#OH!!!! BUT WHAT IF TSUNADE -CAN- HEAL WOUNDS WITH KISSES LIKE. SHE WILL PRESS A KISS ON A SMALL CUT AND JUST. IT HEALS

[nejibaby]

Love Language

Pairings: Neji x Y/N

A/N: First time writing a fic for Neji. In fact, this is my first time writing a fanfic involving anime characters. But I’m so whipped for Neji I couldn’t stop myself from writing this. Please let me know your thoughts about this. 💜

When you opened your eyes from your sleep, you immediately knew you were having one of those days. “Those days” meaning the days where you feel a need for skinship. It was one of those days where you were feeling extremely clingy.

Oh but the skinship you crave doesn’t necessarily have to lead to sex or anything, you just wanted physical touch. It was something you find comforting. It was, after all, your love language.

So when you peeked to the other side of the bed — your boyfriend Neji’s side — you couldn’t help but want to press yourself closer to him. But knowing that he was a light sleeper was enough reason to stop yourself from doing what you want. He just came home from a mission last night and he deserved to rest as much as he can.

You watched his profile as he took deep, even breaths — a telltale sign that he was fast asleep. You slowly and gently touched the side of his face, pausing still as you checked if he woke up at your movement. When you deemed that he was still asleep, you lightly rubbed your thumb over his cheeks, just a featherlight touch but an act where you poured your love for him.

You slowly rose up from the bed and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, exactly where his curse mark lied. Afterwards, you whispered, “I love you, Neji.”

It was the first time you’ve said those three words out loud. You felt a little but guilty for not being able to say it when he’s awake, but it’s not just something you can say out of the blue. Besides, you have to build up courage to actually be able to say it. Right now though, right now you were still a coward.

He stirred a little in his sleep. You were alarmed, afraid that you had woken him up or worse, that he had heard your confession. But his movement stopped when you ran your fingers through his hair. When you are sure he has fallen back into slumber, you slip out of the bed.

The Hokage, Tsunade, assigned a mission to you today so you had to get up early if you wanted to cook breakfast for Neji.

_____________________________

At a young age your parents taught you the importance of learning other people's love languages in order to build a good relationship with them. That’s how you found yourself observing what makes your friends happy. You wouldn’t tell them this though. You were quite sure they’d end up teasing you for worrying over trivial things.

You were sure your love language was physical touch because you often find yourself happily linking arms with Sakura or passionately fist bumping with Naruto. Not to mention you would hug them goodbye instead of waving your hands. It probably meant nothing much to them, but to you, it made you feel loved and accepted. It warmed your heart.

From observation, you learned that Naruto was happiest when people acknowledge him and his hard work so you made it a point to cheer him on and to give him words of affirmation from time to time. With Sakura, she likes to spend as much time as possible with you when you both don’t have missions to do. You were guessing she was lonely because of Sasuke leaving but it could also be because she was an only child and wasn’t really fond of her parent’s shenanigans. Either way, she was always up for quality time.

You were the closest with these two so you made it a point to act according to their love language. And just like what your parent’s said, it worked on strengthening your bond with them.

It was with them that you confided with your little crush on Neji. At first they found it weird. Because how can someone so sweet like you take a liking to someone who was a little… cold? Detached?

You chastised them immediately after hearing what they’ve said, claiming that Neji was honorable, strong, smart, good looking, and just overall dreamy.

Sakura giggled at how you zoned out with hearts on your eyes as you uttered those words and that’s when she knew you were serious.

Naruto, on the other hand, was cringing. He knew how mean and condescending Neji could be. It was painted on his face how he didn’t like Neji for you. But at least your crush wasn’t Sasuke.

When you got your bearings together, you immediately turned to Naruto and told him to keep his mouth shut. You recalled saying, “Naruto, If you ever talk about my teeny tiny crush, I’m going to leave Konoha all together, just like Sasuke did!”

You were exaggerating, of course. You wouldn’t leave Konoha just because of that, but your speech worked on Naruto. You recalled that his eyes widened in surprise and then promised that he won’t tell a soul. You doubted if he could keep a secret but eventually, you just didn’t care anymore. It was just a crush anyway, it wasn’t a big deal and it wouldn’t matter if he knew. If anything, you both weren’t really that close to begin with, so there’s no friendship that could’ve been ruined. And besides, Neji has always been the all-business type of guy, you were sure a little crush was something insignificant to him.

________________________________

When Naruto left the village to train with Master Jiraiya, you eventually became closer with the other shinobis that were more or less closer to your age. This includes Tenten, Lee, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and surprisingly, Neji too.

It all started when Sakura had begun training with Lady Tsunade. You’ve been assigned to a lot of missions where you were teamed up with different shinobis, but what was weird was that Neji was almost always on your team.

You just wished Lady Tsunade was assigning both of you often in one team because you were always both free at the same time or that you worked well together or that you were both very skilled and had high success rates on missions. Any rational reasoning really, as long as it’s not because Sakura had pulled some strings.

At first you were really nervous about teaming up with Neji on missions, afraid that you were going to mess up in his presence. But when the initial nerves died down, you’ve masked whatever little feelings you’ve had for him quite well. Not that it was hard. In fact, it was easy for you because you prioritize the safety of the village before anything else.

But the missions truly did make both of you closer. What started as only speaking about the missions became casual talks about your friends. Nothing much, mostly small talk, but it was enough to ignite the small flame in your heart.

_______________________

When you arrived back from your missions, despite being tired, you would always gather your friends around to hang out before another mission was handed to you.

Being a jonin meant you were assigned to more higher rank missions, but sometimes, it just meant having much, much more missions than normal. It was tiring, only having a day or two to rest unless you were injured before another mission was handed over. So somehow it became a tradition of some sorts to gather around after you’ve finished a mission. After all, only you and Neji were jonins in the group.

Unbeknownst to you, your friends viewed you as someone who glued them together. You were the reason why they were much closer than before, now that Naruto wasn’t around. So when possible, they would make it a point to meet with you, knowing how lonely it could be now that you were alone after your parents died when Orochimaru attacked Konoha.

Sakura would often give you a look when Neji was around as all of you spend time with each other catching up. He rarely joined the gathering, preferring to rest instead of socializing. But every now and then he would come too. And when he did, somehow Sakura found a way to make him walk you home. Not that he wouldn’t do it without Sakura urging him to.

Ever since that one mission where you, Neji, and Shino were ambushed, Neji became much closer to you. Maybe it was because when one of the attackers somehow managed to stab him, you came to the rescue.

You were an exceptional kunoichi, your skills were one of the most regarded in the village so you were able to bring down most of the attackers, but not before they left a huge gash on your leg. When the fight was over, you rushed to Neji to heal him using medical ninjutsu that Sakura taught you. Luckily, Shino was only left with a few scratches.

“You know medical ninjutsu?” Neji asked, surprised.

“Yeah. A little. Sakura taught me every now and then when I’m not on a mission.”

“You should heal yourself first.”

“No, I’m fine. Your wound needs more attention than mine.”

It was true, his wound looks a lot worse than yours, but in the end you managed to heal it. However, it took too much chakra from you so with whatever minimal chakra you could use, you tried healing your wound as well. But that left you tired and weak which didn’t go unnoticed by Neji’s byakugan.

You were able to walk for a mile before your body couldn’t anymore. Neji has been looking out for you after you’ve healed him just in case this happened.

“We should probably rest a while,” Neji says.

“No, no. It’s just a few more miles to Konoha. We should keep going,” you say.

Neji looks at Shino, silently asking if they should continue or not.

Shino nods ahead, “It’s much safer if we reach the village as soon as possible. Why? Because you are both not in good shape from the ambush. If we stayed here longer, we might get attacked again. If we push through going back to the village, we’ll reach it before sunset.”

Neji looks at you and then nods his head. “I will carry you.”

Before you could resist, you were already on his back and he was already jumping through branches.

You wrapped your arms around him so as not to fall. He felt warm and you felt safe. A weak smile found its way to your face, grateful that you had comrades looking out for you.

You even allowed yourself to be giddy because of the fact that Neji was there, carrying you to safety.

“I’m sorry,” you say. Your body was shutting down from exhaustion but before you lost consciousness you said, “And th-thank you, Neji.”

Sakura had been waiting by the village gates knowing you were supposed to arrive that day. She perked up upon seeing Shino but then tensed when she saw you being carried by Neji. “What happened?”

“There was an ambush when we were on the way back after the mission. I was careless. I got stabbed. Y/N and Shino fought them off. She healed me but she lost a lot of chakra in the process.” He explains in one breath.

“Let’s get her to the hospital.”

Since that day, you became so much closer with Neji. Whenever he finds you walking alone, he’d offer to walk with you. When you were both assigned on missions, you noticed he started bringing food pills for you. When you were somehow at the training grounds at the same time, he’d hand you an extra bottle of water.

You figured it was his way of thanking you. Nevertheless, the gestures made your heart flutter.

You weren’t going to let him be the only one who’s being thoughtful, so when you trained together, you’d make sure you brought an extra towel for him to use to wipe off his sweat. Sometimes you’d even bring him food, claiming you miscalculated the amount of food you cooked. You weren’t sure if he caught on with your little crush, but you sure hoped he didn’t. The smile on his face as he thanked you for these little gestures was heartwarming to say the least. And it was enough to make your week better.

________________________________

You weren’t quite sure when Neji had started to take a liking to you but you remembered a time where your friends pointed it out to you.

It was a day after Neji completed a long mission. He seeked you out so he can train with you. You immediately agreed, knowing you didn’t have anything planned that day.

When you were both finished, drained from the intense training, you handed him a towel as he gave you a bottle of water. You were both trying to catch your breath when a voice came calling out your name. You both turned to the source of the sound.

Once you saw it was, you squealed and immediately came running towards him, engulfing him in a bear hug. “Lee!” You exclaimed.

He laughs and spins you around. “How has the prettiest flower in Konoha been?”

You snort. “I think you meant the strongest kunoichi next to the Hokage.”

“That works too.” He brings you down and notices Neji watching the interaction. You both walk towards Neji and Lee says, “I see you have been training with my rival.”

“Yes. Neji helps me train when he’s around. He just came back from a mission yesterday.”

“I see. What do you say, Neji, will you indulge me in a battle?” Lee says as he throws punches and kicks in the air.

Neji’s eye twitches, “Sorry, Lee. I’m tired.”

By the time Neji replied though, Lee was already counting push-ups. It was impossible to be able to talk to him when he’s in the zone so you and Neji just let him be and walk away.

When you were both away from Lee, Neji clears his throat and asks, “Have you always been that close to Lee?”

You were confused by the sudden question. “Hm. I guess so. We’re all friends, right? But we got a lot closer recently. When you were away on a mission, Lee kept bugging everyone to train with him since you and Guy sensei were away. But well, no one really wanted to train with him because they were busy with other stuff. And since my training buddy,” you nudged his elbow, “was away, I agreed. Honestly, his timing couldn’t have been better. Kakashi sensei just taught me a new water style jutsu and I was trying to see if I can weave the signs faster. Lee was the perfect partner for the job.”

“Oh.”

You frown, what does that mean? “Is there something wrong, Neji?”

“Nothing.”

You let it go, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. Just as you were about to round the corner going to your house, you halted, “Oh, I forgot I was supposed to meet Sakura today!”

“Okay. I will walk you there.”

“Thank you, Neji,” you said as you felt your cheeks blush.

When you found Sakura, you greeted her with a hug while whispering, “I need to talk to you about something.”

She gave you a look but nodded anyway. You turned back to Neji and thanked him for training and walking with you.

He nods and tells you that he’ll be heading out then.

“What happened?” Sakura asks.

Just as you were about to answer, Tenten came running towards the both of you, “Oh, there you are!”

“Tenten, what’s up?”

“What do you say we get together and do it up a little? At Yakiniku-Q.”

You and Sakura turn to each other. She just shrugs. “Sure.”

Tenten smiled brightly and dragged you two to find Ino and Hinata.

Tenten found Ino first. She was with Choji and Shikamaru. Tenten immediately went to Ino to talk about her plan. Meanwhile, Choji scoops you up in a hug. You laugh, “Well someone’s eager to see me.”

“I haven’t seen you in a while!” He exclaims as he puts you down.

You hang your arms around Choji and Shikamaru’s shoulders, “Yeah, I’ve been training nonstop. How are you guys?”

Shikamaru whispers under his breath, “How troublesome” but you ignore him.

“We’ve been on missions here and there.”

You were supposed to respond but Choji’s attention has shifted to Tenten and Ino when he heard “Yakiniku.”

“Yakiniku?! I’m in! I’m in!”

“You guys aren’t invited.” Tenten declared.

“Huh? Why?” Choji frowns.

“Because it’s time for just us girls to hang out. Right? Let’s have a girls-only get-together!”

“Sorry, Choji. I’ll treat you next time!” You console him.

“Alright! We just have to find Hinata then.” Tenten says.

When she was able to convince Hinata to join, you all went to Yakiniku-Q together. As you entered the store, you silently asked Sakura, “Why do you think Tenten invited us here?”

“I’m not sure. But I think everyone’s a little bit down from missing Naruto.”

“I miss him…” You say wistfully. And a little bit loudly. You only noticed it when you looked up and found that Ino, Hinata, and Tenten were all looking at you. And then you turned your head, you saw that your male friends were there too, by the other table, looking at you as well.

You flushed at the sudden attention and stepped behind Sakura in an attempt to hide yourself.

Kiba was the first to break the silence, “Oi! Who do you miss, huh?” He says teasingly, moving his eyebrows up and down.

You felt yourself becoming redder and redder as you found Neji looking at you and Kiba curiously, but with a slight downturn of his mouth.

“Is it—”

You lounged at him to cover his mouth before he was able to finish his sentence. “Don’t you dare, Kiba.”

He raises his hands in surrender. You reluctantly remove your hand from his mouth. Lucky for you, he remains quiet, but he has a smirk on.

Sakura pulls you away to lead you to the girls’ table. You kept eye contact with Kiba as you mouth, I’m watching you while glaring at the man.

“Why did you even react like that when you were just talking about Naruto?” She whispered.

“Have you seen Kiba? He kept subtly looking between Neji and me. I’m pretty sure he’d tell on me right then and there so I had to stop him.”

“Why didn’t you just say it was Naruto?”

“I could have but the undertone in his voice sounded like he was implying I have feelings with the person I miss.” You explained exasperated.

Sakura just sighed.

You dropped the conversation as the girls started talking about what to order and how great the deals were. You immediately relaxed and smiled, happy to be in the presence of your friends.

You took a peek at the other table to check if Kiba had said anything, only to be met with Neji’s eyes focused on you. You stilled, not expecting him to be looking at you. You gave him a small smile and a wave, he just nodded, face devoid of any emotion and then he turned away.

You frowned.

Tenten was cooking the meat while the rest of the girls had engaged in small talk. You joined in the conversation every now and then but your mind was occupied by how weird Neji was acting.

Your friends were quick to notice it. Tenten handed you a serving of the cooked meat, “What’s bothering you?” She asked softly.

“You don’t seem yourself, Y/N…” Hinata said.

You quickly shook your head, “I’m fine.”

“Didn’t you have something you want to talk about?” Sakura pipes up.

You groan, knowing full well you weren’t going to escape this conversation. “So there’s this guy,” you pause as you took a bite off of the cooked meat Tenten gave you.

“You mean Neji?” Ino asks.

You suddenly choked on your food at the sound of his name.

The girls laughed at your reaction. “Well that’s embarrassing,” you muttered as your cheeks flushed pink. You look at Hinata, you were suddenly shy that your dilemma involved her cousin.

She nodded and offered you a smile so warm you feel your shyness dissipate. “Wa-was I that o-obvious?” You stuttered.

“Not really.” Ino chimed in. “Sakura here was the one who’s obvious. She’d always look between the two of you when he’s hanging out with the group. Not to mention the amount of times she asked Neji to walk you home. I’m pretty sure everyone in our group of friends caught on it already.”

You narrowed your eyes on Sakura and she cringed. “I’m sorry!”

You deflated and then shrugged your shoulders, “Doesn’t matter. As long as he’s not aware. Wait! He’s not aware, right?” You look at Tenten and Hinata.

“I’m not sure, I don’t think he’s ever mentioned it.” Tenten said.

You turned to Hinata in question, “He’s not really the type to share about those things.”

“Right.” You said before taking another bite on your food.

“So are you gonna tell us what happened?”

“It’s probably nothing.” You casually replied.

“Out with it.” Sakura said, her patience wearing thin as you tried to skirt around the topic.

You sighed but told them anyway. You told them what happened earlier after you finished training with Neji and then the conversation you had after you saw Lee. You even told them about the small interaction that happened at the shop while you all ate.

“I never thought he was that type.” Ino broke the silence after you told them the story.

You looked at her with curiosity. “What type?”

“The jealous type.”

Ino might as well have grown two heads with how you looked at her then. “Huh?” was all you could ever think to say.

“It’s obvious he likes you.” Tenten teased.

“If it was obvious then I would have known. I’m pretty sure we’re just good friends.” You said matter-of-factly.

Everyone groaned at what you’ve said, even Hinata. “You’re so dense,” Ino muttered.

“If he only sees you as a friend then why does he keep on stealing glances at you every now and then?” Tenten asked.

“What are you talking about?”

She discreetly pointed her finger towards Neji’s direction. You whipped your head to see and, lo and behold, there was Neji staring at you, but he was quick to turn away. You blushed and your friends giggled at the interaction.

“I’m too sober for this conversation.” You declared as your friends continued to tease you. “Alright, let’s drink!” was the last thing you said before you pushed the thoughts of Neji aside.

________________________________

You smiled at the memory. If Neji’s jealousy hadn’t been pointed out by your friends, you would have never started acting on your feelings. And you wouldn’t even be here waking up early cooking breakfast for him. You wouldn’t be the receiver of his kisses or hugs although you only got them in the confines of your house.

You were naturally affectionate, Neji knew this and he would indulge you with affection privately. In all honesty, if it was up to you, you would be holding his hand in public for the world to see, maybe even peck him on the lips from time to time, and hug him as much as possible.

However, Neji was a private person so you assumed he didn’t like public displays of affection. You respected that. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get a little bit jealous when he sees Lee lift you up and spin you around or when he sees you and Kiba playfully pretend to fight which somehow always ends up with you on Kiba’s back or when Choji wraps you in a hug. Shikamaru and Shino aren’t as affectionate as the others but sometimes he’d find you slinging your arms over their shoulders. It bothered him sometimes. But all his worries quickly vanish at the end of the day, knowing it was he who gets to hold you at night and he who gets to see you first in the morning.

Coincidentally, you had your own worries when it comes to not being able to be affectionate with Neji in public. Sometimes your insecurities got the best of you. You would hear unreasonable voices in your head. Maybe he’s not proud of me. Maybe he only sees me as a temporary lover. Maybe I’m not good enough.

But you know this isn’t true when you find him looking at you with his loving eyes. He’d always give you the softest look that warms you more than hugs do. It was a look reserved for you only and it satiates all your thirst for affection, more than physical intimacy can.

You know he feels your love just as much from the way you’d cook him food, heal his injuries and brush his hair. Neji was an independent man, but somehow you made yourself so important that he found himself depending on you more. This wasn’t a problem for you because if it’s for Neji, you’d gladly accept such responsibilities. Always. Just for him.

#neji #neji hyuuga x reader #neji hyuga #neji hyuuga #neji x oc #neji x reader #neji x y/n #naruto #neji x you #neji fluff #naruto fluff

[anannua]

Pairing prompt!

First kiss, kakaobi

First time seeing them cry, minaobi

First time waiting at their bedside, not sure if they will awaken, shikanaru

🥰

I really liked these. It got long, so I put them below the cut. 

✂️✂️✂️

First kiss, kakaobi

It happens over the weekend. 

They’re studying at their teacher’s house, shoes in the doorway, listening to the radio while they finish worksheets. Obito keeps glancing his way when he thinks Kakashi isn’t paying attention but those unblinking black eyes are impossible to ignore. He tries to make conversation, asking questions about their assignment to fill the air. The room feels small with Obito’s gaze fixed on his face.

Eventually Kakashi finds himself asking, “What? Something on my face?”

“No.”

“Then why are you staring?”

Obito’s answer is to stare some more.

A little perturbed, Kakashi puts his pencil down. “You’ve been acting weird all afternoon.”

“No I haven’t.”

When Kakashi turns to refute this blatant lie he’s looking into Obito’s eyes, because Obito has moved closer, taking up all of the space on the couch cushion beside him. When did he move? Kakashi is a little baffled as the sofa dips under his weight because Obito is never quiet and curious like this. He’s ever straightforward, direct with his desires, so obvious. Worry hiccups in his heart, a ripple in the calm of his cool exterior.

This close, Obito might be able to hear how quick his pulse is.

“You’re still staring.”

Obito’s mouth jerks into a smirk, a flash of something familiar, before a strange determination settles into his shoulders.

“Yeah. Does it bug you?”

He’s close enough to catch the way Kakashi’s breathing quickens. Black eyes flicker down to his mouth where the sunlight warms his skin, pale cheeks coloring slowly under his unblinking gaze. Obito’s eyes track all over his face as though he hasn’t spent their childhood learning it, hasn’t cracked his knuckles against the edge of Kakashi’s cheekbones or bashed foreheads during their fights as schoolboys.  

He’s really close.

“Obito?”

Finally he blinks, glancing up through heavy lashes to find mismatched eyes watching him closely.

It’s easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Obito can’t make himself ask, the words stuck in his throat, and he surges forward before his nerve desserts him.

Kakashi jumps as Obito’s weight crashes into him, sending them both toppling back onto the couch together. Obito doesn’t stop kissing him the whole way down and it’s all Kakashi can do to keep kissing him back, mouth finally open, lips pressed together, a single whimper escaping before Obito drinks down the rest of his sounds.

There’s no time to describe how incredible it is. It isn’t anything like electricity in his veins or an explosion. Instead there’s a steady heat that seeps into his bones, radiating from the hands on his waist, the weight of Obito’s chest crushing them into the couch, the lips murmuring his name against his mouth, hot. 

Kakashi has never felt so warm all at once. 

His eyes flutter open (when had he shut them?) to find his best friend watching with the most anxious look.

“Was that okay?”

He’s terrified. Kakashi can read him with a glance (they’ve spent their whole lives learning how to) and knows Obito is afraid he’s fucked everything up.

“No,” Kakashi says once he’s caught his breath, once he’s certain his voice won’t shake. “No, that sucked.”

Obito flinches. But Kakashi has his collar in a grip because he knew Obito would try to run, grabs him tight enough to hurt, and makes sure his best friend is watching very closely when he continues pointedly, “Obito. You’re gonna have to do better than that—try again.”

First time seeing them cry, minaobi

“Hey, I’m home!”

The call from the front of the house has Minato scrubbing his face, quickly, because he wants to give his boyfriend a smile to come home to. It’s too late because Obito sets down the groceries and materializes beside him like magic. Warm arms wrap him up and the blonde gives up a watery smile.

“Welcome home.”

“What happened?” Obito wonders, worry in his baritone as he reaches up to brush away the water hastily scrubbed from his partner’s cheeks. “Minato?”

“Nothing. Ah, the groceries! We should put up the cold things…”

His words are interrupted by a hiccup he can’t swallow. Obito’s face is set and Minato is swept off his feet. He gets tucked into strong arms as Obito moves them deeper into the house. The blonde’s quiet protests go unheard as he’s carried bridal style to the bedroom. It’s there that Obito deposits him onto the bed.

“It’s nothing,” he tries to say, for Obito’s gloved finger to press against his mouth.

Just the look in his one good eye gives Minato guilt. He should know better; Obito hates it when Minato tries to hide things from him. Instead of putting on a happy face the older man accepts his pampering, letting Obito tuck him under the plush blankets of their bed. His blue eyes are still damp and Minato stops trying to hold back his sniffles.

“It’s not nothing,” Obito’s voice guesses quietly, “but you don’t have to talk about it now. For now, just let it out. I’m here for you.”

Obito learns that he hates watching Minato cry. The helplessness that fills him up eats away at his guts, claws at his heart as he watches his most precious person sink into a mire of tears and little soft sobs. He doesn’t cry loudly, no screaming or wailing. Minato cries softly, like he has to keep it inside and bottle it.

It does give him the opportunity to cuddle the blonde close. He doesn’t care how wet his turtleneck gets. Minato tries once to not smear snot and tears against his clothes; Obito presses gently but firmly until the other man’s face goes back to the flat of his chest. Obito’s gloved hand finds Minato’s to hold while his other cards through blonde spikes, stroking soothingly.

It doesn’t matter why in this moment why Minato is sad. Obito is here for him, for the first time he’s been allowed to see Minato cry, to comfort him. He lets his lover vent quiet sobs into his chest, letting the emotion run its course.

Later, once all his tears are spent up, Minato will say thank you, with a kiss to the corner of Obito’s contented smile, and Obito will scold Minato for not relying on him sooner.

First time waiting at their bedside, not sure if they will awaken, shikanaru

“It’s going to be a while,” Sakura warned. “He breathed in so much poison…”

“I’ll wait,” Shikamaru said firmly. “I want to be here when he opens his eyes.”

Naruto on the bed breathed in slowly, ragged, through three different tubes. The sight made Shikamaru’s own breathing tight. Naruto always healed, everything, but for once it was taking…

“A long, long time,” Sakura had repeated on her way out the door, “No smoking inside. Please.”

It was the last thing he’d heard for nearly four days.

“Shikamaru? Shikamaru, earth to Shikamaru!”

“I said what,” he snapped, turning from the bed for the first time in five days. He stood up straighter at the sight of the Hokage in the doorway. “Sir.”

“At ease, soldier,” Kakashi sighed. “And drop the sir. It’s temporary. Just like this.”

His eye tracked to the figure on the bed. Shikamaru turned his gaze back as well. It wasn’t like he needed to look. By now he had the lines of Naruto’s sleeping face carved into memory. Those three scar marks on each cheek. The unnatural stretch of his mouth around breathing tubes. The slight bags under each eye.

“All his superficial wounds have healed,” the Hokage’s voice said needlessly because Sakura had said the same thing two days ago, “All that’s left is for the poison to finish circulating. Once it’s out he should be up and back to active duty.”

Shikamaru looked up sharply. Kakashi met his confrontational gaze with a cool look.

“It’s what he’d want,” Kakashi said quietly.

In Naruto’s defense. Because that’s what he would want. Shikamaru smirked.

“Of course he would. He will.”

“We need you on rotation.”

Shikamaru’s smirk fell away.

“I won’t leave his side.”

“We need you,” Kakashi repeated, his voice firm and his gaze uncompromising. “I can give you forty-eight hours but there are others who need relief.”

Shikamaru couldn’t deny the Hokage outright but it was the first time his mind was already plotting four different ways he could leave behind a clone or trade shifts to get out of duty. His shoulders squared, Shikamaru let his gaze fall to the floor, and he nodded once.

A hand landed on his shoulder.

“He’ll be here when you get back.”

It turned prophetic: Naruto was still in the hospital bed when Shikamaru returned from active duty to be at his side. He tracked down Shizune straight away, nerves driving him to put a hand in his pocket, resting against the pack of cigarettes he wasn’t allowed to smoke inside.

“How much longer until he regains consciousness?”

Shizune looked started first, then apologetic.

Shikamaru frowned.

“Oh. Haven’t they told you yet?” She said.

He made himself stay and listen (even though it couldn’t be true) and thanked her for filling him in. Stiffly, he went outside and let himself smoke for the first time in nearly two weeks. The harsh crackle of nicotine burned through him, ripped apart the walls around his heart he’d built up against the suspicion that lurked in the back of his mind.

Naruto might not wake up.

Impossible, because he’s the jinchuuriki. They wouldn’t let their not-so-secret weapon lie in a coma even if there was no other option. Konoha would find a way.

Except they couldn’t.

Even Tsunade and Orochimaru combined had been forced to admit defeat. Any further experiments were denied by the Lord Sixth Hokage due to their unethical nature and Shikamaru shook off the tremble in his hand as he lit a second cigarette.

He took the longest, deepest drag he could before crushing it on his way back inside.

Naruto would want to see him when he woke up—if he woke up—

Shikamaru shook his head. Naruto wouldn’t want him to think like that. Naruto wouldn’t want him to worry, the stubborn guy, wanting the best for everyone around him, not giving a damn about himself, reckless, a little clueless, stupid, selfish, wonderful, bright, shining and smiling and stealing Shikamaru’s senses with one look.

Despite the pounding of his heart Shikamaru managed to snort a laugh. That guy.

The nurses gave him pitying looks as he walked back into the room and took up the same seat that bore his weight for a week straight before.

It didn’t matter. He’d be there.

#long post #kakaobi #minaobi #shikanaru

[louiserandom]

old friends and new companions

for: @greeneyedtrickster :3 the formatting for the ask reply got wonky so i’m reposting it like this :D Hope you like it :3

Rating: T

Pairing: Jiraiya/Tsunade

Summary: Jiraiya is reckless and a bit of an idiot.

Orochimaru, too, is reckless but by no means lacks intelligence.

Tsunade is just done. So done.

A/N: alternatively, the latest of the Bizarre Adventures of the Legendary Sannin :D I took so many creative liberties in this lol and I hope it turned out fine. Enjoy!

Read on AO3 or under the cut :3

“Care to explain why you didn’t wait for backup like we told you to?” Tsunade demands, bandaging the worst of Jiraiya’s wounds perhaps a little too harshly.

“He’s an idiot,” Orochimaru replies helpfully from where he’s lounging on the other side of the cave.

“Hey!”

“I know.” Tsunade sighs, iryo chakra pooling out of her hands onto Jiraiya’s other injuries.

“I’d have liked to see you face off against that monster, dumbass!” Jiraiya growls, trying to sit up from his makeshift sickbed, a deathbed not two minutes earlier, but Tsunade forcefully restrains him, hitting him lightly over the head for good measure.

“I will,” Orochimaru says sweetly, “and unlike some people, I’m not going to behave like a suicidal moron.”

Jiraiya huffs but holds back his explosive retort, conceding the fairly good point. Perhaps facing off a giant disgruntled leech with a Noh mask wasn’t the best idea when he was wounded and stranded in the outskirts of Sky Country.

“I knew you’d still be busy with that platoon and I was tired of lying in wait,” he grumbles his admittedly poor excuse, “and that creepy guy controlling that monster was right there! So I thought, why not? Two birds, one kunai.”

“Did you actually attack with just the one kunai?” Orochimaru asks, eyeing the many, many wounds Jiraiya is sporting.

Orochimaru dodges the shuriken his friend flings his way, smirking when Tsunade gives Jiraiya her signature glare, making him wilt. Both of them know too well the pain that befalls those who don’t heed Tsunade’s first warning before she gets annoyed enough to inflict punishment.

“Anyway,” Jiraiya says with a put-upon sigh, “the man’s dead. The beast is wounded but I have no idea how fast it heals. So that’s still half the job done for us.”

“Yes, us,” Tsunade says firmly. “We’ll face whatever that thing is together,” she emphasizes the word with a meaningful look at Orochimaru, “so I don’t have to bring anyone back from the brink of death again. That seriously pisses me off.”

Orochimaru blinks, feigning innocence. “What? Why are you looking at me?”

“Maybe I’m well aware I’m the only one on our team with an actual self-preservation instinct.”

“Questionable. But even if that’s true, I at least have more than a modicum of intelligence… unlike some people.”

And now it’s Orochimaru’s turn to withstand Tsunade’s death threat of a glare. As well as an unnecessarily complicated set of rude gestures from Jiraiya, presumably depicting the physical harm he plans to inflict on Orochimaru once he’s completely healed.  

Orochimaru rolls his eyes and presses his palm to his chest. “Fine. I promise not to go out to kill the monster by myself.”

Tsunade eyes him suspiciously, wondering if she should make him solemnly swear by his experiments. But, she supposes, there’s probably nothing in existence that Orochimaru holds sacred, so she simply nods and sends a quick prayer to the gods for patience, if nothing else.

She returns to the task at hand, touching up and cleaning the last of the injuries, now healed enough to become yet another set of scars adorning Jiraiya’s arms and chest, some of them crawling dangerously close to his heart. She takes a deep breath to calm herself, finally out of the sickening mental loop of fearing yet another loved one’s death. Jiraiya’s usual quips and one-liners help lighten the mood as she works, but just to be contrary, Tsunade doesn’t give him the courtesy of a smile.

“Here.” She cuts off Jiraiya’s ramblings that were just on the verge of straying into the perverted territory, offering him the medicine he so abhors taking. Predictably, his face twists in a grimace and he tries his best to keep himself from pouting, with little success. “Just a couple of hours of sleep, and your chakra will be replenished. Drink up.”

Jiraiya crosses his arms. “It tastes sour.”

“Oh?” Tsunade raises an eyebrow. “You know what else will taste sour? The disgusting, humiliating taste of defeat if you decide to do this the long way and we end up wasting so much time that the monster gets away from us. Again.”

Another fair point, Jiraiya supposes, but that doesn’t mean he has to be happy about it.

“Do I get a kiss from the beautiful lady for my heroism despite the many trials and tribulations?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows. “And what’s my grand prize once we get home victorious?”

Tsunade rolls her eyes. “The prize of one kiss, knucklehead, will be bestowed upon your brow only once you’ve proved you’ve learned your lesson.”

“Oh, come on!” Jiraiya whines, ignoring Orochimaru’s unnecessarily dramatic sigh as he promptly leaves the cavern muttering something about ‘keeping it the fucking bedroom.’

“You knew the consequences.”

“I didn’t! Tsuna, look, I underestimated the wound I got from the battle up north, yeah, fine—but if not for that, I would have won!”

“And once you see the lack of logic in that statement,” Tsunade says with a derisive look that’s very much uncalled for, “I’ll see about that kiss.”

“And the victory sex?” Jiraiya says, because being a little shit never fails to make Tsunade smile.

He’s not wrong. It’s a beautiful smile, despite the exasperation on her face. Her shoulders have finally relaxed, and her hands have stopped shaking, and that’s all Jiraiya needs for now.

“Stop bringing up sex to annoy Orochimaru,” Tsunade cuts the fun short. “And drink.”

Not masking his displeasure, Jiraiya downs the disgusting potion in one go, and instantly feels the familiar, debilitating drowsiness settling in. He groans. The world dulls, then sinks as he flops onto his back, everything blurring into a mesh of colorful blobs. He can only just make out Tsunade standing up from where she was kneeling in front of him to go somewhere out of sight—which is unacceptable, really.

“Hey,” Jiraiya tries, willing his eyes to stay open, “wait, don’t leave…”

“I’m not leaving, silly.”

Warm arms cradle his head and Jiraiya suddenly finds himself lying on Tsunade’s lap, her presence soft and comfortable, radiating warm, lively, calming energy he’s grown to love so, so much.

“Tell me again,” he whispers, snuggling up to her.

“I’m right here.” Jiraiya isn’t sure whether it’s his imagination or not when he feels the faint press of warm lips against his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Mm,” he protests, “not what I wanna hear.”

A chuckle. A playful nudge. Jiraiya’s sure he’s grinning like an idiot, what with his eyes closed and his muscles relaxing steadily with each second.

“Maybe I’d like to hear it from you first,” Tsunade says.

“Hm. You know I love you,” Jiraiya says, barely holding on to consciousness as the dreamless chemical-induced sleep fights to drag him under.

“Well.” Another dream-like kiss, to his lips this time. “You know I love you too.”

It’s the last thing Jiraiya hears before he sleeps.

He awakens to the dawn light grazing his eyelids and gasps for breath as the adrenaline from that weird fucking potion rushes through his veins, making his heart beat at twice its normal rate.

Ugh, he thinks, at least my chakra’s back to normal.

Jiraiya sits up, stretching his arms and relaxing the muscles that yearn to hit something, happy to see all his injuries completely healed—thanks to the genius lying beside him.

He smiles as he watches Tsunade, completely relaxed for once, sleeping on her side with her hair undone and a slight smile curling her lips. This despite her own injuries that Jiraiya only now notices she didn’t bother to heal; minor cuts and bruises that she always dismisses because she cares too much about her best friend and lover to notice her own pains. And despite the battle-worn clothes, streaked with blood and grime, and singed in some places because apparently the Sky shinobi she and Orochimaru fought were uncannily skilled in Fire Release—bathed in the burgeoning sunlight, she looks beautiful.

He wishes sorely that he didn’t have to wake her up. But a few minutes is all they should be able to spare at this point.

“Oi, snake boy,” he calls to where Orochimaru is sitting near the entrance.

“Call me that one more time,” Orochimaru says, turning around to glare at him, “and I’ll feed you to one of my summons.”

“Yeah, yeah, same threat, different decade,” Jiraiya says, standing up and looking for the storage scroll with his change of clothes. “You ready to tackle that monster thing? You have that seal for tracking it down, right?”

“One you didn’t need apparently, because of your dumb luck,” Orochimaru says, tone tinged with irritation. “But actually,” he announces, standing up to face Jiraiya, “we’re not going anywhere.”

“Huh?”

Jiraiya tenses once the Shadow Clone before him dissipates and the real Orochimaru (hopefully) shunshins near the entrance.

“You left a clone to keep guard, you dumbass? What if—what if it…” It’s then that Jiraiya notices what—or who, he really is uncertain at this point—Orochimaru is holding in his arms. “Orochimaru, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!”

The scream has Tsunade awake and already forming hand signs before she realizes there’s no intruder.

Well.

Technically.

And Orochimaru, the bastard, acts like there’s nothing out of the ordinary.

“I would very much like both of you to calm—"

“Why the fuck do you have that monster in your arms, you godsdamned idiot?”

“Orochimaru,” Tsunade growls, angry enough that her chakra starts glowing, crackling in the air around her. “What, exactly, did you do that I explicitly asked you not to do?”

“I broke no promises, Tsunade, as I did not go out to try to kill the ‘monster’,” Orochimaru emphasizes the word with a pet of said monster’s head. Because Jiraiya’s pretty fucking sure that’s a miniature version of the slug-snake thing with the Noh mask he’d fought cuddling into Orochimaru’s hold like it wants to be there. “See, we never thought about befriending him. Talking him out of being Sky Country’s glorified weapon and letting him be an honorable asset for our village.”

“Asset?” Tsunade can feel the onset of one hell of a migraine.

“Him?” Jiraiya asks weakly.

“Yes.” Orochimaru smiles. “This is Zero-Tails. He hasn’t chosen a name for himself yet, but since I’ve officially adopted him, we’ll get to that shortly. Isn’t that right?” he all but coos over his new pet.

“Yes, master,” Zero-Tails answers, its mask shifting into an expression of pure innocence.

Its—his—voice is deep and far too evil sounding in Jiraiya’s opinion, and he will not fall for the innocent act, but for all his indignation, all he can manage is,

“Master?” Jiraiya is fairly sure he’s going to lose his mind with a best friend like his. “Orochimaru, why?”

Tsunade snarls and kicks the wall of the cave, making a big chunk of rock fall off and the whole part of the mountain they’re nestled in trembles dangerously.

“I need Grandpa’s fucking moonshine to deal with this,” she seethes, and Jiraiya couldn’t agree more.

Orochimaru simply keeps smiling and says, “Of course! We need to have a house-warming celebration for our new companion after all.”

#jiratsu #jiraiya/tsunade #jiraiya #tsunade #orochimaru #naruto #fanfic #lou writes #camp nano april 2020

[vesperlionheart]

Pompeii 53

Sakura woke and realized it was too early to be awake, only to jump out of bed and run for the toilet as the pounding behind her head made the rest of her come undone. She threw up into the toilet, thankful for small mercies. After the first lurch there was a moment when she thought she was done before nausea hit her again. Her head was ringing and she had to shut her eyes to it.

There were footsteps coming up behind her and she heard her door creaking back shut. Then there were hands combing through her hair, pulling it back. Sakura glanced up and relaxed when she recognized Sai.

He didn’t say anything, but watched with a worried expression as she emptied the last of her stomach with what was left of her dignity. She moved off her knees and rolled against the wall and Sai followed, hovering like a shadow.

“Sakura?”

“It’s fine, just...something I ate,” she whispered, feeling the sore parts of her throat rub raw. She needed to wash her mouth out and brush her teeth, but she was too tired to stand just yet.

“No one else was getting sick,” Sai helpfully supplied. “Are you sure?”

Sakura cracked one eye open and pouted. Sai stood up and leaned over her to turn on the sink and fill a cup with water. He crouched down a moment later and urged her to have a sip. Sakura forced herself to stand first, but accepted the cup to use in washing out her mouth.

Sai reached behind her and turned on the lights, flooding the dark room with color. Sakura flinched and shut her eyes to it, but not before she noticed the irritation of her scars.

“Your marks!”

Sakura spit out the water and bent over the sink, hiding them from view with her loose hair. “It’s fine.”

Sai pawed at her hair, pulling it back enough to see the scars on her neck, standing out darker and meaner than before. “What are they doing to you?”

The memory came back a moment too late. The proof was in her hands, under her fingernails. “It was me.”

“Wh-what?” Sai’s face showed his confusion well. He had come a long way from the emotionless boy who had to learn how to smile. “What do you mean it was you?”

His eyes were as open and clear as they were beautiful, making Sakura uneasy to show herself to him when she looked anything less than her best, though she knew better. She knew Sai didn't care about superficial appearances and it was only her anxieties that whispered such cruel things in her head.

Sakura took a deep breath and found the words.

“I did this to myself, in my sleep. I’ve done it a few times...when I have nightmares. I can feel her hands on my neck and I’m back there.” Sakura raised her head and stared at her face in the mirror. She touched one of the marks on her neck. “I’m back there and she’s killing me all over again. I just wanted to get her hands off. I just wanted...I…”

Sai’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she watched him in the mirror press himself close to her. His head was bowed into her back, shivering. Sakura reached down and rubbed her hands over his cold fingers.

“I’m better now,” Sakura whispered. “Thank you for coming to check up on me.”

“I don’t want to see you like this. Why is it still hurting you? You’re healing I thought.”

“I am,” she sighed. “My wounds are sealing up and one day not even these marks on my neck will be around, but not all wounds are visible, honey.”

“Why is it still bothering you so bad?” Sai lifted his head enough to press his lips to her spine and kiss the rise of her bones there. “I want you to be better. Isn't there something I can do, or some way I can take this from you?”

She thought her words over carefully before responding. Trauma was hard to understand for most people, even after experiencing it first hand. She understood where her nightmares were coming from, and she knew they were irrational, but the fear still ate at her, gnawing and nibbling on different days.

“It was a serious moment in my life where I nearly died. I’ve never experienced fear like that before. When someone gets hurt, even after they heal or hear an apology, the matters aren’t always fixed so easily.”

She thought of Sasuke in the streets of Pompeii, looking to her for an easy forgiveness. She could forgive him, but nothing would really change. Her pain still existed. Her trauma still haunted her into the night. He didn’t want forgiveness. He wanted her to make him feel better.

“What do I do?” Sai whispered into her neck.

Her hearing wasn’t what it once was, even with Tsunade’s magic and medicine, but Sakura still heard Sai’s confusion loud and clear. Even without sound, she felt the vibration of his plea on her skin.

Sakura turned around and reached for his face. Sai let her do as she pleased, but kept his arms around her waist. “You’ve done more than you know. I dream about you, ya know?”

Sai blinked, surprised. “Me?”

“Yeah, I have lots of different dreams, but you’re a hero in the one’s I’m lucid enough to control. I see you save me and I wake up knowing you’re in this house, close to me. You are my hero. I’m comforted by your presence more than you know.”

“My presence brings you peace?”

“Of course.”

Sai paused to consider this and then nodded. “Would me staying closer to you at night bring you even more peace?”

Sakura snickered before she could stop herself. “Wa-was that your way of trying to sleep with me?” she asked on a laugh, knowing well enough that his desire to sleep with her was nothing more nefarious than cuddling.

He had asked several times in the past and had tried to wheedle his way under her covers more than once. Maybe it had something to do with being so emotionally stunted, but Sai was handsy when left unchecked. Sai loved to trace lines up and down her bare arms, or draw invisible designs into the skin of her wrist with nothing more than the pads of his fingers. His desire to fall asleep next to her was just another example of how touch starved he really was.

“Why is it bad? Does it scare you?”

“No, I trust you Sai, I just…” Sakura couldn’t help but smile. Her fear washed away by his antics. “Are you teasing me right now?”

“No, I honestly want to sleep with you.” He jiggled his shoulders for emphasis.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “If the others could hear you now.”

“They also want to sleep with you. It’s been a topic of conversation on more than one occasion and Indra has threatened to fight several people because of it. Apparently he’s ‘old fashioned’ according to his brother.”

Sakura ducked her head into Sai’s chest to muffle her giggles. “Oh no, don’t tell me that,” she breathed. “I’ll not be able to look any of my friends in the face tomorrow without thinking about it.”  

“Then you can just face me?”

Sakura flicked at his nose and laughed when she saw his smirk. He was a bit dense at times, but it seemed she was underestimating him more and more. He laughed back and tugged her back to rock between his arms, like one would with a baby.

“Hang on,” Sakura broke free from her sway and crossed the room to her bed. She pulled off the sheets and comforter before tossing a couple of pillow over her shoulder to Sai, who caught them with ease. “You can carry those down for me.”

“Down where?”

“Just follow and be quiet. Everyone else is asleep.”

Sai did as he was bid and tip toed behind her, as silent as a shadow down the stairs and into the main living room. Sakura dropped her blankets and started to tug two of the couches around before throwing her blankets over them. She pinned the blankets down on the backs of the couches with a few well placed books and then took her pillow to throw underneath the blanket fort.

“What are you doing?” Sai asked, kneeling down to where several couch pillows had fallen.

Sakura felt giddy as she joined him on the floor. “I would do this all the time as a child. It’s a pillow fort.”

“Don’t you mean a blanket fort?”

“Same difference, come on in.”

Sakura tugged on his wrist and then crawled in under the sheets only to turn around and pull her comforter in after her. There were a handful of fluffy throws she tugged off the couch that were useful enough to cushion the floor under them. Even with a plush carpet, the floor was the floor.

“What are we to do here?” Sai asked. He crawled in after her and turned around.

Sakura tugged him down to lay atop a pillow like her and then she threw her comforter over him as well. “Just take a nap, that’s what pillow forts are meant for.”

Sai’s eyes lit up as the comforter settled over his shoulders.  “You mean...we get to sleep together?”

“Something like that,” Sakura admitted around a yawn. “Just...go to sleep.”

Sai nodded and then settled in, scooting closer to Sakura’s side of the fort. She didn’t move but she didn’t open her eyes either. Hesitantly, he reached for her hand under the comforter and held it in his, content to fall asleep at last.

This time, there weren't any nightmares.

Sakura knew the upcoming emergency elections were a big deal, but she didn’t know how big of a deal they would be in her own house. Kin, Dosu, and Zaku especially seemed hyper invested in everything said by the candidates and the pollers who were featured on the news.

Debates were in the evening, after everyone had a chance to come home from work and watch TV, but before the debates each candidate had an opportunity to sit down and answer questions on the local news station.

“Transparency! That’s really not too much to ask. We live in Pompeii for that reason. We’re sick and tired of lies and hiding things. We want to know the truth and for our leaders to be honest with us,” a younger woman entered to the camera before moving off down the sidewalk to carry on with her day’s errands.

“Amen sister,” Zaku cheered, raising a fist and nodding along. Kin made a face at him but it was Dosu who kicked at Zaku’s back, sending the boy tumbling off his pillow seat.

“Hey! Don’t be like that. I’m allowed to have emotions.”

Kin sneered. “You’re not allowed to be annoying.”

“Says who?”

“Says the world, so sit down and shut up,” she snapped back.

Sakura grinned from her place in the kitchen where she helped Indra with the desserts. Cooking was fun, but she really enjoyed unwinding with a good pastry of cake to bake. She doubted she would ever grow out of her sweet tooth and that was just fine considering how many others in the house loved her desserts.

“They’ve been interviewing people all day. Pretty soon they’re going to have talked to every last person in town. How many people have you recognized?” Ashura asked, leaning over to watch Sakura’s hands fold the dough. He seemed oddly fascinated with the process in a way his brother disapproved of.

“A couple,” Sakura answered honestly. She hadn’t bothered to watch every personal interview, but she recognized the voices of a couple of people.

“Is it weird to see them on TV?” Ashura asked.

“Nah. Hang on, can you move these to the side, I need to spread the extra flour so this doesn’t stick.”

Ashura moved the items off the counter for her and watched as she continued to work the dough until she was satisfied.

“And what are your opinions on the candidates, both official and otherwise?” the news anchor asked.

Sakura slipped and ended up running her hand off the dough. She scowled and looked up to watch the segment feature a number of campaign posters. In addition to Itama Senju and Tsunade Senju, Mai Terumi was also running, but the fourth poster was the same home made one she had seen during her walk through town. The candid photo of her was still the same.

Indra stopped his work to watch her as well.

“I think we’re better off without a mayor to be fucking honest,” Hidan sneered before moving away from the camera shoved in his face. He walked behind a tower of tools and then shouted “Anarchy for the people!” somewhere off screen. The camera turned away just in time to avoid the flash of something exploding in his shop.

“I still don’t trust the doctor. She’s not been around since that incident. Pretty suspicious if you ask me. What does she have to hide?” another random citizen answered.

“Bullshit!” both Kin and Zaku screamed at the same time while Dosu threw a pillow. Their reactions made her grin.

“I don’t think it’s fair to put someone who doesn’t want to be in the public eye on a pedestal to criticize or worship,” Hinata Hyuga said, standing in front of a store with her sister at her side. Her eyes were hard and narrowed. “Sakura Haruno has not entered herself into this race and should not be made into a talking point for cheap news. After everything she’s gone through, can’t you understand her desire for privacy? Give her that at least.”

Then, of all people, it cut to Ino who was openly glaring into the camera. She was wearing her apron from work and the salon was in the background. “Itama Senju, are you kidding me? The child is a joke? He’s even more of a puppet than Sasori,” she sneered. Someone off to the side shouted ‘hey!’ to her Sasori comment but Ino flipped them off outside the camera’s edge.

“Hey, you asked. The Senju kid is just a puppet for his brothers and you’ll see that. It’s about time we moved away from the old families who make these messes and cover them up. Tsunade has always been honest about stuff like this, even when it wasn’t popular. She has my vote.”

“What about Mei Terumī?”

Ino shrugged. “Don’t know her as well. She seems decent, but she’s not my first pick.”

“I need to send Ino a gift basket or something,” Sakura sighed. “The girl is too good for me. Hinata too. Why is it so hard for other people to be that smart?”

Kin laughed from the living room. “Because they’re not women!”

Zaku whined in complaint but Dosu just shrugged. “That’s fair.”  

The news program cycled through a couple more people before a commercial break that ended in an update on city maintenance story that sounded dry and rehashed. There really wasn’t any new news worth covering that wasn’t the election. It was all anyone seemed to care about.  

Sakura finished putting her cookies into the oven and set the timer before taking off her apron and joining Dosu on the couch. She heard the front door open and close while the television cut to an exclusive interview clip the reporter had from a time she met with Itama Senju.

“Pompeii has been my home since forever. Yes it is important to me because of my family, but it’s also super important to me personally. This is the place I’ve made my best memories.”

Itama Senju

The adult on the screen smiled more like a child and less like the man posing in suits and promising tremendous things in fancy, rhyming campaign slogans.  

“Don’t trust that smile,” Yamato said, sliding up behind Sakura and hugging her around the waist. He leaned down and placed a kiss into her scalp before mumbling a tired ‘I’m home’ into her hair.

“Welcome home,” Sakura greeted.

She reached up with her free hand to run her fingers through his hair. He didn’t pull away but she felt the way his shoulders sagged at her touch. She scratched lightly, catching her fingers in the loop of his bun, but he just groaned in quiet appreciation when his hair came undone around his ears. It was getting almost as long as hers.  

“You sound tired,” Sai commented. He was hugging a pillow to his chest and scooting closer to where Sakura sat on the couch. “Was it long?”

“The hours were the same, but the day felt like it lasted forever,” Yamato admitted, face still buried in Sakura’s hair. He seemed reluctant to let her go.

Sai glanced from Sakura to Yamato and hummed in understanding. “I think that time can feel as if it is moving slower when there is something positive you anticipate in the future. I’ve experienced this myself and I can relate.” He paused a moment before nodding and adding, “But welcome back.”

Yamato lifted his head from Sakura’s hair to watch the television flash with different shots of Itama. Sakura remembered then that Yamato had a complicated history with the whole of the Senju family, not just Tobirama and Hashirama. Itama had to be a part of his dark upbringing too, right?

“Is he really so terrible?” Sakura asked, pulling her hand away.

“Not terrible, but untrustworthy. He’s about as flimsy as a jellyfish, with a spine to match. He’ll talk a good story about doing the right thing and standing up to his brothers, but he folds easy.” Yamato’s eyes flashed dangerous. “He can’t be counted on to do anything good if its hard or against his brother’s wishes.”

“So he’s a puppet then?” Zaku guessed.

Kin snorted. “I could have told you that. Isn’t that what I said last night, Dosu? I told you he looked like an oven mitt. Ha.”

“That’s what you meant?” Dosu whispered, looking dazed.

“He’s a puppet, of course that’s what I meant!”

Zaku and Dosu both shrugged.

“Debates are starting,” Sakura said, leaning forward. Yamato pulled his hands away only to move around the couch and sit himself down on the floor at her feet. He leaned back and played with her knees until she returned her hands to his hair, brushing her fingers through in soothing patterns.

In the kitchen Indra took out her cookies and replaced the finished tray with the next batch to be baked so she wouldn’t have to get up from her spot and deprive Yamato of his simple pleasure.

The debate rolled on and the first few questions asked of the three candidates were soft balls that had nothing of real merit. No one was going to cast their vote based on what the candidates thought of public education (pay the teachers more!)or road maintenance.

But eventually the subjects evolved and changed. There was an upturn in immigration to Pompeii as more and more visitors were coming in to stay. The hotels and airbnbs were all filling up at an unprecedented rate. Was this an issue of concern?

“The more the merrier, Pompeii is a safe and desirable haven for all. We welcome new friends gladly.” Itama laughed and threw open his arms in a gesture to drive home his point while both Mei and Tsunade frowned.

“That’s an interesting stance since the candidate has expressed concern with other, pre existing members of Pompeii’s community not being desirable neighbors. I’m not sure where his racism ends.”

Kin shot up and screamed, punching the air while Zaku and Dosu both cheered in their own way for Tsunade’s defense of their position.

It was Mei who spoke next, even though it looked like Itama wanted to defend himself as soon as possible. Mei leaned over her podium, close to the mike and stared out into the studio audience as she spoke. “It’s idealistic to think we are safe after enduring a great scare, but are we really? Is Pompeii truly as safe as can be when Orochimaru is still unaccounted for?”

“Orochimaru hasn’t been an issue the police can’t deal with. As for my racism that is slander and uncalled for malarkey of the worst kind. I’ve only shown concern for the safety of our people. Our peace was hard won we should do all we can to preserve it,” the Senju boy complained.

“Candidate Itama Senju,” the  moderator interrupted. “Does that mean you would condone investigating Orochimaru sightings?”

“There haven't been any such sightings to investigate,” he said. “If there were it would be different but the only sightings we have are of rogue agents within our borders.”

“Then you’re as blind as your brothers,” Mei interrupted, cutting in out of turn. The moderator tried to cut her off but Mei ignored him and spoke passionately into her mike. “If you’re not seeing the snake it's because you don’t want to see him, but he’s there and the citizens from the Kiri district of Pompeii can attest to that if you bother to hear their voice. Orochimaru is still out there and he’s just as much of a threat as the Kaguya kami was.”

#mild self harm mentioned #Pompeii #Weird Wednesday #our fic #writing #fanfiction

[awintersrose]

“I do not tolerate a world emptied of you. I have tried.” maybe w/the sanin????

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The woods are silent, dark, and still. There is no hint of a solitary rustle of wind, nor the buzz of a single pestilential insect in the stifling summer air. The portent is ill indeed, suggesting either genjutsu or the promise of a natural disaster looming close, and Orochimaru holds his breath, cloaked from sight and patiently waiting, his every sense attuned to the merest change in temperature or sound. This close to home there is no telling what awaits him among the redwoods this close to the Forest of Death, and he readies himself to move at the slightest flicker of chakra in his second sight, or in reaction to a new vibration along his skin. One thing is certain - he will not be caught unaware in enemy territory. And enemy territory it is, now that he has left home for good.

He doesn’t like to think of it as home. Not anymore.

Konoha stopped being home the minute there was no one left in the village who could call him family or friend. He has only returned to seal the shrine and to bring his parents’ ashes to the home of their birth. There are boltholes leading into tunnels that his clan created at the edge of their lands if he can just cross into the territory northwest of the Nara Forest. Even the Shimenawa held their secrets, never truly trusting those who held their fealty, placing contingencies where they needed them in case of calamity. If only he’d known sooner.

Orochimaru places his fingers on the ground sending out a low pulse of chakra to search for the seal, and he finds it several seconds later, once he crosses the border without incident. Then the wind shifts, and metal clinks, at once cold and biting at his throat.

“You know for someone so smart, you sure are stupid sometimes.” Jiraiya’s voice is bitter in his ear, his right arm suddenly snapping closed like a band of iron around Orochimaru’s middle.

The snake summoner nearly laughs, as their position is practically absurd, and one he never truly expected. For a man of Jiraiya’s stature and strength to move with such stealth in this terrain is something to be commended, even moreso if there is a genjutsu at work; it never was his teammate’s strong suit.

“Someone’s been practicing. Be careful, you might even bloody me.” Orochimaru scoffs, daring to lean right into the press of the blade, calling his best friend’s bluff. “Besides, don’t you have some savior to go teach? Some prophecy to fulfill?”

Jiraiya’s grip on the blade doesn’t waver, and its well-honed edge kisses his flesh with a hot sting, but with all the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Orochimaru can hardly feel it. What he notices more is the low rumble beginning in Jiraiya’s chest, and the glaring edge of righteous fury sharpening his sun-bright chakra into something more formidable.

Naturally, his immediate inclination is to taunt the raging bull even more.

“Oh, that’s right. Your savior died. Prophecy is a farce.”

“When will you just learn to shut up?” Jiraiya snaps. “I could literally slit your throat right now.”

“You won’t. You don’t have it in you to kill me in cold blood.” Orochimaru sneers, heart lurching, glad he cannot see the likely pain in Jiraiya’s eyes.

A figure steps out of the tree line. “Or the both of you could shut up and stop fighting one another.”

It’s been at least five years, maybe eight, since he’s seen her last, but it still hurts to look Tsunade in the eye, and she is not letting him look away.

“What are you doing home, Hime? Aren’t there gambling halls missing their favorite moneymaker?” he smiles humorlessly, and he can see Tsunade’s fists clenching hard.

There is hot wetness trickling down his throat and Jiraiya has not let up on his hold. Which makes it equally perplexing when Tsunade speaks.

“Let go of him so we can tell him why we’re here.”

At once, Jiraiya releases him, the irrepressible heat against his back is suddenly absent, and Orochimaru can breathe again.

“I’ve been tracking you for the last year, and I knew you’d be coming home for these.” Jiraiya suddenly produces a storage scroll, and at once Orochimaru is livid, readying for an attack, Konoha be damned.

Their proximity to the Forest of Death will keep anyone in the village from noticing any chakra abnormalities, and if not, well, let them see what happens when the Sannin truly fight one another.

“Stop! Orochimaru, will you fucking listen?” Tsunade charges him, moves right into his face and grabs him by the front of his yukata, and her willingness to approach him unguarded gives him pause.

The sudden tingling coolness of healing chakra eases the sting of the cut at his throat and he looks at her with disbelieving eyes. Her honeyed eyes are shadowed, and she looks drawn and tired, for all that she hasn’t aged a day past twenty-five. Even so, her expression has not lost its fire. “We had to neutralize you somehow. We want to talk.”

“Give me the scroll.” Orochimaru demands, looking aside to Jiraiya. “How dare you touch their graves - the shrine - You knew these were the last sacred things I had!”

Jiraiya passes him the scroll with an easy hand, and crosses his arms. “Give me a little credit, bastard, you act like I wouldn’t perform the rites first. And I did get the blessing of the shrine guardians, so kindly fuck yourself, it’s all safe and sound and just as blessed as it was sitting there covered in dirt and brush.”Tsunade jabs Jiraiya in the upper arm and he winces hard. “Stop baiting him.”

Orochimaru holds the scroll like something utterly precious and slips it into the inside pocket of his yukata as soon as Tsunade releases him. His heart rushes in his own ears and he fights back the rising anxiety that forces his fingers to clutch his sleeves, an old habit he squashes as soon as it rises. “You wanted to talk, fine. Talk.”

He watches as Jiraiya reinforces what appears to be a barrier shimmering along the edges of the periphery, and likely the reason he did not sense either of them when he crossed into this side of the territory. Orochimaru chides himself for his lack of care, but then again, considering this is a barrier and not genjutsu at all, it is possible that he has underestimated Jiraiya’s sealwork. His former teammate has always been good at misdirection.

“We’re coming with you.”

“Excuse me, what?” Orochimaru fixes Tsunade with his gaze.

“You heard me.”

“You’re not serious. This is a trap, a trick, and if you don’t let me go now, the both of you will regret it.”

“It’s not a trick.” Tsunade opens her hands, in a universal sign of surrender. “We can hash out the dirty details later. And so can you. But something is rotten in Konoha and we’re both tired of being used. We’ve lost too much. Now, Shizune’s waiting in Tanzaku, and we’re ready to follow you so let’s go.”

“No, no, no. You two can’t just show up here and ambush me after--”

“Orochimaru,” Jiraiya starts, tone suddenly mild. “Don’t you think it convenient that you were caught red handed working on an experiment you were supposedly authorized to perform, at exactly the right time, by exactly the right person, tipped off by the commanding officer who gave authorization?”

A chill creeps down the line of Orochimaru’s neck. “Speak plainly.”

“Let me say right now that I’m not excusing any of the terrible things you did in the name of discovery, but I’ve seen a lot of the same in T&I and among our own research initiatives. A rose by any other name well… it’s even worse that it was children, but I’m saying plainly that you were Danzo’s scapegoat; it wasn’t a coincidence. None of the screwed up bullshit that has happened to any of us is. I have proof. And I am done.” Jiraiya says.

The truth turns Orochimaru’s stomach, but none of it comes as a surprise, no, a part of him feels somewhat vindicated, as if another reality has been confirmed. Konoha’s elders have always been out to get him, and during such a time and opportunity as that one, when he was able to uncover the key to such a genetic mystery? Of course Danzo lied. He should have known, and perhaps a part of him always did. Even so, the memory of Hiruzen-sensei’s last words to him still raises Orochimaru’s ire, and he has to reign in the part of him that wants vengeance, or his killing intent will alert the ANBU sensors on patrol.

“So, can we go?” Tsunade asks, pulling him from his thoughts. “We can hash out the details in a secure location, but we need to get out of here soon.”

“What did they do to you?” Orochimaru looks at her carefully, studying her reactions.

“Isn’t it obvious? We fell apart by design. Dan was eliminated, deliberately. There is more but I’d rather not talk about it now.” she smiles wanly.

There is a silent dare in her eyes, as if her truths are like a barely healed wound that runs deeper and darker than he wants to know; he wants so much to scratch at that wound until it bleeds again.

For him.

If only that inclination were not eclipsed by the desire to take her small yet impossibly strong form in his arms like he once would have when they were far younger, and she still sought both her teammates out in times of distress. He knows such things may never be again. Not like that. But here they both stand, offering impossibilities.

“You were free to live as you wanted regardless. Why do this?” he asks, golden eyes searching hers.

“Because I do not tolerate a world emptied of you. I have tried.” Tsunade says simply.

At once, Orochimaru finds himself stripped of all attempts at a response, and perhaps this is good, because she continues.

“I have tried, and tried, and tried, and nothing worked.”

Not even Dan? He wonders bitterly.

“I have thrown myself into cups and debt, into bars, and ditches. No amount of drink can drown out the fact that you aren’t here, with me.” She looks at Jiraiya pointedly. “That we are no longer together.”

“Better together than apart,” Jiraiya says softly, an inscrutable look on his face.

“No one can stop us if we will it so. I know there are still many things broken between us and we’ll have it out when the dust settles, but we’re coming with you, Oro.” Tsunade affirms.

“You’re a right bastard, and you still have a lot to answer for, but you’re ours. You never stopped being ours.” Jiraiya says, pulling another scroll from his sleeve. “I managed to salvage these things from your house. The cellar was still sealed after ANBU searched.”

The lump in his throat is an unnervingly foreign sensation as Orochimaru reaches for the scroll, almost incapable of speech. “Thank you for doing that. I didn’t expect that anything was recoverable.”

Jiraiya smiles, softening. “Some things are worth saving.”

Thank you for the ask, Maus dear - sorry it took so long! The story got longer than anticipated :D Hope you enjoyed it!

[Deathless sentence prompts...]

#sorry this took so long #jiraorotsu #sannin ot3 #jiraiya #tsunade #orochimaru #my fanfics #asks #mouseymightymarvellous