#i keep saying this but this skin really reminds me of kakashi

[crowtallyho]

Nighthawker!Ana WIP ✨

#i keep saying this but this skin really reminds me of kakashi #i love it a lot #Ana Amari #Overwatch #Overwatch 2 #Art #WIP

[sentinelpri]

Like This (NSFW)

Kakashi’ Hatake’s legs dangle off of the edge of the Hokage monument as he glances at Might Guy, who is sitting next to him. The other shinobi is distracted, staring at the string of stars that litter the pitch black sky like fairy lights, but Kakashi doesn’t mind.

“It’s been more than two weeks since you’ve been in town, Sukea! I wasn’t expecting to see you so suddenly,” Guy starts. His deep onyx gaze is still straight forward in a way that has the starlight shining beautifully against his sun-kissed skin. On one hand, Kakashi wants Guy to be looking at him rather than at the village they’ve both seen a million times over. On the other, he doesn’t, because Guy wouldn’t really be looking at him. Rather, Guy would be looking at Sukea, the alter ego and disguise that Kakashi has been fooling him with for over a year now. Though Kakashi has done a good job of hiding the truth thus far, there are evenings like this one where he feels as if Guy can see straight through all of it. “But I’m glad you invited me out here tonight even though you only just got back. It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you as well,” Kakashi says, swallowing tightly. He offers up a forced smile and runs a hand through his hair to make sure that the brown, fluffy locks are still perfectly in place as they should be with his partial-transformation jutsu. A full transformation would be much easier to manage for such a risky situation, as he wouldn’t have to worry about the purple face-tape beneath his eyes and the matching eye-shadow that cover his scar or the makeup on his eyebrows potentially coming off, but he spends so much time with Guy in this form that the full transformation would eat up all of his chakra. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

The words should make Kakashi’s heart flutter, but they don't. They’re not meant for him- they’re meant for Sukea, this fake person that he’s created so selfishly. 

There are times- like right now- where it hurts. There are nights where Kakashi goes home and finds himself restless with the pain of wishing that Guy was in love with him and only him rather than with Sukea, who Guy is convinced is an entirely separate person. There are days where Kakashi drowns in guilt because he’s purposely deceiving his best friend.

But, he’s happier like this, and so is Guy.

Because like this, he isn’t Kakashi Hatake. He is not the man with a tragic past full of death and failure, nor is he the shell of a person he’s confined himself to be. Like this, he doesn’t avoid intimacy at all costs. He doesn’t push those closest to him away and spend all of his free time in solitude.

Like this, he is simply Sukea. No last name to remind him of his father. No trauma. Just a traveling photographer with a loving heart and a knack for mischief. 

For all Guy knows, Sukea comes from a boring nuclear family who lives in a far off civilian town. 

For all Guy knows, he’s at least a little bit normal- and Kakashi is desperate to keep it that way. 

So, when Guy stands and offers a hand to help him up- even though he still isn’t used to another man’s hands being used to lift him up rather than to hurt him- he takes it, stands, and wraps an arm around Guy’s waist with a smile- because he’s going to convince Guy that he is truly like this for as long as he can.

“So, shall we take this to your place?” Sukea says, knowing full well that he could never take Guy back to his shitty little apartment. 

As always, Guy grins down at him and pulls him closer. 

“I’d like that.”

~

The next morning, Kakashi slips out of Guy’s apartment window and makes his way home before the older man can wake up and convince him to go out for breakfast. He leaves no indication of when Sukea will be back in town to make things easier on himself and crashes the moment he gets back to his own apartment for a long nap. 

“God… I should really stop doing this,” Kakashi mutters to no one but himself upon waking from his slumber. His back is sore, there’s hickeys left on his neck and down his chest, and his legs still feel like gelatin. Memories of Guy gently wiping him down and pressing kisses against the marks left on his skin flash behind his eyes. “One of these days, it’s going to catch up with me… Oh well. Guess I should take a shower.”

After scrubbing the smell of Guy off of him and trying his best to distract himself from their rendezvous, Kakashi goes to sit on his favorite bench in the village to read the first volume of Icha Icha. As much as he’d love to go on a mission right now, he’s already reached his quota for the month and is stuck in the village until further notice (because according to Lady Tsunade, he can’t drown himself in work just because Naruto and Sasuke are gone). The familiar words printed on the pages of his book bring him no comfort, though, as Guy’s chakra signature draws near.

“Kakashi, my dear rival!” Guy calls, leaping down from a nearby tree and joining Kakashi on the bench.

He sits far too close for Kakashi’s comfort and tosses an arm over his shoulder. Kakashi shuts his book as subtly as he can and pretends that the hairs on the back of his neck aren’t standing up right now.

“Guy,” He speaks, bristling underneath the sensation of Guy’s clothed arm against the back of his neck. It’s surprisingly warm. Just like his touch was last night. Rather than looking over at Guy, Kakashi stares at the cover of Icha Icha as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world. “What’s up?”

“Right now we’re tied at fifty two wins to fifty two wins- I was thinking we should settle the score by having an eating contest at Ichiraku!” Guy explains with a hopeful smile. When Kakashi finally meets his eyes, he can see the utter love and adoration in them. “What do you say?”

It makes Kakashi’s heart hurt because he knows that even with Sukea as a part of his life now, Guy still can’t let go of him. Guy is still in love with him just as much as he is with Sukea and it’ll probably remain that way.

“An eating contest, hm?” Kakashi asks, standing up so he can put some distance between the two of them.

‘Sounds like an excuse for a lunch date… Classic Guy.’

Kakashi shakes his head and starts to walk away, only for Guy to follow close behind him and continue rambling about the ‘eating contest’. All Kakashi can think about is why he keeps doing this to the both of them when he knows the kindest thing to do would be to stop using the Sukea disguise and cut Guy off completely. 

Kakashi supposes there’s a logical explanation for why he’s been doing this for so long, when he gets down to really thinking about it. 

He’s selfish. 

Is said explanation morally justifiable? Not really. But, to him, it makes sense. Guy has had an obvious crush on him since they were children. Kakashi refuses to date him, citing a lack of interest as his reason even though they both know that’s not it. The real reason is that he’s scared of getting too close only to get burned and ruin their two-decade-long-friendship for the sake of romance. 

Determined not to have his fears come to fruition, Kakashi remained hellbent on keeping his and Guy’s friendship completely platonic, but the constant complaints about a dull love-life and lack of passion that he’d heard from Guy became tiresome following the last Chunin exams. 

Kakashi devised a simple solution; transform into his Sukea disguise, catch Guy at his local bar, and charm him just enough to distract him from Kakashi for a little while.

It was a perfect plan. 

The catch?

It worked too well. What was supposed to be a night of magic and romance to get Guy’s spirits up turned into a one-night-stand, which turned into a series of real dates, which has turned into a relationship that they haven’t quite put a label on. This has been going on for over a year and Kakashi swears that it’s a miracle he hasn’t blown his cover yet.

“Yes- an eating contest will be a true test of endurance, stamina, and willpower!” Guy rambles on, snapping Kakashi back to reality. “What do you say?”

“Mah, I’m not feeling it today. Thanks for the offer, though,” Kakashi rejects the invitation and makes another attempt to walk away, only for Guy to stand in front of him.

Kakashi gulps. He’s suddenly reminded of all the nights he’s spent as Sukea lately; of the muscular body that’s currently blocking his path being used to pin him to the wall, the bed, the glass door of Guy’s shower, and every other semi-flat surface in the ravenette’s apartment. Ashamed, Kakashi stares at the dirt road beneath his feet, cheeks burning bright red underneath his mask.

“Ah, but if you refuse my challenge, you lose by default!”

“Then consider yourself in the lead. We’re at fifty two to fifty three wins now, yes?” Kakashi questions and steps around Guy. He shoves his book in one of his large pockets, knowing that he won’t be able to focus on reading it on the way home even if he wanted to. “I’ll make up for it later, so don’t worry about it.”

“Kakashi, wait!”

Much to Kakashi’s horror, Guy exclaims loudly enough that it gains the other villagers’ attention as he grabs Kakashi by the wrist to keep him from leaving.

Kakashi turns, barely meeting Guy’s gaze. He snatches his hand back so fast he’s sure it hurts both of them. The civilians that walk past them stare but don’t stop or say anything. 

“What is it?”

“It doesn’t have to be a contest, you know- we can just go get lunch together! As friends, I mean,” Guy offers, and Kakashi’s heart flutters. Part of him wants to accept the offer. The other part of him knows that it would be wrong to do so considering what he’s been doing lately. He’s not even sure he could keep himself from word-vomiting the truth. “If the contest is too much for you today… It’ll be my treat.”

It’s hard to say no. Kakashi knows he needs to, but ever since Sasuke and Naruto left the village, Guy has become increasingly concerned about him. In turn, Guy has been trying to spend more time with him. The problem with that is that Guy refuses to give up no matter how many times Kakashi rejects him- probably because he can tell that, deep down, Kakashi wants him back and just refuses to act on it.

“I’m good.”

“Kakashi, please,” Guy begs, onyx eyes pleading. Guilt makes Kakashi’s stomach sink like heavy, ink black tar. “I know you have a lot going on right now, but you can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?”

“Shutting everyone out! You were doing so much better until Sasuke went rogue-”

“I don’t want to talk about that,” Kakashi snaps. “And you don’t know what I’m going through or how I’m doing, so don’t pretend that you have any idea. We’re rivals, yes, and we’ve been friends for a long time, but none of what has happened since Sasuke left is any of your business.”

Guy steps back, crosses his arms over his chest, and lets out a sigh of defeat. 

“Are you seriously going to do this again?”

“Yes,” Kakashi nods. “I’ll continue to do what I think is best for the both of us, and right now, that means keeping my distance.”

“You’re wrong,” Guy argues, but he makes no move to stop Kakashi from leaving this time.

“Maybe I am, but if that’s true, and I realize it later down the line, I’ll come to terms with it on my own. I don’t need you to tell me. You’re not my parent, nor are you my partner, a therapist, or anyone else who would be even remotely qualified to meddle in my personal life like you do. Stay out of it.”

“Fine,” Guy spits. Kakashi can practically hear the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. “If that’s how you really feel-”

“Listen,” Kakashi interjects. He hates how good Guy is getting at changing his mind about these sorts of things. “We can get lunch, but don’t think I’m going to magically open up to you, alright? I just want to be left alone… And after we get lunch today, you need to leave me be for a while. I’ll come to you when- or if- I need you. I promise.”

Guy looks angry- like he wants to lash out and yell, like he wants to chew Kakashi out for treating him like shit and pushing him to the side for the past twenty years- but that expression quickly settles into something more defeated that Kakashi can’t stand the look of. Guy sighs, and finally, agrees. 

“Alright, Kakashi… What would you like to eat?”

~

Lunch with Guy that day is awkward and tense, to say the least. They eat, but no conversation is had. Guy pays the tab and they part ways after practically scarfing down their food to get out of the awkward social situation.

Kakashi regrets giving in and going in the first place. By the time he gets back to his own apartment, he’s tired and wracked with guilt over the argument- and worst of all, unable to distract himself by going on missions or training with his team of Genin. Reading through all of his Icha Icha books hasn’t managed to get his mind off of it either. 

Who would’ve guessed that reading a romance novel would make him think about the situation more? Surprisingly, not Kakashi himself.

After hours of lamenting, the Jonin grumbles and rolls out of bed so he can grab the disguise from his closet; green rain coat, beige scarf, black eye contacts, and purple face tape. He pads into the bathroom. The pitter-patter of tiny paws against his wooden floors follows close behind. 

As he starts to apply the concealer over his eyelid to cover his scar and then over his arm to cover his tattoo, Kakashi can already feel Pakkun’s beady eyes burning holes of judgment into him. The pug drapes himself over Kakashi’s bare feet and grumbles.

“Going to see Guy again, are you?”

“Sticking your nose in my business again, are you?” Kakashi shoots back, not even sparing Pakkun a glance. He carefully covers his Sharingan with a contact lense and applies the purple tape beneath his eyes.

“As always,” Pakkun retorts. “Sort of weird that you’ve been doing this to the poor idiot for, what, a year?”

“Trust me, I know it’s weird, but you’re not my therapist-”

“Or anyone else who would be qualified to give you life advice, I know. The whole situation is just ridiculous… Can’t help but ruminate about it when it comes up.”

“What are you gonna do, tell him?” Kakashi hums and moves his feet out from underneath Pakkun so he can slide his shoes on. Finally, he performs a partial transformation to change his hair, make his figure a little bulkier, and slides on his shoes. “Again, it’s not your business.”

“And yet you vent to me about it once a month. If you didn’t want me to know, you wouldn’t tell me… And you also wouldn’t come back so often reeking of sweat and hair gel.”

“Look, I’m gonna get out of here, okay? I’ll see you later. I don’t know where the others are right now, but whenever they get back, there’s cooked steak and veggies for you all in the fridge; you just have to heat them up.”

Pakkun nods and briskly walks out of the room, probably to go lay in Kakashi’s bed and coat the sheets with his hair since he knows the man is going to be leaving. Kakashi doesn’t even bother scolding the Ninken or trying to get him to stop, instead packing a small overnight bag (even though he never stays long enough to fall asleep) and heading out.

The streets in Konoha are loud and bustling despite the time of night. The moon shines down on the village as civilians and ninja alike go up and down the streets, popping in and out of shops and chatting. Many travel in pairs, arm in arm, hand in hand, looking at each other with adoration in their eyes. Kakashi blends in with the crowd easily since he’s missing his ninja gear, and since he does, no one bats an eye in his direction- even while he blatantly stares at the couples he passes who are so blatantly putting their love for each other on display. He wonders if, maybe someday, him and Guy could do that- with him as himself, rather than as Sukea. 

With a frown, he shakes his head to clear it of the thought. He isn’t sure he wants to open that can of worms any time soon, let alone tonight when he’s already emotional. 

Quickly, he enters the residential area where Guy’s apartment is located and makes his way to the older man’s door. He knocks and is unsurprised when he gets an immediate answer.

“Sukea!” Guy greets, a beaming smile on his face. Kakashi- Sukea, now- isn’t sure whether he should feel excited or guilty. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“What can I say? I missed you too much to stay away.”

Guy’s apartment is stupidly perfect in a way that makes Sukea’s heart throb in his chest when he’s there. With seasonal potpourri bowls in each room that make the place reek of pecans and apples, old pictures of them and all of their friends hung unevenly on the walls, and training gear strewn about, Sukea thinks he could stay forever before remembering that he can’t. So, he enjoys it while he can, grinning when Guy pulls him into his arms, lifts him up, and carries him into the bedroom.

~

Sukea wakes up the following morning and realizes three things.

One, the bedroom is no longer lit by the lamp on Guy’s nightstand but by natural sunlight that comes pouring through the blinds.

Two, he fell asleep the night before without realizing it, meaning that it must be morning.

And three, he can’t maintain any jutsu in his sleep, so he is now Kakashi rather than Sukea. Yet, when he rubs the sleep out of his eyes, Guy is still very much there. The ravenette has a soft smile on his face as he runs a hand through Kakashi’s silver hair and leans forward to press a kiss against Kakashi’s cheek. Kakashi, on the other hand, panics. Guy clearly sees said panic in Kakashi’s face and reacts accordingly.

“Kakashi… It’s okay, you know,” Guy tries to comfort Kakashi and reaches forward for him to no avail. 

Kakashi thinks he must look like an idiot as he jerks away and sits up to furrow his brow and dwell on why the fuck Guy is acting like his usual reassuring, loving self instead of losing his mind at the fact that he’s been being tricked for over a year. Incredibly self-conscious, Kakashi rips the blanket that they were previously sharing from Guy and uses it to cover his body as well as the lower half of his face. If he weren’t already embarrassed about the Sukea predicament, he definitely is at the prospect of Guy seeing him- as himself- completely nude.

“Wait,” Kakashi breathes out and reaches up to remove the single contact in his Sharingan before allowing it to flutter shut. The contact is haphazardly tossed in Guy’s bedside trash can, which is also full of empty water bottles, beer cans, and used condoms from the night before. Kakashi’s face flushes pink in a mixture of embarrassment and horror. “You knew?”

“Uh,” Guy clears his throat, his cheeks also darkening. “Yes? You didn’t… Wait, did you not know that I knew?”

“Why didn’t you… I didn’t… I mean, um, I should probably just go,” Kakashi scrambles to stand up with the blanket wrapped around him so he can get his clothes back on, but in the midst of his panic, he trips and falls over one of his abandoned shoes. Thankfully, Guy rolls over to the edge of the bed and gets up just in time to catch Kakashi by the waist and steady him on his feet. When Kakashi tries to slip away, Guy shakes his head, to which Kakashi groans and closes both eyes. “Please, just let me leave. I’m humiliated enough as it is and I understand that you’re probably pissed, but I don’t want to talk about this.”

“I’m not just going to let you run away from this, too. We need to talk- there’s clearly been some sort of miscommunication here!”

“What’s there to talk about?” Kakashi sighs. Guy lets him pull away, but this time, he doesn’t run, opting to sit on the edge of the bed with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. “I mean… If you knew… Why did you let me continue? What exactly does this mean to you?”

“Well, when you’re like this…” Guy pauses, sits down next to Kakashi, and reaches under the blanket to hold his hand. Against his better judgment, Kakashi reciprocates and intertwines their fingers. Guy’s touch is warm and genuine, just like the man himself. Although Kakashi isn’t anticipating a reaction of anger and betrayal anymore, he’s still conflicted- and, more importantly, confused. “It’s the only way you let me in. I know, it went too far, but… I assumed that we were both in on it. Did you seriously think you could fool me with a disguise like that?”

“Would you be mad if I said ‘yes’?”

“No, I can’t be mad at you,” Guy laughs and shakes his head. When Kakashi glances over, the older man is wistfully staring at the old picture of them that’s hung on the wall across from where they’re sitting. “Just frustrated with you… Don’t you remember the first time I saw you as Sukea?”

“Of course I do.”

“I guess I should’ve actually asked you about it instead of just assuming, but even though it took me a few minutes to figure it out that night, I did, and I assumed it was intentional… Like you wanted the connection I was so desperately trying to initiate with you but felt as if you weren’t allowed to have it as yourself. Like you did it with the intention of us both being in on it and just… Not talking about it in our day to day. I get that, as a ninja, it’s easier to keep your personal life separate from your work life- you’ve always been that way, but for you, I’ve always been a part of both faucets of your life and you were just so desperate to keep the two separated despite that.”

“Well, that assumption wasn’t completely wrong… I think I understand, and I’m sorry for everything. Are you really not mad at me?”

“I’m not mad, but I am offended on your behalf since you thought all this time that you had to use this- this alter ego of yours to get me to fall in love with you! Kakashi, I’ve always loved you for you- and I love Sukea, too. I understand that he’s a part of you, and that you find comfort in being him, but… I love all of you equally, not just Sukea. What did you think would happen when I found out? That I’d lose my mind and abandon you over this? That I’d be angry?”

Kakashi lets out a nervous laugh.

“Well…” He trails off, allowing the sheet to drop completely so Guy can see his face; his awkward grin, the mole he’s always been self conscious about, his red cheeks, his nose- which is a little crooked after the break he suffered from that one fight however many years ago.

“That’s exactly what you thought, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re wrong,” Guy leans forward to rest a hand on either side of Kakashi’s face. He holds it tenderly in his grasp as if Kakashi is fragile, as if he’s something to be cherished. The sweetness of it has Kakashi melting onto Guy’s soft sheets. “I love you, and I love every part of you. You know that.”

“I… Suppose you’re right,” Kakashi murmurs. “Do you want me to leave now?”

“Do you want to leave? After all of that?”

“Well, no-”

“Then what do you want to do?” Guy asks. “Do what you want, Kakashi. Whatever you want.”

“Okay,” Kakashi nods. “I’ll do what I want, then.”

And so, Kakashi leans forward, capturing Guy’s lips with his own and laughing between kisses when the two of them tumble back into bed.

#drabble #drabbles #naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto fanfiction #oneshot #oneshots #fanfiction #kakashi hatake #kakagai fanfiction #kakagai #kakaguy #maito guy #maito gai #might guy

[lemony-snickers]

hi lemony. Hoping u could take my request.

Are you in a mood for angst? it doesn't matter what the plot is. im just really looking for some angsty fics of Kakashi x fem reader.

hello, my dear.  thank you for stopping by & i hope you are doing well!  now, you sent this right after 🏳️‍🌈 anon sent this song to my inbox.  i know now they didn’t intend for this to be a request, but at the time, i thought they did.

i hope neither of you mind that i’ve combined these two into one little ditty with a gender-neutral MC.  <3

here is a link to the song in case anyone would like to listen to it.

Title:  Cursed  (AO3 Link Here) Summary:  Kakashi Hatake knows he is cursed even if not everyone can see it. Word Count:  3,344 (that includes the lyrics and i’m too lazy to see what it is without them as;ldfjd forgive me) Warnings:  gn!MC, mentions of suicide, references to depression and death, some suggestive language .

There's a fire in my brain and I'm burning up Oh my, oh my Keep running for the sink but the well is dry Oh my, oh my

Kakashi changes after his team falls apart.  His posture is too straight—his jaw too tight.  Even with the mask on, it’s obvious he’s always grinding his teeth.

Though he tries his best to let the cruel and cutting words roll off him—Friend-Killer, Cold-Blooded, Murderer—they settle over his skin like a painful exoskeleton of preconceived notions.  It is a comfort in some ways because he knows no one will ever bother to look beyond it.

Someone does, though, even if he doesn’t notice right away.

They don’t see him crying in the night, don’t watch him rush to the kitchen sink to scrub the persistent, imagined blood from his fingers, but they know Kakashi suffers in the wake of Rin’s death.  They visit her grave, make small offerings.  They hope seeing the evidence of someone else mourning will remind Kakashi he is not alone.

He sees the flowers over Rin’s name and feels alone anyway.

Every word I say is kindling But the smoke clears when you're around Won't you stay with me, my darling When my walls start burning down, down, down?

Kakashi is too good at what he does—too precise and neat and dedicated to his craft.  It might be a more admirable trait if his trade were not plied in violence.  He buries himself in it, dives elbow-deep into the viscera of his enemies just so he doesn’t have to remember what is waiting for him at home.

Or rather, what isn’t.

Slowly, he realizes there is a comrade who sticks a little closer, that they linger after all the reports have been filed, sit next to him in the locker room.  Their efforts pay off when his gaze begins to slide over to them increasingly often.

It’s a silent sort of companionship; the distant warmth of another shoulder or the soft clearing of a throat across the room.

Still, it anchors Kakashi a little on the worst of days.  He lashes out at them sometimes, cutting words flung like kunai across a hallway when they stand a little close.

But they only smile in response and hope the fog in his brain lifts a little at the edges.

This house says my name like an elegy Oh my, oh my Echoing where my ghosts all used to be Oh my, oh my

Kakashi knows he can’t stay here.  He sleeps in the barracks more often than his own bed already, which leaves plenty of fodder for gossip.  But there are ghosts in the Hatake Estate and he is tired of trying to outrun them.  No matter where he sleeps, they creep in between the crevices, the cracks in the wood.

Always find him.

So he shutters his childhood home, as if he is winterizing a vacation house.  He has no plans to return to it, no reason to ever go back.

He finds a bare-bones apartment, a single room with space enough for a large bed.  He needs it so the dogs will have a place to sleep when he summons them in the night, when the terror seizes his chest and he wakes clutching at a pounding heart, afraid he is about to die.

He knows he won’t, though; dying would be far too great a mercy for a man like Kakashi.

And he’s always received plenty of attention.  Men and women offering to keep his bed warm by his side, to provide some much-needed relief on extended missions.

He turns most of them down.  But the one he doesn’t is a mistake because this person knows him too well, knows when he is hiding.  They’ve been standing too close for years and they keep looking at him.

Now they draw maps across his body with their teeth like they are marking him.

Like he is theirs even if they know he will never allow them such a claim.

It is a dangerous thing, Kakashi knows, to think you belong to another person.

Other people die.  They break.

But they promise him they won’t—that they are strong enough to withstand whatever agony he might thrust upon them.  It doesn’t stop him from trying, though.  His words are cruel, his actions sometimes more so.  But every time he returns from a mission, they crawl into bed beside him and allow him to take his fill without complaint.

They hold him afterward, kiss his temple, even though they know come morning, he will shove them away.

Kakashi doesn’t dream so much when he’s with them.  It’s almost as if they know a secret for keeping the ghosts at bay.

There's still cobwebs in the corners And the backyard's full of bones Won't you stay with me, my darling When this house don't feel like home? When this house don't feel like home?

Despite his best efforts, the apartment never feels like home.  In desperation, Kakashi returns to the Hatake Clan’s farmhouse searching for that feeling of belonging somewhere he has missed for so long.

The floors are dusty, the closest ruled by spiders, each room achingly empty.

He stands in the place where he found his father’s body, curls his toes against the tatami mats, so fresh and new compared to those around them.  He knows if he lifts them up, there will be a dark stain in the wood beneath that he could never quite scrub out.

And he wonders if one day his fate might be the same.  If he remains so untethered to his life, will he return here to find peace and purpose in a blade?

After he leaves the house, he takes an unfamiliar path through Konoha.

It is the first time he visits another person’s bed.  Though their body is second nature to him, now, the surroundings are strange.  It’s exhilarating and beautiful—like a vacation from his existence, even if it is only a single evening.

They are surprised when he climbs through the window.  This person who has followed him for so long, waited patiently for him, given of themselves to him without receiving anything in kind—they jump when he steps onto their floor.

But in an instant, their shock fades to elation and then concern.

“Is everything okay?”

It isn’t, but he nods.  “Fine,” he says, closing the distance slowly; like a predator.  His gaze is intense, both pupils tracing the lines of their face as he approaches.

“How did you know where I live?”

He wants to laugh.  Admit he’s known for years where to find them at any given moment; they are like a beacon—a landmark he cannot escape even when he wants to.

Kakashi isn’t sure he wants to anymore.

He never answers their question, knows that doing so would reveal too much of his own feelings.  Instead, he squeezes the last centimeters of air from between their bodies and claims the feeling of belonging he has so desperately been searching for without remorse.

They are more than happy to oblige.

Oh ashes, ashes, dust to dust The devil's after both of us Oh, lay my curses out to rest Make a mercy out of me

Kakashi should have known his penance would come in the form of flesh.  The children assigned to him—the delicate lives balanced on his palms—reflect so acutely back at him.

Obito, Itachi, Minato-sensei, even Rin.

The ghosts are back, he realizes.  He never should have expected to outrun them forever.

He throws himself forcibly into the role of teacher.  He’s not very good at first, but he thinks he finds his footing eventually.

And after a long, cold while, there is warmth in his bed again—that same familiar person drawing maps.  He tells them in a post-coital haze one night that he is cursed.  That the eyes of Sasuke and Naruto, Sakura’s misplaced optimism, are his penitence for failing those who came before.

“That isn’t true,” they whisper, “you don’t owe anyone your contrition, not even the dead.”

He shrugs them off, then, even as they try to drag him back under the haze, under the blankets.  But he showers instead, tells them gruffly they should be gone before he’s done.

They have never denied Kakashi anything he’s asked of them, and this time is no different.

When Kakashi walks back into the bedroom to find it empty—their clothes gone from the floor, shoes no longer by the door—he is disappointed.

As their scent fades in the cool night air, drifting lazily out his open window, Kakashi realizes he should have asked them to stay.  Knows they would have if he had.

Maybe he is not cursed after all, he thinks, maybe he is the curse.

This tired old machine is a-rumbling Oh my, oh my Singing songs to the secrets behind my eye Oh my, oh my

He pushes them away.  How could he not?

Kakashi has failed in every role he’s ever taken—student, commander, son, friend, sensei.  How could he risk also falling short of lover?

It’s unfair, and so he stops playing coy with his distance.  Instead of feigning disinterest, he shoves it at them.  They arrive at his door and he slams it closed so quickly it hits their nose.  He avoids their gaze when he sees their black eyes the next day, but they still wave at him.  Still smile in his direction.

Subtle, heartfelt promises that everything is okay.

Kakashi does not understand why.

He wants to apologize, to hold their face between his hands and tell them it was an accident.  Yes, he meant to close the door, but he was too distracted to realize they’d taken a step forward.

It’s just another example of his curses; everyone who gets close to him is lying unawares in the path of a tsunami.  His disastrous lack will drown them one day.

They don’t mind treading water while they wait for him to be ready.

Kakashi watches Naruto disappear off with Jiraiya, pushes Sakura to train with Tsunade, and allows Gai to lose himself in his students.  All while he himself retreats from the bonds he’s forged.  He is cruel to his comrades so they will no longer invite him out for drinks after a mission.  He keeps his window closed so no one will appear in it uninvited, asking if they can climb into bed next to him as they have countless times before.

And they recognize the distance for what it is—the grieving of a broken man—but they do not push.  They watch him carefully from a distance, as they once did, content to keep a watchful eye out for any changes; to return to his side the moment he requires it.

Kakashi summons his ninken when he sleeps and they crowd around him, lie over his chest.  It’s suffocating, but familiar.  A comfort against the ceaseless darkness of his dreams.

The sharingan remembers everything it has ever seen, and it replays his failures in cruel clarity.  Even those events for which he did not yet possess the eye seem to rewind themselves behind his lids as he sleeps, a blistering montage of the worst moments of his life.

There are someone else’s flowers on Rin’s grave.  He sweeps them off and crushes the blooms underfoot.

Still, they bring more flowers and lay them over the stone.  Say a prayer for the living as well as the dead.

All my aching bones are trembling And I may yet fall apart Won't you stay with me, my darling When the war starts in my heart? When the war starts in my heart?

Kakashi is prepared to die in the war.  Part of him, he thinks, might welcome such a thing.  The hope that he will not have to endure any more losses, that perhaps he can sacrifice himself to save the students he has failed so miserably, pushes him forward.  Soothes his anxiety.

And so does the familiar whisper of a voice against his ear one evening as they prepare their battle plans.

The invitation he offers in return which is accepted.

They have waited so long for him to be ready and even if it’s only a brief moment, they leap at the opportunity.

Their body is warm and familiar, their teeth just as demanding and sharp as they have ever been.  And Kakashi gives himself over to them, seeks his pleasure only distantly.  What he really needs, tonight of all nights, is someone to hold him afterward; guard him against the approaching dawn.

He doesn’t say this, of course.  Instead, his hands are rough and his voice level when he says, “Just this once.  Just in case this is the end.”

“Of course,” they say, “this can’t happen again.”

He groans, pushing forward, forcing them down onto the mattress beneath him.  They welcome his weight with a chorus of sighs, pulling him close.

Kakashi knows they are right—they both are.  There are so many reasons this is a mistake.  He does not need another person relying on him, cannot stand the idea of letting yet another precious person down.  But their voice makes him shiver, and the way their hands smooth over his body so lovingly stirs something primal in him; some need to be cared for.  To love.

They try to carve their affection into his skin—like the bruises and lines left by their nails might be enough to make Kakashi finally accept that he is worthy of them.  They tell him how good it feels to be with him again and every word is a sacred truth.

Kakashi smothers the instinct to be soft and buries himself in lies as well as their body, takes what he can while giving so little it is a miracle they can take from him at all.

They find plenty to take for themselves, even if Kakashi does not realize it.  He is more open here than anywhere else, more readable.  Every word he’s never uttered with his mouth is said with his body, read clearly in his eyes.  But they know he is not ready for the things he can’t say, so they keep those secrets closely guarded, even from their originator.

And after, they kiss his temple and run their fingers through his hair.  He tells them he is a curse and they laugh, the sound vibrating against Kakashi’s ear from somewhere deep in their chest.

“If that’s true, Kakashi, then I’m happy to be cursed.”

They shouldn’t be, but he’s glad.

Oh ashes, ashes, dust to dust The devil's after both of us Oh, lay my curses out to rest Make a mercy out of me

Kakashi reels in the weeks and months following the war.  The revelation of Obito, the return of Sasuke, the near-death of Gai.

It’s all too much.  He buries himself in rebuilding alliances, strengthening them.  He does not want to be made Hokage, but he knows the other options are limited and some of them are offensive.  Regardless, duty dictates he accept the position and so he does.

Besides, he thinks, it will give him purpose.  And it is clear he cannot live without something like that.  He knows without being a commander and a sensei over the preceding years, he likely would have returned to the room where his father died long ago to join him.

There is a familiar presence as he prepares for his inauguration.  Almost imperceptible to anyone but him.

Always close, but never intruding.  Ever supportive and available, but hardly seen or heard unless specifically requested.

The entire process of taking office is horrific—the false smiles and lavish dinners.  It’s everything Kakashi has never wanted.

Once he’s officially Hokage, he buries himself in paperwork to avoid meeting dignitaries as often as possible.  He works himself ragged just trying to keep his head above water.  He can’t stop thinking it should be Obito, not him, wearing the robes.

He receives a visitor one evening, someone who knows that arriving unannounced on the wrong night will invite derision.  But they do it anyway because it’s obvious how exhausted he is, how much he has denied himself the rest he needs.

The same person who watched Kakashi grind his teeth after Rin died watches him do the same beneath the heavy brim of the Rokudaime’s hat and they know they must intervene on his behalf.

“Hokage-sama?”

Their voice is like honey dripping into tea—smooth and sweet.  When he looks up from the budget reports he’s been glaring at for half the day, Kakashi finds a familiar figure standing before his desk with takeout in hand.

“Did I request a meeting?” he asks, genuinely baffled and assuming he did but forgot about it.

They only let the apparent rebuff glance off one shoulder before they recover fully.  “No, Sir, but I thought maybe you could use some company.”

It starts like that—begins again, really.  They share late-night meals and swap conversation.

Slowly, Kakashi starts expecting their visits without feeling guilty for doing so.

And they, in turn, start looking forward to them without feeling selfish.

One night, they go home together.  And then every night after, they do the same.

Kakashi watches his students forge their paths, find happiness in their families and fulfillment in their careers.  He watches Sasuke make as many amends as he is able, and hopes that will be enough.

Gai recovers as well as he can and even a crippled leg cannot stop him from seeing only the best in the world around him; even the loss of Neji does not dull his enthusiasm for long.  Because he has always known there are always other students to support, other friends in need of his boundless love.

Kakashi thinks for the first time maybe home does not have to be a place without ghosts.  Maybe with enough help, he can learn to live amongst them.

Oh ashes, ashes, dust to dust Tell me I am good enough Oh, lay my curses out to rest Make a mercy out of…

Us.

It’s a strange word, still; heavy and awkward on Kakashi’s tongue when he says it.  But slowly growing more familiar as he uses it in his daily life.

“I’ll pick up groceries for us on the way home.”

“Gai invited us to dinner.”

“Naruto has asked us to watch Himawari.”

Every time he says something mundane about the life they have managed to build together, his partner beams.  They know it has been a difficult road; that life handed Kakashi a harsh path to follow.

That he has done so and chosen them to remain at his side as he continues to brush the cobwebs of his past away from his periphery, is a feat worthy of every accolade.  Never something to be taken for granted.

The house Kakashi grew up in slowly fills with new memories.  And though the ghosts never truly leave, they quiet themselves a little.  Perhaps that is because Gai’s voice is loud enough to drown them out, or maybe because there seems to always be a shoulder next to Kakashi’s radiating warmth instead of a deathly chill.

Either way, the house changes and he is glad he’s given it another chance.

As they lie next to Kakashi, they turn to look at him in the deepening dark.

“Do you still feel like you’re cursed?” they ask.

Kakashi isn’t sure how to answer.  Doesn’t know for certain whether the curse of him could ever really be lifted.

But they are here, beside him, so even if it’s still there, it feels a little lighter.

He kisses their temple the way they do for him when he wakes from a nightmare.  He never answers aloud, but they understand what he wants them to.  And they are happy to spend the rest of their days proving to Kakashi Hatake that he is not a cursed man.

#lemony scribbles #kakashi hatake #gn!reader #kakashi fanfiction #kakashi angst #third person pov #angst #angst with a happy ending #song fic #tw depression #tw suicide mention #tw death #tw suggestive #it's not really a reader insert but work with me here okay a;ldskfjasfd

[wind-becomes-lightning]

“

He was so tired. All the time. He longed for deep sleep. He was no parent.

Sakumo couldn’t help but think that it might be better for Kakashi if his father wasn’t around. If Sakumo wasn’t there he would have the opportunity to start over again, be his own person. Clearly, people admired his intellect and skill, clearly they prefered to see him connected to his mother as opposed to his father. 

He still could enjoy his time with his son, out around the village or in the backyard of their way too big clan house, but the high from it only held on for so long. When Sakumo put Kakashi to bed and returned back to the darkness of the main living area, death was there again, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

Yes, Kakashi would be better off without Sakumo around. Yes, he was only making things unnecessarily hard for his son.

The world was damb and dark. The colours had faded. The sun didn’t warm his skin. Sakumo longed for relief, any relief.

Sometimes he hurt himself, just with the tip of the kunai on naked skin until it would draw blood. A countermeasure to the numbing of feelings on his inside, an outlet to let the pain drip away. He could watch the blood drip down his arm and it told him that he was still a living being, no matter what death told him. He wasn’t a walking corpse.

Injuries reminded him of a fight, it reminded him of battle. 

The habit would leave him with scars that he learned to hide well. Kakashi was smart, but still a child.

Sakumo liked the scars. Scars reminded him of his failure. Failure to protect, failure to save people he cared for. His friends, his colleagues, his wife - his son.”

For the DVD commentary! I know it’s dark. But it’s so beautifully written. This is one of my all time favorite pieces I’ve ever read.

thank you <3

this is from decay. also tw: self harm. I put my reply under cut

you are really asking for two things here, the top part which is Sakumo thinking Kakashi without him woudl have a better life and the bottom part that adresses the self harm thing. I'll answer both separately.

part 1:

I always thought that Sakumo must have felt like that, that he was a big walking bad luck charm. No matter what your hc for Kakashi's mother is, the fact is, she is not around when Kakashi is a kid, so she must have died, and we can assume that Sakumo suffered from it.

The failed mision, the fucked up reputation and then there is his son, the shining star that everyone talks about as such a genius. It's so easy to tell yourself that without you he would be free of baggage and able to fulfill his potential, that without you he could be have a happy childhood. It's a lie of course, but that is what death is there for. Its the little shadow following him around telling him lies, that monster that lives in your head when you lose sight of who you are.

It was also important to me to say yeah, he loves his son, he loves spending time with his son. He isn' egoistic about it (even tho he is!), he actually loves his son soo much, that he thinks he does him a favour. And he enjoys their time together, but it does not matter, because these things cant be saved by the smile and laughter of a child, you need a professional. Hatake Sakumo loved nothing as much as he loved his son and so he was willing to put himself out of the picture for his sake (which again, is a falsehood, but he can't really keep that apart.)

part 2:

I used to self harm for years and it was a hard struggle to stop doing it. This lower part you quoted is pretty much just my experiences written out. When I felt like i stopped existing, I called it something like a walking corpse in this fic, then I cut myself. Depression is on the inside, it is not something you can go to the hospital for and get a quick bandaid. People (including yourself) cant see it at all, but wounds, wounds exist. So seeing yourself bleed gives you a) an outlet to feel something- anything and b) something that actually marks you.

Sakumo of course here thinks about how scars stay and remind him of his struggle and yes that is me. Every summer my skin tans easily and I see the scars on my legs and they remind me of failure, because I knew cutting won't get me anywhere, it won't heal or save me, but I still did it. For years. I used to bandage them up and tell people I just hurt my arms or legs and thats that.

So yes, that part is pretty much just my memories projected on someone else. I think i cried writing this, because its very personal. But in this fic, and as well as in my real life, Sakumo and me we realise that there is more than just the grief. That there are people to care for and uh, yeah. Fuck all of that really.

a few months after my dad died i cut myself the last time and then I was like fuck this fuck this shit it wont make it go away, the pain will always be there. so i looked at myself and said "no more".

#ask things #tw:self harm #i really do mean the tw really

[sleepysnk]

obito + bathroom sex at a party 🤍

a/n: i love this. i absolutely love this. PLEASE KEEP THESE THOUGHTS COMING!! thank you again, and i hope you enjoy :)

pairings: obito uchiha x fem!reader

warnings: nsfw, modern au, smut, jealous sex, unprotected sex, creampie, rough sex, degradation, public sex, bathroom sex, jealous behaviors.

Say My Name ft. Obito Uchiha

The loud music playing in room below you was pulsing in your ears. The muffled noise wasn’t extremely loud, but it was just enough for you to hear it.

Though, the only sound you were focusing on was the creaking of the sink you were sitting on.

The hot-white pleasure coursed through your body. Your toes were curling and your mind was foggy. How could you focus on anything? The way he was making you feel was like nothing you’ve ever felt before. He was irresistible, and your bodies were almost made for each other,

“O-Obito.. please..” your fingers entangled themselves in his hair.

Obito groaned hearing the sound of your sweet voice calling for him. Fucking your sweet pussy was like ecstasy to him. You were so gorgeous, and the scene before him was enough to drive him crazy.

It all started when you kept giggling at Kakashi’s jokes a little more than you should have.

Your sweet laughing was making Obito irritated the whole night. You should only be giggling at his jokes, not Kakashi’s. The jealousy boiled inside of him at the sight, and he was tired of letting this go on longer than it needed to be. You were his, and nobody else’s.

Here you were now, your pussy being stuffed by Obito’s thick cock. His pace was relentless, and he showed zero signs of stopping.

He chose the bathroom to get the job done. He didn’t have time to throw you in his bedroom. He needed to remind you right now who you belonged to at the end of the day. He was better than Kakashi, and you should only be thinking of him.

Obito wasn’t gentle with you like he usually was. He was rough, but you weren’t complaining at all.

“This is what you get..” he said, “You’re such a dirty slut sometimes.. it took everything in me to not fuck you in front of Kakashi..”

You let your head fall against the mirror behind you. His face buried into your neck where his teeth grazed along your skin. “Yes! Right there..” you let out a breathy moan as his cock kissed at your g-spot.

Obito grabbed your face so you were now looking at him. “Are you a slut for my cock? Tell me, baby..” he pressed your lips together.

You nodded your head eagerly. “Y-Yes.. I’m your slut..” you cried, battling your eyelashes at him.

He smirked before increasing his pace. He could feel how tight your walls were becoming. The sounds you were letting out indicated that you were going to hit your orgasm any second. Obito wanted to feel you cum around his cock.

His and his only.

“You gonna cum, princess?” he cocked his head to the side, raising his eyebrows.

You could barely speak, your body was so fucked out that you couldn’t form any coherent sentences. You wanted to cum so badly.

“Look at me,” Obito forced your face to look at him.

You shook your head, “I wanna cum for you, Obito..”

He placed his hands on your hips once those words fell from your tongue. Your whines and cries were like music to his ears, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He was going to give you an orgasm all right. He wanted to hear you scream his name so loud that everyone at the party knew who you belonged to.

“Fuck.. yeah.. that’s it, baby.. I want you to scream my name when you cum..” he said, “Can you do that for me?”

You nodded your head, placing your arms around his neck to hold on for support.

He squeezed your hips as he fucked you, hard.

“Obito.. oh, god, Obito!” you yelled, digging your nails into his shoulder blade.

The heat deep within your stomach turned into sparks when your orgasm took over your body. A sense of satisfaction washed onto you from the sensations. You hadn’t felt something like this in a really long time, and it felt so good.

Obito grunted, the sticky white arousal surrounded his cock. He was getting close to his own orgasm as well. You could feel the way his thrusts were changing, and becoming more sloppy. You wanted every inch of his cum inside of you. You didn’t care if anybody else saw it.

Breathlessly, you spoke to him.

“Cum in me.. please,” you whimpered, pushing your hips closer to his pelvis.

You saw the smirk form on his features. “Oh, yeah? That’s what you want, baby? I’ll fill you up.. don’t you worry..” he nipped at the shell of your ear as he spoke to you.

Suddenly, his thrusts became quicker, and you started to become overstimulated. Whines fell from your lips, and a new wave of pleasure began to consume you. Your eyes felt heavy, and you had to hold onto Obito so you wouldn’t fall off the counter.

You felt this warm sensation in your abdomen. Obito groaned as his cum filled your pussy. The squelching noises could be heard as he slowed down.

You both panted, sweat clung to your skin, and this scent of sex roamed around the bathroom. The two of you were absolute messes, but neither of you cared.

All you knew.. was that you were Obito’s, and he was yours.

#summer speaks #naruto x reader #naruto imagines #naruto smut #obito uchiha #obito uchiha x reader #obito x reader #anime #naruto #anime fanfic #naruto fanfiction

[venusdere]

Yandere Kakashi Fluffy nsfw hcs

CW: , body worship, breeding kink, sexual content, praise, dirty talk ig but it’s nice? Kakashi is touch starved, unprotected sex, breeding kink is mentioned, didn't rly emphasize on the soft yandere part but eh he's just obsessed with reader in this

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.

Kakashi hated going on long missions. He used to look forward to them when he had nobody, but now that you’re patiently waiting for him in your shared apartment all he cared about was being with you. Unfortunately for him, he’s the copy-nin who’s mastered over a thousand jutsus. Kakashi doesn’t get much time off because of his reputation and skills. He’d been sent out on a month-long assassination mission by Hiruzen. Kakashi promised you that he would try to be back within three weeks, but ultimately he can't help how much time it would take. He always rushes his missions, his record time is a month long mission within one week.

Sadly for him, he made it back in a month and a half. It really wasn't fair. Kakashi deserved to be with his sweet darling, cuddled in between your thighs as he read Icha Icha, yet he had to be on a difficult mission where he almost died on three different occasions.

The second Kakashi gets back home in the safety of your shared apartment, he's already taking off pieces of his clothing, he didn't want to waste a second, really it's a compliment to you. You're so addicting to him that every second matters.

He'd call out your name and wait for your response. The second he heard your voice coming from the bedroom he smirked, he made a beeline for the room. He saw you getting up, assuming you were going to greet him, but he immediately shoved you back on the bed and climbed on top of you. You could feel his hard-on through his underwear as he slowly grinded against you. His forehead touched yours, and he mumbled out "I missed you baby," before passionately kissing you. His hands roaming your body and he'd try to cover you up with his body as much as possible.

He just loves to feel like he can protect you okay? Please don't try to get on top when he's like this. He's doing this more for himself, he NEEDS to keep his sweet little baby safe, and he'll make sure you know, "It's okay baby, I'm back. You don't have to worry about a thing, let me take care of you okay?"

Just a few other things that he would say while exploring your body:

"I missed you so much my baby, miss that gorgeous face of yours."

"I can't believe that you're all mine, you're too ethereal to be real."

"Baby, I need to feel you around me right now, please, I fucking need this divine pussy around my cock."

Kakashi would kiss every part of your neck, sucking on certain areas before moving over to the next. He loves leaving hickeys on you since no one else would see them. His fingers would be all over your breast, gently massaging them while still grinding his hard on into you.

At this point he'd rip off your clothes, they're in the way and he's tired of not feeling your skin around him. five weeks without you makes Kakashi desperate for any sort of skin contact (He already craves it just by having you around).

Kakashi would eat you out after marking your body. He needs to remind you that he's the only person who can make you feel so pleasured. He's an extremely observant man so you rarely have to tell him what you want. He quickly figured that out on his own.

He would say things like "I can tell you missed me, doll, you're absolutely soaked. Such a good girl for me."

"I missed your taste, I promise I'll devour your cunt every night I'm here to make up for it."

He wouldn't let you cum yet, oh no, he wants to come together since he thinks it's much more intimate. He'd keep on eating you out until he knew you would be ready to take his cock with comfort and ease. Both your pleasure and his are of equal priority to Kakashi.

He won't stop eating you out until you're begging him to absolutely ravage your pussy, and when he does he makes his way back up to your face by leaving a trail of soft kisses on your body. He truly knows how to make you feel loved and adored in these moments. He'd put his forehead against yours and lines up his hard, throbbing cock against your soaked cunt, asking if you were ready. He knows you are, Kakashi just wants to hear one last "Please just fuck me, Kashi..." before he thrust into you.

"So perfect, my perfect baby..."

"Did you miss my cock? Tell me who makes you feel this way, Y/N."

"You're taking me so well, doll. That's my girl, my good girl."

Every time he calls you his good girl, he adds emphasis by pounding into you harder than usual. He's extremely vocal when he's been gone, Kakashi adores the effect it has on you.

Overall he's extremely passionate, giving you quick kisses but pulling away to hear your wonderful moans, whispering sweet nothings into your ears, a string of "I-love-you's" coming out of his mouth often, slowing down the pace to soak in the beautiful sight he feels he's been blessed with.

He has his hands roaming around your body again, but they're usually holding your face as his arms rest besides your head. Again, he loves the feeling of protecting you, especially during sex. It makes him go absolutely feral.

SPEAKING OF FERAL, Kakashi doesn't usually think about having kids, but seeing his sweet princess under him in her most pleasured stated gives him thoughts about it. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad? He's always wanted to cum inside of you... And what better way to make you his than by cumming inside?

#Yandere Kakashi

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Training Adventure

For: @animetrashmuffin

Words: 1480

Training was an important part of a shinobi’s life. Their routine, the length of time they spent training, and even just how hard they pushed themselves could tell a lot about a person. It was only natural for Iruka to want to see his boyfriend in action. A small glimpse of the daily routine that kept Hatake Kakashi in top shape.

No one could blame Iruka for being curious. Most Shinobi trained with their partner at least once in a while, and even civilians seemed to have some sort of idea about the regimes their Shinobi partners put their bodies through. It felt a little like he was the only person in the entire village who knew nothing about his partner's training regimes. A fact he was perfectly fine ignoring until Gemma inserted his stupid opinions into Iruka’s life.

Can you even say that you’re dating someone if you don’t know how they train?

The words had taunted him for days. Whenever he finally thought they had disappeared, never to bother him again, they would arrive at the door to his brain once again screaming for an answer.

What was his position in Kakashi’s life? There was no doubt in his mind that they were dating, no matter how much Genma’s wanted him to question that fact, but how close were they? Could he really say he knew Kakashi when he had no idea about the stresses he put his body under in training?

Some questions required answers, so Iruka did the only logical thing. He informed Kakashi last night over dinner that they would be working out together during his day off. The response he received was…less than enthusiastic.

“You want to work out with me?” Kakashi’s chopsticks hovered in front of his face. The piece of fish he had plucked off of his plate just sitting there waiting to be eaten. “Since when do you want to work out with me? Don’t you have your own training regime?”

“I do,” There were a few things Iruka did to keep himself in shape, though he had no doubt it wasn’t nearly as difficult as Kakashi’s. There was a reason Kakashi was one of the top shinobi in all of Konoha, and it all came down to how hard he trained. Other people may have been fooled into thinking all of that skill came to the Copy Ninja naturally, but Iruka had seen him after a day of training. He always looked exhausted. Ready to shower and collapse into bed while using Iruka as his own personal stuffy. “I just thought it might be nice. A new experience.”

“I’m pretty sure there are better ways to experience something new,” Setting his chopsticks down on the plate, Kakashi sighed. “I doubt you’ll be dissuaded easily though, That was a fact. Iruka might not be an all-powerful Jonin but he was stubborn. When he wanted something, he would do anything to get it. “Fine. We’ll train together tomorrow.”

True to his word, Kakashi had woken Iruka up from a very lovely dream at six in the morning and dragged him outside of the village, reminding him every time that he asked why they were doing this that it was all his idea. He wanted to train with him.

Never in his life had Iruka regretted a decision before.

When they finally reached their destination, Iruka couldn’t believe his eyes. A cliff. What were they were supposed to do with a cliff?

“Kakashi, I don’t-” When he glanced at his boyfriend’s way, he just about crawled out of his skin. There, standing in front of him was the love of his life, the man he would give anything for, tying one arm behind his back. “Kakashi!?”

“You said we were going to train together,” Kakashi repeated himself for the hundredth time, tying a knot at his stomach for easy access. “Are you backing out now?”

“Well, I-” lifting his gaze, he examined the cliffside. It wasn’t one of the higher cliffs around Konoha, but high enough that the smallest mistake near the top could be a death sentence. If this was part of Kakashi’s regular training regime it was a wonder he was even alive. The skill and dedication it would take to ensure one didn’t slip at an integral moment. “Is this really part of your regular regime? I mean, it seems rather…extreme.”

“You do remember that I graduated from the Acadamy when I was five, right?” a slight nod of his head was the only response Iruka could give, his brain too busy processing the task in front of him to form a coherent sentence. “Well, I’ve been doing this since I was at the academy. It’s the best way to test myself without getting into a fight,” Testing himself. It was sad just how unsurprised Iruka was by those words. Everything Kakashi did was a test, so why would training be any different? “If you don’t want to join you don’t have to. You can wait for me down here.”

“No,” Iruka would never be able to forgive himself if he backed out now, and Kakashi would never look at him the same. A shinobi who was afraid of a little challenge. It was unheard of. “I might not tie an arm behind my back, but I’ll do it.”

Just staring at the cliffside made his stomach turn. The thought of actually climbing it without any sort of safeties. Putting his life on the line to challenge himself and see how difficult his boyfriend's training really was. It set his nerves on fire. Iruka’s training was easy compared to this, which wasn’t all that surprising but still a lot to take in. Before today he wouldn’t have thought he was going easy on himself.

Would he even be able to move tomorrow? How difficult would it be for him to train the kids aT the academy when every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire? He had never pushed himself so far it hurt, always careful to ensure that he was able to teach the next day.

“Iruka,” returning his focus to the present, he glanced towards Kakashi. Surprised to find him already standing directly in front of the cliffside with one handheld up above his head gripping a rock for support. “You alright over there?”

“Hmm?” taking a moment to process Kakashi’s words, he took a deep breath. “Ya, sorry. I’m fine.”

He might die climbing a cliff today, but he was fine.

“Well, take your time,” Kakashi gave him a playful look. “I’ll be waiting for you at the top.”

At the top. The words hit him like a tackle hug from Naruto, knocking the wind right out of him. He was going to climb a cliff, and he was going to have to make it to the top. Once he started there would be no turning back. No easy way out.

What had he gotten himself into? Maybe if he backed out now, Kakashi would forgive him. He could just head to the top the long way and meet Kakashi there, or stay where he was and keep an eye on his boyfriend. Make sure nothing went wrong.

“I-” he blinked, surprised to find Kakashi no longer standing in front of him. Lifting his gaze, he watched with wonder as his boyfriend scaled up the wall as if it was nothing. Using both his feet and one available arm to climb faster than Iruka had ever seen him move while walking.

It was rather impressive, and there was one thing Iruka couldn’t help but admit.

The view was nice.

“Stop looking at my ass, Iruka!” Kakashi called back down at him, not stopping his movements for even a second. “You can see as much of that as you want after training.” That sounded like a promise. One that Iruka would gladly scale the side of a cliff to see come true. Taking a step forward, he stared at the jagged rocks that he was about to entrust his life to.

“Don’t you dare let me down,” he grumbled, reaching above his head to grab the first rock and setting his left foot on another rock closer to the ground. “There’s a ridiculous, out of his mind boyfriend waiting for me at the top and I have every intention of proving to him that I can do this.”

If Iruka was in his right mind he’d stop and think this through. Create a plan of attack for reaching the top of the cliff alive. Love didn’t allow for one to be in their right mind though. Every time he heard Kakashi’s laughter in the distance, or the call for him to ‘hurry it up’ he was driven to move.

To climb without concern for what could happen to him with one wrong move.

#DHKBingo #DepressedHatakeKakashi's Bingo #DepressedHatakeKakashi Bingo #KakaIru

[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

[thefairyletters]

✨ Spooky Recs✨

I read a lot of fanfictions... More than I am proud of. I thought I should recommend as I go before I lose sight of their existence among the sea of my favorites.

Since past few days I have been craving for some creepy, unnerving fanfics that will keep me restless and awake at night. I remembered my favorites and wanted to read more of the kind so I looked up, patiently going through each story that sounded compelling. I also revisited old stories for nostalgia's sake.

Of course, rare as they are, in Naruto fandom no less, it's even harder to find a horror and mystery fic that is well written, not dropped under 2 chapters, and really keeps your attention.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Comedy

I've rated 4 aspects of the work -

Writing – I don't judge writing based solely on the grammar and vocabulary. I also consider how the author expands upon a subject, if they are consistent with the facts, if they are able to keep the attention of the readers regardless of their creative writing skills.

Characters – If the characters are well-developed, in their given character, if OCs have any real significance to the story.

Plot – How gripping is the storyline, if the story sticks to its original plot, the structure of the story, plot holes.

Flow – Mother-of-slow-burn, slow-but-steady, steady, fast, I-am-speed

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When the flowers cry : TCOOKIES777 || M || AO3/FFN || SasuSaku || Goth Horror || Post-Canon, set during Blank Period || Ongoing

When one of the greatest medical-nin in the world goes missing in what should have been a simple delivery to the Land of Spring’s Hidden Snow Village, the rest of Team 7 must reunite to find her. But even the most powerful team of shinobi will find themselves challenged in a battle against the supernatural. With Sasuke's return, vengeful ghosts of the past will test him and his love.

My thoughts : One of the best stories I've read in a while, and top tier SS stories. I read this in one sitting. I never listen to music while reading, preferring silence, but for this one, I suggest you do as the author says. Also, keep some tissues and food with you. This story is major in mystery and minor in horror but otherwise full of SS fluff.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Steady, if a bit confusing (but that's why it's mystery)

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Kyuro : silver_shot || T || AO3 || SasuSaku || Mystery || Post-Canon || Complete

“Oh,” says Naruto, “well, its sort of like that. Except in this village, the story has a way more darker ending – it basically goes like this: the girl and the guy plan to run away together. The guy steals a bunch of treasure, and stashes it away. But then, when he goes to get the girl at her village, he kills her and decides to run away with all that money. But then he is killed by the guards of the girls village and now they're both dead and the treasure is hidden away somewhere”. Sasuke stares blankly at the blond, “that story makes no sense”.

My thoughts : I know you must be thinking the same thing as Sasuke – "makes no sense". I did too, but it's a pretty cool short story. It lies on the funny, creepy side that slowly starts to lose its funny touch. SS makes stupid mistakes later on but it could be because they are MCs. The ending is very ambiguous. It's not my favorite mystery but it is something. Enjoyable read but not something I will pick again.

Writing: 8/10

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Flow: Fast

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Moon stuttering in the sky : xfrinz || T || AO3 || Gen || Mystery || Pre-Shippuden || One-shot

Kakashi is suspicious of many things about Haruno Sakura. Too many things about her don't make sense, with too many incongruous explanations.

My thoughts : Author of this story just summarised Pre-Shippuden in less than 4k words and made some tiny changes to it. Not much though. One of my favorite gen fics yet. Read it if you haven't yet. You'll feel more sad than thrilled tbh. But worth it.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: I-am-Speed

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Breath mints : silver_shot || T || AO3 || SasuSaku || Comedy-Mystery || Post-Canon || Ongoing (maybe)

Their home no longer exists with the life it once had – in fact no settlement thrives anymore; they exist only in a snapshot that contradicts time itself. Families within their own homes sleep in a slumber that they cannot wake from. Those that were chatting on the street prior to the event simply drop their heads and remain unresponsive.

My thoughts : I picked it up for Mystery but I stayed for Comedy. But of course that's not to say supernatural elements in this story is not it, but it sure pales in comparison to effortless humor in this story. Lee and Kiba pair is something you don't see often but they get along too well here. Charactisation is on point as well. SS angst! + NS angst (but it's downplayed)

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Steady

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The Curse : sincerelyLen || T || FFN || SasuSaku || Horror || Post-Canon || Ongoing

Team 7 is unexpectedly assigned an S-Ranked Mission involving an unsolved mystery of 10 years. An eerie adventure that will test their teamwork, strengths, and greatest fears. Do you believe in Curses?

My thoughts : My all-time favourite horror Naruto fanfiction. To me, this sets the standard of how mystery and horror elements should be handled. I have never been able to get this story out of my mind even it's been years. Perfect charactisation of Team 7 with Smart-yet-Stupid!Sakura, I-can-fight-aliens-and-reanimated-corpses-but-keep-ghosts-away-from-me!Naruto and I-dont-get-paid-enough-for-this!Sasuke. I especially love OCs here. They kinda reminds me of Pillars from KnY. You must read this story, loosely based on Zombie apocalypse + curse concept.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow-but-Steady

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Silent High : Istoria || T || FFN || Gen || Mystery || Post-Canon || Complete

A bit of the Silent Hill series mixed in with Naruto. Trapped in an illusion whose rules are unknown, they struggle to find answers before darkness consumes them.

My thoughts : One of the best mystery fanfictions I've read. I especially loved how this story handled Genjutsu in the best possible way it could without it turning into some cliche, ghost story. Though really, this story has shown what my greatest fear actually is. I will never be able to leave my back open to a wheelchair. This story has simple writing yet it gives you creeps with the twists and turns. A must read one because it is unlike any other in this list.

Writing: 9/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Steady

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Silence of the Damned : Daystar Clarion || T || FFN || Gen || Psychological Horror, Mystery(?) || Pre-Shippuden || One-Shot

When Naruto wakes up to a dead body in his bathroom, he begins a quick spiral into madness.

My thoughts : Listen to Halsey's Control while reading this. Quite chilling, deals with mental issues and morbid but in a fascinating way. It gives a new meaning to Dark!Naruto, but one that actually makes sense. I never saw the ending coming... I had something else in mind and I was convinced it would be, but nope. Here's a sequel to this One-Shot (Uzumaki's War) which I never picked up.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 9/10

Flow: Slow-but-steady

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To the Victor : Letta || T || FFN || NaruSaku || Psychological Horror || Shippuden || One-Shot

Naruto loses the fight and Sakura is a trophy of war.

My thoughts : A very twisted NS, if you squint. It's not horror but it might as well be... it is still a disturbing story to see from the eyes of Sakura. Quite chilling to be in Sakura's shoes. But I love this because it is one shot and I loved the ending.

Writing: 9/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 8/10

Flow: Steady

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Under the Skin : BukkakeNoJutsu || T || FFN || Team 8 || Body Horror || Pre-Shippuden || One-Shot

Your actions don't make you a monster. Your reasons do.

My thoughts : There's a reason why Shino is my favourite team 8 member. In my opinion, Shino is also one of the strongest Shinobi of his generation. His clan techniques are just that horrifying. This story is testament to that. He is so terrible.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow-but-steady

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Instant Message : Keelah || T || FFN || SasuSaku || Murder mystery || Modern AU || Incomplete

She gave him names to kill, in order not to be killed herself. But having blood on her hands was turning out to be much worse than dying. "…There's still round 2…3…4…" When does this game end? She asked. "Don't you see, Sakura?" He said, "It never does."

My thoughts : I read this story a long time ago and have read this twice. Personally, it has the most interesting concept of all stories in the list. It reminds me of Vocaloid series, "Bookmark of the end". Kind of. To those who are thinking of picking this up, go ahead! It's a great book and has one of the best suspense I've read in Fandom. BUT, it has been stopped in mother-of-all-cliffhangers and Author is MIA for 4 years now. But, all things considered, it remains to be one of the best stories I've read.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Steady

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Monomoth : Ohtze || M || FFN/AO3 || SasuSaku || Horror || AU || Incomplete

Everything ends, eventually. Eight years after the war, Sakura's unhinged and Sasuke's obsessed. The fields are filled with corpses.

My thoughts : I read this story right after "The Curse", my favourite. From what I remember, Sakura and Sasuke are both mentally deranged, in different ways. Lots of death and gore to stomach, so not for weak readers. There's no speak of fluff in this one. Zero, Zilch, Nada. I wouldn't call it your classic 'Horror', but it is very disturbing, so psychological horror is more like it. Don't eat food while reading this one. Did I mention how Sakura is mentally disturbed beyond help in this one? And Sasuke is obsessed. If these suit your tastes, go ahead.

Writing: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: Slow

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I hope you enjoy this list. Let me know your opinion in comments.

#horror #fanfictions #i reccomend it #Naruto #naruto fandom #sakura haruno #sasusaku #sasuke #naruto #sakura #mystery #lots of gore #psychological horror #horror stories #its so hard to find good classic horror in this fandom #i have more to recommend but i want to hit submit so bad so here we go #fanfic reading #fanfiction reccomendations #your welcome #sasusaku is good when its told right #sasuke uchiha #uzumaki naruto #hatake kakashi #shino aburame #kurama #narusaku #ghost and spirits

[dimigex]

I Won’t Lie - Kakasaku

It’s finally done!! I started this piece years ago but never finished it. It’s the follow on to my story Distraction, but you don’t have to read that to understand it at all. 

Distraction, I Won’t Lie, Part One, Part Two, Epilogue 

Here’s the first part, the rest is linked above and also available on FF.

"So, have you put the moves on the Hokage yet," Ino questioned, applying black eyeliner with a practiced flip of her hand. Her aqua blue eyes stood out in sharp contrast, seeming larger than they had any right to.

Sakura groaned from the bed, falling back to cover her face. "I never intended to put the moves on him," she mumbled, hoping that Ino wouldn't be able to see the crimson flush of her cheeks. "And, it didn't work anyway. Kakashi doesn't know that I exist."

Ino jerked the pillow away and leveled her best friend with a stare. "He definitely knows that you exist, but you need to remind him that you're a woman now, not a little girl." Her gaze swept over Sakura from head to toe. "Why don't you put on something a little more interesting tonight?"

"What's wrong with what I have on?" Sakura frowned at her outfit. Okay, the leggings that she wore were more comfortable than provocative, and her mother would have approved of her shirt, but that didn't mean there was anything wrong with it. She always dressed like this when they went out. It wasn't her fault that Ino had more outfits than any other girl that Sakura knew, and an uncanny way of making everything look sexy.

"Nothing," Ino answered, with a smile curving her cherry-red lips. "As long as you want to die old and alone."

Sakura threw the remaining pillow at Ino's face, narrowly missing. "Shut up, Ino-pig," she grumbled, reverting to the insult that had become a friendly nickname over the past few years. Sakura tugged at her shirt for a moment, chewing her lip "If I agree, can you make it look like I'm not trying too hard?"

A grin split Ino's face. "Of course. We have to find just the right outfit to show off that body you worked so hard for."

Before Sakura could protest, the blond pulled her off of the bed and toward the closet. Nearly an hour later, Sakura examined her expression in the mirror, shocked at the illusion that Ino had created. Long lashes framed her green eyes, making them stand out against her pale skin. The faint dusting of freckles that Sakura usually hated had taken on a soft glow from the highlighter Ino used. Glossy lips completed the expression, in a shade lighter than Sakura ever thought she could pull off. Ino hadn't stopped there. She'd transformed Sakura's hair as well. The pale tresses piled on top of her head, falling in artful curls around her face.

Ino pulled Sakura from musing about how she looked like an entirely different person by tugging on the dress. The blond dragged the black fabric to the side, baring one shoulder. It draped Sakura's body, accentuating enough to suggest that she had more curves than she really did. Chuckling, Sakura pulled the fabric toward her knees. Ino slapped her hands away. "Stop that, it's supposed to be short."

"I can't wear this," Sakura complained even as she turned to admire herself from the side. It hugged her body in a way that none of her other outfits had.

Shaking her head, Ino walked over to the closet and tossed a pair of heels to Sakura. "You can, and you will. No one will be able to keep their eyes off you, especially not Kakashi."

Color flamed in Sakura's cheek, hidden somewhat by the makeup. "What if he isn't there?"

Ino's devious grin made Sakura nervous. "Then you'll go home with someone else. You look too damn good to go home alone tonight"

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When Ino and Sakura swept into the pub nearly half an hour late, dozens of heads swiveled in their direction. Ino linked an arm through Sakura's and pulled her into the room before she could back away in a fit of self-consciousness. Her gaze swept over the people gathered for Naruto's birthday, trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Kakashi wasn't there yet or not coming at all, everything they'd done had been a waste of time.

Forcing the hopelessness down, Sakura caught sight of an overbearing ball of sunshine cutting through the room. Naruto's grin probably had more to do with the atmosphere than alcohol, but she couldn't be sure. He threw an arm around Sakura's shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. "I was beginning to think nobody from my team was going to show up tonight."

When Naruto released Sakura, his blue eyes slipped lower than her neck. The blush on his whiskered cheeks was obvious even in the dim lighting. "You look nice tonight. I mean, not that you don't always look nice-" Sakura's laughter cut off the awkward exchange, and Naruto managed a nervous smile before rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think Sasuke is going to make it tonight."

"Unfortunately, Sasuke's mission has him delayed outside the village." The proximity of Kakashi's voice made Sakura jump. When she turned, she realized that he stood just inside the doorway behind them. Their gazes locked, and Kakashi's eyes widened, perhaps only just now realizing that she'd been the one standing with Naruto. While pink hair was unusual in the village, a few girls had started imitating Sakura after the war. She hated it, but the element of surprise was nice.

Ino unwound her arm from Sakura's and moved away to speak to someone that Sakura didn't recognize. Completely oblivious of the tension of the moment, Naruto caught Kakashi with his other arm and pulled them both into a hug. Sakura felt the warmth of Kakashi's chest against her side. "I'm glad you two made it, at least."

Kakashi pulled away, chuckling in the back of his throat. "Of course I came, I have to keep an eye on you kids to make sure you don't get into any trouble."

"We aren't kids," Sakura grumbled, challenging Kakashi with a glare through her mascara lengthened lashes. "We're adults now."

"That's right, sensei. We don't have to listen to you anymore." Naruto laughed, giving Kakashi a cheeky grin.

Kakashi frowned, the barest movements of his mask. "I'm still Hokage, though."

"For now." Naruto's banter eased the conversation into playful jabs that allowed Sakura to stay silent. Kakashi hadn't even responded to her comment about being an adult now. Her heart sank lower in her chest.

As the men exchanged barbs, Ino reappeared from wherever she'd been. Grabbing Sakura's hand, she led them to the bar. "It's pointless," Sakura complained, leaning close so that the words would only be loud enough for Ino. "He'll always view me as a kid. I'd be better off chasing Sasuke."

"Absolutely not," Ino hissed, vehemence dripping from her voice as she raised a hand to order drinks. "Sasuke isn't even on the radar for you. Do not put yourself through that again."

Sakura nodded and toyed with the silver teardrop earring that Ino had loaned her. She knew that Sasuke was a bad idea. The boy had never acknowledged her, not really. And now, it was the same with Kakashi. At best Kakashi saw her as the child that he'd mentored years ago. At worst, the annoying girl that she'd been during those early days. She'd never change that.

"Let me tell you my secret, Forehead." Ino shoved a shot glass into Sakura's hand. "It just takes five seconds of insane courage to get whatever you want. That's it. Just five seconds of bravery, then the hard part is over. You either have the thing you want or you don't, but at least you'll know."

"Is that how you landed Sai?" Sakura asked, closing her grip around the glass of liquid courage without questioning what was inside it. The idea that Ino actually liked Sai and wanted to be with him when there were so many men that she could have had was something that Sakura had trouble wrapping her mind around.

Ino laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. "Yes, Sai. And, all the others."

Gossip suggested that Ino had worked her way through half of the eligible shinobi in the village. There was a great deal of truth to it. Ino had dated Shikamaru for a couple of weeks before the pair decided that friendship was less troublesome than a relationship. She and Kiba had been fireworks from the beginning, fighting almost constantly. Choji was too gentle, Lee too exhausting, Shino too quiet, and the list went on and on. Somehow, Ino landed on Sai and found that the man matched her surprisingly well. Sakura had already noticed the girl looking for him in the crowd.

"Drink," Ino commanded, nodding toward the alcohol. Sakura steeled her nerves and tipped the glass up. The liquid burned the entire way down, making her gasp for a breath. Ino clapped her on the back. "Good, now let's go and find someone to make him jealous over."

"Ino, no." Sakura pulled away from her best friend with a firm shake of her head. "It doesn't matter. It's just a silly crush."

The look on the blonde's face suggested that she didn't believe Sakura's excuse, but she didn't force it. Sakura let her gaze wander over the people brought together to celebrate Naruto's birthday. He had touched so many lives, and since the war, most people recognized that. Naruto had wanted to do something at Ichiraku, but the stand was too small for all their friends. They'd made arrangements for the celebration to be held here, but white bowls of ramen dotted most of the tables.

Kakashi drew Sakura's eyes like a beacon. He stood in the shadows beside Captain Yamato, heads close together as they spoke. It had surprised Sakura to learn that the men were old friends, especially since Kakashi held so many people at a distance. Sakura and Naruto had grown closer to him, of course, but there didn't seem to be many others. Tsunade and the other jonin perhaps, but the ease between Kakashi and Yamato spoke of actual friendship. Sakura felt a twinge of jealousy. Why couldn't it be that easy for her?

Ino leaned close, the scent of alcohol drifting from her lips. "You know, Yamato isn't bad looking either."

Sakura considered the words. While Yamato didn't hold the aura of mystery that Kakashi did, his easy smile and kind eyes made him attractive in his own way. Even so, no matter how much Sakura watched the pair, her eyes strayed to Kakashi. As she'd expected, he'd worn his uniform to the party. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up against the heat of the room, while his hands were tucked into the pockets of matching pants. Kakashi's mask remained in place, of course, but the headband that used to slant across half of his face was missing. Two charcoal eyes stared out at the room, silver hair falling into them.

"Oh, it's definitely just a little crush," Ino teased, pulling Sakura from her longing gaze. "Why don't you just go and talk to him? Ask him to dance or ask him back to your place. Just do something besides staring at him."

When Sakura started to protest, Ino rolled her eyes. "Come on, I've seen you kick ass so many times, but you're scared to talk to a boy? The worst thing he can do is turn you down. And, if that happens, it's his loss."

It isn't that easy, Sakura started to argue. Only, she knew that it was. She'd been pining after Kakashi for months, treasuring stupid, little moments that probably meant nothing: the way that his arms had curled around her on the training field, how his eyes lit up when he laughed at her joke about Tsunade trying to kill them both with reports, or the startle when her fingers had brushed his wrist. Those things made her wonder if there might be something more, but Kakashi was impossible to read. The sudden intake of breath when Sakura touched him could just have easily been discomfort as desire.

"I think I need another drink," Sakura declared, putting away the miserable thoughts for another day.

It didn't take long for the pleasant warmth of alcohol to loosen the tension that seemed permanently attached to Sakura's shoulders. She relaxed enough to dance a couple of turns with Naruto. He was far more awkward on the dance floor than any shinobi had the right to be. After two dances, Sakura begged off and pushed him toward Hinata. A few months ago, the girl had finally gotten brave enough to let Naruto know that she liked him. The pair was slowly turning into a couple, but the transition was painful to watch. They were both too shy for their own good.

Sakura stumbled back toward the bar, surprised to admit that she was having more fun than she'd thought she would, even if Kakashi ignored her. As she reached for her glass, Ino flashed a pleasant grin that warned Sakura that the girl was coming up with a plan that Sakura wasn't going to like. Without explaining anything, Ino linked their arms and dragged Sakura back into the crowd. Three steps into the walk, once she realized where they were going, Sakura tried to stop the inevitable. But, it was too late. Ino stopped beside Kakashi and Yamato.

The men looked up in surprise, their conversation stopping abruptly. Sakura felt Kakashi's gaze on her face for several heartbeats before it slid toward Ino's. With another signature grin, the blond moved into Yamato's personal space. "You sent my boyfriend on a mission just before the party, and now I have nobody to dance with. It seems only fair that you take his place." Ino held out a hand expectantly.

"Um-I-uh-it was unavoidable," Yamato stammered, a delicate pink blush tinting his cheeks. Sakura almost rolled her eyes. It was pathetic to watch how easily Ino turned him, or any man for that matter, into a stuttering mess simply by batting her eyelashes. She'd thought Yamato was better than that.

To Sakura's surprise, it was Kakashi who spoke next. "I think she has a solid case." Yamato gaped at the man, but Kakashi continued as if he hadn't seen it. "You deprived her of enjoying the evening; you should make up for it. Within reason, of course."

As the implication hit home, the pink on Yamato's cheeks deepened to crimson. Sakura struggled not to laugh at his expression. Ino cleared her throat, moving her hand closer. For a moment, Sakura wondered if Kakashi was going to have to push the man forward. Finally, Yamato dipped his head and took Ino's hand. Sakura couldn't stop her mirth as the pair disappeared onto the dance floor. "He's going to be furious with you later, you know that right?"

"It's good for him. Yamato is too shy." Kakashi leaned his shoulders against the wall, and for a moment Sakura couldn't take her eyes off of the smooth stretch of his body and the way his armor shifted with the movement. Half a second later, she realized that he'd said something. Deciding that it probably wasn't important, she nodded and he continued. "Of course, she doesn't mean anything by it, does she?"

Sakura shook her head, watching as Ino attempted to guide Yamato's hands toward her hips as she moved to the music. He kept moving them back to her waist, embarrassment obvious. Sakura chuckled under her breath. "No, she's quite taken with Sai actually."

"Our Sai?" Kakashi asked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

Sakura nodded, watching as Yamato finally relaxed into the dance and loosened up a bit. "She and Sai balance each other well, like Naruto and Hinata."

Kakashi followed Sakura's gaze toward the bar where Naruto and Hinata were talking. The blond leaned against the edge, telling some kind of story while the girl gazed up adoringly. Two years ago, she'd been too frightened and embarrassed to speak with him, and Naruto too stupid to realize why. With a little gentle prodding, they'd finally caught on.

Kakashi made a sound that might have been agreement in the back of his throat. "You're all pairing off these days, falling in love and getting married."

"Not all of us," Sakura grumbled. Frustration bled into her voice as she continued. "Some of us accepted the weight of duty instead."

A silver eyebrow arched skyward as Kakashi turned to face Sakura. A look of understanding crossed his features, but Sakura doubted that he realized she was talking about him as well. Undeniably handsome, Kakashi could have his pick of women in the village, but he remained alone. He had thrown himself into the role of hokage, even though he hated it. Sakura had done the same at the hospital, though she enjoyed her work for the most part. The two of them weren't as different as he seemed to think.

A stir went through the room. Naruto pushed away from the bar, his voice cutting through the din of music and conversation. "You made it!'

As much as Sakura wanted to continue admiring Kakashi, her attention drifted toward Naruto. He stood in the doorway, arms thrown around-Sakura's mind temporarily shorted out, taking several seconds to catch up with her eyes. Sasuke stood in the spill of light, Naruto's arms wrapped around his shoulders. Raven dark hair and equally black eyes swept through the crowd, taking in everyone and everything. His gaze slid over Sakura, then returned and lingered.

Despite everything, Sakura blushed under Sasuke's gaze. Beside her, Kakashi shifted away from the wall. A hand pressed almost imperceptibly against Sakura's lower back as Naruto approached, Sasuke trailing behind like a shadow. Sakura half turned toward Kakashi.

Naruto interrupted the pair before Sakura could get her thoughts in order. "Look guys, Sasuke made it back in time."

"So, he did," Kakashi answered for both of them, voice cool but not quite unfriendly. "Welcome back."

Sasuke turned, oozing arrogance as he inclined his head toward Kakashi. Dark eyes roved over Sakura a second time, an almost smile curling his lips. Even so, Sakura read the tension in his shoulders. Despite the years that had passed, Sasuke remained something of a pariah in the village. There were some groups who would never forgive or forget the time that he had spent trying to destroy the Leaf, despite Naruto's efforts to change their opinions. Sakura knew that Kakashi had helped save Sasuke from execution or life in prison, but the Hokage's intervention had ended there.

"Sasuke!" Ino appeared from nowhere, throwing her arms around Sasuke in a hug that the man shrunk away from. "Welcome back."

Sakura flashed her friend a thankful smile at the interruption. "You're looking well," Ino continued, pulling all of Sasuke's attention to herself by keeping her hands on his upper arms. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Maybe later," Sasuke answered, voice sounding strained as he shrugged away from Ino's touch. When she released him, the man turned and smiled. "Hello, Sakura."

Sakura couldn't remember how to draw a breath. A thick strand of black fell across Sasuke's eye, adding an air of mystery to his already captivating appearance. Warmth suffused her face when he moved closer, near enough to reach out and brush her cheek if he'd wanted. "Hi," she answered, toying with a silver bracelet circling one wrist.

Sasuke slid between Sakura and Kakashi, angling his body to face hers. "How have you been?"

"I've been doing well." Sakura's answer barely scratched the surface of everything that had happened in her life since the last time she saw Sasuke. She couldn't seem to remember a single event that she wanted to talk about. Yamato approached the small group and squeezed in beside Kakashi while running an appraising eye over Sasuke. He didn't acknowledge the Uchiha's presence. Instead, he leaned closer to Kakashi and whispered something in his ear.

Pulling her attention away from the exchange, Sakura realized that she'd been asked something. It would be rude not to keep talking to Sasuke, so she smiled. "How about you? How have you been?"

"I stay busy following up on leads," Sasuke answered, revealing nothing about his time outside of the village. Maybe he thought that Sakura wouldn't accept his reasons for leaving her behind, or maybe, he didn't care if she did.

After all, how could Sakura expect Sasuke to understand the hours of work that she poured into the hospital, sometimes losing a patient despite her best efforts? Would he care that she pushed herself in training as hard as she's ever done in case they went back to war? Sakura imagined Sasuke teasing her efforts to create orphanages in Konoha. Would he understand Sakura's version of sacrifice when it didn't align with his?

Sakura's eyes drifted back to her group of friends. Naruto stood beside Ino with a silly grin on his face, undoubtedly because Sakura and Sasuke were talking together. He still believed the two of them could make it work somehow. Yamato and Kakashi watched them both without seeming to do so. Sakura couldn't help but wonder if they deemed Sasuke as a security risk, even after all this time. Her gaze settled on the tension in Kakashi's jaw, wondering why he seemed on edge.

Kakashi understood the passion that drove Sakura to fight for those causes. Or, if not, he humored her. Sakura and Kakashi had worked hand in hand to train additional medical shinobi, create orphanages, and work through various issues at the hospital. She'd assumed that Kakashi wanted to see the same outcome that she did. Would Sasuke want that? Did it matter? He wouldn't be in the village long enough for it to make any difference.

Despite the way that things between them had changed, Sasuke still reduced Sakura to a lovesick teenager. It wasn't that her feelings had stayed the same, but Sakura had spent half of her life chasing after Sasuke. She couldn't shake the memory of nipping at his heels, of being willing to throw everything away if he'd only acknowledge her. As Sasuke spoke, Sakura's mind responded on autopilot, answering with soft laughs and smiles.

After several minutes, Ino caught Sakura's attention and half nodded toward Kakashi. He and Yamato had fallen silent, allowing the conversation to flow around them without interruption. Sakura raised her shoulders in a helpless shrug, silently asking what she was supposed to do about the situation. Ino frowned, then leaned in to speak. "So, Sasuke, did you know that Naruto and Hinata are dating?"

The question cut off the conversation. Surprise flitted across Sasuke's face as he looked over at Naruto. The blond's cheeks flamed crimson and he sputtered over his words "Well, Ino is dating Sai," he managed, red from his hairline to his chin.

Ino grinned, tossing her long hair over one shoulder with an air of dismissal. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Sai happens to be far more interesting than you'd anticipate. Not to mention adventurous."

The suggestive nature of Ino's comment made Naruto choke on his breath. His eyes bulged and Sakura couldn't help but laugh; he was still so innocent. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm. "Come on, it's definitely time for a drink."

Without waiting for an answer, Naruto pulled the Uchiha toward the barkeeper and further away from Ino's insinuations. Laughing, the girl watched them go. Then, she turned back to Yamato. "I thought you were going to dance with me? And, you," Ino studied Kakashi, "should dance with Sakura so she isn't left alone over here."

For all the nudging that Kakashi had done when Ino asked Yamato to dance, the man seemed less than enthused about taking his own advice. "It isn't befitting of the Hokage to indulge in-"

"Oh no you don't, senpai," Yamato interrupted, already pulling Kakashi away from the wall. "I did my duty, and now it's time for you to do yours. Off you go."

Yamato's brown eyes shone with an inordinate amount of amusement, and Sakura didn't know whether to be thankful that he was pushing Kakashi toward the dance floor, or embarrassed at being some type of twisted payback. Either way, the indecision lasted only a moment. Ino grabbed Yamato's hand and guided him toward the dancers, leaving Sakura alone with Kakashi on the edge of the room.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck as he turned to face Sakura. Embarrassment raised the temperature of the room several degrees until it felt impossible to draw a breath. "You don't have to dance with me," she murmured, trying not to sound as disappointed as she felt.

"Ino and Yamato would never let me hear the end of it if we didn't." Kakashi held out one hand, and Sakura slid hers into it. Her pulse pounded in her ears when he leaned closer. "Besides, we only have to dance long enough to get them off our backs."

Sakura didn't trust her voice to speak without breaking, so she nodded and followed Kakashi onto the dance floor. Music blared over the speakers, bass line making her heart pound in tempo. She drew a deep breath and looked into the eyes that had been hidden for so long. Even now, months later, Sakura hadn't gotten used to seeing more of Kakashi's face. She remembered the intensity of his gaze on the training field and the way that she'd wanted to pull him close and lose themselves in the storm.

Just five seconds of insane courage, Ino's voice whispered in the back of Sakura's mind. She could press her body against Kakashi's under the guise of dancing and admit that she wanted more than that. Butterflies the size of elephants trampled over Sakura's chest. If Kakashi rejected her, it would hurt, but she could mask the pain long enough to make it home. Then, she'd be free to deal with fallout. She had done the same thing over Sasuke nearly a year ago. But, if Sakura never took a chance and told Kakashi, she'd never know if there could have been anything between them.

Kakashi spoke, interrupting Sakura's momentum. "You look different tonight."

"Ino begged me to let her try something special for Naruto's party." Sakura chewed her lip, wondering if the words were technically a lie. She wanted to look more enticing as well, more like Ino and less like herself, in hopes that she'd capture Kakashi's attention.

The tempo of the music increased; Sakura allowed her body to follow. She felt the hem of her dress riding up her thigh and tugged it down with one hand. Kakashi followed the movement then snapped his eyes back to her face. He asked something, but the words were lost in the din of the crowd. When Sakura scrunched up her face in confusion, he leaned closer. "For Sasuke?"

For you, Sakura thought, holding the words tight between her lips. The accusation in Kakashi's tone surprised her. "I didn't know he'd be here."

Kakashi inclined his head at the words, expression unreadable. He rested his hands at Sakura's waist without a hint of familiarity or desire. Kakashi moved to the music, half a foot between their bodies. Sakura flashed back to the way his arms had wrapped around her like a glove on the training field. He moved on protective instinct, not to get close to me. The realization left a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Sakura surrendered to the rhythm of the music, turning to present her back to Kakashi's chest so she wouldn't have to meet his gaze. She closed her eyes, willing the ache in her heart to stop. This entire situation was so stupid. Ino was right about everything; Sakura needed to tell Kakashi how she felt so that she could pick up the pieces and move on. She had done it before, and she could do it again.

Fingers curled against Sakura's hips, the thin fabric of her dress hardly masking the feel of Kakashi's touch. Sakura wasn't sure if he pulled her back, or if she moved of her own accord, but she felt the warmth of his breath against her neck. She focused on the sensation, electricity rushing through her body. His damn flak vest separated Sakura from the heat of his chest, but she imagined that she could feel it anyway.

The song ended and the weight of Kakashi's hands fell away as if it had never been. Light pulsed around them as another song started. Sakura turned back to face Kakashi, drawing a shaky breath. "Do you think that dance met their requirements, or should we do another, just to be sure?"

Sakura's name left Kakashi's lips in a strangled sound. Whatever he'd been planning to say was lost when someone bumped hard into his back. He stumbled through the almost nonexistent space between them. Sakura heard an apology, but she couldn't match the voice to a face before her arms were full of Kakashi. She stumbled backward under his weight, tripped over her heels, and then they were falling. Vaguely, some panicked part of Sakura's mind wondered if she was about to give everyone in the room a free peep show.

Kakashi twisted in the air so that Sakura wouldn't be crushed beneath him. His left shoulder absorbed most of the impact half a second before she hit his chest. The air whooshed out of Kakashi's lungs in a soft hiss as their bodies pressed together. Exposure forgotten, Sakura felt his hands grip her, one near her shoulder and the other dangerously low on her back. They were close enough for their noses to brush, Kakashi's eyes wide. The charcoal tone wasn't as dark as Sakura had anticipated, but shot with silver through the iris. She noticed the outline of Kakashi's lips beneath his mask. Kami, it would be so simple to—

"Hokage-sama?" Genma's familiar voice cut across Sakura's thoughts. The man pushed through the crowd to reach Kakashi's side, undoubtedly on guard duty for the night. Sakura raised her head to glare at his poorly conceived timing.

Kakashi released Sakura like he'd been burned, hands coming to the floor instead as he pushed into a sitting position. She half fell into his lap from the sudden change of position. "I'm fine," he answered the unasked question. "I'm hardly old enough to get injured from falling down."

"Especially beneath a beautiful woman," Genma quipped, flashing his senbon-studded grin. Then, his leer slid toward the woman in question and his expression changed to something contemplative as he offered a hand. "Oh, hey, Sakura."

Sakura had no choice but to accept Genma's offered hand. Cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she let the tokujo pull her away from Kakashi. Belatedly, she remembered to adjust the slinky dress lower on her thighs and higher over her chest. Hopefully everything had happened so quickly that she didn't have any reason to be embarrassed. A small crowd gathered around them. Kakashi pushed through them as the music started back up; Sakura followed him to the edge of the room.

"You aren't hurt are you, Hokage-sama," Ino gushed as she hurried to the pair's side. Her brow creased with worry when Kakashi tried to wave her off. Sakura barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her best friend. The ploy was obvious.

"I'm fine," Kakashi grumbled, looking distinctively embarrassed by the attention. "I'm not made of glass."

"Still," Ino pressed, reaching out like she might touch Kakashi's arm. "You hit your shoulder hard when you fell. I saw it."

Sakura could see the wheels turning in Ino's mind. No, please, Ino, don't do this. Sakura's silent plea fell on deaf ears. Kakashi raised his arm to prove that he could, but Ino didn't drop the subject. "You should let Sakura take a look at it, just to make sure. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

And, there it is, Sakura grumbled internally. Annoyance bled through Kakashi's embarrassment as he tried to wave the blonde's concerns away. Sakura interrupted the exchange before it could get out of hand. "Doesn't anyone care about me? I fell too."

"I could take a look at you," Genma offered with a cheeky grin from his position at Kakashi's shoulder. "In fact, it'd be my pleasure."

"No," Sakura and Kakashi answered in the same breath, dragging a knowing laugh from Genma. Kakashi looked almost as surprised as Sakura felt. Cheeks warming at the insinuation, she continued. "I don't need anyone to look at me, I am fine. But, shouldn't you be more worried about me?"

Genma chuckled in the back of his throat. "Because you're such a delicate little flower? I saw the damage you did to the training grounds the other night. I think I'd rather take my chances with Kakashi, to be honest."

"Probably for the best; she's stronger than you think." Sakura's stomach clenched at the unexpected praise from Sasuke. She hadn't noticed that he and Naruto had rejoined them in the chaos.

"Damn right she is," Ino answered, fighting to keep the attention on anything but Sasuke. Her eyes met Sakura's with silent pleading. While Sakura knew what Ino wanted, some things were easier said than done. Sasuke watched them with a smug satisfaction on his face that Sakura couldn't begin to understand as Ino continued. "What will Tsunade say if you leave Hokage-sama injured until tomorrow?"

Kakashi shook his head as Sakura groaned under her breath. She loved Ino, but sometimes the woman went a little overboard with her matchmaking. "Tsunade would say that it's nothing, and no more than I deserve if I can't keep my feet under me. But, if it'll put your mind at ease, I'll get it checked out."

"It would," Ino breathed out, her concern almost palpable. Sakura wondered why the woman didn't become an actress; she certainly had a knack for it. Ino pulled her forward. "There's no time like the present."

Kakashi cast a withering glance at Ino, then faced Sakura. For a moment, the rest of the room disappeared. Even the overwhelming presence of Sasuke shrank to insignificance. The sheepishness that Sakura had noticed earlier had evaporated, replaced by something darker in Kakashi's gaze. Though Sakura couldn't put her finger on it, the expression made chill bumps erupt on her arms. "Would you mind?"

It wasn't the first time that Sakura had healed Kakashi, not by a long shot. But, it was the first time that he'd asked. Sakura's heart did somersaults in her chest. "I don't mind," she breathed, forcing strength into her words. "But, not here. I need somewhere quieter, with better light."

Kakashi inclined his head as if the words made perfect sense. Naruto groaned, his voice turning whiny. "You're going to miss my party? This is the first time we've all been together in years."

"We won't be gone long," Kakashi assured the boy. "Just long enough to satisfy Sakura."

Ino choked on her laugh, eyes shining. Sakura's cheeks flamed crimson at the insinuation. Kakashi either didn't notice or didn't want to draw attention to it. He nodded toward the door. "Come on, let's get this over with, shall we?"

--------------------------

As she and Kakashi emerged from the pub, Sakura drew a breath of the chilly air. Naruto had been the only one to raise an objection to them leaving the party together, but Sakura felt the heat from a dozen gazes as they crossed the room. When they stepped into the street, Sakura's hand slipped out of Kakashi's, and neither made a move to retake it. He stared at the darkness, the stars above, and the benches by the door as they stood under the hazy light of the neon sign.

"I'm sorry that this took you away from the party," Kakashi began with a sigh. When his gaze turned to Sakura, it swept over her body in a way that suggested that he hadn't missed the tiniest facet of Ino's hard work. "You clearly wanted to be there."

"I can always go back later," Sakura answered, knowing that she wouldn't. She didn't want to face Sasuke or Ino after leaving with Kakashi, regardless of what happened next. Kakashi's shoulders seemed to tense at the response, but Sakura wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not. Undeniable nervousness settled in her gut.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "You don't really need to look at my shoulder. It's fine, but I needed an excuse to get out of there."

"I know," Sakura agreed. She would have realized if Kakashi was hurt, probably before he did. "But, I gave my word, so we should at least check it."

"Do you want to go to the hospital?" Kakashi moved down the street as he asked the question, forcing Sakura to follow on his heels. He didn't turn back when he continued. "Or, would my apartment be okay? It's closer."

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. She knew where Kakashi's apartment was, of course, but she'd never set foot inside of it. That he'd allow her into his world, even for a moment, stunned her. He continued walking, shoulders tight and hands stuffed into his pockets as he waited for an answer. "Your apartment is fine."

The silence gave Sakura unwanted time to think back over the night's events. She had seen appreciation in more than a few eyes when they noticed the changes that Ino had made, but she couldn't be sure that any of it had registered with Kakashi. He'd said she looked different, not better, not beautiful, just different. That word could mean a million things, or nothing at all. Ino was right though, if Sakura couldn't have Kakashi, she could always go home with someone else. Hell, even Sasuke had noticed and appreciated the extra effort in her appearance. There was only one problem, Sakura didn't want to go home with anyone else.

Sakura nearly walked into Kakashi's back when he stopped in front of her and nodded toward the steps leading up to his apartment. Though she knew it was entirely platonic, Sakura's heart pounded in her throat as she followed him higher. Kakashi unlocked the door, flicked the lights on, and pushed it wider. Sakura slid under his arm and into the room, taking in a million details at once.

Kakashi closed the door behind them and bent to remove his sandals. Sakura admired the smooth stretch of his body for a heartbeat longer than she should have. Tearing her eyes away, she rested one hand on the wall and bent down to unbuckle her heels. It felt good to be out of them, if it was only going to be for a few minutes.

"Does your shoulder hurt at all? They're notoriously fragile as far as joints go." When Kakashi didn't speak, Sakura opened her mouth to repeat the question, then had another idea. Five seconds of insane courage. She took two steps forward and reached for Kakashi's arm, the healing glow surrounding her hands.

When Sakura touched his shoulder, Kakashi startled and jerked away. 'I'm fine," he ground out. "You don't have to—"

"Your heart is pounding," Sakura responded in awe, letting her fingers fall away from his arm. The touch had been brief, but the spike in Kakashi's pulse was obvious.

Kakashi forced a harsh breath through his nose. "You're supposed to be checking my shoulder, not my heart."

Five seconds of insane courage. "Your shoulder," Sakura repeated, trying to think over the blood roaring in her ears. Just five seconds. She reached for the straps of Kakashi's flak vest.

#My writing #Dimi Writes #Naruto #KakaSaku #Kakashi Hatake #Sakura Haruno #Mutual Pining #Don't read this at work #Smut #and fluff #There's a lot of fluff

[excitedlysuffering]

Things You Do Together

My dad is currently making me sit through the Jefferey Epstein documentary so I’m struggling a bit but I FINALLY got this out ;-;

Naruto~

You had always adored taking nighttime strolls through the city, but you’d always gone alone. Now that you had Naruto you were hoping that could change. You were a bit nervous at first, your boyfriend always seemed exhausted when he got home and you didn’t want him to lose sleep he so desperately needed.

When you did eventually ask, he thought the idea was great, in fact, he wanted to go out that very night. You were thrilled, to say the least. The one you loved was walking with you under the stars. Plus, there was something about the way he was softer and quieter on these nights, letting you see a new part of him.

He really did love their midnight walks, every time he saw your happiness, your wide smiles under the gleam of the moon… he couldn’t help but fall more in love with you each time. These were both of your favorite times, you guys got to see each other, and the city, in a different light, figuratively and literally.

Sasuke~

Everyone who knew about you and Sasuke’s relationship assumed you guys bonded over training exercises and had sparring dates. That much was true when you first met and when your relationship was new, but now you guys had a completely different activity that brought you closer.

You thought your habit was kind of geeky at first; sometimes you’d tap out your thoughts in morse code on whatever surface was closest. It hadn’t taken long for Sasuke to realize that the tapping wasn’t just a random pattern, and he needed to know.

Needless to say, you guys had a lot of fun tapping out conversations and then gasping like “WHAT?!” while your friends assumed you two had finally lost it. Eventually, morse code didn’t challenge either you enough (not that your unique habit stopped) and you guys began to study and learn codes together. Not only was it fun, but it was helpful for missions.

You guys even managed to get the basics for sign language and often used that as well. You both were competitive and eager learners, so it really suited you both.

Neji~

The stoic mask that Neji wore in public, was non-existent when he was with you. Things that no one imagined him doing had actually become his hobby, thanks to you.

No one really questioned how Neji’s skin stayed flawless. Not a single pimple, zit, or blemish of any kind. You’d been begging him to tell you his skincare routine because there was no way that was natural.

But as you spent more time with him, you’d realized his skin wasn’t as perfect as you thought; he was prone to dry skin. Oh, you had a field day when he walked into your home, horrified at the sheer amount of face masks you had in your living room.

After a few times, Neji started to see the results of the masks and other treatments. His skin was the healthiest it’d ever been. The two of you did a lot of research on skincare, and it became an official thing for your guys. At least two days a week you’d get together and have your ‘self-care day’.

Because seriously? There’s nothing cuter than Neji with his hair in a messy bun and a green mask on his face.

Shikamaru~

As lazy as Shika was, he tried his best to put effort into spending time with you. Even though the two of you had initially connected over being lazy, you guys had come a long way and had found other ways to entertain yourself.

It was his idea really, he had always had a fascination with baking but had never taken it up because all the work was a drag. You were thrilled when he asked you about it, though. Cooking was one of your strong suits and you two spent the whole day in the kitchen. He didn’t mind in the slightest, however, you were so excited to be spending time with him, plus you were a great cook.

His favorite part was definitely eating the treats with you, you both felt so accomplished after a good day and you had taken to donating fresh goods to those in need. His friends were surprised, to be honest, they’d never expect him to go out of his way to work out and do such things.

What could he say? You were changing him slowly for the better.

Kiba~

Contrary to popular knowledge, Kiba didn’t take Akamaru everywhere. The two of you had made it a regular thing to go swimming, just you and Kiba, lazing around in the water under the bright sun.

Just like a dog, if it involved water, Kiba was down. The two of you would spend hours swimming and playing around in the water together. At first, it was spontaneous and neither of you did much preparation, but it quickly became a Thing™. You packed snacks, water guns, toys, you name it, you had it.

You knew the best fishing spots, the times that the lake/beach/river would be empty or packed… the two of you went all out for this hobby. It was a workout, but it was also fun and playful, as well as romantic, in its own way. (Akamaru tries not to be jealous)

Gaara~

Before you say gardening- (WRONG) Gaara loves stargazing. When he was a child, he was always alone and he would watch the stars and constellations because they were the only things that stayed with him. *sob* However, when he watches them with you, it’s different. He used to wish on the stars, wish that he’d have his own personal star in his life.

In short, stargazing with you means a lot because he wished on those stars for you. You’re his star, his sun, his life, and he wants you to know it. The two of you will usually lay on the roof of your home or the Kazekage building, whichever is more convenient.

Gaara has the habit of talking to the stars the way some people do to people’s gravestones, but only after you fall asleep. Due to his insomnia, he might not sleep until a while after you, if at all so he contents himself with holding you and keeping you safe.

Kakashi~

Okay if you’ve seen Kakashi’s Tragic Back Story™ you know he was cooking himself gourmet meals before we were out of our chicken nugget and fries for every meal stage. So he’s definitely the Bobby Flay of Konoha and he still loves to cook.

It’s become a thing for you two to hold regular cooking competitions. (Pakkun judges) Although it’s a lot of fun, you two take it seriously. A three-course meal, you have to have all your supplies prepared before the competition and no outside help.

It’s a great way to keep a playful element in your relationship and also to be sure you always have food (cause Kakashi can’t take care of himself). Sometimes, on your more competitive nights, the competition ends up being a food fight that he always seems to win.

~Akatuski~

Pein~

Nagato, when he was younger and was first was on his own, met a dog he named Chibi and was very fond of him. The dog ended up killed not long after and that was another tragedy that pushed him to closer to the edge.

However, animals, dogs especially, remind him of happier times. So, whenever he wasn’t too busy, he would take you to Amegakure and go to various animal shelters to visit the pets.

Both of you knew the animals would never go back with you (Hidan liked to sacrifice animals, Kakuzu would throw a fit, and Sasori would fight the decision) but it was nice and calming to be around the cute pets. Pein was oftentimes softer and more open during these visits and he was looser with his speech and mannerisms.

By the time you left, you always felt more connected to him. It was always a great day when the two of you went.

Deidara~

It’s easy to forget since he was forced to grow up so fast as he was recruited to the Akatsuki from anywhere to 11-15. Something I believe he would enjoy due to his childish personality is building forts.

He has a creative streak a mile wide and he would pull all the stops to make a fort palace. Kakzuzu nearly has a heart attack when he sees how much was spent on blankets and pillows.

The two of you spend hours changing the living room into a massive fort with a minibar, an art nook, and many other mini rooms. You and Deidara will spend the night in there just doing teen things, all the things you were missing out on.

At first, Hidan and Kisame had no qualms about messing up your creation but they quickly learned to hold your hobby as sacred as you did when their room was destroyed.

In short, the two of you are able to be kids together and bring the inner child out of you to two.

Masterlist

#naruto scenarios #naruto shippuden #reader insert #kakashi x reader #naruto x reader #sasuke x reader #neji x reader #kiba x reader #shikamaru x reader #gaara x reader #deidara x reader #pein x reader #nagato x reader

[dreamersscape]

In Which I Attempt to Wreak Havoc Upon Panharmonium's Heart. Or Something.

Because I am an awesome friend, clearly, and possibly making people sad/verklempt is definitely an excellent way to (belatedly 😔 but I did start before the 15th!) celebrate Kakashi's birthday, right? ;)

I will admit up front that this is nowhere near as deftly structured and compiled as your Kakashi fanmix, @panharmonium, but that is precisely why I'm not even going to try to organize all these songs into individual playlists. Yet. Plus, I have a tendency to over-explain so this way I can better expound on why certain songs remind me of certain characters. Sorry that I sorta went a little... overboard?

Everything--except a few that aren't available on spotify, I'll link to them directly--can be listened to HERE.

What I'm Looking For - Brendan Benson | Kakashi → I may be a little biased with this one because it fits SO many of my favorite characters so well, somehow, but there's just something about the upbeat/tongue-in-cheek musical cues/delivery of lines such as 'I visit hell on a daily basis, and I see the sadness in all your faces' that just feels so Kakashi to me.

Happy Ending - MIKA | Kakashi → This is presumably a breakup song, but I enjoy it so much more in a non-romantic context (and the song itself isn't really boxed in with overtly romantic framing, so I appreciate that!). Anyway, some very important instructions IMO for listening to this with Kakashi in mind: everything before the bridge is about Kakashi up through his ANBU years, but when you get to the 'little bit of love' refrain, picture Kakashi meeting Tenzo, and then becoming Team 7's sensei, opening back up to Gai, adopting all the other leaf genin, assimilating Sai and Yamato into Team 7, and it keeps building with Kakashi gaining more and more loved ones to fill the hole in his heart, and then cry tears of joy with me! Just my personal suggestion. :D

Light - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi & Team 7 (/all his kids)

with every heartbeat I have left I will defend your every breath

→ I've seen this song used for ship vids and I'm all ????? about that because this is clearly a song about the love you have for your child! But I suppose if one of my favorite pastimes is aggressively re-interpreting love songs in non-romantic ways, I can't begrudge the opposite process... too much, lol.

Heroes - MIKA | Team Minato

your blood on me/and my blood on you/but to make you bleed/the only thing I wouldn't do/.../I wish there was a way/to give you a hand to hold/'cause you don't have to die in your glory/die, to never grow old

Long Lost Friends - Transit | Kakashi & Obito

how long/do you have to say that/this is not the person I used to know/you are not the person I used to know/.../because lately, you've been looking at me like you've seen a ghost/and isn't it obvious who's been missing who the most

→ What the heck! What the heck! What the heck! What the heck! What the heck!

Against the Voices - Switchfoot | Kakashi

'cause everybody knows/the hardest war to fight/is the fight to be yourself/when the voices try to turn you into someone else

Out of the Darkness - Matthew and the Atlas | Obito? Yamato? Kakashi? Itachi & Sasuke? Naruto & Kurama? → I'm a bit undecided about this one, or if I should just not worry about choosing one character and just let myself feel all the "inner darkness is not an innate characteristic, Danzo! They're just grieving/in a lot of pain, and they can find their way out of that dark place!" feels.

Save A Place - 1969 | Kakashi & Sasuke

so I'll keep away and save a place for you/and I'll only make the same mistakes as you/.../when all the blood all over your fingers is dried up/the pain will still linger

→ I'm not uber-confident in picking out really fitting Kakashi & Sasuke songs yet, but I hope this hits a lot of the right notes for you. :)

Thrive - Switchfoot | Kakashi

I'm always close, but I'm never enough/I'm always in line, but I'm never in love/I get so down, but I won't give up/I get so down, but I won't give up

→ See, it says right there that he's never in love! Not the crux of the song, and he's not always 'in line' either, but still! :)

Disarm - The Civil Wars | Kakashi & Obito

the years burn, burn, burn

→ I don't know how I keep collecting fictional relationships that work so well for this song, but literally every single line of this song hits so hard for these two?? Will never recover from this. (Also, I usually disregard when 'my love' pops up in the last line of the chorus, as the mood dictates. :) It's pretty incidental as is IMO.)

Renaissance - Paolo Buonvino & Skin | Sakumo & Obito & Kakashi & Naruto

let me show you one last time/let me show you one last sign/you can find it/I can't say that I can change the world/but if you let me, I can make another world for us/let me suffer all for you/make this vision all brand new/we can fight them/I can't say that I can win it all, [but] come with me and I will make my words stand tall

→ Okay, this is a very odd choice given that it's actually the theme song for a different show about the Italian renaissance (if you happen to see this, Mirjam, don't hate me!), but this could be IT! The "those who break the rules are scum, but those who would abandon their friends are worse than scum" anthem that's all about building a better world based on these principles! I really hope our sharing-a-brain talent translates to listening to this song in this way because I am feeling SOME KIND of way about this!

The Lament of Eustace Scrubb - The Oh Hellos | Kakashi → I really liked the song you chose from this album for your fanmix, so now I've feeling a tiny bit too on-the-nose with my choice, but I guess this is just a Kakashi album all around. 😆

Glass Heart Hymn - Paper Route | Kakashi(+ Obito) & Sasuke(+ Itachi)

memories as heavy as a stone/ I am empty, in my end you are my beginning

This Is Home - Switchfoot | Yamato & Kakashi (+ Team 7)

and now, after all my searching/after all my questions/I'm gonna call it home

→ All finding-where-you-belong songs are actually Yamato songs. True story!

Faust, Midas, & Myself - Switchfoot | Obito

you have one life left to leave/you have one life left to lead

→ Could this be any more perfect for Obito? It even has creepy-old-man!Madara!

Pluto - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

Always Gold - Radical Face | Kakashi & Obito/Sasuke & Itachi/Naruto & Sasuke

all my life, I've never known where you've been/there were holes in you, the kind that I could not mend/and I heard you say, right when you left that day/does everything go away?/yeah, everything goes away/but I'm going to be here till forever/so just call when you're around

→ ...but mostly Kakashi & Obito because 'there were holes in you' 😭😭😭

Lemon Boy - Cavetown | Yamato & Kakashi → You already know the delights of this song of course, but I gots to be comprehensive. :)

Everywhere I Go - Lissie/cover by Sleeping At Last | Kakashi & Team Minato

danger will follow me now everywhere I go/angels will call on me and take me to my home/well, these tired eyes just want to remain closed

→ I chose the Sleeping At Last cover for maximum angst, 'cause sometimes it be like that.

Uneven Odds - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

maybe your light is a seed, and the darkness the dirt, in spite of the uneven odds, beauty lifts from the earth

→ ...just like an earth style: mud wall :') Okay, okay, bad jokes aside, the seed metaphor of course makes me want to associate it with Tenzo, but this is clearly a Kakashi song!

Twenty-four - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Obito

life is not what I thought it was twenty-four hours ago/and I'm not who I thought I was twenty-four hours ago/still I'm singing spirit, take me up in arms with you/you're raising the dead in me/I wanna see miracles/to see the world change/wrestled the angel for more than a name/for more than a feeling, for more than a cause/I'm singing spirit, take me up in arms with you/and you're raising the dead in me

I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme) - John Rzeznik | Kakashi

and how can they say I never change?/they're the ones that stay the same/.../they can't tell me who to be/'cause I'm not what they see/.../and their words are just whispers/and lies that I'll never believe

→ Yeah, I might've accidentally imprinted on Treasure Planet as a 14 year old, and then someone made sure this song would forever live in my heart by making a fanvid of it with my favorite character from my robin hood show, but! He's still here!

See You Again - Wiz Khalifa (feat. Charlie Puth) | Kakashi & Obito/Team Minato

how can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?/everything I went through, you were standing there by my side/and now you gon' be with me for the last ride

→ I am being very unoriginal here, and there are in fact already fanvids made for these relationships set to this song (along with many others featuring different Naruto relationships), but I don't think I'll be able to rest until I translate the movie playing in my head whenever I hear this song now into an actually watchable format. After all, they have come a long way from where they began, and I intend to make that both as touching and ironically hilarious as possible!

Goodnight, Travel Well - The Killers | Kakashi → Admittedly, I got this idea from a magnificently crafted fanvid done for my robin hood show, but I genuinely think it would be really interesting to make something similar for Kakashi centered around the time he technically died but got better? I don't know how to explain it, but I think it fits quite well.

30 Lives - Imagine Dragons | Kakashi & all the people he's loved and lost → can be listened to here.

A Pound of Flesh - Radical Face | Kakashi

then today I wake up feeling easy/and find I'm on more familiar roads/I got a darkness wrapped inside me/but now it ain't so hard to let it go/so keep a candle burning in the window/I'm almost home

Hold Back The River - James Bay | Kakashi & life getting in the way of him being with his precious people (you may be sensing a pattern here) → @the road of life: Let! Kakashi! And his People! Hold! Each! Other!!! Also, 'tried to square not being there, but think that I should have been' is absolutely about Sasuke's defection and Kakashi adding it to his long list of undeserving self-recriminations.

The Fall - Imagine Dragons | Yamato & Kakashi → 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Shadowman - K's Choice | could work equally well for Kakashi or Obito, I think

any time tomorrow a part of me will die/and a new one will be born/any time tomorrow/I'll get sick of asking why/sick of all the darkness I have worn/any time tomorrow/I will try to do what's right/making sense of all I can/any time tomorrow I'll pretend to see the light/I just might/.../and doesn't it make you sad?/to see so much love denied/see nothing but a shadowman inside

Paint - The Paper Kites | Kakashi & Team 7

still there's a wound and I'm moving slow/though it don't show, though it don't show/I've got a hole where nothing grows,/how little you know, how little you know

→ A song for just how much Team 7 doesn't know about their sensei.

Always Find Me Here - Transit | Kakashi → ...most likely at the memorial stone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (why am I like this)

Taste - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

it’s bittersweet, it’s poetry/a careful pruning of my dead leaves/it’s holy ground, a treasure chest/I'm on my knees and only scratch the surface/like fists unraveling, like glass unshattering/we’re breaking all the rules, we’re breaking bread again/we’re swallowing light ’til we’re fixed from the inside

Help - Hurts | Yamato & Kakashi

take my hand and lead the way/out of the darkness and into the light of the day/.../'cause I know what I've been missing/and I know that I should try/but there's hope in this admission/and there's freedom in your eyes/.../I can feel the darkness coming/and I'm afraid of myself/call my name and I'll come running/'cause I just need some help

→ NO ONE TOUCHE ME.

Your Soul - RHODES | A mish-mash of Kakashi & Tenzo and Rin & Obito & Kakashi and Gai & Kakashi vibes? → So like, 'oh you know when you're alone/I'm holding on and on and on and on/to your soul' reminded me of your 'when you're all alone...the only thing you really think about is dying' 'but when there are two of you...the only thing you can think about is surviving.' and now kakashi - who just saved his life - is asking him 'did you want to die' and yamato is saying 'no' there are two of them and yamato wants to SURVIVE. tags as well as Gai's steadfastness as a friend, and 'I just wanna hold your hand' made me think of Rin's "Well then, I'm just going to have to connect the two of you." while holding their hands, and the sunlight/'soul shine'/'your light' motif is just A Lot in this song!!

7 Years - Lukas Graham | Kakashi → Alright, yeah, there are already approximately a gazillion pre-existing Naruto AMVs for this song and even one or two focusing on Kakashi, but they don't capitalize on all the angst possibilities in many of the lyrics or reach the fluff potential of 'will I think the world is cold or will I have a lot of children who can warm me [when I'm old]' and I cannot abide that!

Putting The Dog To Sleep - The Antlers | Kakashi & Sasuke → Okay, on one hand, this song is One Big Oof. But I do like the (potentially odd) way I've conceptualized it for Kakashi & Sasuke? Like, the first half is Kakashi going through all the tragedies in his life and getting lost in ANBU, but then in the second half it transitions to him wanting to prevent Sasuke from having to be as alone as Kakashi once was and they can face life together? It makes me emotional!

Trust Me - The Fray | Kakashi & Obito

I found a friend, or should I say a foe?/said there's a few things you should know/we don't want you to see/we come, and we go/here today, gone tomorrow

→ There are a few lines that call Tenzo & Kakashi to mind, but mostly it's Obito & Kakashi.

The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?) - Snow Patrol | Kakashi → I had to, right? My mindscape is a little murky/scattered about what specifically I want to think about when I listen to this, but obviously it has to do with Kakashi in one way or another.

Kettering - The Antlers | Team Minato(???) → Honestly not sure if this will make any sense, but yeah, vague team minato vibes?

Swans - Unkle Bob | Kakashi & Obito/Rin/Minato/Kushina/Sakumo → They should be by his side always!!!

Looking Too Closely - Fink | Kakashi → I honestly feel rather ambivalent about this one too, but I can't deny 'truth is like blood underneath your fingernails/and you don't wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself/looking too closely' always destroys me because... well, you know. I love suffering. :(

Souvenirs - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Obito & Rin

wolves - Switchfoot | Kakashi

snowfall for the battlefield/roses for the father's sons/see them red on the ground:/bleeding/when the revolution came/we were more than hungry men/we were hoping for more:/bleeding/end. begin again./all of my world is collision and spin/hope is a world that has yet to begin/awaken, oh sleeper/awaken, oh sleeper/a new day begins

→ I wanted a wolf-related song too. :)

PRODIGAL SOUL - Switchfoot | Obito, Itachi, & Sasuke; just all them wayward Uchiha boys

Coming Down - Dear Euphoria | kid!Kakashi & his relationships

the shell/that I wore/it wasn't for fun/it wasn't to make you/stick around/it was for survival/it was what I've learnt/it was for the sun/.../our love has grown/our love has flown

→ Another one I'm a little unsure of whether it makes sense outside of my head or not, but I like the vibes?

Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons | Kakashi & Yamato? → Hmm, can I maybe submit this as a Kakashi-&-Yamato-just-need-to-mske-it-through-this-war-so-they-can-have-a-bright-bright-future song?

All Is Well (It's Only Blood) - Radical Face | Kakashi → ...he said as he's bleeding out or after he's thrown himself in the line of fire protecting someone he thinks is a better person than himself...

Bleeding Out - Imagine Dragons | Kakashi

when the hour is nigh/and hopelessness is sinking in/and the wolves all cry/to fill the night with hollering/when your eyes are red/and emptiness is all you know/with the darkness fed/I will be your scarecrow/you tell me to hold on/oh, you tell me to hold on/but innocence is gone/and what was right is wrong

→ In a similar vein to the previous song. But goodness gracious! Were they NOT straight up describing Kakashi here?

Amaryllis - Shinedown | Yamato & Kakashi → Just tossing this one out there, not sure if it will make sense or if it's a reach... but I like it?

lost 'cause - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Sasuke

are we a lost cause?/or are we just lost 'cause/we won't be the future we refuse to see?/and if I'm your lost cause/it'll be your lost 'cause/you won't see me as I am, the possibility/that I'm not the enemy

→ 214 feels. (And before and after that, but yeah.)

Through the Ghost - Shinedown | Kakashi & Obito

so many silent sorrows/you never hear from again/and now that you've lost tomorrow/is yesterday still a friend?/.../everything that mattered is just/a city of dust/covering both of us/did you hide yourself away?/I can't see you anymore/.../did you hide yourself away?/are you living through the ghost?/did you finally find a place/above the shadows so the world will never know?/the world will never know you like I do ... like I still do

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men | Kakashi → Just Kakashi having little chats with his ghosts, totally the most heartwarming way to conclude this section. 😅

Sleepyhead - Passion Pit | Kakashi → Just kidding! Here's a slightly less morbid song for the Most Tired Boy Of Them All.™ (Random aside: this was my customary song to listen to on my walks to 8AM organic chemistry classes; I found it strangely soothing! On a different occasion, after a particularly long day for her, one of my roommates didn't have the energy to make it to her bed but nevertheless requested a lullaby from us. So I obliged by playing this song for her, but she didn't seem to gain the same peace of mind from it as I did. 😄 I know it's not my place to propose anything like this, but it does amuse me to imagine bookends!Kakashi in these situations, even though it's not OChem classes he has to go to.)

General/Miscellaneous:

Rise Above It - Switchfoot | Ensemble

don't care what they're telling me/we can be what we want to be/.../just because it's law doesn't mean that it's fair/.../don't believe the system's on your side/.../the curse is spoken/the system's broken; rise above it

→ I mean, how could I not think about Naruto when this song also has the lines 'hear us sing tonight like the last night on earth/we will rise like the tide/like dead men coming back to life/we are rising, rising'? It's fun to be literal sometimes!

Doorways - Radical Face | Allllll the traumatized children → Someone has to put all those tragic childhood flashbacks to good use, after all.

Ghost Towns - Radical Face | take your pick of Itachi, Sasuke, or Post-Kannabi-Bridge!Obito

there's no comin' home/with a name like mine/I still think of you/but everyone knows/yeah everyone knows/if you care, let it go

Blinding Light - Switchfoot | Hey, Hiruzen? You may have coined the phrase, "children are the king" but I don't think you truly understand it... (insert Princess Bride joke here)

hey boy, don't believe them/we're the nation that eats our youth/.../still looking for the blinding light/still looking for the reason why/still looking for the sun to shine/all my life I've been living in the darkest night/still looking for the blinding light/to take me higher and higher

Brother's Blood - Kevin Devine | EVERYONE → ...but certainly so much you could do with Itachi & Sasuke, Obito & Kakashi, Shisui & Itachi, even Hashirama & Madara! Sakumo's teammates turning their backs on him and saying 'I don't know one thing about my brother's blood'?!?! There are SO MANY ideas I have for this song! It gives me chills and makes my brain scream.

We Need Each Other - Sanctus Real | Ensemble → Already mentioned this one to you, but I have to include it here for thoroughness' sake!

Whispering - Alex Clare | the Hidden Leaf's lost/ostracized children/orphans

who will care for the falling?/who will care for the falling leaves?

So this is probably a strange concept to come up with and apply to this song, but the 'whispering, whispering, whispering' parts brought Konaha's virulent gossiping/passing judgement about others and often kids they don't even know problem to mind, too, and yeah?

The World You Want - Switchfoot | Ensemble → If I were to make a fanvid set to this song, I would definitely keep a broad focus, but I can't deny that the lines 'you start to look like what you believe, you float through time like a stream, if the waters of time are made up by you and I, I could change the world for you, you change it for me' FOR SURE has strong Obito & Kakashi/Kakashi & Tenzo vibes.

Red Eyes - Switchfoot | Ensemble, but definitely many dashes of Uchihas 😄 → I would like to thank Masashi Kishimoto for creating a world where red eyes are a Thing of Importance so I can one day make a fanvid using this song in not just the tired or teary bloodshot-red eyes way, but in a very literal sense too.

TAKE MY FIRE - Switchfoot | The Will of Fire → 'Cause I think I'm sooooo clever. 😄

Above The Clouds Of Pompeii - Bear's Den | various parent & child relationships → This obviously derives from the not-caring-about-your-female-characters problem, but it always gets me that all the single parents in the Naruto universe are almost invariably the fathers! I guess sometimes you can safely guess that the mothers are still alive/exist, but either way we hardly ever get to see them. :/ The one exception I can think of right now is Kurenai, but maybe I'm forgetting another conspicuous single mother. Anyway, I don't know if this helps or hinders more a potential Naruto fanvid for this song, but regardless, it still gives me feelings?

Who We Are - Switchfoot | Ensemble → It just makes me inordinately happy that the chorus for this song starts with 'who we are (in the fever of our youth)', you know? :D

Brother - Kodaline | all the friendships we can stuff in here and then some → Quite a well known song I'm pretty sure, but I love how many dynamics one could showcase in a potential fanvid of this. And, not gonna lie, 'oh brother, we go deeper than the ink beneath the skin of our tattoos' deserves to be used in some sort of Tenzo 'n' Kakashi or Team Ro fan creation!

Special Bonus:

Shake It Out - Florence + The Machine | Kakashi & Obito → I'm not sure whether I would have realized how well this works for Kakashi & Obito on my own, funnily enough, but then I found this fanvid of it (containing only scenes you've seen naturally!) and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It's so well done!

#I do apologize for all the switchfoot/other repeated bands or artists #I wanted this to be really varied but switchfoot just has my number I guess? #I'd like to say I got it all out of my system now since I'll likely have to do a part two at some point #but that's not completely true *rubs back of head sheepishly* #also all the mentions of fanvid creation are just because I've always been a heavily visual learner/how I process stuff #--ironic given my visual disability-- #so I suppose when my brain gets attached to something that's in an auditory medium it still has to find a way to add in a visual component? #anyway I hope this 60+ songs behemoth of a playlist is not too overwhelming and that the musical styles are somewhat up your alley! #I swear I'm going to jump back into our Kakashi & Yamato conversations now! #turns out I really suck at multitasking sometimes /0\ #kakashi hatake #obito uchiha #team minato #kakashi 'n' obito #kakashi 'n' rin #kakashi 'n' tenzo #gai 'n' kakashi #sakumo hatake #naruto uzumaki #kakashi 'n' sasuke #kakashi 'n' sakumo #kakashi 'n' naruto #kakashi 'n' minato #Itachi 'n' Sasuke #itachi uchiha #itachi 'n' shisui #yamato #tenzo #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno

[liam-cadmus]

ANBU

Sasuke grits his teeth, hiking Neji higher on his back. He’s thanking Kami that the Hyuuga is light— the fact should be worrying, if they’re not unconscious and bleeding right now.  The omega has a loose hold around his neck, his black cloak enveloping Neji enough that the warmth of his back is keeping him cold. He tries to hold Neji as securely as he can with one arm, the other supporting Shikamaru. 

His hawk summon, Aya is guiding him through the forest outside the walls, slowly walking closer the gate. Their shadows isn’t seen in the dark, his mismatched eyes looking around in case they get ambushed again.  Wet plops of mud can be heard from his footsteps, dragging Shikamaru with him. He ignores the shaking of his hands, ignoring it to move faster, despite the protest of his wheezing breaths. 

He feels Shikamaru waking up from where he’s supporting him with his left arm, the beta thankfully— awake. “Deer, wake up.” he says quietly, still pulling the other teen along, “It’s just a bit from here, just open your eyes please.”  He pleads, no matter how it hurts his pride, but his emotions are haywire— sometimes being an Uchiha has it’s downsides— and his anxiety is high-strung. His alpha instincts making his ears ring, the overwhelming impulse to protect the people important to him.

Shikamaru blearily opens his eyes, making him sigh in relief seeing familiar chocolate brown eyes. “You with me?” he asks, one brow raised. “Barely.” Shikamaru mumbles, the Nara inhaling his alpha scent, the toasted almonds and smokey cinnamon pheromones helping the beta gather his thoughts. He breathes out slowly, gritting his teeth at the bones in his ribs grating against each other, shivering as the cold wind hits his bare chest, his clothing around the two males he’s with to keep them warm. Shikamaru moves to pull away, making him click his tongue in annoyance. “Deer, stay close.” he tugs the beta closer, Shikamaru’s arm hitting his rib by accident, making him hiss in pain. Shikamaru, only pulls away more when he hears the hiss, attempting to wrench free of his hold. He would be amused if he his instincts aren’t screaming at him to not let go any of the two. His hand grips Shikamaru’s waist tight — making sure that the beta can’t be separated from him.

The beta male just narrows his brows, titling his head, licking his dry, chapped lips. “Why do you keep pulling me?”

 He shakes his head, pretending to shrug, before leaning on the wall, relieved to see they’re in the outskirts. He stops in his tracks, leaning on the wall with his dislocated shoulder, his chakra exhaustion finally putting a toll on his battered body. “Just don’t walk away, you might pass out, you hit your head pretty damn bad earlier.” he rasps, while lowering Shikamaru on the ground slowly, the Nara sinking on the muddy grass below him, blinking repeatedly to fight the sleep away.

His body aches for carrying the two for so long, for once thanking Kami for being an alpha, even if omega genetics is the major second gender running in Uchiha Clan.  “Kakashi,” he calls out, mismatched eyes staring at the lone dark grey eye in front of him, relief flooding his whole being at seeing reinforcements arriving.

“Kid, how are you still standing?” his sensei asks him, sturdy hands holding him up while Wolf carries Neji from his back, Sasuke falling forward to Kakashi’s chest. “5 soldier pills, 3 adrenaline shots and pure sheer will.” he snaps, exhaling shallowly. “Crow, Wolf, we need to shunshin these three to the hospital.” The two other ANBU scouts carry his team on their backs, Itachi and Kiba staring at him with worry.  He waves a hand dismissively, smiling in satisfaction when he sees Itachi’s red eyes glaring at him. “I’m fine, aniki.” he answers, letting Kakashi support him as they shunshin, arriving in the hospital, nurses and doctors alike walking out of their way.

Kakashi drops him to a bed, Sakura slamming the door open with Ino, Tsunade coming in last, the woman glaring at him. “Brat, what mess did you get into?” she pursed her lips, her eyes looking over the obvious bruising by his ribs, and the shudders going through him.

“Obito is with Shisui finishing the mission, they’ll arrive using the Kamui in a bit.” he croaks out, reassuring Kakashi and Itachi for their lovers.

Tsunade rolls her eyes at him, fondly scoffing a ‘tch’ under her breath. “I question myself why you’re my favorite Uchiha.” she says at him, earning a shallow breathy laugh from him, “It must be my charms, a lot of people say so.” 

He drew in a large breath when Tsunade moved his bones back into place, the action making him choke on his breath, coughing wetly. “What happened, Uchiha, you’re only supposed to get intel.” Sparrow asks him, making him look up from where he’s staring at his bloody knuckles.

“Kiri ANBU, three teams, ambushed us.” Several winces comes from the other ANBU scouts, Kakashi’s lips pressed to a tight line. “Obito’s fine, old man.” he teases, patting Kakashi’s arm with his unoccupied hand.  Tsunade decides to click his shoulder back in that exact moment, making him slap the arm in accident. He bit his lips enough to draw blood, turning to the woman with his eyes whirring, glare in place. “That was uncalled for.” Tsunade looks at him, before her hands glow in green chakra, healing the muscles and tissues around the socket on his shoulder, humming. “You should’ve paid attention then, brat.”

He rolls his aching shoulder blades as he leans back on the hospital bed, inhaling the scent of antiseptic and white sheets. He looks at his shivering pale skin, while wrapping his ankles together, whistling, “Thank you, mom.” he says, watching as Tsunade fondly pats his leg. “Try not to get hurled across the field next time.” she jokes, if only she knew. “You should tell that to Shika.” he points to the half-asleep Nara, the beta opening an eye to glare at him. “No, but really, you were thrown across the field.” he says in a firm voice, knowing the beta didn’t remember it, “Kami, my heart stopped beating for like, minutes.” he admits, crossing his arms. “Glad to know you care for me, Uchiha.” Shikamaru yawns, pillowing his head on his folded arms. “As if carrying you two across a whole damn forests isn’t caring, I don’t know what it is.” 

He moves to stand, bare feet planting on the cold ground, stubbornly ignoring the protests of the others telling him he’s healing. He opens the bathroom before looking at them flatly, over his shoulder. “I don’t want to sleep from getting doused on the rain.”  He gestures at his bare chest before turning to Shikamaru, “No matter how lazy you are, you better take a shower or else,” he threatens, narrowing his eyes, “I won’t hesitate to drag you to the shower, wounded or not.” The Nara sighs in defeat, before dryly answering. “Yes Captain.”  He closes the door, turning the knob to the hottest setting, pleased when he sees three folded clothes on the shelf, amused that the three of them already have a separate room from the other patients.

He walks out the shower, steam billowing by his ankles, drying his wet dark locks. He chuckles watching Shikamaru dragging his sleepy form in the bathroom, throwing his towel to the back of the brunette.

The brunette glares at him, before picking the towel off the ground, closing the door behind him. Sasuke fixes their masks by the bedside table, collecting their discarded uniforms to the hamper on the corner, separating his cloak and placing it on the back of a chair.

Sasuke moves their beds beside each other, gently rousing Neji awake, “You need to take a bath,” he tells him, the Hyuuga sleepily walking to the bathroom, while he lays down face down on the larger bed, listening to their humming.

He lays still while the two males drop to either side of him, a thought on the back of his mind nagging him if the his brother and the others are still in the room, but he’s too tired to care. He reminds himself to tell the others of his relationship, tired of being professional in front of them.

He rolls tiredly, looking up to Neji peering at him with white eyes, staring at his very soul. He huffs a quiet chuckle when he feels Shikamaru laying down beside him, an arm moving across his stomach, the rise and fall of his chest comfortable to Sasuke’s side, his arm wrapping around his shoulders.

Neji doesn’t break eye contact, blinking at him softly, the Hyuuga content on switching his gaze between him and Shikamaru. Shikamaru opens his eyes slowly, nuzzling him softly, “Neji, just fucking sleep.” he grouses, letting out a faint brown sugar and coffee scent.

Sasuke snorts, before pulling Neji down, tucking his head to brown locks, inhaling honey — the scent pleasing to the nose even if he hates sweets. 

He kisses their temples, looking at their intertwined hands over his stomach. Shikamaru leans over to kiss Neji on the lips, nudging their noses together before laying down again, muttering ‘how troublesome it was to lean over’. 

“Ah, sleep, I’m tired, you’re both heavy.” he complains, his eyes already drooping. “Ji, you heard that?” he listens as Shikamaru mockingly whispers, the two of them talking about how he’s the heaviest out of the three of them, which is untrue — he has the lightest steps, Shikamaru is the heaviest out of the three. He cuts in, “I’m not the heaviest, I just happen to be the one strongest to carry your two sorry asses across the forest.”  “You love these sorry asses though.” Neji teases, white eyes in mischief. “Damn right I do, now sleep.” he kisses their lips, before pulling the covers over them.

The silence is comfortable, the warm sunlight through the curtains lulling them further to sleep, their scents mingling, the combination fitting so perfectly, their chests breathing in the same rhythm.

“Baby Uchiha!” Obito greets quietly, making Sasuke scowl at him in irritation, not appreciating woken up from his sleep. He glares, feeling his drowsiness slip away from him, making him grumble.  “We still need to do the report.” Obito reminds him, still standing in his uniform. Sasuke stares at him, glancing from his mates to Obito, and back again. “Fine.” he answers blankly, separating his limbs from his lover’s, pushing the two together. Sasuke sighs at the sleep he just lost, before securing his boots, murmuring how it’s unfair he can’t rest after bringing two people on his own. 

“Sas, why’re you leaving?” he glances back at Neji’s sleepy mumble, making his features soften.

“Just report, I’ll be fast.” he reassures him, closing the door when the omega tucks his head on Shikamaru’s chest.

“So, that’s your lovers?” Obito teases, throwing an arm around his shoulder, ruffling his hair.

“No, that’s just my teammates who just likes to cuddles.” he retorts dryly, pushing Obito’s hand out of his now unruly hair.

“Maa, maa, you’re so agressive.” Obito mimics Kakashi, making him puff out a laugh. “Come on, I still need to sleep.” he tugs his cousin to run faster, the two of them on the way to the Hokage Tower.

(A very short AU prompt, soooo.....it’s a Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies....with A/B/O dynamics and Sasuke has the Rinnegan, cause I want to. I would’ve wrote this better if I wasn’t so damn busy...so excuse me for the OOC moments..)

#shikasasu #shikanejisasu #shikaneji #sasushika #sasuneji #sasunejishika #nejisasu #nejishika #nejishikasasu #anbu sasuke #anbu neji #anbu shikamaru

[blackvelvetwriteson]

𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓

                                             (  ~ Kakashi Hatake x Gender Neutral                                                                                                          Reader Insert ~ )

GENRE: Smut and Fluffy Fluff!                                                                  

FANDOM: Naruto: Shippuden

TRIGGER WARNINGS: There’s smut towards the end! (Thigh riding and overstim, etc.) Nothing too hardcore, but it’s worth noting.

SUMMARY: I really hope this is sort of what you were leaning towards! I haven’t watched Naruto in years so I had to refresh my memory a little and do HELLA research, but I hope I didn’t disappoint! This is Kakashi with a bratty reader! There’ll be a small oneshot (probably posted later today) to follow this because music inspired me lmao.

WORD COUNT: This is just a headcanon/imagine so N/A REQUESTED BY: @impromptuxprompts

(Headers are mine, but the art inside of them are not! Please don’t steal or repost without credit!)

We all know that Kakashi is a pretty stoic man, right?

Like literally NOTHING pisses this man off.

Or like.. At least until he gets you, Reader-Chan.

But here’s the thing, you decide to try and make him break at least a little bit.

Despite what people may think, he’s generally pretty vanilla.

He also has really bad nightmares; being too hardcore could send him into a bad state.

But not everything needs to be rough all the time. You like how cuddly he is.

But he’s ONLY cuddly towards you. And when you both are alone.

He’s DEFINITELY the type to always try and teach you something.

Like, “Kashi! I’m gonna put my hand on the stove!”

And you’d think he’d be like, “No… You shouldn’t do that.” Right?

Wrong.

He just shoots you THE most unimpressed look, crosses his arms, and leans against the wall and nods his head a little like.

“…. Hm… Go ahead.”

You just STARE like homeboy you’re REALLY gonna just let me… Put my hand on the stove like that?

And then he’d watch you wimp out and whine and he’d reward you with a forehead kiss.

You get happy for a second, but goddamn what is this man thinking about? Like you can NEVER tell with him.

But you can’t get mad at him; he knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about romance.

This dude REALLY tried to call you “his favorite kunai” before he settled on Blossom. And you had to tell him why you being “his favorite kunai” was an issue because he honestly thought he’d gotten the hang of it.

He’s watching TV and you’re reading a book and decide to dress in one of his sweaters with nothing on underneath.

I mean NOTHING. Like, no underwear, no shirt- nothing.

And I mean the only reaction you get out of him is a small “Hm…” And his eyes widen a little and that seems like that’s all it is.

As you’re pouting, you don’t notice his eyes slowly raking over your body, he just doesn’t blush or anything because this man could keep a poker face if someone had a gun to his head.

And you just stomp your foot a little like. “Am I not beautiful enough for you or something?”

This time you get a bit of a reaction but he just blows his hair out of in front of his eye.

You both have a set of rules that you follow, and in exchange, he lets you eat sweets before dinner and before bed, and he also has to keep his mask off the entire time he’s at home.

“What do you mean? You’re just fine,” he says in that soft, cold tone of his. His eyes linger a little on the hoodie misforming your body.

He loves it actually. He loves how all of the little folds hug you and he knows it smells like him.

He also knows that it’s your comfort blanket of sorts, so of course he knows that something’s wrong with you.

“Come here, Blossoml,” he says softly and he pats his lap.

“No.”

He looks a bit taken back.

Surprised? No. Disappointed? Absolutely.

He notices that you don’t have the little bear he gave you with him and he raises an eyebrow.

“Where’s your toy?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

He just sighs quietly and you smirk thinking that you won.

“I’m guessing you don’t want any sweets after dinner tonight then?”

“Mm-mm. Nope.”

You a whole damn lie. And he knows it.

He tries to go through and think about why you’re acting like such a brat today and he remembers that you get like this when you guys haven’t had sex in awhile.

It’s been almost a month.

He does this thing where he tries to deprive himself of things that makes him feel good or makes him happy, but he does it in such a way that you don’t ever recognize it.

“Why should I get to live free and feel good and be happy and my comrades can’t even feel anymore?” That’s what he always said to try and make an excuse for it.

He’s WAY more laid back now than he was years ago though, but he still has some of his same habits.

But it’s too late. You’ve already pushed the brat act and noticed he’s slightly started to get agitated.

He sat back and leaned forward, his elbows rested on his knees, his eyebrows furrowed just a little, his lips just a little pursed.

You were standing right in front of him and you shifted uncomfortably under his intense blanketed gaze.

“K-Kashi-“

“I’m going to ask you one last time, Blossom. Where’s. Your toy?”

“U-Uhm…”

He knows how difficult you are when you get like this, so instead of counting down from 10 or some shit, he spells out his name, and with each letter, his gaze gets more intense.

“K….A….K…..A…..S……”

You start to whine and his eyebrows only furrow more and he stands up, your resolve now nonexistent. “H….”

“I-It’s under the bed and I can’t reach it! I’m sorry!”

He shakes his head and clicks his tongue. “What’s gotten into you today, Blossom?

“NOTHING!”

“Inside voices.”

He taps the side of his head and you nod. That was the signal for him sort of telling you to tone it down a little and you abide to avoid aggravating him.

He walks into the room and kneels down, gently collecting the bear from under the bed.

You thank him and hug him as you chitter quietly and he still has no idea what to do with his hands so he just pats your head.

“If you wanted me to grab your bear for you then why didn’t you just ask?”

You pout and bury your head in his chest. He never really understood the point of people being a great but with YOU he seemed to tolerate WAY more than he would with anybody else.

“I-I… I d-don’t know,” you say quietly.

He sits on the edge of the bed, leaning back, his eyes guiding you to one of his thighs.

“This is what you wanted right? Sincerest apologies for not being able to give more… But this is all I can offer at the moment,” he speaks quietly as you walk closer.

He gently takes you by the waist and positions his legs right in between yours, slowly lowering you how he knows you like it.

Before you move- or before he lets you move- you just stop as you notice his eyes locked on yours.

He gently takes your chin in his hand and makes you look at him.

“The next time you need something, just ask. Why do you insist on being a brat?”

You whine more but immediately shut up when you see his sleepy expression.

“B-Being a brat is the only way to get your attention on me! I don’t like it when you’re sad! I want you to be… MINE. Not your mind’s…”

He allows you to fully sit on his thigh, slowly guiding your hips to ride it as he spoke to you.

“Blossom… No. You’re all mine, for sure, you’re just not observant.”

You open your mouth to protest but he puts one of his soft fingers into your mouth so you can’t and you just suck on it contently while listening to him talk to you.

“I notice when and why you act like a brat. Hm? I know that you want this,” he gestures to you. “And so much more. However, I need you to recognize that I’m not like… Most men out here… I’m not normal… I’m so sorry if I seem so distant, truly. I’m *not,* I promise. I just… Don’t equate sex with attention… And I don’t really have a drive for it, yknow? Like…. Just… I don’t know what it is… But I know for sure that it’s not on you.”

You liked it when you both had your heart to hearts. Especially like this.

He wasn’t an especially hard Dom, he always found out what it was you wanted, questioned you on why you thought you deserved what you were claiming you did and made sure you’d been taking care of yourself before he gave it to you. He didn’t like being too rough so he made sure that every action he made was soft and gentle.

You didn’t like gentle all the time, so you’d let him know and then guide him into what you were craving in the moment.

When he choked you for the first time, he was a bit scared but he was also confused. — “U-Uh… People like this s-sort of thing…? Why?”

He also gives REALLY great spankings, but he’s also confused as to why people like being hit too. (Aren’t we all.)

You listen to him and realize that the two of you have had this talk before. You don’t like that he felt forced to tell you this again especially when you knew that it made him uncomfortable.

“Blossom… I’ll do my best for you, okay? I’ll be normal and just like everyone else… At least in terms of expressing my feelings to you… But for now, work the brat out of your system by riding on my thigh.”

You did as instructed, sucking hard on his fingers, your eyes glazed over as you rest your hand on his chest for support as he started to slowly bob his leg for you.

He was okay with one of many things, however, and that was praising you. He always took the chance to praise you, especially whenever you did well, but he took extra care when you were in your moods.

He also knew you liked it when he moaned or when he made noise for you so that you knew you were doing good, so he did just that too.

Whenever you rode his thigh, he always took special care of you, holding your waist and guiding your sex into the hardest part of his thigh.

Bonus points if you’re wearing his shirt, or anything of his really.

He always likes to graze his nails over your skin too because of the goosebumps it gives you.

He watches you make a mess of his thigh, feeling your legs tremble around his and this gives him a smile. It’s VERY subtle, but it’s a smile nonetheless.

“That’s right Blossom, just keep grinding into me just like that… You’re being so good for me baby, don’t stop until you’re satisfied,” is what he often reminds when you’re close.

Occasionally when your leg brushes past or presses into his bulge, he returns the favor and he grinds against your leg subtly, but it’s still there.

And the best part?

He always lets those moans and whimpers out in your ear for you to soak up.

He doesn’t like it when you call him daddy; he just doesn’t. However, he does allow you to call him “Mister” or “Sir” to make up for it.

By this point you’re about ready to cum right there and you know, he’s never held you back from an orgasm, so this should be easy, right?

Wrong…. Kinda.

He tells you to slow down and you just stare up at him in disbelief.

Tf did he mean “sLoW dOwN”

So you whine a little, but then he slaps your ass and you’re just like :O

And a VERY fleeting smirk shows up on his face.

You abide and he pulls your hips down against his lap harder and then you jolt and dig your nails into his chest.

“W-What a-are you doing S-Sir?”

He pushes his fingers deeper in your mouth to shut you up and while you’re riding his thigh, his hips are grinding into your leg and he brings you closer.

Of course, as if he hadn’t already, he broke your very fragile bratty demeanor and he knew he did too.

He nibbled at your ear while all of his sweet little groans flooded into your ear.

He also hiked his leg up hard and that caused to to bite down on his fingers a little as you arched your back.

He lets out a hollow laugh in your ear because he knows that you’re holding back an orgasm.

“Didn’t I tell you to go until you were satisfied? So why are you holding back?” His eyebrows furrow a little and you try not to cum but that doesn’t really last long.

He starts to nibble on your neck with a soft growl and he forces your hips faster against his leg, but you know you’re in trouble now because he starts to spell his name after every single nibble.

“You have until I finish spelling my name,” he said quietly in your ear as if you both were in public.

“H…. A…. T…”

You’re trying again to hold on, and his fingers latch on to your tongue a little not making any of this easier.

Naturally, you start to drool; so you’re a mess on his lap trying to keep from bursting over his leg right then and there. I mean come on, he just started spelling.

“A…K…E… K…A…K…”

You can’t really hold on anymore and he smirks, pleased with himself as you tremble on his thigh, your nails digging into his skin, your toes curling as you try to push yourself onto his thigh more but also try to pull away because you’re so overtimed you could barely take it.

“A.. S…” He laughed quietly as his nips became a little harder, your orgasm only intensifying.

“H… I…” He mumbled quietly as he finished spelling his name into you.

You didn’t know what kind of hold he had on you but you loved it, and you were such a mess on his lap, trembling with labored breathing, you try to stay upright but find it hard to as you’re about to pass out.

“Have you finally got that brat out of your system or should I…” He jolted his leg up into your sex and you whimper loudly looking like you’re about to cry, your eyes widening a little.

“N-No sir! No more! I-I c-can’t take anymore,” you murmur out quietly. “P-Please let’s just cuddle…. I w-want you w-with me,” you whimper. It was apparent to him that you were slipping into subspace and he knew just how to take care of you.

“Don’t worry, you’ve been a good baby for me,” he said softly, gently kissing the side of your head as he picked you up.

He allowed you to lean into him before he laid you on the bed. You were still extremely sensitive and trembling, letting go of him as you let the bed hug you instead.

You knew what time it was so you didn’t complain when he left.

He came back a moments later with a few things; a bag of chocolates he reserved for this occasion, a few candles with a lighter, his cologne, and your favorite lotion.

He lights the candles first and then he places them around the room. The sweet warm scents now filling the area around your room.

He then walks over to you on the bed and he slides into the bed, turning on the TV to some cartoons, warming up a dollop of lotion in his hands.

“Is this what you want to watch, Blossom?”

You, of course, nod sleepily and whine quietly as you feel the warm lotion over your body, his slender hands gently kneading into your back. It felt so good that you couldn’t help but to let out soft mewls and moans trying to press closer to him.

He smiled and moved you onto your stomach so that you were facing the tv and he moved to straddle your lower back as he gently massaged the warm lotion into your back causing you to whimper and whine softly, your body still sensitive from your orgasm.

“Am I going too rough?” He asks in that sweet almost melancholy voice of his that you loved. It somehow always managed to lull you into subspace.

You only respond with small grunts and mumbles.

He took a break to open up a couple of the small chocolates and he gently pushed one into your mouth with a soft kiss against your ear as he left the other in a sort of pile right next to you so you could help yourself.

You couldn’t help but to whimper quietly and you nibble at your little bear’s ear as you watch your cartoons, sucking on the chocolate as he went back to massaging your skin with the warm relaxing lotion.

He also loved to worship your body, especially since you tell him that you don’t know if you mean anything to him.

He works the lotion into your whole body; your back, your sides, your arms and hands.

He lotions up your hands by keeping his hips pressed into yours from behind while his hands gently caress yours. He loves playing with the muscles and bones in your hands, primarily your knuckles.

When he was finished with the rest of your body, leaving your neck left treated too with soft kisses as well, he repositioned so that he could cuddle with you from behind.

He ALWAYS cuddled you until you were asleep so he could clean himself up and go make dinner for whenever you chose to wake up, the brat ALWAYS worked out of your system after he was done with you.

“What do you say, Blossom,” he always chided in that sweet almost monotonous voice of his with his soft closed eye smile.

“Thank you, Sir. I’ll be good from now on.”

#requested #naruto shippuden #Kakashi hatake #kakashi sensei #kakashi x reader #kakashi smut #kakashi hatake lemon #naruto shippuden x reader #kakashi headcanons #kakashi x you #kakashi x y/n

[keepyourpantsongohan]

And Many Happy Returns

A gift for @sloaners, one of the funniest, nicest and most talented people I know. You deserve nothing but good things, so here’s something made with the wish to make you smile. Please check out the collaborative pieces by @uintuva​ @tomicaleto​ @kiro-sveta and @ohayohimawari​​. | AO3 (Art/Writing) | Podfic |

                               ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It starts, as the best intentions often do, with a thirty-year-old man blowing out a birthday candle. 

“Happy birthday, Kakashi,” Tenzō tells him warmly. 

This warmth between them is both new and old. It aches of familiarity, and partnership, and all the things Kakashi has compartmentalized as something he ought to think about at a later date. But it is later, the moon shining down upon them in the wee hours of the night, his face bare to his companion. It’s a new world order, one where to Kakashi is the Sixth Hokage, and the village is bustling with migrants from all its neighbours, and where he lets someone look at him the way Tenzō is doing, like he has done something incredibly right. 

Kakashi wishes Obito were here to see this. He likes to think it would annoy him a little, even if this was exactly what he had suggested. 

“So how does it feel?” Tenzō asks, smiling. He sets down the cupcake, knowing Kakashi isn’t interested in sweets anyway. “Your first birthday as Hokage. This should be a day that the whole village celebrates.” 

“Maa, you know I don’t like parties,” Kakashi says, ducking his head as if a villager might pop up somewhere with a confetti canon. He reaches out and lets his fingers brush Tenzō’s. “This is fine with me.” 

Tenzō sighs, all fondness. “Well, you have to at least let me show you your birthday present.” 

Kakashi raises an eyebrow. “Oh? Did you bring something?” 

Tenzō shakes his head. “It’s more of something I get to show, actually.” 

It’s very tempting for Kakashi to make a joke at that, but his thought is soon cut off by a gleaming light in the sky, a bright blue-green speck making its way from far up above them, heading downward quite suddenly. For a moment, he thinks it could be a shooting star. Yet it doesn’t look much like a star to him, particularly not when he realizes whatever it is is hurtling not only towards the ground, but towards them. Kakashi’s mental calculations suggest that the meteor will land before they get a chance to move. 

It is all they can do to brace for impact. Kakashi feels his chakra gather in his palms and raises his hands so that he might be able to form a chidori. Beside him, Tenzō’s hands form a serpent seal and a wooden dome suddenly encloses them. A futile effort, given the speed and force of the object, but one Kakashi appreciates nonetheless. 

What surprises him, however, is when the meteor passes straight through the barrier, lands in their laps with a groan, and lets out a frustrated, “Ow!” 

Kakashi’s brain tries to catch up to the situation. They’re alive. They’re alive, and so is their meteor. Except it’s not a meteor, it’s a mint green man, who has appendages jutting out from his neck that dig into Kakashi’s thigh. Kakashi’s eyes rove over the man’s back, taking in the familiarity of what he is facing. 

“Obito?” asks Kakashi incredulously. 

“Obito?!” Tenzō repeats, his voice rising an octave. “Your Obito? Kakashi, isn’t he supposed to be dead?” 

Kakashi says, before he can think much about it, “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.” 

In answer to their questions, Obito finally rolls over, confirming what Kakashi already knew. Obito’s face and body are the same as they were at the height of the war by all accounts. Scales, tomoe, and horns decorate his body, but what draws most of his attention are the brushstrokes painted across his stomach, reading, “Love, Kaa-san~”

A hand thrown over his eyes, Obito grumbles out, “Your mother says, ‘Happy birthday,’ Bakashi.”

—

Tenzō’s first order of business is to find out how this happened. Obito’s first order of business, as soon as he is able to stand on his own two feet, is to stare at Kakashi. 

“Wh— That’s— You’re handsome!” Obito accuses, outraged. He points his finger at Kakashi’s uncovered face. 

It’s unclear if Kakashi’s face is flushed from the impact of Obito’s words or the impact of his body flying at them from space. “Uh, thanks,” Kakashi replies weakly. 

“Can we go back to Kakashi’s mother?” Tenzō asks, waving a hand in front of them. “How many people are back from the dead?” 

“Just me, so far,” says Obito, a little defensively. “Kaguya’s immortal, so it’s not like she was dead in the first place.” 

“Kaguya,” Kakashi echoes flatly, eyes drifting up to the night sky. Tenzō’s gaze follows his, staring up at the moon, suddenly conscious of every moment he and Kakashi might have shared under the moon’s light. “My... mother?” 

Obito claps his hands together, distracting Tenzō and Kakashi from their respective existential crises. “Right! She said this would help explain.” 

Then, without preamble, Obito steps towards Kakashi, places his hands on either side of his face, and pulls him forward into a long, enthusiastic kiss. Kakashi’s hands drift upward, hovering over Obito’s sides. Though Tenzō can’t see both of Kakashi’s eyes, he does see one of them widen and shut, as a bright light pulses from Kakashi’s forehead, blowing his hair upward with an accompanying breeze. They draw apart, with half-smiles on their faces. 

“Oh,” Kakashi says, as if the situation makes any more sense. He looks at Tenzō. “Can you tell him too?” 

Obito nods. Tenzō tries not to jump when Obito leans towards him and their lips meet. As they do, Tenzō’s eyes are flooded with images, first of a woman with three eyes and long silver hair, and then of a man who looks just like Kakashi. The images flash quickly from the woman holding a small child, to passing through rips in the universe, to the remnants of Obito’s chakra being pulled into the moon. It is not unlike being awoken from a genjutsu.  

When the last memory passes before his eyes, Tenzō pulls away and says, “You know, all she said you had to do was touch us. Any reason you chose a kiss?” 

Obito’s mint green skin turns a bright shade of orange. “Hey— Well... Kakashi, help me out here.” 

“It was a pretty good kiss,” Kakashi offers in reply. “Eight out of ten, at least.” 

“Six and a half,” says Tenzō. “He bit my lip.” 

Obito grumbles under his breath, “Some people like that,” while Kakashi laughs.

—

“Remind me again why we’re staying at Yamato’s place and not yours, Bakashi?” 

Kakashi tosses a pillow at Obito, which, to Tenzō’s mild regret, he catches. “Because my place is the Hokage’s residence. Your chakra signature is too noticeable. Not to mention, the horns.” 

There’s far more intrigue in Kakashi’s last few words than Tenzō finds comforting. 

Obito and Tenzō lock eyes. “He looks at me judgementally,” Obito complains, pouting. 

“That’s because I’m judging you,” Tenzō informs him, just a little bit amused. “Consider me your rehabilitation sponsor.” 

Obito winces. “Doesn’t me dying count for something?” 

Tenzō regards Obito speculatively, weighing the consequences of an honest answer. Strangely enough, the man seems sincere. One of the orbs floating by Obito’s head brushes against Tenzō’s cheek, like a sulking cat seeking attention. “No,” says Tenzō, this time smiling outright.

Tenzō brings his attention back to Kakashi. He roots through one of his utility pouches, and shortly deposits what he finds into Kakashi’s palm. “This was supposed to be a gift for you,” Tenzō explains. “But now I suppose it makes more sense to give it to both of you.” 

“A key,” Kakashi observes, turning the wood over between his fingers. His mask, now back in place, doesn’t fully hide the flush creeping up. 

Tenzō nods, and with a few hand seals, a duplicate is in his hands. “I like my house the way it is,” he tells Obito, closing his fist over it. 

Without waiting for a reply, Tenzō crosses the room to head upstairs. Aside from Kakashi and Obito likely needing their own moment to speak, he feels the beginnings of a headache forming behind his eyes. 

As his feet reach the third step, he hears Obito say, “What am I supposed to do with that?” 

“You might try being helpful,” Tenzō calls out from the stairwell. 

—

Obito decides to take Yamato—Tenzō, as Kakashi keeps calling him—seriously. He spends the next morning in Tenzō’s kitchen helping out. The fridge doesn’t have everything he needs, but he saves time by going out into the garden and encouraging some of the fruits to grow with his mokuton. Food hasn’t been a necessity for Obito for a few years, so he takes care in arranging it, hoping that if it isn’t tasty, it’s at least well-presented. 

Obito is attempting to place seaweed on rice in an appreciable impression of a cat’s ears when Tenzō comes to stand beside him. 

“Is this for Kakashi?” 

“This one is for you,” Obito says, gesturing. “The other one is for Kakashi. His box has a rabbit.” 

Tenzō eyes crinkle at the corners. Obito is beginning to recognize the motion for what it is, a reflection of the way Kakashi smiles, when the mask is in place. “Thank you. I can bring it to him, if you want.” 

Obito mulls over the offer. “We can go together.” 

“I don’t know if that’s—“ 

Obito closes the box, and uses his free hand to wave off Tenzō’s concerns. “Don’t worry about it. It’s too early for him to have any visitors. Besides, I want to see if he really wears those robes like Old Man Third.” 

Tenzō shakes his head. “How are you planning to pass through the village unnoticed?“ 

Obito taps his temple, right beside his sharingan. “Kamui,” he says, both an explanation and a warning. 

“Obito—”

In one fluid motion, Obito tucks a bento box in the crook of his arm and grabs Tenzō’s elbow to yank him forward. Moments later, they stand in front of Kakashi, who looks surprised but pleased. 

“What brings you two here?” 

“Your lunch,” Obito declares, sliding the box across his desk. 

Kakashi rests one elbow on the desk, leaning his head on his palm. “What’s the occasion?” 

“I didn’t give you a gift,” Obito says, and then freezes. 

At once, both he and Kakashi realize what Obito has said. Kakashi is looking at him the same way he did the night before. His stricken look and doubt from the war is gone, replaced by something warmer and softer. Obito feels his face heat up. 

“There’s nothing you need to give me,” Kakashi says quietly. He hasn’t stopped looking at Obito. 

“I want to,” Obito tells him honestly. It feels freeing to say it. 

Kakashi finally breaks their gaze. “That’s good to hear,” is what he says, reaching for the bento box. Their fingers brush. 

Though Obito can feel Tenzō looking at them, he finds himself distracted in Kakashi’s face. The war feels only like yesterday to Obito, but he can see new lines on Kakashi’s face that hadn’t been there before. Lines beside his eyes to accompany his smile, a tan line peeking up from where his mask has not sat evenly on his face, and a line between his brows that reminds Obito he is standing in front of the Sixth Hokage. 

“Kakashi, I—”

What Obito is going to say, even he cannot predict, but he is spared from answering by the door to Kakashi’s office suddenly bursting open. 

“Sakura, Sai,” Kakashi greets the two teenagers casually, as if there is not a six-foot-tall formerly dead rogue ninja in his office. “What’s going on?” 

Sakura stares, disbelief written on her face. “I could ask the same question.” 

“It’s a long story,” Tenzō says, raising his hands in a warding gesture. 

The boy, who must be Sai, blinks, looking oddly unaffected. “Kakashi-sama, is this some kind of test?” 

“Would you believe it if I said yes?” Kakashi asks.

Sakura gives him a withering look. “Not even a little bit.”

Though Sakura is the one Obito expects to be gawking at him, given that she was present when he died, her ire is directed towards her teacher. It is Sai who looks at him with focused curiosity. Well, Obito supposes people don’t encounter a jinchuriki with his appearance every day. “If you have something to ask, just say it,” Obito tells him.

“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” Sai inquires seriously. He has a sketchpad in his hands, as if he were intending to take notes. 

“Why are you alive?” Sakura asks, reasonably. 

“It was Kakashi’s birthday yesterday,” he explains, before Tenzō grabs his arm and phases them both through the wooden floor. 

—

“Just stay put for now,” Tenzō demands, when they arrive in his back garden. “We’re lucky it was those two. If Sasuke or Naruto were in the village right now, there would’ve been much more of a scene.” 

Obito sits down on the engawa, feet sinking into the grass. “I was just helping out,” he says, shrugging. 

Tenzō takes a seat beside him. “Help less obviously.” 

“Kakashi wouldn’t take my apology,” Obito replies quietly. He brushes his fingers over a dandelion, letting it grow taller and wilder in his grasp. “But he would take my lunch. I know he still has thoughts about my past, but he won’t say anything about it. He just keeps looking at me like...” 

“...He’s happy that you’re alive?” Tenzō suggests. “He is. Believe me, he doesn’t look at just anyone like that.” 

“He looks at you like that.” 

Though his expression doesn’t change, Obito doesn’t need a sharingan to pick up the redness in Tenzō’s cheeks. “It’s complicated.” 

“Am I complicating it?” Obito asks sincerely. 

“A little,” Tenzō admits, to Obito’s surprise. The other man chuckles. “But I think you’d be complicating it whether you were alive or not. And I like to see him happy.” 

The words make Obito’s stomach tighten in a pleasant way. He takes a moment to take stock of his companion. It is easy enough to see what Kakashi sees in him, in his honest feelings, determination and loyalty. It makes Obito wonder if they can make whatever this is work after all. 

“I’m sorry for what happened during the war,” Obito tells him. “For what I did to you. I know what it’s like to be used. It doesn’t change anything, but—”

“It does,” Tenzō interjects calmly. “It helps.” 

Obito wants to say something more, but both of them turn their attention to the woods, feeling a familiar chakra presence rushing at them at full speed. 

“That’s not...” 

“It is,” Tenzō confirms. “Well, this was bound to happen eventually.” 

With that, a green blur rolls straight past Tenzō’s wards and jerks to a halt right at the edge of Tenzō’s property. “Yamato, my youthful friend!! Is it true that you and my rival are now living together in hot-blooded cohabitation?” 

“Does he really not notice me?” Obito mutters. Tenzō kicks him. 

“Not exactly, Gai,” Tenzō calls out. “He’s free to come and go as he pleases.” 

Gai, who looks every bit as energetic as ever, pushes his wheelchair closer to them. “Yosh!! Just like Kakashi!” Gai replies. “He wants to train harder before taking that next step.” 

When he is at arm’s length from the house, Gai turns his stare to Obito, narrowing his eyes with a concerned frown. 

“Hey Gai,” Obito says, waving. 

Gai lets out a thoughtful hum. “Yamato, your comrade seems... familiar. Have we met before?” 

“Seriously?!” Obito exclaims. 

This time, Tenzō elbows Obito. “Gai, I’m not sure if he looked like this that last time you saw him, but this is Obito. He's come back from... somewhere.” 

Gai’s smile fades. The seriousness in his expression looks out of place. “I see.” 

Obito takes a deep breath, and stands up. He bows his head a little, half in contrition and half because he thinks Gai would rather not look at him. “I’m sorry. Kakashi told me that Naruto’s friend, the Hyuga boy, was your student. I know that doesn’t change what I did, but you deserve to hear me say it. I wish I could bring him back—”

“Neji?” Gai interrupts him, his voice shaky. 

Obito offers one quick nod. “Yes, if I could’ve done things differently, I would—”

“Neji,” says Tenzō beside him, sounding shocked. “Obito, what did you do?”

It surprises Obito that Tenzō hasn’t already heard this story from Kakashi. He lifts his head to reply, when suddenly he catches sight of the source of their surprise. Standing beside Gai, unscathed, is the Hyuga boy who Obito had certainly impaled with mokuton. 

“Gai-sensei?” Neji asks, stepping unsteadily towards his teacher. “What happened?” 

“Neji!” Gai says again, pulling his student down into a tight hug. Gai’s eyes are full of tears, but his grin is blinding. “You’re alive!” 

“Not if you keep crushing me like this,” Neji wheezes, but he returns his teacher’s embrace, pressing his face to Gai’s shoulder. Some of the weight in the air finally lifts off, and for a moment, there is peace. 

And then the moment passes. Tenzō’s hand comes down firmly on Obito’s shoulder, turning them to face each other. “Obito,” he repeats soberly. “What did you do?” 

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Obito yelps. “All I said was that I wish I could take back what I’d done to the Hyuga kid—”

Tenzō eyes him doubtfully. “And that was all it took? Listen, I wish that I could bring Asuma back, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to show up at our next Mahjong game.” 

Obito wishes this level of suspicion was unwarranted, but he supposes his track record is less than stellar. “I don’t know what happened, alright? If you don’t believe me, ask the kid.” 

“Neji,” Tenzō asks, with far more patience in his voice than he had with Obito, “what’s the last thing you remember?” 

“The war,” Neji says, finally escaping Gai’s hug. He thinks for a moment, and then frowns. “And then some strange woman who claimed she knew Kakashi-sensei.” 

Obito and Tenzō look at each other. And somehow, from across the village in the Sarutobi District, the wind carries out three piercing screams. 

—

When Kakashi gets to Tenzō’s place that night, Obito is already fast asleep on the sofa, sitting up straight with his mouth wide open. One of the orbs that is always surrounding him bumps against Kakashi’s hand, not unlike Kakashi’s ninken do to greet him. Tugging the blanket over Obito’s shoulders, Kakashi smiles. “You’ve made a lot of paperwork for me, you know,” he tells his sleeping friend. Obito mumbles something in reply unconsciously, and Kakashi ruffles his hair, sighing. 

“You can’t give him all the blame,” Tenzō points out, emerging from the kitchen with his hands on his hips. “It’s a full moon this week. Strange things tend to happen.” 

Kakashi laughs. “You, defending Obito? It didn’t take him long to win you over.” 

Tenzō approaches him, settling a hand between Kakashi’s shoulder blades, a soothing warmth. “Only on a trial basis.” 

Kakashi closes his eyes. “You realize, as Hokage, I oversee all shinobi trials.” 

He feels Tenzō laugh at his back, the hand drifting to his side. “Maybe Obito was right, this system is corrupt.” 

“You can admit that you’re enjoying having him around, Tenzō,” Kakashi baits, tugging him towards the sofa. 

“I find his absurdity disarming,” Tenzō confesses. “It’s similar to how I feel around you sometimes, actually.” 

Kakashi pulls Tenzō down so that he can sandwich himself between the two mokuton users. “I’ll choose to take that as a compliment.”  

Tenzō leans on Kakashi, just as Kakashi leans on Obito. “You would.” 

Obito opens one eye. “You shouldn’t talk about me like I’m not here,” he mumbles, through a yawn.

“Go back to sleep,” Kakashi says, patting him on the cheek. 

For once, Obito listens. And so, tangled on the sofa is how they find themselves the next morning, when all three of them awake to a glowing purple egg gleaming innocently on Tenzō’s coffee table. 

#kakaobiyama #kakayamaobi #kakashi hatake #yamato tenzo #obito uchiha #might guy #kagumo #(in the background lmao) #team 7 #naruto series #mine #ayesha talks anime #collaboration #sloaners #sending big hearts ur way sloane #my obito is always dedicated to u

[liquorisce]

i’ll leave my heart in your hands

ao3

rating: m (some sexy stuff under the cut)

summary: The longer he stays, the harder it is for Sasuke to leave. (sasusaku, sasuke-centric, baby sarada)

// "... If it were still a couple of years ago, she would have insisted that she comes along.But things have changed for them now, and even though Sakura is the same woman with enough determination to follow him and demand to stay by his side... they now have Sarada to consider. "//

A/N:  i just wanted to write sasuke being emo about leaving his wife and child. happy valentine's y'all :)

He feels it when Naruto shows up at his door, blue eyes sombre, telling him that Kakashi needed to see him.

"... I need to watch Sarada," he states, trying to ignore the dread that uncoils in his stomach, "... Sakura's shift doesn't end for the next two hours."

"Sasuke," Naruto murmurs, "... I don't think this can wait." His blue eyes linger on Sarada, where she sits on the floor, trying to assemble a tower of blocks taller than her. "... I'll take care of her while you talk to Sensei," he murmurs as he walks past him to say hello to the little girl.

"Sarada-chan," he says, distracting her with his big grin, "... Shall we go play with Boruto-kun for a while?"

She scrunches up her nose. "... Boruto never shares his toys with me," she begins to complain, as Naruto laughs good-naturedly. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he does," -

Sasuke tunes out the banter behind him as he leaves towards the Hokage office. Despite Naruto's urgency he doesn't rush, he walks at his own pace, taking in the sleepy streets that he's gotten used to over the last two years, because something in the way Naruto spoke makes him suspect he might not be seeing them much longer.

"... You said you needed to see me," he states, opening the door to Kakashi's office without knocking, ignoring Shikamaru's annoyance at being interrupted.

"... Ah sorry, Shikamaru, do you mind if I speak to Sasuke privately?"

...

He finds Naruto waiting for him outside when he is finished with Kakashi.

"Hinata's making dinner for the kids," he says, hands in his pockets, blue eyes looking at Sasuke anxiously. "How'd it go with Sensei?"

"You clearly know about the mission already, so why bother asking?"

Naruto winces at the sharpness in Sasuke's tone. "... Sasuke," -

"The leads we've been following up on have some truth to them, after all. The Otsutsuki will be back, it's just a matter of time."

"When do you need to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

The silence hangs heavy in the air, and Sasuke, unlike Naruto, doesn't care to interrupt it.

"It doesn't just have to be you alone, you know," he's speaking fast, and Sasuke knows him well enough to hear the guilt in his voice, "I can pick up from where you've left off in a couple of months, you don't need to," -

"And? You intend on traveling through dimensions to find these monsters, as long as I pass you the leads I get?" Sasuke looks at him point blank, "... Is this a new power you've acquired in recent months while you were playing Daddy to your son?"

When Naruto doesn't say anything, he continues, "And sure, I guess I can just press a button whenever I want to come to Konoha and pass on the baton to you. Sounds like a good plan."

The sarcasm in Sasuke's tone is biting, and Naruto doesn't blame him. But regardless, he mumbles, "... But you can tell Sensei, it's not fair to you... Sarada-chan is so small, and this kind of mission... I don't - You don't know how long it will take!"

"You think I don't know that?" Sasuke snaps, "... Some of us don't have the luxury of being asked to stay in the village for 'Hokage-training'," -

"That's not fair," Naruto flares, angrily.

"... I'm a shinobi. And I said would protect this village. I don't intend to go back on my word."

They arrive at Naruto's house and as Hinata goes to get Sarada, Sasuke murmurs, "... Protect them with your life. Promise me."

"Of course!" Naruto says immediately, "... But Sakura-chan's going to get mad if she hears you saying she needs protection..." He laughs, "She's scary, you know?"

"... My wife is perfectly capable of getting through any situation," Sasuke says simply, as he sees Sarada waddling to the door, her grin large and gleeful (just like her mother's) having grabbed one of the cookies that Hinata baked for her, "... But she shouldn't have to be in those situations in the first place."

...

Sakura returns home, tired after a 12-hour turned 14- hour shift, to find her daughter passed out on her husband's stomach on the couch. "... Sorry, I'm late," she whispers, not wanting to wake Sarada, and dropping a brief kiss on his head. She can sense that Sasuke is awake, despite his lack of a response, but that isn't really out of character, so she proceeds to the bedroom to get changed and take a shower.

Flushed from the hot shower with nothing but a towel around her body, she steps into the bedroom towards her closet only to trip over a small bag. Curiously, she picks it up and looks inside. The contents make her heart lurch.

Spare clothing, scrolls, essentials. Sasuke always packs light.

Before she can confront her racing thoughts, she senses Sasuke's presence right behind her. When she turns to him, she finds herself flush against his chest.

His eyes are unreadable (they usually are) in the dimly lit bedroom, and when he dips lower to catch her lips in a soft kiss, she welcomes the distraction. But when he deepens the kiss - a nip on her lower lip for permission, always, always so polite - she murmurs, "… You're leaving."

He doesn't answer, and she didn't really ask him a question, but she feels him sigh against her lips. "… When?"

"… Tomorrow morning," he murmurs, fingers tracing the tops of her turkey towel, his touch featherlight against her flushed skin.

She looks at him with questions in her eyes, Where will you go, Sasuke-kun? How dangerous is it going to be? How long will you be gone? Why do you have to be the one to go?

Of course, she'd want to know what it was about. Of course, mission details are meant to be classified... Especially something of this magnitude. Of course, he wanted to tell her anyway.

"... Sasuke-kun..."

He sighs. "... It's more of the same, Sakura. What we faced in the War - it isn't over yet." But she knew that already.

And if it were still a couple of years ago, she would have insisted that she comes along.

But things have changed for them now, and even though Sakura was the same woman with enough determination to follow him and demand to stay by his side... they now have Sarada to consider.

So, she doesn't ask her questions out loud. Instead, she states her assumptions. And if her voice quivers, she does her best to hide it. "... So, I guess you don't know how long you'll be gone?"

Sasuke doesn't say anything, and she didn't think he would anyway, so she continues, "... And this mission is dangerous and difficult enough that Kakashi Sensei specifically asked you?" She inhales, "Even though, it's peace time and half of our Shinobi force is in need of a job..."

"... I don't have answers for you, Sakura." And he really wishes he did, because he knows he'll leave and face whatever it is he'll need to face, but she'll be here, with no assurance, and only worry to keep her company.

She plops on to the bed, and her face betrays her dejection, her soft features crumpling. "... I guess I was getting kind of spoilt, huh?" She smiles, bleak, "... Having you by my side for so long, now... It got me believing this would actually be our life."

It's a simple thing that she utters, but it shakes him, because the lone avenger, the solo agent that he used to be, is no more. He hasn't been without her for the last 3 years almost, and he's begun to take her presence for granted.

He sees the tear rolling down her face, and he's by her side, cupping her face and wiping it away before the next one forms, cursing to himself because he has come to loathe that expression on her face, and loathes himself even more for somehow always managing to cause it.

"... If you don't want me to go, then you can say it." The words are out of his mouth, barely a soft whisper, before he realizes it. It's a small plea (without real consequence), and it makes him realize how much he wants her to say it, like the times she has tried to stop him leaving in the past, only this is probably the first time he would actually stay for her.

She laughs, through her tears. "Of course, I don't want you to go, Sasuke-kun." Her fingers twine into his, "... But I can't stop you," - and even though Sasuke winces at the sentiment behind that statement, he knows Sakura isn't referring to the past at all - "... I know this is to protect us. To protect Konoha. To do your duty. And I have no right," -

He kisses her before she can finish her sentence. In part, because he just wants to hold her close to him, and also because he doesn't want to hear her say that she doesn't have the right to ask him for anything. "... You're my wife," he reminds her, a soft murmur on her lips, "It's your right to demand more of me."

And in that moment the irrational part of him reminded him that it wasn't impossible - she could ask him to stay and he would… other ninjas did it. They prioritized their families, and he could too.

But Sakura's love wasn't demanding, it was giving, and that's all she'd ever asked him for, to be able to give him her love, to stand by his side, to make him happy.

And she knows the vows he's made in his heart, and that he will honour it, no matter the moments of weakness that pass by him.

So she kisses him back, winding her hands into his dark, unruly hair and pressing herself closer to him. "... Sarada and I will wait for you, Sasuke-kun. 

"I'm sorry," he breathes, apologizing again, a multitude of apologies in two words, that only Sakura can understand and accept, kissing her fervently.

He hadn't intended to take her to bed that night, she is tired from work, and he has to leave early, but he finds himself hooking his fingers into her towel and unwrapping her body to him. Sakura's fingers ease him out his shirt first, and his trousers second, and when he lays her on the bed beneath him, and sinks into her embrace, the feeling of her bare body pressed against him burns against his skin, imprinting itself into his mind.

He kisses all the little parts of her body, the nooks, and curves that he's grown to love, the little pieces that make up Haruno Uchiha Sakura. He takes his time with her, pretending in that moment that they do have time, all the time in the world, for him to taste the different ways her body tells him she's excited, for her to respond enthusiastically, dipping low and using her mouth to please him.

He makes love to his wife tenderly, achingly slow and filled with passion, until he is rewarded by the sight of her under him, lost to her pleasure, spent and sobbing his name.

In the moments after when he's catching his breath, the scent of sweat and sex surrounding them, Sakura has a sated smile on her face and whispers that she loves him, so very much.

She says it happily, and he's grateful for it because he knows how many times he's heard her say it with pain in her voice, begging and pleading to him to stay with her, and he'd promised himself a long time ago that she'd never sound like that ever again.

He wants to say it back, but pretty words don't come as easy to him as it does to Sakura, so the words catch in his throat, constrained by all these feelings that take over him, without warning.

He'd known he would miss her terribly since the moment Kakashi told him there was "a mission", but it suddenly hits him that he isn't going to hear her i-love-yous or feel her warm hugs, or her sasuke-kuns and anatas thrown at him whenever she feels like it, whenever she wants to show her love. He wouldn't hear her voice for days and months, and maybe even years, and the loneliness grips him instantly, before he even leaves her.

And because he's reminded that she's still right next to him (by her fingers intertwined softly with his), he kisses her again, but this time greedily. He wants to take the feeling of her, the sweet pressure of her against him, her taste and her smell, along with him to keep him company. He spreads her legs for him before she can catch her breath, his fingers stroke up and down her folds, only to find her wet and sticky with his own release from a moment ago.

Sasuke doesn't care for it, and Sakura doesn't protest (she likes it when he demands so much from her) and slips into her, groaning from the heat, from the tight pressure, the blissful feeling of being inside of her. He fucks her this time, hard and unrelenting, lifting her legs onto his shoulder and angling himself as deep as he can possibly get. And when that isn't enough for him, he flips her over, onto her knees, taking the smallest second to appreciate the sight in front of him before thrusting into her.

There's a desperation with which he takes her this time, she recognises it and she wants to  soothe him, whisper into his mouth that it'll be okay, but right now her mind is blank, and the only thing that spills from her lips are mindless noises urging him to fuck her harder.

"I want to hear you," he murmurs roughly, as he pauses his punishing pace, breath warm against the back of her neck. He doesn't really know what he wants to hear, but Sakura knows what he likes, so she doesn't bother restraining herself any longer, and when he drives into her and makes her lose her mind with feeling, she tells him how good he feels, buried inside her, gasping. And after she's come twice and told him how sensitive she is, he squeezes her breast roughly from behind and mumbles, "… I'm gonna come." And she coaxes it out of him, moving her hips back to meet his thrusts, cooing his name, begging him to come inside her, and fill her up, until he does.

"... I love you," he pants harshly against her skin, thankful that the words have been pulled out of him, because he needs her to hear them. Because he doesn't want to leave her with any doubt of that, unlike every time he has left her in the past.

This time he wants to leave her with the promise that he will be back… that even while he is away he will think of her, and dream of her, and love her.

... 

In the morning, he wakes up Sarada even though it's too early for her, because he wants to say goodbye.

But she's barely two years old, and doesn't really comprehend it when Sakura tells her, "Sarada-chan, Papa will be going away for a while. 

She falls asleep in Sakura's arms after blinking up at him and saying "Come back soon, Papa," and because Sasuke isn't much of a talker and doesn't really know what to say to her, he just smiles softly at the sight of his daughter sleeping in her mother's arms.

Sakura walks him to the central gates as he gets ready to leave.

He clears his throat. "... If she asks about me" -

"Not if, Sasuke-kun, of course she will ask about you, you're her Papa" -

"... Tell her the good things, Sakura."

Sakura looks at him, green eyes honestly surprised to hear this from him. He doesn't know what these good things are, to be honest, but Sakura has never had trouble seeing them, so he wants selfishly, for his daughter to hear nothing else about him.

There will be a time for truth and Sasuke hopes that he will be back home for that, for Sarada to hear everything from him.

"Sasuke-kun, why are you behaving like the world is going to end?" She teases, "You're just going on a mission. I know you'll be back soon."

Sighing, he realizes he might as well go along with Sakura's attempt to keep this lighthearted. Her green eyes are steely and resolute, and so full of love, he is reminded that she really is the braver of the two of them... and always has been.

In any case, they'd discussed this already last night, and reality will soon be along to remind them of their distance. "You're right, just a casual mission where I beat up the Otsutsuki mob, and come back in time for dinner, I guess." His lips quirk up into a smile, as he pulls closer to tap her forehead. "See you soon then, Sakura."

And as he turns to leave, he commits the sight of his wife to memory, faint blush on her cheeks, smiling eyes, and their sleeping daughter nestled in her strong, loving arms.

                                                        - fin - 

A/N:  i've seen a lot in this fandom, read a lot of fanfic and metas and opinions that think Sasuke showing emotions is OOC. imho, pretty much all of naruto was about sasuke being an emo brat and showing his emotions quite blatantly. i think older sasuke is definitely more controlled, but i still think emotions are the core of Sasuke's character. He is a gorgeous, emotional guy who is crazy about his partner and his family, and also emotionally attached to his ideals and his vows. So if you made it this far, did you think Sasuke was OOC in this fic? I personally don't, but let me know what you think! :)

#sasusaku #uchiha sasuke #uchiha sakura #uchiha sarada #liquorisce fanfiction #naruto