okay that was the last one sweetheart. I know that you’ve been going through a lot right now. Do you want to stay by yourself or with me?” He shook his head at the first question and I helped him off of the countertop with a small smile.

“With you if you don’t think that’s weird. I know we used to do it a lot as children but we haven’t done it in a. Really long time.” I smiled softly at my brother putting my arm around his shoulders and laughing a little bit.

“I can’t judge you sweetheart, come on. You can change into your pajamas! I need to get back into mine as well.” I put my clothes back on and my brother crawled in next to me. My mom came in checking on me and making sure that I had done a good job patching up my brother. My brother snuggled next to me and my mom kissed our foreheads.

“Good night my darlings…” He turned the lights off and left the two of us alone so that we could relax and just get some sleep. I was super sleepy and it looked like my brother was at this point too as he snuggled against me. The next day would bring him lots of chaos and new fun things to do with my family.

#fan fiction #sk8 matcha blossom #sk8 the infinity #my ocs #fan kids

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hookedonapirate · 4 years

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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Summary: Detective Killian Jones took an indefinite leave of absence from SBPD after his brother was murdered in the Line of Duty. Bitter and broken, he resides in a cabin on the beach when his brother's former partner, David Nolan brings him a case he knows the vengeful detective won’t be able to resist. A case involving Liam's killer.

Dr. Emma Swan makes all of her decisions like she operates on her patients—with care, competence and compassion. But when her colleague, Graham Humbert, is murdered in cold blood by the man who was freed because of a decision she made as a juror, she starts second-guessing herself. To make matters worse, her squeaky clean reputation is being questioned when she becomes a suspect for Graham’s murder.

There is one detective who believes she’s innocent, and he has a plan to protect Emma and find his brother's killer at the same time. When Killian finds himself caught between his duties to the SBPD and his need for vengeance, matters are only complicated by the feelings he develops for the woman he's supposed to protect.

He's impulsive and hot-tempered, and she's methodical and cool under pressure. Despite their differences, can they work together to bring the murderer to justice, or will the murderer get to them first?

A/N: Many thanks go to @ultraluckycatnd for her wonderful beta-ing skills and @onceuponaprincessworld as always for her encouragement and letting me bounce ideas off of her.

So a few things before we get started with this chapter.

You've probably noticed, I made Emma older than she is usually portrayed in fanfics since being chief of surgery requires an extensive medical background, education, training, experience, etc. Basically this is how old she would be ten years later from the OUAT pilot. With that said, I've made the other main and supporting characters older as well. Emma and David are 38-39, and Killian, Elsa, Anna and MM are 32-35. Just wanted to clarify that to avoid confusion, though I do mention some of their ages in the story. I'm doing my best to keep the timeline consistent but if anything doesn't make sense with the timeline, or in general, please don't hesitate to ask me about it either on here or Tumblr.

Secondly, I know some of you, or maybe all of you are hoping Emma will contact the police about Neal, but keep in mind, Emma's a suspect and yes, contacting the police would be in her best interest, but Emma's going to be paranoid about every move she makes because she overanalyzes and thinks everything through. And any move that could potentially bring more attention to herself regarding graham's murder could effect her career she has worked so hard to obtain. So please keep these things in mind before you get too upset with her.

Also, this chapter is in Killian's pov, so we will see the video footage of Emma's interview. To avoid a bunch of repetition this chapter shows different points of the interview so that's why different questions are shown in this one, except for a few that I included in both chapters..

You will find that Killian has to iron out some wrinkles in his relationships with David and Elsa, so this chapter and the next will include some angst, but I think all of you lovelies are going to like what I have planned for chapter 5, so please bear with me until then :)

Okay enough of my rambling and on with the story. Thanks for reading!

Rated: Explicit due to mature language, character death, violence, murder and smut. The scenes won’t be too graphic, but I’d rather overrate than underrate it.

Catch up: Pro I Ch 1 I Ch 2

Chapter 3

“Uncle Killian!”

With a big smile on his face, Killian watches his nephews charging toward him. He sets down his tackle box and fishing pole and wipes the sweat off his brow as he steps off the dock. “Oof,” he feigns a pained noise with a chuckle as Leo tackles him. Killian picks him up, drawing him into an enormous bear hug, noticing his nephew is heavier than the last time Killian picked him up. “You’re growing too fast. Soon you'll be taller than me.”

“Nah-ah,” Leo laughs, shaking his head.

“Uncle Ki-wi!” Liam wobbles toward him and wraps his arms around Killian’s legs.

“Can you tell they missed you?” Mary Margaret asks as she catches up with her children, David hot on her heels, their hair rustled by the wind.

“No, not at all,” Killian chuckles, setting Leo down to pick up Liam. “It’s been too long. Far too long.” The two brothers are four years apart, and though Killian is not related to them by blood, he’s like a brother to David, thus Uncle Killian to David’s sons. “I missed you too,” Killian says, dropping a kiss to the crown of Liam’s head.

The little lad will be three years old soon, but it feels like only yesterday when Killian cradled the newborn in his arms as the parents announced they were naming him after a man who died a hero—David’s best friend and partner, and Killian’s brother.

He sets little Liam on his feet and looks up at David, noting the laptop satchel strapped around his shoulder. He fooled Killian into thinking this was only a social visit by wearing his casual clothes—khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. And Mary Margaret is carrying a tote bag of beach supplies, ready to lounge on the beach.

“Did you catch anything?” David asks.

“Fishing is not about the catch, mate.”

David grins. “I know. It’s an excuse to drink during the day, right?”

Killian scoffs playfully and waves his words. “Like I need an excuse.”

They share a laugh as they draw each other into a hug and pat one another on the back. They’ve been friends long before Killian joined the Storybrooke Police Department. David’s four years older than him and the same age as Liam would've been—thirty-nine—but the three of them were pretty much inseparable. And after Liam passed, Killian and David shared a heartache neither would ever fully recover from. “I’ve missed you, Jones.”

“Missed you too.” After they break the hug, Killian turns to Mary Margaret, smiling warmly at her. “Thanks for bringing the boys.”

“Of course,” she says, throwing her arms around him. She’s six years younger than David and has been married to him for ten years. They met right after she graduated from college and moved to Storybrooke to take a teaching job. She is now the vice principal at Forest Grove Elementary.

“Sorry if I smell like fish and sweat,” Killian apologizes as he wraps his arms around her.

“Oh wow, you do,” she laughs, pinching her nose but doesn’t pull away. “That’s okay. Wouldn’t expect anything less since you live in this fishing town.”

He chuckles. “You know, I could’ve just visited you all in Storybrooke if I had been given more notice. I could’ve saved you a trip.” He didn’t even know they were coming over until last night when David had called him out of the blue.

Mary Margaret waves off his words as they break the hug. “Nonsense. The boys were dying to see their Uncle Killian, and they've been begging us to take them to the beach, so we thought we'd kill two birds with one stone.”

“It’s nice to see all of you again.” He looks at David, narrowing his eyes. “Though I have a feeling this isn't just a pleasure trip for you, is it?”

David gives into a grin and pats Killian on the shoulder. “Is it ever just pleasure with me?”

Killian chuckles and shakes his head. “Never.” Outwardly he’s relaxed and cheerful, but inwardly, he has a bad feeling about whatever David wishes to discuss with him.

“Uncle Killian, will you make sandcastles with us?!” Leo asks as his mother hands him and Liam a big sand bucket packed with sandcastle molds and a shovel.

Killian opens his mouth to answer but David beats him to the punch. “Actually, we have some important things to discuss first. Then Killian can make sandcastles with you.”

The boys groan their disapproval, Leo gets over it quickly and wastes no time racing off toward the shoreline, Liam wobbling after him.

“Not so fast, you two! Sunblock, first, then floaties!” Mary Margaret calls out, following their trail of messy footprints in the sand.

When Leo halts in his tracks and turns around, going to his mother as she spreads out a blanket on the sand and retrieves a bottle of sunblock from her tote, Liam trails behind his brother.

“Anyone want something to drink?” Killian asks them.

“Sure, I’ll take some iced tea,” Mary Margaret replies.

“Do you have Capri Suns?” Leo asks.

“Of course I do. What kind of uncle would I be if I didn’t stock up on Capri Suns for when my nephews come to visit?”

“Yes!” Leo exclaims, fisting the air.

Mary Margaret pulls off Liam’s shirt and rubs lotion over his back and arms. “Thank you, Killian. And you don’t have to worry about Liam, he has his sippy cup with juice in it.”

“Okay.” Killian turns his head to look at David. “Want a beer?”

“Sure, you got Lone Star?”

Killian’s lips stretch into a wide grin. “Any other beer would be treason.” After he grabs his fishing gear and stores it in the garage, he and David head inside the house.

Killian goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a pitcher of sweet tea, a fruit punch Capri Sun and two bottles of beer, setting them on the island counter. He pops off the caps of the beers before handing a bottle to David. “What important things did you have in mind to discuss?”

David holds up his bag. “Take a wild guess.”

Killian sighs as he pours Mary Margaret a tall glass of tea. “And here I thought you just wanted to catch up on old times.”

“I do, but I also want to discuss a case with you,” David admits softly before taking a swig of his beer.

Killian’s jaw twitches as he glares at his old friend. “Then you’re wasting your time. I came here to Port Lavaca to get away from that stuff.”

“Which is exactly why I brought it to you.” David sets down his beer and places his laptop bag on the counter, unzipping it. “Just give me five minutes, okay?”

“And why should I?”

“Because you’ll want your hands on this case, trust me.” David pulls out his computer and sets it up on the counter.

“How are Elsa and Camila doing?” Killian asks, deliberately changing the subject. He’s not interested in whatever case David is about to present to him, nor is he pretending to be.

“Why don't you ask them yourself?”

“Because you see them and talk to them more often than I do. I didn’t even get invited to Anna’s wedding, which I’m positive the Maid of Honor had something to with.”

David looks up from his open laptop, furrowing his brows. “Doesn't the bride and groom normally choose the people on the guest list? Mary Margaret and I chose our own guests for our wedding.”

“True, but even if Anna and Kristoff wanted to invite me, you don’t think Elsa talked them out of it?”

David shrugs. “Maybe, but if she did, who’s fault is that?”

“David…” Killian mutters with a pained expression, his heart constricting. “You know my relationship with Elsa hasn’t been the best since Liam passed.”

David turns around and plants his hands on his hips, gaping at Killian. “Hasn’t been the best? It’s almost nonexistent.”

“Aye, because of what happened,” Killian states bitterly. “Since then, she’s only ever let me stop by so I can pick up my niece and spend time with her.” He desperately wants to change that though. He wants his sister-in-law back, he wants the friendship they once had, and he wants to spend time with both her and Camila again. He’s tired of missing out on important milestones in Camila's life all because her mother and uncle prefer not to be in the same room together. He’s just been too much of a coward to tell Elsa that. To apologize for letting his temper get the best of him.

“Do you blame her? You let her husband’s killer get away with murder,” David scolds.

Killian slams his beer on the counter, anger surging through him. “I loved him too, okay?! I was only trying to prove—no, you know what?” He raises his open palms in protest. “I’m not doing this with you. Not today, not ever.” He gathers the beverages and storms out, the backdoor squeaking on its corroded hinges as he strides onto the deck and rushes down the steps. He doesn’t need this shite. His nephews are here to visit with him and he’s not about to waste the opportunity.

“Killian, wait!” David calls out from the deck as Killian trudges through the sand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn't have said that! I know you loved him! We all did!”

Killian turns around, pinning him with a glare as David makes his way down the steps. “He was my brother. I’m the last person in the world who wanted that piece of scum to get away with ending his life.”

“I know.” David sighs as he inches closer. “Which is why I’m here.”

Killian narrows his eyes, his brows knitted in confusion. “I thought you were here to discuss a case?”

A pained expression etches David’s features. “I am. A case involving your brother’s killer.”

Killian’s fists clench around the drinks, his jaw tightening at the thought of another innocent victim falling at the hands of—

No, he can't do this. He’s not going down that path again; it only leads to anger, bitterness and vengeance. He shakes his head. “I told you, I’m done with detective work. I’m not interested.” He walks away again, heading toward Mary Margaret and his nephews.

“What if I said there's a good possibility you could catch him this time? Then would you be interested?”

Killian stops in his tracks, gazing out at the sea as David’s words slice through him. No, he shouldn’t care about catching Liam’s killer anymore. He gave up a long time ago. But somehow he finds himself turning around to face David again, curiosity clawing at his gut. “How?”

A triumphant grin crawls across David’s lips. “I knew that would gain your attention.”

“Just tell me,” Killian demands ardently.

David steps toward him. “I'll tell you when you agree to hear me out.” He holds up the five fingers of his right hand. “Five minutes.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Killian mumbles and turns around, walking away. This time, David doesn’t holler after him or follow him.

When Killian brings the drinks to Mary Margaret and Leo, she thanks him and lifts her sunglasses, perching them atop her head and squinting up at Killian. “What were you and David shouting about?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing important.”

Mary Margaret frowns, not believing him. “You should hear him out, Killian. He really misses working with you.”

Killian sighs and sips his beer as he watches Liam filling his bucket with sand and Leo walking along the shore, collecting seashells. “Will I really want my hands on the case?”

A solemn expression creases Mary Margaret’s features. “Would David drive three hours to ask you if he thought otherwise?”

“He would if it meant spending time with an old friend… or at least I would hope,” Killian grumbles.

“Of course he would, but if he didn’t think you’d be interested, he wouldn’t have brought it up.”

Killian takes another swig of his beer, pondering David’s offer.

Mary Margaret puts her tea in the beach cup holder she’d brought with her and gets up to walk toward her sons, giving Leo his drink and sitting across from Liam to help him make a sandcastle.

Killian misses spending time with them, but he doesn’t know if he’s ready to head back to Storybrooke. He’d moved here to this fishing town, Port Lavaca, almost two years ago and bought this cabin on Lighthouse Beach. After Cassidy got away with murdering Liam, Killian blamed himself—everyone blamed him—and he couldn’t stand to be in Storybrooke any longer. He couldn’t live in a town that reminded him of his brother, a town that couldn’t bring his brother’s murderer to justice and pointed their fingers at Killian for the reason Cassidy got away with his crime. David knows he has no interest in going back. Not to Storybrooke, not to the SBPD, and yet he made the trip with his family three hours away from home. Nolan wouldn’t have bothered bringing the case with him if he knew Killian wouldn’t take the bait.

When Killian heads inside and steps through the backdoor, David’s back is leaning against the counter, his arms crossed as he waits for a different answer. Or rather the answer he wants to hear.

Killian knows he’ll regret this, but he can’t deny his curiosity is piqued. The detective in him is itching to know more about the case, or so he tells himself. He assents with an exasperated sigh. “Five minutes. That’s all you get.”

David grins. “That’s all I need.” He brings his laptop to the table, and once Killian takes a seat next to him, David plays a video that’s ready to go on his laptop. “This was recorded yesterday.”

The video feed takes place in the interrogation room. David and Detective Jefferson are sitting at one side of the table and there’s a man in a suit sitting on the other side who David says is an attorney. But what really piques his interest—or rather who—is the blonde woman sitting next to the attorney. She’s beautiful, with long blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail and striking green eyes. She’s wearing a black blouse under a fire engine red, two-piece suit and red pumps on her feet. Bold color choice. She’s definitely not a woman who lacks confidence.

“Who is she?”

“This is Dr. Emma Swan. She’s a surgeon at Storybrooke General.”

“That name sounds familiar,” Killian comments, more to himself than to David.

“She’s Anna and Elsa’s cousin. But this conversation and what I’m showing you has to stay between us. I’m only here to visit with an old friend, got it? I haven’t even told Mary Margaret that Anna and Elsa’s cousin is involved in the case.”

Killian nods. “I understand, but what’s her crime? Dressing too nicely. Being too pretty?” he quips with a smirk.

David rolls his eyes. “This is serious, Jones.” He reverts his gaze to the computer screen. “Her colleague, Dr. Graham Humbert, was murdered seven days ago in the Storybrooke General parking lot. They were rival surgeons who bickered and teased each other all the time. Both were vying for the Chief of Surgery position he was appointed to just a week before he was murdered.”

“And you think she offed him for his job title?” Killian asks, unable to take his eyes off her. She doesn’t look like your typical suspect by any means. She’s calm and still, her arms and legs crossed casually, her face expressionless. Typically, people who were being questioned for a felony offense trembled, couldn’t sit still and would sweat profusely. But not this woman. He can't detect any sign of fear or worry in her eyes, her posture or her behavior.

“I think there’s more to it than that, but yes, I think she had something to do with his death. The night he was murdered, Dr. Swan was with Graham at the Rabbit Hole. According to other colleagues who were also there celebrating Graham’s promotion, the two surgeons were having an intimate discussion.”

Killian lifts a brow. “You think they were lovers?”

“According to Emma and everyone else, they weren’t. They often squabbled, but it was mostly friendly. They respected each other.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Dr. Swan said he walked her to her car that night, and before she left, she saw him head back inside. According to the bar owner and his employees who were on duty that night, Dr. Humbert left the bar an hour later, around eleven o’clock and went home. His phone records show he received a call at 2:20 in the morning, but it was from a restricted number.”

“And let me guess, the number was untraceable?”

“Yep. But whoever called him knew the safety code.”

“Safety code?”

“Anyone who calls in hospital staff is required to supply the safety code. You know, like when parents give their kids a safety word for emergencies so they don’t get abducted by strangers.”

“So, whoever called Humbert was someone who works at the hospital?”

“Possibly, and either that person had something to do with his murder or it’s a sheer coincidence the phone call preceded his death by only twenty minutes. But no one I spoke with at the hospital knew about the phone call or why he would've been called in. He wasn't on call that night.”

“Was Dr. Humbert married?”

“Nope, never was. A few people I interviewed mentioned he once had a fling with Dr. Regina Mills, head of Cardiology, but it ended four years ago. She’s now happily married.”

“Maybe they still had something together, but kept it secret so her husband didn’t find out? And if so, maybe her husband found out and is the one who murdered him?”

“The husband, Mr. Locksley owns the Rabbit Hole, and he was closing the bar at the time Dr. Humbert was murdered. One of his employees was there to corroborate that.”

“Dr. Mills didn’t take his last name when they got married?”

“No, I asked her about it during the interview, and she said she wanted to keep her maiden name to avoid confusing her regular patients.”

“And where was she that night?”

“She was tending to a patient with cardiac arrest.”

“What was the cause of Dr. Humbert's death?”

David clears his throat and retrieves a folder from his bag, pulls out some photos and spreads them over the table.

Killian swallows the sizable lump in his throat. The photos are of the murder victim with a knife lodged in beneath his left arm.

“Massive hemorrhaging from the stab wound.”

Killian picks up one of the photos, studying it. “And the knife’s untraceable as well?” he asks bitterly, though he doesn’t need to. He already knows the answer.

“Of course. The knife is an average filleting knife that could’ve come from any kitchen. The blade went through clean as a whistle and popped Dr. Humbert's heart like a balloon. And no fingerprints. Whoever did this knew what he was doing. Or she.”

“Like another doctor?”

David shrugs. “Possibly.”

“And you’re certain the cardiologist was with a patient? She would know exactly where to stab a person to make it fatal.”

“I checked the hospital security footage for verification. She went into her patient’s room at the time of the murder. Her alibi checks out.”

“Were there any witnesses?”

“A security guard saw Humbert pull into the parking lot but never saw him go inside. When he left his post to check on Dr. Humbert, he found Graham’s body near his car. The murderer was like a ghost. Never seen, never heard. He left without a fucking trace.”

The hairs on the back of Killian’s neck stand on end. “Cassidy...” He cringes from merely speaking his name.

David nods. “Question is, who hired him?”

“This Dr. Swan… is she married?” Killian doesn’t think Emma had anything to do with the murder, but perhaps a jealous lover who saw her with Graham that night hired Cassidy. He’s drawing straws though.

“No husband or boyfriend to speak of. She lives alone. No kids, not even birth parents. She was shuffled around from one foster home to another until she was adopted at the age of ten—by Anna and Elsa’s aunt. I’m sure you've heard the story?”

“Aye, after their parents died in a car accident, Anna and Elsa went to stay with their Aunt Ingrid and her adopted daughter.” Killian points at the computer screen. “That’s her?”

David nods. “Yep. The aloof cousin.”

“Huh.” Why has he never met this aloof cousin? Of course, if he’d known she was so gorgeous, he’d have made that happen a long time ago, but he'd never seen a picture of her, at least not one of her as an adult. If he had, he would have recognized her on the video. Killian shakes off the thoughts and studies the photos again. “I don’t get how a good-looking, successful doctor like this man stayed single?” Or a beautiful, successful doctor like Emma for that matter.

David shrugs. “He probably was by choice. Maybe he was too focused on his career and thought a romantic relationship would only distract him. Or maybe he was in love with Regina and knew he couldn’t have her, so he didn’t want anyone else.”

“Or maybe he was in love with someone else?” Killian poses. If he were Graham and had a female friend like Emma, he doubts he’d have only platonic feelings for her. “You said he walked Emma to her car that night?”

“That’s right.”

“Was there a kiss goodnight?”

“When I questioned Dr. Swan, she said they hugged, and he kissed her on the cheek. I asked her if that was normal and she said no. It surprised her. But I checked the video footage in front of the bar. Mr. Locksley set up a camera there after someone tried to throw a rock through the door window a couple of years ago.”

“To steal alcohol?”

“Or cash from the till,” David shrugs. “Whatever their reason was, they weren’t successful. Probably got spooked by someone who saw them. Anyway, the hug between the two surgeons lasted too long to be friendly.”

“How long?”

“Ten seconds.”

“How long is a normal hug?”

“A few seconds, maybe more, depending on the relationship of the person you’re hugging. But ten seconds is too long if you’re only friends. Or frenemies in this case. So maybe, Graham had feelings for her but she didn’t return them? Maybe Graham made her feel uncomfortable or said something to her when he hugged her, and that, topped with him getting the promotion she desired was enough to want him dead.”

Killian mulls it over for a moment, then shakes his head. “No, it’s too obvious. She’s smarter than that. She’s a doctor and has way more education than both of us combined. If she really wanted him dead, she wouldn’t have hired someone to murder him a week after his promotion. I don’t think she hired Cassidy.”

David cocks a brow, a sly smirk curving his lips. “So does that mean you’re in?”

“I didn’t say that,” Killian grumbles.

“But it’s been over five minutes. Which means I’ve intrigued you. Otherwise, we’d be outside with my wife and kids right now.”

Bloody hell.

David’s right. Killian is intrigued, and not solely by the case, but by the blonde woman on David’s computer screen. He wants to know more about her; he wants to find out more information. He has a gut feeling about her; he knows she didn’t murder Dr. Humbert. He doesn’t believe the whole rival surgeons scenario is a motive for murder. He and David also bicker and tease each other, but he would never murder David over a job promotion. “Okay, fine. I’m intrigued. But as I said, I don’t think she had anything to do with Dr. Humbert’s murder.”

David makes a noise of hesitance and appears to be unsure about Killian’s assessment. “There’s something else you should know that might change your mind.”

Killian cocks a brow. “What’s that?”

“Did you hear about Cassidy’s most recent trial?”

Killian shakes his head. “I stopped watching the news or following any media regarding that arsehole,” Killian mutters. “Not knowing there’s yet another victim left in his path of destruction is the only way I can sleep at night.”

“He was acquitted from another capital punishment.”

Killian scoffs. “So he got away with another murder? What else is new?”

David sighs and fast-forwards through the video. “Just listen.” He hits play.

“Dr. Swan, did you recently serve on a jury that recently acquitted an accused contract killer, Neal Gold?”

Killian’s eyebrow jumps, and he reclines in his chair, crossing his arms.

“What’s the relevance of the question, Detective?” Mr. Hopper asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

David raises his hand in defense. “I’ll get to that, I promise.”

“Please do very quickly,” Emma says curtly. “Some of us don’t have time for unnecessary interviews. I have patients waiting for me.”

David sighs. “The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner you can leave.”

She expels a tentative breath. “Yes, I served on the jury that acquitted Mr. Gold.”

“And were you or were you not the forewoman?”

Killian swallows the lump in his throat.

“I was. But you already knew that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have asked.”

“Feisty lass,” Killian remarks with a subtle smirk.

David nods. “That’s for sure. Feisty but polite.”

They revert their attention to the video.

“That’s correct. I’ve already interviewed the other eleven jurors.”

“Why?”

“Because I believe Dr. Humbert’s killer was hired. He wasn’t robbed, and he has no known adversaries… other than you, Dr. Swan.”

Emma narrows her eyes at the insinuation. “Dr. Humbert and I were not adversaries. We were friendly colleagues.”

“Yes, you were a colleague of his who wanted the promotion he got, and recently let a contract killer back on the streets.”

Her eyes widen as she lunges forward in her seat. “I didn’t free him. The judge made the final decision. My job was to determine the facts and reach a verdict based on all the facts and evidence. In that case, the evidence was lacking.”

Her attorney puts out his hand to stop her from continuing to speak any further. “Detective, Mr. Gold’s crime was alleged and has no relevance to this case.”

David pauses the video. “Some of the jurors said Cassidy and the doctor kept making eyes at each other.

Killian quirks a brow. He doesn't doubt any straight, red-blooded male would be attracted to Emma, but he highly doubts a woman of her class, beauty and intelligence would be interested in a scumbag like Cassidy. “Did you question her about it?”

“Yes, she claimed he kept staring at her, but that his attentions were very much unwanted. That’s as far as I got before Mr. Hopper stood and asked if there were any more unnecessary questions I wanted to ask her.”

“So, you think the doctor hired Cassidy to eliminate her competition?”

“The crime scene had his name written all over it.”

“I’m not arguing that. But I don’t think someone like her,” Killian says, pointing at the paused screen, “would get involved with someone like that piece of scum.” The thought makes him utterly sick to his stomach.

“He may be scum, but he’s clever scum. That’s why your brother coined his moniker, remember?”

“Aye.” He remembers very well when Liam began calling him Cassidy.

One time Killian asked his brother why he called him that, and he said Neal’s father, a convicted felon Liam successfully put behind bars, was referred to only as his surname, Gold. To avoid any confusion, he didn’t call Neal by his surname too, nor did he wish to call Neal by his first name—Liam never called perps by their first name—so initially, Neal was the clever killer because he seemed to be an exception to Locard's Exchange Principle, which asserts, “the perpetrator of a crime will bring something to the crime scene and leave with something from it,” and that “both can be used as forensic evidence.” Dr. Edmond Locard was the Sherlock Holmes of France who came up with the basic principle of forensic science, “every contact leaves a trace.”

While Cassidy always leaves a weapon at the scene, he never purchases the weapons, or at least there is never a trace of the purchase. He also never leaves fingerprints. There was only one single time when Cassidy was sloppy and accidentally left something of his behind and that was when he murdered Liam. But he never took anything from his victims.

The name Cassidy was brought up when Elsa became pregnant with Camila and they were deciding on names. Elsa had mentioned Cassidy as a possible name for their daughter, and when Liam looked up the name to see what it meant, he discovered the origins of the name and that it meant clever. So it became Neal’s nickname.

When Liam’s daughter was born, he suggested they call her Camila, which means perfect , and Elsa was immediately on board with it. Killian’s glad Liam and Elsa didn’t end up naming their child Cassidy. How ironic would it have been if Liam gave his daughter the same name he gave the man who eventually killed him?

Liam never mentioned Neal Gold to Elsa, he didn’t like bringing work home with him and he especially didn’t like to cause his wife any distress by talking about a notorious serial killer on the loose. He didn’t want Elsa to worry about her husband, and while she knew the risks that came with Liam’s job as a homicide detective, he made her believe he mostly reviewed old, unsolved cases.

After Liam died, Killian promised Elsa he’d find her husband’s killer. While no one was certain of who murdered Liam because there was no evidence, except for a single thread of fabric left behind at the crime scene, Killian and David knew. But Killian botched any chance they had of convicting Cassidy and failed Elsa and Camila in the process. Not only did he fail, but he’s the reason why Cassidy couldn’t be convicted. He acted on high emotions after Liam’s death. He was so angry and vengeful, he was willing to do whatever it took to put Cassidy behind bars. And that’s exactly why he failed. He didn’t think. He made a split decision, and several people have subsequently paid the price for that decision. Now a highly respected surgeon has been added to that list, along with who knows how many others.

“So, how will you proceed?” Killian asks skittishly, afraid of what David’s answer might be.

“Not me. Us,” David says. “I need your help.”

“Why me? Why not Scarlet or Jefferson?”

“Because I need someone with your instincts, someone good, and you're better than them or anyone else in our department. Besides, no one knows Cassidy like you do.”

Killian shakes his head. “I can’t. Any case involving Cassidy is personal for me. After he killed—” His voice cracks. He can’t even force the rest of the words out. “I can't.”

“Come on, Killian. I’m not asking you to come back permanently; just this one case, that's it,” David pleads. “If you won’t do this for me, do it for your brother.”

Damn it, Nolan. Why did he have to go and use that card?

Killian sighs and stands up, pacing the kitchen. When he reaches David again, he stops and places his hands on his hips. “Let’s say I said yes, what would you want me to do?”

“Search for any clues that will tell us if Emma and Cassidy are in alliance.”

Killian furrows his brows. “Since you need probable cause, I'm guessing you don't have a warrant for Dr. Swan, so how do you suppose I do that?”

David shakes his head. “Ah-ah, I’m not telling you until you say you’re in.”

Killian sighs dramatically as he drags his hand over his face. He has a feeling he’s not going to like whatever plan David has up his sleeve. But he misses working with him again, and he has to admit, he still doesn’t believe Emma had anything to do with her colleague’s murder. So perhaps he can go along with David’s plan to prove that. He looks at David again and with a curt nod, he makes it official. “I’m in.”

To that, David says nothing, just grins complacently.

Killian gulps. What the bloody hell did he just sign up for?

Tagging some people who have shown interest so far. If you would like to be tagged or untagged, please let me know.

@itsfabianadocarmo @snowbellewells @ilovemesomekillianjones @nikkiemms @teamhook @xhookswenchx @nikkiemms @xsajx @julesep3026 @hookedmom @biefaless @cluttermind @yasbio2015 @kmomof4 @lfh1226-linda @harshini01 @noensnaringnet @xarandomdreamx @onceuponaprincessworld @annastasiarinaldiva @royalswan @brustudyblog @officerrogers @gingerchangeling @melly326 @singersdd @mzbossyboots @unworried-corsair @iamemmaswanjones @authorarsinoe @kingofmyheart14 @nightskylover @jamif @resident-of-storybrooke @iam2307 @winterbaby89 @chinawoodfan @mormonkryptonite @ultraluckycatnd @captainswan-shipper88 @killianswanjones @bethdacattfm @andiirivera

#cs ff #captain swan #beyond a reasonable doubt #my fic recs

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jeong-uwu · 4 years

Text

Strangers to Lovers ~ Lee Jeno

a/n: severely unedited, oops<3 I love this Man with all of my heart though

genre: bulletpoint-scenarios, teeth-rotting fluff, maybe a teeny bit suggestive, gender-neutral reader<3

warnings: light swearing, mentions of alcohol

Word count: 2.1k

[ 5.19 P.M ]

the first time you would meet jeno

you were on campus, running late for your dance-practice

your eyes were trained on your phone as you frantically tried to send a mail to your professor about an assignment, while running towards your practice-room

as a result of this, you did Not watch where you were going

you only looked up when a pair of shoes came into your view

but by then it was to late to slow down

you ended up walking into him

your face colliding into his chest with a force strong enough to send the both of you flying to te ground

laying on top of him, you swiftly rolled off as you felt him groan underneath you

“OH GOD, I’m so sorry!!!”

too embarassed to lift your head, you apoligized profousedly, not stopping until you heard him chuckle

when your eyes finally looked up to meet his your breath got caught in your throat

he was GORGEOUS

the way the sun cast shadows over his sharp features made butterflies erupt in your stomach

“ah, hahah, no worries”

his tone was soft, and the way his eyes almost disappeared when he smiled melted your heart

“uh, you seem like you’re in a hurry, but could you by any chance point me in the direction of the cafeteria?”

his voice pulled you out of your trance, and your eyes widened

he smiled cheekily

you cleared your voice, embarassed to have been caught staring at his face

“uh, o-of course!”

helping him up from the ground, you kept apologizing even when you pointed himin the direction of the cafeteria

he just laughed, telling you it was fine

as he turned around to leave he threw a wink at you

O M G

your cheeks erupted in flames as he walked away, laughing to himself

internally you sighed in relief, happy that he wasn’t mad at you for running him down

you ended up being late to your practice, but after that encounter you didn’t really mind

the precence of the strange boy occupying your mind for the rest of the day

as fate would have it, you met jeno a second time

this time at a house-party

in all honesty

you wanted to be anywhere but there

it was your friend’s idea to come here, and they practically had to fight you to get you to join them

calling you a, quote “damned heremit”, and pulling out some cute clothes for you to wear

but here you were

it was one of the first parties since the semester started

and you guessed it

it was PACKED with freshmen, they were everywhere, trying to get as drunk as possible

you could already feel that a headache was on it’s way

luckily, it was rather dark in the house

so you did Not have to worry about people recognizing you

standing in the kitchen, you felt the familiar arm of your friend wrap itself around your waist

“y/n~ don’t be so boriiiiing”

as soon as they opened their mouth you could smell the alcohol

they were so drunk

you decided that they weren’t your problem right now

they could handle themselvs

and also, you’d just fetch them before you left to make sure they got home safely

you excused yourself, mumbling something about needing some fresh air, before making your way to the door

to say that it was difficult to get there was an understatement

the livingroom was so crowded you could barely move

and the stench of alcohol was soo strong

ooof

when you finally got outside you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding

it was in the middle of september, so the weather was a little crisp, but it was still refreshing

finding an untouched part of the lawn, you sat down

enjoying the feeling of the soft grass against your palms

you hadn’t even been at the party for that long, but you were already exhausted

closing your eyes you leaned your head back, letting the wind caress your bare arms and legs

“what’re you doing out here alone?”

the familiar voice startled you, and you lazily sat up

as you looked up, your eyes met the ones of none other than the boy you crashed into the other day

“huh?”

he laughed softly at your confused expression, sitting down beside you

“didn’t you come with someone?”

the way he tilted his head to the side made him resemble a puppy

so cute, omg

“ah, I came here with a friend, but it was too stuffy in there for me”

you nodded towards the house

“I needed some fresh air”

he nodded in understanding

you both fell silent, enjoying each others company

it wasn’t uncomfortable

just

silent

after a while you felt something drape over your shoulders

looking up, you found his face awfully close to yours

you hadn’t noticed that you were shivering, but he obviously had

looking at you with concerned eyes

“hey, are you alright?”

“uh, yeah”

when he finally realized how close he was sitting, he hastily pulled back

poor boy’s ears were bright red

he muttered a soft apology in your direction

you just shook your head at him

scooting closer to rest your head on his arm

you felt his body tense under you

you laughed at his reaction

scooting even closer

at this point he was ready to pass out at your close proximity

by now you were almost sitting in his lap

now, jeno had had his a fair share of flings

therefore he didn’t quite understand why, but you were different than the others

your intentions were more innocent

it seemed like you actually wanted to get to know him

not just get in his pants

sure, jeno knew he was handsome

he had been told that since he was young

but it wasn’t only a blessing

more often than not, people wanted to be close to him because of his looks or popularity at school

not because of who he was as a person

that could definetly be really tiring for him

he remembered the day he bumped into you on campus

oh, how cute you looked when you were flustered

he chuckled

and slowly, you could feel him relax again

his hand came up to grab one of yours, playing with your fingers

the conversation flowed easily between you

time wasn’t a thing anymore

the more you learned about him, the more you realized that you might be developing the crush on the guy

I mean, how could you not though

he was kind, interesting and had a very calm nature that instantly made you relax

he was also insanely handsome

you felt like you could talk to him for hours without getting bored

unfortunately, your mess of a friend decided to show up on the worst time ever

you heard a faint voice calling your name

oh NO

you sprung to your feet, scaring the life of the poor boy beside you

pressing a quick kiss to his cheek you muttered a quick apology before taking off to save your friends clothes from being puked on

“wait! I don’t even know your name!”

jeno tried to yell after you

but you were too far away to hear him

he jumped to his feet, going after you

but by now you had already disappeared

GOD, was he frustrated

like how bad could his luck be??

he’d met, and talked to you twice, and he still didn’t know your number, or even your name!

his head fell into his arms as he groaned loudly

he found you absolutely gorgeous

and he KNEW that he was going to have a hard time focusing on anything but your smile the following days

espeacially after that kiss

oh, what he would do just to be able to kiss you once

like properly kiss you

he stood up, defeatedly walking back to the house to find his friends

he was ready to leave

the third time you met jeno, you almost weren’t suprised

almost

your school’s basketball-team had a match

and you had promised a friend on the team to come watch

so there you were

seated on the uncomfortable benches right behind your team

as you looked over to the other team you almost choked on your own salvia

because there he was

none other than the man of the hour

lee jeno

you knew just by looking at him, that jeno was fit

but never woud you have thought that he was the captain of his school’s basketball team

he looked absolutely amazing in the uniform

his arms in the sleveless shirt just

Damn

you couldn’t take your eyes off him

you were completely in a trance

even as the game started

watching him run across the court

it seemed like he was flying

whoaaa

luckily for you he was concentrating hard on his game

that meant you could openly adore him without him noticing

you found it strange how you felt so nervous when you knew he was close now, but not at the party

in the end you blamed it on the alcohol you had consumed that evening

I mean, you weren’t drunk, but definetly a bit tipsy

you were startled out of your daydreaming by the loud noice of a bell, signalling that the match was over

looking up you found that his team had beat yours by just a couple points

let’s be real though

you were kinda sad

even though jeno was on the other team you still wanted your school to win:((

begrudgngly, you went out on the court to your friend

either to congratulate or comfort him, depending on how he felt

and also

kinda trying to avoid jeno in the process

tbh, you were really embarrassed by the way you had left him at the party

running away like some madman

the memory made you cringe

he must have thought you were insane

oof

you found your way over to your sulking friend

whining loudly as he captured you in a sweaty hug

“ew ma, get off of me”

he just laughed in response, letting you go in favour of talking to some of the other players

you were drawn into the conversation, not understanding much of what they were discussing, but still paying close attention

you didn’t even notice the looming presence behind you until you felt someone tapping your shoulder

“excuse me-”

yeah, you guessed it!!

you turned around, coming face-to-face with none other than the man you tried to avoid, jeno

his breath got caught in his throat as he just stared at you

you were there, standing right in front of him

how was that even possible

like, he knew you went to this college, but what were the chances pf actually meeting you???

and GOD you looked absolutely gorgeous

just looking at you, he found it hard to breathe

the oversized sweater you were wearing made you look so cute and cozy

and aaaaaah

he just wanted to pepper your face with kisses

you gave him a small smile, breaking him out of his trance

“YOU!”

your eyes widened obviously startled by his loud voice

“m-me?”

you could feel the eyes of the whole basketball-court on you, making you want to crawl into a big blanket and stay there for the rest of your life

you looked down, wanting to melt into the ground, and stay there

instead, you felt his hands come up to tenderly cup your face

he stepped closer

so close that his breath tangled with yours and that your noses almost touched

your own hands went to his chest, clutching the material of his jersey

you could feel his heart beating wildly underneath your palms

he looked at you for what felt like an eternity

drinking in all the details of your face

before finally

he pressed his lips to yours in a chaste kiss

making the people around you riot and erupt in to a choir of oooh’s

when he finally pulled away you were met with the sweetest smile you’d ever seen

making his eyes almost dissappear

it was the most beautiful smile you had ever seen

“I’m jeno, by the way”

“y/n”

you barely managed to croak out an answer

suddenly becoming aware of the eyes watching you, you turned shy

shoving your face into the nearest hiding-place

jeno’s chest

you felt his hands come around your waist and a laugh rumbling in his chest

“y/n~ what a beautiful name”

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bubble-tea-bunny · 4 years

Text

another way to fly

[leon x reader]

author’s note: i made a character named lucy to be your bff in this and she may or may not be inspired by lucy heartfilia cuz i've been watching fairy tail while i work out. hope you enjoy <3

word count: 9,182

The sunny morning is a familiar sight no matter where you find yourself in Galar this time of year, but what is a change of pace is the lack of that salty sea breeze hitting your nose the moment you step out of the house. Of course, this is only one of multiple differences you’re confronted with, being further south, but you appreciate the variety in scenery. As you descend the porch steps and walk to the main road, you’re greeted not with the loud horns of ships arriving at the docks, but with the bleats of wild Wooloo grazing.

A quick glance at the clock on your way out of the house indicated it was mid-morning. Lucy hadn’t woken you up due to how late you arrived last night, having taken the last possible train out of Hulbury. Your lack of forward planning had mostly been responsible for your post-midnight arrival, since you'd waved off her suggestions at buying a ticket earlier. In your prior experiences, the trains heading south were never fully booked.

Well, at least, not until yesterday. And you apologized profusely, you had, and you would’ve talked Lucy’s ear right off with sorry’s and you-were-right’s and confused remarks about why the trains were busy out of the blue, if she hadn’t stopped you, settling for a teasing I told you so before informing you where she kept the spare key (beneath the potted plant by the shed), in case she was asleep when you got here. You hadn’t bothered to call her when you approached the front gate of her house, not wanting to accidentally wake her up, so you’d fished out the spare key and let yourself in to learn you were correct: Lucy was fast asleep, all lights switched off save for the softly glowing lamp by the front door to provide you with some illumination as you toed off your boots and got settled. The note she’d left you on the end table informed you where the guest room and bathroom were, and a post script encouraging you to help yourself to any food in the kitchen.

Lucy had work today, which meant you weren’t surprised, nor offended, to receive no greeting at the door. You know she would have loved to stay up and wait and that was enough for you. However, she had also left early this morning because she was in charge of opening the cafe, and you still haven’t had the chance to see her. That’s where you’re headed to now, intent on finally saying hello and also grabbing a bite to eat. You hadn’t eaten since you left Hulbury, as you were too tired to have a snack last night, and you’re starving.

This is the first instance you have traveled to Wedgehurst to visit Lucy, as she moved from Turffield and hasn’t lived here long, but you have been here a couple of times in the past, and you consider those prior visits to be mostly sufficient for navigating your way around town. Your steps slow every so often as you observe your surroundings, searching for familiar landmarks to tell you you’re going in the right direction. But pretty soon you think you’ve made a couple of circles, passing no cafes, and you’re prepared to ask a local for directions.

Your eyes are aimed upward at the various signs on all the buildings, and your pace had been sluggish to give you the opportunity to look them over carefully. With your focus elsewhere, you fail to notice there is anything in front of you blocking your path, and you only do when you collide none-too-gently with something hard. The force of impact with what felt very much like a brick wall knocks you off your feet, and you fall to the ground, a small oof! leaving your mouth as your butt hits the cobblestone pavement.

“Ow…” You reach back to rub gingerly at your tailbone, which stings slightly, and cringe in pain. This might’ve hurt less if it hadn’t been on stone.

Once the pain starts to subside, you look up to see what you’d run into, and your eyes widen when you register the orange scales and wings whose span you can easily envision even while they are drawn close to the Pokemon’s body. The average Charizard is significantly taller than you are, but the height of this one is emphasized to a greater degree because of your position on the ground. You figure you should get up, since you’d been sitting here for longer than necessary, but to be honest, you’re too shocked to move.

Why is there a Charizard in the middle of the town square?!

Its back has been turned to you the whole time, and you follow up your silent question with an exclamation that it hadn’t even noticed you ran into it! But as if it has heard your internal monologue, it finally twists around. You lean back quickly to avoid the flames at the tip of its long tail, and soon you’re met with the curious gaze of the Charizard. You might think its wide eyes were cute if you weren’t currently this near to it and skittish at the prospect of being lit on fire.

You’re not sure if you should say something, and you open your mouth to greet it hello, but the word dies in your throat the moment the Charizard leans down to study you more closely. Its head tilts and you freeze where you are, deciding to let it sniff you until it was satisfied and backed away. You worry it will chase after you if you try to scoot back to increase distance.

The seconds feel like minutes and that’s probably because you’re hesitant to even breathe while the Charizard is practically in your face. You nearly decide to throw caution to the wind and back up anyway just so you can attempt to stand and hopefully continue on your way, but luckily you don’t have to. Your saving grace is a figure who’d been obscured from view by the towering Pokemon.

“Did you see something?” the man standing behind the Charizard asks, peeking around its shoulder.

The Charizard stands back up straight and now you can’t breathe for an entirely different reason as your gaze meets the amber eyes of the Galar region champion himself. He’s also much taller than you are given where you sit, but that still doesn’t change much even after he has held a hand out to help you up, for at your full height, you’re face-to-face with the fluffy collar of his cape.

“Are you all right?” His next question is aimed at you as he makes sure you’re steady on your feet before he lets go. Your cheeks had already been burning first from the fact you’d run into the champion’s Charizard, and second from the fact the champion held your hand, but now you think your cheeks are so hot they could compete with the surface of the sun because he’s looking you over. You know it’s just to check for any injuries but your point still stands—the Leon is right in front of you and, at least in these several seconds, you’re the center of his attention!

“U-Um…” you stammer, and you berate yourself inwardly at your sudden incapability to string together a cohesive sentence. “Yeah… I-I’m all right. Really, it was my fault… I wasn’t watching where I was going.” You chuckle sheepishly. Suddenly you’re conscious of how hard your heart is beating.

Leon smiles and wow, the gravity of how absolutely starstruck you are in this moment is just beginning to dawn on you. “Well I’m happy you’re okay. I don’t think I would ever forgive myself if you’d been hurt.”

You flush at the notion that he could have that much concern for your wellbeing, and you simultaneously wish that he would stop watching you and that he would also never turn away. “Yeah…” you state again, trailing off quietly. “No need to worry about me.”

He nods, satisfied, and you wonder what happens from here. Do you say goodbye and take your leave? But you realize you don’t really want to do that. As nervous as it makes you being this close to him, you do really like being in his presence because you’ve finally met him and you don’t want this chance to go to waste! Quickly you scramble for anything else you could say, if only to prolong the conversation. Who knows the next time this sort of chance would arise? You might never experience anything like this again!

“What brings you to Wedgehurst?” you decide to inquire.

“I’m visiting my family,” he informs you. His readiness to answer is a relief. You aren’t bothering him, and he’s not in a rush to be somewhere. “I just got here this morning.”

That’s right, he’s from the area. He’s from Postwick, just down the road. Wedgehurst has the nearest station. You start to feel a little dumb for asking that question in particular. The town he comes from is basic knowledge if one knows anything about the champion of Galar, and it would make sense he’d be here every now and then to visit his family. The heat in your cheeks remains, refusing to subside due to your nerves and your embarrassment.

“I’m sure they’ll be very excited to see you.” You smile, hoping it doesn’t look awkward.

The smile’s still on his own face and his eyes twinkle at your statement, as if envisioning the ecstatic greetings he’ll receive once he walks through the front door. “I’m really excited to see them too. Actually…” he trails off, and then it’s his turn to laugh as he rubs the back of his neck. “I was on my way there, but I may have gotten myself lost.”

Your smile widens and some of your bashfulness wanes at the common ground you have found with Leon. You’re about to tell him as much, that you’re lost too, not having the slightest idea where the cafe could be at this point, but from over his shoulder, you catch a glimpse of a growing crowd, murmuring amongst themselves as they stare in your direction, and so you change the topic.

“It seems people are noticing you’re here.”

Leon blinks and glances behind him. The murmurs increase in volume at the confirmation that it is indeed Leon accompanying that Charizard (though could there really be that many other people walking alongside one, and with a cape cascading down their back?). They’re only bound to rise still as more people stop to see what’s going on and discover he’s in town, and Leon lifts a hand in a brief wave of greeting.

He turns back to you. “I hate to cut our conversation short…”

His tone sounds genuinely disappointed and your heart skips a beat. Had he really liked talking to you too? Or was this just to be polite? You’re more inclined to go with the latter, now that you really think about it. He’s definitely had to learn to gently close out conversations during his reign as champion, with so many people wanting to talk to him. But you know that he’s busy and you can’t keep him to yourself forever, so you’re not dismayed as you nod in understanding.

“Of course. I have to get going anyway.”

He smiles in thanks. He’s about to turn away to address the now sizable crowd of onlookers, but pauses and looks down at you. “I enjoyed our talk.”

Okay, so maybe what you’d surmised previously about him not being saddened to have to turn his attention elsewhere had been wrong. Had he enjoyed it too? Had he truly enjoyed talking to you? You want desperately to say yes, but you think your heart might stop should you acknowledge it. You could only ever hope to see Leon in person, and it was beyond any dream of yours that you should be able to actually hold a conversation, one where he liked it just as much as you did.

You leave him with his fans, and as you continue down the sidewalk, you sigh because you still don’t know where the cafe is.

Eventually you find it with the aid of a postman. It turns out by the time you’d asked him for help, you hadn’t been far. Just around the corner, he said. The bell jingles quietly as you enter, and Lucy is behind the counter, preoccupied with the register. She speaks up to welcome you, but doesn’t look away from her task until you walk right up to her and remark how hungry you are.

Her eyes light up at hearing your voice and she squeals, leaning over the counter to hug you. She apologizes for not being up to greet you when you arrived but you wave it off. The important thing is that I’m here now, right? Her grin matches yours at these words and you have missed each other greatly. You order a hot chocolate and a muffin, then scan the establishment for an open table.

You claim the booth in the corner with its extra window space and observe the world past the glass. The streets are busier and as mid-morning is slowly ticking its way to noon, you’re sure many people will be going out for lunch soon. As you watch them walk by, your eyes rove back and forth along the sidewalk. A part of you is wondering if Leon might turn the corner any second now, and deep down you hope that he does, so you might be able to see him.

At the thought of him, your mind replays the encounter you had, and your heart beats quicker once more, the tiniest bit of adrenaline coursing through your veins and if it increases any more you might become fidgety. You still can’t quite believe you’d met him, and you speculate, half humorously and half seriously because you’re still trying to wrap your head around what has happened, that perhaps somehow the fall you took knocked you out and it had all been a dream. And perhaps it wasn’t a Charizard you ran into, but a… a lamp post.

You deadpan. How lame! Well in any case, whether a Charizard or a lamp post, your embarrassment would remain. Why do you have to be such a klutz?

With your body turned towards the window and your focus on overthinking every little detail of your meeting with Leon, you don’t hear Lucy approaching with a tray containing the food you ordered. You jump in surprise when she sets it down and luckily she’s a professional and maintains her own composure, so as not to jostle the ceramic mug filled to the brim with hot chocolate.

She laughs and raises a brow. “Jumpy today?”

You let out a breath and reach out for the mug. Tendrils of steam float up from the delicious beverage and dissipate in the air. “Just caught up in my thoughts.”

“Thoughts about what?” Lucy slides into the booth across from you and folds her hands together, showcasing her readiness to listen. “The cafe’s quiet, so I’ve got time for some girl talk.”

You smile but don’t say anything immediately, opting first to take a sip of your hot chocolate. The drink is sweet and maybe too sweet for some, but it’s perfect for you. You feel it warm you from the inside out, and you wish there was hot chocolate this good back in Hulbury. You might like to enjoy it while staring out at a misty sea early in the morning.

“You won’t believe who I saw earlier.”

Lucy narrows her eyes as she considers the statement. Your smile hasn’t left your face, and it makes her smile too, though it’s a little uneasy because she’s drawing a blank. “Who?”

You’d wanted her to guess, to humor you at least, but as she sits across from you now, you’re too excited to prolong it any longer. Almost subconsciously you lower your voice and lean in. “Leon.”

Her eyes widen and she looks like she’s about to yell her response but then seems to catch herself because it would go against her professional nature to raise her voice suddenly. So she follows your lead, voice just above a whisper but still capable of a sharp exclamation of shock. “The Leon?!”

You nod, and it’s so giddy you might be embarrassed if you were talking with anyone else but your best friend. Your cheeks are straining from how big your smile is and how long you’re holding it for. “Yes!” You recount it for her, how nice he had been and how much the cameras really didn’t do him justice. Plus, if you had anything to say about it, the sunshine beat the harsh stadium lights any day of the week—Not that it matters, he looks good in both!

Your retelling is punctuated with a disappointed sigh at the end as you express your regret at failing to ask for an autograph or a photo. You’d been so caught up in the moment, it never occurred to you do to either of those things. Lucy chuckles at your small whine, your hands on your cheeks both to conceal the reddening that has blossomed once more and in an effort to cool down the burning sensation (it doesn’t work).

“So you just saw him while you were walking around?” she asks.

The question stops you short, and you didn’t think it was possible, but your flustered state increases tenfold. You may or may not have purposely skipped over how exactly you ran into him. It wouldn’t have done much good. Lucy was bound to address it eventually. No choice but to come out with it. “Well… I ran into his Charizard… and fell… not very gracefully…”

Lucy’s eyes widen and she breaks out into a laugh. “You ran into it?”

"I wasn’t looking where I was going, okay!”

She throws herself back in her seat from how much she’s laughing and you groan, unable to work up the nerve to glance around for any patrons at the cafe who have noticed her fit. The reason you give for how a conversation with Leon had come about, while completely true, also sounds incredibly stupid, now that you say it out loud. A Charizard is not easy to miss.

“That is so cute!”

“It was not cute, Lucy!”

Her laughs don’t sound like they will subside anytime soon and you’d like to disappear. Sure, you’d imagined what it might be like to finally meet the champion, dreamed of it even, but never had you anticipated that your meeting would be born out of your fleeting attention and two left feet. You think it’s the idealist in you that thought it would be smooth, that you’d be confident, if a little shy, but for the most part composed, all in an effort to impress. But you really do need to listen to the realist more often. Screwing up the way you had is basically inevitable with your level of clumsiness.

You can barely contain a squeak of horror as you consider what Leon might’ve been thinking. It wasn’t hard to put together the pieces of what transpired while he’d been turned away and, again, Charizard sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of town, if not for its height then for its bright scales and flame-tipped tail! Your fall had not been an impressive display in the least bit, nor had your flustered attempts at conversation. All those daydreams were practically rehearsals and you still couldn’t get it right.

“It is!” Lucy shoots back. “And I bet Leon thought it was cute too.”

Are your cheeks on fire? They feel like they’ve been set on fire.

Lucy hones in on the dusting of pink across your cheeks deepening still and giggles. In your opinion, she is having too fun pointing out how flustered the whole situation is making you. First with your actual conversation with Leon and the ways you’d screwed up, and now as she puts up the idea that he could possibly think your lack of coordination was endearing. You don’t want to entertain the thought that he might like you like that, at least not anymore, because meeting him had changed how you saw him.

Whenever you watched his battles on television, you’d always made the passing remark that he was attractive. With his confidence and that beaming grin, who could be impervious to his charm? To see him in person and to talk to him was pushing you far past the point of simply recognizing his good looks and leaving it at that. From how he held himself on camera, shaking hands with challengers and praising their admirable efforts afterward during interviews, you’d known him to be kind. But it was something else entirely to be on the receiving end of it yourself. Concern was evident in his eyes when he saw you on the ground and rushed to help you up, and it hadn’t dissipated until you assured him you were fine.

Then his smile, geez, you’d be happy falling asleep to the thought of it every night for the rest of your life. You shrank in the midst of it, in disbelief to be the center of his sights in that moment, and for all the nerves you couldn’t shake, you still have to admit, it had felt nice. You swore you could see the rising sun in his amber gaze; the shine of the first slivers of morning light reflecting off the sea is poor competition. And in your wistful reminiscence of the details of that kindness lining his face which made him positively glow, you’ve officially gone and done it—with the realization that what makes him truly wonderful lies beneath the surface, you have blown past the marker that signifies your attraction as mere infatuation.

However, you don’t reveal any of these thoughts to Lucy. You don’t want to, at least not yet. For the time being, you’re content to let her keep believing that you are like many others, harboring an admiration for the Leon you all see on television. You suppose in a way, you hold back from sharing it due to hesitation and the paranoia of overthinking. Would these feelings fade? Wedgehurst is a small town but you don’t know that you’ll see him again, and you have no idea when he’ll return north. If you did travel to see a match in person, who’s to say you might have another conversation like the one this morning? He’s constantly being swept away by fans, and in a large city like Wyndon, it’s bound to happen more often. You just want to temper your feelings, an attempt to spare yourself of disappointment. He was Leon, after all, champion of Galar, and you’re… well, you’re you. A nobody from Hulbury.

You don’t like to go to bed bitter and you regret coming back to this topic when you’re already laying down. The moon is at the perfect angle to shine through the window, and you stare at the wash of light it paints on the wall. There are probably plenty of prettier girls in Wyndon, you think dejectedly. It’s silly to ponder the idea he might like you back. Besides, now that you’ve had more time to think, and you’re not so blinded by how starstruck you were to meet him because that was hours ago, you contemplate the fact he might already be dating someone.

That wouldn’t be a surprise. How could he be single? With a huff, you practically deflate at the conclusion you come to, sinking into the mountain of blankets Lucy had set aside for you to use since she knows you get cold easily. You turn onto your side, no longer interested in the moonlight, and pull the edge of the thick comforter up to just below your eyes. You’d held off on deciding for certain if what you felt for Leon was serious, and you were left disappointed anyway. Overthinking’s good for no one.

So you tell yourself not to let it go any farther. Leon’s attractive, yes, and he’s caring, yes. But you won’t get hung up on him! That would lead you down the rabbit hole of dashed hopes and dreams and that wouldn’t be good for your emotions. You’re done thinking about this, done trying to reconcile your feelings and justify that the conversation with him had stuck out to him as special, that you had stuck out to him as special.

Of course, it’s always easier said than done. And you know that, and you hate that you do! You know that if you were to see him again, all your resolve would be flushed down the toilet. Given how small Wedgehurst is, to come across him once more is very much possible. Well… you guess you could just try your best to avoid him? (That’s definitely not something you ever thought you’d say. You, avoiding seeing the champion of Galar. Is that something anyone would aim to do?)

Lucy isn’t able to take off work during your visit, but you don’t mind. There’s plenty to keep you occupied, whether walking along the trails or through town, window shopping and keeping tabs on restaurants you’d like to go eat at. The locals are friendly and you chat with them too. Though to your chagrin, most chitchat comes back to Leon eventually, as they ask excitedly if you know he’s in town. You can’t blame them for their enthusiasm and you smile and nod. Some of those you speak with can’t contain their comments on how good-looking he is in person and you can’t blame them for that either. But whenever you walk away from those particular conversations, the air seems to finally let you out of its tight hold.

This whole avoidance thing isn’t very successful… Even if you didn’t see him, you were hearing about him. What turned into a day where you did your best to block him from your mind, has turned into one where he’s all you’ve been thinking about since you stepped outside. Did the universe just know? Was it purposely working against you? If so, you couldn’t fathom why.

You spot a flower shop just up ahead, and it’s a welcome distraction. The closer you get, the stronger the aroma becomes. There’s a display with various flowers out front, some in pots and some arranged in beautiful bouquets wrapped with brown paper. A small chalkboard sign advertises the sale prices for the arrangements, a special that will last the rest of the week. This prompts you to more carefully survey the selection. Perhaps you could get one for Lucy, a small gift to say thanks for letting you stay in her house (and raid her pantry, as you’d jokingly remarked the other day).

There’s a bouquet primarily made of pale yellow flowers, and you pick it up to look at in more detail. It kind of reminds you of her blonde hair, and it makes you smile slightly. That’d be a cute reason for choosing this one. You breathe in the sweet smell they emanate and it only serves to convince you more that you should buy it. But there was still the inside of the shop to walk through.

“Hey!”

You look up, brows furrowed in confusion. You weren’t sure if the call was meant for you, and you glance left and right until you see Leon. He’s several yards away, and he’s grinning and waving in your direction and yes, that call out had been meant for you.

Your eyes widen and your heart beats quicker, but this time it’s not for the same reasons as during your first encounter with him. Now, all you can think is you have to get out of here! You force a smile on your face but it’s probably more of a cringe than anything, and hastily you set the bouquet back down. You’re trying to be careful with it since the flowers are fragile, but you’re moving so fast you nearly knock down the rest of the bouquets. With a small gasp, you stretch out your arm to steady the row. Heart beating quicker now, you slowly back away, still on edge in case they start to move again and you have to rush forward to stabilize them.

Thankfully, they stay as they are, and you don’t turn towards Leon, instead walking the opposite direction. You don’t look over your shoulder, so you don’t know how he’s reacted. It does hurt a little to actively be moving farther away, because deep down, you’re still a fan and you think you’ll always gush over how skilled he is, but you need to sort out your feelings first. And by sort out, you mean let them go.

If Leon is confused about what’s happened, he isn’t left to be confused for long. He’s lingered in the same spot long enough that some people have seen him and flocked to him for photos.

When you see Lucy later on, you make a point to leave out that awkward encounter from your series of stories.

The two of you go out for brunch on the day she has a late start at the cafe. You’re trying to convince her to visit you next. It’s your turn to come to me! She chuckles and says she promises to go, she just needs to get the days off. She’d already recently gone out of town to visit her parents. But you’re fine with waiting, and you declare that with her forward planning, her ticket-buying experience won’t be nearly as stressful as yours had been.

“We could go spectate a battle at the water gym,” you suggest. “It’s been a while since we went to one together.”

Lucy grins and holds a hand to her chest, quiet for a moment as she remembers the grass gym that had been basically her backyard, prior to moving here. “I still think about the Wooloo all the trainers kept at the grass gym. I count them to fall asleep sometimes.”

You laugh. “Do you think if you count the Wooloo you see on Route 1 that you might knock yourself out?”

Lucy laughs too. “You know, I wouldn’t put it past me.”

You accompany Lucy on her walk to the cafe and end up lingering a bit longer to enjoy a cup of tea. After the large meal you had, you wanted to get one to help settle your stomach. There are more customers at this time so Lucy has no chance to stop and chat, only turning her attention away from her duties long enough to bid you goodbye and a See you later! as you start heading out, leaning your body on the glass door to push it open.

The boutique is down the road, and you consider going there. You’d been in need of some new clothes, and you enjoy rifling through the selections and styles of all the towns and cities whenever you’re in the area. It helps give your wardrobe some variety. But from where you stand currently, the flower shop is in your line of view, and you still wanted to buy flowers for Lucy. With a nod of resolution, you decide to go there first, and then the boutique.

Since you’d already looked over the flowers out front, you go straight for the open door of the shop. Inside, there are more shelves displaying more flowers, some in ceramic pots and some in wicker baskets. Wooden slats line the edges of the ceiling and it’s from these that vibrant green plants hang in white pots. The colors that greet your eyes as they rove over the numerous rows of flora are pretty and you think you’ll be here for a while. Not only do you want to take your time choosing, you’re not intent to leave the presence of these flowers and their pleasant aromas too quickly.

Because there’s so much to go through, you want to take an organized approach. You start with the aisle on the far side, head tilted back to look at the selection higher up, and then you work your way down each shelf, slowly walking along all the while.

“Welcome!”

The florist greets you, having seen you from her place behind the counter, and you smile, turning your head to say hello, but you freeze when you notice there’s someone at the register you really hoped you wouldn’t come across again.

At the florist’s greeting, Leon glances behind him at who she’s speaking to, and he also seems to stop short when he realizes it’s you. He smiles, the corner of his lips lifting in an amiable but silent greeting of his own, and it’s unusual that he should be so subdued, but you think that’s due to the fact you're indoors. He has no need to call out for you when you’re just a few steps away.

“H-Hi…” you stutter, smiling and looking at the florist and doing your best to pretend there’s no one else standing there. But that fails, of course, as your eyes inevitably slide over to meet Leon’s gaze. His grin widens a little when you actually do hold his stare, and you think you might give in, that you’ll cave and throw caution to the wind.

No, you can’t!

You twist around on your heel, being sure to move casually so as not to seem out of the ordinary, and you try to clear your mind by scanning over the flowers again. As soon as you turn out of the aisle, however, you’re speed-walking back outside. The cool breeze that hits you is a relief. The atmosphere in the flower shop had become suffocating the moment you saw Leon, closing in on you like it was pressuring you to just give up on your decision to avoid him. Because clearly if you were running into him this often, the universe was telling you to stop resisting, right?

With a heavy sigh, you walk to the edge of town towards Route 1, plans to go to the boutique set aside. Even if that were true, you were too averse to the idea of being let down, and that your feelings wouldn’t be returned. And the thing is, it wouldn’t be Leon’s fault. It never would be, and you would never dream of being irritated with him, but you desperately want to make sure any such feelings of attraction on your part are gone before you’re comfortable talking to him again and you could entertain the notion of being friends, if he was interested in that too. And being friends with him doesn’t sound bad at all!

That is, if you do see him again. Maybe the universe will take your continued avoidance as final, and the two of you will go your separate ways from here and you’ll be left wondering if you might get the chance to talk to him again, or if he’ll even remember who you are the next time your paths cross.

You shake your head. You’re overthinking. Surprise, surprise. A walk would do just the trick to clear it, and you’re now staring out at the dirt road leading to Postwick and the tall grass on either side. You readjust your backpack, and the Poké Balls inside it clack with the movement. Lucy had given you the last few she had, so you could try your hand at it. You’d scrunched up your nose and reminded her it wasn’t your first time using them, and she’d chuckled. Though her phrasing hadn’t been unfounded, for you have so little experience catching Pokemon that this might as well be your first go at it.

Training Pokemon wasn’t something you saw yourself doing. You don’t think you have the skills or the resolution to train up a team. The only Pokemon you do have is Jojo, your Yamper back in Hulbury. He’s the only one you ever caught, and that was enough to satisfy you. He’s practically your best friend, even beating Lucy, which you never told her, but you have a sneaking suspicion that she knows. (Though you love them both dearly.)

Lucy’s the one with more experience with catching Pokemon, and she’d offered to help you. She gave you the Poké Balls this morning in case you did want to try while she was still at work. Now that you’re out on Route 1, you think you might at least try it once by yourself, to test your memory regarding all the little pointers she’d shared with you in the past.

You stick to the road for the most part, not intent to walk into the grass unless you’re sure of what’s there. You don't want to get caught up with a Pokemon trying to fight you with no Pokemon of your own to defend yourself. With the fresh air filling your lungs and the sun shining amidst patches of clouds, you’re starting to feel more energized, and considerably less stressed. Soon you aren’t thinking of Leon or your feelings or even of the town behind you. There’s just you, the Poké Balls in your backpack, and—

A bleat reaches your ears. You look to the left and see a lone Wooloo munching on grass.

—and Wooloo!

Your eyes light up and you quietly take out a Poké Ball. Clutching it in your hand, you creep forward, careful to take light steps. The Wooloo isn’t facing you, and so long as your approach is gentle, this shouldn’t be any trouble. Once you’re closer, you crouch down to be at eye-level. For a few seconds you simply stay still and watch it eat. It bleats again and shakes its head, its little braids swinging back and forth.

As it returns to eating, you take a deep breath and mentally prepare yourself. Wooloo in particular are skittish, and they’ll run away if they become startled. You’re about to throw the Poké Ball, but you feel as if you’re still a little too far to be comfortable. From this distance, you’re not confident your throw would be accurate. You just need to move up a little bit more…

If your gasp is what had grabbed the Wooloo’s attention first, it’s your tumble to and hard impact with the dirt that scares it off entirely. Your foot had got caught on a rock you didn’t notice and you tripped. The Poké Ball slides out of your grip and rolls away, but you hardly pay that any mind, for the rocky ground wasn’t very forgiving on your body and that was all you could focus on. You push yourself up, wincing from having the breath taken right out of you.

You sit on your knees and glance around in search of the Wooloo. It’s farther away now and has returned to eating as if nothing’s wrong, but you sigh heavily at having to start the process all over again.

“Dang it…”

“Are you okay?”

You blink and turn around, and you’re thoroughly startled yourself to see Leon approaching. It's a repeat of your first encounter as he holds a hand out, and while part of you wants to hesitate due to your conflicting emotions regarding him, you’re also still a reasonable person and you won’t ignore a literal helping hand. He guides you back to a standing position and he’s grinning knowingly, like he's also cognizant of the fact this is playing the exact same as your initial meeting.

The amusement in his gaze is contagious and you smile, chuckling as you say yes, you’re okay.

He nods, then he looks down at the Poké Ball you dropped. Putting the pieces together, he then turns his head to the Wooloo. “You’re trying to catch it!” It isn’t even a question.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I am…” You’re quiet as you confirm his remark. What must he think, that you’re failing to catch a Wooloo, of all Pokemon?

“I’ll help you!”

You don’t think you heard him correctly. “What?”

“Yeah! Come on, let’s go get you a Wooloo.” He walks the few steps to the fallen Poké Ball and picks it up before returning to you.

Well, what else was there to say besides yes? No? You’d have to be stupid to decline because not only are you willing to admit you could really benefit from some assistance, given the earlier display of your lack of prowess, you're also being offered help by the greatest Pokemon trainer in the region! Not even the side of you battling with your feelings for him could win out in this situation because right now he isn’t Leon, a man you seriously think you’re falling for but are trying not to; right now, he’s Leon the Galar champion, and there’s a Pokemon to catch.

Leon holds up the Poké Ball for you to take, and his eyes are sparkling with an unbridled excitement he can’t hide. And you begin to understand the passion that runs through his blood for Pokemon, to catch them and to help others catch them too. For him, the current pursuit is not for just a Wooloo because it doesn’t matter to him that its not a formidable Pokemon, able to give him a run for his money. It matters to him that it matters to you, and his face is hopeful that you’ll agree to let him join, so you could have the experience together.

And who could say no to that?

“Okay, let’s do it,” you state, taking back the Poké Ball.

Leon guides you closer to the Wooloo, his focus occasionally switching from the Pokemon down to the ground. Momentarily you wonder why, then figure he must be watching out for anymore rocks. He’s covering you where you need the extra help, as you’re unable to split your own attention between tracking the Wooloo and watching where you’re walking. The awareness is admirable and, really, kind of sweet.

“Let’s stop here.” He lowers his voice to a whisper. He’s gotten you closer to the Wooloo than you’d gotten on your own the first time.

“Wait, but it’s facing me,” you point out. Your plan had been to take it by surprise, but you’re both in clear view of it. It leans down to take another mouthful of grass then lifts its head to chew, and it’s staring right at you.

“That’s okay,” Leon reassures. “Just be gentle, and take it slow.”

He gives you a nod, your signal to go ahead, but you don’t move. It really shouldn’t be a big deal if you fail to catch it this time, as you could always try again. You did bring extra Poké Balls. You just don’t want to make a fool of yourself in front of Leon. You think you’ve done enough of that already. Plus this is his element, and at the very least if you can’t impress, you want to prove yourself competent.

Your brows furrow. Stop thinking too much! But Leon isn’t bothered by your hesitation and he smiles to help put you at ease. “Remember: it has to choose you too.”

This last bit of advice is the push you need, and you start to take careful steps forward. You’ve chosen this Wooloo to catch, but the second half would involve cooperation on the Wooloo’s part. And you do hope it chooses you too. It hasn’t tried to run away yet, and you take that as a good sign. You can’t prevent the sifting of the grass beneath your shoes as you walk, but it’s not a jarring noise like your fall had been, so the Wooloo stays put.

You keep your voice at a low volume, softly greeting the fluffy Pokemon. “Hello there…”

The Wooloo’s eyes follow you closely and you could swear it understands what you’re saying.

You crouch low to be face-to-face with it, and the distance between you could be covered with a small toss. The Wooloo bleats, but remains where it is. You know this is it, this is your shot, but you still feel too nervous to do anything without some sort of instruction, so you glance behind you at Leon. He’s gesturing enthusiastically for you to throw, and you can pick up on the urgency easily. If you took too long, even for all your efforts to be quiet, the Wooloo might run away anyway.

You hold your breath as you toss the Poké Ball, afraid that a shaky exhale would throw off your aim and you’d somehow still miss. The Wooloo is scooped up by the Poké Ball, which lands on the ground with a light thud. You stay rooted to the spot, staring intently at the flashing light. Still yellow…

The Poké Ball clicks.

Green!

You shoot back up into a standing position and grab the Poké Ball with a squeal of elation. “It chose me!” you exclaim.

Leon is laughing as he approaches you. “I knew you could do it!”

Before you realize what’s happening, he’s pulled you into a bear hug, arms wrapped around your shoulders. You collide with his chest, a quiet oof! leaving your mouth to punctuate the impact, and your cheeks are rapidly heating up. You were so absorbed in trying to catch the Wooloo that you forgot you were supposed to be flustered around him! And now that shyness is coming back as he holds you close. Not only are you supposed to be flustered, you’re supposed to be avoiding him. This was not avoiding him. But despite telling yourself to pull away, to make an excuse that you have to be somewhere, anywhere else, you don’t want to do either of those. No, you think you’d like to stay right here.

When he finally lets you go, he seems shocked with himself to have kept you in the hug as long as he had. He chuckles, and it’s nervous, you can tell because it sounds like the one you’d given when you admitted to him you accidentally ran into his Charizard. If you’re right, if he is nervous, you don’t address it since you know what it’s like, and attention being drawn to it is far from ideal. So instead you glance down at the Poké Ball in your grasp, then back up at him.

“Thanks.”

You hope he can sense the sincerity in your voice, and can surmise all the different reasons why you are thankful to him. He helped you catch a Pokemon, first and foremost, and this is not a privilege many have, to have Leon, of all trainers, aid them. Secondly, he believed in you from the beginning when you were doubtful of yourself, had enough confidence for the both of you and then some. And lastly, that he’d been so ready to cheer you on and was there to help you up with zero hesitation, even after being subjected to, from his perspective, your very odd behavior.

He smiles, and it’s warm, and you know that yes, he picked up on all of it. “You’re welcome.”

And then, the dreaded topic finally rolls around, as it was bound to once Leon caught up to you and made sure you couldn’t make any escape, of your continued avoidance. You try to mentally prepare yourself as he opens his mouth to speak, but you find you’re still not ready.

“Well, now that we’re here talking, and you haven’t tried to run away, could I ask why you were avoiding me?”

“It’s… It’s stupid…” you trail off, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.

Leon’s brow raises and he’s showing the slightest hint of amusement. “What is?”

Wow, now that you’re here, you really don’t want to say it out loud. But he’s watching you closely, and you can’t get out of this one. Just come out with it!

“I… like you.” Your face is burning. “And I mean I did before, but the day we met and you helped me up after I fell, I realized how much I like you. You’re just so kind, and I dunno… it was different to experience it firsthand. You weren’t just someone on a television screen anymore.”

You finally muster up the courage to glance up at him, and you can’t read his expression, which is worrisome. Then he smiles, almost imperceptibly, but you catch the quirk of the corner of his lips, and you don’t know if it’s just you being hopeful or searching for things that aren’t actually there when you detect that he seems… happy.

“How much do you like me?”

At his question, you want to groan and not answer. Your entire body might be set aflame from the embarrassment. Yet he waits patiently for you to respond, and if you’re in this deep, you might as well keep going.

“A lot.” It’s quiet, and if he weren’t as close as he is, he wouldn’t be able to hear it.

Leon’s smile widens at the admission, but then he tilts his head as he thinks. “Wait, so because you like me a lot, you were avoiding me?”

“Well, no… I just… I didn’t want to accept I had feelings that strong for you, and I couldn’t do that if I kept seeing you around.”

“But why didn’t you want to accept them?”

“Because I figured someone else might’ve caught your eye by now,” you explain, eyes sliding back down to the ground. “I mean, you’re you. You have all the girls in Galar falling head over heels for you! And I thought… maybe you already had a girl in Wyndon who captured your attention.”

You were expecting him to confirm your assumptions or to laugh at how much you have overthought this, the way you overthink everything, and you were expecting to drown in your awkwardness. But he doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t tell you that you’re right and your sentiments are sweet and all but he’s already seeing someone. Instead, he’s completely silent, and this catches you off guard.

When you dare to look at him, he’s watching you closely. His grin is soft and he shakes his head. “No girl in Wyndon, no. But I was hoping to catch the eye of one here. That is, if she’d stop trying to avoid me.”

You were ready to come out with the It’s okay and Really, it’s fine, my feelings aren’t hurt, and now that he has hit you with this, you don’t know what to say. Except—

“What?”

Leon chuckles at the confusion laced in your tone, and he continues on, in a manner more relaxed than you had been while confessing. “I wanted to talk to you more after the first time, but when you kept running away, I figured you didn’t want to talk, so I didn’t pry. I thought my charm had failed me when I needed it most.” His grin is sheepish as he shrugs.

You can’t believe what you’re hearing. Leon had been interested from the very start. You had stuck out to him in the way you hoped you had, before you tried to stifle that wishful thinking with the more realistic expectation that he would never like you like that. But apparently that hadn’t been realistic in the least bit, and your self-doubt and your propensity for overthinking had you both running in a circle, chasing after each other and never catching up. That is, until you realized all you had to do was turn around.

“I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” you apologize. “I should’ve given you a chance.”

Leon smiles and that’s all it takes for him to let you know that it’s okay. That’s all in the past now. “If you want to make it up to me, you could start by telling me your name?”

You smile too, more at ease now, and tell him.

He nods and repeats it, and there’s a satisfaction inherent in his gaze, as if content to finally know it. Then he says it again, and you can’t help grinning too because you like the way it sounds, and this time he tacks onto the end of it a request to go out with him on a date. And, well, what else was there to say besides yes?

When you and Leon part ways, with plans for lunch tomorrow, you return to Lucy’s house. She’s already in the kitchen, gathering ingredients. The two of you are going to make dinner tonight and have a movie marathon. After you close the front door, she calls out, “How was your day?”

“Good!” you reply, removing your shoes and throwing your backpack and jacket onto the couch. “How was yours?”

“Also good.” Lucy shuts the cupboard and sets down the mixing bowl and smiles as you walk into the kitchen. “Oh, and also, guess who stopped by the cafe earlier.”

You shrug. “Who?”

“Leon! You’re so right, you know. He’s much better looking in person. And he’s so nice too!”

You figure he must’ve stopped by to eat lunch because why else would he go to the cafe? But then Lucy points to a vase of flowers you hadn’t noticed was sitting on the dining table. “He actually went to drop those off and ask that I give them to you. He said he knew we were friends because he saw us hanging out. I just went ahead and put them in some water.”

As Lucy rifles through the spice cabinet for the ones she needs for tonight’s dish, you walk up to the table to look at the flowers more closely. They’re a pale yellow. You smile is equal parts fond at Leon’s thoughtfulness and good memory, and amusement due to the fact he’d bought the bouquet you were intending to give Lucy. Your train for Hulbury leaves tomorrow, after your date with Leon, so you suppose you could pretend to reason with Lucy that the flowers were better in her care, and maybe later you can admit to her what had actually transpired.

You slide the vase closer to you to feel the soft petals, and you spot a small card tucked among the stems. Carefully you pull it away and open it up. It’s plain but for a few words written inside: Maybe you’d let me fall for you too?

Leon’s signed his name at the bottom, and your face might crack from how widely you’re smiling. Sighing lightly and clutching the card close to your chest, you twist around.

“So I took a walk along Route 1 earlier,” you begin, and Lucy hums so you know she’s listening, “and the funniest thing happened…”

#pokemon leon x reader #pokemon leon imagine #pokemon x reader #pokemon imagine #pokemon swsh #pokemon sword and shield #bubble-tea-bunny #queue

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laws-yellow-submarine · 4 years

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It's no worries, but still can i request a scenario for Luffy? The plot Is up to you, i just wanna see him jealous hehehe thank you very much, hope this time is not out of his character, once again thank you

Hi dear! Hopefully this works for “jealousy”. I had a lot of trouble picturing Luffy being jealous, especially over a person (I feel like he’s more of a “I wanted to play with that toy but that kid already has it” kind of jealous tbh). I also wanna give a shoutout to Asexual Aces on Facebook for helping me out with portraying crushes from an Aromantic viewpoint (or squishes, as they usually end up being), they were a huge help. Anyway, I’m really happy with what I wrote, so I really hope you enjoy it too!

Luffy was an affectionate captain. He enjoyed spending his days surrounded by his crew, his friends, and finding ways to show how much he appreciated them any chance he got. Lately, this had been especially true of the Straw Hats newest crew member. There was only one problem.

Everytime Luffy wanted to hang out, she was busy!

…

“Oi, Name-chan! Let’s go fishing!” Luffy called, line already cast and Usopp cheering him on to catch a really big one. She gave him an apologetic look, smiling despite what she would say next.

“Ahh sorry Luffy, I promised I’d help Sanji in the kitchen. Maybe next time?” Said cook followed after her into the kitchen, floating along behind her with hearts in his eyes. Normally, Luffy would laugh at how dumb Sanji looked, but this time he just pouted, even when Usopp cheered at the large prize he fished up. She hadn’t even noticed.

...

“Shishishi Name-chan! This island has beetle fights! Come on, let’s go watch!” Luffy yelled, tugging her arm lightly. She frowned slightly, putting on a brave face as he and Chopper both sent her their best puppy-dog stare.

“I’m sorry, Luffy. I said I’d do some shopping with Nami and Robin. You know, have a girl’s day? Maybe they’ll have them later!” Luffy watched her walk off with the other two women, scratching his head. There had to be some way to spend time with her.

…

“Hey, Name-chan!” Luffy called, mouth full. “You want some of this meat? Sanji just cooked it! It’s sooooo good!” Zoro raised an eyebrow at his captain from his napping spot in the corner, but otherwise made no comment.

“Thanks, but I actually ate something not that long ago. You go ahead and eat it all, I know how much you love meat, Captain!” She giggled, walking off to join Nami in her nectarine grove. Luffy watched her go, rubbing his chin as he tried to think of a way to get her to spend time with him, only paying attention to his surroundings long enough to snap at a hand as it tried to sneak off with his food.

Did she not like him? She didn’t seem to have a problem hanging out with the rest of the crew. What could he be doing wrong? He even shared his meat! When they’d first met something about her just stood out to him, and he thought she was one of the coolest people he’d ever met. He’d thought she felt the same about him, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Luffy continued this line of thinking all the way to the next destination, and his spirits rose when he saw a carnival taking place in town. He quickly ran over to her, grabbing her by the arm before anyone else could speak, and pulled her off the ship into the crowd.

“Ahh! But Luffy! I was gonna-!”

“Well now we’re hanging out! Come on, it’ll be fun!” She let him pull her around the island, knowing there was no point in arguing with him. When Luffy really wants something, he’ll find some way to get it.

They spend the day playing carnival games (“Look at that big bear, Name-chan!” “Luffy, you can’t just take it, you need to win it first!”), sampling food (“This fried stuff is good, but Sanji’s food is way better!” “Mmhmm, I have to agree, Captain!”), and riding rides (“Man that haunted house wasn’t even scary!” “Luffy, you really should apologize for punching the actors…”).

Their last stop of the day was a giant ferris wheel, and as Luffy sidled into the car next to her (squished against each other due to said giant bear), he felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in his gut. He often felt this way when he spent time with his friends, but this was stronger than usual somehow, and while he didn’t know why that would be he wasn’t going to complain. He’d finally gotten to spend a day with her, no other plans in place to interrupt his fun; and it HAD been fun, at least for him. From the smile on her face, he thought maybe it was fun for her too, and his own smile grew to match it. He rocked the seat back and forth, causing her to laugh.

As they left the carnival to head back to the Sunny, it was at a more leisurely pace than when they’d first set out. The carnival had died down some, though the low roar of the crowd still followed behind them, and fireflies dotted their path home.

“While I don’t appreciate being dragged off against my will, this was a lot of fun,” She spoke up, sending him a brilliant smile. “Thanks, Luffy!” His only reply was to smile back, wide and proud, and to wrap his arms around her a few times over in a tight hug. She let out an “oof!” as he lifted her off the ground, but otherwise didn’t complain.

“Let’s hang out more just us, ok?” He asked, not letting go.

“Ok, Captain,” She managed to squeeze out. “Sounds like a plan!” In a flash he let her go and she could breathe again, free to chase after him, their laughter carried on the wind.

#monkey d. luffy #luffy scenario #one piece #one piece scenario #thanks for the ask!

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p-st · 5 years

Text

sakura haruno fics (ao3)

an old anon sent me on the quest of a lifetime when they first asked for sakura fic recs and my brain went “lets read every fic on ao3 in the sakura haruno tag” (also ff.net but thats gonna have to be another post in the far off future bc ff is an old giant)

fics are split into finished, in progress, and abandoned (and the fics with ⭐ are my top faves) plus every category’s fics will be in order from shortest to longest. im gonna include the original summaries along with my own separate take (really more of a reaction) and any warnings the fics need!

THIS IS A LABOR OF LOVE!!!!! which is a nice way of saying it’s long as shit, it took me forever, and i loved every second of it! let me know if any links dont work, theres typos that dont look purposeful, there’s warnings missing, if any fics arent in order, the formatting isnt right, etc.etc.

my sincerest apologies to mobile users

fair warning: im not exaggerating when i say it’s really long

(pic from naruto-manga-caps)

author’s note: im dumb and have adhd and though ive read most of these fics at least twice, i tend to skip over text. with this in mind PLEASE let me know if you come across anything in these fics that makes you uncomfy so i can either add a warning or remove it entirely

want to navigate faster? ctrl+f to search key words like: [ship], [author], bamf, mokuton, (team as) family, etc!

FINISHED

in the roots of the forest (i am birthed) by frostnesia

ship: none // words: 272 // chapters: 1/1

so little sakura walks; past the flowers, the vines, the bright red gates and enters to a sanctuary no one with a beating heart had stepped in for more than a hundred years.

au. little ficlet! OOF im always a little heart eyed about godly iconography. plotless! just a good short read that would absolutely rock my world if it was expanded into a multichapter story but it’s still good as is!

Seven or Two by grit

ship: sakura & kakashi // words: 623 // chapters: 1/1

He makes a split-second decision. Their teamwork was atrocious, but he knows who to blame, and it’s not the girl who blackmailed her teammates into giving a damn.

i really do need more fics where kakashi recognizes the similarities between himself and sakura. tbh i just need more fics where sakura gets the love and recognition she deserves. this is a good short fic for that! team seven doesnt make it through but sakura does! eventually! warning for one weird line abt the yamanakas that might make ppl uncomfy

Twelve and Sixteen by therebaeka

ship: none // words: 625 // chapters: 1/1

Twelve years old Sakura was weak. She was annoying. She cried over the littlest thing. She had no pain tolerance at all. She wanted to be strong. Sixteen years old Sakura was strong. She can split the earth. She can heal anything. She can take anything thrown at her. She wanted to be twelve again.

god i love fics that touch on all the negative effects a shinobi lifestyle has on ninja kids (like the loss of childhood innocence/wonderment). character growth and mostly a character analysis type fic which i love. sakura just loves her team but she misses being a kid (team as family!!)

Three Sentence Ficlets by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)

ship: narusasusaku // words: 626 // chapters: 3/3

Tiny ficlets written for various iterations of the Three Sentence Ficathon:

1) A quiet moment, after the world doesn't end. 2) Sakura reaches the valley's rim just in time. 3) The night before Naruto's investiture as Hokage.

soft and kind short fics abt my fav ot3. first chap is set post-war, 2nd is set during naruto and sasukes fight in the valley before he goes to orochimaru, and the setting of the 3rd is in the above description. these are really soft fics and im a sucker for the slice of life feelings

Another Kind of You by rhenna

ship: sasusaku // words: 655 // chapters: 1/1

"The problem with the color black is that it can't decide whether it is the color of the classically evil or the color of the bad-boy hero."

they are.. just liddle babies..team as family feelings bc that’s what really gets me in my uwus. not shippy! just sakura’s usual baby crush! surprisingly introspective

Unravel by grit

ship: none // words: 683 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura will be a shinobi soon and they know to coat their bare skin in poison.

au. sakura is a kiri nin amidst the bloodline purges. honestly just a super interesting look into life in kirigakure during this time and how its beliefs reflect on its children. warning for animal death and a little bit of an unhinged world view

I’ll Carry You by naru_writes

ship: narusasusaku // words: 701 // chapters 1/1

I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit, Sakura tells herself, slowly petting the now sleeping kitten, and then I’ll start on dinner.

i LIVE for domestic fluff and established relationships aaa. they love and care about her so much it makes my heart happy. all from sakura’s pov

Puppy Love by Dovey

ship: kibasaku // words: 852 // chapters: 1/1

It’s Sakura’s first day in the academy when she falls in love with Kiba Inuzuka.

i looooove how differently she grows as a character with just one difference. really cute baby genin crush. theyre rowdy, muddy, rough housing best friends. really short and lighthearted

Selfless Stunt by Michinokao

ship: sakura & naruto & sasuke // words: 859 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura wants to become chunin. She really does. However, after seeing Naruto’s nervousness, she decides to raise her hand to drop out with her team.

set during chunin exams. OOF babey im always here for team 7 as family fics!! short little thing and just feel good for ppl who stan sakura and love when others take her feelings into consideration :’)

What You See is What You Get, So Look Away by Dovey

ship: none // words: 903 // chapters: 1/1

a warmup piece i wrote trying to make a Kakashi who’s not so oblivious.

kakashi’s pov. lots of introspection and meta and i love this kind of stuff a lot. analysis on how different naruto and sasuke are from the rest of their team. love love love when anyone brings up sakura’s own mortality and what she had to do to get to where she is. aaa also the author notes at the end are very worth the read

Snake Tooth by Pinnacle of Failure (Cromirn)

ship: none // words: 904 // chapters: 1/1

The Forest of Death doesn't go right. Sakura can't tell what's real and what's not.

exactly as the summary says! orochimaru does some genjutsu stuff and my poor girl get severely messed up mentally. warning for implications of gore and an unstable mind. part one in a trilogy (others are on this list)

Here Are Your Bones Crossed by grit

ship: none // words: 977 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura begins recovery by unfurling her hands and giving him a tense report. Kakashi waits patiently for her to stumble through Konoha Standard, motions well-memorised but never practiced, and gently reaches out to lift her chin, making her look at him.

(Sakura blames herself. For trusting Kabuto, for not being stronger, for being here when really it should have been Naruto who survived.)

it’s fucked :( sakura is gonna need such a good therapist it’s really what she deserves. and if i did tear up a little after that last thing kakashi said? well thats between me and whoever’s reading this. read the author notes at the end for an explanation of whats going on in this timeline

Wind and Water, Earth and Rain by theformerone

ship: narusaku // words: 1020 // chapters: 1/1

Naruto almost loses himself on the Wave Mission. But in a world where Team Seven was created to prevent another Kyuubi attack, there is always someone there to remind him of who he is.

set during wave arc. MOKUTON SAKURA. not shippy at all? incredibly easy to take as platonic and just a sweet team 7 as family fic (which i did before i looked at the tags??) warning for super brief gore

⭐How Do You Tell a Girl You Want to Kiss Her? by theformerone

ship: shikasaku // words: 1084 // chapters: 1/1

Shikamaru punches a hole through Sakura’s wall. She can’t really deal with that until she has her morning coffee.

au. part three of the role reversal au (others are listed later) this is really cute and theres nothing life or death about it and i love how idk. normal it is? sakura is just tired and taking it in stride and shikamaru is a flustered mess (choji is a good wingman) (and god this is a small thing but i love the lowkey team 7 stuff. my faves are my faves in any universe)

Of Gardens and Girls by Dovey

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 1128 // chapters: 1/1

Soulmates: a person so important, so loved, and so central to your life that the universe acknowledges it. Flowers representing that love will grow inside of you until the love is requited, or you move on.

Sakura has a lot of soulmates.

au. set throughout timeline. really bittersweet, so damn bittersweet. this fic makes my heart hurt bc she’s so full of love and deserves better. (theres also a lot more ships nd every single one is platonic except for the naruhinagaa) warning for death :’(

Forgetting Something by theformerone

ship: sakukarin // words: 1130 // chapters: 1/1

Well I’m not eating you out in the kitchen like I was planning on when your daughter left.”

Sakura snorts.

“So she’s just my daughter now?”

Karin follows her into the room and sets down Sarada’s new spare pair of glasses on her desk.

“When you help her cause minor property damage before seven in the morning, yes, she’s your daughter.”

set in boruto universe. really fucking sweet. this is just a short and cute little slice of life thing w adorable sakura and sarada interactions

Smiles in Spring by Kalira

ship: inosaku // words: 1179 // chapters: 1/1

One spring day when they are very small, Ino meets a little girl with shy eyes, a beautiful smile, and pink hair, and immediately knows what she wants in her future. Ino's never had any qualms bending the force of her will on the universe to be sure she gets whatever she wants.

NOT sakura centric but i excused a couple of other fics already PLUS this is cute so whatever. it’s just short and cute and makes my heart swell

Drawing Her Back by Kalira

ship: inosaku // words: 1197 // chapters: 1/1

It's not the first time Sakura has had to lead her lover back to herself from deep in her own mind, and it probably won't be the last. She doesn't like it . . . but she can do it.

sakura is the best. have i mentioned that before? i love her more than anything if you didnt already know that about me. sakura is just making sure ino is okay and helping in any way she can and my heart is soft

Underneath the Underneath (is nothing but bones and blood) by Dovey

ship: none // words: 1269 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura has a weak heart. This isn’t metaphorical, but literal- she’s born with a heart too small to pump properly. A valve is slightly misaligned, and any strenuous activity could kill her.

set from genin era to the attack on the village amidst the chunin exam. and again! dovey delivers the good stuff! no dialogue. life kinda comes at her fast and you can almost feel her whole mindset shift

Nothing but Paint by grit

ship: none // words: 1382 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura has her hand fist-deep in Sasuke's rib cage, seriously tempted to rip his heart out like he did hers, a conflict of interest mitigated only by the code of honor her shishou drilled into her, when she realizes that Team Seven won't return to Konoha without him this time.

character exploration of team 7 surrounding sakura (my weakness) not sure where in the timeline this is but i know it's post sai and yamato joining the team. it's short but interesting as hell!! immediate warning for blood if the desc didnt give it away

Hands Reaching Out by orlha

ship: shikasaku // words: 1412 // chapters: 1/1

The price of winning the war was steeper than Sakura imagined it to be. It was a price she gladly pay over and over again but the thought of not living long enough to see this new peace burns in her chest.

post war. just a short angsty little thing abt sakura and her seal. mentions of death

Canary Bill by Pinnacle of Failure (Cromirn)

ship: none // words: 1474 // chapters: 1/1

she knows that what they did for her will come back around. she didn't expect it to be this way.

part two of the disjointed realities series! still set during the exams and my poor girl still has some residual effects of the genjutsu orochimaru put her through. it’s not clear whether it’s real or not

From Ashes by Dovey

ship: none // words: 1476 // chapters: 2/2

She hasn’t got a family, hasn’t got a team, not in any way either of those words should count. It’s time to come to terms with that.

set near the beginning of shippuden it seems? interesting implications about her family that i want more of plus emphasis on team 7 as family minus her which hurts my heart aa. warning for death, blood, and gore (not super graphic)

Boar Tusk by Pinnacle of Failure (Cromirn)

ship: none // words: 1499 // chapters: 1/1

she burns in the flames of memories of which are fake, they boil her skin and melt flesh and she is nothing more than a skeleton of what she was. she wishes she were not what she is now, what she was then, and she begs.

last part of the disjointed realities series! still during the exams! yeah she’s definitely traumatized, no question about it.

How Lame by theformerone

ship: shikasaku // words: 1527 // chapters: 1/1

Nara Shikamaru is the Godaime’s apprentice. Sakura thinks he’s a world class nag.

au. ROLE REVERSALS!! super interesting!!!!! teams are still the same but their stories and personalities are different? anyway this au is cute and i love team seven’s relationship and also sakura’s skills are cool as SHIT. plus the shikasaku interactions are cute. part one of this role swap series.

Letters to the Front by Kalira

ship: hinasaku // words: 1644 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura, as both head medic and close friend and advisor to the Hokage, is not lacking for news from back home even as she manages the field hospital at the front lines, but her most prized letters are not those advising her of news on the war and politics.

set during war time. sakura just loves and appreciates her girlfriend so much aa warning for implied nsf/w. none of it graphic!

The One With the Eye Thing by Dovey

ship: none // words: 1776 // chapters: 1/1

a one chapter story that’s 100% just sakura getting a very gross revenge on her sensei and on the shinobi class system as a whole, at least as far as SHE sees it.

that also means this is SUPER gorey. let it be said that i give the people what they want

au. bamf sakura! set pre shippuden surprisingly enough. believe it or not, there is a very gorey eye thing. sexy ass takes on the role of civilians in a shinobi village. warnings for graphic gore and a mental breakdown

I Spy by AshesFall (Cloud_Nine)

ship: none // words: 1782 // chapters: 1/1

Team 7, Missing in Action.

The aftermath of the Wave Mission gone wrong.

part one of the Lucky Sevens series. not very sakura centric but the whole series is just neat! team as family which im always a sucker for. the series focuses on how team 7 copes with being back in the village and i just think it’s neat idk! warning for mentions torture! individual warnings for every other fic in the series in the tags but most are about torture, trauma, and general violence

Ghosts in Her Blood by Dovey

ship: gaasaku // words: 1831 // chapters: 1/1

After Wave, Inner Sakura changes into a familar face to help Sakura cope with her new reality

au. set during chunin arc. tbh!! no idea this was a ship fic til i read the tags so this can absolutely be read as a shipless fic. really makes you think abt how (not) good a shinobi village is at teaching children how to compartmentalize. my girl’s a bamf but traumatized and trying. warnings for gore and death

Coming Home by Angelchexmex

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 1901 // chapters: 1/1

Kakashi isn't surprised that his little brats had made themselves at home in his apartment while he was gone, he was just a bit curious as to why.

kakashi pov! set early genin days! not much plot wise but i love fics like that so much aa i love fics that just showcase the familiarity between team 7 in more domestic settings. they love sakura!! they all care abt her so much and kakashi love his kids a lot!!! really cute short and sweet team as family fic! warning for implications of abuse and starvation

Does He Make You Feel Special? by Dovey

ship: none // words: 1905 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura develops an eating disorder, and then she recovers with help from some friends.

au. starts pre shippuden. read the tags because this realy is what it says on the tin. warnings for eating disorders, self esteem issues, and relapse. she gets mostly adopted by tsunade and everyone takes care of her in general. hinata gets the place of apprentice and sakura gets more friends and support and gets trained by anko! focuses on recovery before plot so the only “real” plot is at the very end

Ink Stains and Cherry Blossoms by Hannahmayski

ship: sai & sakura // words: 1922 // chapters: 1/1

Ice cream doesn’t solve all of the world’s problems but Sakura is pretty sure it solves most of them.

Sai’s having a bad day and has never had ice cream before. Sakura fixes both.

sai centric fic w sunshine sakura. budding friendship. can be interpreted as romantic if you want? i didnt see it as that, but if it’s what u want! delves a little into sai’s feelings towards danzo. just dang cute and i always love a sakura who is there for her friends. allusion to an eating disorder and emotional manipulation.

⭐What Lingers by spacefleeting

ship: none // words: 1994 // chapters: 1/1

For someone who just watched her friend get beaten to a pulp, had her head nearly punched in, and stopped her teammate from going on a curse-induced murder spree, Sakura is handling everything very well. Until she’s not.

(Or: Sakura blossomed and she’s not really sure how she feels about it yet)

set during chunin exam. trying and failing to compartmentalize and naruto trying to help as best as another kid can. it’s endearing but wow, does canon naruto ever touch on how they help get children through the trauma of shinobi life?? the answer is no. mentions of blood. she takes a bite out of a dude. like. real shit

What’s Yours is Mine by DefiantDreams

ship: narusasusaku // words: 1994 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura doesn’t quite know how it happens, but suddenly their closets are a free-for-all for each other.

au. sakuras pov. just plain soft. short and cute budding romance between my faves aaa,, also genderfluid naruto!!

Last Match in the Matchbox by Endoplasmic Panda

ship: none // words: 2071 // chapters: 1/1

In which Sakura Haruno realizes that being discontent with adult life is part of the Team Seven contractual fine print.

(got rid of the rest of the summary bc it was too many text blocks) set during boruto! just some build up to sakura FINALLY getting her own time to just travel aa. everyone supports her and that’s how it should be

How a Fire is Born by ThroughtheMirrorDarkly

ship: none // words: 2075 // chapters: 1/1

What if there had been no Ino that fateful day in the park? What if Sakura is mercilessly bullied until one day she is pushed to her breaking point, with surprising results?

starts off during early academy days. sakura came here to learn and fuck people up and she just finished the curriculum. i HATE hiruzen but i love my girl so :/ also team seven are all rivals which sounds like it would be chaotic poor kakashi. warnings for abuse and bullying

How Sakura Discovers Her Love for Fighting by smolwhite_ugly

ship: none // words: 2087 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura Haruno is five-years-old when she decides that she really wants to become a ninja. Not a paper ninja. A shinobi.

set during early academy days uvu. rowdy girl rights!!!!! sakura is the ride or die friend everyone wishes they had. sakura is that short comic “you have befriended [name], [name] will now die for you” except it’s beat someone up. sakura’s best friends are blondes uwu

What a Pain by theforemerone

ship: shikasaku // words: 2269 // chapters: 1/1

Yamanaka Ino is an S-ranked missing nin. But before that, she was Shikamaru and Chouji’s best friend and comrade.

Sakura has an easier time compartmentalizing than they do. Especially in a fight.

au. second part of the role swap au! ino essentially took the place of sasuke. pretty focused on the ino-shika-cho story but entirely from sakura’s pov. shes so FUCKING COOL I LOVE THE JUTSUS OP GAVE HER SHES SUCH A BAMF IM IN LOVE. this au is so interesting i need more

Galvanize by nerazenn

ship: narusaku // words: 2352 // chapters: 1/1

gal·va·nize (v): shock or excite (someone), typically into taking action.

Sakura’s victorious wail was cut short, however, as she became immediately aware of two things.

One, her hand was in a lot of pain.

And two, Ino was nowhere near Sakura.

modern au. just a short meet cute fic sjcndek honestly id expect nothing less. it’s just cute and makes me laugh. something not serious thrown into the mix of recs

Truth in Platitudes by Kalira

ship: narusasusaku // words: 2454 // chapters: 1/1

Naruto stepped in with no thought to his own safety to protect theirs; now Sakura and Sasuke are left to try and get him out of the trap in his own mind.

yeah it’s exactly what it says on the tin. not sure where on the timeline this is. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER!!!!! im really so easy please

And Then the Desert Blooms by spacefleeting

ship: sakura & gaara // words: 2457 // chapters: 1/1

Haruno Sakura meets Gaara of the Desert piece by piece, name by name.

set throughout timeline. mostly sakura’s thoughts during the few times she’s interacted with gaara. development as friends! naruto would be so happy

Little Moments by iBloo

ship: sasusaku // words: 2519 // chapters: 1/1

Sasuke, Sakura, and Sarada enjoy an afternoon shopping and spending time with each other.

set during boruto’s dad’s son’s time. sasuke just loves his girls and sakura loves her family and sarada loves her parents so much and loves to spend time with them together. just a nice little slice of life feel good fic. im a sucker for domestic “filler episode” type fics aa they make me so tender

Bumpy Future by Dovey

ship: hinasaku // words: 2553 // chapters: 1/1

It’s her last year at the academy when Sakura hits her head. When she wakes up, she has a little trouble matching memories to the people in them- but she’ll have to get it right eventually, yeah?

in which sakura pairs vague associations with the wrong people, and everyone is much happier because of it (Except Iruka-sensei).

acadamy days!! newborns!!! everything changes djsbjd ino is her rival, kiba’s her bestfriend, and hinata is her crush and her class supports all of it, it’s cute (also read the author notes at the end, the last paragraph is so fucking quality)

Hello, Bright Eyes (been waiting on you) by mouseymightymarvellous

ship: saisaku // words: 2651 // chapters: 1/1

“look underneath the underneath,” except no one has ever really bothered to look at sakura and see her. and then there is a boy (isn’t there always). maybe they’re both just ghosts, making each other real.

no clear timeline. large focus on sakura and how she’s (not) seen by other people. emphasis on sai and sakura’s disconnect from naruto and sasuke. the plot confused me a bit but im pretty positive it’s about sakura dismantling root per request of tsunade. THE ENDING THOUGH??? sai deserves so much love that really made me melt a little

Prodigal Sons by Fiction_Over_Fact

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 2779 // chapters: 1/1

Sasuke is gone and Naruto is gone and Kakashi might as well be.

In which Sakura is sad and alone but discovers she doesn’t have to be either.

set after naruto leaves with jiraiya. sort of a character analysis/coming of age type fic. touches on the disparity of who she was and who she’s becoming. also has bits of her friendship with the rest of the rookie 9!

Sasuke Discovers Emotion #4 by Dovey

ship: sasusaku // words: 2852 // chapters: 1/1

In which Sasuke manages to avoid getting a team with any fangirls, and then figures out maybe he was secretly the fangirl all along, because a little distance and the influence of Sensei Tenten helps Sakura flourish and now he’s got a big old crush to deal with on top of everything else.

set during genin days. also sasuke centric but sakura gets put into a different team and her development as a result is so beautiful even though it isnt the focus aaa. sasuke pines and it’s cute!!

⭐An Improper Apology Properly Backfires by rex101111

ship: sasusaku // words: 2996 // chapters: 1/1

Sasuke Uchiha apologizes, or at least makes an attempt. Sakura thinks he could do better than THAT.

set at the end of the war. naruto is the innocent bystander and it’s all in his pov. god i WISH this went down in canon. this fic is so fucking funny and cathartic bc sakura finally gets to air her grievances. DEFINITELY a top fave of mine and i have it bookmarked for whenever i just so happen to be in the mood

The Value of Learning to Bloom by Yourself by alunbalanced

ship: shikasaku // words: 3001 // chapters: 2/2

Sasuke asks a question and receives an unexpected answer and Sakura stands on her own two feet as she walks away.

set post war. really good self indulgent fic for ppl who love sakura and arent the biggest fans of sasuke (this fic is a bit mean to him so i wouldnt recommend to sasuke stans). this doesnt read as one consecutive fic but more like two individual one shots. sasuke is only in the first chapter and the second one is dedicated to sakura’s first time training w tsunade and shikamaru analyzing her. also the author notes are me always

San by Demeter

ship: none // words: 3046 // chapters: 1/1

When three whittles down to one. A very biased view.

set throughout pre shippuden timeline. heavy on that introspection! not all that plot focused, just sakura’s thoughts on where she stands and how she’s always left behind

The Shadows are Darker When the Sun is Bright by EndoplasmicPanda

ship: none // words: 3437 // chapters: 1/1

She remembers that Team 7, from all those years ago, and then remembers the real Team 7, with bickering teammates and bloody spars and careful, loving admonishment. She remembers the Team 7 without Sasuke, remembers the Team 7 where it was just her and Kakashi for three long years. Remembers Sai and Yamato, sets aside her guilt for not visiting them in far too long, remembers Naruto’s grin and Sasuke’s smile.

They loved her. She loved them.

Can she love herself?

set after the war. sakura becomes hokage and shes good even though shes traumatized and not moving past it (bc shes trying to live the lives her teammates shouldve had) open ending but i choose to believe she takes to wandering the lands and going back into medical things while learning how to live her own life for herself and no one else :’)

Sense Memory by KuriQuinn

ship: sasusaku // word count: 3501 // chapters: 1/1

She’s not breathing, or showing any signs of life, and that worries him.

takes place when sarada is a baby. almost all of it is a flashback to smthn that took place in their baby days and it’s all in sasuke’s pov. the non flashback bits are soft and slice of life-esque. warnings for near death and drowning in the flashback and implied ns/fw near the very beginning and the very end

Coming Undone by Dovey

ship: none // words: 3643 // chapters: 1/1

The Uchiha Massacre is world-famous within weeks. The homicide of the Haruno family, in comparison, is a barely a blip on the radar- another case of personal drama with an unfortunate end. Sakura, the only survivor of her family tragedy, tries to grow up normal, chasing after boys and running away from nightmares.

She doesn’t grow up normal.

au. she’s a bamf with trauma babey!! she uses battle axes and hammers and her summons are tigers which is cool as shit. loss of morality and unquestionable loyalty is always so interesting. warnings for gore, death, and drug use

Sakura’s Plants by ba262

ship: none // words: 3704 // chapters: 15/15 // updated: 3/8/19

Sakura was given Ukki-kun the day she was officially left behind by team 7

set throughout timeline. a story told in parts surrounding the plants in sakura’s life. no dialogue! i love sakura so much and my heart hurtsss,, we get to see more of her reaction to being left behind by her team and im in PAIN!! shout out to sakura’s newfound support group. short chapters and a nice short read! idk how to describe it but the writing flows REALLY nicely

Pinpoint by CountessCzan

ship: sakura & shisui // words: 3792 // chapters: 1/1

Shisui takes care of a child named Sakura for a mission once. Sakura never lets go of him after that.

set when shisui is a genin post-war. sakura is a cute little baby and im sobbing at the picture this fic paints. I LOVE SHISUI A LOT he’s so soft im really tender

Stars Exploding by blesseth

ship: sasusaku // words: 4098 // chapters: 1/1

Don’t get Sakura wrong, she was happy she and Sasuke were becoming friends, following everything that had happened. Ecstatic even. But hell, did he have to be on her mind all the damn time?

set post war. BYE i had the cheesiest grin the entire time i was reading this. just a cute little pre-relationship type fic and i love the little team 7 as family things sprinkled in. just another good light hearted fic to break up the serious/plot focused fics

Sharkman and Cherrygirl by The_Floating_World

ship: none // words: 4245 // chapters: 1/1

Newly five Haruno Sakura joins her parents on a merchant trip, has a life-changing encounter, and gains a new goal.

YES BABEY!!! i love my little fearless to the point of just plain idiotic girl!! there’s a surprising amount of fics where kisame becomes a bit of an inspiration to my number one fave and i love all of them! more fuel for my love of sakura who focuses more towards her water aspect// anyway! my little baby is just in desperate need for a mentor figure/someone she can base herself off of bc shes a shy little things whom i love more than life itsself aa GOD the way she gets absolutely star eyed the moment she sees kisame has my heart in fits. i absolutely support my little murder kid and her life goals to be Just Like That (read the notes)

Warmth by kosmeja

ship: narusasusaku // words: 4296 // chapters: 1/1

In which Naruto has a nightlight, Sasuke is afraid of the dark and doesn't want to admit it, and somehow, Sakura is the perverted one.

Or: Team 7 have a brief conversation in the dark.

au. not to sure where this is timeline wise, but sakura is a chunin. they love her so much, yeah im crying about it. they just want her to feel good about herself and that theyre there to support her and im sobbing rn i love team 7 so much

House Upon a Rock by KuriQuinn

ship: sasusaku // words: 4311 // chapters: 1/1

She sort of considers herself the last resort, the one to pull him through; it never really occurs to her that she’s the one that could fall.

yeah!!! literal and metaphorical support!!! sakura is so good here i love her. shes just a kid and she wants to be able to support her teammates even if that means literally carrying them after they pass out from exhaustion. i super love how kuriquinn writes ss interactions and this fic is no different aa (also i cant believe he never gave her the spar she asked for :/) can be read as platonic if you want! it’s mostly onesided any way

Sakura of the Red Sands by Dovey

ship: gaasaku // words: 4811 // chapters: 1/1

Sasori hates Hatake Kakashi. He meets a young girl with reason to hate the man too, and finds the perfect opportunity for revenge.

If he accidentally builds a family along the way, well. He always was exemplary at exceeding expectations.

au. sasori never defected. set roughly around chunin exam arc. sasori is an asshole as per usual and accidently becomes sakura’s pseudo older brother figure? it’s actually super endearing how proud of her he becomes and how much he starts to root for her sjdndk though it is a Little unnerving here and there and there are parts where sasori is noticeably less normal than the average person. also MOKUTON SAKURA!!!!! she’s op and meets gaara and they click and this whole fic is maybe a little weird but mostly interesting (also the author notes are good please read them!!) warning for maybe questionable levels of attachment? oh also a kind of coerced amputation!

⭐Into the Water by BasicallyAnIdiot

ship: none // words: 5192 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura had always loved the water.

set throughout timeline. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again but i love when people write sakura as someone who leans more towards her water aspect and this is one of my favorite fics that show that. my girl is connected directly to tobirama nd while he’s actually a bastard, this fic single handedly made me have a reluctant soft spot for him. plus she follows directly in his footsteps and invents jutsus too (god i love her shes so smart and cool) plenty of little spots about love that make me tender. god i love this fic so much and my girl kicks ass 100/10

Parsley Seed Goes Nine Times to the Devil by Mook_aron

ship: none // words: 5445 // chapters: 1/1

Slow to grow, quick to sprout, parsley seed goes nine times to the devil

When she’s six, a man murders her family.

The man is tall, and his features are burned into her mind. She won’t forget him- she won’t let herself forget him.

root sakura au! changes her whole childhood and perspective on village loyalty. kind of poetic and nice to read despite the dark themes. sai is there!! not a lot but he’s there and i love him. i hesitate to call this team as family bc it’s only just starting to develop but you can feel the potential! part 1 of a series i hope continues aa// warnings for emotional abuse, blood, mentions of gore, and murder

⭐Most Girls, or, the one Where Sakura Grows up and Gets a Fan Girl Along the Way by theformerone

ship: none // words: 5869 // chapters: 1/1

In the years between Naruto’s departure and return, Sakura develops.

Aggressively.

She also gains a second shadow.

set throughout timeline, starts immediately after naruto leaves. YEAH BABEY!!! BAMF SAKURA!!! she gets so fucking cool and she trains with team 8 and team gai (and gets close w the rest of the konaha 11 in general)!! she gets the muscles that she deserves that could only aid the fighting style tsunade taught her (and that she deserves in canon ugh) and she turns into such a powerhouse and people love her and it’s what she deserves (also sakura takes moegi under her wing and they’re good for eachother im crying ajdjdj this fic single handedly made me love moegi)

tag along fic: That Girl Thinks She’s the Queen of the Neighborhood (i got news for you! she is!) by theformerone

same au but all from moegi’s perspective and BOY OH BOY I RELATE. she’s got a huge fucking crush on sakura and it’s cute and sakura is teaching her how to kick ass and it’s inspiring *chef hand kiss* (word count: 6624)

I Won’t Go Down, Your Blushing Bride by felinedetached

ship: inosaku // words: 6186 // chapters: 1/1

(Three things come after that:

1. The moment of realisation. The moment she realises Sasuke’s left the village, gone off to do who knows what with Orochimaru-

2. Her memory returns to her - she was useless against her teammate; taken down by a pressure point and unable to do anything to prevent him from getting at it.

3. Inner rages, throws herself around, cursing and screaming until finally, finally she calms and she says Uchiha Sasuke is a traitor.)

In which Sakura gets the character development she deserved.

set throughout timeline. sakura basically gets adopted by every shinobi adult and it makes my heart so happy. not a lot of plot (minus that bit near the end), but so much depth!! she really does get the character development she deserves. she grows up scary and so op and inner is still there and she dates ino and theyre so soft im crying

Is the Real Over There More Vivid Than Here Ever Feels by falterth

ship: hinasaku // words: 6366 // chapters: 1/1

The healing process is slow.

set some time after the war. i hate this fic SO much it left me ugly crying. fucking NARUTO dies?????? naruto is eternal he's not allowed to die,, okay but aside from the fact that im in my feelings, this fic is so good in how it deals with grief and coping and other such things of dealing with the death of a loved one and how "coping" by ignoring/forgetting the emotions isnt actually coping. warning for death and therapy and a teensy bit of victim blaming? (it gets worked out tho!)

Ain’t no princess in this tower by atomicmuffin

ship: sakura & tenten // words: 6448 //chapters: 1/1

Boys are idiots. Ninja boys are idiots with deadly weapons, and it's the kunoichi's privilege and duty to call them out on their bullshit.

Or: how Tenten becomes the Konoha equivalent of a coach for kunoichi completely on accident, mostly because of her pathological inability to let shit go.

set after tsunade becomes hokage (au where sasuke doesnt immediately leave) tenten’s pov! oooo we love a girl who supports girls! she helps sakura treat her teammates like normal people who mess up and are really just dumb boys. BIG fan of fics where tenten takes up a mentor/older sis position for sakura bc she holds a really soft spot in my heart. oof im so proud of my girl’s development im really crying about it

⭐Sing as Their Bones Go Marching in Again by felinedetached

ship: inosaku // words: 6929 // chapters: 1/1

Instead, it goes like this: Haruno Sakura is the daughter of two civilians, from civilian families. She is nothing and no one—smart, yes, top kunoichi, yes, but she will never be on par with clan kids. She is teammates to an orphan powerhouse from a dead clan and the last remaining Uchiha.

Haruno Sakura is nothing and nobody, but she breathes and grows and thrives and the forest thrives with her.

(She opens her eyes to wood, grown from nothing, and Hatake Kakashi stares in disbelief at the tree where his student used to be.)

Or, Haruno Sakura should have had the goddamn Mokuton and this author is mad.

set throughout timeline. this fic has me FOAMING at the mouth!!! MOKUTON SAKURA!!! SENJU SAKURA!!! HASHIRAMA PARALLELS!!! SHE’S A BAMF AND OP AS SHIT!!! TSUNADE ADOPTS HER!!! INO IS HER GIRLFRIEND!!!!! i could sing my praises for this fic all day and still not be finished ahxndkek everything is so good, every little detail (like choji and kiba taking up healing) is so fucking delicious PLEASE read, im BEGGING

For Want of Freedom by ThroughtheMirrorDarkly

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 8908 // chapters: 1/1

Haruno Sakura may seem like she is destined for being a paper ninja, that her choice in this career was a flight of fancy or all based on a fangirl crush. The pink haired girl had no delusions about the life she had chosen, but she would rather die as a ninja then to be bled dry as a slave to her family. Lies and deceptions have built the world around her and Sakura is ready to tear it down, grabbing freedom with both hands.

au. starts off when team 7 first tries to get the bells. sakura’s entire family and backstory is altered and abusive. budding team as family and maybe even actual family between naruto and sakura? *winkwink* some implications of a heavy plot but it doesnt go anywhere and there’s no plans to continue it! warnings for abuse, child experimentation, and mentions of blood

Walk Forward, Don't Look Back by teslatempest

ship: hinasaku // words: 9311 // chapters: 1/1

After the war, Sakura is exhausted.

She decides to make a change.

set post war, some of my favorite types of fics! she goes on a literal road to recovery and it makes my heart so warm because i love her so much and i just want her to be happy and this fic makes me melt///// the hinasaku is only implied once so dont get your hopes up BUT!!! sakura makes narusasu happen and i really said aww out loud in the dopiest voice when sasuke kissed his cheek,, my favorite parts are easily when shes thinking/talking about her emotions bc im a sucker for that good good introspection! warning for mentions of trauma i guess? none of it is all that bad it’s just a good coping fic

Thank You for the Meal by theformerone

ship: narusaku // words: 9876 // chapters: 1/1

Tsunade tells him that the best way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach. Naruto leaves Sakura snacks.

au! not anywhere near as shippy as the tags and description imply? lots of little odd ships like brief mentions of nejisasu nd hinakarin (which has a bit more focus). not very sakura centric but damn beautiful regardless so im keeping it here. actually really fucking emotional with a huge focus on uzushio and the uzumaki clan. made me cry 10/10

⭐Hounds Follow Those Who Feed Them by dragonyfox

ship: narusasusaku // words: 10597 // chapters: 3/3

Kakashi knows when to outsource training, but he also knows that only he can teach them some things.

little bits and pieces of their lives before the last chapter in the first part of this series :(( my heart is soft and full of sadness **READ THE FIRST PART OF THIS SERIES** it’s a hound will die for you but never lie to you and i have it listed a little further down

⭐The Sound by LadyKG

ship: none // words:13231 // chapters: 4/4

They lost. Completely. Totally. Lost. They thought it impossible, that the fates would reject this outcome for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. They have been punished for this belief. And for that, she will go back. Sakura-time travel AU

set post war. INCREDIBLY disorienting. really good to read when you’re existing a little to the left. im not a huge fan of time travel fics but holy shit?? this fic really is something else/ sakura needs to keep obito alive while dealing with hallucinations(?) of her family from her timeline. this is really fucking good actually and she kills danzo and ive got the second part here further down. warning for death

Gallant by Crunchysunrises

ship: sakura & itachi // words: 14890 // chapters: 3/3

On the day that he makes genin, Itachi sees Sakura. It changes the course of his life.

starts when itachi is a genin and sakura is a tiny little baby. non mass. very itachi centric but sakura is such a pivotal part of his life. itachi truly deserves better (it’s friendship!!! itachi is traumatized and dependent)

The Fury by LadyKG

ship: none // words: 15711 // chapters: 4/4

Sequel to 'The Sound'. She needs to keep moving, looking forward and fixing the problems of the past. If she doesn’t the world might just fall apart a second time. Sakura time travel AU.

sequal to The Sound (above somewhere)(read that one first ofc). just as confusing and disorienting as the first one! i love love love how the flashbacks are written where theres no discernible break between past and present. also i didnt mention it in the summary of pt 1 but yamato is so cute! im glad he’s getting better things (same goes for itachi!). warning that things kinda loop and it really is a little disorienting. like whole paragraphs repeat. warning for death too

The Lessons Change by exarite

ship: none // words: 17529 // chapters: 5/5

In another world, Haruno Sakura is known to be the best medic-nin of all time, renowned for her surpassing of her master and with a fearsome reputation for her strength and medical feats.

This is not that world.

aus. bundle of oneshots where sakura gets different teachers and how that changes things. (notes in the first chapter highlight the little issue i have w how sakura developed under tsunade) read the summaries and notes (beginning and end) for info abt the chapter! heavy warnings in chapter 4 for gore, emotional manipulation, blood, and experimentation. also in chapter 2 sakura has a childish crush on shisui and in chapter 3 theres a single line where he implies smthn

⭐Your Childhood Home is just Powder-White Bones (and You'll Never Find Your Way Back) by Dovey

ship: none // words: 24367 // chapters: 11/11

Sasuke is not the only one who worries he's getting too comfortable in his genin life. Itachi decides to add another motivator to Sasuke's revenge plans by kidnapping the teammate who wasn't a charismatic Jinchuriki. Sakura is used to being an objective for those around her, not a person, but even for her this is a little much.

In which Sakura is held captive and learns what a genjutsu specialist can do to a person's mind, that sharks can actually make great friends, joins a dying clan, and gets regifted multiple times before she's finally strong enough to fight back.

starts off when theyre genin. itachi is unhinged and sakura gets the short end of the stick :( LOTS of trauma. my girl gets really messed up and learns a lot of things purely to survive and has a loose grasp on reality. kisame isnt a good guy (read the notes at the end of chapter 10!) but he gives her sharks which is cool. kabuto is bad and so is orochimaru and kimimaro makes me sad but thats all par for the course. sakura gets some sick water things and also tsunade gets to be there and sakura makes her own family. warnings for torture, gore, dissociation, general loss of reality, blood, and death

⭐Survival of the Fittest by cywscross

ship: sakura & shikamaru // words: 24790 // chapters: 1/1

Sakura is thirteen, still a Genin, lost in the middle of Earth Country, lugging an unconscious Chuunin around, and so far beyond scared that she’s moved right on to pissed off.

au. naruto i love you but jesus christ. bamf sakura and shikamaru just trying to survive so they can get home and hopefully rip naruto a new one. really really cool to read abt shikamaru and sakura being smart and working together and plenty interesting bits of introspection. god this fic is just so good and the slow deterioration into kids just trying to stay alive while having nothing but each other and developing unhealthy codependency as a result is so damn interesting. also i cried 10/10 they care about each other so much

⭐Being Over-Prepared is Impossible (and other mottos) by Pleasedial123

ship: none // words: 40071 // chapters: 15/15

In one world, Kakashi awoke, felt grieved at being assigned a team he sees his own in, and he let that grief make him a lazy teacher. He saw himself in Sasuke, Obito in Naruto, and Rin in Sakura. He woke, saw himself in them, and took a large step back, regretting accepting them as his new team. In another world he was quite hands off, merely a watcher because it was so very painful to watch. He saw himself and all his mistakes in this new team of his.

In this world, Kakashi awoke, saw the similarities, and instantly panicked. He suddenly realized what he had done, passing a team. Kakashi was left scrambling not to repeat old mistakes and regrets. This team would not suffer the fate of his team.

In this world, simply put, Kakashi became a teacher. This is the starting of a new Team seven.

set early genin days. TEAM AS FAMILY BABY!!!!!!!! theyre all babies and dumb and reckless but theyre in it together! not as sakura centric as other fics on this list but her development into essentially team leader is so so good!! kakashi loves his kids so much aa

can be read alone but theres a sequel!: Surviving is the Same Thing as Winning (words: 22492 // chapters: 11/? // updated: 2/9/19)

⭐A Hound Will Die For You, but Never Lie to You by dragonyfox

ship: narusasusaku // words: 41065 // chapters: 9/9

Kakashi caught his breath and pretended like he was just thinking about what to say. His dogs saw through it. “I’m thinking of having my team sign the dog contract.”

Pakkun nodded thoughtfully. “That might piss off some powerful people, boss.”

au! (chapter title is the pov) starts somewhere post wave and pre chunin exam. sakura is kakashis favorite and it really makes me wanna cry when fics do that PLUS SHE GETS A HUGE FUCK OFF BATTLE AXE BABY!!!!!!!! they get different developments!!! sasuke gets to be the medic and im really happy about it because he seems sO HAPPY!!! also they get cute dogs and it’s all very sweet. developing themes of team as family which im a sucker for plus developing poly t7 (pining sasuke!) which im REALLY a sucker for aa it was such a happy fic but WOW that last chapter takes no prisoners warning for super brief mention of rape and there’s major character death in the last chapter :(

⭐Samsara by KuriQuinn

ship: sasusaku // words: 54177 // chapters: 8/8

Sakura’s words die in her throat as the man’s eyes shoot open, and the coldest red irises she has ever seen meet hers. She is hit by a wave of terrifying certainty about two things right then – that she knows these eyes better than any other and that, if he wanted to, this man could stop her heart with just a look.

set during their travels. FINALLY!!! the parallels of three that ive been needing my whole ass life!! also sasuke is doting and worried and it’s cute. super fucking interesting and half of it takes place during the Ootsutsuki time (aka naruto & sasuke’s first incarnations) warnings for nsfw and some weird loss of identity/time stuff? it’s a great fic though, easily one of my top faves

⭐A Girl in the Forest of Moss and Bone by theformerone

ship: none // words: 65665 // chapters: 6/6

Katsuyu spits acid in her eyes, and Sakura must prove herself worthy enough for the slugs of Shikkotsu Forest to heal.

Or, it doesn’t translate to ‘damp bone forest’ for nothing.

IF THERE’S A FIC WHOSE SERIES ID RECCOMEND IN ITS ENTIRETY IT IS ABSOLUTELY THIS FIC. IF YOU LOVE SAKURA (AND SLUG SAGE SAKURA ESPECIALLY) PLEASE READ THE BALLAD OF THE SLUG SAGE SERIES. IT OWNS MY WHOLE SOUL. guhh sakura is so adorable in the first chapter (kakashi.. choke) GOD. the fucking uhhhh worldbuilding??????? its Actually my favorite thing aa op’s writing style makes me wanna cry it flows so smoothly and it’s so clever and makes me laugh and keeps me enthralled and FUCK sakura IS SO FUCKING COOL AAAAAAAA /// she loves learning and she loves the world and the world loves her and MAYBE im screaming about it. and i LOVE that this fic leans into how nature is ever changing and always moving and a constant balance like it really makes me choke on love.. her friends love her lots :((( warning for blood and mentions of death. im BEGGING you guys to read the rest of this series.. my girl is worth songs :’)

Broken Glass by Emma_Raye

ship: none // words: 68800 // chapters: 29/29 // updated: 11/6/18

Naruto and Sasuke left Sakura pathetically broken, but like any good shinobi she put the pieces back together the only way she knew how: relentless training. Years later Konoha is in the midst of a war and Sakura is a force to be reckoned with. Frankly, she's not even sure if she wants her teammates back.

au. starts during the early parts of tsunades training (with a timeskip) sakura has a lot of feelings of abandonment and im proud of how much shes achieved! shes in anbu and a diplomat (theres a war going on) and she stands on her own two feet! shes got a weird relationship w morality and starts questioning the way things are run.. also she holds a lot of resentment towards naruto and sasuke but it gets worked on throughout (and they become a team again!!!) im not a fan of how they treated her like shes something to be protected however briefly. sakura needs a mental health lifetime but god damn if she isnt smart and OOF the poetic cinema of it all,, warning for blood, death, and major character death

Home is Where the Heart is by deeppoeticgirl

ship: sasusaku // words: 100849 // chapters: 26/26 // updated: 12/20/18

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love.

set post war. okay listen. barring morally repulsive ships (kksk, itsk, mdsk, etc.) any sakura ship makes me happy if it’s healthy and loving even if i dont like the ship (like i dont care abt shikasaku and canon ss is SO bad i still cant believe it happened) THAT BEING SAID. this fic is cute and sasuke cares a lot and op wrote him so emotive and i love the little family he became a part of on his trips and sakura is a lovestruck fool (which still has me gritting my teeth bc it doesnt idk. Fit with the rest of her personality) but it’s cute if second hand embarrassing,, honestly this fic is so ooey gooey and full of cheesy love and it’s damn near too much (how many times can a person blush.. like fr..) and theres annoying bits of needless drama and lack of communication but im stubbornly holding onto this fic bc i LOVE the character study type route this fic takes/// (this fic is like. really dramatic.. thats a warning in and of itself and i mean like telenovela type dramatic emotion and subtext. not plot twisty dramatic) warning for violence, mentions of blood, and nsfw

Follow the Sun by LaceyJane

ship: gaasaku // words: 106341 // chapters: 21/21

Stranded in the desert, without food, water, or her supplies, Sakura decides to head west to the land of shifting winds and scorching sands. It hasn’t even been a year since the wind nation had tried to overthrow her city, but she knows of someone out there, someone who, above anyone else, holds the best chance of finding her in this barren land. Able to only hope her attempts to raise attention aren’t in vain, she sets off across the sands towards the west, intent to follow the sun.

not super positive where in the timeline this is (or if it’s an au) but if i had to hazard a guess id say between sakura being taken on as an apprentice and before sasuke leaves. starts off w sakura by herself traversing through a desert with the clothes on her back. she suffers before she gains but at least it’s not for long (Well..) also can i say that i LOVE worldbuilding and i LOVE how different aspects of suna were protrayed here. like the scouting and political things (sakura being the hokages apprentice and how shed be treated in other villages) and temari in general? ugh! theres focus on gaara and how he’s coping with his demon too plus he’s just kinda cute in this fic. warning for violence, the general bad things that happen while unprepared in a desert, and the q slur except it’s not used in regard to gay ppl in any way. nothing is romantic so it can be taken as friendship if it’s what you’d prefer!

⭐Time Flies Like an Arrow by Katlou303

ship: inosaku // words: 240288 // chapters: 36/36 // updated: 2/1/19

Sakura traveled back in time with the intent of changing everything, but something went wrong, and now she's four years old having nightmares about impossible monsters and losing friends she has yet to meet.

time travel fic!!!!! oh my heart is soft :( starts off when theyre tiny kids and sakura stands up for naruto (childhood friends!!) sakura’s memories of her prev timeline come to her in dreams (pretty intense for a kid to be having.. ily kagami:( ) SHISUI AND GENMA ARE THERE!!! ILY BABIES,, shes literally so baby and small and full of love for her friends :((((( shisui is fanastic and also a mess, baby sasuke is the cutest, itachi deserves better, sakuras family has me weak as hell theyre so perfect, and inner sakura in this fic is prev timeline sakura (who is so fucked up holy jesus) tsunade gets a new family member and oh fuck gaara is so cute and same goes for tenzo AND BONUS MOKUTON????? the ocs are really interesting and good and i love them (the word count is a little inaccurate bc theres parts at the end of the chapters themselves that are more like authors notes) warning for trauma, flashbacks, blood, gore, death, implied child abuse (never happens but it gets mentioned a lot), and major character death (kagami… :( ) GUYS I JUST REALIZED IT ENDED ON MY BDAY

IN PROGRESS

Grit Your Teeth (and Smile) by kattenprinsen

ship: none // words: 1423 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 8/1/18

Sakura is an immigrant. Her father is an immigrant too.

au. okay okay this is a pet peeve of mine with canon itself bc sakura was team seven’s token “has parent’s that are alive and support her” except that was genuinely never shown?? we know Nothing substantial about mebuki and kizashi and their relationship with sakura and fsnsksnk im ranting. this fic is nice and yeah there’s not a lot happening so far but i love the depth op is giving to sakura’s parents so much (and they are totally different from canon btw. theyre very good ocs and her dad is a missing nin from mist with sharp teeth aaa) (sakura is also a little bit of a bamf as a result of her parents and im crying about it)

Was That Your Voice or Was That Me by grit

ship: sakura & sasori // words: 1528 // chapters: 1/5 // updated: 10/9/18

Sasori takes Sakura on as an apprentice out of boredom and keeps her because she has potential and he is pragmatic to a fault.

Spontaneity doesn't suit his plans though and Sakura has her own opinion on murder, so it goes about as well as you'd expect.

au where this story take free reign of the timeline. sasori meets sakura when shes a little kid and takes a shining to her potential (as everyone should...). kinda fucked up tbh! at least a little bit! warning for murder and emotional manipulation. the only chapter seems to just be setting up the rest of the story where sasori essentially changes her whole mentality

Tables They Are Turning (Bridges They Are Burning) by pg13

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 1555 // chapters: 1/? // updated: 7/19/18

It’s not until she’s convulsing and the heat from her neck is spreading that she wonders if maybe she should’ve listened when her mother told her to reconsider being a shinobi.

set during chunin exam. SAKURA GETS BIT INSTEAD OF SASUKE. sasuke gets fiercely protective and learns of the incredible emotion called friendship. lots of promising things happen and then it gets cut off when it REALLY starts to get into it AAA/// i Know this fic is gonna be delicious

Skin is Just a Ready Made Coffin by ulittuq

ship: none // words: 2026 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 7/27/18

The night of the Uchiha Massacre is chaos. Alarms are blaring and shinobi are flying through the street and somewhere Sasuke Uchiha is waking up from seventy-two hours of psychological torture courtesy of his big brother.

Sakura Haruno hides under her bed with her hands clasped over her mouth trying to stifle her breathing and praying that the stranger prowling her house can’t hear her heartbeat.

(read author note at the beginning to see how the timeline is changed) some faceless guy takes advantage of the disaster on the night of the massacre and kills sakura’s family to help his mom(??) and that’s literally it! starts off balls to the walls!! feeds into my feral love of the naruto civilians and how they might resent shinobi. i LOVE fics where civilians are the main focus and how they might be disenfranchised (especially in the hidden villages) as opposed to ninjas. theres not a lot of plot yet but it’s building up to smthn good!! i hope sakura keeps that little bit distrust towards shinobi and the system in her heart! blind loyalty to the state is unhealthy. warning for death, murder, gore, and panic attacks

Daisies and Lilacs by Pinnacle of Failure (Cromirn)

ship: none // words: 2487 // chapters: 1/? // updated: 12/5/18

She's always seen them. Sometimes they scare her, like every shadow to a child should. But there's something to them that she doesn't have, something that she doesn't want.

starts off early academy days up to when they meet kakashi. might not end up being a multi chapter fic. she sees things so im clocking her as psychotic in this fic bc same hat! not a whole lot in the way of plot but the writing style is neat!

⭐To Serve Man by Dovey

ship: none // words: 3090 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 3/19/18

Kizashi Haruno was a civilian man with a simple shop, from a civilian family of simple farmers; Mebuki Haruno was a missing nin from the land of Rain. Sakura took after both her parents.

“You owe yourself to three things, in order: the ones you love, yourself, and then your village.”

au. the rest of the summary is such a mood, i wish we got actual info about her parents :/ i LOVE this fic and i want more content about this universe because im nothing if not a sucker for sakura with a missing nin parent aaa,,, mebuki is so cool and sakura learns early on that blind loyalty to a village is not a good thing to cultivate. her morals are very based around earned loyalty and death bc thats what her mom knew (and i love and appreciate that she motivates sakura to aim for “flee on sight” if she were to ever end up in the bingo book) also kizashi is so sweet and supportive djefk warning for animal death and murder

I’ve Been Waiting my Whole Life (When I’ve Only Been Dreaming) by SheBeanSheep

ship: none // words: 3329 // chapters: 3/? // updated: 7/19/18

Before she was a boy-crazy fangirl, Sakura wanted nothing more than to be a good shinobi. Afterall, that’s what the voice, Inner Sakura, wanted. But Sakura just wanted to be Ino’s friend. So all of her energy went into making sure Ino would still like her, would still consider her a friend and a rival. So, Sakura bypassed the training scrolls of her childhood and picked up a hairbrush, shutting Inner Sakura away.

Then, Team 7 got the Wave Mission.

Then, Inner Sakura got a name.

Then, everything changed.

starts during wave. INNER BECOMES A SUBSTANTIAL CHARACTER HELL YEAH. and now shes actually mito uzumaki?? fucking legendary, nothing less than the best for my queen! mito kicks sakura’s ass into high gear and starts turning her into the bamf she was destined to be (though it hasnt actually gotten to that point ajdj i cant wait for future updates aaa)

Training Sakura by Kalira

ship: sakura & kakashi // words: 3601 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 11/25/18

Two members of Team Seven broke away on their own, and in the aftermath there remains only one thing to be settled. . . That one thing is not what anyone expected.

With Sakura as his sole remaining student, Kakashi settles in to train her properly, determined to help her achieve her ambitions as a ninja and become a great one.

set after naruto leaves. gai is a real one! yeah maybe i did start tearing up by the end of the first chapter. im emotional okay. also ive read so many fics where ino doesnt GET to be sakura’s best friend and it hurts me directly so this fic really makes me happy (bonus really short tag-along fic title Mistress where sakura gets a puppy aa)

Of Which Do I Change by Pinnacle of Failure (Cromirn)

ship: none // words: 3772 // chapters: 4/? // updated: 1/16/19

It starts and it ends in confusion. There never was a true destination in life, in what she was and what actually defined her. But one thing happened, and now she is someone, her name is on the lips of the Hokage and Clan heads and now they see who she is. Too bad she can't do that anymore.

But she takes pride in that. She has pink hair and green, useless, eyes. She is an anomaly in her own right, and that makes her strong, that makes her a terror in her own right.

starts off pre/early academy days. seems to be setting up to be a longer fic? interesting bits abt clan stuff! i do feel a little bad for ino :( sakura’s drive to have a name again is really nice to read and i KNOW shes gonna be cool as shit. not much in the way of a major plot insofar but still really good!!!

The Senju Whisperer by callmeportgas

ship: sakura & hashirama // words: 4754 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 11/14/18

In which Sakura comes to fully embrace the heritage her family couldn't, with some help from her imaginary friend.

au! MOKUTON SAKURA BBY!!!!! the story is only JUST developing but i can already see the building friendship between naruto and sakura!!!

Dont Think, Just Run by alicemc12

ship: none // words: 4806 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 3/10/19

Sakura was left behind after an ambush. Left for dead by mistake, until her life is saved by a young girl. With everyone believing her dead, Sakura is left to see the world from a different side. Without thinking, she runs away from the past she can't change and to a fate only she can control. Because it's just as a little girl said, the future will never be set in stone unless you let it.

starts off in oc pov. not sure where in the timeline this is but she knows how to heal by this point. COOL PLOT!! love the fate stuff and how much of a bamf sakura gets to be even though it's very ff.net-esque

Way of the Cherry Blossom by chadsuke

ship: none // words: 5422 // chapters: 16/? // updated: 9/8/18

Healing isn't a bad profession, Sakura knows. She could do well in it. But healing means that you're the one picking up the pieces, putting your teammates back together.

Sakura wants to stop them from getting hurt at all.

starts after sasuke “dies” in wave but before they go back to the village. shes a baby and wants to be able to stand beside the rest of her team. her family is so good in this fic! and so is kakashi even though he subjected her to gai. sasuke is cute too and naruto always is. theres some sentences that arent really jokes but are worded in such a fantastic way that i end up cackling. it’s all pretty lighthearted! warning for brief mention of death

⭐Salt in the Wound by Dovey

ship: sakura/oc // words: 6033 // chapters: 4/? // updated: 3/30/18

The Wave arc, except Sakura’s flimsy attempt at protecting the client results in her accidentally faking her death. Zabuza survives and takes her along with him as an apprentice, and she grows up in the harder but more emotional life of a nin on the run.

aka I have a lot ideas of how Missing-Nin would have a different culture than the rest of Naruto-verse, that would place a high-value on youngins’ in the trade given the rarity, and Sakura gets a lot of teachers over the years for the price of lots of emotional trauma & loss.

also, she gets a big fuck-off sword.

starts off during wave arc. ZABUZA I LOVE YOU. he takes sakura in because he’s a lonely missing nin who got used to caring for another person. sakura isnt as against the idea of staying with zabuza as she tries to pretend to be. also, GOD the reactions of the rest of the konoha twelve really really break me?? sasuke spirals faster and naruto gets essentially adopted by sakura’s parents? and kakashi gets fiercely protective. warning for death, animal death, and kinda graphic murder? also theres no actual ship even a little implied so far

Sharp by ineffableblue

ship: none // words: 6309 // chapters 2/? // updated: 3/12/19

Sakura has been teased, gotten angry for that, then gotten teased for getting angry. Everything she does isn't enough. But she's observant and slowly she starts to find out that she fits in better in the ninja world than she ever imagined. The best ninja are always thought to be something else and Sakura is a master at being mistaken for harmless.

starts when shes baby. sakura is full of rage and bottling it up like a molotov cocktail (and her parent are given depth which is great! but they kinda suck which isnt so great! it's a "tough love" sort of thing but it still rubs me wrong) i love and support sakura's desire to seek out knowledge on her own! and i am SO HAPPY this fic updated i could cry,, i KNEW the title and desc were familiar when i saw them at the top of the sakura fic tag one day and i yelled when i realized it WAS the same fic i had already put under left unfished// op if you're reading this know that im filled w love and support :')

Because I Ache by Wyle23

ship: narusaku // words: 6512 // chapters: 3/? // updated: 9/4/18

Ugly are the truths of the world. Hate's competitor can jail just as blindly. Focused otherwise, though, what changes would her shift in truth bring? In which Konoha's young jinchuuriki stumbles upon not a Hyuuga, but a Haruno.

starts when theyre babies!! little five year olds who deserve better (bby sakura id do anything for you.. :’() theyve got tiny crushes and theyre so cute i wanna cry about it. ino nd sakura stay friends (thank god) and GOD i want ppl to stop being mean to naruto :((

The Shadows Claim Us by Nine_Stoic_Crayolas

ship: gaasaku // words: 6586 // chapters: 39/? // updated: 4/21/18

"You don't want to go near that one." "Why?" "...She's damaged goods."

takes place in suna! (sakura is an iwa native!) (also i have.no idea how old they are. it’s mentioned at one point that sakura’s 4 but.. idk? if there?s time skips?? there’s just lots of bits that arent worded right for them to be 4 through the whole fic.. idk. gimme ur input actually idk if i wanna keep this) gaara takes a shining to her bc sakura also gets called a monster. bro these little gremlins are fucking pissed. imagine a toddler yelling “fuck!” at you but constantly. warning for general mistreatment of children and mentions of death and blood

Serendipity by stirringwinds

ship: none // words: 6751 // chapters: 2/? // updated: 10/24/18

Sasuke had never known Senju Hashirama in person, of course. But he had grown up hearing stories about the First Hokage at his mother’s knee—about the legend who had defeated the most powerful member of their own clan. Enough stories to recognise what he was seeing—and to know he was witnessing his teammate perform the impossible.

Or, in the fight against Gaara during Suna’s attempted invasion of Konoha, the Ichibi’s attempt to kill Sakura awakens an unexpected power. It changes the destiny of Team Seven forever.

MOKUTON SAKURA BABEYYY!!!!! largely sasuke’s pov. also they’re all stupid and it’s funny and i love them// im literally foaming at the mouth and excited to see where the story goes and im :pensive:

Warmth by PotatoeGoddess

ship: inosaku // words: 7135 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 4/7/18

Sakura Haruno was born screaming and kicking and in some ways, she felt, she kind of never stopped.

starts off pre/early academy days. sakura is full of strong emotions and same hat. there’s comphet and sakura has such a crush on ino. what a useless gay. that’s not really a focus in the story (more just consistently implied) honestly dont all together know whats going on! but that’s par for the course

What Happens After by stirringwinds

ship: narusasusaku // words: 8044 // chapters: 3/? // updated: 1/13/19

Sakura deals with her feelings once she can stop focusing on stopping the world from imploding. Just what exactly is her place in this world?

This is just a lot of Sakura can't deal with life right now.

set post series. lotta sakura introspection! she’s dealing with a lot of feelings of inferiority and emotions she doesnt acknowledge bc shes a disaster bi. i actually cried bc her feelings towards her own self worth hit me with all kinds of feelings of catharsis. canon sakura really needs smthn like this. just a chance to recover :(.. warning for lots of poly ships if ur not into that

⭐Catharsis by pastanoodle

ship: none // words: 10198 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 8/16/17

Sakura isn’t the kind of person to survive past Genin. She wears pink, fights over boys, and can’t throw a Kunai to save her life. Which is why no one expects her to live very long. To Sakura, graduating from the academy is like a reality check. Being a shinobi is nothing close to how civilian romance novels make it seem. Sakura has always been terrible at stopping when she should. So she changes pink to grey, forces herself to ignore Sasuke, and learns how to shatter bones with a single punch. Screw surviving. Sakura knows she’s going to die, but she’ll go down fighting.

starts off a little before wave except!! the full wave arc never happens and everything changes!! inner becomes a substantial part of the story and im so glad for it. oh my god this fic is so good and i love all the author notes, theyre so delicious. sakura starts developing from a calm, quiet, and accepting girl. to a shinobi who is pissed off about the hand she was dealt with and goddammit! shes gonna do something about it!!! you fucking go, girl, live your dream of being in the bingo books i love you. this fic hasnt updated in a while and im so teary eyed about it, i hope it’s not being left unfinished. i refuse to put it under that category bc im stubborn and hopeful. warning for death and gore in the second chapter

Red With Clay, or Into Fire by grit

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 10420 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 11/4/18

Headstrong, carrying her heart on her sleeve: Sakura is a smart and driven child who will fight for what's hers.

Or: Sakura gets a personality, Naruto some friends and Sasuke a childhood.

starts off during their litle genin introductions.TEAM AS FAMILY Y’ALL ALREADY KNOW! sasuke actually likes his team basically from the get go??? and sakura just wants her team to workout and they do! theyre getting there!!! oof!!!!!!!!

Breathe and Heal by Himechiiii

ship: narusasusaku // words: 11535 // chapters: 3/? // updated: 1/6/18

Two months. Two months had passed since the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi War. Two months and Sakura still hadn’t fully processed. Hadn’t fully healed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. I don’t know what my goal is supposed to be. You say that I’ve passed them, but it doesn’t feel like it. I close my eyes and all I see is their backs in front of me.”

Or in which Sakura realizes she is more than she thought she was, and lets herself be loved.

set post war. sakura gets well deserved time off of work to cope with things (and ino is real one :( please stop forgetting she’s her best friend) sakura loves her boys so much but god her inferiority complex makes me so sad

Promises by BombsAreForBabies

ship: none // words: 12376 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 10/29/18

It's her first kiss and Naruto's last. She promises him that she will bring Sasuke home. It's his dying wish, after all.

(Naruto bleeds out faster than the kyuubi can heal him.

Sakura learns that being a ninja is more than fancy jutsu and fun.

Sasuke does not know that he just killed his best friend and turned his most loyal comrade into his worst enemy.)

set after the first fight in the valley of the end. bamf sakura that deserves a break.. immediate warning for death :( kakashi and sakura connect in the aftermath and ino remains as the realest. sakura learns poisons from shizune!!!!! FINALLY!!! everyone cares about her a lot and that makes me happy but god can she PLEASE get a therapist

When I Grow Up I’ll Be An Avalanche (and i’ll grow up soon) by ulittuq

ship: none // words: 12900 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 12/10/18

A little civilian girl hears that genin are considered adults in the eyes of the law and she think yes please I need to get out--

The next week she starts the Academy.

Once a little civilian girl tells an orphan boy, God I wish I didn’t have parents, and she means it as a confession. A cry for help. The orphan boy hears selfishness spill from her mouth and snaps.

A little civilian girl, who has yet to see combat, wakes from nightmares gasping and clawing at her skin. No one notices.

au! naruto canon never gave us anything for sakura’s parent so fics like this own me! i like where theyre portrayed as abusive bc well canon doesnt disprove it! and projection. also. owns me inner also has more focus!! sakura just wants an out and she’s gonna do most anything to get there. also naruto love!! because he deserves it! warning for abuse (mentions of emotional and physical) im super excited for more updates i like where the story is going!!

Mune Ga Hachikire Soude by clohsoo

ship: none // words: 15815 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 3/24/19

A deal is made between two devils and two girls share a demon.

HEY OP IF YOURE READING THIS: I LOVE YOU AND I SUPPORT YOU AND THIS IS SO GOOD TY FOR GIVING LOVE TO MY GIRL RIN,, au set mostly in rin's pov (i love the hobbies rin picks up, my little jack of all trades) danzo can still choke, sakura bby.. ily..:(((, ino is always amazing, and ANKO!! I LOVE YOU!!! OOF sakura's attempts at acting like a normal kid REALLY plucks at my heart strings// warning for child abuse bc root, death bc root, and trauma also.. bc root

⭐The Best-Looking Truth by Dovey

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 17378 // chapters: 6/? // updated: 1/7/19

Sakura doesn’t like to talk about her family. Most people assume it’s because she’s a nice young girl, and she doesn’t want to make everyone else feel bad, considering she’s on a team of orphans.

It has more to do with the fact that she killed her parents in self-defense and is desperately trying to cover up the murders, than any sympathy for her teammates- but she’s happy to let you assume what you want.

did that summary give you whiplash? because it absolutely made me collapse. set just before the bell test. also starts off pretty fucking strong. shes a traumatized kid trying to compartmentalize on her own while trying to make sure no one finds out about what she did. also she’s really smart in the way she’s dealing with the aftermath. really interesting (at least to me) is how despite her parents no longer having a direct hold on her life, she still abides by their rules. warning for (past) child abuse, murder, and occassionaly descriptive gore. godd i really want more (there’s narusaku and some sakura/oc but i dont think theyre permanent? the narusaku definitely isnt bc it was mostly an accident but im not sure abt the sakura/oc)

Control by Dragonist

ship: none // words: 17816 // chapters: 14/? // updated: 6/8/18

Kumo kidnaps a child of Konoha.

Sakura graduates from the academy only a year after starting it. There's a war going on, and she's obedient enough to stay quiet and follow orders.

Then the war ends, and it's unclear who is really giving them.

au (read notes for the changes) starts pre academy. bro??? theres a war going on and im stressed at how young she is when she graduates.. sai ily..warning for death, blood, and uh. bad medical practices

If I Live by Lalit

ship: none // words: 18344 // chapters: 9/? // updated: 8/21/18

Every action has a consequence. It took one girl to screw all of Orochimaru’s plans up, and nothing will ever be the same. “Look at you, such bloodlust. Darkness is a lovely shade on you, my dear.”

set during chunin exam. ANOTHER SAKURA GETS BIT INSTEAD OF SASUKE FIC. a little slow going in terms of timeline i guess? no timeskipping so far. love the relationship between team 7 here (esp that one scene w naruto. u did amazing sweetie!) warning for death and gore and also sexual undertones when orochimaru is there. he’s a creep and op sells it.

Black Hole Heart by LadyNyxRavus

ship: none // words: 20017 // chapters: 5/8 // updated: 2/18/19

By all accounts, Sakura is dead for the first five minutes of her life.

Yet, she continues. If she occasionally has too many, too sharp teeth then that's their business.

OKAY SO. im NOT a big of crossovers but HEAR ME OUT. sakura gets a symbiote in place of inner and she eats people and naruto is a little more feral and sasuke is the closest thing they have to handlers. warnings for cannibalism, blood, and gore. this is up there as one of the most self indulgent fics on here

Throwing a Stone in a River by theroadkillcafe

ship: none // words: 20221 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 9/7/18

When Sakura graduates from the academy, she suddenly finds her head invaded by the ghost of Uchiha Shisui. Her inner is gone, but not forgotten, and she struggles with impulse control more than ever before. But also, Shisui gives a lot of unsolicited advice - useful and otherwise - and does not shut the fuck up. He’s not thrilled about current events.

warning for immediate mentions of suicide and drowning (and implied eye gore) set just after they graduated from the academy. sakura’s got some fun mental things to deal with now that shes stuck w the ghost and seeing them kinda everywhere. have i mentioned that i love shisui? he’s really good and helps sakura out with gratuitous amounts of snark. warnings for more eye gore, blood, nightmares, and torture

If You Can't Hold on, Hold on by Fiercest

ship: sasusaku // words: 20780 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 12/4/18

Sakura always wished she could relate to her teammates better. She wishes she could take it back.

In which Sasuke acquires some unwanted roommates and a team becomes a family.

set post konoha crush. TEAM AS FAMILY!!! almost immediate warning for death :( gh// her team cares a lot abt her and want her to be okay and sasuke is making effort into being a source of support (he’s baby..) theyre all pretty traumatized (and god fucking awful at dealing with it) (not shippy at this point!)

⭐Find Your Place (Whatever it Takes) by Dovey

ship: none // words: 22296 // chapters: 11/? // updated: 12/28/18

The war lasts longer than in canon, and has only just ended. While most of the 'Konoha 12' are clan heirs and thus protected from having to go to war prematurely, Sakura is from a civilian family, with naturally advanced chakra control, and thus is thrown immediately onto the frontlines. Now she's on a genin team in peacetime, and she's struggling to figure out how to live when she's not constantly at risk of dying.

Team seven bonds in new weird ways, The Uchiha are actually all dead except for Sasuke (including war-hero itachi) who's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Konoha, Naruto isn't the kyuubi container and he finds Sakura kinda scary. Sakura would just like to have a hobby.

au. my girl deals with trauma and t7 learn to get along eventually (and unhealthily?) i love sakura’s war team a lot and they care abt each other a lot too and GOD i love shit that focuses on the advantages clan kids gets for being clan kids and especially for being heirs!! it’s just interesting as hell to read!! sakura fosters her hate and distrust for the state and GOD is that ever a good thing (kushina :(..) we’re in this shit for a REVOLUTION!! IM SO HYPE!!! warning for violence and mentions of death

⭐Building the Puzzle by ich_bin_ein_stern

ship: narusasusakusai // words: 22716 // chapters: 4/5 // updated: 8/27/18

In which Sakura feels disconnected after the 4th Shinobi War and decides to cut the string attaching her to Team Seven, if only for a few years. This does not settle well with the remaining members, past or present.

set post war. FULL POLY TEAM SEVEN BABY!!!!! there’s not a whole lot of content for poly7 that includes BOTH sai and sasuke. it’s usually one or the other which already puts this fic in my good graces uwu ino bby i love you so much they’re so tactile and close and it makes my heart melt and she cares abt sakura and wants them both to be okay. im indulging my need for a sakura who gets to travel!! she loves her team so much but she really needs to love herself first. the rest of her team learns to better themselves and it’s really nice to read. also GOD i say it often but sakura is so cool (esplecially vs the suna elders aa)

Moments of Perfection by kiwi_socks

ship: narusasusaku // words: 22880 // chapters: 6/? // updated: 5/9/18

It's a dream Sakura's had many times before. Until it is rudely interrupted by Naruto and Sasuke mistaking her kitchen window for the front door.

"Hey...we failed in so many ways before, do you think we'll get something right, or just screw up again?"

okay im NOT much of a fan of timetravel fics but everyone should know by now that poly team 7 actually owns me. theyre all stupid together (it’s solidarity). poor kakashi. there’s some fuckery happening!! perhaps i yelled WHAT!? at my phone at least once

⭐Kubikiribocho, My Love by IslitaBonita

ship: none // words: 23231 // chapters: 10/? // updated: 7/22/18

Where Sakura becomes better acquainted with Zabuza's sword, Kubikiribocho.

set mostly during wave. interesting bits of sakura vs herself. budding relationship between her and gaara (murder friends) the writing style is SUPER cool! blood, unhealthy attachment, impalement, and death. ugh! when will this fic come back from war

Believe Me When I Say I Cary All My Sins by Honestly Neptune (mypennameishidden)

ship: none // words: 24287 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 12/20/18

Sakura knew the best way to tear a man's spine out of his nose without breaking a sweat.

She didn't know how to live in a village with Minato as Hokage and the Uchiha clan as the beloved police force. She didn't know how to live as a disgraced genin in a bloody apartment with dead men knocking at her door.

She didn't know how to forgive herself for failing Konoha. Now she had a chance to save it.

au. SUCH cool take on the timetravel trope!! sakura is just angry and tired and she’s gonna make this timeline work so help her god. i love shisui and i love that he gets to be a main character here aa. warnings for blood and general violence

Dandelions Blow in Spring by capriicious

ship: none // words: 24507 // chapters: 13/? // updated: 11/25/18

sakura is in the land of waves, the seraphic, beautiful place filled with religious and cultural beliefs. her team mate is lying in front of her, dead, cold and so, so white. her sensei is bleeding out while fighting zabuza. naruto is fighting against the odds of hundred of senbons.

(or: sakura watches her team mates get beaten half to death and bleed out next to her when the fight ends and with that event set in her mind: realises that she's going to die unless she toughens up.)

au but starts off in wave during the fight w zabuza nd haku so immediate warning for blood, gore, death, and a bit of an unhinged mind bc it’s sakura pov and this is traumatic. i recommend reading the notes at the beginning of each chapter for trigger warnings. it’s a heavy fic. interesting bits about merchant business and the dark side of the village. only BARELY connected to canon. pretty much through characters alone, the whole story is different

Cut the Head off the Snake by itsthechocopuff

ship: none // words: 24601 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 1/2/19

when eighteen-year-old, post-war Sakura is thrown back into her tiny, pre-Academy body, she makes a decision. she’d had a childhood once already, and this time, she’s more interested in Not Dying when the inevitable shit hits the proverbial fan. so she will work harder, care less, kill more, and smile when she’s done.

and hey, if she ends up reviving an extinct nature transformation to attract the most corrupt, power-hungry man from her timeline, all the better for her, right?

IM MENTIONED IN THE NOTES?? UH HELLO I LOVE YOU. timetravel fic! war fesh sakura gets sent back into her pre academy self. sakura is gonna make shit work this time around and shes gonna go through root to do it! MOKUTON BABEY!!! it gets changed from a kekkai genkai to a learned skill based mostly on amazing chakra control (which my girl has in spades!!) SAI AND SHISUI BBY I LOVE YOU// im in love with shin now too and god damn it i want all of them to be okay :’( warning for death at the hand of trees, mentions of blood, and the massacre

Seeds of Knowledge by Ice_Eagle

ship: none // words: 24845 // chapters: 10/? // updated: 3/15/19

It starts with an Academy internship at the Konoha Library and Archives. The only problem is the Library/Archives has never had an intern before. Ever.

Everyone is an idiot at the beginning. There is always room to grow.

set during early academy days. first person pov and it switches from characters. i dont usually leans towards stories with lots of ocs (especially where theyre a major focus) BUT they’re all so interesting plus UM? i LOVE the detail put into the libraries aaa// sakura gets to live her strongest book nerd life. also im a huge fan of the concept of internships in shinobi villages and just of the adults caring abt the kids following them in their career choices. also sakura starts getting along with sasuke and it makes me super happy

Our Oath (We’re Expendable) by amako

ship: none // words: 27194 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 3/1/19

Apparently, Sakura is the last Haruno.

set post war, more during the recovery period. sakura gets to be part of a largely not well known clan with a secret that could put sakura’s life at risk if it got out. dont wanna spoil a lot but basically! she gets married and has to deal with clan things and letting other know

⭐If You Have the Hounds by dragonyfox

ship: narusasusaku // words: 31856 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 1/10/19

...go ahead and pursue.

can i just say.. this fic series really rips out my heart ..there were several parts i started tearing up at bc im tender and im baby! they all love each other more than anything and im crying just thinking about it. they literally built a whole fucking village because naruto is a mad man but his team loves him. literally they’re playing the longest con ever and it has me cackling. this is a hell of a fix it fic and it has me bawling itachi is really soft and team taka is there! (the way uzushio is described makes my heart swell w love im so proud of them)

These Bitter Weeds by Katlou303

ship: sasusaku // words: 33315 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 12/2/18

Sakura begged Sasuke to take her with him when he was leaving Konoha.

He said yes.

set when sasukes leaves. she somehow manages to convince him to let her join? her reasons are about as solid as they could be. in the first chapter you can definitely where it’s starting to change into unhealthy codependency. it really shows in this fic just how young they are.. all their ideals are fantastical and grandeur and it really drives a nail through my heart :( ino continues to be a real one, kakashi is going through it, and im reminded that i love kimi :(( warnings for violence, orochimaru and kabuto, and dismembered limbs. nothing shippy insofar, can be read as friendship

seek by cloverhoney

ship: sasusaku // words: 39062 // chapters: 12/? // updated: 1/15/19

Sakura disappears after taking a lifelong mission in exchange for Sasuke’s post-war acquittal. To give her the upper hand over her new targets and protect her from becoming a target herself, the world is told that Sakura is dead and gone - but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sakura quickly finds she is still not strong enough to face her new enemies, and she seeks power in Shikkotsu forest. Sasuke, suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her death, seeks the truth regarding her disappearance, reconnecting with his childhood friends along the way.

Kakashi, the new Rokudaime, promises to keep Sakura’s secret, but with Sasuke on his heels, a council hell-bent on erasing the evidence, and the guilt of an empty grave, nothing can stay hidden for long.

set post war/pre epilogue. TAGS SAY SAGE SAKURA BITCH!!! (AND MOKUTON BABEY) shes nice but dumb and thats just team 7 (shes their single brain cell.. how dare she :(((( ) fuck the council. fuck those elders. fuck blue lives mariah carey’s skinny. my only gripe is that shes written as having small chakra reserves nd low stamina and im like. hello? Absolutely Not. whatever parts her Legendary chakra control dont cover, her seal is still there. small reserves my ass. also taijutsu is Literally one of her specialties >:( this happens in fics so often and im *teeth gritting* (FUCK. ACTUALLY. SHE’S FRESH OUT OF THE WAR. SHES TOUGH AS SHIT BY THIS POINT. im angry and annoyed and sad!!!) lol read if you want though. there are some neat bits (like when theyre in shikkotsu forest) mentions of eye gore, death, and blood (t..tbh.. i ignored all the sasuke bits :V IM SORRY I ONLY THINK THE PARTS WITH SAKURA ARE INTERESTING)

How Team 7 Came to Be by spica_starson

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 40916 // chapters: 5/15 // updated: 10/22/18

What if: -Naruto had reached out to Sasuke earlier on? -Sakura never developed a crush on Sasuke? -The team isn't just a repeat of their predecessor?

What if Team 7 stayed together through thick and thin?

Or: If Team 7 was the focus of the series.

sakura isnt in the first chapter BUT she still gets to be a focal point because of course and the second chapter is dedicated to her. y’all already KNOW im soft for team as family fics!! they’re all best friends and care about each other a lot and im really weak okay. also kakashi loves his new kids. not a cliffhanger! so dont worry if you’re not up for waiting on an update or are like me and prefer reading finished fics! (there’s a separate spinoff one shot, not canon to the original fic, titled Alone set when naruto and sasuke fight on the roof)

Crow’s Disciple by Tobi_Black

ship: none // words: 42135 // chapters: 36/? // updated: 12/9/18

Sakura's just a child, a civilian, considered harmless. No one looks at the pink-haired little girl and sees the kunoichi, the shinobi, that she could become. They don't see the calculating glint in her eyes, nor the claws hidden. They don't see beyond the shy smile and tears. They don't see the loyal heart willing to give everything for those loved. Not yet.

starts off pre academy w sakura nd naruto both in the same orphanage. UGH MY GIRL IS SO SMART and this writing style lends itself so WELL to detail ghghgh// sakura’s bestfriends continue to be blondes and ino fosters a baby crush aa. SHISUI BBY ILY (and asuma gets to be a prominent figure in sakuras life which i hadnt read in a fic before) warnings for violence, death, blood

⭐Dangerous Habits (Dangerous Girl) by Dovey

ship: none // words: 44210 // chapters: 24/? // updated: 11/21/18

After the disasterous mission in Wave, Sakura returns to Konoha with a new drive: she wants to truly earn her spot on Team 7, and be able to protect her teammates. Unfortunately, nobody else seems to be willing to support her new goal, so she resorts to teaching herself: she decides her team needs a medic, and since she doesn’t have the connections or record to earn a place at the hospital, she practices on herself.

AKA the fic where sakura gets to be as dumb and have as little regard for her personal wellbeing as every other Naruto character, & teaches herself how to heal by inflicting & then fixing her own injuries. This deals both with some major changes to the plotline given her new skills, and the overall team dynamic.

starts post wave. sakura gets that kick in the ass to get better and do it fast and she gets to be as reckless as her teammates like she deserves! no one helps her initially but god DAMMIT if shes not gonna do something anyway (flexing her smarts!! shes such a genius and yeah it’s chaotic as hell in this fic but god if it isnt cool) she gets a VERY unhealthy addiction to pain and has to deal with generally negative feelings of self worth.. BUT finds a pal and a friend in gaara :) she gets close to her teammates (sasuke bby… :(((..) and friendly w tenten and tsunade and anko! chapter 12 has a scene w cool imagery// HEFTY (and pretty immediate bc it hits u in the first chapter) warnings for gore, death, self mutilation, misuse of organs (lol), blood, implications of sexual abuse (doesnt happen, the adults are just concerned that thats whats happening and not her. yknow. doing all of uh That)

Unbreakable Company by Shyaway95 and teslatempest

ship: sakura & kakashi // words: 44407 // chapters: 4/15 // updated: 2/5/19

Naruto and Sasuke were gone. Their Village had just begun recovering from the invasion, and every available shinobi was needed. Kakashi knew it was his duty to serve, to leap back into the darkness of ANBU at his Hokage’s command. It was only the thought of pink hair and desperate green eyes that made him pause. Would he abandon his last, remaining student?

He would as soon pluck out his right eye.

They were all that was left of Team Seven and Kakashi was going to make them unbreakable.

set after sasuke defects. HONESTLY kakashi actually doing smthn about his “people who abandon their teammates are worse than scum” saying that he likes to repeat is everything i couldve wanted. sakura deserves all the support in the world and this fic REALLY delivers. this is also a REALLY good fic if you like kakashi and want him to be happy about something. team seven as family is real!! could easily be read as a one shot if you dont wanna wait for updates or read a longer fic!

⭐Early Summer Rain by orlha

ship: none // words: 50063 // chapters: 14/15 // updated: 3/5/19

Having parents doesn’t always mean it’s a good thing and just because scars can’t be seen doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The Chuunin Exams leaves Sakura an orphan and she doesn’t cry.

set post konoha crush. immediate warning for death. sakura has been through a lot and kakashi is a sweetheart. he’s still pretty awkward but his heart is in the right place! god sakura i love you much :((((( shes got a lot of trauma and feelings of inadequacy and it hurts me. sasuke is angrier and naruto continues to be amazing (and i love him for giving sakura smthn to strive for) AND GENMA IS THERE! I LOVE YOU GENMAAA (AND SHIKA)!!! sakura gets praised for her chakra control and god does she deserve it. kakashi gets a clan! and sakura finds herself a family! and inner stays! listen. this shit has me SOBBING. she’s on the road to recovery and getting better everyday and my heart is WARM!! god im so happy this story has me happy stimming at some points ghuhg// warnings for child abuse, mentions of torture, attempted suicide, self harm, relapse, violence, blood, and mentions of eye trauma. there is an ongoing “sequel” with aus based in the early summer rain universe!

Learning Curve by ishiryoku

ship: sakura & team 7 // words: 50529 // chapter: 5/? // updated: 1/14/19

This is the life she chose: the path of the shinobi. It's either roll with the punches or be left behind by her team—and Sakura's not about to let them go off on their own.

starts off during the end of the wave arc. i love the self analyzing in the first chapter and also that wake up call. in a better (more sakura loving) universe this is that turning point that we shouldve gotten :( ALSO CAN I JUST AAA!!! all the little times kakashi is there to reassure her make me wanna fucking BAWL plus this is THE team as family fic i’ve been needing in my life aa GOD sakura just loves her team so muuucccchhh// the tags say mokuton sakura and fuuinjutsu naruto but it’s not there yet! (also naruto get bit, yikes) warnings for lots of dissociation, death, self loathing, paranoia, and trauma

Satori (Between the Lines) by jaylene

ship: none // words: 50665 // chapters: 12/? // updated: 3/3/18

While attending the Academy, Sakura's field experience assignment with the Konohagakure Intelligence Division ends up being more valuable than she'd ever guess.

another fic w/ the concept of interns and adults fostering the growth of ninja kids before they graduate! my girl is constantly flexing her smarts and im so proud! (torune is just a baby who deserved better than canon gave him :() and GOD i love ino!! and so does sakura and she just loves her friends a lot and people in general bc her baby heart is so filled with love and OOF// the aburame are SO interesting im thankful for the focus they get (and the focus on ciphers and T&I and ibiki!) god theyre all kids. just little babies :((( warnings for bullying and manipulation (however unintentional, it doesnt negate the harm caused)

Ties That Bind; Break by Igot2peedou

ship: shikasaku // words: 50931 // chapters: 17/25 // updated: 8/25/18

She severs their ties, decidingly, not because of Sasuke. Well. Not for the reason Ino suspects (but Sakura never clarifies, and that is lying by omission. isn't it?)

~~~

Sakura Haruno can’t help but feel. Not only her emotions but other peoples emotions. She is always prone to crying and for good reason— she can’t shut others emotions and must deal with her own and those closest to her (relationship wise.) Because a painfully tragic incident involving her father’s murder Sakura can no longer handle her “gift” and does the only thing that will stop her suffering.

She commits social suicide, and lets her best friend think she ended their friendship over a boy. This is her story....

au. set when sakura starts her rivalry w ino. sakura can sense emotions??? warning for death mention in first chapter and wow okay thats a lot. sasuke is traumatized and it takes out sakura and oof! this story is so so interesting,, shes stumbling her way through figuring out how her small clan’s blood line(?) works (how it’s more of a hassle than anything) also it gives her a really good disposition to genjutsu which she tries to get better in (she also had an earth affinity plus all of team 7 have a petty rivalry going on) sakura has trauma and goes hard in the exams. warnings for blood, gore, disembowelment, dismemberment, animal and human abuse/death, the rivalry between t7 is baaaaadd,, also disorienting plot twist in chapter 16!

Her Eyes Saw It All by ich_bin_ein_stern

ship: none // words: 63502 // chapters: 13/? // updated: 8/29/18

Sakura can’t recall much of the details regarding the mission in Wave, but what she does remember - there are scars left behind. The life she knows changes after this mission and, for better or worse, she accepts it and moves forward. She won’t allow herself to fall behind.

set during wave au. i love when characters continue to survive due to sheer instinct and pure stubborness. TEAM AS FAMILY!! theyre all so supportive of each other it makes my heart hurt (im soft serving it so hard. theyre SO nice to each other and theyre Actually friends and naruto and sasuke support sakura SO much it makes me cry) sncjf and the nara family is so fucking sweet also MOKUTON!! AND SHE HAS THREE AFFINITIES!!!!! (mokuton is changed here from a kekkei genkai to a learned skill tho) honestly it’s just what she deserves. also sakura is just SO level headed and smooth??? it’s really neat. warning for a healthy dose of death and gore in chp12, it picks up fast

In Death, Life by TeaFourTwo

ship: none // words: 136409 // chapters: 13/? // updated: 3/24/19

Only by reason of having died does one enter into life.

“Sakura. Just Sakura” Thats how they’d introduced her. She knew it was true, she was no longer a Haruno after all, but it didn’t stop the words from feeling like a dull knife in her side.

Or, Sakura goes to the Uchiha compound the night of the massacre and comes away an orphan with more questions than answers.

au starts when theyre babies!!! before ino nd sakura become rivals. baby sakura loves her friends a lot she didnt deserve that :((( super interesting bits tying sakura to the uzumaki?? sasuke.. :( .. sakura is traumatized and doesnt know who her family is and doesnt trust what people say to her (tenten is in the same orphanage as her! naruto too and i love him and i wanna personally hurt everyone who’s ever been mean to him) NARUTO AND SAKURA BEST FRIENDS!!! traitors are everywhere!! and the branch family get me feeling some type of way (can danzo choke.. fr…) the depth given to yin and yang chakra… ops mind…FUCK all the myths and spiritual stuff and how it’s all forgotten history?? UGH im in love/// (tsunade… mom..) warnings for the massacre, death, and blood

⭐Second Bite at the Cherry by Sakinthra

ship: none // words: 142249 // words: 41/? // updated: 3/25/19

There's been a storm brewing inside Sakura ever since Sasuke left to seek out Orochimaru, and the growing realization that she might not be half the shinobi her teammates are. She's always been the one that held back and let the boys finish the job, but it's clear she can't let herself be the weak one any longer. It's time to take her fate into her own hands...and it starts with breaking into a library.

set post sasuke rescue mission. i LOVE the introspection and worldbuilding im such a sucker for it// she gets to make rash and stupid decisions while still flexin her smarts and i am HERE for it!! she questions the state and adds skills to her arsenal (which is. tiny for a long time) shes smart and quick thinking but rash and impulsive so of course leaving the village and convincing ppl she went after sasuke is what she settles on (smh. her heart and heads in the right place bust smh) GAARA BBY I LOVE YOU SO VER MUCH (shukaku.....) (and fine.. i kinda love u too kakashi >:/) theyre a couple of dumb brats trying to help people (sai joins!!!!! his interactions w gaara especially are endearing) (hidan? is a prominent figure? i hate that hes one of my faves...... big fan of the depth given to his religion tho. it's super fascinating) BOIII NARUTO GETS DISILLUSIONED BY JIRAIYA AND GOES TO TSUNADE AND MY HEART IS BEATING OUT OF MY CHEST/// naruto's choice makes me wanna cry and sasukes little intermissions are pretty funny and get interesting (i support u karin!!) theyre dumb kids stumbling into politics and ending up going on a quest to save the world? the way all the pieces shift into place.. how the wheels start turning... the rest of the nine getting involved... poetic cinema.....warnings for death, blood, and decapitation

⭐Five Petals by PrecariousSauce

ship: sasusaku // words: 143900 // chapters: 22/? // updated: 2/6/19

Several things happen all at once in less than a minute’s time.

Sakura’s elbow slams into Sasuke’s side from an angle he doesn’t anticipate, sending him tumbling end over end off the branch.

Sasuke rights himself just a second too late and without checking where he’s going to land– When he does his knee twists, he feels a lightning bolt of pain shoot from his sole to his head, his leg gives out.

And Orochimaru’s teeth sink down to the gum in Sakura’s shoulder.

starts during chunin exams. timeline is followed pretty closely. fic is mostly centered around sasuke and from his perspective but sakura has the most pivotal change (:(). sasuke is cute, sakura is so in over her head, and naruto is naruto. sasuke loves his team a lot :(( and GOD i love when the kids act like kids even though that reminder hurts. sasuke takes up healing!! how cool is that!! AND TSUNADE IS SO FUCKING COOL I LOVE HER!!! and danzo should choke fr..... AND GOD DO I LOVE THE KONOHA 12//// warning for orochimaru, violence, death, and blood

⭐Hoshigaki by writer168

ship: none // words: 168116 // chapters: 32/? // updated: 3/10/19

When Sakura was three, her father told her he was a criminal. When she was seven, the last thing she saw of him was the sword on his back. When she was eight, she had a friend named Kiba. When they were twelve, they met Shino.

And when they were genin, they began to fight for the truth because they could no longer fight for the sake of Konoha.

au. sakura is kisame’s kid! kakuzu.. kinda sucks, konan is alright, pein is really dramatic, and sasori nd orochimaru are awful as per usual. kisame is just doing what he can to be a good dad :((( sakura is real smart and kiba is great and so is shino!! (ily baby) theyre all bestfriends and theyre all a little weird and i love them so much :’) theyre all manipulative little shits and i love them for it (and i love you too naruto) kurenai’s team develops dangerously (really starts to show in chapter 18) honestly this writing style really knows how to keep me absolutely enthralled (hiruzen and danzo.. i’ll kill you with my bare hands) i love kurenai and i love how much she cares abt her team :’( tenzo baby.. be there for them (same at you kotetsu) kisame is a good dad okay!! im not changing my mind on that! orochimaru can choke!!!!! team 8 is a family and theyre ride or die bc theyre really in some deep shit!!! i need the state dismantled and my kids are gonna do great. (bro im so fucking weak for all the world building and symbolism, GOD this fic is written so fucking amazingly) warning for young pregnancy, death, blood, gore, child endangerment, human experimentation, and eye gore/horror

LEFT UNFINISHED

Dirty Family Secrets by orphan_account

ship: none // words: 1431 // chapters: 1/?

Post-Sasuke defection to Orochimaru.

Something feels off about Sakura's parents, but before she can question them about it, they're both gone. She came from a family of civilians, there is no way both her parents were traitors, right?

Kakashi's Apprentice by Right2nowthen

ship: narusasusaku // words: 3440 // chapters: 1/1

In which Kakashi and Sakura hit the road and everything changes.

The Cherry Blossom Blooms Twice by Right2nowthen

ship: none // words: 3666 // chapters: 1/1

Who or what is Inner Sakura? As the fate of the world hinges on this question, Sakura seeks answers...

Today I Choose Joy by Nine_Stoic_Crayolas

ship: none // words: words: 5867 // chapters: 4/? // updated: 8/11/17

Sakura can See certain things. A story about a little girl, a couple of red eyes and Death.

The Company of Trees by theroadkillcafe

ship: none // words: 22646 // chapters: 5/? // updated: 6/7/17

Sakura is bullied, a dead kekkei genkai is reborn, and things go a little bit...differently.

Haruno Sakura and the Heuristic Method by MoofieLou

ship: inosaku // words: 41986 // chapters: 8/? // updated: 6/22/17

The flower that blooms last may catch the wildest wind of them all.

Alternatively: Sakura graduates from the academy, buys herself some anmitsu to celebrate, and arrives home to find her mother being beaten bloody by a thief. Things are different after that.

A heuristic method (/hjᵿˈrɪstᵻk/; Ancient Greek: εὑρίσκω, "find" or "discover"), often called simply a heuristic, is any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical method not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals.

set when the kids graduate. op retconned ino nd sakura rivalry and im thankful they stay best friends warning for violence in chapter 2. theres smthn i love abt blinding panic turned into survival instinct. sakura is prone to anger and i LOVE it!! also her family is fleshed out!! i love sakura so so much shes really snarky and smart (and she becomes kakashis fave! oof!!!) ggg team 7 getting along fills me with icky gooey love/// warnings for violence and blood. this fic hasnt updated in such a long time but it’s so so good and im hurt it left on a cliffhanger :((

Tempest by cywsaphyre

ship: none // words: 45233 // chapters: 6/? // updated: 7/20/12

Back in time and armed with years of future knowledge, Sakura is ready to take the world by storm. Except... she's four again, not twelve. Ah well, nobody said she couldn't start a little early. Gen, time travel, AU, Sakuracentric.

time travel fic but she baby! also oh FUCK my heart is melting naruto is baby and sakura wants her boys to be happy this time :’( and also ino is baby and i love her. GOD theyre all four years old and babies and sasuke is so cute and my heart huuuurrtss :’((((( my baby girl is so smart and she loves strongly and theyre all little brats acting like kids and im soft (team 10 feelings..) (and sakura is Literally preventing a massacre bc she fucking rules) MY TEAM SEVEN LOVE MUSCLES ARE FLEXING!! warning for mentions of trauma, mentions of kidnapping, blood, and death. this fic hasnt updated since 2012 though like.. *incomprehensible*

A Lot of Fight Left in Me by Stormwind13

ship: none // words: 73814 // chapters: 12/? // updated: 10/29/17

Sasuke deserted the village. Naruto is being taken away for his own safety. Sakura is left with the broken remains of her team and a teacher that's barely in the village, but she'll find a way to make this work. She has to, because all those lectures about teamwork had to mean something. Didn't they?

this fic hasnt updated in a while but it's so good :((( team 7 is in shambles and sakura just wants a teacher and to get better (i love iruka...) OH! and i love how close the konoha 12 are:) i love the little worldbuildy bits that give depth to the village. theres lots of ocs and a mini uzushio (that sakuras a part of!!) it's super interesting but hasnt updated since 2017 and i checked and this fic was the most recently updated fic op has :((((( it's still a good length and a great read but leaves at a cliffhanger which isnt as bad if you stop at the last break. warning for violence

#naruto #naruto shippuden #sakura #sakura haruno #pro sakura haruno #pro sakura #sakura centric #sakura haruno fics #fic recs #post #lol @ all the tags i put on this #im literally so in love with sakura as a character like. this is a love letter #HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL

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mlpdestinyverse · 5 years

Photo

Parental Shipping

Sky's romance radar is going off and his excited patting intensifies.

Feat. Skychaser, Dreamaria Flow, Serein Paleo, Rhea Rainier Venture Gale, Rainy Daze and Caramello

Story and Description Under The Cut

-Just outside the Cutie Mark Sanctuary, Skychaser lets out a satisfied breath and wipes the sweat off of his forehead. He watches with a smile as the volunteers for the Sanctuary's special outdoor crafts event help finish cleaning up the various table benches. The crowd of children are slowly but surely thinning out as they head home with big smiles on their faces and all kinds of creative projects held in a hoof, a magic aura, or under a wing. With the warm sun still beaming down on him, and with the event's end, the pegasus takes a moment to slide off his pink and purple Sanctuary hoodie, stuffing it into the saddlebag he had set down near one of the benches- ???: Skychaser! Hey there! Skychaser: *ear flicks and he turns to find a certain uncle Serein Paleo approaching. He grins* Ey, Serein~! You're finally here! I'd say welcome to the party, but it sooort of just ended~ -Sky recalls Dream Flow's excited chatter about her uncle coming down from Reinsforth to visit for the week. Between this visit and two others, Sky has long since warmed up to the kind older stallion. He's a polite and friendly presence, and it isn't hard to see why Dream is so fond of him- Serein Paleo: *chuckles* That's quite fine. I've already dropped my things off at Dreamaria's house and came to meet up with her. She said she'd be helping out at your event? Skychaser: Yep! Dream went inside to drop off some of the art supplies! *snickers* She's been pretty high alert while waiting for you~ Can't wait to see her face when- ???: OH, OH, who's Dreamy waiting for? *gasp* No way! Are you her mom?! -Skychaser jumps a bit and glances down to see who has to be Merry Daze standing beside Sky, leaning her head in as if to enter the conversation physically. She prances over to Serein, and with great wonder and admiration, she lifts his large braid above her head to inspect it at all angles. Meanwhile, Sky notices her two best friends, Caramello and Venture Gale, catching up behind her. They almost appear winded, as if they had to run to keep up with her- Caramello: *rubs the back of his neck with a nervous smile* Um, Merry? Maybe you should ask before touching somepony's mane? Merry Daze: OH! *looks up at Serein through her puffy blue bangs* Merry's sorry! But gosh, you're so, so pretty! And your hair's real pretty, like Dreamy's! It's so soft! Serein: *laughs into his hoof and smiles* Thank you! I'm actually Dream Flow's uncle, Serein Paleo. It's nice to meet you. Merry: *ears flicking up in surprise, she jumps back and closer to Sky* O-oh! Sorry! *rubs her foreleg with an apologetic grin* Merry shouldn't have assumed... Serein: It's fine, really! *smiles kindly* Not the first time. And I really don't mind. Venture Gale: *eyes narrow as he mumbles under his breath* Serein Paleo...? Skychaser: (?) *despite himself, he decides to address the colt beside him* Something up, Ven? -Skychaser doesn't miss the way Venture Gale immediately side-eyes him. It's to be expected. The colt has always held some sort of disdain for him ever since his and Monochrome's dating days ("Fluff-headed dweeb" was Ven's go-to insult back then). And if the distrustful squints had said anything, Ven's feelings certainly dipped further into the negative in the aftermath of his and Monochrome's fight, and in their following break-up. Sky can't completely fault the colt for it. Almost a year has passed since then, but at this point, Sky is pretty sure Ven only ever tolerates him and responds to him for the sake of their two mutual friends- Caramello: *turns to Ven* Huh? What's wrong? Venture: ....*frowns to himself* I dunno, that name sounds familia-aaAAAAH wait!! *nose crinkles, as do his ears pull back* You're the one who writes those...*squints* Romance books. Skychaser: *quirks an eyebrow at Ven's blunt distaste* You really don't have to make a face... Caramello: (!) Wait, you're right! Oh my gosh, I love your work! *eyes sparkle, the same stars Sky has seen ever since the teen was a kid. He turns to Ven excitedly* C'mon Ven, Sky's right! Mr. Paleo's books are really cool with all the pre-Equestrian stuff, and they're really, really sweet too! *he sighs dreamily, bringing his hooves to his cheeks* My fave's 'The Philosopher's Heart'...like, imagine a road paved with adventure, complete with a slow-burning romance. Merry(?): *nose crinkles, her voice low* Ew... Skychaser: *blinks and turns to the teen filly at his opposite side. With a nervous chuckle at the shift, he leans down and lifts up part of her bangs, revealing a sharp deep blue eye that shifts over to him at the action* Hey now, is that Stormy under there? Stormy Daze: ...*huffs and looks away with disinterest, pushing the moved section of bangs back further to keep her eye visible* Venture: W-well, the Daring Do and Spectrum Storm series have just as cool adventures! *shrinks a bit, his voice carrying a soft tinge of worry* R-right Mello? You still think I'm- that they're really cool, right? -Skychaser frowns. While aware that Venture's mother is a best-selling author, he can't quite understand what would cause Ven to appear almost restless at the idea of his friend preferring other books over his family's own fictional series.- Caramello: *smiles reassuringly* 'Course I do, Ven! They're both really good! Venture: *shoulders relax, as if relieved. But his signature squint reappears as he points an accusing hoof at Serein* Now I get it...best-selling books...winning over my own friend's heart with them...you're definitely my mom's competition! Serein: *blinks, confused by the whole exchange* Your mother...? -Sky sighs and presses a hoof to his face at the same time that Ven pridefully juts his chest out. Sky would say he's surprised by the teen's behavior but...he's not. He's really, really not. No amount of 'sweet temperament' (as Mello claims at least) can snuff out what Skychaser has come to see as the Dash family's pride, and what must be Rainbow Dash's competitive nature incarnate- Venture: A.K. Yearling herself of course~! Serein: *eyebrows shoot up, surprised but incredibly intrigued* Really? How incredible! *smiles brightly* I hold a tremendous amount of respect for Mrs. Yearling's writing! As they say, she truly shaped the adventure genre as we all know it! Venture: *clearly caught off guard, almost appearing bashful* Y-yeah! Yeah! She is amazing! *looks off to the side stubbornly* So, like, you better not underestimate her! Skychaser: *no longer able to hold back the mild exasperation growing in him over the colt's attitude. He sighs softly* Ven, come on, settle down a bit. *frowns at the colt* Serein's a guest and you're being kind of rude, buddy. Venture: *nearly squawks at the call-out, his golden eyes wide. While he starts fidgeting under everyone's stare, he shoots Skychaser a flustered look* I-I'm just speaking my mind! Geez! *crosses his arms dramatically, glancing down and grumbling under his breath* You should settle down...dweeb. Skychaser: *sighs again as he roughly scratches at his thick head of hair. By pure habit, he finds himself speaking without thinking* I swear if Monochrome were here- -Sky's mistake sinks in when he sees Ven tense up. The colt stares at Skychaser, wide-eyed and blank-faced. Soon the colt's mouth presses into a tight line, something serious and somber overtaking the young teen's expression. Before Sky can find it in him to speak, Ven is standing and trudging away, the stiffness in his shoulders obvious even as his shape grows smaller. Skychaser glances at the two remaining teens and watches them exchange glances, with Stormy wearing a tight frown and Mello appearing concerned. With a soft click of her tongue, Stormy Daze wordlessly stalks off after Venture Gale. Caramello, too, moves to follow, though not before shooting Sky an apologetic smile- Caramello: We'll take care of it. *gallops off after his friends* Serein: *frowns, appearing a bit worried* Is he going to be okay...? Skychaser: *rubs the back of his neck guiltily* I think so...Caramello and Stormy won't leave his side until he is. -All at once the unresolved conflicts within the colt's family - Monochrome's family -flood into his mind, and Sky mentally kicks himself for the careless slip-up. As much as he wants to apologize immediately, he knows well that the colt wouldn't want to see his face. At least not now. He'll absolutely track the colt down later for a proper apology- ???: UNCLE!! -Sky lifts his head to see Dream Flow yards away, wide-eyed and giddy. Smiling, he's just about to call out to her, but in the blink of an eye she's vanished from his sight. Blinking rapidly, he's about to voice his confusion until he hears an 'oof!" behind him. Upon turning around, Sky is met with the sight of Dream Flow hugging her uncle tightly, practically burying her whole face into his exposed chest fur. While he smiles seeing Serein embrace and nuzzle the mare back, he can almost swear that he barely even had enough time to process the sound of Dream teleporting behind him. Then again, it wasn't like he personally knew any other unicorns who used spells outside of basic levitation- Skychaser: 'Damn she's fast.' Dream Flow: *tilts her head back to grin up at Serein* Hi. You're as pretty as ever~ Serein: *playfully rolls his eyes and tousels Dream's hair, causing her to laugh* Aren't I the one who's supposed to be saying that? Dream: *grins wider* So you agree! Serein: PFT- you! *laughs and takes Dream's face into his hooves to lightly squish her cheeks about, bringing out more streams of delighted giggling and teasing from her* Skychaser: *can practically feel Dream buzzing with delight, her energy (and maybe the unfolding face-squishing battle) making Sky laugh* Hey now, don't you guys have an uncle-niece hang out to commence? Dream: *stops mid-squishing Serein's face back, still giggling madly* H-he's right! I surrender! Serein: *laughs with her* Curses, I thought we'd have a full blown battle this time... Dream: Maybe next time~ (!) *quickly jumps to her hooves* Oh!! Wait, sorry, I forgot my bag inside! I'll be right back! *runs off at the speed of light towards the building* Skychaser: (?) Why didn't she just- Serein: Ah, Dream can only teleport within a certain radius. Any further and it drains too much magic at once. Skychaser: Aah! Yeah, geez, I imagine... Serein: *stares after Dream, immense adoration in his eyes* ...she...has so much vigor here. I'm glad. Sky: *blinks and turns to Serein curiously* Wait, she wasn't like this in her old town? Serein: *pauses, as if carefully considering his answer. Settling on something, his expression softens* She...lost her spark for some time. *turns to Sky, smiling appreciatively* But it's back full force and that's all that matters. *winks* I'd say she found exactly what she needed here~ -Before Sky can comment further, both stallions hear heavy hoofsteps approaching before a kind voice calls out- Rhea: Mr. Paleo! *smiles sweetly as she moves to stand with the stallions* It's so good to see you! I had no idea you were visiting again! Serein: *eyes notably light up* Ms. Rainier! *smiles brightly* It's a pleasure to see you too! How have you been? Rhea: *giggles and waves a dismissive hoof at him* Now now, dear, I already told you that you can call me Rhea! That sounds far too formal for somepony like me. Serein: *corner of mouth quirks up* I should say the same to you. I'm fine with just 'Serein' myself. Rhea: Oh, but a historian like you deserves to be addressed properly! Serein: *laughs* Nonsense! You and I both know I'm just a silly romantic. Rhea: *chuckles into her hoof* For history and otherwise? *shoots him a playful look* I suppose the book you gave me last time was quite revealing. So I'll give you that~ -Skychaser takes a slow step back and blinks at the playful scene before him. He and Rhea had met Serein together through Dream Flow months back. And while he knew the two had a few interactions following that meeting and became fast friends within that time...well, the present friendly banter had Skychaser glancing back and forth between the two ponies- Serein: (!) Ah, you read it! Rhea: Of course I did! Like I said before, as a romance genre enthusiast, I enjoyed your past books~ And now I feel silly for not finding the time to read your newest ones! *sighs, placing a hoof on her chest* I say, your writing sure knows how to make an old mare feel like a filly again...the excitement of being young and seeking adventure and unknown horizons. Your stories always seem to embody that! Serein: *a light red dusts his cheeks as he smiles and shakes his head* I'm glad you enjoyed it, buuut if you're like me, I think you might feel older than you actually are. *to Sky's surprise, he jokingly winks at her* And believe me, we're not a day over 1000~ -Some sort of inside joke must have been exchanged and lost on Skychaser, because in seconds a booming laugh is escaping the large mare, startling some of the ponies in the vicinity. Yet Serein isn't deterred. The earth pony simply smiles at the sight, his eyes crinkling fondly- Rhea: *laugh slowly dying out, she wipes at her right eye* S-Serein Paleo, I swear you're a trip! Serein: Glad a hermit like me still has a sense of humor~ AH, but speaking of books- *reaches into his saddlebag and pulls out a new book, handing it towards the mare with a shy, lop-sided smile* If you'd like...I thought it'd only be right to gift you the newest addition to the series as well. Rhea: *gasps softly* Really? I was ready to just buy a copy for myself- are you sure? Serein: *smiles* For a fellow romance lover? Of course. Rhea: *giggles into her hoof and takes the book from him* How thoughtful~ Thank you so much. I really need to give you something in return when I can... Serein: (!) *awkwardly waves his hooves* Oh no, please, there's really no need! Being able to discuss things with you is more than enough. -By now Skychaser has successfully snuck a few paces back, leaving the two ponies to continue their joyful chatter without even noticing his absence. He eyes them, a smirk steadily growing on his lips- Skychaser: 'Ohohon what do we have here...~?' Dream: *happily trots back towards the group, carrying her small hip bag in her magic's hold. She blinks seeing Sky separated from the two older ponies and just...staring at them. After attaching her bag to herself, she moves to stand next to him* Uuh, hi! What are you- Skychaser: *throws an arm around Dream and begins excitedly and rapidly tapping her arm with his free hoof, not once taking his cat-like grin off of the older pair* DreamDreamDreamDreamDREAM- Dream: *blinks rapidly as her body shakes from the motion. Only when he stops does she look at him with wide eyes* W-wha- Skychaser: Do you see what I see? *vaguely wiggles his eyebrows as Dream traces his previous gaze to Serein and Rhea* Dream: *smiles* Uncle and Miss Rhea are really getting along! I'm rather glad, because he's kind of a hermit you see- Skychaser: Okay, sure, but not just that! You're the one with the fancy emotion powers, I know you must've felt it too! *presses the side of his head against Dream's as they both gaze at the duo. He whispers in a sing-songy tune* There's love in the aiiiir~ Dream: *pulls her head back to momentarily stare at Sky. Then, she bursts into a fit of giggles* Skychaser: See! You get me, right? *rubs his hooves together* Dunno about Rhea, but I know the signs...your uncle's totally head over- Dream: Y-you're so silly, Sky! *can barely contain her giggles as she speaks* Uncle's only known Miss Rhea for maybe a week at most, how can they be in love~? -Sky blinks, genuinely taken aback. But the mare seems to pick up on this, her giggles dying out at once- Dream: Wait, you weren't joking? *appears apologetic* Oh gosh, I didn't mean to laugh at you then! Skychaser: AH no, it's okay, I just... *rubs the back of his neck with an awkward smile* Didn't expect that answer? I guess I just assumed that, since you can probably sense love and all sorts of mushy feels, you'd be the first to pick up on it? Or like, you'd be an even bigger romantic than your uncle. *winces* Uh sorry, it's a lot of assuming on my part...*mumbles* Though I'm like, ninetyeightpercentsureyouruncle'sintoRhea,so... Dream: O-oh! Um, *glances back at the two older ponies, still caught up in their chatter. As she turns back to Sky, he notices she seems a bit self-conscious as she smiles* Right! It's only natural you'd think that! *begins absent-mindedly running her hooves through the hair lying over her shoulder* This is a little embarrassing to admit, but...romantic love is the one emotion-variant I have a hard time pinpointing. But only because it's so unbelievably complicated. Skychaser: *eyebrows shoot up* Really? So...what do you feel when you sense it? Dream: *chuckles sheepishly* See, even an answer to that isn't very simple! Because...at least from what I've felt, love in every form is made up of multiple emotions that can alternate at any given moment. *tips her head thoughtfully* Love can be warm and affectionate, but it can also contain fear, or anger, or sadness, or a combination of these things at once. The only common thread I know is that love in whatever form is intense. But since all emotions can be intense and come in different forms depending on the pony, it's really hard for me to differentiate "romantic love" from "general love" or even from an emotional response. *offers an embarrassed grin, rubbing her neck* But I've also never felt romantic love personally, s-so that doesn't help me with recognizing it in others! Uncle's books helps give me some insight, at least. Skychaser: *whistles* Wow, okay uh...as if figuring out your own feelings wasn't complicated enough, huh? *blinks* Wait, so you've never had a crush before? (!) Ah, not that there's anything wrong with that! There are plenty of ponies who are just like that, you know? Dream: *laughs, smiling cheerfully* Of course! Romance is dead and meaningless anyway. *the moment Dream sees Sky become bug-eyed, she quickly lifts her hooves up defensively* Kidding! I'm kidding, Sky! *laughs and sheepishly rubs her hoof* Just thought I'd lighten the mood and try...oh what's it called...'cynical teenage humor'? That's what Stormy Daze called it at least! Ahaha, sorry... Skychaser: ....Stormy would say that. *chuckles nervously* It's fine! Your kind of humor sure loves leaving an impact, huh? Dream: *giggles* I am fond of shock factor~ *claps her hooves together, as if to bring their attention back on track* Anyway, if it helps, my real answer is that I never had a reason to! Skychaser: *slowly tilts head* Never had...a reason to form a crush? Dream: Mhm! No one in my hometown gave me a reason to develop one. *brings a hoof to her chin* Ah gosh, did that come out right? Maybe it's better to say that I've never had anyone...spark feelings like that before? -Skychaser hums to himself in consideration. While strangely worded, he's long deduced that some sort of sheltered life and her unique senses would be the cause of his friend's unique way of talking at times- Skychaser: Then...maybe it's a case of needing to find the right somepony who'll resonate with you! Like, emotionally? Dream: Maybe! But I'm not worried about it! *waves at him dismissively, giggling a bit* And it's not like I'm expecting anyone to feel that way about me anyway! Skychaser: *half-heartedly rolls his eyes* C'mon. Seriously? You're playing that card? *scoffs, shooting her his best big brother squint* Anyone would be lucky to have you. Dream: *smiles sweetly* That's a nice thing to say. Serein: *trots over, Rhea having seemingly left* Ah, you should've said you were back Dream! I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Skychaser: Pssh, don't worry, Dream and I were deep in conversation too. *smirks* Right Dream? Dream: *smiles and tilts head* Uncle, do you have feelings for Miss Rhea? Skychaser: *sputters* Serein: *wide-eyed, his face slowly becoming an interesting shade of red* W-wha....I....what in the world makes you ask that? Dream: *slowly blinks* I was just...wondering? Serein: I uh...well you see... *even with his flushed face, his gaze trails off to the mare in question, silently observing her for a moment* She's...a stunning mare- *eyes shoot open, quickly adding* Andby'stunning'Imeantincredible. As in she's incredibly kind and i-it'd be hard not to enjoy her company, and... *trails off, the normally composed stallion clearly struggling as he stares blankly back at Dream.* Uh... Dream: *lifts her hooves up, sweating* I-it's okay uncle! I'm sorry for asking, I forgot this sort of thing would be considered embarrassing! Serein: *laughs, awkwardly pushing back a tuft of hair* Yeah ah, it's fine, don't think too much about it. *glances at Sky* Skychaser: *reading his mind, he smiles and makes a zipper motion over his mouth* Not a word. She'd probably like to hear all that nice stuff from you~ Serein: *nods briskly, then coughs dramatically* A-anyway! *weaves around Dream Flow to round her up and have her walk in step with him* Don't we have a ton of plans to start? Dream: *perks up* Ah, we sure do! *turns to wave at Sky* See you Skychaser! Serein: Yes, we'll see you around! -Sky watches the two leave and shakes his head with a smile, letting himself acknowledge how strange yet fascinating his friend is-

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Apparently I’ll take every chance I get to reveal small details about Dream, whoops

The Ven/Mello/Rainy trio originally wasn’t going to be in this, but then I remembered anything related to the Cutie Mark Sanctuary is going to be the best time for them to make appearances. And it was the best way to reference a previous chapter (Breaking Point) in the timeline. <X3

Reminder that Rainy/Merry/Stormy suffers from DID. And since Merry love love LOVES the name that was given to her by Sky, Merry likes talking in third person so she can hear it as many times as she likes. It helps solidify her identity and she just prefers talking about herself like that. And despite having one line, grumpy Stormy Daze finally makes her debut. Don’t worry. Despite her pessimism and harshness, she cares about Ven.

Ven talking big is the equivalent of a small kitten fluffing up. His attitude when he enters competitive mode is not to be taken to heart. <xD He just really loves his fam and their line of work.

Look at these two romance-loving goobers getting along. After many failed relationship attempts, historian and writer Serein settled on living a quiet life in Reinsforth writing his romance novels and raising Dream Flow. And while Rhea’s dreams of love and a prince charming as a filly didn’t play out the way it should have, a part of her tired heart after so many years may find itself yearning for that kind of connection again. In the end, you’re never too old to find love again. And prince charming doesn't have to be some mucho masculine dude.

Just to clarify to be safe! When Dream mentions love taking on aspects of fear/anger/sadness, she isn’t referring to toxic relationships where one partner causes the other to become fearful of them, or makes them angry or upset in the name of “love”. She’s referring to when someone feels fear for their loved one’s well being, fear of revealing their deep feelings, feeling upset when their loved one is upset, feeling anger for them or frustration because they want what’s best. That sort of thing~ <X3

In the end, Sky is a shipper at heart, and this won't be the last you'll see of shipper Sky, hoh no

#mlp #My Little Pony #mlp art #mlp oc #skychaser #dreamaria flow #serein paleo #rhea rainier #caramello #Rainy Daze #venture gale #destinyverse #story

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