#ask nightingale

[nightingaleflow]

Hey! Could you do a Gaara x fem reader where he is in love with her but he is extremely scared about hurting her especially with the way he used to be in the past and midst this turmoil his brother out of anger gives him the push he needs and says to him : ❝  if you keep waiting until you’re done ‘working on yourself’ before you let yourself be with the person you love,  you’re never gonna be with them.  and they’ll find someone else who is brave enough to give them a chance to love them exactly how they already are.  ❞

I saw this on your prompt list😊

Yep, here you go, little nonnie. <3 Hope you like it!

Word Count: 1.1k Warnings: Insecurity, mild language

~

Working on Yourself

You had crept up on Gaara over time. You were a jonin, so at first you only saw Gaara when receiving or debriefing from missions. You kept things professional, of course, but you always tried to say something nice to Gaara, even if it was just a “I hope you have a wonderful day, Kazekage-sama.” He appreciated your comments, and always reciprocated your kindness by asking after you.

The two of you kept things general at first, but at one point, you mentioned how proud you were of your students for coming so far with their taijutsu, since taijutsu was your speciality.

Gaara looked up at you. “You are a taijutsu specialist?”

You nodded, studying him curiously. “Is that significant?”

“Perhaps,” Gaara said. “I have been looking for a new taijutsu coach since my previous one was stationed in the northern territories. Would you be interested in the opportunity?”

You smiled. “I would be honored.”

Gaara led you down to the bottom floor of the Kazekage Tower, where a private training field was hidden away. Once the doors closed, you engaged him in a spar. You weren’t fighting full force, you just wanted to test and see where his skills were. You could easily see he’d been trained due to his stances and how he reacted to certain moves, but there were still gaps in his stance and reaction times that needed work.

You started meeting three times a week to work on Gaara’s taijutsu. He was the best student you’d ever had. He was very attentive and a fast learner, taking your corrections without an ounce of resentment or disrespect.

Your sessions started to grow slightly longer. First five minutes, then ten minutes, then a half hour. Your conversations shifted from purely professional to more friendly, and when the two of you finally ended things for the day, Gaara always felt gloomy when he had to return to his office.

As the weeks went on, Gaara started to notice more about you. The way your nose crinkled when you laughed. The way your eyebrows pinched when he made a mistake, and the way they relaxed again once he fixed it. The sincerity in your voice when you talked to him, and the way you gave him your full attention while he spoke.

He realized that he valued your company - more than that of a ninja, but as someone precious.

And he didn’t know what to do about that.

The only people who were truly close to him were his siblings and Baki. His friends were far away and busy with their own lives, and his family were, well, family. You were the first in so long he wanted to spend time with. You were the first at all that he wanted to hold close.

But did he really deserve such a thing, he asked himself. He’d spent more than a decade trying to atone for the sins of his past, and still felt like he would never fully cleanse his soul. He’d done so much wrong by so many people. He still had so much more work to do. Things like love were out of his reach.

And yet, it didn’t stop him from cherishing the time he spent with you.

It didn’t stop his face from lighting up whenever you entered his office.

It didn’t stop him from wishing that when you corrected his stance with gentle touches that your hands would linger just a bit longer.

He wanted you so badly it burned, but he didn’t feel like he deserved you. To say he was lost was an understatement.

One day, Kankuro dropped in for a chat. Since it was almost time for you to appear, Gaara barely paid attention to his brother, glancing at the door between sentences.

Kankuro was suspicious of his behavior, but he clearly understood once you walked through the door and Gaara’s whole demeanor changed.

You spent a minute saying hello to Kankuro, catching up from when you’d been paired on a mission a while back. The whole time you talked, Gaara couldn’t tear his eyes away from you.

Kankuro watched you two with a fond smile, then asked if he could steal his brother for another minute before you started.

You agreed and told Gaara you’d meet him at the training field when he was ready.

Once you left, Kankuro raised an eyebrow at Gaara. “I see you two are getting along.”

“Of course, we’re friends, and she’s an excellent taijutsu coach.”

Kankuro scoffed. “I’m not blind, Gaara. Friends don’t look at each other like that.”

“Then you’re mistaken.”

Kankuro folded his arms. “Am I? So if I went downstairs right now and asked her on a date, you’d be ok with it?”

White hot rage shot through Gaara as he shot out of his chair.

Kankuro snorted. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You can relax, I’m not interested in her like that.”

Gaara bowed his head. “Forgive me, Kankuro. I didn’t mean to act so rashly.”

Kankuro sighed. “I forgive you, but I still don’t see why you’re hemming and hawing about her. Just go ask her out. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“No,” Gaara said. “I have a long way to go before I’m worthy of being anything to her.”

“Gaara, you know that’s bullshit, right?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Look, I know you’re all about working on yourself and atoning for your past and all that, and that’s a noble cause. But if you keep waiting until you’re done ‘working on yourself’ before you let yourself be with the person you love, you’re never gonna be with them. And they’ll find someone else who is brave enough to give them a chance to love them exactly how they already are.”

Gaara closed his eyes. “But…what if I hurt her?”

Kankuro’s gaze softened. “Is that what this is really about?”

Gaara nodded.

“Answer me this, Gaara. Do you respect her?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then you should tell her. Let her decide what she wants to do instead of making the decision for her.”

“…You’re right,” Gaara said. “When did you get so wise, Kankuro?”

Kankuro grinned. “I am your big brother, it comes with the territory.”

Gaara rolled his eyes, then excused himself and descended to the training field. He saw you going through your warmup, stretching your shoulders and legs.

He felt a bead of sweat roll down his face that had nothing to do with the desert heat.

“There you are,” you said, smiling at him. “I was starting to worry.”

“Forgive me,” Gaara said.

You waved your hand. “Are you ready to get started?”

Gaara smiled. “Actually, before we begin, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

~

Tag List: @justmyownreality @therantingfangirl @mrsbakashi @anchy-bananchy @hashira-mal @allyallygator @nnandmm-archived-hard @rayofmirasol @therozpoz @undersero (if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know)

#nightingale writes #Gaara #Gaara x reader #Gaara x y/n #Gaara x you #Kankuro #Sand Siblings #Gaara imagines #Naruto #Naruto fanfiction #Naruto imagines #fanfiction #writing #my writing #ask nightingale #anon

[wordswrittenbynight]

Happy Storyteller Saturday! 

I’m taking this opportunity to catch up with my writeblr friends. What are you working on right now? What stage is your WIP in? How is it going? What are your plans for the future?

Basically, take this as an excuse to ramble about your writing.

Hello, and Happy Storyteller Saturday!

My "main" WIP right now, the novel Even Death May Die, is 2k into the first draft. I hit a wall with it after the initial burst of excitement, and I'm trying to ease back into it. I'm also trying to read more to keep my creative batteries recharged. I still believe in this WIP though, so I want to keep going. <3

I also had yet another Brilliant Idea For A WIP (tm) last night, so I'm in the initial notes/planning stage for that one. The basic idea for this one is about a woman who survives a battle royale scenario and has to deal with the trauma/aftermath of having had to kill others to survive.

Thank you very much for the ask, and wishing you well with your WIPs!

#ask nightingale #sam-glade #storyteller saturday #writeblr #writing

[nightingaleflow]

What is pro shipping ?

Proship = Literally, it means someone who is "pro" (or "for") shipping.

More broadly, it means we believe that anyone can ship any characters they want because characters are fictional. That includes ships people aren't comfortable with, such as ships with age gaps or power imbalances. It also means that we don't attack people for the things they ship. If it's a ship we aren't personally comfortable with, we just keep scrolling or block and move on.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who think "proship" is equal to "pedophile", and who go out of their way to attack/harass proship folks as well as people that ship things they're personally not comfortable with. Hence the person who said proship folks deserve the electric chair.

And this view is unfortunately very prevalent in the selfship community, so much so that I usually block anywhere from 6 - 10 new accounts every time I go into the selfship tag.

Hope that helps, and feel free to shoot me any other questions you have.

#ask nightingale #stygianoir #proship #proshipping #selfship #selfship proship #proship selfship #antis dni #tw pedophila mention

[nightingaleflow]

You’re such a brilliant writer and there’s so much emotion in your stories , it’s just amazing. If it’s not too much to ask may you a Gaara x female S/O.

Gaaras been extremely stressed and exhausted from his work as the Kazekage and is beyond his breaking point. He has an extremely bad anxiety attack when he’s with his s/o from all of this and she comforts him: ❝  hey,  just breathe.  look at me— look at me.  in and out.  breathe with me okay?  ❞

He’s so lost in his anxiety and exhaustion and is completely out of it he starts almost hallucinating but S/o is there for him.

Exams have been hectic for me, this would really make my day. Thank you writer 😊❤️

Here you go, little nonnie! Sorry this took so long. I hope your exams went well. <3

~

Stressed Out

WC: 1k Warnings: Stress, anxiety attack

Council meetings had always been among Gaara’s least favorite activities. At best, they were tedious, with debates about renaming things or color changes taking center stage. At worst, they were heated, with even the wisest among them devolving into screaming fits about changing a law that had been on the books since before any of them were born.

And it was the latter kind that had occupied not one, not two, but three separate meetings today.

Gaara tried his best to maintain his composure, but the constant yelling and hostility stressed him out. He found himself snapping at the other council members, and his sand repeatedly rattled in his gourd. Once, after a particularly nasty comment from a council member, the cork popped off and embedded in the wall behind him.

The man had wisely held his tongue after that, but that didn’t stop Gaara from wanting to throttle him with the sand.

Once the last meeting finally ended, Gaara whisked out of the room before anyone could address him further.

He hurried back to his office, slamming the door behind him without a care for anyone in the hall. Then he turned to his desk and narrowed his eyes.

Stacks of documents towered over the desk, leaving very little room for him to actually work. Scrolls. Loose papers. Books. It was like he was drowning in a paper ocean.

Gritting his teeth, he sat down and reluctantly picked up the first one in reach.

It was a budget report, with a sea of numbers detailing shinobi salaries and making suggestions for salary adjustments for the coming year. Gaara could already feel a headache coming on as he struggled to read the numbers.

He managed to make it about halfway through before the numbers swam around the page. His chest tightened and his head pounded as he tried to focus. Tears leaked from his eyes, and he angrily tried to wipe them away, but to no avail. They just came harder.

Gaara suddenly found himself short of breath. He forced himself to breathe slowly, trying not to let the stress overwhelm him. He tried switching to a different document in the hopes of finding something easier, but it was no use. He couldn’t even read the words on the page.

He threw the scroll across the room, then raked his nails through his hair as the tightness in his chest worsened.

Then, as he thought this day couldn’t get worse, he heard a knock on the door.

Great. More stress.

He turned to face the window and struggled to catch his breath. “Enter,” he said, his voice tight and hoarse.

The door opened. “Good afternoon, Gaara.”

Gaara closed his eyes. It was you, home after an extended mission to Kiri.

He was happy you were home and safe. He loved you dearly, and spending so many nights without you had started to take its toll.

But he did not want you to see him like this.

“Welcome home,” he managed. “How was your mission?”

“Everything went smoothly,” you replied, setting the mission report on his desk. Then you noticed he wasn’t turning around. “Is everything ok, Gaara?”

He closed his eyes, praying he could maintain control for just a moment longer. “Yes, my love. I’m just tired.”

You frowned and circled the chair before kneeling in front of him. “Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Gaara cursed silently as his breathing grew short. “I…” he choked. “I can’t…”

You reached up and gently stroked his face. “Gaara, look at me.”

He did, his expression pained and frantic.

“Just breathe,” you said. “With me. In…and out.” You took a deep breath, placing his hand on your chest so he could feel your chest rise and fall. You mirrored the action and were relieved to feel Gaara follow your lead.

“That’s it. One more time. In…then out. Nice and easy.”

Gaara copied your movement, his eyes never leaving your face. His shoulders slowly began to relax, and he breathed a little easier.

You pulled him into a gentle hug, whispering, “There you go, Gaara. You’ve got it.”

He buried his face in your chest, trying to muffle the sounds of his sniffles against your shirt.

“It’s ok,” you soothed, gently massaging his back. “I’m here, Gaara.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t want you to have to see me like this.”

“Gaara,” you chided softly. “You’re human. You’re allowed to have emotions and bad days, just like the rest of us.” You pressed your lips against the kanji on his forehead. “I love you.”

The dam in Gaara’s chest fully broke. His body shook with sobs, clinging to you like a child.

You stayed right there, pressing more kisses into his hair as your hands traced small circles on his back. “It’s ok,” you whispered. “I’m right here, I’ve got you.”

It took several minutes for his sobs to subside. But once they started to quiet down, you asked, “Why don’t we head upstairs for the rest of the day? I’ll make us some dinner and we can just relax.”

Gaara looked at the piles of papers on his desk, his anxiety rising again. “But if we leave all this work now, that’s just that much more I’ll have to do tomorrow.”

“And as it happens, I have a few days off now that I’m back from my mission.” You kissed his cheek. “I’ll come and help you. We’ll take it one step at a time and get everything done.”

“And if we can’t?” Gaara asked.

“Then we’ll keep going the next day. I promise, Gaara, I’ll help you get through all of this. But for now, I think you need a break.” You gently gripped his hand. “Let me take care of you tonight.”

He took one last look at the papers, then nodded. “Thank you,” he said as he stood.

“Of course,” you said, pulling him into a tight hug. “I love you.”

“And I, you.”

~

Tag List: @justmyownreality @therantingfangirl @mrsbakashi @anchy-bananchy @hashira-mal @allyallygator @nnandmm-archived-hard @rayofmirasol @therozpoz (if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know)

#nightingale writes #Gaara #Gaara x reader #Gaara x y/n #Gaara x you #Gaara imagines #Naruto #Naruto fanfiction #ask nightingale #anon #writing #my writing #fanfiction

[nightingaleflow]

gaalee. amirite fellas

[Image ID: Gif of Walter White from Breaking Bad saying "You're goddamn right." End ID]

GaaLee is a superior ship. May it sail the seas forever.

#ask nightingale #anon #all aboard the SS GaaLee #gaalee

[nightingaleflow]

Fake fic title: “I Still Do”

"I Still Do"

Years after they were married, Rock Lee suffers a head injury that causes him to forget his and Gaara's relationship. Now Gaara has to help Lee regain his memory, all while navigating a new reality where Lee no longer loves him.

~

Thank you so much for the ask! <3

Fake Fic Ask Game

#ngl I want this fic to exist now #I'll put it on my wip list #ask nightingale #shrimparmy #gaalee #gaara #rock lee

[nightingaleflow]

For the NSFW alphabet game, can you do Gaara? the letters I'm requesting are: A, C, F, G, K, M, R, T, U, and Y.

Hello there little nonnie! Thank you for waiting so patiently.

I've got something better for you though. As I said last time, I'm only doing full alphabets for Naruto characters now. So here is a full Not SFW Alphabet for Gaara, fresh from the oven for you. <3

Alphabet Used

MINORS DNI/NOT SFW

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Gaara is so, so, SO good at aftercare. He’s always attentive to you the whole way through, but as soon as you both finish, he’s getting you water before holding you close and whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

B = Body Part (Their favorite body part of their partner’s)

Gaara loves your face - all of it. He loves looking into your eyes as he’s thrusting into you. He loves the way your cheeks flush when you’re together, both in and out of the bedroom. He loves how your mouth kisses him, tells him how much you love him, sucks every part of him that you can reach. He loves how your face scrunches up when he makes you feel good, and then how it relaxes again once he makes you cum.

Your face is the window to your soul, and he loves looking in.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically)

Gaara likes seeing his cum on your body. The first time it happened, he had pulled out just in time to paint your stomach, and he was super embarrassed about it. But once he calmed down, he realized how much he liked the way it looked.

He’d never cum on your face (he likes your face way too much), but your stomach, breasts, hands, thighs - pretty much everywhere else is fair game.

D = Dirty Secret

Gaara really likes it when you take the Dominant role. He of course is happy to take that role himself, just as you’re happy to take the submissive role.

But when that dynamic flips? When you become forceful? When you tie him down? When you tell him what to do? It turns him on.

E = Experience (How experienced are they?)

Gaara was completely inexperienced before you. You were his first everything - first hug outside of his family, first kiss, first love, first sexual partner, everything.

As a result, it did take him a little while to figure out the whole “romance and sex” thing, and he still gets a little lost if you two try something new. But he tries very hard because he loves you and he loves being with you.

F = Favorite Position

Any position that lets him see your face - missionary, cowgirl, sex in a chair, etc. If he had to choose one, he’d go with missionary just because it lets him be as close as possible to you.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)

Gaara is pretty serious in bed, just like with everything else. Sometimes something awkward will happen - you’ll bump faces, or dirty talk will come out far more awkward than it was intended. Then you’ll both laugh it off before continuing. But that’s about it. 

Gaara obviously enjoys himself, and he wants you to do the same. But he’s not the type to crack jokes or anything like that.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Gaara is very well groomed. He doesn’t want to make any aspect of sex to be unpleasant or uncomfortable, so he stays as hygienic as he possibly can. His pubic hair is indeed a dark red color, and he keeps it trimmed and clean.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect)

Gaara is the king of intimacy. It’s his favorite part of sex, even moreso than the Actual Sex part. He loves holding you and being close to you. He loves telling you how much he adores you and hearing you say it back. He’s gentle, sweet, caring, and above all, yours.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Gaara doesn’t really masturbate that often. He feels that it’s a poor substitute for you, and no matter how nice it might feel in the moment, it can’t compare to just waiting until he can be inside you.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Call him Kazekage in bed. Seriously. Do it.

You never address him by his title normally. You’re the love of his life, so you use his name and he uses yours.

So when you’re in bed, and you say things like “Does that feel good, Kazekage-sama?”, it drives him wild.

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Bedroom is preferred - it’s private and it’s comfortable. You two can do whatever you want together and no one will disturb you.

But Gaara would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the times he’s fucked you on his desk.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

You teasing him and flirting with you. You touching him. You wearing lingerie. Him thinking about you waiting for him at home and what you’ll get up to once he’s done working for the day. Him thinking about the last time you visited him in his office.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Gaara would never do anything that intentionally inflicts pain.

He’s not above being a little rougher or dominant with you, but he prefers to keep things feeling good. He doesn’t want to draw blood or cause bruises.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Equally happy to do both. He likes it when you suck his dick of course, but he’s just as happy to eat you out.

It took him some practice to figure out how to make you good, but somehow that was still easier than getting him to relax and enjoy it when you went down on him. That took a lot of patience, encouragement, and love. But he got there in the end.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

A mix of both. He usually starts out slow, wanting to savor and prolong the sex as much as possible.  But as it goes on, he’ll get rougher as his restraint gives way from the pleasure you give him.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

In a pinch he’d be fine with a quickie, but Gaara’s preference will always be for long, drawn-out sex. How often? Well, as often as possible, which unfortunately is maybe once a week if you’re lucky since you’re both so busy.

But when that night comes along that you’re both free, Gaara will spend all night proving how much he loves you. (So don’t expect to sleep anytime soon)

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Gaara’s up for trying new things if they aren’t too outrageous, like light bondage, light Dom/sub play, etc. He’d be willing to do pretty much anything to make you happy, but he does have his limits, like the aforementioned inflicting pain reservation.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last)

Gaara’s usually only good for one round, so he does everything in his power to make that round last. He now knows how to take his time and draw things out. He knows to make you cum first (more than once whenever possible). He knows the signs that he’s getting ready to cum himself, and is able to make adjustments so he can keep going.

T=Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Gaara really isn’t a fan of sex toys. He’d much rather the two of you use your fingers, tongues, etc.

If you asked nicely, he’d try it. But it’ll never be his first choice.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Gaara likes teasing you just fine. He finds it so cute when he makes you flustered just by whispering in your ear or by just lightly touching you instead of giving you what you need the most.

But he likes it so much more when you tease him.

He loves it when you visit his office and show him just a glimpse of what you’re wearing underneath your robes. He loves it when you walk behind his chair, lean down next to him, and tell him how you can’t wait for him to get home that night. He loves it when your fingertips graze his skin, letting him know that you’re there and promising much more touching in the near future.

Be careful though. Tease him too much and later might just become now.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Gaara is naturally quiet, and that doesn’t change in the bedroom. He still makes noise - panting, whispering your name, checking in with you to make sure you’re ok, and of course those delicious moans. You’ve tried seeing if you can get him to be louder, but to no avail. He’s always gonna be a quiet man, and that’s ok.

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Gaara loves seeing and feeling how turned you are. He loves watching goosebumps erupt across your skin as he touches you. He loves watching your skin flush with arousal. He loves seeing your nipples stiffen. He loves dipping his fingers between your thighs and feeling how wet you are.

There's just something so potent about seeing how aroused you are and knowing it's because of him.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Gaara’s dick is about six inches long and fairly girthy. His foreskin is the same pale color as the rest of him, with the tip a darker pink. His vein is only slightly visible through the skin. His pubic hair is the same dark red as the hair on his head.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

A notch above medium. He enjoys sex and wants to have sex with you. But he won’t wither away if it takes a little while between sessions. (That just makes the next one even more fun.)

Z = ZZZ (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

Gaara still takes a while to fall asleep, no matter how much you tire him out (and you do tire him out). A lifetime of not sleeping will do that to you, after all. But that’s ok. He’ll just hold you in his arms, basking in your warmth and replaying the events from earlier in his mind.

It’s almost better than sleeping.

~

Tag List: @justmyownreality @therantingfangirl @mrsbakashi @starnightcat @anchy-bananchy @therozpoz @hashira-mal (if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know)

#Gaara #Gaara x you #Gaara x y/n #Gaara x reader #Naruto #smut #Gaara smut #Naruto smut #sexy no jutsu #minors dni #not sfw #ask nightingale #anon #nightingale writes #alphabet #not sfw alphabet #writing #fanfiction #my writing

[nightingaleflow]

Hey, could you do a Gaara fic where his lover was supposed to go on a mission and he didn’t want to send her on it coz it’s to dangerous and they get into a fight about it until he snaps and tells her “just go, I don’t care what happens to you.”

Few days later he finds out the mission was completed to successfully but his lover was seriously injured ( on the brink of death) and while he’s waiting for her to recover from her coma and injuries the guilt consumes him so badly he breaks down .

Have a lovely day / night 😊

Here you go, nonnie. It's angst hour and I'm here to collect your tears. (With love, of course)

Word Count: 1.2k Warnings: Serious injuries including stab wounds and broken bones, hospital setting, general angst/sadness, no happy ending. A/N: 😭

Tag List: @anchy-bananchy @justmyownreality @mrsbakashi (please let me know if you wish to be included in future tags)

Come Back To Me

“Gaara, you’re being ridiculous.”

He glared at you from behind his desk, but you refused to be intimidated. “You and I both know I’m the best person suited for this mission,” you said. “Why are you refusing to put me on it?”

“It’s too dangerous,” Gaara replied, folding his arms.

“So what?” you said. “I’m a ninja. Taking on dangerous missions is my job.”

“Not this one,” Gaara replied. “Intel we’ve already gathered on these rogue ninja says that their main goal at the moment is to get rid of me. As such, they have a great deal of information about me.” His eyes softened a fraction. “Including the person I intend to marry. If I were to send you in there, they would try to capture you to use as bait to lure me in. I don’t want to risk you falling into their hands.”

“Gaara,” you tried to reason. “The whole world knows who I am and what we are to each other now. I take that same risk when I go on any mission.”

Gaara’s eyes narrowed. “I’m aware of that.”

“Then why are you insisting on keeping me here?” you asked. “If you send someone else, it’ll take twice as long and potentially cost more lives. I have to be the one, Gaara. Please, let me do my job. Let me go.”

Gaara’s lips thinned, and you thought he was going to keep arguing. But he just said, “Fine,” as he picked up a pen and began signing the paperwork he’d been working on when you came in.

You blinked. “Really?”

He gave a single sharp nod. “Just go. I don’t care what happens to you if you don’t.”

Your heart stilled. “You don’t mean that.”

He glanced up, his lips silent but his hard gaze saying everything.

Your temper rose. “Fine,” you snapped. “I’ll be sure to report in when I successfully complete this mission, Lord Kazekage.”

With that, you left his office, slamming the door behind you.

~

Gaara’s anger with you had melted away after the first day, replaced with remorse for how he’d spoken to you. He sat in his office day and night, watching the sun cross the sky over and over without a trace of you. By the end of the fourth day, he started to worry. Once a week went by, he started to panic, wondering if his fears had come true. But with you deep in enemy territory, there was no way for him to check.

Finally, on the ninth day, someone knocked on his door as he struggled to concentrate on the report he was reading. “Enter,” he said.

Mikoshi, one of the other ninjas assigned to the mission, opened the door. He looked like hell, blood splattered on much of his torn clothing and his hair matted to his head.

Gaara struggled to maintain his composure. “Welcome back,” he said.

“Thank you, Lord Kazekage,” Mikoshi said with a bow. “We successfully took out the rogue ninjas and destroyed their base of operations.”

“Well done,” Gaara said. He looked behind Mikoshi. “But y/n was leading this mission. Why is she not the one giving the report? For that matter, where is the rest of your team?”

Mikoshi lowered his head. Gaara felt the breath leave his chest.

~

He couldn’t get to the hospital fast enough. The mere seconds it took to teleport there with his sand stretched on to infinity.

The nurse at the front desk looked up as he entered. From the expression on her face, she had been expecting him. “Lord Kazekage,” she said with a short bow. “She’s in Room 298. Turn right when you get out of the elevator on the second floor and go all the way to the end.”

“Thank you,” he said as he sped past.

He nearly broke the elevator’s button panel as he impatiently waited for it to ascend. As soon as the doors opened, he hurried down the hallway. He didn’t need to check the room numbers though, as two ANBU were already stationed outside of your room. They silently bowed as Gaara approached.

When he stepped through the door, he was greeted by the sight of you lying unconscious in the bed. A variety of tubes ran from your body to various machines, so many Gaara couldn’t count. The skin that wasn’t covered by a hospital gown or tubes was horribly discolored, bruises and cuts everywhere. Your hands were covered in splints and bandages. Your beautiful hair that Gaara had spent so many nights running fingers through was ragged and matted.

The words my fault rang out in his mind.

A doctor was writing down something on a chart when Gaara walked in. “Lord Kazekage,” she said, bowing to him.

“How is she?” Gaara asked, cautiously stepping closer to your prone form.

The doctor sighed. “Not well, I’m afraid,” she said. “We have her stabilized, but she’s not out of the woods yet.”

“What are her injuries?”

The doctor glanced at her chart. “Do you want the abridged version or the full list?”

Gaara fought to keep his composure. “Don’t sugarcoat it. I want to know.”

The doctor then went through the full list of everything you’d been subjected to, ranging from a stab wound to the abdomen to having your fingers broken. With every item she listed off, Gaara felt more and more of his soul draining from his body. When the doctor finished, she looked him in the eye. “Even if she wakes up, with the injuries she’s sustained, she will most likely have to retire as a ninja. I’ve been a doctor for nearly fifteen years now, and I’ve never seen a case this bad before.”

My fault…

Gaara shut her eyes. “If that’s the price, then we can both live with that. Just please…bring her back.”

The doctor’s eyes grew sad. “We are doing everything we can for her,” she said. “But I can’t promise anything beyond that. We just have to wait and see if she comes back.”

“I understand,” Gaara said. He took a deep breath. “Am I able to stay with her?”

The doctor nodded. “Stay as long as you want, Lord Kazekage,” she said. “If you need anything, just let someone at the nurse’s station know.” She stepped to the door, then paused. “There’s a lot of evidence that people in comas can still hear what’s going on around them,” she said. “Try talking to her. She just might hear you.”

“Thank you,” Gaara said.

The doctor nodded and vanished.

Gaara pulled a plastic chair around to your right side and sat down. He carefully picked up your hand, mindful of the IV on the back, and stroked your palm. “Y/n, it’s me,” he said softly. “I’m here, and I’m so sorry. What I said before you left…I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry, y/n.”

My fault…my fault…my fault…

“I love you so much,” he continued. “I can’t lose you, y/n. If I did, I don’t know how I’d be able to go on. Please, come back to me.” No longer able to contain his sobs, Gaara laid his head on the sheet by your hand, tears streaming down his face as he continued to plead for you to return.

But the only response was the beeping of the monitor.

#nightingale writes #Gaara #Gaara x reader #gaara x y/n #fanfiction #Naruto fanfiction #Naruto #angst #ask nightingale #anon #writing #my writing #gif

[nightingaleflow]

Gaara -> 💥 A fighting headcanon

Gaara's secretly really good at taijutsu now.

After getting his ass handed to him by both Lee and Sasuke, he worked really hard to improve his taijutsu abilites so it wouldn't be an issue again. Shira helped a lot with that before he got assigned to the northern border, and then his siblings and Lee helped after that.

Gaara still prefers using his sand in long-range combat, but if his opponent got in close, he could punt them across the room without even blinking.

~

Thank you for the ask! <3

Emoji Headcanons

#ask nightingale #full-frontal-lotus #gaara #naruto

[nightingaleflow]

Baby Bojack is so cute he deserved so much better

100% agreed. Little Bojack was such a sweet kid. Just imagine who he could have been if he wasn’t raised by Beatrice and Butterscotch.

Insert AU where Bojack is raised by the Manheim-Mannheim-Guerrero-Robinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzerelli-McQuack polycule instead 💜

#ask nightingale #anon #bojack horseman #Bojack deserved so much better than the parents he got #also thank you all for sending me Bojack asks right now #it helps

[nightingaleflow]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! :3

~My cats. They're little balls of chaos but I love them dearly.

~My friends. My brain is sometimes dumb and extra spicy, but my friends are always there to remind me that things can and will get better. <3

~My irl spouse, the Weather King (also known as Mr. Corn). Couldn't have asked for a better partner.

~Youtube video essays. I frequently get lost down rabbit holes of character analysis and it's great.

~Stories. Whether they be fanfics, novels, movies, TV shows, etc., stories keep me going and let me lose myself in other worlds when I need an escape.

#ask nightingale #shrimparmy #thank you for the ask

[nightingaleflow]

Hello, I would like to propose an isekai request with Kakashi. Maybe the reader is just rolling with it: She might be considered a bit strange when talking or going out on missions but Kakashi (and maybe team Kakashi) is intrigued by it and he feels really comfortable with her. Maybe she shows him different things from her own world and he senses how homesick she actually is? Or she tries to get him to dance with her to her music on her phone? This are just ideas, you can obviously change whatever you want on this. Thank you so much for considering this Have a good day/night :) Sending out hugs

All right, anon, here you go!

I did tweak this a little bit, but I think it's still in the spirit of what you asked for. I hope you like it.

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings/Tags: Kakashi x reader, isekai, missing home, gratuitous use of the song "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Masterlist | AO3 | Ko-Fi

~

Iris

It only takes a moment for a life to go from normal to extraordinary.

One moment, you were at your house, lamenting at just how many socks you had to sort through in your clean laundry. The next? You were in the village that had decorated your walls since you were a teenager.

Konoha looked exactly the same as it did in the Naruto anime. Little wooden buildings in various colors spread out, filling up the crater left by Pain’s assault so long ago. Six stone faces sat above the village, silently protecting it and reminding all who saw it of just how far the village had come since its founding.

You were at a loss at what to do. You weren’t a ninja. You weren’t a citizen of this village or any other. What were you supposed to do?

You looked back up and found Kakashi’s face, the newest addition to the stony cliffs. If he was currently the Hokage, he was probably the person to talk to. He surely would know what to do.

You walked in the direction of the Hokage Monument, remembering that the Hokage’s office was directly under it. Luckily for you, he was there when you knocked, granting you entry with a gentle “Enter.”

He was very surprised to see you walk through his door. He was even more surprised when you asked him for help, explaining that you came from another world and didn’t know how to get home.

Kakashi didn’t appear to believe you at first. But he still listened very carefully, and when you finished, he promised he would do everything in his power to help you.

He put you up in the quarters normally reserved for other Kage when they visited the village and personally covered your food expenses out of his own pocket.

He had his ninjas look into the source of your arrival, but nothing helped. The sensory unit didn’t detect any anomalies around the time you appeared. The memory unit didn’t find anything unusual in your memories that would have sent you to this world. Sasuke even returned to analyze you and see if he could connect to your world via the Rinnegan, but he couldn’t find the right frequency.

Days stretched into weeks. You got to know everyone around the village. Naruto was exceptionally friendly, treating you to ramen several nights and making sure you knew he was next in line to be the Hokage. Ino immediately accepted you into her circle and invited you to several nights out with Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten. Lee invited you to train with him (you politely declined). Guy enthusiastically shook your hand and warned you not to steal his rival away.

Everyone was curious, wanting to know more about you and the world you came from, and glad to offer you stories and guidance in return.

You were glad for everyone’s hospitality, but your favorite bits of attention all came from Kakashi. In spite of his incredibly busy schedule, he still took time every day to check on you. He was as curious as all the rest, but he always seemed to sense when you were feeling down or overwhelmed and let you have your space.

You felt bad that you were taking up so much of his time and energy. But he never once showed that he was bothered by you.

The only time he ever showed frustration was one day when you came by his office and his head was in his hands, papers scattered all over the place.

“What happened?” you asked.

“Shizune isn’t feeling well, so I gave her a few days off to recover,” Kakashi replied. He looked at the stack of paper in front of him with such an angry look you were surprised the paper didn’t catch fire.

You hesitantly picked up another that had fallen on the floor. “Would you…like some help?”

He looked up at you with tired eyes. “…If it’s not too much trouble.”

So you started helping out in Kakashi’s office. It took you the better part of a day to understand how everything worked, but once you’d been trained, you were an exceptional assistant. You managed to keep everything organized and neat, from the documents Kakashi signed to the ever-growing schedule of meetings and projects. You learned to make his tea exactly how he liked it and made sure he ate proper meals.

It was surprisingly fun despite the hard work involved, and it made you feel like you weren’t just mooching off of Kakashi or his village. Plus, you enjoyed Kakashi’s company, and from what you could tell, he enjoyed yours as well.

When Shizune recovered and took back over, you couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

That night, as you prepared your dinner, brooding over the fact that you wouldn’t see Kakashi as much in the next few days, your mind wandered back to your home world. What were your friends and family doing? Did they miss you? Were they wondering where you were? More mundane things crossed your mind as well. What was the hit song on the radio right now? What memes had gone viral? How many new streaming services had popped up?

You glanced at the calendar and your heart clenched. Without realizing it, you’d been here for two months.

Two months of trying and failing to uncover exactly what happened to you. Two months of searching for a way home without success.

Then it hit you. What if…there wasn’t any way home?

The realization crashed into you like a tidal wave, and you dropped to the kitchen floor in tears. You sobbed into your oven mitts, your heart tearing itself apart as you felt your sense of home slip far away into the ether.

A gentle knock came from your front door. You weakly called out, “Who’s there?”

His warm voice came through at once. “Kakashi.”

You went to the door, wiping your eyes and trying to compose yourself. Unfortunately, even without his Sharingan, Kakashi saw right through your affected composure.

He closed the door and guided you to the worn sofa. “What’s wrong?”

You couldn’t lie. More tears spilled from your eyes as you told him you’d been thinking of your home, and even though you loved it here in Konoha, you missed it. You missed your friends and family, who were surely beside themselves wondering what happened to you. You missed the holly bushes outside your house. You missed the smell of barbecue that wafted from your neighbor’s yard almost every night during the summer. You missed bingewatching stupid shows on Netflix. You even missed angry old Mrs. Buford who seemed to only come to your store to yell at you.

You were grateful for everything Kakashi had done for you, and if you were fated to remain here, then in time, you felt you could call this place home. But right now? You missed your world so much it burned.

As you cried out your woes, you suddenly felt a gentle warmth envelope you. When you looked up, Kakashi had his arms loosely around you as he watched you with a concerned expression.

“Is this all rig-?”

Before he could finish his question, you threw yourself into his arms, and his embrace tightened.

“I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to find a way back to your homeworld,” he said. “I promise, we won’t stop looking. But know that you are welcome here for however long you end up staying.”

You buried your face in his shoulder, and he lifted a hand to stroke your back.

“Why don’t you tell me some stories about your home? It’s not the same, but maybe the memories will help.”

It did. Kakashi was a very good listener and he loved a good story. He was enraptured by your retelling of the time you attempted to set up a garden in your backyard, and appropriately angry when you told him about the group project in art class you ended up doing by yourself. He asked more questions about your world, and let you ask him questions in turn about the world that was probably your new home.

When he left that night, he mentioned that he’d gotten a lot more work in the past few days, more than he and Shizune could handle on their own, if you were interested in returning.

You were.

You developed a new routine. You spent your days at Kakashi’s office, helping him and Shizune plow through the mountains of documents and adjusting plans for projects. Then every other evening, he would come to your place or you to his, where you would eat dinner and tell each other stories.

And at some point, he would always offer you a hug, and you always took it.

You still missed home, but he made it easier to bear. He made you feel warm, safe, and welcome, whether he was listening to you talk about your childhood dogs, introducing you to his own dogs, or grumbling over how the village elders were being unreasonable…well, he’d never use any term for “dog” as an insult.

As the season changed from fall to winter, you began to realize the warmth you felt around Kakashi wasn’t just friendly. You loved the way his eyes twinkled above his mask. You loved the way his hair always seemed to be messy no matter what he did. You loved how hard he worked for the village during the day, and how much he relaxed whenever you two were alone at night. You loved how much care he showed for his friends and villagers.

You loved him.

Shit.

You were in love with Kakashi Hatake, Sixth Hokage of Konohagakure, and until a few months ago, a fictional character.

You did your best to keep it hidden. After all, you were an adult, as was he. This wasn’t a middle school crush. You could just remain friends without acting on anything. You didn’t have to date, or kiss, or touch each other’s soft skin, or whisper each other’s names in the dark of night, or…

Well, anyway.

That proved to be much harder the following day when you handed him some papers and his hand brushed yours.

You turned so red Kakashi asked if you were getting sick this time.

“N-no!” you said. “Everything’s fine. No need to worry!”

His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t question it further.

Unfortunately, the universe seemed determined to torment you because it kept happening. Little brushes of hands as you exchanged pens and cups of tea. A hand on your shoulder or back when passing behind you. And of course, the hug he offered during your next evening at your apartment.

You accepted it, but the whole time you felt like you were going to die from your heart beating so fast.

You tried to hide it, but Kakashi was no fool. He gently tried to coax you into opening up. He told you it didn’t matter what was bothering you, he wanted to help.

When that still failed, he changed the subject, talking about a new device that was being developed that would allow people to listen to music on the go.

“Do you have anything like that in your world?” he asked.

You nodded. “That sounds like an mp3 player. We’ve had those for a while.”

Kakashi closed his eyes and chuckled. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. From what you’ve told me, it sounds like your world’s technology is very advanced on all fronts.”

“I suppose it is,” you agreed. “What kind of music do you listen to?”

To your surprise, he sang. He had a pleasant baritone voice, and he sang a song about honor and never giving up. It was a very Kakashi song, one you wished you had heard in the show so you could have added it to your playlists.

Once the song finished, Kakashi looked at you as you politely clapped. “What about you? What’s one of your favorite songs?”

“Oh,” you said. “I don’t have access to my world’s music.”

“No,” he agreed. “But maybe you could sing one?”

You supposed there was no harm in that, especially after he just sang for you. You hadn’t done much singing even back in your world, so you defaulted to your favorite song, “Iris.” You hummed the intro, letting the memory of the guitar chords reverberate in your heart.

Then you sang:

“And I'd give up forever to touch you 'Cause I know that you feel me somehow You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be And I don't want to go home right now”

You realized what you were singing halfway through the verse, and your face steadily grew redder as you went. Kakashi’s eyes widened at the words, but he didn’t interrupt.

You managed to get through the chorus before your voice finally gave up. You two sat there, silent and unmoving. The lyrics echoed in your brain until your head was ready to burst.

“I like it,” Kakashi finally said. “The lyrics really resonate.”

“Oh,” you said. “I’m glad you like it. I’m afraid I’m not much of a singer.”

“You sounded fine,” Kakashi said. “It’s a good song for you.”

You swallowed, but didn’t answer further.

Kakashi sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what’s been bothering you?”

You hesitated. “…I’m sure, Lord Kakashi. You’ve been wonderful to me, and I don’t want to impose on you any further than I already have.”

“First, you can dispense with the ‘Lord’ nonsense,” Kakashi replied. “Second, you wouldn’t be imposing on me, I promise. You’re a dear friend.”

It was such an innocent word, “friend.” But it made you twitch like you’d been hit by a jolt of electricity.

Kakashi’s expression grew more worried. “Please, just tell me.”

“…Ok,” you said. “Kakashi…I…”

He waited, completely still and silent.

“What I feel for you…” You swallowed hard. “Is beyond friendship.”

You waited for anything. A laugh. Yelling. Him getting up and leaving.

You didn’t expect him to relax and say, “Oh.”

“Oh?” you said, looking up at him only to immediately jerk your gaze away when you met his eyes.

“Truth be told, I’ve been feeling the same way for quite some time,” Kakashi said. “I just didn’t want to put pressure on you or make you feel obligated to do anything you weren’t comfortable with.”

“Oh,” you said.

“That’s still true, by the way,” he said. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, but I’d be open to a relationship if you are.”

“Yes,” you said, making him chuckle at how quickly you said yes.

“All right,” he said. “Then how about tomorrow we go somewhere out for dinner?”

“That sounds perfect.”

He then stood and walked over to you. You stood as well, unsure what he was doing until he pulled you into his arms. You closed your eyes and stepped closer, sinking into the warmth of his embrace.

Then, in your ear, Kakashi murmured some familiar words back to you:

“You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be And I don’t want to go home right now…”

You shivered with excitement. “Is that so, Lord Kakashi?”

“It is,” he said, gazing down at you. “What do you think? Would that be all right?”

“Yes.

~

Tag List: @justmyownreality @therantingfangirl @mrsbakashi @anchy-bananchy @hashira-mal @allyallygator @nnandmm-archived-hard @rocknrollsoul76 (if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know)

#Kakashi #Kakashi Hatake #Kakashi x reader #Kakashi x you #Kakashi x y/n #Naruto #Naruto fanfiction #fanfiction #Naruto imagines #Kakashi imagines #ask nightingale #anon #nightingale writes

[nightingaleflow]

What are your favorite GaaraxOC fics?

I got you, anon. <3

First, of course, I must toot my own horn and recommend A Crystal in the Sand (Mature, Ongoing), the next chapter of which should be up this coming week.

But besides that:

Sand and Snow (Mature, Complete) and its sequel Desert Flowers (Mature, Ongoing) by @aela-targaryen.

Sand and Snow is the first fic I read after becoming a Gaara stan, and it set the bar high. It's a long fic spanning from pre-Shippuden to Blank Period, and I devoured every word of it. Lots of intricate worldbuilding, lots of interesting jutsu, and of course Nomasaki is a queen and I love her. That continues into Desert Flowers, which picks up right where Sand and Snow leaves off.

Grasping At The Sky by @featherfang (Teen, Complete).

This is a sweeter story set roughly around the War (slightly before to slightly after). This was another fic I devoured in almost one sitting. The romance is lighter, but still very much present and very heartwarming. It has lots of great worldbuilding for the Sand Village and character development for Kankuro, which made me happy. Kira is also a gem, and I love her dearly.

Hope you enjoy, anon. <3 Happy reading!

#ask nightingale #anon #fic recs #Gaara #Gaara x OC #image description in alt

[nightingaleflow]

10 and 18?

(10) What's your favorite part about the fic writing process?

Whenever I accidentally layer in some meaning or foreshadowing I didn't originally intend. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's really fun.

(18) Are there any fics or authors that have been particularly influential or inspiring to you?

@babybinxxx my beloved. <3 It still blows my mind that such a talented writer wants to hang out with me. She was my first friend when I got into the Naruto fandom, and she still is my bestie and my biggest cheerleader. I truly would not be here without her.

~

Thank you for the asks! <3

Fic Writer Asks

#ask nightingale #kricketbee

[nightingaleflow]

could I request guy or lee comforting an upset s/o? like not upset with them, but just upset with other people please ❤️

you pick which one ^^

You're in luck, nonnie.

I love Lee and Gai, so I gave them each a drabble.

Rock Lee first, Maito Gai second. Individual warnings will be attached to each drabble.

Enjoy. <3

~

ROCK LEE (521 words) Warnings: Hospitals, exhaustion

You were exhausted, both physically and mentally. It had been a long day at the hospital, and every single person, from the patients to the other medics, seemed determined to get on your nerves.

“Yes,” you explained. “You need to take this medicine after you eat.”

“No,” you sighed. “This little red spot isn’t going to kill you. It’s just a zit.”

“Yes,” you growled. “You need to wash the sheets in hot water.”

“No,” you cried. “There isn’t any peppermint extract left!”

You had never felt so drained as you did when you finally trudged out of the hospital towards your house. And along the way, everyone and everything only seemed to make it worse. Why did that dog have to see a squirrel and bark incessantly? Why did the waiter have to shatter a plate? Why was the sun so damn hot?

By the time you actually got home, you wanted to just hide in your room and break down. You were overheated, overworked, and overwhelmed. You just needed to hide away somewhere that no one could find you.

When you walked through the door, however, you weren’t alone. Lee was already standing in the kitchen, stirring something in a pot.

He looked up at you with his trademark smile. “Welcome home, my precious flower!” he said. Then his smile faded as he saw your expression. “Is everything all right?”

You briefly debated what to say before settling on the truth. “No,” you muttered.

Immediately, Lee crossed the room and pulled you into his arms. “What happened, my love?”

“Long day at work,” you replied, relaxing into his embrace. “A lot of stupid people doing stupid things and making my job harder.”

He hugged you tighter. “I am sorry.”

“You don’t have to be, Lee. You didn’t do anything.”

“Be that as it may, it pains me to see you in distress,” Lee replied. He pulled back and looked you in the eye. “What can I do to help?”

You settled back against his chest. “This is a good start.”

He rewrapped his arms tightly around you, pressing a tender kiss against your scalp. He gently rubbed his hands along your back and whispered soothing nothings in your ear.

You closed your eyes, quietly savoring his affection.

The timer sitting on the counter went off, and Lee sighed. “I must finish making dinner,” he said. “You just relax, and I’ll bring it to you shortly.”

You managed to form a small smile. “Sounds good. Thank you, Lee.”

Lee bent down and pressed a sweet kiss against your lips. You closed your eyes, savoring his affection as you kissed him back. He pressed one more kiss against your forehead, then stepped back to the stove.

You did as he suggested, going into the living room and settling on the sofa. You laid back and stretched, watching Lee putter around and put the finishing touches on the food.

He glanced your way as he took the pot off the stove and gave you a warm smile.

You smiled back, feeling the stress from the day vanish like smoke in the breeze.

~

MAITO GAI (560 words) Warnings: Minor injury/blood, treatment of said injury, mild angst

Your fists pounded the punching bag. The fabric stretched and groaned around your fingers, but you didn’t care. Every time your fist collided with the bag, you saw yourself punching every member of your last squad.

Your squad mates didn’t take a mission seriously, causing a bandit to nearly escape before he could be questioned. You had caught him again, but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

And your squad mates certainly shouldn’t have blamed you for it. You were taking your sleeping shift, they were on guard. And yet they tried to saddle the blame for the incident on you.

Fortunately, Tsunade saw right through their lies and tore them to shreds during your debrief. She also offered you a few days off to “rest and recuperate,” which you were glad to take.

You wished she would let you pummel your squad mates too, but that was out of the question. So you just had to settle for the punching bag hanging on your back porch instead.

Your fists slammed into the bag harder and harder, but it still wasn’t enough. Frustrated, chakra crackled through your veins and into your hands. You threw one more punch, and this time, it was hard enough to knock the bag clean off of its chains. It flew a few feet away before falling to the ground.

You felt satisfied as you watched it fall. Then, as you went to pick it up, you felt a stinging sensation in your hands.

You looked down and blanched.

Your knuckles and fingers were badly scraped, blood leaking out of several spots. You cursed, walking towards your door.

“Good afternoon, my dear.”

You spotted Gai coming up the path towards you, his arms loaded with groceries. “Hey, Gai,” you said, tucking your hands behind you.

He frowned. “What’s the matter? You’re normally so full of youth!”

“Yeah, well, not today,” you replied.

His expression grew serious as he saw your hands hidden away. He glanced at the fallen punching bag, then back to you. “My dear, let me see your hands.”

You sighed, then pulled them back out.

He walked up and studied your injuries. “Let’s head inside,” he said. “I’ll put these away real quick, then we’ll get you cleaned up.”

“Gai, you don’t have to do that,” you said.

“I would like to, my dear. If you’ll allow it.”

The look he gave you was so sincere you couldn’t help but nod.

You followed him into the kitchen. True to his word, he stored away the vegetables and bread in the blink of an eye. Then he brought you to the bathroom and gently began to wash your hands in the sink.

“Rough day at the office?” he asked.

You snorted. “Yeah.”

You ran through what had happened as he wrapped your hands in clean bandages. He was a good listener, reacting exactly as you needed him to.

He finished tying knots above your wrists as you finished your story. You carefully turned your hands, pleased to find you still had full mobility. “You’re really good at this.”

“I do try to give a hundred percent to everything I do, especially when it involves someone precious to me.” He then lifted your hands, pressing a soft kiss against each of your wrists.

You melted.

He smiled at you. “Better, my love?”

“Much.”

~

Tag List: @justmyownreality @therantingfangirl @mrsbakashi @anchy-bananchy @hashira-mal @allyallygator @nnandmm-archived-hard @rayofmirasol (if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know)

#nightingale writes #anon #ask nightingale #Rock Lee #Maito Gai #Might Guy #my writing #writing #fanfiction #Naruto #Naruto fanfiction #Rock Lee x reader #Gai x reader #Rock Lee x y/n #Rock Lee x you #Gai x you #Gai x y/n

[nightingaleflow]

5

(5) who are some of your favourite proship/selfship accounts?

ALL OF Y'ALL. <3 Seriously, every single one of you are awesome and I hope you're having a great day with your f/o(s).

But for a few specific shoutouts:

@blackheartbiohazards @huntinglove @yuricherryblossom

Y'all do amazing work around the pro/self ship scene and I love y'all!

~

Thank you for the ask!

Proselfship Asks

#ask nightingale #anon