#To be honest I could have put but I took pity on sasuke

[nyaacaron]

Eventually I'll draw the others too, but for now have the emo trio

#would never ever kill his sibling #naruto #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #chainsaw man #sasuke uchiha #aki hayakawa #megumi fushiguro #To be honest I could have put but I took pity on sasuke #For shame sasuke #Can't believe this is my first jjk fanart I love that manga so much smh #my art

[narutosfrog]

I always liked the idea of neji with an uchiha, specifically if sasuke had a sister or even shisui. Do you think he would pretty much allow himself to be with someone that isn’t from his clan?

oh my god — i love this prompt

@luvjaclyn 's idea!!

this came out REALLY LONG but I was so happy with the outcome!

cw: Naruto Shippuden spoilers, angst, soft smut (?), death and violence

𝗡𝗲𝗷𝗶 𝘅 𝗦𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗸𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

Neji always had an immense sense of duty. He would've never imagined that you would make it crumble.

At first, he didn't even notice you. After all, you always hanged out with your twin brother, Sasuke, and Sasuke always hanged out with Naruto, whom Neji deemed a loser. You were in another team, so he didn't really care who you were, in the first place. To be completely honest, he believed you were living in your brother's shadow — he felt pity for you, you disgusted him like everything and everyone that was weak.

The chunin exams. That was the first time he had actually noticed you. Barely. But he noticed you. His rivalry was to Naruto — he wanted to put him back to his place. And you told him to shut the fuck up.

"Shut the fuck up." That's what you told him. "No one cares what you think." Then you grabbed Naruto's hand and you dragged him away with Sasuke.

He was so shocked that he didn't even talk back. You weren't particularly chatty. Neji had never heard your voice before that moment. And he had never looked at you. Black hair. Pale skin. Dark, judging eyes. You wore your hair short. Basically a pixie cut. He used to think you looked like a boy but, once you talked to him, he changed his mind.

He still thought you lived in your brother's shadow. He still thought you were weak. You still made him sick just by him looking at you. Neji thought you were serving your brother. He didn't understand why you were always at his side. One of his hypothesis was that you wanted his protection. Just like Neji, Sasuke was a prodigy. But his thesis didn't work because, then, why would you have defended Naruto? Naruto who was a troublemaker, a loser.

Neji didn't understand you.

When he saw you again, at the preliminaries, he was surprised. You had survived the tournament in the Forest of Death. And you looked well. You were standing between Sasuke and Naruto, and you were clutching your twin's arm. But that time, it was different. He didn't look protective, that time. You did. He didn't know why but it made him angry.

The first one to fight was Sasuke. He won, but something weird happened to him. You tried to reach him, but Kakashi stopped you and took Sasuke away. Neji studied your face. You were scared. Naruto pulled you in for an awkward hug and you let him comfort you. He blushed and giggled like an idiot. Neji wanted to punch him in the face and he didn't know why.

Then you had to fight Ino. Neji hoped to see your Sharingan, but he couldn't. Because you didn't use it. And you knocked Ino out in barely five minutes. Then you helped her up and reached Naruto's side again.

When Naruto won against Kiba, you smiled at him proudly. Neji thought about the fact that no one had ever smiled at him like that. And he grew angrier.

Then, Neji's turn came. He had to fight against Hinata. During the fight, Neji took his anger out on her. Every single thing he ever thought but could never say, came out of his mouth like a river. Every single thing he could never do, spread out of his chakra like pure, gracious violence. But Hinata kept getting up, cheered on by Naruto. Again. And again. Until she couldn't. And Naruto promised him revenge. For some reason, Neji looked up at you, to see your reaction. And all he saw in your eyes was disgust. Disgust for him.

At the finals, Neji had to fight Naruto. He had been training. He wanted to prove his ideas to be right. He wanted to crush the loser, proving that he was stronger. But he didn't. He lost. Naruto stood over him, looking at him. And the fact that Neji didn't see the disgust that you showed him, made him feel even more furious. Even smaller.

After Orochimaru attacked Konoha, you and your team started training even harder. And Naruto was sent to look for the next hokage with Jiraiya. But something happened. Itachi Uchiha, the mukenin, came to Konoha. It appears, to look for you and Sasuke. That was the first time Neji had felt empathy for you. Because you were the last to know.

Neji had caught a glimpse of you while taking a walk. You were training. He stayed hidden between the trees, looking at you. It appeared that you were trying to improve the technique that Sasuke used at the finals against Gaara. The chidori. Neji watched you used it one, two, three... four times. He held his breath, watching you catch yours. He was wrong. You were stronger than Sasuke.

"Come out" you seethed, making him shiver, "What the hell are you looking at?"

Neji debated internally for a second. But he had to come out. He had to fix the situation and put it to his advantage, he couldn't make a fool of himself.

"You can use the Chidori," he uttered, walking towards you.

"Yes. So?"

Neji clenched his fists. He didn't like how you talked to him. "Nothing. It just seems you aren't as weak as I thought."

"Weak?" you repeated, raising an eyebrow, "Weak like you, you mean?"

Neji felt the rage blind him. His eyes glistened, the Byakugan making him stare right through you. "I am not weak."

You got up, brushing your hand through your hair, pearls of sweat running down your temples. "Then why did you lose, at the finals? You said Naruto was a loser, right?" you taunted him, "Then why did you lose?"

"Shut up."

"I'll tell you why, Neji" you kept going, getting closer to him and narrowing your eyes, "Because Naruto is twice the shinobi you'll ever be."

Neji didn't plan on doing it. But he attacked you. The gentle fists technique was almost infallible when he used it. And, before he could even graze you, he found himself on the ground, Sasuke's Sharingan bore into his Byakugan.

"Don't ever try to land a hand on her" he growled, "Touch my sister again and I will kill you. Do you fucking hear me? I will kill you."

Neji didn't have the time to answer. Sasuke got up and looked at you. "Itachi was here," he said.

Neji watched your eyes go void.

"What?" you uttered.

"He came here. He's looking for Naruto."

And you and Sasuke both disappeared through the trees.

Neji had felt such shame, after the moment. It had been quite sometime before he could name the feeling. Shame. He felt shame for how he treated Hinata. He felt shame for how he treated Naruto. He felt shame for how he treated you. He felt shame because you told him the truth. Because you read right through him. He felt shame because he could judge you but he knew he actually looked up to you. Not only you were stronger than him, you were better than him.

The next time you and Neji spoke, Sasuke had run away to follow Orochimaru. Neji had never seen you like that. So torn. So desperate. So terrified.

Shikamaru was put in charge of the recovery team. Neji had a fundamental role because of his Byakugan. Then there was Choji, Kiba and Naruto. Neji realized that he owed respect to Naruto — and what you told him opened his eyes a little more.

They were about to leave, when you reached them. Your cheeks stained with tears, your dark eyes bloodshot from crying. Naruto shook his head in silence and you raised your hand to interrupt him.

"I'm coming."

"No," said Naruto, almost in pain.

"He is my brother."

"You're staying."

That was the first time Neji saw your Sharingan. "He is my brother" you shouted, pulling out a kunai although your hands were shaking, "I'm coming with you and if you try to stop me I'll cut your throats and I'll go alone."

Neji moved without thinking. He pulled the kunai from your hands and Naruto restrained you in a hug, even if you were kicking him and punching him and screaming, he held you until you stopped. Until you started crying and your eyes became dark again.

"Please" Naruto begged, not letting go, "I can't have you there, please. Stay."

"He's all I have left" you whispered, "Please, let me come."

"No. I need you to stay. I can't stop him, not if you're there."

"Naruto..."

"I promise, I'll bring him back. But you need to stay here. Please."

"I can stop him."

"You couldn't. I promise, I'll bring him back."

And you fell silent. You let go of Naruto and you nodded, brushing your hands on your face to dry the tears.

Neji didn't think, again. Before you left, he grabbed your hand. In his head, he heard Sasuke's voice. 'Touch my sister again and I will kill you.' He let go of your hand. But he still needed you to hear it.

"We'll do whatever it takes" he murmured, "We'll work hard to make it work. Naruto will convince Sasuke."

You stared at your hands, inches apart from each other but not intertwined. "It's ironic, isn't it?" you muttered, "You own the Byakugan, but you still can't see. You're blind."

Then you turned your back. And you left.

Neji almost died. He believed he had died. He fought with all he had to bring Sasuke back for you. He believed with all he had that it was worth dying so that Naruto could convince Sasuke and bring him back to you. But when he woke up in the hospital and they told him that the mission had failed, he realised you were right. He truly was blind. What he didn't know was that it was you who brought him back to Konoha in time for the healers to revive him. You didn't listen to Naruto and that's why they all survived. You had brought help.

When he woke up, he wanted to see you. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell you not to be angry at Naruto, because he was probably shattered enough by his own guilt. But Shikamaru stopped him.

"I tried to tell her" he sighed, pointing at his swollen eye, "She took it personal. She was like «How fucking dare you, I would never» and then she hit me. Uchihas are a drag."

Neji blinked. He wasn't exactly surprised. "Alright, I'll just check on her."

"She's in Naruto's room."

Neji reached Naruto's room, barely keeping himself from running. When he opened the door, he saw you asleep on a chair, with your head on Naruto's bed. You were holding his hand as you both slept and under your cheek there was a wet stain.

Neji's eyes softened. He got closer, slowly, and he gently called your name. You raised your head after a few seconds, scrunching your nose and rubbing your eyes. When you opened them, your gaze met Neji's face.

"You're okay, then..." you whispered, a smile forming on your face.

Neji immediately looked away, as his cheeks flushed. That was the first time you had ever smiled at him. "I, uhm" he muttered, "I came to see how you were — Naruto, too — and I wondered... I mean, I wanted you to come with me 'cause you need a break."

You raised both of your eyebrows, even as you stood on your feet to follow him. "Don't tell me what I need."

Neji couldn't help but smile to himself. There you were. Stern and bossy as always. He watched you write a note to Naruto and, before you two left the room, you kissed him on the forehead. And Neji would've never admitted to it, but he felt his insides burn.

He took you to Ichiraku and you ate ramen in silence. You had a brief exchange of words.

"You will get in trouble for walking out the hospital," you made him notice.

"So?" he asked.

"Don't be a smartass, it doesn't suit you."

"Screw you..."

"All I'm saying is, you're not well enough. As soon as we go back, you need to sleep."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me what I need," he imitated you.

You scoffed and you both finished your meal.

While you walked back to the hospital, he couldn't stop looking at you. He couldn't stop thinking that you were so much alike. You acted like nothing happened, like nothing could bother you, and yet he knew you were so fragile you could've easily crumbled.

"How can you pretend?" he asked, before he could stop himself.

You shot him a glare and you remained silent for a few seconds. "I don't know how else to cope with that" you admitted, "I mean, he's gone — I asked him to stay and, when I realized he wouldn't, I tried to follow him but he knocked me out."

Neji waited for you to keep going.

"He left me" you continued, "That's it."

"You're going to give up?"

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"I'm sorry. It was a genuine question."

You clenched your fists. "No. We have three years and then Orochimaru will take his body. I'm leaving with Naruto and Jiraiya."

Neji stopped walking immediately and he grabbed your hand. This time, he ignored Sasuke's voice. He had to. "You're leaving?"

You stared at your intertwined hands, waiting for Neji to let go. But he didn't. And you were okay with it. "He will train us for three years. And then we'll come back and look for Sasuke. I won't stay behind — I'll make him go back at the cost of killing him."

"Why?"

"Because he's all I have left."

Neji let go of your hand because, for how much he wanted to say it, he couldn't. He couldn't let you know that it wasn't like that.

"So, you'll be gone for three years," he murmured, starting to walk again.

"Yes."

"I'll miss you. I mean, not me — everyone. Everyone will."

"Liar."

"I don't lie."

"You always lie. To yourself, especially."

"What do you even mean with that?" he scowled. He was starting to being tired with how judgmental you were.

"I mean that you'd be a far greater shinobi and a better man if you stopped giving yourself expectations you'll never live up to."

"You have no fucking idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, I do."

"No, you fucking don't."

"That mark on your forehead. That's the reason you lie to everyone and to yourself. You're pretending to be someone you're not meant to be."

Neji was startled. He had stopped walking again. "How do you know about that?"

"I saved you, that's how. It was about to fade."

Neji fell silent. You saved his life?

"Your clan is your prison just because you made it out to be that way."

And Neji exploded. "How fucking dare you judge me?!" he shouted, "You want to talk about my clan? Let's talk about yours, for once. You and Sasuke are the heirs and, whether you like it or not, only one of you will be the head of the Uchihas. And it won't be you because you won't even fucking use your Sharingan."

You narrowed your eyes and remained calm. But Neji knew he hurt you. "I thought I had already told you. My eyes are a curse. Your eyes are a curse. You think they help you see more clearly, but all they do is make you blind."

Neji stayed in silence, watching you walk backwards.

"Goodbye, Neji," you said. Then you turned around and left.

When Neji saw you again, it had been three years. In those years, he had matured. He had grown. And yet, his sense of duty was the same. He was no longer tied to the idea of the main house and branch house being strictly separated and united by a bond of hierarchy. And Hinata had become like a sister to him. He started encouraging her, instead of putting her down. He started training with her. He started caring for her. And to her, he became Brother Neji. But he still felt like he owed loyalty to his role in the clan. Something was missing. And he kept wondering what.

It was a normal day, when you and Naruto came back. He had a free day from the missions and he was walking around with Lee and Tenten.

Then he saw Jiraiya from a distance. And Naruto. And then he realized that the beautiful woman walking at his side was you. And he hated that his heart had started racing.

He blushed, looking away, and he was just about to ask his teammates to go somewhere else that Lee ran up to Naruto like the dumbass he was.

And then you met his eyes. You furrowed your eyebrows and you looked away too. Neji thought his eyes were lying to him when he saw your cheeks getting flushed. He was almost tempted to use the Byakugan to be sure. He slowly walked towards you.

"Hi" he muttered, "Long time no see."

You awkwardly waved and Naruto stood in front of you, frowning. "Oi, Neji!" he exclaimed, "I'm here too, 'ttebayo."

Neji smiled, shyly. "Hello, Naruto."

Jiraiya stared at Neji, following his gaze right to your face. "Oh, shit" he laughed, "So, he is the —"

You kicked your sensei's shin. "Shut the fuck up."

Naruto bursted in a laugh, while Jiraiya cursed you out. "You deserved that, Ero-sennin."

Neji raised both of his eyebrows. What was it that you didn't want him to hear? "Uh, do you... want to go for a walk?" he asked.

"I need to see Tsunade-sama and Kakashi, first," you replied drily.

"No, you don't," retorted Naruto.

"You have the meeting in two hours," added Jiraiya.

You glared at the both of them. "Why do you always do this to me?!"

"Don't worry" whispered Naruto to Neji with a wink, "She's just trying to avoid you."

Neji furrowed his eyebrows while his jaw dropped. "Why are you saying that like it's a good thing?"

Naruto shrugged. "It's her thing."

"Go on," commanded Jiraiya, pointing at you and Neji.

"You're not the boss of me," you seethed.

"Trust me, I know, you insufferable urchin. Go have the damn walk and fucking relax."

You and Jiraiya exchanged glares but, at the end, you both smiled at each other and he patted on your head.

You grew shy again, as you walked towards Neji. "Hi," you murmured.

Neji almost couldn't talk, being so close to you. You had grown taller and... more mature. He kept himself from looking at your body because he felt like a creep. You had grown your hair long. You had a few scars on your arms and neck, but your training was extreme so he wasn't surprised. And your face, your eyes, your lips... he needed to stop himself from thinking about it.

And he didn't know you were having a hard time, too.

"How have you been?" you asked him.

"Good. I'm a jonin now. The others too," he answers shyly.

"So me and Naruto are the only one who are still genins." You laughed with no amusement.

"Jiraiya was your teacher so I don't think that counts."

"It does."

"Why?"

"Because I say so?"

Neji smiled. "You stayed stubborn."

You smile, too. "I guess so."

"You smile more" Neji couldn't help but say, "It suits you — I mean, I like it. I mean, uh... You like it? Smiling more? You like smiling?"

You raised both of your eyebrows and you touched his forehead, to check his temperature. "Neji... Do you have brain damage or something?"

He scoffed, even as he was blushing for the contact. "I don't" he uttered, "You're just... different."

"Different?"

"You're less shy than three years ago."

"Try being shy and living with Naruto and Jiraiya for three years," you joked awkwardly. "And, anyway," you added, "you're different, too."

"Different how?"

You blushed. "Just different."

"I thought about what you said, a lot" Neji blurted out, "You were right. About everything."

Your eyes widened. You were surprised, especially given how you two parted ways.

"And I missed you, Y/n. A lot."

And, as your heart kept beating against your chest as if it was trying to escape, Neji stroke your cheek with the back of his hand and left.

During the mission to rescue Gaara, Neji had realised how strong you actually had become. You were more powerful than he could've ever imagined. And you were selfless. And caring.

But when you realised that, even after those years, Sasuke didn't want to come back, you were crushed. Your eyes became void like the time Itachi had come to the village to look for Naruto. Sasuke didn't give up his plan to take revenge on Itachi. Not for anyone. Not even for you.

"You survived three years without me, sister" he had told you, just before leaving, "Survive for the rest of your life."

When you came back, you hid. Naruto couldn't find you. Your new sensei and your new teammate couldn't find you. But Neji could. You were laying on the edge of a river, staring at the starless sky. Neji sat next to you.

"These eyes are a curse" you uttered, "My name is a curse. My blood is a curse."

He stayed silent. You looked up at him.

"He won't come back. I lost him. He was all I had left."

Neji, this time, couldn't stop himself. "It's not true."

You raised your back and stared at him.

"Naruto and Jiraiya love you. Kakashi loves you. Our friends love you, even if you're insufferable and bossy, sometimes. I..." He stopped himself, before he could continue. "You have me. You have me, too."

When those words left his mouth, you got up on your knees and you straddled his lap. He held his breath, because he had no idea what you were doing. And that's when your lips met his. His heart almost left his chest, as he surrounded your waist with his hands. Your lips were tender and warm. And while he had no idea why you were kissing him, he didn't want you to stop. And it went on and on. But at some point you stopped, you got up and you left.

The next morning, you were gone.

He only saw you months later. You had come back with bad news. You announced them, while quiet tears streamed down your cheeks, that Jiraiya was murdered by Pain. He had tried to talk to you. But you didn't want to see anyone except Naruto.

When Naruto got better, you disappeared again. Neji, almost screaming, had Shikamaru confess to him that you were asking Tsunade-sama for dangerous and secrets missions.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had been labeled a world-known terrorist. And the War began.

You came back shortly before the troops were moved. He was in his room, getting ready. You stayed on the door until he realized you were there.

"You can't do this to me," he said, without turning.

"I know" you muttered, "I'm sorry."

He turned to face you. The disappointment in his eyes made you shiver. "Are you?"

"I am." You took two steps towards him. "I am, I should've... I want to treat you better."

He shook his head. "Then why did you leave?"

"I got scared."

"You were being selfish."

You furrowed your eyebrows. "Fuck you."

"No, fuck you" he shouted, "Everyone is scared, we're all going to war!"

You flinched at his screaming and you hugged yourself. "I know. I'm sorry."

"No, you don't know! What you knew, was what he had — you knew it, that's why you kissed me! Then you left and I let you because I'm a fucking idiot and I just thought I could simply talk to you the next day. But the next day you were already gone!"

"I'm sorry, Neji..." you whispered.

"I want an explanation" he seethed, staring you down, "Now."

"I... I left because I was afraid of my feelings" you began, "My feelings for you. I kissed you because I wanted to — and for once I did what I wanted to do. And it felt... so good. And I'm a fraud, because I keep telling you to be free and live how you want but I never do that because I'm too busy chasing my brother and doing what I'm supposed to. And all I want is..."

Neji's eyes widened. He grabbed your face with both of his hands, desperate to hear it. "Please, Y/n. Say it."

You bore your eyes into his, furrowing your eyebrows. You battled the fear and, for once, you won. "I want you, Neji."

And it's like time stops. Neji can't help but think about all the times you talked, mostly fighting, all the times he unconsciously searched for your approval, the pain when he didn't get it and everytime he saw you give the attentions he wanted to someone else. All the times he wished he was a different person, someone you'd appreciate and want close to you, and all the times you made him understand he could work to become that person. And all the times he wanted to grab you and kiss you — and now he could.

Neji's lips crashed into yours, as he pushed you against the wall. Your fingers tangled into his hair, pulling it, and made him sigh against your mouth. He pulled you up, guiding your legs to surround his hips, and as you gasped he took the chance to deepen the kiss, your tongues meeting halfway.

"Is this okay?" he whispered, as you were undoing the buttons of your shirt, "Do you want this?"

You took his face into your hands and kissed him again. "I want you everyday for the rest of my days," you murmured.

Neji felt his chest aching and he reunited your lips. He couldn't let you talk anymore. Not when you talked like this. Because hearing everything he had always wanted to hear was the kind of beautiful pain he was afraid he was going to get addicted to.

You stayed in his room all night, to make memories. His eyes into yours. His head between your thighs. His hand intertwined in your hair, while he tries to keep himself from pushing your head down. The pleasure of him being inside you and the bliss he felt whenever you'd clench around him. Your nails leaving marks on his back. His lips leaving marks on your neck. The moans and the whines that might've kept everyone awake, but you didn't care. Skin against skin, when everything was over and you were left smiling at each other. The 'I love you' he whispered to you while you slept. The one you told each other with a kiss before parting and going to war.

"I promise, when this is over, we'll be together" muttered Neji, his lips pressed against your forehead, "We'll know each other every day — if you'll still want me."

"Every day for the rest of our days, I promise," you said, tightening your grip on his shoulders and pressing your ear on his chest. His heartbeat made you feel safe.

Then you both turned around and left.

He didn't see you until he was already in battle. You were fighting with Madara. The real Madara, not the one everyone thought was him. He wanted you and your brother. Neji used the Byakugan and realised Sasuke was fighting alongside you. In the end, it appeared you brought Sasuke back.

A few hours later, Naruto was on his knees. The giant spikes were shooting towards him and Neji couldn't let it happen. He just couldn't. He was the only hope. Before he knew what he was doing, he threw himself in front of him. And that's how his last few moments began. He heard Hinata's screaming. Naruto was asking him why. And he had fallen into someone's arms but he didn't know whose. When he opened his eyes, there you were. You were crying.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, "I don't feel any pain."

"Please, don't go" you begged him, sobbing, "I'm sorry I left, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be" he whispered, "You helped me get out of the dark. Now I see everything... As clear as day."

"Neji, please... I love you!" You screamed, clutching on his clothes.

He smiled, drops of blood leaking from the corner of his lips. A silent tear streamed down his temples. "Don't die in this war, Y/n. Know that you are the love of my life, even if..."

You interrupted him with a kiss, breaking in low sobs. His hand met your cheek and he smiled against your lips. Then his hand fell and his mouth stopped smiling.

And it was like your heart stopped beating.

I hope you liked this! Leave more questions, prompts and requests!

#neji hyūga #neji hyuuga x reader #neji x reader #sasuke's sister #uchiha reader #naruto angst #naruto shippuden #naruto smut #sasuke uchiha

[scarecrow-supremacy]

A/N: Oookieee, so I decided to start writing a new fic bc I have great ideas for a story line. Yet I can’t bring myself I writing an actual beginning. Like I’ve already written some random chapters, but I can’t do anything with them because they don’t really make much sense without the context of the rest of the fic/my ideas. Like this chapters is where the romance/actual x reader gets into actual action. Hopefully you get the gist of what the plot is, and aren’t confused as hell from this part. Sorry if it’s a bit long, it’s around 4.8k-ish words. Enjoy 💜

Hatake Kakashi wasn't one to celebrate his birthday.

He simply thought that they were foolish excuses to let loose and party. To Kakashi, birthdays were no reason to be happy and celebrate. They were just reminders of how long he had endured the pain of living. Each year marked another without the people he once held close in his heart. His father, his sensei, his teammates, and (y/n)...

The day that (y/n) gone on that horrible mission was his special day. The mission he was supposed to go on, but (y/n) filled in for because she wanted him to go celebrate with Gai and the others. So much for having the day of joy...Kakashi thought to himself mournfully.

With a great sigh, he grabbed the last of his belonging, shoving them in his mission pack. He'd promised to take his students out of a group mission for the day, but it had been mostly for selfish reasons. Kakashi had hoped that this would take his mind off of the weight in his soul, yet knowing that his efforts would be futile. The loss would never leave him, it would always follow him like a darned shadow. It would forever haunt him. There was not letting go of the horrors of his past.

Slowly, Kakashi strolled to the gates of Konoha to meet his kids, shoving his hands in his pockets as he mumbled a little tune under his breath. The dark cloudy sky and drizzling rain seemed to mirror how he felt inside.

Drip, drop. Drop, drop. Drop, drop.

Each raindrop fell upon the dirt paths of the town, dampening Kakashi's Jonin uniform. If only he'd gone on that mission, if only he hadn't let (y/n) take his place. If only so many things that happened hadn't. If only he felt whole again. He could feel the heavyweight of guilt on his shoulders, spreading pain throughout his body. Sure, Team 7 filled the void, but they could only do so much. If there is one thing I wish for, it is that these kids will grow up to be happy.

A soft smile played upon Kakashi's face as he approached the three teens. "KAKASHI-SENSEI!" His hyperactive blonde student, Uzumaki Naruto, yelled at him, "YOU'RE LATE-TTEBAYO!" He raised his fist in anger. Sakura glared at both Kakashi and Naruto, slapping the boy's back to calm him down. Off to the side stood Sasuke, his hands in his pockets as he briefly kicked the dirt and pebbles around him to form his clan's symbol. "Usuratonkachi," he grumbled at the group. To be honest, Kakashi did feel a little guilty about keeping the kids waiting for him. They were being held back just because he was wallowing in self-pity. And Kakashi felt ashamed of that; ordering his mind to push his thoughts further to the back of his mind.

Kotetsu and Izumo, guards of the gates, turned to the team and smiled in greeting. "The gate opening mechanism is broken, so we have to manually open the gates," they explained. "Heading out yet again, eh?" Kotetsu chuckled. "I thought you lot just came back from a mission. Ya leaving so soon?" Izumo asked. Naruto pumped his hand into the air, "Yeah! Dattebayo! It's only a C rank, but it'll be fun-ttebayo!"

He's a lot like you, eh Obito, Kakashi's mind wandered as he looked up at the clouded sky, a drop of rain fell upon his nose and slid down his mask. If only you, Minato-sensei, and Rin were here to see us in action. You would be proud.

But what about (y/n)? Part of Kakashi was surprised that he didn't think of her immediately. Did he still believe that she could've been alive? After the Hokage had told him that he'd lost contact with (y/n), Kakashi didn't know what to think. It had been 3,650 days since she left. 3,589 since she was supposed to come back. And 3,529 days since they fully lost contact. What were the chances she'd come back, alive or injured? Kakashi wanted to believe that she was still alive. Was that realistic?

"She's gone, Kakashi! You need to understand that!" He flashed back to when Asuma, Gai, and Kurenai had tried to slap some sense into him. Well actually, Kurenai had slapped him. "Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura gently tugged his sleeve, straining her arm up so her red umbrella would also cover his head. "Are you okay? You've been spacing out a lot lately." She whispered as she looked up at him.

"I'm fine, Rin," Kakashi weakly smiled, "It's nothing that you should worry about." Sakura flashed him a questioning look, "Rin?" Sucking the air, Kakashi's whole body tensed up, "Sorry." He looked away, turning his attention to the bickering Sasuke and Naruto. "Just a little mix-up, Sakura." He put on a fake smile, breaking up the boy's fight. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Alright! Shanaroo!"

"Dattebayo!"

Kotetsu and Izumo went to open the gates but stopped to exchange worrisome glances. "Someone just knocked from the other side of the gates. Which is weird because our list says that we shouldn't be expecting anybody." Izumo knit his eyebrows together. Kotetsu, who had been looking through a glass which allowed him to see the incomer, hastily urging Izumo to help him. "ANBU!" He had barked at his partner, "Bleeding! Dying, wounds, whatever! They need medical attention!" That had caught Kakashi's attention, he got ready to act as the guards opened up the gates, heaving on the rusted hinges. Yet he was not mentally prepared for what awaited on the other side of the grand doors.

There she stood. Uniform torn, stained and ripped up. The wakizashi sword that was strapped to her hip was blunt and scratched, the sheath dented. Skin scratched and bruised, wounds dripping with blood and gore. A long x shaped cut on the inner side of her left thigh. Gasping and choking for air, she started to wobble, blood dribbling down her limbs and stomach. The rain continued to fall, now hard and heavy; burning and searing the wounds of the lady. Yet she still managed to keep her face from wavering In an instant, Kakashi recognized who the woman was based on her cracked porcelain ANBU mask. (y/n).... "Sakura! Go alert the hospital. And you two boys, clear the way for Sakura so she can get there. Quickly!" Kakashi ordered them as he took the heavily wounded woman in his arms. Anger and fear coursed through Kakashi's veins as his heart thumped erratically. He could feel (y/n)'s body twitch in pain. "Izumo, go let Hokage-sama know that Ibara-hime has returned." Kakashi let out one last demand before zipping off to follow his kids.

"Kakashi..." (y/n) mumbled out his name, "Kakashi..." she shakily rose her hands up to gently cup his masked cheeks. "What is it?" He whispered, gently rubbing her skin through a torn patch of her ripped uniform. "Happy birthday, Hatake..." She softly breathed, her tight grip of Kakashi's chest loosened as her eyes dropped closed. Please don't die, (y/n)... I've waited all the fucking years. You aren't leaving me again. A tear formed in Kakashi's eye, flying off with the rain as he bolted towards the hospital. Stay with me a bit longer, will you?

"My sensei will be here any second with an ANBU woman in need of immediate medical attention!" Kakashi heard Sakura's voice quiver as he barged into the hospital. "I'm here, kids. Go to Gai-sensei and stay with him until I'm back." He quickly barked, flashing all of the nurses who flowed into the room a nervous look. "Please, help her. I'm begging you." He pleaded with the staff uncharacteristically. I need her to live. Need. "We do what we can, sir." One of the medic-nin nodded, putting (y/n)'s unconscious body onto the stretcher. If (y/n) lives, that would be the best birthday gift ever.

Kakashi jogged after the nurses and doctors, peering into the emergency clinic room through the window. "I'm sorry, Sir, but you won't be able to visit the lady until all the major injuries have been cleaned up and treated." A male nurse out his hand in his shoulder from behind. "But..! Okay..." Kakashi let out a sigh, "Isn't there any paperwork that needs to be filled out?"

The nurse shook his head, "The Hokage has come and is speaking to one of my colleagues about it. Don't worry about it. You won't have to take care of any of that." He tried to reassure the angsty shinobi, "The woman is part of the ANBU ranks, right? Her mask is of the uniform." Kakashi nodded his head, biting his lip inside of his mask, "Yeah...she is... but it's kinda complicated." The nurse raised his eyebrow but just shrugged. "Can I speak with the Hokage?" The Hatake requested. "Come this way," the other man sighed, leading him away.

Kakashi let out a deep and long sigh as he held (y/n)'s scraped hand in his gloved ones. He had been told by the same nurse from before that (y/n) was in a decent state to accept visitors, yet was still unconscious. He could tell that the nurse was hiding something from him, but he was too worried about (y/n) to give it a second thought. Hesitantly, he brought her hand to his masked lips, gently pressing them against the fabric. "Ya know, (y/n). After you left, I decided to give those goddamn books a try. And you're right, they are addictive. Thanks for the gift," Kakashi sadly chuckled before pausing for a moment.

"Those books, they helped me a lot. They helped me get through my days, just like you told me."

"They also helped me realize something. They helped me realize that I don't hate you. I don't want to hate, and I never should've."

"I've realized that I was such a dick to you at the beginning and that it was all my fault that our relationship became how it was. I regret it... So when you wake up again, I just want to start over again. Maybe not entirely, but just so that we can leave all the hate behind us. How does that sound?"

Kakashi stared at the sleeping (y/n), her chest heaving up and how slowly and rhythmically. It hurt him to see her like that, her skin swollen in the places of the stitches and anointed bruises. "Listen, (y/n). I'd never been able to tell this to you while you're conscious, so I might as well let it out now. I...I love you." Kakashi rightly shut his uncovered eye. "After feeling your loss, my dumbass self finally realized how much you are worth. After they pass on, you and the others were all I had left. But then you also left me, that hurt like hell." His tone started to break.

"Lord Hokage told me about the whole fake-death move, and I was relieved that you weren't gone for good. And then we lost contact, everybody assumed the mission had been finished, and your squad sacrificed your lives for it. I couldn't let the fact that you could be a dead sink in. It didn't feel right. Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai tried to get me out of another depression cycle. Kurenai even went to the lengths of quite literally slapping some sense into me." Kakashi played with a loose strand of (y/n)'s (h/c) hair.

The muscles of (y/n)'s hand twitched ever so slightly. Kakashi's drooping head snapped up; he'd almost fallen asleep in the chair. "(y/n)?" He murmured as her eyes started to flutter, "(y/n)?"

(y/n) chapped lip parted ever so slowly, taking a big breath of air, her (e/c) eyes squinting. "Hatake..?" She shakily managed to mumbled, her voice hoarse and dry. She tried to prop herself up on the bed, but Kakashi eased her back into her resting position. "Rest, (y/n), you're not ready to stress yourself yet." Kakashi to her, "I'll be back with a nurse and some water for you, alright?" (y/n) opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She simply looked down and nodded.

Moments later, Kakashi came back with the nurse and water. "Here," he carefully put the cup to her lip, gently tipping the cup, "Good." He turned to the nurse, who seemed to be scribbling something down from the little monitor to his clipboard. Kakashi's eyes followed the cord attached to it, to the long x shaped hash in (y/n)'s inner left thigh. What worried Kakashi was the anxious look on the nurse's face.

"(l/n)-san, your vitals are doing alright, but you'll have to stay here for a night or two just so that we can keep an eye on something's that may need monitoring." He curtly nodded his head, "Lord Hokage wished to speak to you. So, sir, that means you may have to leave."

Kakashi tried to reason with the other man, but (y/n) reached to weakly squeeze his thigh. "It's okay, Hatake. You can just drop by later." (y/n) tried to smile. "Fine," Kakashi grumbled, leaving the room and letting Hiruzen in.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hiruzen came back out. "How's (y/n)?" Kakashi asked him impatiently. The Hokage put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder as if trying to soothe him, "She'll be better soon. Don't worry, alright." The silver-haired shinobi let out a small grunt, "I know that she'll get better with time. But what about now?"

Kakashi knew that Hiruzen loved (y/n) almost like a daughter, he cared about her deeply. Hence the elaborate cover-ups to protect (y/n) and her squad on the unconventionally lengthy mission. The Hatake could see the sadness that had tried to be tucked away in the Sarutobi's eyes. "The main concern of the moment is the poison in the gash on her left thigh. The medic-nins have tried to extract as much of it as possible, and try to find something that will counteract the effects." The elderly man explained to him. "Did they find an antidote?" Kakashi questioned.

"That is where the problem lies," Hiruzen explained, "There is a certain medicinal herb that is used alongside a jutsu to nullify the effects, as the poison has traces of chakra. We have a few medics on hand who support the skill to perform the jutsu, but we don't have the plant. Even so, that won't be a permanent cure." Kakashi knit his eyebrows together, "How would it not be a perfect cure? Plus, since there are traces of chakra, could we possibly track down the person who created the poison and make them fess up on the cure?" He questioned.

"Great thinking, but..." Hiruzen groaned, "(y/n) said that they performed a self-destruction jutsu just after striking her. He probably thought that it would be in their best interest to take their secrets to the grave with them." Kakashi cursed under his breath, "Fuck... This is terrible."

Hiruzen nodded in agreement, "No duh."

Kakashi's head shot up, "Uh?!"

The elder man's eyes widened, "Did I use the term correctly?! I'm trying to pick up on the phrases the kids are using these days..."

Kakashi gritted his teeth, "Right idea of the meaning, I guess. But the context and timing...wasn't quite fit." Looking ever so slightly dejected, "Oh...alright." Smoothening out the wrinkles in his robe and putting in his cob pipe, "Kakashi, if you are going to stay here with (y/n), could you at least pick up some good food. The food in the hospital canteen is quite bland." Kakashi nodded his head and obliged, only to be stopped in his tracks by Hiruzen.

"Kakashi, I'd like to ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"What caused your change in actions towards (y/n) change so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've observed you two whilst you were in the ANBU together, and you never got along that well. And suddenly you act so attached to her, Kakashi. You don't need to answer. It's just that as your leader, I want to understand what is going on in the heads of some of my most trusted people." Hiruzen explained to Kakashi, puffing out a cloud of smoke from his cob pipe.

Kakashi frowned from behind his mask, trying to figure out how to explain his change of feelings in a professional manner. "I think that after I was given the impression that she was gone, I noticed that I cared about her. It made me realize that I was wrong to not see how much she meant in my life." He tried, his voice fading off into a whisper. Hiruzen smiled and nodded, "You really are something else, Kakashi."

Kakashi silently strolled over to Ichiraku's to grab some takeout. The paper lanterns lit the nearly empty streets of Konoha, creating a soft and soothing ambiance. The smell of the rain and moisture still clung to the air, the dirt roads had muddy dampness to them. "Yo! Kakashi, my eternal rival!" A boisterous and friendly voice greeted the said man. "Hey, Gai," Kakashi responded, he noticed his students sitting alongside each other and gave them a quick wave and smile. Naruto and Lee were arguing about who'd get Sakura. Sakura insisted that Sasuke would come around in her favor. Sasuke was quietly eating his food. And Neji and Tenten were discussing a new sword they saw in the windowsill of a weaponry shop.

"I'll take two eggplant miso soups with brown rice noodles," Kakashi leaned over the counter space between Lee and Naruto to order his meal, also effectively stopping the argument. "Thanks, Ayame," he thanked the daughter of Teuchi, owner of the quaint place. "No problem, Kakashi-san!" She chirped.

"Kakashi?" Gai raised his brushy brow, "Your kids told me about what happened this morning..." Kakashi sighed and pulled him aside so that they were at a comfortable distance, "It was (y/n)..." he told his best friend, "She's back and in the hospital because she's not in good health at the moment. I just came here to pick up a meal for her." Kakashi watched as Gai's jaw dropped, "(Y/N) IS ALIVE!" He exclaimed a touch too loud for his eternal rival's taste, "CAN I MEET HER?!" Tears of youthful joy waterfalled down the jumpsuit-clad man's cheeks. "I'll see if you can come tomorrow, alright Gai." Gai smiled broadly, "This is very...unusual. Youthful, nonetheless!" He grinned.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and nodded, "I'm glad she's back..." he murmured barely loud enough for Gai to hear. Knowingly, Gai patted Kakashi's back. "Oh! Yeah! Happy birthday, my youthful rival!" He gently punched his comrade's shoulder. A smile formed on Kakashi's lips, "Thanks, Gai." He flashed his eccentric friend his signature close-eyed smile.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye, Kakashi! Have a good night!"

Knock knock, Kakashi rapt (y/n)'s door, "Can I come in?"

"Come in," (y/n) murmured, a small moan of pain escaping her lips, "Ouch..."

Kakashi quickly set the takeout on a little table, rushing to (y/n)'s side. He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and helped her to the table. "I got us dinner because the food at the canteen isn't that good." He explained with a slight shrug. "Thanks, Hatake," a weak smile formed on her lips. The silvered-haired Jonin served them their meals. "Itadakimasu," they both mumbled.

Heavy tension filled the room as they ate in silence. (y/n) knew that Kakashi had his mask down, but didn't look up. "It's been a while..." Kakashi breathed, in hopes of hearing (y/n) speak, "Too long..." The kunoichi rested her forehead on her palm, "I- Yeah..." she mumbled, eyes growing classier by the second. So much for trying to start a conversation... Kakashi thought sadly as they resumed their meals without a word. The silence seemed to be killed him. Kami, it had been 10 goddamn years! 3650 days since he had gotten to talk to the woman. He missed her. Hell, he could even say that he missed all of their little spats. Hatake Kakashi missed everything about (y/n).

"I missed you..." was all Kakashi mumbled as he pushed his finished food away and pulled up his mask, "All these days, months, and years."

Hot tears slipped down (y/n)'s cheeks, forming a puddle on the table. "I-I came back be-because I didn't want-want to hurt you and the r-rest. Dying on passed down pain to the people who love you. I can't afford to c-carry the guilt of t-that." She mumbled shakily, "I promised to be back, a-and I held up the promise." Kakashi sadly smiled as he awkwardly reached under the table to gently caress (y/n)'s thigh.

"You care about others so much, but you should really take a moment to care about yourself, (y/n)." Kakashi scolded the injured kunoichi, "You had me scared for you; all those gashes and open wounds... You could've died," he knit his eyebrows together in worry. "Don't do that ever again."

(y/n)'s dull smile faltered as Kakashi spoke on, "Now you know how I felt when I saw you doing all those suicidal stunts back then on those missions. It was like you were in a hurry to die... I mean, I was too, but you did some seriously dumb shit," she giggled emptily. Kakashi sweat-dropped, "I see... I guess you are right..." (y/n) rolled her (e/c) eyes as the masked shinobi let out a drained sigh, "I'm always right, Hatake."

"Really, (l/n)? You've been through torturous pain, and you still act like a child." Kakashi groaned, "All these years..." (y/n) shot him a hard glare, "All these years and you still think you're in charge of me." He cast a confused look, "It's my duty to protect you, as a comrade." As a comrade... "I guess, but you're just annoying, Hatake," she huffed.

"I'm sorry about ruining your birthday with my arrival and stuff. I probably ruined your plans with those kids." (y/n) looked down, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them, "I could hear you guys through the gate; they seemed pumped about going out. I'm sorry, I didn't think about the flaws in my whole plan." Kakashi's head snapped up from its resting position on the table, "It's fine, they don't even know it's my birthday," he paused, "But you planned to come here? As in, today in particular. With all those injuries, (l/n), you should've just tried to take care of yourself. My birthday isn't as important as your health."

The (y/n) shook her head, "I was going to stay at a small village pretty far from here before finally coming home. I planned to just heal up there and see how things went from there. I even considered settling down there. But that just didn't feel right," (y/n) face set in a frown, "Once I realized that your birthday wasn't that far off, I decided that I couldn't stay and needed to come back. I doubted I would even live to be back. But here I am..." she said with a soft wince of pain. "It was terrible, I hated every second of it," Her (s/t) fingers made their way to the raw mark on her inner thigh, “I’d already lost so much; there was nothing for me to lose at that point.” Kakashi's face softened as he understood what she meant. (y/n) wasn't put in the mission alone, she had her team. They all must've been killed with time.

"Ouch!" (y/n) yelped as she let out a moan of pain, clenching the fabric of her hospital-issued pajama pants. “Shh..." Kakashi whispered into her ear, quickly leaning in to soothe her, "What's causing all this pain?" He asked with a frown as (y/n) bit her lip. "It's the thing in your thigh, right? Lord Hokage and the nurse told me a bit about it. But I still don't fully understand it and how it can't fully be cured."

(y/n) buried her face in her hands, "Oh..." She mumbled, "The poison can't de be removed because it's already been inside of me too long. And since it is laced with chakra, the properties of it aren't completely like normal poison." She blinked back the stinging agonizing tears in her eyes, "The herb that I need is just going to ease the effects in my body, whilst the jutsu will seal it from triggering anything that was layered in with the chakra." (y/n) explained. Kakashi could tell she was trying her hardest to keep her face straight, pushing back the pain and hurting inside. "The thing is–"

"What?" Kakashi asked the pained woman, his tone soft and soothing, "I can help if I know what's going on."

Warily, (y/n) agreed to speak on, "The place where the mission was stationed at was just underground of the nuke-nin outpost I was from. And the guy who poisonous me was one of the other kids' experiments were done on, along with me. He was a few years older than us, and his name was Hiroto Myoga. His parents were in owed debt to the rogues, they were forced into being test subjects until they died. Which left Hiroto in the nuke-nin's hands." She rubbed the temple of her head pushing away the images that sent a shiver down her spine, "Something similar had happened in the case of my parents and me. But unlike me, when the ANBU did the raid, Hiroto was snuck away just in time."

Kakashi's heart sank as he heard what she was telling him. (y/n) had never known much about her past, the damned curse seal had caused. “Since he was older than most of the other kids there, the nuke-nin's of the outpost decided that they needed to trust their information. It was all precautionary, just in case they were taken down. And that's just what happened. Hiroto was the one ordered to put memory restriction curse seals on us, the kids, before he fled to be underground, where the actual harm was being done. That meant that all this time Hiroto had been working in those old plans." (y/n) closed her eyes tightly, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

With a subtle groan, Kakashi supported (y/n) up from the chair and rested her in her cot. "Don't stress yourself, (y/n). You can just tell me later; it's getting late anyway." He told her. "It's fine, Hatake. Letting this out helps me feel better." She reassured him.

"The ANBU caught wind of suspicious activity in that area and decided to send out a squad to go check out. I overheard Danzō arguing with Lord Hokage about it, and got interested. It was really dumb, but I just wanted to go to learn more about what happened in my past. I learned, but that can with lots of twists and turns. 10 years of going undercover..." (y/n)'s (e/c) eyes met Kakashi's single uncovered black one, "It wasn't long before Hiroto became suspicious of us, slowly narrowing the group down till it was just me." (y/n) took a deep breath and continued, "After Hiroto killed himself in our final fight, my curse seal was lifted. That's how I suddenly was able to remember all of the past. All of it."

A pit formed in Kakashi's stomach as he watched (y/n) cry in silence. He wanted to help her feel better, he really did. But he was afraid that he'd make things worse; dealing with feelings just wasn't his thing. "I'm here for you, (l/n). We've been through so much together, you've helped me through it all," Kakashi tried to reassure her, "It's my turn to look after you. Please, just don't cry." He reached out his hand to brush a tear-off of her streaked cheeks.

“Are you okay with me staying here for the night?" Kakashi asked (y/n) as they sat at the bay window, looking down upon the empty moonlit streets of Konoha. The soft light cast down by the moon seemed to make everything look beautiful, serene, and at peace. "(l/n)?" He asked again, turning to look back at her. A gentle smile played on Kakashi's lips as he saw that she'd fallen asleep. (y/n) had been through so much throughout the day, she not only deserved to rest for a long time but also needed to. "Good night, (y/n)..." he carefully lifted the sleeping beauty and placed her on the cot. Sitting back at the bay seat, Kakashi took in a deep breath. "I love you."

She's finally back.

She's finally home.

#kakashi hatake #kakashi x y/n #kakashi x reader #naruto character x reader #reader x character #kakashi x you #y/n #naruto angst #just a lil bit of angst not much #i should stop procrastinating #i need motivation to actually write a beginning #should i keep going? #kakashi's pov #hatake #veggie_chan11 #kakashi #enemies to lovers #anbu kakashi #ANBU reader #team 7 #long shot #i wrote this at 2am

[ladyxxdaydream]

a year-in-review meme - for writers!

I thought up this writing meme for fic writers who might have been staring at the artists having their lovely and well-deserved collages of their work through the year - and wanted to join in the fun! also this works as a great reminder for those of you (and me) who’ve been thinking that they haven’t been writing as much as they want to, and allows you to go back to enjoy your old fic ;D

Rules: pick your favourite sentence from a work you posted / wrote during a month of 2020! if you didn’t write anything in any particular month, don’t worry! tell us what you were doing or use it as free space for runner-up sentences. after that, tag 8 people or more to do the meme!

That being said, here’s mine:

Tagged by: @rikacain !!

I’m tagging -- @flailinginlove @aviss @kiitsvne @stupidbadgers and @tea-blitz who doesn’t use tumblr anymore but WHATEVER. and anyone else who wants to do it! <3

~~~

JAN: (from Heavy Weight)

“Iruka felt Kakashi’s eye on him. Most people feared the Sharingan, and for good reason, but Iruka feared his real eye, his own eye. It had a way of seeing straight past Iruka’s defenses, no dōjutsu required, and deep into his soul.“

FEB: (from Old Pine)

“Do you want children?” Iruka asked, feeling like the timing was right.

Kakashi was quiet for a few moments. Iruka had learned to read Kakashi’s silences for what they were. It wasn’t hesitation like he had initially thought. Kakashi simply liked to think things through before answering immediately. Iruka liked that about him.

“I think we have four already,” Kakashi said, eyeing Sasuke, Naruto, Ino, and Sakura through the glass door.

Iruka laughed, but refrained from clarifying. He knew Kakashi understood what he meant and would answer him shortly. Iruka had also learned that Kakashi had a tendency to be indirect, before he got around to what he actually wanted to say.

MARCH: (from Mouthful)

“So, Kakashi.”  Iruka said, unable to stand still any longer.  “We both like what we see. Now what?”

 He wasn’t usually this forward, but he was feeling it tonight. All of this playful banter was riling him up—it was his favorite way to flirt.

 “I like a man whose direct,” Kakashi said, shifting his stance to lean an elbow on the table. “But hmm,” he hummed. “I don’t know.”

 He gave Iruka a seemingly bored look, as if the obvious invitation to leave together was lost on him.

 “Well, I like a man whose decisive, so I guess that rules you out.”

 Kakashi let out a hard, surprised laugh. He downed the rest of his beer, and took Iruka by the hand, pulling him out of the bar without a word.

APRIL: (from A New Chapter)

 “I don’t know how to put this,” Sakumo started, “but… what the hell is that?”

 Kakashi looked at where his Father was pointing.

 “Uh… a diaper…?” Kakashi guessed, not sure where this was going. They had about a million others, in every color and pattern you could imagine, folded and stacked in the closet. Iruka wanted to go the re-usable route, and several of his students mother’s were eager to gift them. Kakashi had been less than thrilled by the extra laundry.

“Yes. It’s a diaper, Kakashi. Very good. Tell me, did you have both eyes closed when you put it on?”

MAY: (From Cake Substitution No Jutsu)

 “What’s this?” Iruka asked as Kakashi entered the kitchen, a fully dressed Tomo whizzing past them both.

 “Ah, it’s a backpack,” Kakashi said, crossing over to Iruka excitedly. “I saw it on display in a shop window while doing Gai’s scavenger hunt. Its arms and legs are the straps, so when you wear it, it looks like it’s riding on your back.”

 Iruka smiled, turning it around in his hands, noticing the zipper and a few pockets.

 “That’s actually pretty ador—”

 Iruka stopped speaking. The tail was tightly curled up inside plastic casing still.

 “Kakashi,” Iruka said, feeling his eyebrow twitch. “Is this… is this a leash?”

 “No. It’s a Puppy Pal… with an exceptionally long tail.”

“It’s a leash,” Iruka deadpanned. “A leash for a  child.”

 “You put Tomo inside a barrier the other day as a playpen,” Kakashi said, a matter of factly. “Why can’t I have some help controlling her?”

“That’s… that’s different!” Iruka exclaimed, feeling his cheeks heat in contradiction. “Would you like it if I put  you  on a leash, Kakashi?”

 Iruka regretted it the second it came out of his mouth. He could practically see the wolfish grin forming beneath Kakashi’s mask.

JUNE: (from Use Your Imagination)

They laid in silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the night through the cracked window—distant cars on the street, a lone dog barking, upbeat music wafting from a floor below them.  

Kakashi never wished for time to stop. In fact, he tried to keep himself as busy as possible—he chose a career that ate up most of his life for a reason. But right now? He wished time didn’t exist, hyperaware of how quickly it would pass before Iruka was back on a plane tomorrow.

He traced circles into Iruka’s lower back, watching as the brown skin pressed against his broke out in a wave of goosebumps. Iruka shivered, and then shifted, and Kakashi wondered if he was falling asleep.  

He selfishly continued his adorations, wanting to keep Iruka in this realm with him for a little while longer. He expanded his rake, sliding his fingers up Iruka’s spine, skirting around his scar, and back down again.

Kakashi wasn’t one to believe in divine intervention, or soulmates. He’d acted in enough corny films to almost make him hate the notion entirely. But the fact that a man as perfect as Iruka had come into his life so serendipitously—and just as scarred as he was—was something he couldn’t overlook.

It made Kakashi’s heart ache with want, before that ache traveled down, and curled into his gut.

JULY: (from Love Me As You Are)

“And then you demeaned their lives by calling them your soldiers—”

 “—is that not what they are?!” Kakashi cut across him, getting upset. “You’re as much a part of this system as I am, sensei! We both know the truth of it, whether we like it or not. I just called it by it’s name.”

“But they’re people too, Kakashi! Kids. They’re so much more than soldiers…”

“That’s not how I was treated,” Kakashi said before he could catch himself.

 Iruka’s mouth fell open with a punched sound.

 “Kakashi…”

 His tone was soft and free of the anger it held a moment ago.

 “Forget I said that,” Kakashi said, turning away, his cheeks heating up—the last thing he wanted was Iruka’s pity. “It doesn’t matter.”

“No,” Iruka said, shaking his head as he took a step towards him. “I’m not going to forget you said that. It does matter because  you matter.  You deserved to have somebody stand up for you too, Kakashi. I’m so sorry Konoha failed you.”

 Kakashi’s eyes burned with tears—he bit his tongue, refusing to let them fall. Those words pierced him straight through the heart. It was everything he never knew he needed to hear.

AUG:

um I didn’t write anything this month because my wife and I separated annnd my whole life was uprooted as I moved to a different country ksjdhgkdsj

SEPT: (from I’ll Fall, If You Do)

Their relationship was going really well. There were days where Kakashi still turned him away, usually corresponding with the mornings he had therapy. It was frustrating, because Iruka just wanted to be there for him, for Kakashi to open up to him completely, but he didn’t push. He knew that would only make it worse. They didn’t fight anymore, but Iruka regularly had to correct the language Kakashi used towards himself, and sometimes it was irritating for the both  of them.

But mostly… it was amazing. Their chemistry was incredible. Electric. And not just in the bedroom—they were never far from each other, drawn in like magnets, grounded by a simple touch or brush of hands. Kakashi hadn’t even left the room twenty minutes ago, and already Iruka felt the pull.

He jumped up from his seat and went to go find him.

OCT: (From Language Gap)

Iruka glanced out the bus window, his body instinctively knowing where they were about to pass. The building was still empty twenty years later, the brick still scorched, and Iruka’s nightmares were still plagued by the fire despite not being there when it broke out. He’d been sent on a delivery on foot — one steaming container of karē udon — two blocks away. He delivered to the same old lady everyday, and she always kept him longer than necessary, pressing sweets into his palm. When he had come back, the noodle shop was aflame. In his shocked state, he distantly heard something about a grease fire, before he was whisked away by the hand by his childhood friend Asuma, living with him and his father from that day on.

Iruka sighed and stood up, making his way towards the door since his stop was next. He really wished the city would do something about the building. Every time he saw it, it made him feel oddly exposed and vulnerable, like his past was staring straight at him.

He shook his head a little and stepped off the bus.

NOV: (From Brand New Sound)

Kakashi watched in stunned silence for a moment, trying to get his heartbeat under control as color effortlessly flowed from the artist’s hand onto the brick. Whoever this was, they had sort of become one of Kakashi’s heroes. People always said meeting your heroes was never a good idea—bound to be disappointing—because it brought them down to a human level.

But that was precisely what attracted Kakashi to this artist in the first place—the sheer, raw, humanness. The way they tackled hard emotions and vulnerability, baring everything through their work for others to see. It was honest and transformative, and Kakashi spent more nights than he could ever count wandering the streets when he couldn’t sleep, hoping to catch a mural he’d never seen before it was painted over. Sometimes he did, and sometimes he’d sit in front of ones he already knew and found new meaning in them.

DEC: (from Perks of Promotion)

“But why now?” Iruka insisted. “Why ask me out now? Right after I’ve made tokubetsu jounin? When we’ve known each other for years?”

 Oh.

Kakashi paused, the realization dawning on him. He didn’t blame Iruka for being suspicious of his intentions; he’d heard the way people said ‘the chuunin sensei’ or ‘the chuunin desk worker’ like it was some kind of insult. It always pissed him off.

Kakashi stared at his feet for a moment before lifting his head again, leveling Iruka with a serious stare. “Because I didn't think I’d live past 21. Because it took me an obscenely long time to become a barely functioning adult. Because I never had the guts before… I-I still don’t, not really, if you can’t tell by how much I’m fumbling around here,” he said with a nervous laugh.

#kakairu #my fic #hatake kakashi/umino iruka #this is VERY long #i dont expect ppl to read it lmao #but it was really fun #*sweats* yeah i picked one sentence..... #also WOW #i published something every month (sometimes twice!!) #except for august #which is... understandable #this was a really cool idea #thanks for tagging me rika :D #writer meme

[thekatthatbarks]

9. Don’t let me break this, let me hold it lightly, give me arms to pray with, instead of ones that hold too tightly for narusaku or saisaku

Thank you for the prompt, Nostalgia! Hope you like it!

Things We Never Say

narusaku

ao3

Sakura had never been a soft woman. Maybe a soft girl – well, that had all been for show, hadn’t it? Her words had always been sharp even before her hand was steady with a kunai. She’d never been soft. She’d been caring and she hoped loving, but never soft.  

 She could still hear her mother’s voice sometimes, telling her she didn’t have to be such a rough woman. That she didn’t have to take after Tsunade in every sense of the woman. But Sakura had been all edges long before she’d even met her mentor. She’d only taught her how to sharpen them, to use them for her will. Assured her there was nothing wrong with her.

 But sometimes, Sakura wished her hands weren’t so rough, so calloused. She knew exactly how hard to grab something for it to break. How easy things were to shatter with a flick of her fingers. She wished the calculations didn’t run through her head every time she reached out for something, for someone.

 Sakura was a medic, a healer. But people never understood the hardness of that either. She wasn’t the medic who soothed crying children who’d fallen and scrapped their knees. She was a battle medic, dragging a bloodied body across the ground and yelling at them to hold on for her. Her teeth cut gauze and her hands forced bones back into place. She healed people but it was through blood and tears, muffled screams and dilated eyes.

 The closest she ever got to the opposite was on a training field with her team, healing ribs she’d just broken and deep cuts. Sometimes she liked to think she was gentle there, but she knew she wasn’t. Her grips dug into skin and her tongue lashed out. They appreciated her all the same, loved her all the same. But sometimes... Sakura wished she knew how to be soft.

 She wished she knew how to hold things lightly. There were some things she was terrified of breaking. Whether it be from an honest misstep or simply because she could.

 ***

 Sakura hated herself sometimes, past mistakes haunting her and making her wonder if she’d already fucked up her life by the age of twenty-two.

 She thought about Naruto, about Sasuke, about words she should’ve said and ones she should’ve kept to herself. She thought about how she’d chased after the wrong guy for years, about a manipulative confession she’d spilled out on to pure snow to taint it.

 She buried her face into her knees as she hugged her legs tightly to her. The training ground was a wreck around her, the earth broken and raised, trees snapped with their carcasses dismembered across the field. Even all these years later, she could still hear his voice in her head, that knowing look in his eyes.

 “Sakura, you don’t love me,” Sasuke told her quietly, poking the diamond seal on her forehead.

 Sakura laughed, her chest tight. “Sasuke, don’t - I’ve always - “

 He smiled at her; it was small but still there with a lace of affection on his lips. “Not like that. Stop pretending, Sakura. It hasn’t been me in a long time. Let it go.”

 Sakura felt tears burning at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She denied it, her heart a heavy weight in her chest, and reached out for his sleeve. “Sasuke, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 Sasuke leaned closer towards her and told her in a soft voice, “Yes, you do.”

 Then, he left.

 Sakura was crying by the time Ino and them stumbled upon her. She didn’t look up when she felt them enter the field, nor when feet walked over to the tree she was sitting at. “Sakura?”

 It was Ino’s voice and Sakura simply shook her head, refusing to look up. There was a silent moment and then Ino was telling her team, “I’ll catch up with you guys. Head over to the next field. Not like we can use this one anyway.” The guys were quiet as they left, not crowding her, or overwhelming her with words of comfort that she wouldn’t even hear.

 Ino sat down beside her and then there was a hand on her back, rubbing up and down. They’d gotten over their stupid childhood rivalry years ago, but they were rarely soft with each other. It made Sakura’s throat feel like it was going to close and cut off the air to her lungs. Her voice was steady as it came out, but it wasn’t like it mattered, Ino wouldn’t be fooled. “Ino, go train with your team.”

 Ino ignored her and leaned her head close to hers, asking her quietly, “Sakura, what’s wrong?”

 Sakura’s hand went to her hair, twisting the strands around her fingers and pulling them painfully. She didn’t know why the question broke her, but it did, and her chest started to shake. The steady stream of tears down her face turned hot and Sakura felt like she couldn’t breathe. She was barely audible as she answered, “I’ve lost him.”

 Ino was pulling her close and her face away from her knee as she tried to cajole her into her lap. “Oh, Sakura, no, you haven't.”

 Sakura nodded and let Ino pull her into her arms. She pressed her face against Ino’s shoulder. “I have. I’ve just – I've ruined – I'm not enough. I don’t deserve him; I don’t deserve it.”

 She continued to ramble as Ino shushed her, hands rubbing up and down her arms. She eventually got the words out because she was tired of people assuming. Tired of pitiful looks and sympathetic words that she deserved but not for the reason they thought. “It’s not about - “

 “I know.”

 Sakura relaxed at her voice, both wanting to explain and not to. She was glad the choice was taken from her. Ino knew, maybe she’d always known just like Sasuke had. Maybe Sakura was an idiot, and everyone knew, no one buying the act she’d put on.

 Sakura felt broken when she asked her helplessly, “What do I do?”

 “Try.”

 ***

                Naruto looked at her tiredly when he opened the door, but he had a smile on his face that made her heart squeeze. “Sakura-chan? Something wrong?”

                Sakura shook her head and raised an eyebrow at him. His clothes were disheveled and his hair was messier than usual. “Were you sleeping?”

                He laughed and opened the door wider for her to come in. “Yeah. I went to bed late last night.”

 Sakura stepped inside as she asked him, “Oh yeah? What were you doing?”

 “Studying,” he said the word like it was bitter in his mouth and Sakura chuckled. She knew he hated it, that letters started to move around the longer he read. But he rarely complained about it outside of a joke. He’d always worked hard for his dreams and this wasn’t any different.

 Naruto smiled at her and then glanced around his apartment. He leaned against the wall beside her, blocking her view of the mess of his room. Sakura rolled her eyes at him, like she didn’t already know. “Let me get changed and then I’ll take you to breakfast.”

 He never phrased it like a date, he hadn’t in years and Sakura ignored that familiar pain in her chest.

 Sakura caught his wrist before he could turn away. “Actually, I wanted to ask you about something first.”

 Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. “Yeah?”

 Sakura bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think of how to phrase it without it sounding rude. “I was thinking, what if you got a new apartment?”

 A mix of emotions clouded his eyes and he looked away from her and to his tiny apartment. “Sakura, I…”

 “I don’t want you to think – I just feel like you deserve something a little bigger. I know you can afford it and – well, it’s okay if you don’t want to, I just thought – “

 Naruto thankfully cut off her rambling with a nervous smile as his eyes went back to her. “Okay.”

 Sakura looked at him in surprise. “Okay?”

 He rubbed the back of his head with a shrug. “Yeah, about time I moved on, don’t you think?”

 Sakura chuckled and waved a hand. “Well, yeah.” She watched his smile become more genuine for a moment and then asked him, “You’re sure? I don’t want you to feel like I pressured you.”

                Naruto put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes warm. “You didn’t, you were just looking out for me like you always do.”

                Sakura smiled back but it felt strained and she was thankful when he turned towards his closet. Did she? She hoped she did, but she felt like she failed a lot of the times.

                She wondered over to the small coffee pot Naruto had in his kitchen. He never drank coffee and Sakura liked to tease him he was just as insane as Lee if he could wake up early with so much energy. She wondered why he even kept it but shrugged it off as she made herself a cup.

                Naruto came up behind her a moment later, a hand on her hip as he groaned. “I literally just told you we could go get breakfast.”

                Sakura chuckled and turned towards him as she raised the cup to her mouth. “Just one cup before we go.”

                Naruto rolled his eyes at her, but they were nothing but fond. “You’re an addict.”

                “I am not.”

                “Are too.”

                Sakura laughed, something light dancing in his chest, and set the mug down in his sink. She conceded, “Maybe a little.”

                Naruto laughed and it made her feel so warm, she bit back a smile as he slung an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the apartment.

 ***

                Naruto looked terrified and he tried to cover it with a smile like always, which only made him look ridiculous and more than a little adorable. “It’s… it’s pretty big.”

                Sakura leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. “It won’t feel so big after we get some furniture in here.”

                That look in his eyes eased, and Sakura took it as a small victory.

                “You’ll help me, won’t you?”

                ��Of course.”

 ***

                 Naruto’s body covered hers as a paper bomb went off and Sakura felt like her right ear was shot, only able to hear a ringing and her heart pounding in her veins. Naruto pulled back after a few seconds, his eyes searching around them before looking down at her. He glared at her and Sakura watched his mouth as he yelled, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

                Before she could respond, he was leaning back, his hand going to her left leg. Sakura saw the shimmer of metal to her left and then fisted her hands in Naruto’s vest before throwing him to her side, her arm stretching out to pin him down across his chest. A blade flew by, just inches above her breasts a second later.

                Sakura looked in the direction it had came from and slammed her hand against the ground, creating a faulter that made someone curse in the distance. She was moving to her feet in an instant, gritting her teeth at the agonizing pain in her leg. Naruto’s hand grabbed her to jerk her back to him as he stood up. “Sakura, your leg is broken – “

                “Get off me, Naruto!” Sakura ripped her arm away, her eyes hard when she glanced at him. He had an angry set to his lips and Sakura ignored the aching in her chest. She tried to sound less angry and added, “I’ll be fine.”

                “Sakura – “

                “Guys, now is really not the time,” Kakashi’s voice cut Naruto’s reply off, panting just beside them. He glanced at Sakura after throwing a large shuriken to his right. “Sakura, can you keep going?”

                “From here.” Sakura crouched down, mindful of her leg and scanned the field for the nearest enemy. She wasn’t a long-range fighter, but she could make it work.

                Naruto cursed behind her but moved back into the fray.

 ***

                “You don’t even have enough chakra to heal it.” Naruto let out a frustrated sigh as he wrapped Sakura’s leg.

                She winced and held back the gasp of pain in her mouth as he tightened the bindings. She let out a breath after a moment. “Naruto, I’ll have enough in the morning.”

                Naruto’s eyes went to hers and Sakura hated the guilt that gathered in her stomach at making him so upset. But she didn’t regret any of it. She couldn’t. She could’ve broken both her legs and she wouldn’t have regretted it.

                He waved a hand at himself. “Sakura, you know I heal faster – “

                Sakura felt her jaw lock. “My leg being broken is not comparable to your whole left side being crushed, so you can stop that shit right now.”

                Naruto huffed and looked down at her leg. He was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then stood up. He muscles were still tense, his voice shaking with either anger or fear she couldn’t tell – probably a mixture of both. “I don’t want you taking any hits for me, Sakura!”

                “Well, I don’t care!”

                “Don’t do it again.” She could hear the plea in his voice, the way his eyes begged her to agree. For them to stop fighting.

                But she couldn’t make that promise.

                “I won’t promise you anything.”

                “Sakura – “

                “Naruto, you’re not going to convince me to not try and protect you when I can. Do you have any idea how much you mean to me? I would give – “

                “Don’t.” Naruto’s voice raised and he pointed a finger at her. His voice was definitely shaking now. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

                Sakura felt her own chest shaking as she stared up at him. She fought for some steadiness to her voice as she spoke, “Naruto – “

                He walked out of her tent and the silence that followed was louder than their voices had been.

 ***

              Sakura didn’t leave her tent the rest of the evening, having been excused from taking a watch considering her leg was broken. Kakashi took some pity on her later and brought her some fish that Sai had cooked them. He didn’t say anything, but his hand on her shoulder had given her some comfort.

                Sakura hadn’t cried more than a few tears after Naruto walked out, swiping angrily at her face with her hands and willing herself to calm down. Her thoughts were filled with him as she laid there, though, glaring at the flimsy walls of her tent. She was both relieved and annoyed when he slipped back inside hours later.

                He was quiet as he walked over to her and sat down beside her. He kept his eyes on the pile of bloody medical supplies Sakura hadn’t had the energy to clean up yet. She watched him silently for a moment and then found it in herself to sit up, it was awkward and she had to take a deep breath when her leg protested even the slightest movement.

                Naruto’s eyes went to her leg, the bandages barely visible at the edge of her blanket, and he told her in a low voice, “I don’t want to fight with you, Sakura.”

                Sakura felt something loosen in her chest, but she still had a bitter taste in her mouth. “I don’t want to fight with you either, Naruto.”

                “You just – “ Naruto leaned his forehead in his hand, propping his elbow up on his knee, and let out a breath. “You scare the hell out of me sometimes.”

                “I don’t think you’re being very fair.” Sakura tore her eyes away from his face. Her voice was almost soft, but really, she was only tired. “I had to watch you repeatedly tell Sasuke you would die for him, by him if it meant saving him. And you can’t accept the fact that I would sacrifice myself for you?”

                Naruto sighed, his voice thick. He wouldn’t look at her either, closing his eyes as he rubbed his forehead. “I don’t want you to do that.”

                Sakura felt a humorless laugh leave her as her eyes started to burn. “Well, I don’t want you to either, but you can’t tell me you would never consider it, can you?”

                Naruto didn’t reply and it was answer enough. Sakura looked over at him and he turned his head to meet her eyes. Sakura felt something twist inside her as his expression broke. His hands were on her face a second later, his thumbs stroking across her skin as he gave her a heartbreaking smile. “Oh, Sakura-chan, please don’t cry.”

                Sakura blinked at him confused as her heart went out of rhythm. She leaned back and brought a hand up to her face, then looked down at her wet fingertips. Since when had she been crying? She felt herself mumble with a small chuckle, “Sorry.”

                Naruto sighed, his arms moving down to her arms as his head fell to her shoulder. Sakura leaned her head against his, her fingers coming up to comb through his hair. They were quiet, not saying anything else and Sakura closed her eyes at some point. Time seemed to slow down as her fingers went through his hair, Naruto’s breath ghosting her neck, his thumbs stroking across her skin soothingly.

                Kakashi eventually peaked his head in for Naruto to switch out with him for watch. Naruto gave her a small smile and then left without another word.

                He slept in her tent that night and Sakura’s fingers itched to reach out for him. She felt like the only reason she didn’t was the pain she felt anytime she shifted her hips. She wondered if her leg hadn’t been broken if she would’ve had enough self-control to not crawl into his arms.

 ***

                Sakura opened her door to find Naruto with a bag hanging from his shoulders and a nervous smile. She felt herself smile as she leaned against the doorway. “What’s up, Naruto?”

                Naruto rubbed the back of his head and asked her with a shy smile, “Would you mind helping me study?”

                Sakura felt her heart swell in her chest and moved away from the doorway. Naruto followed her inside, kicking his shoes off. Sakura told him, “I don’t know how much help I will be. Not really my area. I only know some things from being around Tsunade-shishou whenever I help out around her office and I’m sure you already know more than that.”

                Naruto shrugged, his smile so warm when he looked at her. “You just being nearby will help.”

                Sakura snorted as her stomach flipped. She turned towards her kitchen. “Tea?”

                “Sure,” Naruto said and then went to her living room. Sakura could hear him setting himself up on her couch, spreading out his books across her coffee table. It gave her a fuzzy feeling seeing him so comfortable in her home, his things laid out next to hers. She then felt ridiculous and knocked the thought away with reddening cheeks.

                Sakura made them tea, adding milk and sugar to Naruto’s the way he liked. She was about to leave the kitchen when she decided to grab the plate of lemon squares she’d made earlier, wondering if Naruto had eaten yet.

                She made space on the table in front of him to lay down the tea and plate, then sat on the other end. Naruto grabbed his mug and turned to lean back against the armrest, propping his feet up in her lap. “Thanks, Sakura-chan.”

                Sakura hummed in response and curled herself up in the corner as Naruto read over a book. Sakura grabbed a magazine from her side table and looked over it while she waited for Naruto to need her. He was sighing moments later, tugging on his hair in frustration. She could see him mouthing the words to himself repeatedly and held back a laugh.

                She set her magazine down and let her hand fall to Naruto’s calf. “Naruto?”

                Naruto glanced up at her in question and she told him, “What about reading it out loud? Maybe it’ll help, like you’re trying to explain it to me.”

                Naruto smiled and sunk further down into the couch, making himself comfortable. “Alright. It’s mainly just memorization. Tsunade-baachan keeps reminding me that knowing all the history of the lords is just as important as the laws.” He gave her a warning look and added with a teasing grin, “I will most definitely bore you.”

                Sakura laughed and shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

                Sakura leaned her head against the couch, one hand on her mug and the other stroking over the skin of Naruto’s ankle, and listened to his history lesson. She loved how animated he could get, glancing down to read, then looking at her with a grin and waving his hands around as he told her all the stupid drama of their fire lords. Sakura felt warm watching him, knowing he enjoyed this a lot more than he let on.

                He waggled a finger at her and told her in a conspiring voice, “But what the book doesn’t tell you is the illegitimate son came back and he – “

                He definitely could never bore her.

                He snacked on the lemon squares as he talked and at some point, Sakura reached out for one herself. She took a bite and then twisted her lips as she swallowed. Naruto paused in his story watching her grimace. She raised an eyebrow at him, then glanced down at her failure of a baking adventure. “Naruto, these are so sour. How the hell are you eating them?”

                Naruto shrugged with a soft look in his eyes as he grabbed another one. He looked back down to his book as he told her, “I like your cooking, Sakura-chan.”

                Sakura rolled her eyes at him with an affectionate smile. Her chest felt incredibly tight when he finished the plate.

                Sakura fell asleep at some point, probably around when Naruto switched to laws and codes – that stuff was drier than her medical terminology books – and she only realized it when she felt herself being lifted from the couch. She was about to open her eyes when her mind reminded her it was only Naruto and she relaxed into his arms. She turned her face into his chest, vaguely hearing a soft chuckle in her half-asleep state.      

                He laid her down in her bed and pulled the covers over her. She turned on her side and nuzzled her face into her pillow, quickly going back to sleep.

                She imagined him kissing the seal on her forehead before he slipped back out of the room.

 ***

                Sakura never said it, but she hated it when Naruto went on diplomatic missions. She’d gotten too used to always having him within her reach. They were usually in the village at the same time, maybe not always free for each other, but if she needed him, she could find him. Though their team sometimes went out on individual missions and with other shinobi, they were together more often than not.

                She hated him being away, but she never thought she needed to worry about him when he left.

                “One fight and you managed to screw up your arm?” Sakura raised an eyebrow at him as she tinkered with the prosthetic. Her chest was shaking but it wasn’t with worry. Different scenarios were playing over in her head like a living nightmare. What if his arm had stopped working completely? What if the enemy had been a little more skilled than some low rate bandits? What if it had been on higher ranked mission? What if –

                Naruto chuckled and she could feel his eyes on her. “Sakura-chan, it wasn’t even that bad. I probably hit a nerve in it or some kind of weak spot. It wasn’t like I couldn’t use it, it just hurt.”

                There wasn’t supposed to be any weak points.

                How had she managed to fail even at this?

                Sakura bit the inside of her cheek as she jerked his arm this way and that. “I’ll send for Tsunade-shishou to look at it. I must’ve messed up somewhere.”

                Naruto sighed. “No, you didn’t. You said so yourself when you made it, this is a prototype. There’s bound to be hang ups like this.”

                Sakura ignored him, refusing to agree or even look at him as she worked.

                She was wrapping it in new bandages, hoping they would hold it together better and protect any weak points. A medic had come in earlier and told them, Tsunade was too busy at the moment to come by. Sakura made a mental note to badger her about it later in case she forgot. Maybe she could –

                Naruto let out a soft laugh and told her in a quiet voice, “You’re weird, you know that, Sakura?”

                Sakura looked at him for the first time in thirty minutes, thrown off by the statement. She couldn’t even muster up any annoyance. “What?”

                Naruto had that look in his eyes and Sakura instantly regretted even glancing at him. It was probably barely noticeable to other people, such a subtle change. But Sakura had known Naruto for years and could tell when he was about to tell someone he knew all the walls they put up. She hated it – at least when it was directed at her.

                Naruto looked down at the hand she had on his arm, his voice softer than before. “You never seem to have any trouble being rough with me. You’ll beat me into the ground during training. Throw my body a dozen meters away out of some crossfire. Even here, you’re not very gentle.”

                Sakura could fee something rising in her throat, a bitter emotion that she swallowed down. Her pulse was increasing, and she tried to not think about how it throbbed in the bottom of her throat.

                Her voice wasn’t even close to being as soft as his and she prompted him irritably – defensively, “Yeah, so what?”

                Naruto met her eyes again and the concern there felt like a blade to her throat. “But sometimes you look at me like – like you’re afraid you’ll break me.”

                Sakura felt her breath hitch in her chest and she stubbornly looked away from him, to the too white sheets on the hospital bed. “I don’t know what you mean.”

                “Sakura.”

                Sakura ignored him and dropped her hand from his arm, but he only reached back out for it and held it tightly. He was still sore, so she knew it must’ve hurt and it was such a bittersweet feeling that he did it anyways, not even wincing.

                “Sakura, please look at me.”

                Sakura obeyed more because of the tug on her heart than the one on her hand. Naruto’s smile was so kind, so loving and warm. He told her barely above a whisper, “You’re not going to break me.”

                Sakura’s nerves were on edge and her heart was pounding painfully against her ribcage. She could hear it in her ears. It was so loud, and she couldn’t think straight. Her eyes fell away from his to the hand he had gripping hers. She more watched than felt his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her skin.

                “I – “ Sakura lost her nerve before she could even find it and pulled away from him. Naruto stood up from the bed as she stepped back, and she turned quickly towards the door. “I can’t – I can’t right now.”

                The door closing behind her made her flinch, but she didn’t hesitate before turning down the hall. She’d worked in the hospital for so long, it was easy to move around all the busy bodies even with her thoughts in complete tangles. She heard a door open behind her and really it could’ve been any door, but she quickened her pace and turned around a corner.

              He’d chased after her, because of course he had. She hadn’t made it hard for him to find her either, secluding herself in her office and breaking into a sob as soon as she sat down in her chair.

                She heard him come in, how he closed and locked the door behind him with a soft click. She didn’t look up from where she had buried her face in her arms. He walked quietly over to her and she felt the air change near her as he knelt beside her chair. He laid a hand on her arm but didn’t pull on her.

                “Sakura, talk to me.”

                Sakura shook her head like a stubborn child, imagining the way he would look down to the side as he thought of a different route. His voice sounded so heavy, but it didn’t waver, every word well thought out and honest. “Sakura, you’re not going to break me. You never have. I don’t know what’s going on in your head. But I don’t want you to ever feel like you need to hold yourself back, not with me and especially not for me. I can handle whatever you want to give me.”

                Sakura’s lungs wrenched the air back from her throat as she tried to breathe, and she moved an arm to wrap around her chest to ease the pain. She was so tired of it all, she wanted to give in. Better or worse. She was tired of feeling like she was balancing on the edge of a blade.

                She swallowed thickly and tried to get the words out, her forehead still pressed against her arm.

                “I love you.”

                Naruto stilled. She didn’t have to look at him to know he had; she could feel it. Some tension eased along her ribs and she continued, desperate for more relief, “I’ve been in love with you for what feels like my whole life.”

                Naruto’s hand moved to her elbow and with a gentle yank, she was out of her chair and into his arms. He caught her easily, his arms wrapping around her as he fell back to the wall behind him. She could feel the mesh of his shirt, realizing he hadn’t even bothered to grab his jacket before running after her. Sakura settled herself into his lap as she grabbed his face, meeting his eyes. They were wide as they looked back at her, such a beautiful blue. Sakura felt like she was almost on the verge of begging.

                “You believe me, don’t you?” Sakura took a deep breath when her heart started to stutter. “Please, Naruto, I – “

                He kissed her and it both stole her breath away as it gave her lungs some relief. It was rough, hard and intense, and ended shortly after it began. Naruto’s eyes were filled with something bright when they broke apart, his breathing off. One of his hands moved to her face, his smile as warm as the laugh that escaped him. “I believe you, Sakura. Why would you – I’ve been in love with you for as long as I’ve known you. You know that. Why didn’t you ever – “

                Sakura’s head fell to his shoulder as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her heart was hammering in her chest, barely soothed by the hands on her. “I didn’t know if you still did.”

                Naruto sighed and tightened his arms around her waist to hold her close. He leaned his head against hers. “Sakura, I never stopped.”

                Sakura tried to even out her breathing as her grip on him tightened. He asked her softly, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

                “I did and you didn’t believe me.” Her voice sounded so small and as soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to drag them back.

                There was a pause and then he said, “That… that was – “

                Sakura leaned back to look at him, a familiar pain in her chest. “Manipulative, I know, but I wasn’t lying. I shouldn’t have – I should have waited. I – I had known you might figure out why I was telling you then but the instant disbelief on your face. I – Naruto, I’m – “

                Naruto raised his hand to slide through her hair and to the back of her head, bringing her forward until their foreheads were touching. He was smiling at her, his eyes serious as they held hers. “Sakura, I forgave you for that a long time ago.”

                Sakura closed her eyes as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Her throat was thick as she said, “I hurt you.”

                She was relieved when he didn’t deny it and told her, “You didn’t mean to and I got over it, Sakura. I love you, that has never changed.”

                Sakura felt some of that pain leave her, his words chipping away at some of the guilt that had cemented itself between the spaces of her ribs. There was still a thread of fear around her heart, though. “I don’t want to ever hurt you.”

                Naruto chuckled and it filled her lungs with warmth. “I think that’s kind of inevitable, Sakura. We’re going to mess up sometimes. You’re going to hurt me and I’m going to hurt you. But we’re going to get through it.”

                Sakura felt herself smile and opened her eyes to see that soft smile of his. “Yeah?”

                He nodded and told her against her lips, “Yeah.”

                Sakura felt like she might fall apart from the way he kissed her, how tender is was, how full it made her feel. When he sighed between kisses, she thought she might actually melt into his arms. “I love you so much.”

 ***

                “Popsicles?” Sakura raised an eyebrow at him as they walked. She hadn’t questioned it when they were on their way to the cemetery and Naruto wanted to stop at the store for something. She was a little surprised, though, when he came out with a couple popsicles.

                Naruto had a small smile on his face, slipping his hand into hers as they left the convenience store. He glanced up at the sky as he swung the bag idly in his left hand. “He always used to split them with me. I don’t know.” He shrugged and glanced at her with a sad chuckle. “I do this every year.”

                Sakura had always gone with Naruto to visit Jiraiya, but she was now realizing there was a separate visit where he went by himself. It made her heart ache that he seemed to want to change that. She smiled at him and then held out a hand. “Let me see one.”

                Naruto let go of her hand to pull one out and handed it to her. Sakura unwrapped it and reached over to drop the trash in the bag. She broke the pair in half and gave him the other. Naruto’s eyes glossed over as his fingers grabbed the stick, but no tears fell. He let the bag slide to his elbow as he moved the popsicle to his other hand so he could reach out for her. He didn’t say anything as his arm wrapped around her waist, but Sakura could feel the sentiment from the kiss he pressed into her cheek.

 ***

                When Naruto asked her to move in with him it had been during a fight. It was a stupid fight and Sakura still thought that if she hadn’t been so overworked at the hospital, she wouldn’t have even started it.

                But she was so annoyed at how she could never find anything in his fridge.

                “It’s ridiculous!” Sakura slammed the fridge door after not being able to find a carton of eggs. She was amazed at how much he could pack into the damn thing.

                Naruto rubbed at his temples from the kitchen table he’d been sitting at, reading over some proposal for Tsunade. He sighed. “No, it isn’t, Sakura-chan, you just have to look.”

                Sakura just wanted to make him something to eat. She barely saw him with everything Tsunade was starting to pile on him as she got ready to retire. “It’s disgusting. It’s a mess. You never clean it out. I found milk in here that expired a month ago – “

                Naruto rolled his eyes at her and waved his hand as he stood up, stepping towards her. “I just forgot to throw it out – “

                Forgot? He just forgot to throw it out? Sakura turned on him with a glare and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you ever going to grow up?”

                Naruto huffed and pointed a finger at her, some agitation slipping into his voice. “Hey! That’s not – look I’ve just been – “

                Sakura looked back to the fridge and waved a hand. “I mean look at this, Naruto. I can’t even – “

                Naruto looked at her exasperated and held out his hands. “You don’t even live here! Why does it bother you so much?”

                Sakura felt something clawing at her throat and reminded herself to calm down. She sighed. “I know I don’t live here. That’s not the –“

                Naruto continued talking like she hadn’t even spoken. “But you’re here all the time, anyway. You usually sleep here. I cook you breakfast in the morning before your shifts at the hospital. All your clothes are here – “

                Sakura rolled her eyes and started to mumble, “All of my clothes are not – “

                “Your stuff is mixed with my stuff. I was halfway out of the village last week when I realized I accidently grabbed your pack. There’s pink hair on the couch and in the shower drain. And you’re here, complaining about my fridge, so why don’t you just move in already?” Naruto finished with a breath as he looked at her.

                Sakura’s eyes widened and she felt her arms fall to her sides. “What?”

                His chest was rising and falling beneath his shirt as he breathed. She watched as a grin grew on his face and he repeated, “Move in with me.”

                Sakura fought back a laugh, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She raised an eyebrow. “That’s how you want to ask me?”

                Naruto chuckled and reached out for her hips. Sakura went willingly as he pulled her towards him as he sat on the edge of the table. He kissed her, his hands sneaking under her shirt. He whispered near her ear, “Move in with me and you can complain about the fridge as much as you like.”

 Naruto was so ridiculous, and she loved him so much.

                Sakura laughed, her arms moving to loop around his neck. She kissed him with a sigh. “I know that doesn’t mean you’ll start keeping it clean.”

                He shrugged and kissed her cheek, before pulling back to meet her eyes. She was weak for the tenderness there. “I’ll try.”

                “Okay.”

***

                Sakura was laughing as he pulled on her hand. “Naruto – “

                He had that wide smile on his face and jerked his head. “Come on already.”

                Sakura rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t fight the smile on her face, not that she wanted to. She felt giggles in her lungs as she told him, “People do this with their kids, not their – “

                He scoffed. “I don’t care.”

                Sakura chuckled but stopped arguing for show and slipped her legs over his shoulders. He held on to her hands as he stood up, then dropped one once they were steady. Sakura felt some of her laughter subside as she interlaced their fingers together. She teased him, “You’re ridiculous.”

                He sighed happily as he started to walk, and Sakura had to admit she always liked how fun he was. “You love me.”

                “I do.” Sakura smiled, something she would never even playfully argue about. She stroked a finger lovingly along his wedding band, her heart beating happily in her chest. Naruto squeezed her hand back and then brought her hand to his mouth for a kiss.

                They turned around a corner and Naruto looked over at couple civilians giving them fond looks. He waved at them, making his hat hitting her stomach. Sakura chuckled. “Naruto, your hat is too big for me to sit on your shoulders like this.”

                Naruto took the hat off and held it up to her. “Then, you wear it.”

                “I am not wearing the Hokage’s hat.” She laughed even as her fingers reached out for it.

                She could tell by his voice that he was rolling his eyes at her, wiggling the hat. “It’s fine, Sakura-sama.”

                Sakura felt more than a little silly but slipped the hat on to her head. It swallowed her, but she figured the weight of it would keep it from falling off. She leaned forward to kiss the top of his head. “I hate when people call me that. I’m not the Hokage.”

                Naruto laughed and told her, “Kakashi told me my mom used to say the same thing when people did it to her. I think you’re going to have to get used to it.”

                Sakura gave him a dramatic sigh, but her smile was soft as she said, “I guess so.”

#6.8k #narusaku #kat writes #romance #light angst #pining #fluff #anostalgicsoul

[dianapana]

SasuHina Month  Day 9- Ichi go ichi e

Angst-ish story so be aware. I didn’t really know what to do with his prompt if i’m being honest. but i hope you enjoy either way. Love Dia ~

______

One cry, one touch, only once that is all that I ever got. Some would say that one time is more than enough, but those people don’t know what they’re talking about. I'm craving more. I would give almost everything just for 5 minutes, for a conversation, to talk to her, to see what she thinks of me, of what I've become. I just want a hug, to feel her body close to mine to for her to run her hands down my spine and into my hair. I just want to look into her eyes and see the unconditional love that I know would be there. I don’t feel like I'm asking for that much. Just another moment.

I'm tired of everyone telling me how amazing is was, hoe beautiful or how proud she would be. I'm tired of looking at pictures and seeing just how much of her lives on in me. I'm tired of her appearing in my dreams and not hearing her voice because I have no idea what it sounded like. I'm tired of someone talking to me about her like we’re talking about the weather. I hate how dad gets sometimes when someone brings up a bad memory of her, or when one of those elder people come to us and pity us. I also feel bad for asking for more than I have. Dad is more than anyone would ever need, he’s love for me is infinite, he has always given me everything I needed and more, there is nothing in this world that he wouldn’t do for me, and yet I crave more. I want mom to be alive, both for me and for him.  

Dad is the only one I like to listen to when he talks about mom, about how they met in school, about how he was hell-bend of going though university with no ties to any of his collage and in his second year she walked into his life and knocked him down without even meaning to. Whenever he talks about that he gets this peaceful look in his eyes and his posture changes to a more relaxed one. I wish he could live in those memories forever.  

I love the story of how their first date, how because of a misunderstanding mom was expecting dad’s best friend to pick her up and go on a date with but dad showed up and swept her off her feet. I like to think that they had that kind of love-story that people write about, that people see in movies.  

At times I’m jealous of dad because he has spent almost 6 years with mom and he has many fond memories of her that he can live in for a while, yet I have nothing. One touch that was all I got. I didn’t even see her because I was a baby and my eyes were closed, mouth open in a scream-cry. I never knew the story until last year. I knew that she had died giving birth to me, that always made me feel guilty. But after asking again and again, last year dad finally told me everything.  

How they knew there was a possibility that a pregnancy could hurt mom since her mother died giving birth to my aunt, but even so mom was ecstatic when she found out they were expecting. He told me about how she started reading to me and talking to me since before there was a aby-bump to be seen. That she always told me I was loved and hos they could not wait to meet me. He also told me that she went in labor a month early, not something that uncommon but still...How it didn’t really take all that long, that the delivery was pretty smooth, that mom wasn’t in pain but her heartbeat was worryingly low during the 2 hours the birth took. That I came out with a cry and how the doctors, after cleaning me up, put me in her arms and she cried and said I was perfect. How both she and dad were crying while staring at me and holding hands. How the nurse took me away and dad stood behind with mom. How he kissed her cheek and thanked her for the life she gave him, for their marriage, happiness and especially for me. Mom smiled told him how he was the love of her life and that was tired, and she closed her eyes. For about 10 seconds dad was certain she fell asleep until the line on the machine monitoring her heart went steady and doctors started rushing in. She had died barely minutes after meeting me. Dad says she died happy and I believe him, but it doesn’t make her absence any better.  

There is only one picture with all of us, the one the nurse took right after I was born. I am in her arms, both dad and her are looking at me with so much love. The picture made me cry on numerous times. Now it is one of those moments, I look on the back and see written the date “9th November 1990; baby Daisuke was born, bringing me and Hinata unmeasurable happiness. -Sasuke” I'm in the waiting room in the hospital surrounded by people that I love and that love me back. I feel like I can’t breathe and at the same time oddly calm. Dad is beside me; he has been rubbing my back for the past 20 minutes. Since my wife told me to leave the hospital room until she tells me to go back. She's in labor now, moments, maybe hours away from giving birth to my baby girl. Finally, the door opens, and a nurse comes in.  

“The baby-daddy should come in, it’s starting”. I get up smile at my dad and go in to hold my wife’s hand while she brings to this world the one human being that I will love just as much as I love her.  

#SasuHina #hinasasu #Sasuke Uchiha #Hinata Hyuga #sasuhina month #sasuhina month 2019 #SHMONTH2019 #day9 #diawrites #dia-story #me #fanfiction #otp #writing #angst #shmonth #sasuke #hianta

[laceymorganwrites]

Outcast

Word Count: 1,835

Pairing: mentioned Sasuke x reader

Warnings: Mention of blood

A/N: I had Sasuke feels today

Can something lost really find its right place? Can something broken always be fixed? What if there´s no saving, no hope, no future? What if love is just materialistic? Something we use against people to make us feel better about ourselves? And why does she still smile after all the pain I put her through?

I remember the moment my brother eliminated our entire clan as clearly as night and day, it´s something I never want to happen again. Stumbling across corpses, slipping on the blood of my family, I ran into the woods crying like the scared child I was then. And then something happened, another moment that would burn inside my brain forever. A hand reached out to me, fighting its way through the darkness and grabbed me, pulling me into a warm world full of light, love and kindness. Something that I didn´t deserve, it was all my fault, I didn´t do anything to stop him, I didn´t even see it coming. But the hand held on strongly, led me to a place I would soon call home, a place I would eventually forsake and abandon along with the virtues that came along with it.

I don´t remember walking the way home the first time, I barely remember the woman who saved me talking to someone about what just happened. It was as if I was in a trance, the next thing I knew was that I entered an apartment full of people looking at me with pity. I hated that look.

The woman led me inside and told the people to leave, only two children my age stayed. Her eyes lingered on a certain man a bit longer than on the others. Then she closed the door, sitting down at the table with us, introducing us to one another.

“Sasuke, I know this is sudden, I can´t even imagine what you´re going through right now and I will give you space, I won´t force you to talk about anything, but I will give you a home here. This is my daughter (Y/N) and my adopted son Naruto. Please get along, everyone!” she said while smiling at me. I didn´t know what to say, I couldn´t even look at the other children, I just stared at the floor, clenching my jaw not to throw up from the lingering smell of blood and death. “(Y/N), please show Sasuke his room” the woman said and the girl stood up. She was something I didn´t expect in my situation, honest. She gave my a smile without pity behind it and grabbed my hand as if it was a natural thing to do, leading me to my new room. It was quite spacey with a futon on the ground, a table with a chair, multiple drawers and a bookshelf.

“Welcome to the family!” she embraced me in a warm hug, taking me by surprise and I tensed up at the sudden contact. When she let go she still wore the smile, a smile she only had for me and Naruto, a smile that changed over the years and eventually turned into a frown. (Y/N) took my hand again and showed me the rest of the apartment while talking about her family.

“My mom used to be a kunoichi, but she had an accident which blocked all of her chakra points. That was six years ago when she found me and Naruto in the war. Since then we´re a family and even though we´re not related by blood we still love each other as if we were. Mom really tries her hardest to save people...” she smiled nostalgically before continuing. “And Naruto...well, he´s very lively but he doesn´t have any friends, he´s an outcast… we all are in our own way, which is why we should look out for each other” she reminisced before leading me back into the kitchen where her mother had cooked dinner. Naruto kept babbling about Sakura and complained how she didn´t acknowledge him, how he would be Hokage someday. (Y/N) and her mother just laughed with him, I stayed silent. I didn´t have time for stupid dreams.

I couldn´t sleep that night, or the nights after that. Every time I closed my eyes I saw death and chaos, the memory of this horrible night burned into my brain and didn´t go away. I just wanted to sleep, but instead those visions fed my anger, but with that they also fed my determination to surpass and kill my brother for doing this. I would never understand why he did such an unspeakable thing.

“Sasuke, are you even listening? Dinner´s ready” (Y/N) waved her hand in front of my face and giggled when I snapped out of my trance. “I´m not hungry” I replied, trying to suppress a yawn but failing. She sighed and grabbed my hand, something she did every day, but I got used to it over the years. She took my hand whenever we were going to school or going home after wards, whenever we went somewhere and in my darkest moments she held onto me to show me that I´m not alone anymore and would never be again, that she would always be by my side. At least those were the reasons I wanted her to have, because those would be my reasons if I had the guts to hold her hand. And yet, every time she hugged me, I didn´t tense up anymore, I just relaxed into her touch, hugging her back with shaking hands, holding her close and burying my head in the crook of her neck never wanting this moment to end. Every time her hand reached out for mine, mine subconsciously met hers on the way, feeling sparks every time our fingers connected. My grip on her hand grew tighter whenever we were in school. She knew I couldn´t stand the attention of our classmates so she always calmed me down with her gentle touch whenever the voices in my head grew too loud or the pictures were too vibrant.

Whenever she flashed me a smile I froze on the spot, hesitantly smiling back. It was something I couldn´t control, it came naturally. The way she smiled at me made me feel special and loved, like it was okay I was on this world, like this was right where I belonged and that she wouldn´t let me go. But then I remembered that she smiled at Naruto the same way and my heart sunk into my chest.

It was then that I realized the fluttering in my heart wouldn´t just go away if I asked it nicely.

(Y/N) knew I had trouble sleeping so she went to my room with me and sat down on my futon, gesturing me to sit next to her.

“What´s on your mind, Sasuke? What´s keeping you awake?” she asked quietly before giving me a look I have never seen on her face before. It was a look full of worry, instead of a bright smile, a deep frown tainted her face. I have never seen her like this, even when she scolded Naruto she never frowned. She was always smiling. She smiled when we graduated, were paired on the same team, completed missions, but now she frowned. “Nothing...” I lied, looking down on the floor. I couldn´t bear to look into her eyes, not when she frowned like that. “I know you´re lying. And that´s okay, I won´t force you to talk about anything but I know what´s going on, Sasuke and I know it hurts you… let me just say this one thing: don´t dwell on the past, revenge won´t get you anywhere, but the future will, you still have your future. You can create any future that you like, you can have everything, but going the path of revenge will only get you stuck in the past with no way to escape.” she pleaded, grabbing my hands and squeezing them. How could she read me like that? She was the only person who saw my vulnerability and didn´t exploit it. I didn´t know what to do, so I didn´t do anything. I just sat there in silence, trying to process her words, her concern for me, her hands on mine.

How did she not realize the way she made me feel? This incredible rush of adrenaline that went

through my body every time she was close, my fastened heartbeat whenever I thought about her and the pain in my chest when I saw her with Naruto.

“I´m sorry, I shouldn´t have said anything. It´s none of my business whether you act on your revenge or not and maybe it does help you, I can´t know that. I´m just worried about you, Sasuke.” she admitted before getting up, about to leave but I held her back. “(Y/N), wait. I won´t leave for revenge, at least not without saying anything. And I´m grateful for your concern. It is true that I can´t sleep, there´s just too much on my mind. But you don´t have to worry about me, you know that I´m still doing good on missions” I tried to relax her. “I don´t care how you do on missions, I care about your health!” she yelled at me, squeezing my hands tighter. My heart jumped, giving me a false hope of confidence and my lips quivered as I spoke my next words: “Can you stay with me tonight?” I immediately regretted asking and could feel the heat spread to my cheeks, I was blushing. I bit my lip and cursed under my breath wishing to have just shut up.

(Y/N) nodded smiled at me. “Of course I´ll stay with you” she said softly.

We got ready for bed and then awkwardly laid next to each other until (Y/N) reached out her arm over my torso to reach my hand. I met her halfway and now our hands were connected on my chest. (Y/N) shifted slightly so that she could face me and I did the same. We were so close to each other, her face was almost too much to look at, my heart beat so fast I started feeling dizzy. I gulped, the gaze she gave me pulled me in, it made me feel relaxed and safe. Home. She was my home. I smiled at the realization and slept through the night.

But eventually I had to leave home after an encounter with my brother made me aware of my plan of revenge. It all was rather sudden and I didn´t have the chance to say goodbye so I quickly wrote a letter to (Y/N) and her mother, explaining my situation. I hoped they would understand my need for this quest.

Sakura caught me and made a scene, she really did annoy me lately. “You can´t stop me from leaving, Sakura. But there is one thing you can do for me: hand this letter to (Y/N). It´s really important.” I handed her the letter and went my way.

#Naruto Shipuuden #naruto #naruto imagine #naruto imagines #naruto sasuke #anime #anime imagine #imagine #reader insert #sasuke uchiha #sasuke #sasuke x reader

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Two Hundred Five: Showers ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

The entire month has been bone dry. Hardly a cloud in the sky, temperatures skyrocketing, the lawn slowly paling even with the sprinklers running.

And then...the one day - one day! - she dares to make plans with her boyfriend...it pours. Which, sure, normally wouldn’t be a problem if they were doing anything indoors. But no...they’d been planning to go to the local park and walk through the various botanical gardens.

He knows how much she loves flowers.

But when Hinata wakes this morning, it’s to a crack of thunder, bolting upright in bed and spacing for a moment as her brain plays catch-up.

And then...she looks to her window. Sees the streaks of rain cascading down the panes. And it sinks in.

Summer showers.

And quite forceful ones, at that.

“...oh n-no…!”

Heart sinking alongside her posture, she gives the weather her best pout and puppy dog eyes. Really, Mother Nature? Really?! They’ve had this planned for almost three weeks! And now it’s ruined…

Head bowing over her lap in defeat with a whimper of disappointment, Hinata reaches for her cellphone atop her nightstand, powering it up and making to text Sasuke.

But he’s beaten her to it.

Seeing the notification, she braces herself for his disappointment.

Rather than a text, however...he’s sent her an image…?

Opening it up, there’s a blink before she gives a graceless snort.

It’s his hand in front of his window...middle finger lifted in a clear sign of distaste for the rain.

As down as she’s feeling overall, she can’t help a few moments of levity at his reaction. Which, if she’s being honest, is probably why he sent it in the first place. Smiling at her screen, she sends a short message.

Is it in bad taste if I ask for a rain check…?

Waiting for a response, she giggles as he just sends a frowny face.

Sorry...but seriously, what should we do…?

Tossing the mobile atop her bed, she gets up and dresses. It’s not overly cold outside, the rain making the warm day a bit humid. So, she opts for a pair of shorts and a blouse over a camisole. By the time she’s done, he’s replied.

With how busy my aunt’s keeping me, it’ll be a while. But yeah we can reschedule.

Hinata wilts a hair. She was afraid of that.

That’s okay. Summer’s far from over yet, right?

If it weren’t pouring, she’d just...open her window and talk to him across the tiny gap between their houses. But given that the raindrops are splattering against her window like bugs on a windshield...maybe not the best idea.

Well, what about today?

Hinata blinks as she reads the question a second time.

...today?

It’s not like they can go to the gardens...sure, they could go do something indoors somewhere, but it just wouldn’t be the same.

Too late.

...wait, what? Before she can type a questioning reply, she jumps at a knock on her bedroom door. “Uh...hello?”

She expects her sister, maybe her father. But instead she gets a Sasuke?

“...how did you -?”

“Your dad let me in. I think he took pity on me standing in the rain,” the Uchiha replies. And he’s probably right. He likely spent no more than a minute or two during the short walk between neighboring houses, and his tank top is soaked! Water drips from the fringe of his hair to her carpet.

“Sasuke, oh my gosh - it’s pouring! You didn’t grab an umbrella?!”

“For a walk that short?”

“Look at your clothes!”

“It’s just water.”

“And it’s just a cold you’ll have if you don’t dry off! Next thing you know, we’ll have to cancel again because you’re s-sick!”

Snickering a bit, he accepts as she dashes to the upstairs bathroom just down the hall and starts ruffling his head with a towel. “All right, all right...yeesh, you’re as bad as my brother.”

She just puffs cheeks at him. “I don’t want you getting sick. Date or not.”

At the word date, Sasuke stills for a moment...and then gives a soft huff of a laugh alongside a grin.

“...what?”

“Nothing. Just…” Pullin the towel from his head, Sasuke considers it a moment before admitting, “...guess it’s still just a little weird. Calling it a date.”

She blinks...and then goes a little pink. True...they haven’t been dating for all that long. They haven’t even been talking again for all that long, all their history considered. And yet...in a lot of ways, it feels like they never stopped. It felt so natural to just...pick right back up where they left off.

And then, well...go a bit further.

“Yeah, I...I guess it kinda is, huh?”

The pair lapse into thoughtful silence for a moment.

“...so, what should we do?”

“Huh?”

“Well, I came over so we could still spend some time together today,” Sasuke explains. “Since it’s pouring out and all. I thought we could just...hang out here. Guess we could drive somewhere if you want…”

“O...oh! No, this is fine! Um…” She looks around her room. In all honesty, she doesn’t have...all that much to do. A few games, some movies… “...we could, um...make some snacks, and watch a f-film?”

“Sure. Sounds good to me. I don’t watch a lotta movies anymore.”

“Oh…?”

“Guess I just fell out of the habit. Rather play games most of the time.”

“Well, I have those too!”

“Nah...movie sounds better. We can just sit and watch. More mindless.”

She blinks. “...okay. But um...m-maybe I should have some proper breakfast first. Did...did you eat before you came over…?”

“Nah.”

“Nah?!” Hinata ruffles up, making to tug him downstairs. “Come on, I’ll make you something!”

He doesn’t object, knowing there’s no changing her mind. In the kitchen, Hanabi is groggily eating some cereal at the table, Hiashi sitting and reading the paper. They both glance up as the other pair enter, exchanging a look before just...going back to their business.

“Do you want pancakes?”

“Sure.”

“With syrup?”

“Nah, too sweet.”

“Uh...jam…?”

“Eh, sure.”

She makes him a tall stack, a smaller one for herself. They join the rest of the Hyūga at the table, eating in a slightly-awkward silence. Hiashi doesn’t yet know the pair are dating...but there’s still a kind of tension in the air.

As soon as plates are rinsed and put in the dishwasher, they retreat back upstairs.

“Well...maybe we’ll do popcorn, um...later,” Hinata offers.

“Good idea. Not sure that’d sit well on top of a mountain of pancakes.”

“Should we...wait to do the movie, then?”

“...yeah, okay. We can play a game for a bit instead.”

Booting up Hinata’s Switch, the pair duke it out in Smash Brothers for a while before switching to Zelda. Hinata takes the reins, showing him her progress in the game thus far.

“I feel bad...she said to hurry, but...there’s so much to do!”

“There isn’t actually a time constraint, Hinata.”

“I know, but I still feel guilty!” she insists, pouting as he chuckles.

Once the morning ages, they slip back downstairs, finding Hiashi gone and Hanabi in her room doing...whatever it is she’s doing. Some popcorn, salt, and butter later, they’re finally ready for their movie…!

...now to pick one.

“Just choose one, Hinata.”

“You don’t have any input?”

“I’ll be totally fine with whatever you want. Trust me.”

She...doesn’t entirely believe that, but slips in an action flick as rain continues to slither down the windows. Settling on her bed next to him, Hinata wriggles into a comfy position along Sasuke’s side. He slips an arm over her shoulders, and a subconscious smile lifts her lips.

Between the warm room, her comfortable pose, the sounds of the rain, and a movie she’s watched half a dozen times...Hianta actually manages to drift off to sleep.

“...‘nata…‘naaata…” Something jostles her shoulder. “Earth to Hinata, do you copy?”

“Huh…?”

“Movie’s over.”

“W...what?!”

“You conked out,” Sasuke snickers, watching her sit up.

“But...but I…?” Hinata wilts. “...I missed all that time with you…?”

“I don’t have to leave yet. And I for one was very okay with you all snug with me, asleep or not.”

Her pouting cheeks go pink. “...guess...I’m more tired than I thought.”

“We could take a nap.”

“But I just did!”

“Well maybe I want one.”

The pout intensifies. “...lunch break, then another movie.”

“All right, all right...whatever you say.”

She’s going to make the most out of this rainy day, darn it!

                                                       .oOo.

     Random modern fluff is random xD Based in the "neighbors" lil mini series...thing, lol      And yes, I need to organize all the mini series. I just...haven't had the time or mojo now that there's over 200 of these darn things to sort through @~@ SOMEDAY! Just...not now, aha~      Anyway...I'm v tired so I'ma call it there. Thanks for reading!

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #best years of your life [ au ] #365daysofsasuhina

[pain-somnia]

Title: Everything Series: vampfiction Rating: M like way harder M than the first part everyone Day’s Notes: okay so this took a lot a lot longer than I wanted to but I was super busy and then also not feeling well. I would be sick than have to make up for being sick and then get sick again. It’s that time of the year where being out in public is dangerous for me. Like please guys take care of yourselves and also rest at home. I know it’s hard to take days off but you could be risking the health, the lives, of other people. This fic is now on ao3! Part 1 and this part is called Eat Me, Drink Me which is the first part of the vampfiction series. Warning: you may be squicked in a section here. TW: menstruation mention. It’s not that much in my opinion nor that detailed but it’s there. Everything | ao3

He wasn’t supposed to kiss her. That was where he first fucked up.

When his father first sent him to get a warm donor to decrease the amount he needed to drink, Sasuke assumed he would meet with a plain housewife that doubled as a donor to help provide more to her family’s income. Maybe even a NEET that needed to show his parents he was doing something.

He even expected a fangbanger, a person that offered themselves as a warm donor because they fetishized vampires.

The photograph he had received was of a pretty girl in her twenties. A photograph that did no justice for the live person he met with at the blood bank. As colorful as she appeared in an image she was much more vibrant when she spoke and moved.

He wasn’t supposed to kiss her but weeks of knowing Sakura, added with the blush that bloomed on the apples of her cheeks when she was frustrated with his teasing led to the moment.

If Sakura didn’t hum, so content when he continued to press kisses to her mouth. If Sakura didn’t sigh, so pleased, when he dragged those kisses down her jaw, down her pale, slender neck.

If. If. If.

Thinking of “Ifs” couldn’t help Sasuke. It was too late for all of that and if he were honest with himself, he didn’t have a single regret.

. .

Sasuke got lucky with Sakura. He could text her or call her and tell her any available time he had and she would be ready for him.

Often he would find himself in her bed during daylight hours. If he forgot to bring his sunglasses and hat he would be trapped the whole day in Sakura’s apartment.

If he was lucky he was trapped on a day that Sakura was free.

She would get up from bed to eat and do her chores but when she was done she would grab her school work and crawl back into bed. Sakura would sit up and study while Sasuke snuggled against her hip, one of his arms thrown across her lap.

“You should be sleeping,” Sakura would comment, not looking up from her laptop. She would mindlessly stroke his hair, giving him affection without putting any thought to it.

“You should take a break,” he countered. “I’m already naked. You should take advantage of that.”

Such a curious creature. Sakura had already seen him naked on countless occasions but she never failed to get flustered.

Her cheeks would flush and he could track the spread of the heat from her face down her neck and further past her shirt. Sasuke could smell the heated blood, hear the thumping of her heart and the rushing of her blood.

“Your eyes are doing that thing again. So red,” Sakura’s voice wavered as Sasuke pulled her laptop away from her and set it down on the floor. “If you’re hungry you can just say so. You didn’t eat last night.”

“If I was hungry, I would say I was.”

Sasuke loomed over her, dragging his fingers up her torso, lifting her shirt with the movement. He drummed his fingers along her ribcage.

If he wanted to, he could apply enough pressure to crack them. It wouldn’t take any effort on his part, just a press of his thumb and the bone would snap, puncturing a lung and causing it to collapse.

“Sasuke-kun…”

Her voice was always breathy when he brushed his fingers under the swell of her breast and rubbed his thumb up the line of her throat just under her jaw.

A press of his thumb and he could crush her windpipe.

But instead he stroked along her jaw and enjoyed the way her eyes became hooded as he touched her. There was so much trust in those eyes, never a worry about how dangerous a position she was in. So much adoration in them right before she took his hand in hers and turned her face to press a kiss to the inside of his wrist.

Is that all for me? Really?

Sasuke wasn’t sure what he did to deserve that look in her eyes. That look of pure happiness whenever she opened the door and he was on the other side. That look that made him forget.

Forget that the delicate woman lying underneath him would age and want more and drift away from him.

Forget that he wasn’t allowed to get attached.

. .

“You should drink more.”

Sasuke watched as his older brother brushed off his mother’s hand as she reached to stroke his face.

“Izumi-chan, would you mind? After your meal of course.”

Itachi had always been sickly and needed more than just the blood of a cold donor. Blood provided by the dhampire of his two spouses improved his condition but drinking and feeling the person as he fed had always disturbed Itachi.

Due to his disgust with himself, he never drank enough.

“Damn pacifist,” their great-great uncle Madara had spat in disgust. “Pitiful.”

Their mother wouldn’t allow their father to invite Madara for their more intimate family dinners after that.

“I drink enough.”

“We usually have to, uh, distract him,” Shisui teased, tossing back his own goblet of blood. “Not that it always works but we give it our best shot.”

There was a thumping sound and he choked on his gulp. From the look Izumi was giving him it was clear that she had kicked him under the table.

“Must you be so crass in front of your in-laws?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You implied it.”

“May I be excused?”

The bickering ceased as everyone turned their attention to the youngest member of the family. Sasuke kept his eyes on his father—ignoring everyone else—who simply nodded before turning his attention back to the warm bowl in front of him.

Sasuke didn’t usually mind when his family gathered every week for dinner. But for the past few weeks there was an irritation building up whenever he sat across from his brother.

Here he was struggling with resisting drinking and his brother as always did so with ease despite the fact that he was being encouraged to drink from his wife.

“That’s a nasty habit.”

Sasuke crushed his cigarette under his foot, kicking it off the engawa and into his mother’s garden.

“She’s going to find that,” his brother warned him.

“I’ll blame Shisui.”

“This isn’t like you.”

“I always blame Shisui for things.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Sasuke sighed and took a seat on the ledge of the engawa.

“How long is this lecture going to take?”

“This is exactly what I mean.” Itachi took a seat, giving Sasuke his space. “You’re really snappy lately and you don’t really care about anything. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing.” Sasuke cringed at how quick he was to respond, proving that he was being as snappish as his brother said he was being.

It wasn’t his family’s fault that he was feeling the way he was. None of them were to blame for his predicament.

It wasn’t their fault that they were happy while he wasn’t.

. .

Sasuke chose to ignore his phone ringing in his pocket for the third time when he heard her clear her throat.

Sakura nodded toward the bottle on the counter and then looked up at him. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, drawing inward on herself. The gesture made her look even smaller than she already was.

“Is there something wrong with me?”

“Nothing’s wrong with you.”

“Then why are they giving me supplements? They said you’ve been collecting cold donations.”

Oh. The cold donations.

In an effort to curb his appetite, Sasuke had been making sure to fill up before he met with Sakura. He was testing a theory that if he were too full before sex that he wouldn’t be driven by instinct to feed. He didn’t need to feed more than three times a week but he wanted to see Sakura a lot more often.

The  problem was that his triggers for hunger were the same things that aroused him when it came to Sakura.

And how was he supposed to explain that to her?

Trying to think of an answer that would suffice was difficult enough without his phone ringing continuously. He pulled it out of his pocket and peeked at the Caller ID. “Uzumaki K.” flashed on his screen and he stared at it.

There was a chance it was work related but there was an even higher chance that it wasn’t.

“I have to take this,” Sasuke told her reluctantly sliding his finger across the screen to answer.

“First let me just say,” a haughty feminine voice broke through without greeting, “Suigetsu did it.”

So it wasn’t work related. Sasuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“But it was your fault it happened,” Karin continued. “You haven’t been answering your phone for days and no one knows where you go apart from work and it’s not like you have a life.”

“What did you idiots do?” Sasuke hissed. From his peripheral, Sakura’s eyes widened in shock and her guarded pose dropped a bit of its tension.

“Let me reiterate that it was Suigetsu,” an angry shout came muffled through the speaker. “He may have broken the door to your apartment.”

“You’re fucking kidding,” Sasuke growled. “My door? Really?”

“You really think I would want to tell you that we broke something of yours?”

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his forehead. As snarky as she could get, Karin wasn’t stupid enough to get on his bad side.

But she wasn’t above annoying him and letting Suigetsu take the fall.

“You’re a tracker. You could have found me at any moment if you wanted.”

“You were the one that said to stop chasing you down. Not my fault your messy ass can’t answer a cell phone that’s literally always in your pocket.”

“Didn’t realize you were so clingy. I don’t get how Konan puts up with you. You would think she would be tired of babysitting.”

“Leave her out of this!”

Sasuke smirked as Karin ranted about leaving her girlfriend out of their conversations. If anything was her weak spot that was it. She always got touchy when it was brought up how much younger she was than Konan. It wasn’t the largest gap for a vampire couple but it was still a sore spot for her.

“Sasuke-kun?” Sakura brought his attention back to her and the conversation they had been having.

“Wait? Are you with a woman? You date?! Why didn’t you say anything? Sasuke? Sasuke!”

Sasuke hung up and put his phone on vibrate before he stuffed it back in his pocket. He barely removed his hand before his phone started vibrating. Karin wasn’t going to let it go.

“It was a coworker.” That didn’t sound right at all. “A friend. She and another friend were curious about my whereabouts.”

“You could have told them. I wouldn’t have minded.”

“It’s none of their business.”

The response came out too quickly and it sounded awkward to Sasuke’s own ears.

“Sakura—“

“It’s okay.” Sakura sighed and played with the supplement bottle on the counter, refusing to look at him. “You should go take care of whatever they needed to call you about.”

I should be taking care of this.

“I have stuff to take care of for school anyway. So if you’re here for blood you should just get that over with.”

Sasuke gripped her shoulder and leaned down, tracing the side of her throat with his nose. His lips brushed against her skin and she flinched under his touch.

Biting her wasn’t his intention. He kissed the junction of her neck and shoulder, trailing more kisses up her throat right under her jaw.

I don’t want blood. I want everything.

Perhaps if he had said his thoughts out loud Sakura wouldn’t have pushed against his chest and turned him around so he faced her apartment door.

He sighed and grabbed his coat off of the kitchen island when he heard the bedroom door shut with a click.

. .

It wasn’t the first time Sasuke had been kicked out of Sakura’s apartment. Although the first time it had happened he had been kicked out for something he found far more pleasant.

As much as she had enjoyed her orgasm, Sakura didn’t enjoy finding out the source of blood that caused the smear on Sasuke’s chin.

“It’s still blood and orgasms help with cramping.”

“Get out! Out of my apartment!”

Due to her embarrassment she had pushed him out of her apartment, with his shoes in hand and his pants riding low on his hips. He was stuck outside half dressed until she opened her door again and let him back inside so he could gather the rest of his clothing.

They had sat down and discussed boundaries and that just because her period came early, it didn’t mean he could snack away as he pleased. The days of her period were usually the days he never visited because Sakura arranged their schedule around them and she preferred it that way.

She was supposed to refrain from doing her donor duties while menstruating but Sasuke saw no reason for her not to offer a different way for him to consume blood. Especially if he was more than willing to help her deal with the pesky, painful symptoms of her menstrual cycle.

“It’s not all liquid how can you consume that?!”

“How do you drink boba tea?”

“That’s not the same!”

They had argued but there was a shift in their relationship that day. Something more open about them came about because of the incident. As physically intimate as they were there was something that kept them both so closed off from each other.

“If you want you can stay,” Sakura had mumbled, averting her gaze, “I know I’m on the rag and you can’t drink from a menstruating donor for their health and safety but you don’t have to leave…”

How was it that they could be naked in front of each other but still uncomfortable with leaving their feelings bare for the other to see?

Sasuke knew Sakura wanted more than just his visits. Wanted more than just his touch. It was in the way she looked at him, eyes full of yearning even when they lay side by side waiting for their breathing to slow down. She clung to him in her sleep the same way he clung to her when they were awake.

Their words danced around in an awkward shuffle, refusing to be the one that changed their dynamic.

Although Sasuke wanted Sakura to make the first move, to voice what she wanted from him, he knew it was unfair.

She had more to lose than he did. He could walk away from her, ask for another donor if he felt uncomfortable. Sakura would be hurt and terminated as a donor. He needed her blood and she needed the money.

What they needed not what they wanted because Sasuke was sure that what they had wasn’t out of convenience. Everything could change if one of them would just take the plunge and say it out loud.

I want you.

. .

Sakura would love to meet Karin.

That was all that went through Sasuke’s mind as he watched the redhead socialize and introduce her lover to their coworkers. No one would ever doubt that Karin was a vampire. Karin dressed and carried herself in the exact way Sakura had once assumed all vampires did. Clad in leather and revealing just enough skin to be just short of scandalous, Karin and Konan made a vision of seductresses of the night.

Sakura would probably go nuts over my formal uniform.

Sasuke clutched at the fabric of his cape. Darker than the police uniform, the vampiric military force had a flare for the dramatic. The formal uniforms were for aesthetic purposes not for practical use.

He could almost hear Sakura’s cheerful voice mocking him.

“So you do own a cape!”

Sasuke hid a smile behind his goblet. He had been avoiding socializing as much as he could but someone was sure to ask if they noticed even the slightest tick of his facial muscles.

Sakura could usually tell what he was thinking just from the slightest shift.

. .

“You’re laughing at me!” Sakura pouted, pulling her phone to her chest and shielding it with her hand.

“I’m not even smiling how am I laughing at you?” Sasuke scoffed but turned his mouth into the back of his hand to hide his face just in case he broke through his facade. He had been busy chopping vegetables which was probably why Sakura thought she could sneak up on him.

There was a chance she would be unhappy to know that he was aware of her creeping around him the whole time.

“I just wanted one picture,” Sakura pleaded. “You said it was a myth that vampires don’t show up in photographs. Looks like I have proof now that you were telling the truth.”

“I think what I said was that my great-great uncle Madara was the only one that didn’t show up in photographs. Something about cameras stealing your soul.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No I’m serious. We really do have souls.”

“Not that part!”

Sakura burst into a peal of laughter and there was no more hiding his forming smile.

“He avoids mirrors too. It’s why his hair always looks a mess. The older generation has an aversion for a lot of things because of superstitions and that’s probably what led to all of the vampire myths.”

Sakura laughed harder and the sound caused a fluttering sensation to fill his stomach. It was doing that a lot lately.

Taking his mother’s lead about treating the process like an omiai, Sasuke spent more time with Sakura than necessary. There was no awkwardness about how he would sink his fangs into her slender neck.

The only awkwardness came from how he wanted to drag his lips lower down the line of her throat and suck on something other than her blood.

Her company was enjoyable and she was pretty and his mother really messed him up with her comment.

Treating her like a person and not like his food made Sakura more comfortable with him touching her, putting his mouth on her, but it also made Sasuke more comfortable in her presence.

She wasn’t just something he had scheduled during the week. She was someone he looked forward to seeing. This was more than just blood.

And that was terrifying.

“A candid photo and you still look good,” Sakura grumbled as she looked at her phone’s screen. Her voice was low but Sasuke caught her words easily with his superior hearing.

His tracker hearing.

Hunter hearing.

Hearing of a predator.

“What was that?” He asked her, leaning over so that they were at eye level with each other. “Didn’t catch that.”

“It was nothing.”

Sakura’s face bloomed a pretty blush that dusted the apples of her cheeks.

“I could have sworn you said something,” he continued to bug her, watching the heated color intensify to a deep red.

A pretty, pretty red of blood rushing to her face.

“Something about my good looks, maybe?”

Sakura glared at him, and the blush spread down her neck.

“Yeah I said that. It’s not like you aren’t aware of how good looking you are!” Sakura retorted hotly. Her heart was pumping fast beats that drummed in Sasuke’s ears.

“True.”

He slid his hands on the countertop, trapping her within his arms. She gulped and it was humorously audible now that Sasuke was focused on every little thing Sakura was doing.

Focused on the way her eyes shifted from his mouth to the side and back. On the way her chest was rapidly rising and falling. On the sound of her staggered breathing.

All signs her blood was rushing, swirling around and perfect for the taking.

So Sasuke took what he wanted.

Sakura’s breath hitched against his mouth, soft lips trembling as they parted from the pressure of Sasuke’s kiss. Sasuke sucked her lower lip into his mouth as he cradled her closer to his body. Slipping his tongue inside her mouth, he coaxed a content sigh of hers to roll against his tongue.

Not enough. Sasuke moaned softly as Sakura’s fingers brushed the points of his ears to grip his hair.

“Your ears...?” Sakura pulled back slightly, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows. “They’re—“

“Yeah, they’re pointed, don’t worry about them,” Sasuke huffed, frustrated that she had stopped moving her lips against his.

My neck hurts, he griped inwardly.

He gripped her hips and lifted her up so she was seated on her island. Sakura squeaked and dragged her hands down from his hair and cupped his neck.

“You’re too short,” Sasuke explained. Sakura narrowed her eyes at him and opened her mouth to retort but Sasuke didn’t give her the chance.

He pulled her closer to the edge of the counter and stood between her legs. He drummed his fingers on her thighs and slid them up before taking hold of her waist.

Sakura moaned against his mouth as he rocked against her. The more he rubbed himself against her and she scratched lightly at his back through his open flannel and t-shirt the harder he got. She dragged her nails down and with some fumbling she slid her hands under the hem and raked her nails up his torso.

Sasuke was tugging on the waistband of her shorts when Sakura stilled in his hold. She pulled away from him and wrapped her hand around his wrist. She didn’t have the strength to push him away━she was only human of course━but that one movement froze him in place.

“I,” Sakura licked her lips, “don’t have any condoms here. I never have them.”

Sasuke sighed and dropped his forehead on hers. He hadn’t meant to take it as far as they did but he couldn’t deny being hopeful as he stood there with a throbbing ache in between his legs.

“Next time...I’ll bring some, hm?”

“Okay.” Sakura nodded, cheeks flushed and clothes rumpled. “That...that sounds good.”

“You know,” Sasuke smoothed his palms flat on her thighs, “there’s a lot we can still do.”

“You’re laughing at me again,” Sakura grumbled but she slid her hands up his torso and looped her arms around his neck. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re just going to keep teasing me from now on?”

. .

“Are you really hiding in the shadows at a vampire function?”

Sasuke peered through his peripheral at the person disrupting his moment of recollection. Karin sidled up next to him against the wall. Besides being an excellent tracker she was able to mask her presence the best. Not the muscle of their department but without her finding rogue vampires would be difficult.

But her habit of sneaking up on people was irritating to no end.

“You’re so creepy even by vampire standards.” Karin exaggerated a shiver and fished a cherry out of her drink. “You’ve got enough gloom for the whole ball.”

“What do you want Karin?”

“You don’t smell like you usually do.” Karin side eyed him, smile toothy and flashing her fangs. “Cleaned up the reek of human I see.”

Sasuke loomed over her small form. Even slimmer, more lithe than Sakura, and yet his overwhelming height didn’t faze her. Karin just scoffed and took a prim sip of her fruity drink.

“You’re bringing down the party.” Karin adjusted the clasp holding his cloak together. “Just go home. Or wherever it is you would rather be.”

Sasuke glanced over at the rest of the ball room. Everyone was still in the midst of the military force’s festivities.

“No one is going to miss your antisocial ass.” Karin pushed on his shoulder and then waved him away with shooing motions of her hand. “Now go before anyone notices I’m gone because I had to check on your morose self.”

Karin adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose and gave him one of her looks that was a cross between disappointment and haughtiness that she had perfected over the years. Usually it was given to Suigetsu but occasionally Sasuke was on the receiving end. It never really affected him until now.

If there was every a time he deserved that look, it was in this moment.

“You’re less depressing to hang around when you stink of human.”

Karin didn’t wait to see what decision he made. She chose to find Konan and link her arm with hers, happily escorting her around the ballroom to be introduced to any of Karin’s coworkers and friends. She beamed at her taller girlfriend and was openly affectionate whenever she got the chance.

She was content and nothing else mattered.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to leave the ballroom. The ball was getting duller by the second and there was somewhere much more appealing to be.

. .

It was two in the morning and he hadn’t called ahead but Sasuke had no qualms over his late night appearance at Sakura’s apartment.

A normal human would have been sleeping or trying to sleep.

Not Sakura. Sakura would be up late and studying. Sasuke knew enough about her habits to know she wouldn’t be sleeping like she should have been.

And sure enough when she opened the door she was in a pair of shorts and camisole to sleep in but was wearing her reading glasses, a sign that she had been in the middle of working on an assignment or reading a medical journal.

“I wasn’t expecting you.”

Sakura slipped her glasses off and folded up the frames. She shifted on the balls of her feet and she hid her hands behind her back.

“I didn’t plan to come.”

Sakura jutted out her lower lip and narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. He knew it was out of character for him to come over on a whim.

On his way over to Sakura’s apartment he kept arguing with himself, going back and forth on what he should do.

His mind kept telling him to go home, to forget his urges and stay in control, but his body as if moving on its own had him finding himself at her door and his fist raised, ready to knock.

Sakura took note of his cape and there was a glimmer in her eye. The muscles on her face twitched but remained as impassive as she could muster.

But her eyes always gave her away. Despite herself they had gleamed the way they always did when she opened her door and he was standing outside of it.

She stepped aside and let him into her apartment.

“Before you ask, no I didn’t come for━”

He didn’t get a chance to finish when Sakura pulled him by the flaps of his cloak and stood on her toes, pressing her mouth against his. Without hesitation he molded his lips over hers and slid his arms around her torso, pulling her closer. Sasuke held her tight and prayed she wouldn’t pull away.

Sasuke backed her away from the entry way and into the kitchen area. He wasn’t patient enough to get her to even the couch of the section that made up the living room let alone her bedroom. He lifted her up on top of the island that divided the kitchen and the living room, sucking her lower lip into his mouth.

“I missed you,” Sakura moaned when he released her lip in favor of pressing hot open mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her throat.

It had only been a week but Sasuke was used to seeing Sakura almost everyday with his habit of sleeping over and spending whole days in her apartment. He had only ever gone one day away from her at a time after they had first became physically involved.

So he missed her too.

He missed listening to her stories about her professors and classmates. Missed berating her about her eating and sleep habits. Missed how she would always be so cold and still only wear shorts and a camisole in her apartment choosing instead to bundle up with a blanket.

Sasuke also missed the way they moved together.

He missed the way she breathed. Missed the way her thighs trembled when he glided his hands on them, stroking them. Missed the way his name got caught in her throat.

Sasuke tugged at her shorts, roughly pulling them down. He missed being inside her as well and he knew they would both be happier if she had far less clothing. Sakura yanked off her cami and tossed it aside without a care for where it had gone and Sasuke moved his kisses further down her chest, wrapping his lips around a hardened nipple.

He could feel her fingers fumbling at the clasp of his cloak and he brushed her fingers away. She protested but then squealed when he picked her back up and moved her to the couch. He went for the clasp himself and Sakura busied herself with unbuckling his belt.

“Now. Please,” Sakura pleaded as she unbuttoned his suit jacket. He shimmied out of it as Sakura assisted him in undressing by untucking his dress shirt. She attempted to undo the buttons but her fumbling fingers kept slipping.

“Forget the damn buttons!” Sasuke hissed. He licked his fingers and rubbed them over the tip of his cock before taking himself in hand and guiding himself into Sakura’s tight, wet heat. “Ffuuck...”

Sakura moaned her approval and grinded her hips down, moving without him, not caring to adjust to his intrusion. She squeezed her breasts in both of her hands and bit down on her lower lip.

Fuck…

Sasuke pulled her legs over his lap and gripped her hips as he drilled into her, thrusting deeply causing her to gasp out in staccato beats.

His thrusting got sloppier as moved his focus on kissing her deeply. Sakura whined in frustration and Sasuke felt the vibrations roll against his tongue.

Sakura rolled them so that Sasuke landed on the ground with a groan.

“You okay?” She asked as she straddled his lap, knees at the sides of his hips. He growled at her but gripped her hips tightly. “Good.”

She sank back down on his length and using her hands on his chest as an anchor she bounced up and down on his lap, throwing her head back as Sasuke matched her bouncing with upwards thrusts. He slid his thumb over her clit and rubbed in circles at the same pace Sakura was setting.

“Shit!” He could feel himself slipping over the edge as the muscles of Sakura’s core fluttered around his cock. Sasuke pumped upwards hard, holding Sakura down, no longer letting her move.

Sakura came, crying out as she collapsed against his chest. Sasuke followed after her still holding onto her hips. He gripped tightly and spilled inside of her, finishing with slow lazy thrusts.

They laid there on the ground chest to chest waiting for their breathing to slow down.

“Yeah, so I missed you too.”

Sakura snorted, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. Sasuke felt her sigh, warm breath puffing out onto his flesh.

He listened to her heart slow down it’s beating until she drifted off to sleep.

. .

Sasuke blinked and stretched out his limbs. He huffed out a breath and turned his head to the empty gap Sakura usually took up in bed. He sat up and scanned the bedroom floor for his boxer briefs. Sasuke had finally removed all of his clothing after carrying Sakura to bed.

Everything was rumpled but luckily he had some clothing in the bottom of Sakura’s closet and he could always borrow her iron.

No idea how I’m going to explain some of those stains to the cleaners…

Not bothering with anything but his underwear he rubbed his head forehead with the heel of his hand. Heading out to Sakura’s kitchen he paused outside of the bedroom door at the sight of Sakura sitting on her living room floor in nothing but his cape.

“Um, I…”

Her face flushed red and she wrapped the oversized cloak around her small form. Sasuke exhaled through his nose and

“It’s a good look for you,” he teased her and took a seat on the couch.

Sakura buried her glowing red face into the flaps of his cloak. It was a really good look for her. Sasuke could look at her face forever and never get bored. It was a while before she poked her head back out from his cape.

“You didn’t drink last night.”

“I didn’t come here for blood.”

Sakura cocked her head and her brows furrowed in confusion.

“I don’t come here just for blood. Your blood isn’t what I want when I come over.”

Sakura inhaled sharply and kept her gaze steady on him. Eyes that always glimmered with everything she felt for him. Everything he wanted to keep glimmering for him. Always for him.

Because she━she was everything.

#sasusaku #ss fanfiction #vampfiction #day!fics

[darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts]

My Sweet Hero

Thanks to @a-shout-to-the-void and @xathia-89 for beta reading this for me. I hope you all enjoy this slice of life Modern AU, school Sasuke. 

Warnings: Adorable School nerd, strong language, some appearances form U/T crew and a cameo from a Prickle Puff.

Masterlist

---

My Sweet Hero

This time of year was always one of those you either loved or hated. It was filled with so many words of love and candy you’d think the world around you had been sugar coated. Every year it was the same for him. He didn’t mind the loved-up couples or the fact their displays of love declaration were everywhere. He was actually a romantic at heart. No, what he felt was a pang of jealousy every year as he watched while others enjoyed the day and he remained in his classroom surrounded by textbooks and research.

There was a school open day planned in two days and some of the classes had decided to do Valentine’s day themed events. Couples signed up to take part in everything from scavenger hunts to locked room puzzles. There was even a race where you had obstacles and things too, “Test the strength of your love”. It all looked very nice and he felt warm looking at all the happy smiling faces of the people around him, even if he was envious at their ability to effortlessly interact with each other. What would I be like to be part of the crowd for once?

“Earth to Sasuke… Hello?” A loud and familiar voice came rushing up from behind him as he walked up the hill to the school gates.

“Mm? Oh, Yukimura good morning.”

“Morning. I’ve been calling you since you got off the bus you know?” Yukimura fell in line next to him adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.

“Sorry I was thinking about something.”

“Yeah? It wasn’t some of your weird mad scientist stuff was it?” Yukimura asked tilting his head a little to look at Sasuke a little closer.

“Theoretical Time Travel and Quantum Mechanics is not Mad Scientist stuff.” Sasuke’s familiar flat response resulted in a wry smile from his friend. They weren’t the most likely of friends but against the odds of basically every stereotype, they were best friends.

“That is exactly what a mad scientist would say.” Yuki chuckled a little as he teased before going bug eyes and jumping behind Sasuke. “Oh, crap.”

“What is it?” Sasuke looked around instinctively failing to see a threat.

“It’s that girl from class 4.” Yukimura looked comical as he poked his head out from behind Sasuke’s back to point out a girl in uniform walking with her friends a little ahead of them.

“You’re right it certainly looks like her.”

“No, you Dummy I mean… God, after school yesterday she cornered me as I was leaving. Girls are so damn scary.” Sasuke could tell Yukimura was turning red. It was something he did regularly. He was probably red to the tips of his ears right now.

“Cornered you?”

“Yeah for a love confession.”

“I see…” Sasuke returned to looking at the girl walking in front.

“Hey! What’s with that reaction? I’m not bad looking you know?” Clearly, Sasuke’s lack of response had struck a chord with Yukimura who had gone a little defensive.

“I never said you were. But I am however curious. I take the fact that you are attempting to hide means you turned her down?” Sasuke stopped walking causing Yukimura to lightly thump into his back.

“N-not exactly.” Yukimura became very interested in adjusting the strap on his bag when Sasuke turned to look at him.

“No?”

“I kinda freaked out and called her an idiot and she ran away in tears. I hate it when girls cry.” Yukimura raised his head. His face was indeed red and his eyes looked a little like he was totally bewildered. Perhaps this is why we are friends? I find it difficult to do standard social interactions with almost everyone and you struggle with anything that involves the opposite gender.

“If you hate it so much, I would suggest you pay closer attention to the many ways of making a girl happy that I’ve been trying to teach you for years Yuki.” The deep calming voice of a friendly Senior chimed into the private conversation. Shingen was usually surrounded by girls no matter what time of year it was.

“Gross I’m not saying any of that stuff.” Yukimura scrunched up his face at the idea of imitating any of Shingen’s dramatic performances.

“Agreed. I admit you have technique Shingen but why you have to be so vomit-inducing with it is beyond me.” The icy tones of another familiar Senior joined them.

“Morning Shingen… Kenshin.” Sasuke gave a polite nod as they continued to the gates as a group.

“Morning.”

---

On his way to the science block, Sasuke noticed a brightly coloured display outside the art department. “Wall of love”. Drawing closer to it out of curiosity he managed to read the notice pinned next to it. “Declare your love, admiration and appreciation here. Total anonymity. To shy to tell your crush you like them? Not a problem. Pin your messages here or post your notes in the box provided and we shall play Cupid and pass on your anonymous admirations.”

“Ridiculous isn’t it?” The gruff and tired voice of someone spoke up from next to him.

“Morning Ieyasu. It’s… different.”

“Waste of time.” Ieyasu poked one of the paper flowers on the display with his finger as he spoke. “But I suppose this is better than having someone come up to you randomly and disturbing your day with mindless love confessions. You using the particle simulator today?” One of the benefits of being part of this school was its affiliation to the University which meant students could access equipment usually unavailable. There was however usually a big waiting list, and today it was Sasuke’s turn to use the machine.

“Mm…Oh! yes.”

“Well try not to break it. See ya.” Ieyasu’s switch from casual conversation to business was fast. Without waiting for a reply, he stalked off towards the labs.

---

Lunchtime came around all to fast. The phrase time flies when you’re having fun came to mind and made him chuckle as he looked over his latest calculations to try to prove his theory on the ability to time travel. He was lucky if he was honest, the professors all supported him with his research as long as his other studies didn’t suffer. Thankfully his grades maintained their steady average in the 90% margin so he was free to do whatever he wished. One day I’ll crack this I just have to figure out a few more things. The bell sounded throughout the campus for break time and when he went to his locker to retrieve his packed lunch something small fluttered from on top of it. What is that?... Huh!?

After picking up the fallen item he noticed it was an envelope with heart washi tape on it. Was this one of those anonymous notes? Surely not. Much more likely its one of those guys pulling a prank again. The memory of a few years ago at the winter formal made him shudder. Being told to go outside as a girl was asking for him by name, to be bombarded by a barrage of snowballs and have them all laugh at him for being such a nerd. I’m not falling for the same prank twice. I might be a Nerd but I’m not an idiot.

Quickly stuffing the note into his pocket and grabbing his food bag, he made his way to the playing fields where he always met Yukimura for lunch. It was far enough from the main campus benches that they could always grab a seat. Also, Yukimura was a member of nearly every school sports team so it was handy for him to grab food near where he was busy working. He wasn’t there when he arrived so deciding to just set up his meal.

“Hey man sorry, I’m a bit late.” Yukimura jogged up, his hair still slightly damp from having a shower after last period.

“No problem. I wasn’t waiting long anyway.” Sasuke put his jacket down next to him and the “love note” fell out of his pocket landing at Yukimura’s feet.

“Hey what’s this?” Yukimura bent down to retrieve it flipping it over in his hand looking at it as if it might be some sort of weapon. You never knew with Sasuke. Last Halloween he remembered his friend dressing up as a ninja and throwing something that filled the whole house with smoke. His parents were not amused at all.

“I don’t know it was in my locker when I went to get my lunch. It’s probably a prank.” Sasuke shrugged as he took a bite from one of his sandwiches.

“Oh yeah? Well if it is, I’ll go and smack a few skulls together.” Yukimura handed back over the note and punched his fist into the palm of his other hand as he made his declaration.

“I’ll help.” Kenshin drifted into the conversation like a cold north wind. He was so silent at times when he moved, so graceful. Was that from the training he did as head of the fencing team or was that just natural?

“You two are always so quick to jump into a fight.” Shingen sighed as he lowered himself to the grass and reclined on it. The sight of his lunchbox being nearly completely only one filled with deserts had Yukimura pulling a face.

“Hey! I’m not as bad as he is.” Yukimura protested as he split up some of his own lunch and swapped it with some of the sweets from Shingen. Shingen didn’t bother to protest, they had been family friends and neighbour for long enough this was just a normal interaction for them now.

“Thank you both of you but I really don’t think its anything to worry that much over.” Sasuke said as he took a mouthful of chilled water from his bottle.

“And what if it isn’t a prank? Oh, I can see it now. A beauty sitting there all alone pining away clutching her chest. Her delicate little heart fluttering away as she stares out longingly from the window thinking of our own Sasuke.” Shingen was being dramatic. I guess it’s hard to turn off that great actor thing.

“Is there an intermission in this performance or are we to expect more?” Kenshin rolled his eyes as he plucked out a pickled plum from his rice and crunched it happily.

“I pity you Kenshin you have no sense of romance.”

---

By the time he looked out of the window from the science block, he could clearly see people milling around making their way home. He pulled the cuff of his shirt back and looked at his watch. Guess I got so into this I forgot about the time. I should pack up and go home.

After setting the lab back to its original state and putting his coat on the peg he trailed the familiar path back to the main gate which was when someone smacked right into him from one of the side rooms of the art department as he passed by.

“Ah!”

“Oh my god! I am so sorry. I didn’t see you and… oh no!” The soft chime-like voice of a girl addressed him as her bag tumbled from her grip sending its contents scattering all over the ground.

“It’s alright. Are you ok? Here let me help you.” Sasuke didn’t even pause before he had made his offer of assistance and was gathering all the fallen items for her.

“Y-yes…. err… thank you. God, I’m so sorry. I’m such a klutz.” She was clearly flustered. “I think that’s it all.” She placed the last of her notebooks back into her bag and gave him an embarrassed smile. Do I know her?

“Oh, wait is this yours too?” Sasuke bent to retrieve something that had rolled a little further away. His hand stopped slightly as he realised what he was holding. No way. It couldn’t be, could it? It's exactly like the tape on that note I got. But its common enough that girls these days have washi tape it could be unrelated.

“Ah! Oh yeah… thanks.” She gratefully took the tape and bowed to him. “I’m really so, so sorry.”

“It’s alright there was no harm done. As long as you are ok that is all that matters.” Her cute reaction and sincerity actually made him feel a little flustered.

“You really… you’re very sweet Sasuke. Oh! I gotta run sorry I’m gonna miss my bus! Thanks again, bye!” She snapped up with the brightest smile beaming on her face and turned on her heel and started to run. Did I tell her my name?

---

Curiosity is the foundation of his scientific exploration. Well, that and his desire to travel in time and see history with his own two eyes. He put his hand in his pocket and his fingers grazed over the edges of something, pulling it free he realised it was that note again. I wonder. Breaking the seal of the washi tape he saw the small delicate writing on the pale green paper.

“Sasuke Sarutobi. I really like you. I realise this is a long shot but even with the odds stacked against me, I cannot pass up the chance to tell you even if it is only like this. Your secret admirer.”

He stared at the paper in mild shock. Re-reading the words over and over as if he was missing something. If this is a girl. Could it be her? Don’t be ridiculous Sasuke she’s a popular girl why on earth would she notice a nerd like you? Still. Total anonymity huh?

---

It took a bit of planning but once the idea was there it was difficult to ignore it. I’ll put my own note in that box and wait for the reply then I should be able to see who it is. Sasuke thumbed the edge of his olive-green envelope as he walked the familiar route past the art department to the science block. He dropped it in the box in such a way that no one noticed, a small rush of adrenaline kicked in and now he just had to wait.

A group of kids emptied the box and began shuffling the notes like a deck of cards before dividing them up so they could be delivered. Clearly, this was a popular thing. A short time later and a familiar figure crept along looking around them shyly. She took out a note that even from this distance he could see was just like the one he first received. Before he knew it, his body was moving before his mind had even caught up to the motion and he was at her side.

“Hello MC.”

“Oh! Err… Hello Sasuke.” Her shoulders jumped as he spoke to her.

“Is that for me?”

“Huh?!” Her eyes were wide and swimming. Ok, Sasuke you could possibly have been a little less direct about that.

“Well, I would surmise from the fact you are using the same stationery as before that there is a high possibility that you are the one that wrote this note. Of course, if I am wrong and you aren’t then I am very sorry for making you jump.” Sasuke showed her the love confession he had in his pocket. She visibly froze.

“… You aren’t wrong.”

“Pardon me?” Her faint voice confirmed his thoughts and he had a moment of being unable to process thought.

“What’s with that look?” She smiled at him giggling at his reaction.

“Sorry, It’s just. I had no idea that we were acquainted enough for you to know my name. We are not only in different classes we are also in different years. And you are clearly on the more popular side of the fence.”

“I might not be as popular as you imagine.” She shuffled her feet adorably as she spoke

“And anyway, Of course, I remember the name of the guy that saved me after I transferred.”

“Saved you? Me?” Sasuke tried to go back over his memories in search of such a thing. She could have been remembering someone else.

“Yes. You.” She resigned herself to continue her explanation her smile faltering a little as she realised he had forgotten all about her. “I was completely lost looking for my class and you were in a rush but you dropped what you were doing and helped guide me to my location. I- I wanted to thank you more but… I… I’m sorry I was too nervous to approach you after that.”

“That girl that day by the gates, was you? I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you, I mean you were so…” Sasuke remembered a small new student struggling to look at a campus map in a total fluster. She… is that really her?

“Ugly?”

“I was going to say small and frightened looking. Clearly, you have settled in now and you don’t appear to be so small in fact you’ve grown up.” Sasuke cringed even he was aware of how awkward he was being.

“You talk a little like an old man.” Her laughter was a blessing to him and if it came from his own embarrassment, he would gladly embarrass himself as many times as she liked.

“My Apologises I am not exactly very familiar with socialising.”

“I see. Well, you were right the note was from me. I suppose now you know you are going to turn me, down right? I mean its how these things work.” Her shoulders slumped.

“Is it?”

“Yeah. Girl confesses, the guy isn’t interested so he turns her down…”

“What if I am interested?”

“Huh?” She looked at him as if he was some sort of totally new scientific discovery. Even he had to admit his fast response was a little shocking and it was him who said it.

“That is to say. I would like to test a theory if you’d let me?”

“You do know all theories work until put in practice then they have a failure rate.”

“Yes, depending on the experiment and its fundamentals, contributing factors that are likely to affect negative results it can be anywhere from…” Her decent back into laugher made him stop. “Oh, I’m sorry. I have been told I tend to ramble.”

“No, no sorry, I thought it was funny because it was kinda cute.” She waved her hands at him in reassurance.

“Cute?”

“Oh! Guys don’t like being called that… erm…” She was turning pink in her new fluster. She’s actually rather cute herself.

“No, If you are the one calling me that then I don’t mind.” Sasuke said softly as he drew closer to her side. “Mc?”

“Yes?”

“The open day is tomorrow and I understand it would be asking a bit too much if you wished to take part in the events but, would you consider allowing me the honour of escorting you?”

“…” She stood there, mouth hanging open totally mute.

“Did I say that wrong?” Sasuke cast his eyes down as he tried to think of a correction.

“N-no. You said it perfectly I’m sorry I thought I was being pranked.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I would love to go with you tomorrow.” Her answer washed over him like a wave of relief. I guess that means I have a date then?

“Great. I’ll see you at the main gates tomorrow then.”

---

“Hey look it’s Nerd-Suke. What are you hanging around here for don’t tell me you were waiting for someone?” A familiar school bully approached him as he stood at their meeting place. Oh great, not today, come on.

“As it happens…”

“Ha! What kind of loser would agree to…?” He rounded on Sasuke clearly enjoying himself and his easy target. This is not going to end well. Sasuke tried to remember some things Kenshin had showed him after telling him if he wanted to be safe, he would have to learn some sort of self-defence.

“Excuse me? Who are you calling a loser?” A female voice pushed past the large guy and joined Sasuke at his side.

“Huh? No way who are you?”

“My name is none of your business and if you are done with my date, I would like to have him back now.” MC took a firm grip on Sasuke’s sleeve. She was trembling a little but she was holding her ground. Mc…

“Date? Nah no way. A cutie like you should see sense and ignore him and go with me.” The bully grabbed her arm and looked her over from head to toe the smile on his face turning into one that sent a rolling rage through Sasuke’s body. “What you say- AH!”

“I believe the lady said I was her date.” Sasuke had not only removed the hand from the girl he had it twisted up the bullies back so hard that the others guys legs had buckled in order to prevent his arm being broken. “Sorry, Mc.”

“Sasuke…”

“You won’t get away with this!” The bully was released and threw out the customary threat expected as he ran from the scene. Even if I haven’t I won’t let you touch her.

“Shall we go?” Sasuke held out his hand and she gladly accepted it. Her eyes sparkling at him.

“You really are my hero.”

“I always wanted to be told that.”

---

[bluboothalassophile]

Fathers and Daughters

Sasuke wasn't one to worry about catching a wife.

He had had Sakura since they had been children, she always loved him and always would. It didn't matter dark or gruesome or dangerous he could be, it didn't matter that he had tried to kill her or that she had tried to kill him, it didn't matter that they weren't together all the time because he knew she loved him and he loved her. Things for them had changed though when they had become lovers. Drastically changed because within a matter of minutes Sakura's infinite amount of choices in life were narrowed down to the ones only involving him because once he had a taste of her he wasn't giving her up. She was his, she was his queen and his only.

And it being only him and Sakura was fine with him. He didn't need anyone else really. True he had a few friends who had dared to trust him after everything he had done but he didn't have many. So having Sakura as his wife managed to both infuriate the villagers and make his friends happy. Not that he cared, all he cared about was that he finally had her. That was how he had gotten the first woman in his life and he was content with her.

Families weren't his thing, he didn't think he'd be father material and he knew any child of his would be an outcast for simply being his. The dobe and his wife were happily caring for their first child. Sauske pitied the dobe's kid because the poor bastard looked just like his father, blond hair and brilliant blue eyes with two whiskers on each cheek. Poor kid never stood a chance if you asked him, it was so painfully obvious he was related to the dobe.

But Sasuke was happy for his idiotic friend but he and Sakura didn't need children despite what the dobe said. Children would be a hassle and honestly he did not want any child of his to live as an outcast because of who their father was. Sakura though would be a fantastic mother, he saw it in her. She was so loving and caring it would be difficult for her not to be a good mother. He remembered pulling the pinkette to him and thinking she was enough family for him.

Sarada being born was a shock which throw him for a loop. In all honest Sakura had never looked pregnant. True she had been sick some days but he and she both attributed her sickness to over working, and though her breasts had been tender they hadn't exactly been inactive in their love making so she just blamed him for her discomfort. She had put on a little weight but nothing too significant, even in his mind there was nothing wrong with her besides the weight did nice things to her beautiful curves and mostly filled her out a little more. And there had been mood swings but nothing dramatic; beside Sakura was an expressive, emotional woman by nature so they hadn't worried about it.

Then they had gone on that mission, it wasn't anything special and it had just been him, her and Naruto because this was before Naruto was Hokage. There had been nothing special about the mission, other than Sakura's discomfort when she was resting. It was as if she had to be active to feel fine, he had caught onto this but hadn't said anything at the time. Naruto and him both kept an eye on her. They had received a message that Naruto was needed in the village, Sasuke and Sakura decided to continue with the mission. They had made it about six hours before Sakura could barely walk she was in so much pain, he was relieved that the weather was too bad for them to continue since she wouldn't complain about her pain and would force herself to continue with him. He didn't want that though, he just wished his wife wasn't so stubborn sometimes so he could care for her when she needed care, like now. They had made it into a cave with a storm raging on outside of them. It was really late and would be dawn in a few hours, he knew that much.

It had shocked them both when Sakura was stripping and there was a huge splash of water. He remembered staring at his wife while she stared dumbfounded at her feet and the dirt that was soaked around her feet. Then she had moaned, her head fell back and she sank to her knees. He had panicked thinking she was dying, she merely composed herself. He had just about had a heart attack when she reached between her legs and hissed.

"Sasuke," she had said in a pained but calmed voice. "I think I'm having a baby."

He had just about fainted then and there but she groaned again hugging herself in pain. He just held her in his arms and did what she instructed. It was a wild, long, hour. Definitely the longest night of his life. Sakura fought like a warrior to bring their unexpected baby into the world, she always fought hard but he had never seen her like this as she screamed and cursed him to bring their unknown child into the world.

She was born just before the dawn broke over the storm. She came screaming right into his hands and Sakura had collapsed panting. She was so small it was unnerving to him, but she scrunched up her little face and screamed bloody murder at him. It was as if she were demanding something but they didn't understand. Sasuke carefully wrapped the babe up, he did what Sakura instructed and sliced her umbilical cord, separating mother from child, then he held his girls in his arms. Sakura closed her eyes a bit as she held their daughter who finally settled and sucked on her mom's exposed breast. He just sat there in wonder and shock.

A lot of shock.

"Did you know?" he asked her in a hoarse voice as he rested against the wall of the cave and held his wife in his arms. The pinkette shook her head, he touched the babe's cheek the looked at his wife who was staring at the suckling child.

"Sakura?" he said her name softly, she blinked at him then.

"There were no signs! I didn't have a belly or anything! There was no movement and I swear I had my period every month!" she defended herself frantically as she tightened her hold on their baby. He wondered why she was being so panicky, he was the one who was freaking out here. But there was a wild, almost feral look in his wife's eye which had him wanting to sooth her.

"I know," he had replied simply as he held her close to him. She sighed as she leaned against him again. He lightly traced the breast his daughter was intently sucking on and Sakura closed her eyes.

"How'd we miss this?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. He just nodded then. They were both busy, they rarely saw each other and when they did they usually jumped each other. Sakura's moods, weight gain and discomfort could be attributed to the pregnancy neither father nor mother had known about. He knew her chakra signature and never not a once had there been another signature within her. Of that he was certain.

The light of a new day kissed the newest Uchiha as she held onto her mother.

"What are we going to do Sasuke?" Sakura asked softly when the new Uchiha yawned and closed her onyx eyes. Sasuke rested his chin on his wife's shoulder and tried to think. Honestly he was still wallowing in shock from becoming a father when he had never really planned on having a child. She'd be cursed, just like his entire family was cursed, and she'd be shunned because she was an Uchiha and she was his daughter.

But as he stared down at her sleeping and Sakura shyly covering her breast he couldn't find it in him to hate the child. She was innocent with a tuff of black hair and onyx eyes like him but he could clearly see Sakura's resemblance in the girl's face and eyes. She'd be a knock out when she was older if she took after her mother, the thought had him paling slightly.

"You and she will rest here and I'll take care of you," he answered seriously.

Sakura was in pain and he knew it.

"Alright," Sakura yawned as her eyes fluttered shut. He just stared at his girls sleeping soundly in his arms. His prosthetic hand reached out and softly traced his daughter's cheeks as he held them.

This had been the start of his little world. Sakura had stayed in the cave for two weeks, hiding her chakra and their daughter's chakra while he tracked down their target. He accomplished their mission then he helped Sakura and their daughter (who they had yet to name at this point in time) home. Sakura was very sore so the journey was not fast.

Upon arriving to the village with Sakura holding her pink bundle; who she would not let go of to save her life; they were rushed by Naruto. Naruto would've tackled his wife and daughter if he had not caught the idiot by the collar and thrown him back, Sakura hid behind him then holding her baby.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR TEME!" Naruto roared when he got to his feet. The roar woke the baby who screamed in retaliation at the noise. It was then that the greeting party noticed Sakura's and his baby. The girl was not happy as she screamed at them for disrupting her sleep. Though there were obviously a lot of questions, but they were on hold as he took Sakura and his daughter to the hospital with the dobe silently trailing behind them.

They were patiently waiting in the waiting room while Tsunade checked Sakura and the youngest Uchiha over. The dobe was sitting with him as if in shock. It wasn't like the dobe's wife had just magically given birth to a baby! At least when Hinata had been pregnant she had looked pregnant; very pregnant like she had been expect two or three rather than the one. While Sakura had never even looked pregnant with one.

"Where'd you and Sakura pick up the baby?" Naruto asked. Sasuke swatted his friend as he sat there still in a daze in the hospital waiting room. Shock did not even begin to describe how he felt towards the newest Uchiha but he did not have to tolerate the dobe and his idiotic remarks while he was in this shock!

"She's ours," Said firmly as he sat there still dumbfounded.

Holy shit he was a father!

And unlike the dobe next to him he hadn't had any time to prepare for this! Holy shit! He wanted to run, now, just grab Sakura and run. He didn't know what to do about this. Kids were not something he ever planned on! And though he talked about possibly rebuilding his clan he hadn't really meant it, why bring more hatred into the world?

"Teme?" Naruto shoved his shoulder, he looked up at Tsunade and stood then. He was still in shock as he looked the older woman over from head to toe, she was wearing a stern expression on her face and he paled. Something was wrong, Sakura was hurt, the baby wasn't healthy, something was wrong!

"Mother and child are healthy, Sakura's healing quite well but that's to be expected. Your daughter is a perfectly healthy bouncing baby girl, which is shocking because I did not know Sakura was pregnant," Tsunade gave him an accusing look which had him taking a step back.

"In any case you should go be with them Uchiha," Tsunade smiled then. Sasuke did as he was ordered and hurried into the room before his wife's old mentor would change her mind and pumle him. He stopped when he saw Sakura curled up in a chair, their baby again feeding and a distant look in the pinkette's emerald eyes.

"We haven't named her," Sakura looked at him then. He walked over to his wife and daughter.

"Sarada," he said automatically. Sakura blinked. He was shocked he even had a voice at this point and he was even more shocked when he told her the name his mother wanted to use on him if he had been a girl. Thank kami he hadn't been a girl though, else he'd have never gotten Sakura.

"That's pretty," Sakura agreed as he knelt in front of her. His wife's lips curled in a slight smile as she sat there looking at him. "You know, I apparently carried her for nine months but she still looks and acts like you, that's not fair."

"We didn't even know about her, if you wish to talk about unfair," Sasuke reminded her.

They both looked at what they had created and he held them in his arm. He wouldn't always be around, he knew that with all the missions to come but he'd guard his wife and daughter with his life. Sasuke pressed his lips into Sakura's pink hair and closed his eyes. Though he wasn't ready to be a father he wasn't going fail his daughter.

The years came and went, he wasn't always around and though he missed out on some firsts he was always informed by Sakura what was going on with her and Sarada.

The toddler was toddling around the house on unsteady legs now, he was home for a brief time and he was holding his wife in his lap as they watched the raven haired toddler wobble towards them. Sarada was an extremely agile child when she could be going fast, when she had to walk…she was a little wobbly.

"She's getting better at walking," Sakura insisted when he plopped the toddler in her mother's lap. He said nothing as he sat there enjoying his girls. Sakura yawned a bit, he smiled when Sarada copied her mother and before he really knew what was happening they were both sound asleep. Sakura was sprawled on his chest and Sarada hugged her mother's chest. The smile he had been fighting back since he had come home slipped as he kissed his wife's pink hair and touched his daughter's black locks.

Getting them into respectable beds was not easy, he soon learned that his daughter had definitely inherited her mother's monstrous strength. The toddler had a grip like iron but it was night time and it was bed time and he was not sharing his wife for the night. He was a greedy bastard at heart and liked having Sakura all to himself at times, especially at night.

His lips came to his wife, she moaned as she rolled onto her back beneath him.

"Missed you," she breathed when his lips trailed down her throat. She had no idea how much he missed her as his Sharingan activated to engrave every moment, every reaction, every expression of hers' to his memory. He'd never forget her, he had activated his Sharingan a few times when she and Sarada weren't aware just to engrave perfect moments into his memory. He'd have to leave again, he and Sakura knew it, and it was unknown how long he'd be gone but when he left he'd be taking a bit of her with him.

It was later that night, after thoroughly pleasing his wife, that they lay in bed and he held her tightly against him when there was a thunderous crash from Sarada's room. His eyes snapped open, as did Sakura's, he grabbed his katana and rolled out of bed. Sakura had her kunai and ran a head of him, for which he cursed be hell hath no fury like a mother. He was a step behind his wife when there was a scream, Sarada was wailing her head off and she was in the arms of that redheaded bitch.

Sasuke was fast as he attacked, Karin never stood a chance but still the redhead leapt out the path of his blade. Her red eyes narrowed as she tried to run from him. Sakura was faster, he never recalled seeing Sakura so mad as then, nothing could've stopped her as she attacked Karin. Finally Karin was down, Sakura clutched her daughter to her as she stepped behind him. Snarling he leaned over the woman who was still mad as a hatter.

"What do you want, Karin?"

"Orochimaru will be most interested to hear you have a daughter, Sasuke," and with that the woman vanished. He straightened then looked to his wife who was soothing she crying toddler, Sakura looked utterly ridiculous standing there, he was very glad he had no neighbors then. It would not be decent for them to see his wife like this. However, his Sharingan activated and he etched the sight into his memory while he thought about Karin's words.

"What did she want?" Sakura hissed to him once they had Sarada settled.

"Tomorrow we get a seal to hide her," was all he said as he held his wife who had set Sarada up in their room. He'd hide his daughter and he'd go destroy that pain in his ass once and for all.

Thus began Sarada's need for glasses. It wasn't that the toddler needed them but rather that was the safest way to keep the seal on her and not rouse Naruto's or anyone else's suspicion. Sarada did not like her glasses at first, she had even thrown them at him. Sakura had laughed like a loon, he had not been amused; why did women have to be so annoying!? He smirked when Sarada smashed tomato on Sakura though, and it appeared the glasses wearing toddler did not like the affects the action had to her glasses as she screamed for help. It had been a fun month but he left on another mission, he wasn't around. Though his Sharingan showed him his family it never showed him his family. There were times he was so homesick for Sakura's cooking that he could barely eat anything and there were times when he'd see a little raven haired girl playing and think it was Sarada. But none of it mattered as he would protect his home so his wife and daughter could be safe.

He returned again, just for a day and was watching the children playing in their playground at school. His daughter was easy to spot, aside from wearing her family crest she was the prettiest child out of all the children there; and no he was not being bias. She was sitting quietly on a swing watching the other kids, he saw a bit of Sakura in her then; he could never remember Sakura playing with the other children either. Perhaps his daughter was just shy, or just quiet. Both were fine with him.

"I thought I'd find you here," he looked at his wife when she walked to stand beside him. His prosthetic arm reached out and pulled her close to him, he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her sweet scent as he looked at his daughter.

He growled when he saw a familiar blonde idiot running towards his daughter. He didn't know what was said but the young Uchiha stood up slowly and as the blonde continued to eagerly chat away she pulled back her fist and slammed it into the blonde's shoulder sending him sprawling.

"Hentai!" his daughter roared, the blonde sat there rubbing his shoulder glaring at the girl before the two started fighting. Sasuke was torn between concern and amusement. He was amused greatly by his daughter's attitude but he was concerned because it appeared as if she and Boruto were having a relationship like his and Naruto's. He frowned a bit.

"You know she's exactly like you," Sakura announced then he glared at her.

"More like you," he replied then kissed her firmly.

"You're leaving again aren't you." Sakura stated.

"Aa," he replied.

"Come back safe," was all his wife said. He kissed her hard, he kissed her thoroughly, he kissed her as if it was the last time because it could very well be the last time. He had to eliminate a certain threat to his family and thus eliminate a threat to the village.

"Love you," she whispered when he pulled away.

"Hn," he replied then he left.

Six more years passed, not that he really paid much attention to it as he tracked his prey. Someone who could use his Sharingan and was not an Uchiha, a sick creation of Orochimaru no doubt. Sasuke was disgusted with this but he continued to track the threat steadily. Today he decided was as good as time as any to share with Naruto what he had been tracking.

He was sorely tempted to contact Sakura but refrained since he had a fear that she had moved on with her life and found someone else. Six years was a long time, his daughter should be eleven or twelve now and if he just reappeared now he'd probably upset her whole life. It was for the best if he stayed away, he destroyed everything he touched and Sakura was a very good mother. Of this he still had no doubts.

Then he'd been attacked by one of those strange being holding his Sharingan and been furious. Now he waited for Naruto and instead of Naruto he was glaring into a set of Sharingan eyes which had him holding his katana steady. She wasn't Sarada, his mind whispered, she was a thing created by Orochimaru sent to destroy him.

"Papa…?" the girl said frightened and he stopped. That voice, the shape of her eyes, expression, her forehead, even her hair. It was all Sakura, all of it, in a way he couldn't help but attack because it was impossible. But as he slammed the blade into the post beside the child's head she started crying and he froze, she looked exactly like Sakura then.

"Sarada? Is that you?" he couldn't believe it, there it was, all the evidence of Sakura right there. She was even wearing the seal to hide her chakra, still. He listened as his daughter angrily yelled at him, he brushed her off most because if he didn't he'd snatch her up and drag her back to her mother when it appeared that she wanted nothing more than to be here. She stormed out crying, he watched as the dobe hurried after his daughter and he stood there feeling useless again.

He had never known how to handle emotion, and he did not know anything about his daughter or her emotions. Terror of the unknown and the uncertain filled him and he wished desperately to have Sakura there. Sakura always knew how to handle the Uchiha clan, even Itatchi had had a soft spot for her. Much to Sasuke's dislike his brother had seemed to like the pinkette. He stared as his friend comforted his daughter then the attack happened. Sasuke reacted quickly he couldn't let his friend or daughter be hurt.

He had been shocked when his katana had stabbed Naruto, he had been furious but it did not compare to the fear he felt when he saw Sarada in genuine danger as her black eyes widened. He reacted, there was no thought to his actions as he shielded his child. The paralyzing pain coursed through him as blades stabbed his back, but he never cared, Sarada was safe. That's all that matter as a snarl formed on his lips to attack again.

It appeared that again Sakura was the protective mother she had been a decade again when she came flying in. His heart stopped when he saw her. She was just as beautiful and fierce as he remembered, and now she stood before him. "Sorry, I meant to tell you," she murmured. He felt confused as he stared at her. It wasn't her fault, it was more than likely his fault like it always was. After all he had been one of the few to make her cry, but he had been the only one to continually make her cry. Her green eyes met his and he regretted leaving her six years earlier.

Then she was gone, his heart stopped in fear as he stared at where she had been. There was a bone chilling fear coursing through him then as he continued to shield his daughter and stare at where her mother had been. Then he made up his mind, the creature with the Sharingan was definitely one of Orochimaru's creations and he would find out just where and why this creature had attack him, his daughter and his wife. He would not tolerate this.

They found Sakura, and then they told Sarada everything.

He had been greatly offended for his own child to think he'd dare to even…consort with a whacko like Karin. But he understood, he understood as he held his wife and rested his chin on her head as they spoke to Sarada about her birth. There would be no record of it, why would there be? They hadn't even known Sakura was pregnant when she had given birth in the middle of a raging storm in a cave in the middle of nowhere with no medical assistance or witnesses. They hadn't exactly planned to have her, at that Sarada stared at them in shock. Sakura handled all of the talking, mostly because he still couldn't find it in him to speak of his daughter's birth. Not because he wasn't proud of his daughter but the unnerving shock could still paralyze him from the mere memory of her birth and the terror he had been feeling for Sakura that night.

True Shin was not completely gone, his clones had scattered but at the moment he felt it more important to be a father as he returned to his house; which was rubble then; to be a father. Sakura blushed furiously as he looked at the rubble, Sarada giggled and he frowned at his wife to hide his smirk. She blushed even more then dragged him to her parents' home.

That was the first night he had been with Sakura in six years and in between him and the object of his desires was his twelve year old. Sarada had asked to stay with them, he hadn't objected and merely said it was up to Sakura who seemed eager to hold her baby after everything that had happened. So now he stared at his girls and wondered what miracle had given him them.

The next morning he and Sakura walked Sarada to the Acedemy, she was holding his hand and her mother's with a determination he hadn't known a twelve year old could have. She smiled slightly and he assumed she was happy as she ran to meet up with her friend. The moment his daughter let him go he grabbed Sakura who stiffened then relaxed in his arms. He watched in satisfaction as Sarada punched the dobe's blonde son who cried out. "I think Sarada has a crush," Sakura chuckled, he scowled.

"No," he said automatically. But as he watched the dobe's son his eyes narrowed. He was going to have to have a talk which struck the fear of Kami into the boy because he would not tolerate the dobe's son taking a liking to his daughter.

Sakura laughed, he glared at his wife who just continued laughing as they walked to their lot of rubble then. He'd have to rebuild their house and as he glanced at his wife he decided it wouldn't be so bad.

The year was hell!

It appeared Sarada and Boruto excelled at two things, arguing with one another and getting into trouble together. He was beginning to get seriously annoyed with the boy's habit of walking in happily and shouting he was here; honestly the dobe's son was worse than the dobe himself. Sasuke did not like this at all, Sakura though just brushed off his worries about the boy and helped take care of him.

Things with his daughter got a lot better, quickly as he began teaching her the secrets of her clan. They still did not have the most talkative relationship but he left that to her and her mother. Sakura seemed to be able to speak multiple languages to his envy. She spoke Sasuke Uchiha and she spoke Sarada Uchiha and according to her those were two very different languages. He was not amused with this. However he was proud of his daughter and how quick she learned, he'd expect nothing less from Sakura's daughter though when he remembered how smart she had been during their Team 7 days.

Time continued, he watched with pride as his daughter bested the creep, Sai's, brat Inojin. He was not surprised, Sarada was after all her mother's daughter and she would not surrender to some Yamanaka. Though he was furious when Boruto hugged his daughter he didn't hide the smirk when he watched his girl shove the boy off of her. He and Sakura congratulated her on besting Inojin, she just shrugged and smiled slightly.

The years continued to pass, he did not like his daughter's relationship with Boruto for so very many reasons but he refrained from saying them when Sakura scolded him for being heartless. Mostly he had nightmares about being related to the dobe. That and there was no one good enough for his daughter; period. He did not care if he was still labeled a traitor or a menace or a threat he did not veiw anyone worthy of his precious daughter.

Sakura told him that was ridiculous but he ignored her because he knew full well he still was not worthy of her. He watched as Sarada grew, he watched as she gradutated from rank to rank and worked her way to ANBU. She was talented, he'd admit that. She was unusually good at fighting, but he assumed she had taken after Sakura in deciphering patterns. She probably also took after his brother, it was strange but he saw a lot of Itatchi in her and in ways he didn't know how to explain.

He felt nothing but pride though as he watched her grow up and was involved with her life. At least until now as he stood there fidgety. Sakura walked out holding a small bouquet and smiled at him lovingly, he frowned but loved the way she had aged and how beautiful she as she stood before him.

"Come on Sarada!" Sakura called out. His onyx eyes flicked to his daughter who nervously stepped out of the changing room dressed in a beautiful gown she and her mother had picked out for today. His chest tightened as he looked his beautiful daughter from head to toe. She was breath taking.

"I feel ridiculous," Sarada muttered.

"Nonsense, you look gorgeous for your own wedding Sarada," Sakura assured their daughter. He grunted when an elbow slammed into his ribs. He nodded then and glared at his wife, Sarada giggled a bit.

"Now I'll be waiting out there for you Sasuke, everything will be fine Sarada," Sakura assured his baby with a kiss on her own seal before she left them alone.

"Papa?"

"Hm?"

"Where you nervous when you married mama?" she asked him softly as she took his arm and clutched her bouquet.

"Yes," he answered truthfully. He had been terrified Sakura wouldn't show or she wouldn't say her vows or she'd realize she wasn't getting the best she deserved and would run. He was really lucky that the woman he loved was dumber than a brick on occasion, if Sakura was smart she'd have run for the hills decades ago. But he didn't dare to tell his daughter that. She was getting married today.

"What if he doesn't love me?" Sarada muttered nervously.

"Then you're always welcomed home; I'll bury the body," he assured her. She smiled then. He kissed her brow and the music started. It was time to go, Sarada took a deep breath and he walked his baby out to her husband-to-be, Shikadai, and swore if the idiot didn't treat her right then he'd make the poor bastard disappear. Sarada did not deserve someone as bad as he, just look at all the pain he had put Sakura through.

Still he reluctantly handed his only daughter over to her future husband and sat with his wife who smiled happily as she held his real hand. He tightened his hold on her then

"We did pretty good Sasuke," Sakura whispered as they watched the ceremony.

"How can you tell?" he asked.

"Because she's just like her father," Sakura smiled. He frowned, Sarada was nothing like him. She was just like her mother; and thank Kami for that.

#bluboothalassophile #fanfic #one-shot #long fic #sasusaku #uchiha sasuke #haruno sakura #sasuke x sakura #nara shikadai #uchiha sarada #shikasara #shika x sara #screw you boruto #sarada is sakura's daughter #ff

[snakecharmerfic]

chapter three

Oto's Kage was very young.

At least, as Kages went. He was the same age as Konoha's and Suna's Kages and all three were younger than Kiri, Iwa and Kumo's. Sasuke-sama was in his mid-twenties, if Eiko estimated from what she'd read in the books back in the Academy. And, frankly, she never paid much attention to the history part during school.

He had much to do with the victory of the Fourth War and before that he had been Public Enemy Number One. Especially with Kumo's Raikage. Though, if she was honest, those last parts she knew because of her father. She didn't think school would let out the secrets of their leader that have been so meticulously swept under the rug.

Otokage-sama was tall and tanned and he didn't look like those super buff and crazy muscular people like she's seen during missions. But, even so, his presence was demanding. Dominant. He made her nervous. It annoyed her.

He annoyed her.

She half-glared at him, sizing him up with her hands on her hips.

One of his eyes was covered with wraps that went around his head, making his dark hair messier than it already was on its own. Before graduating, there'd been a rumor in her class that he had no eye under those wraps and that the covering was just for show.

She wondered…

"If we're in trouble, Otokage-sama, I would jus' like to say it was all her."

Eiko blinked.

And then blinked again.

And once more before it settled in her head. She whirled to the side to face Ryuu, her expression contorting to one of fury as she pointed at him with one hand, the other curling into a tight fist.

"You sack of—"

"Huh," Otokage-sama grunted. "Alright. I've come to my conclusion."

Eiko paused mid-step towards Ryuu, her fist in the air. Ryuu, for his part, had his hands up defensively, his lips stretched into a wide grin. And Yukio stood to the side, away from them.

"What?" she asked him.

"Sir, were you studyin' us?" Ryuu asked, his hands still up protectively.

"I was."

"Then wha's your conclusion," Eiko demanded, dropping her hand, turning to face him as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I don't like you."

Silence fell over the training ground as they each deflated in their own way. Eiko glared at him, button nose scrunching up, messy magenta forelocks falling over her eyes.

"Yeah, well the feelin's very mutual!" She stomped a foot. "What gives you the right to jus' come and say that?! Jus' coz you're the—"

She gasped as the ground disappeared from under her feet. Wide-eyed, she watched the trees suddenly stood upside down as her back connected with the ground with a loud thud.

"What the hell!"

Otokage-sama stood above her, staring at her with something that was a close combination of amusement and disinterest. She felt her cheeks grow hot, jaw clenched tight—did he just trip her?!

By the way Ryuu was laughing hysterically and how even Yukio was having a hard time swallowing his snickers… it seemed that, yes… yes, in fact, Otokage-sama did just trip her mid-rant.

"Anyway," Otokage-sama drawled in that slow dispassionate and bored way of his. "There have been some changes. Pretty straightforward ones that even you, Mizushima, will be able to catch on quickly."

Eiko shrieked a little.

"Fascinating," he droned. "Karin will no longer be your team leader. She will be off commission for a certain amount of time before she will resume her duty in another department."

"S-sensei…" Ryuu clutched at his chest.

Otokage-sama paused to spare him a questioning look. Eiko, from her position on the floor, and Yukio stared at him with a little bit of embarrassment.

"Then, will our team be disbanded?" Yukio asked, blinking his gray eyes and turning away from the embarrassment of their team and back towards Sasuke-sama.

"No." Otokage-sama placed a foot on Eiko's stomach when she tried to stand up. He smirked at her glare. There was no pressure and she could easily push him off and continue her advances on standing back onto her feet. But she felt that if she did, he would do something like trip her again. "Your team will not be disbanded. You will be getting a new team leader."

"Oh cool," Ryuu gushed, moving on quick from his heartbreak. "Who? I hope it's not Goro-san. He terrifies me."

"It's not." Otokage-sama crossed his arms in front of his chest and smirked down at Eiko again. It's smug and teasing and it made Eiko so annoyed. But it was not as annoying as his next words:

"It's me."

-

The fish was evidently dead.

Minori sighed, shoulders slumped and spirits crushed all over again. He'd been at this for hours now. At this, he peeked at the clock hanging above the door to prove his own point.

Sakura-san disappeared; no doubt to handle her appointments. But before that, she'd demonstrated what she wanted him to do by taking a fish and setting it at the center of her desk, atop an opened scroll marked with seals. It'd flop a bit before lying still.

She'd hovered her hand over it, then. It'd looked so gentle despite the jagged, white scars that decorated the skin over her knuckles. Soft, gentle… The hands of a healer, the hands that pulled life back from wherever death had them wander.

They'd glowed the softest shade of green. A translucent orb of chakra expertly summoned with precision to heal, to save, to bring back.

And it'd done just that.

The fish had jumped in the air and plopped back into place with a loud squelch. And continued to do so until Sakura-san had grabbed it and placed it into the water-filled sink on the small counter in her office.

Minori slowly turned to watch it swim happily now. So very alive.

Not dead like the one in front of him.

He sighed with dejection, rolling his shoulder, wondering if there's really nothing he can be good at in this field of work. His parents weren't legends but they weren't nobodies either. They had to be amazing people if they were never around enough for him to even remember much about them. Maybe his mother's hair neatly pulled back into a tight bun behind her head, his father's stern expression. But then… nothing.

To think two Jounin level shinobi would have a loser like him for a son…

Minori curled his hands into fists, the dirty wraps around his hands groaning and ripping from how soft they'd gone with the fishes' slime. Kinks popped from the little knobs, from his knuckles and he exhaled his self-pity and his annoyance.

"Concentrate," Sakura-san had said. "Summon the right amount of chakra. It's no effort for you; you have the perfect chakra control, I've seen it and Naruto's told me."

Clenching his jaw, Minori placed a hand over the other, closed his eyes and willed just enough chakra to his hands. He listened to the soft hum as it slowly appeared, the warmth of it covering his hands.

How long did he remain like that, he wondered. The perfect concentration to match the perfect chakra control. The fish remained dead despite his efforts, despite how spent he felt, despite how his arms felt so wobbly and his knees buckled and his forehead was covered in sweat.

"Hey," Sakura-san greeted, her voice soft and gentle. She looked less sharp, less teasing. She came around the desk, guided him to the chair and let him sit. "This one's dead, silly. You wouldn't be able to bring it back no matter what. But I really liked what I saw."

"R-really?" Minori wheezed a bit, closed his eyes for a bit before blinking them open. What did she see, he wondered.

"Yeah. Listen, I don't expect you to get this on your first try." She leaned closer, winked at him just as she flashed him a quick grin. "I didn't bring back my first fish until the third month of my apprenticeship. So relax. Just practice. You want this, right?"

"Yes!" Minori stood up too quickly, leaving him dizzy enough to have him stumble. He would have fallen, too, had Sakura-san not steadied him. He concentrated on steadying his vision, his breathing, saying, "Yes, I do."

"Then come meet me here after your team training. I expect you here no later than three."

"O-okay!" He bowed, his forelocks sticking to his damp forehead. "You won't regret this, Sensei, I promise." He turned around and on wobbly legs tried his best to run out of the room. But he paused and turned back to her, watched her for a second as she rolled the scroll up with patience only experience could bring.

"Sensei?"

Sakura-san looked up, blinking her yellow-green eyes at him.

Minori's smile was crooked, a soft dimple on his cheek. "Thank you."

-

Kasumi walked out of her parents' restaurant with a pout, ignoring her four older sisters and the usual way she felt around them. Inferior and less pretty. Which was hard, since Kasumi knew she was really damn pretty and really damn superior.

But it was just that her sisters were really good at making civilian look right and shinobi look wrong. And in her family of civilians, Kasumi was the only kunoichi getting down and dirty with blood, politics and secrets.

Or she would. In the future. When she was super badass and not in the top ranks but the top rank.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, walking down the streets, letting the crowd eat her up, block her up, put distance between her and the restaurant. That was the thing about her, she supposed, that she couldn't get Naruto-sensei to understand.

She didn't want to be Hokage. He could keep that title. He could keep the summits, the meetings, the decisions and the documents.

Kasumi wanted the glory. The respect. The superiority. She wanted the thrill of climbing up the positions. The fights and the training. The exams. The careful scrutiny and the crowd cheering her on because they've seen what the judges would soon see: she's good.

It's a complex, maybe.

Kasumi didn't put much thought to the depth. She just wanted it.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you think so much and so hard."

She slowly turned to her left, blinking her pale purple forelocks out of her eyes and staring at her taller teammate with a bit of surprise. She took a moment to react, using it to stare at her, observe her, maybe even use her as an anchor to root herself back to the present and stop wandering off with her thoughts.

Shiori's a few inches taller than her, if only because Kasumi was so short. Where she was thinner, paler and delicate looking if only in appearance, Shiori was the opposite: taller, willowier and with a darker tan.

"Don't be so offensive," she finally replied, her voice shrilly. "I always think carefully! As the brains of this team—"

"Ha." Shiori scoffed, her smirk crooked, her violet eyes sharp. "Don't make me laugh."

"Hmph!"

They walked in silence for a while, zig-zagging through the villagers and only stopping when a cute trinket stand caught Kasumi's attention. Each time she paused, she assumed Shiori would just keep walking and be on her way with whatever she had to do but, instead, she would pause and wait for her.

Her expression was bored, her eyes scanning the stands but nothing really ever catching her interest. Shiori was way too simple.

"What are you doing around here anyway?" Kasumi finally asked. Her voice was indignant and accusing if only to keep up the act.

Shiori looked at her for a second, her brown forelocks shifting with the breeze. "My mom sent me out for something but I seriously don't remember what it was anymore."

Kasumi turned to her, tucking some of her pixie hair behind her ear, her pale eyes half-lidded, expression just a bit incredulous but ultimately done with her teammate's incapability to do anything.

But if she was going to say anything, it all warped into a last minute gasp when she bumped into someone. Of course, she wouldn't say it was 'bumping into'. She felt like it was more like she was just flung across the village by some giant.

This, she figured, was an exaggeration. Especially since her butt never met the ground and when she opened an eye, fluttered her lashes and looked around, she was being gripped and balanced in place by someone's hands on her shoulders.

"What?"

"I'm so sorry!"

She knew that voice.

Kasumi blinked again and looked around. Shiori standing to the side, unimpressed, disinterested, unmoved. Villagers passing by and sparing them no glance, being worthless witnesses to her upcoming death.

And then she looked to the person in front of her, keeping her in place and right up instead of on the ground with a pain on her backside and a scrape in her palm. But also the person that started this. That rammed into like a bull, sent her flying like a kunai just to catch her back—

Kasumi blinked again.

"Minori?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry. I was a little excited and running a little too fast and you guys really appeared out of nowhere and I couldn't stop on time. It's my fault."

Kasumi shook her head, both to calm him but also to shake herself out of her oncoming stupor. She didn't think she'd ever heard Minori talk so much and so fast. She wrinkled her nose. "Why do you smell like fish?"

"So that's what that is," Shiori drawled. "I thought it was somewhere over here but it's Minori."

Minori's pale face went pink.

"Sorry!"

"You have a little… Is that…. Are those scales?"

Shiori lifted a hand and swatted them off his black shirt. Effortlessly, without thinking.

"I… yeah. I was doing some stuff with fishes…" He pulled his hands away from Kasumi's bare shoulders and she blinked, looking down at one side, then the other. She shifted a bit, felt the light stickiness of slime on her skin.

"Stuff?" she asked, voice shrill. "With fishes? What kind of stuff."

Minori's pink face went impossibly pinker, his slime-coated hand lost in his hair. He was a bit of a mess but the smile he was giving her right at that moment was crooked and genuine. So much so it made his dark eyes sparkle some shade of gray.

She felt heat on her cheeks.

"Listen," he said, looking at her then at Shiori. "Let's just say that it won't be like before anymore. On missions. We'll do it together. For real."

She and Shiori were both quiet as they stared at him and whatever he was talking about, whatever he was up to, had put him in such bliss that he simply walked away. They stood there and watched him go, the runt of their team, the dead last of their class.

"What the hell was that?" Shiori asked.

"I… don't know." Kasumi murmured. Her cheeks were really hot.

-

"Well," Sasuke began, his voice a smooth and low drawl. "I suppose we should begin with introducing yourselves."

His new team sat in front of him. Or, at least, one of them did. The quiet, more docile blond. The dark haired idiot was siting on a tree branch, swinging his legs back and forth, and the pink idiot was leaning against a very abused dummy.

"What do you wanna know?" Ryuu asked, tilting his head, blinking his shocking blue eyes.

Sasuke crossed his arms in front of his chest, raised an eyebrow. "Mmm," he hummed, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "Your likes, dislikes, your dreams for the future. Things like that, I guess."

"Tch," Eiko scoffed her long messy hair of curls and waves fanning out around her with the shade's soft breeze. "Why don't you start, Sensei?"

At this, Sasuke tilted his head, blinking his only visible eye. The corners of his lips twitched at her taunt but he shrugged a shoulder and cocked his head back.

"Why the hell not?" He studied them, watched them watch him with interest that they could not hide. It was probably because he was the Kage. It wasn't common, anymore, for a Kage to take up students.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I dislike a lot of things and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality." He tilted his head forward again and scratched at his chin. "Ah… My hobbies aren't really that interesting."

His students were frozen in place, unblinking and utterly quiet. Then, Ryuu, from his tree branch, whispered, "Awesome…"

"Let's start with you, quiet one," Sasuke said, pointing at the blond. "And work our way to the sassmaster over here."

Eiko sneered at him for a second before she stuck her tongue out. Sasuke was very amused but kept his expression impassive.

"My name is Kurama Yukio. I like reading graphic novels and memorizing music scrolls. I dislike it when it's really hot and going near the mangroves if it can be avoided." As he spoke, his peach colored skin gradually grew pinker and pinker. "My hobbies are playing the violin and helping my parents around the shop. Ah and… my dream… I guess… my dream, first, is to stop being afraid so that I can be a good shinobi."

"Mmm," Sasuke hummed, nodding his head once in gratitude. "Alright. Next."

"I'm Kamiya Ryuu." His grin was long and appealing, making his eyes sparkle as he looked down at them. He swung his legs back and forth, his dark hair tousled with the soft breeze and his constant movements. "I like my mom's cooking and Karin-sensei. I dislike the fact that I'm allergic to nuts because some of the best desserts have nuts and I feel like I'm missing out."

Oh, Sasuke thought, unimpressed, I have an endless pit in my hands.

"I also dislike frizzy, pink-haired girls with bad attitudes—oh, I'm sorry."

"I'm going to kill you!"

Sasuke sighed, waving at Eiko and nudging his chin at the snickering Ryuu. "Go on, hot stuff."

"My hobbies are hanging out with my friends and playing hanafuda." Ryuu blinked his blue eyes and chuckled a bit nervously. "I also have a habit of woodcarving. Anyway… My dream is to simply be a good—maybe even great or outstanding—shinobi and be of good use to my village."

All eyes turned to Eiko and she, in turn, glared back at them. Huffing and crossing her arms in front of her chest, she looked away for a moment, long enough to make Sasuke believe she wasn't going to participate.

Such a bad attitude, he took note. He raised an eyebrow, observing her. Such a big act.

"My name," she began through clenched teeth and thoroughly making her sound weird, "is Mizushima Eiko. I like some things and dislike too many to say. My hobbies are meditating and collecting charms. I don't have a dream."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth but shut it soon after. It was quiet as he studied his only female student: the tense way she held her shoulders, the way she looked down with her brow furrowed and her eyes set in a dark glare.

"Is that it?" she asked, self-conscious.

"It is," Sasuke affirmed, looking at her for a second longer before turning his attention to his two easier students. Ryuu dropped down from the tree branch, his expression calm and his posture just as laidback.

"Tomorrow," Sasuke continued, "we'll begin our duties as a team."

"And what are you going to have us do?" Eiko asked, her eyes on him.

A breeze blew by and it lifted dirt and fallen leaves from the ground, forcing the four of them to squint their eyes protectively. Sasuke crossed his arms in front of his chest, his gray flak-jacket shifting along with his movements, he took a step closer towards them, settled his weight on one leg.

"We'll do something between the four of us, before we do anything mission related, if that's what you're asking," he said.

"So what is it?" Ryuu asked, but unlike Eiko's demanding approach, he sounded genuinely curious.

"Survival training," Sasuke offhandedly replied.

At this, he watched all three of them narrow their eyes. Even passive Yukio, even easygoing Ryuu.

"Training?" the latter asked, blinking. "But we've trained enough in the Academy, Sensei. We're set for routine drills before missions like any other shinobi."

"Hmm," Sasuke hummed. "Call me a curious cat. After all, this isn't any normal training, since your opponent is going to be me."

They went absolutely quiet, all three staring at him, observing him, trying to size him and his power up and see what kind of chance they had. Sasuke had to admit he liked that.

"Anyway, listen," he said, lifting a hand up and scratching at some of his hair under the wraps going around his head. "Come prepared tomorrow morning with your tools sharpened and ready for battle. And skip breakfast. You might puke and I'm not here for that."

He watched them blink and with a final smirk and his lamest attempt of a wave, Sasuke left.

#snake charmer fic #part 1

[dianapana]

Unlikely to meet again

I felt in the mood to write something, i wanted something easy and light and fluffy, i have no idea how i ended up with this...

His hands were trembling on the wheel, he didn’t even start the car. Sasuke leaned his head on the seat, his eyes closed. The music was on, blasting through the vehicle, under normal circumstances he enjoyed silence, but he was quite scared of his own thoughts at the moment. If he could, he would start the car, press the acceleration and just let the car take him anywhere it wanted without him opening his eyes or moving the wheel. He’d let the car take him off the edge of the world.

His fingers twitched, and he was one second away from doing what he just though of, but the passenger door opened breaking him away from his suicidal thoughts. His mother was the one that got into the car, she lowered the volume of the music to a mare background noise and buckled herself before giving him a full wide smile.

He made a promise not to every cry in front of her. But seeing her with the scarf tied around her bare head, her skinny arms and wrinkled face made him consider his previous thought. He could drive off the edge of the world together with her. She wouldn’t feel the pain of dying and he wouldn’t feel the pain of losing her.

“Sasuke dear, I’ll be late for my check-up if you don’t hurry”

He only nodded, not really trusting his mouth. He turned the key and took a deep breath. The Uchiha male bit his lip as a punishment for his stupid thoughts. He’s been thinking the same stuff for a few weeks, it was frightening him.

Mikoto had her hand on his knee as she always did. But the pressure was getting lighter with each drive to the hospital, with each breath she took. Somewhere along the road she coughed and took her hand away to cover her mouth, in that instant Sasuke almost pulled the wheel, they were on a bridge, the fall would kill them both, the water would fill the car and their lungs, and their bodies would rot in the water, leaving both of their graves empty.

The hand returned and Sasuke tightened his grip on the wheel. He held on to it for dear life. A few minutes later they were in the hospital parking lot. Sasuke helped his mother get out of the car and he held her hand and guided her though the long halls. Mikoto would stop and greet people she knew, all of them would reply and talk to her happily, but Sasuke saw all of them look at her with pity the moment the Uchiha woman turned to walk away.

He stood in the waiting room as his mother was inside. She felt bad, that’s how they first got here almost two years ago, when her hair was still there, when her skin was smooth and her presence enough to light up the universe. Over the course of the past two years he and his brother had watched her slowly disappear. She was already so much gone Sasuke couldn’t even see her feet touching the ground anymore, she was floating, her skin was see through, she was becoming a ghost and he was so scared of waking up one day to her being only a memory.

The check-ups started by being 15 minutes long, but they got to the point when they lasted a bit over two hours. Mikoto always told him not to wait, to go do something and she’d call him when she was done. But the Uchiha never moved and whenever the door opened he was right there.

The door from the hallway opened and a girl around his age walked inside. He wasn’t the only person in the waiting room. An older couple was on the other side and a mother holding her baby was talking to a nurse. The girl’s eyes feel on every single one of them, he was already looking at her so they made eye contact for a moment. He feared she’d start talking to him, but the pale girl decided to take a seat 3 chairs from him.

The mother and the baby left soon after, the door next to the one which stood between him and his mother opened and a man in his 40s left and the couple was called inside. The young adults were the only ones in the room at the moment. The girls phone buzzed a couple of times but she didn’t look at it, her eyes were kept on the wall in front of her.

Sasuke closed his eyes, his elbows rested on his knees and his fingers were intertwined at the back of his head, eyes on the floor. The silence was so absolute he could hear the slow murmur coming from the room his mother was in. without meaning to his attention shifted to the noise, trying to make out what was being said, but he soon regretted because he could hear soft sobs.

His mother was crying, and he felt his heart stop. She never cried, not when they told her she had cancer, not when they shaved her head. The last time she cried was over 5 years ago when his father had a heart attack in his sleep and she woke up to his dead body next to her. Sasuke’s mouth was dry and he got up from the chair with a little too much force making it rattle and eventually fall to the ground.

He had startled the girl, she let out a gasp and was looking at him, but he didn’t care, because his eyes were watering too. He walked around in circles until he finally stopped next to the wall in front of the girl and he hit it with all his power. The pain in his fist was actually a small comfort.

The girl’s phone buzzed again. But he wasn’t looking at her, so he didn’t know if she checked it or not. After a few deep breaths he moved to replace the chair as it was and took a seat but not on the same one. He needed to be further away from the door. He decided to sit on the chair to the girl’s right.

She looked at him with a sad expression and he looked back at her. She seemed to be shaking too, he hadn’t noticed that when she first walked in. Her eyes were red like she had been crying. Sasuke turned from looking at her to looking in front. He ran both hands over his face and rubbed his eyes, making any traces of tears disappear.

After three more buzzes in a row she finally looked at her phone. Sasuke didn’t mean to pry but he also read her texts over her shoulder.

“Hinata, where are you?”

“???”

“Please return here”

“I beg you to answer”

“Please”

“Hinata…”

But the girl made no move to type anything back, she only turned her phone off and breathed an exhausted sigh out. Another person walked in, she was dressed in a white coat and had some paper works in her hand. Her heels were the only noise in the room. The blonde doctor looked at both of them and stopped in her tracks.

“Hinata…your family seems to be looking for you. They would like to go home. I strongly advise you to go back to them”

She didn’t wait for a reply or to see the girl move before continuing her way, stepping in the room his mother was in. All his muscles tensed. The girl sighed.

“Who are you waiting for?”

Her voice was small and meek. He almost didn’t hear her but her white pupil-less eyes were looking at him, they were wide and sad and she seemed to search for something in his answer.

“My mother. She has cancer. It’s a check-up”

The petite girl nodded. She was looking and her hands, they were small and untidy, her nails were bitten very hard, some of them even a bit bloody. He didn’t ask but he expected her to tell him the reason she was there as well.

“I’m hiding.” Her voice broke a little “I don’t want to go home yet. If I went it would mean I’m ok with the fact that he died…” She stopped for a second to blow her nose. “He was in a car accident. He’s been in a coma for a few months now, he was supposed to wake up and be better”

Sasuke almost said ‘sorry for your loss’ but thought better about it. She didn’t seem to accept the loss, so he shouldn’t force her to.

Hinata kept tugging at the sleeves of her hoodie. If she was honest she wanted to run out of the hospital the moment the doctors started unplugging all the machineries that used to keep Neji alive. But when her father suggested they leave after sitting and mourning him only for about 10 minutes she felt sick. He even started talking about the funeral arrangements. Hanabi seemed to be disturbed by their father as well but she followed him nonetheless.

The stranger next to her kept looking at the first door, the one Tsunade walked inside. His mother must have been there. Hinata closed her eyes and started praying for the woman, then for Neji, for herself and her family and she almost prayed for the stranger too but decided to say another prayer for the woman. She would much rather the woman survive.

“I hope your mother gets better”

He looked at her with a really sad smile and his eyes were watery again. He must have really loved her. She was jealous for a moment, she couldn’t even remember her mother, but then she remembered his mother was dying and she bit her cheek, for thinking such inappropriate things.

“Thank you…but we passed the part where we hoped for a cure.”

She was holding her hands together but upon hearing the pain and utter hopelessness in his voice her hands fell to her side. He was still looking at her. She wanted to hug that stranger, to give him the smallest bits of hope she still had between her teeth, even after chewing the idea of Neji dying, because once hope is lost everything is. She wanted to tell him not to say that, but couldn’t. her eyes were watering, she felt a little silly for crying for him and his mother, a woman she didn’t even see, but a sob escaped her lips either way.

Sasuke was perplexed. He didn’t expect her to talk to him the first place, and he surely didn’t expect her to cry for him. But the gesture gave him the smallest sense of relief. Without thinking about it too much he put a hand on her shoulder and she leaned into his touch. The girl kept crying, the sound of her sobs filled the room and chances away all her suicidal thoughts once more.

She stood next to him, his hand on her shoulder, her cheek on his hand until the door opened and his mother walked out. Mikoto was surprised to see that the chair her son sat on when they arrived way empty, he was even more surprised to see him in such a strange position. Sasuke and the girl appeared to be in a bubble, and their simple touch seemed more intimate than it should have. But once Sasuke’s eyes fell on her he was on his feet and walking towards her.

The girl turned to look at her, her eyes were still full of tears and upon making eye contact with Mikoto she smiled but the tears fell anyway. Tsunade walked around the Uchiha duo.

“Hinata…please. You have to go home. I’m sure your family already left”

The blue haired Hyuuga looked at the ground but made no movement to indicate she would indeed get up and go home. The image of Neji’s body flew through her head and her head fell lower, her body started shaking and the tears started falling once more. The blonde medic didn’t know what to do. She had known the girl her whole life and she always had a smile on her face. Seeing her so lost and broke was truly heart breaking.

“Let’s go home mother”

Mikoto nodded and she took a step towards Sasuke to whisper something in his ear.

“Shouldn’t we take your friend home?”

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at the crying girl. It felt wrong taking her away because she didn’t want to leave, but it also felt wrong leaving her there. After thinking for a moment, he turned to his mother.

“I don’t know her, so there’s nothing we can do to help mother”

Mikoto made a displeased face, but Sasuke wasn’t lying. He didn’t know her, they never introduced each other, they were unlikely to meet again. The Uchiha pair started walking towards the exit. Right before closing the door behind him Sasuke caught her eye. She waved at him and he waved back. They were never meant to know each other. She was there at that moment, so he wouldn’t lose his mind and he was there, so she’d have something to distract her even if only for a moment. Something to allow her to cry for another reason apart from her dear one that died that day.

#sasuhina #sasuke uchiha #hinata hyuuga #naruto #dia-story