#iruka nation rise

[macaulaytwins]

not to be a naruto fan on main but

#iruka nation rise #iruka #iruka sensei #umino iruka #naruto #naruto shippuden #meme #shitpost #comfort character #kakashi sensei #kakairu #kakashi hatake #naruto meme #not dark academia #anime meme #anime

[aineirisha]

What I confessed while daydraming

Kakashi x reader

Summary: as you get used to your life in Konoha under the training of a silver haired man, some pieces of the unsolved puzzle of your past start falling into place.

W/C: 2000+

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Nothingness.

Nothing to see...

Or feel...

Or listen...

...

Then, the sweet whistling of the wind, igniting motion.

A Breath.

To the melody of the whistling, your mind appears...

A light...

Then your chest...

A feeling...

Then your belly...

A drive...

Then your limbs...

A rhythm... a flow...

You dance to it. Every movement of yours sounds like a different note, complementing the original melody.

You let your own inertia lead you...

Up...

Down...

Right...

Left...

Everything in between...

You float and flow...

And dance...

It is blissful...

Then, colors appear...

Red, blue, yellow...

Green...

Beneath your feet, grass and flowers bloom to each one of your steps.

Like leading a symphony, your fingers flutter.

The wind lifts you up...

It whispers to your ear,

"Mau...

Mau...

Come to me...

Come to me, my child..."

You glance below you,

Nature blossoms, radiant.

You smile. Your wings spread wide open, embracing life beneath you as you rise to the heavens, spiraling.

One spiral is night,

The next is day,

One concludes, and the other one begins...

"Come to me, Mau..." the wind whispers...

A being stands above you, a white ethereal sheet waves around it.

Is it a woman?

Is it a man?

You can not tell...

It turns to face you,

"Daughter," its voice is tender.

It looks like a male...

He offers you his hand,

You stretch your arm...

Your fingertips are close to touching his...

But gravity pulls you back...

You start falling...

---

You opened your eyes. It wasn't the first time you had that dream. It wasn't exactly the same dream, but somehow it felt the same.

You sat up and rubbed your face to help you wake up. The feeling of the dream still in your chest.

What does it mean?

You knew you wouldn't be able to shake it off that easy.

"Daughter..."

The words of that being echoing in your head.

"Come to me, Mau..."

Who's Mau?...

A knock on your door brought you back.

***********************

"YN-san," the Hokage had sent for you. "How's the village treating you? I understand you are working at a restaurant," you nodded, "can you make some space for me in your busy agenda? I feel that I never welcomed you properly."

"I'm free right now if you are, Hokage-sama."

"Excellent." he stood up from his chair.

You two walked around the village. He took you to the mountain with the Hokages' faces, to the memorial stone, the academy, the training grounds (that you knew very well by then), he was sharing with you the most important places and giving you a lesson on Konoha's history. All the heroic things that had happened from the times of Madara and Hashirama. How Hashirama founded the village, the legendary Sannin, the Kyubi incident and the bravery of the people, the sacrifices that had been made throughout the years, and how important it was for him to protect the next generations, and teach them the honor it was to maintain the pride that came with being part of a great nation. THE WILL OF FIRE.

"I hope you don't see it as an offense to the Wind country." the Hokage concluded.

You lifted your eyes to the sky. It was a beautiful day. Birds were singing somewhere in the distance. A smile drew on your face as you let the feeling of sympathy sink into you. It was one, same world after all. Humans were humans no matter where they came from. Konoha had turned out to be a place full of people you cherished. Iruka-sensei with his rambles and his generous heart; Naruto with his vibrant personality and his endless optimism; Megumi-chan and her laid back attitude; Naoki-san and his delicious dishes; the man from the vegetable stand that always welcomed you with a smile; the silver-haired Jonin with his hands in his pockets, slouching, pretending not o give a damn about the world because he actually cared just too much, who was always patient to teach you, walk with you and listen to your -much like Iruka's- infinite rambles... You couldn't hold back the smile.

"Not at all," you glanced at the Hokage, "Every nation has its pride and its reasons to be great. Your greatness does not diminish ours, on the contrary. I will always favor diversity and all the things we can learn from each other," you paused, "I'm glad I  get to live in times of peace and get to know cultures other than mine."

"My sentiments exactly Yn-san, I could not have said it better."

It was inspiring to see the love Sarutobi had for his people. You could feel how he actually wanted to make the world, or at least his village, a better place. You wanted that too.

Now, to what 'a better place' means... well... there are some gray areas in that term...

"And that is also why I believe we should be honest with each other, shouldn't we, YN-hime?" the Hokage tilted his head as he lifted his brow, giving you a penetrating gaze.

You instantly froze. -Hime?!

WHAT DOES HE KNOW!!!??

Your eyes widened at the shock, silently questioning him, and you felt the heat of shame, guilt, and worry travel from your guts to your cheeks for all the things you hid from him when you arrived. You never really lied but you realized excluding important details of information wasn't exactly telling the truth either. You paid attention to his vibrations to see if there was any sign of aggression.

"It is my job to be well informed," he answered your unvoiced question as he kept on walking. You didn't move. He turned to see you.

There was no sign of danger. His chakra was as calm as ever.

"I apologize for not telling you from the beginning," you managed to say, loosening up a little, "I just didn't want my presence here to be taken as a political matter. I can assure you it is not. No one in my family knows I'm here. I came by my own will." It was what you were worried about from the beginning.

"Don't worry YN-hime, I had been warned about your visit many years ago by... our mutual friend." the Hokage looked at you with complicity.

You felt the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. Of course!...

You knew it had been too easy, even with your powers, that the Hokage hadn't had his doubts about you. It made perfect sense that Jiraiya had told the Hokage about you. It made perfect sense that Sarutobi already knew.

In fact, that left you wondering... Why was Jiraiya applying to be your personal bodyguard twelve years ago in the Wind country's palace?

You always felt the whole situation was a little bit suspicious, now you knew why.

Your heart stopped.

Should you be worried?

What if this is a trap?!

No... It can't be... Jiraiya was always caring...

You tried to shake off the feeling. If they ever tried to weaponize you, they'd be facing hell. Your best shot was to believe in the Hokage's intentions just as he was trusting yours. You could sense Hiruzen was truly being friendly.

Peace is built by allegiances and friendships, after all.

Yes, that was reasonable. Maybe he meant for you to be a bridge...

"Do you know when will our mutual friend be back?" you asked dubiously.

"Soon enough, I hope." the Hokage gave you a concerned look, "I'll keep your secret safe, Yn-san," You noticed his gentle efforts to calm you down, so you relaxed. He probably understood your position better than you thought but still, you didn't know exactly what Jiraiya had said to him.

The Hokage smirked at you and quickly changed the subject. "How's your training going? Is Iruka sensei teaching you all you need?"

Let's just go with the flow. "Yes, he is a great sensei," you thought about it for a moment, it could be a proper time to tell him you were training with Kakashi as well.

"Kakashi told me he is impressed by your chakra control."

Alright. He already knows.

"That is a great compliment." You smiled, finally relaxing from the previous conversation.

"I was also thinking," said the Hokage, "Maybe you could put that ability to use and receive special training for that matter."

**********************

"Guys, why are our boots open-toed?" Kakashi suddenly asked.

"So that our feet don't stink that bad? I don't know, who cares," Genma answered.

"Why the sudden question?" though Asuma could figure where this was going.

"Y/N got me thinking," he dryly answered.

"So, are you asking her out?" Asuma said.

Kakashi looked at him, confused, "No, she's just a friend." Asuma hummed in disbelief. Kakashi wasn't much of a talker but for the past hour, the three times he participated in the conversation, was to say something related to you.

"You seem to be spending a lot of time together. When are we gonna meet her?" Asuma asked.

Kakashi twirled his ramen noodles and avoided eye contact. "You'd like her. She's fun."

"Does she have nice breasts? A cute butt?" Genma's pervy eyes teased Kakashi. He turned to see him and raised his brow. His stomach turned but he wasn't gonna give Genma what he wanted, so he just ignored him.

"How is it that you two met, anyway?" Asuma said, cutting off Genma as he noticed the twitch on Kakashi's face.

"I..." but Kakashi wasn't sure how to answer that question. He knew what the answer was, but it would be compromising to admit that you caught him spying on you. "I lost a bet," he quickly lied.

"A bet?" Genma asked.

"Yeah, to Pakkun," oh fuck, what am I saying... "Well, I better get going" He put some money on the table and left.

"Speaking about bets," Genma turned to Asuma, "How long do you think it'll take Kakashi to admit he likes her?"

Asuma laughed. It would probably take Kakashi long enough, if not forever. The silver-haired wasn't the kind of man to openly let in someone into his life, and yet you had made yourself a way, enough for him to bring you up in random conversations with people he trusted. Asuma knew he was probably in deep already, but it was not his place to push Kakashi into anything cause he also knew how scared he was of the pain that comes with the loss of a loved one. And with right measure.

For someone that has felt how the loss of his loved ones ripped his heart out piece by piece, Kakashi somehow thought there's not enough heart left in him to make room for love, and was also terrified that the person in question might be the final strike to rip out what he had left of it.

But a bet with Genma sounded fun, "If things keep like this, I give him around six months." and took a sip from his drink.

"I'll give him three," Genma said.

"You'll be losing then."

"Not with the right push," Genma winked.

***********

"You are quitting?!" Megumi-chan's high-pitch tone drilled your head. You frowned at her.

"I'm telling you, the Hokage wants me to work at the hospital," you said, briefly lifting your elbow from the table to gesture with your hand. "And I don't think I'll have enough time to do both jobs AND training."

"How's that going, by the way?"

"Driving me crazy, Kakashi-sensei is just too handsome." you let your head fall on the table.

"Speaking of the devil..." came Naoki-san's voice from behind the counter.

You stood up ready to welcome a new customer in, and when you turned around,

"Kakashi-sensei," you gasped.

"Hey, YN-san," the jonin waved his hand as he walked towards you, smiling beneath his mask.

Megumi-chan leaned in to scream in a whisper to your ear, "The copy ninja is your sensei!!!??"

You lightly poked her ribs trying to shut her up.

"What brings you around, sensei?" you said with the widest smile on your face.

"I was near and figured I'd stop by," he put his hand back in his pocket and scanned the place.

"Are you hungry? Let me get you the menu." you turned around ready to get into action and hoping your already red cheeks would go unnoticed.

"I was just wondering if we can meet up tomorrow to train?"

"Uh, sure." you faced him again.

"Excellent. What time?"

"Nine?" you answered, knowing it meant around 10 o’clock to him.

"Nine it is," he nodded and waved again, leaving the restaurant, "see you then."

He left you breathless. You sank back in the chair.

"YN-san you're red," Naoki-san pointed out as he chopped vegetables at a speed that left you wondering how was it that he still had all his ten fingers.

"Hatake Kakashi is your sensei??!!" Megumi-chan stared at you startled.

"We talked about it a thousand times!"

"Well yes but I never realized it was THE Kakashi of the Sharingan."

You returned the startled look and replied sarcastically, "How many Kakashis are in the village?"

"You're a lucky woman. He's dreamy. I envy you," she sighed, "Or... maybe I don't. You have a line you have to respect whereas me..." he wiggled her eyebrow teasing you.

"Shut up." you smiled at the irony and rolled your eyes.

"Oh, what I would give to have him sparring between my-"

"Megumi-chan!" Naoki-san reprimended her.

She cleared her throat "-Sparr. Sparr with me."

You burst into laughter.

Honestly, though, you could relate.

"But seriously, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I like him so much it's distracting most of the time," you complained.

"Are you even learning?" Megumi was still shocked. She knew she wouldn't learn with the copy ninja as her sensei, not in a thousand years.

"Actually I am. A lot. I think I'm getting much better." you nodded, satisfied.

"You are clearly more toned than when you arrived. Your body could even pass for a shinobi's." he complimented you.

"Thank you, Naoki-san, I do feel stronger," If progress could be seen from the outside then there was definitely progress.

Megumi sat in front of you and leaned in as if plotting something, "So," she looked at you straight in the eyes, "We need a plan to bed him," the determination in her voice let you know she wouldn't take a no for an answer.

"I shouldn't. First of all, he is my sensei and it would be weird. Second, I didn't come here for a boyfriend, ok? It's a bad idea for me to get involved-"

"-Who said it would be you?" Megumi teased you. You smacked her shoulder, "Don't be a killjoy, YN! You don't have to marry him. It's just casual sex."

You rolled your eyes at her.

Could it really be 'just casual'?

*******

"So, sensei, what's it gonna be today?" By this point, you already sort of knew how his clock worked, he was always at least half an hour late. That gave you more time to get ready or sleep a little longer.

"Actually," he turned around, "I brought something for you," he took out a pair of shinobi boots, "Here. I think these must be your size." He said handing you the shoes.

"No." you said adamantly, "There is ABSOLUTELY no way I'm trying on those hideous, impractical, absurd shoes. NO."

"YN," he said replicating your adamant tone, "try them on."

"No," you shook your head, "I am, by no means, gonna be seen wearing those atrocities," he looked down at you and raised his brow. The boots weren't THAT bad. Calling them 'atrocities' was an overstatement. He gave you a challenging look.

"Why?!" you complained.

"Well, since the other day you asked about the boots-"

"-because I find them terribly impractical," you interrupted him, "like, don't your toes freeze at night when you're on missions? Or what if you are dealing with poison or chemicals and it spills on your feet, huh?!"

"YN, just try them on," and he pressed the shoes to your chest. He was often impressed with your assumptions about missions, cause you were usually right, his toes did freeze at night from time to time.

You rolled your eyes and did as instructed, ready to keep fighting him on it, but the second your feet were in the boots it was like your entire body was walking on clouds, and a dumb look took over your face.

"Comfortable, arent they?" his face was close to you, way too close, proving his point.

You turned your face to the other side, "Yes," you mumbled. A smug look drew on his face. "But still, I don't get why it doesn't cover your toes, it makes NO sense," you argued.

He rolled his eyes, annoyed at your cocky response.

"Very well then," he said, ignoring your stubbornness, "let's start with the training." his adamant tone made no room for more replies.

You were about to take the boots off but he stopped you. "You'll train in them today." he taunted you and smiled as he crossed his arms.

Who's being cocky now?

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@ren-hatake @howcanibreathewithnozaire @strawberrycakesstuff @strangerfoundmahblog @kakashishoekage @spnningtop @attsm @feelingsandemotionsnotexplored @honeypirate @keigelsss @witch-o-memes    

#kakashi #kakashi hatake #kakashi x reader #kakashi x y/n #kakashi x you #what I confessed while daydreaming

[nikkigrand]

Mermaid AU

I started this Mermaid AU so long ago, thought you guys would like to see it!

✨✨✨

“Today, we are going to discuss the myths and legends surrounding our home: The Hidden Leaf.”

Excited chittering filled Iruka’s ears as the academy’s children shuffled in their seats with wide grins and eyes sparkling with anticipation. A smile curled his tan lips as, like most years, the eight year old children gave him their undivided attention.

To them, the myths and legends portion of the curriculum was a week full of story telling and intrigue. While mostly true, the lessons also served a purpose in making them cultured individuals. Shinobi they may one day be, it was still important that they be well versed in the cultures, religions, and mythos of surrounding nations so that they’d be successful infiltrators.

In his experience, Iruka found that the students who excelled in these lectures were the ones who became excellent spymasters and intelligence gatherers.

“Tell the story of Sakura-hime!” A little girl called from the back and Iruka resisted the urge to sigh in fond exasperation.

The legend of Sakura was one he had told so often over the years, that he’d found himself actually believing in the myth. It was popular with shinobi and even more so with civilians. There was something entrancing about the story of the princess of the sea, a young maiden who was not human but longed to be. Some accounts descripted her as a nymph, others a siren, but Iruka found that the most popular was that of a mermaid.

It was the story of how the Valley of the End became her home and she Konoha’s protector.

“Alright, children,” Iruka called over the rising din. “Settle down! I’ll tell you about Sakura!”

A hush immediately befell the classroom, each child leaning slightly forward in their seats with starry eyes. A few of the boys rolled their eyes and yawned, no doubt dreading the telling of such a girly tale of love and mermaids. Iruka smiled and moved to stand in front of his desk. Clearing his throat, he assumed his lecture pose and began:

“Long ago, before the founding of our village, the world was in constant turmoil. There were no shinobi villages, only mercenary clans that knew nothing but battle. This was known as the Warring States Period.”

A collective groan echoed in the classroom as students rolled their eyes at the mention of the Warring States. Iruka’s brow twitched. He could practically see each student going catatonic, their eyes going blank as they tuned out what they assumed was another lecture on Konoha’s founding.

“When,” Iruka enunciated in hopes of reclaiming their attention, “the Senju and Uchiha came together to form a village, they found that they were missing one vital thing: land.

“Seeing as a village could not be formed on a battlefield—on the blood of their kin—the leaders of the clans Senju and Uchiha set out on a journey to discover supple and fertile land to start anew. They found a land untouched by the ravages of war, beautiful and full of life. This land we’ve now come to know as the Land of Fire. This is where it was decided the village would be built.

“Here, on this warm and rich land, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara welcomed an era of peace by formally forming an alliance. As Madara-sama returned to the encampment to prepare the rest of the clans for travel to their new home, Hashirama-sama remained behind to build the village’s infrastructure with the aid of his Mokuton.

“However, he found that every time he laid a foundation for a home or training ground, it would be flooded and destroyed the very next day. Frustrated with his inability to bend the Earth to his desires, Hashirama-sama sought the counsel of a wise old priest from the temples of the Land of Fire.

“There, the priest told him of the sea goddess who controlled the Earth as well as the sea. ‘You’ve not asked for her blessing to build on her lands and, as such, she will not allow it,’ the old priest told him, much to Hashirama-sama’s consternation. He had not believed in gods or goddesses until then, knowing that the only god in the world was that of death.

“’You must travel to where she dwells, where fire’s waters meet the sea intimately, and produce an offering worthy of a being such as she,’ the priest said, to which Hashirama-sama asked what such an offering could be. The priest shrugged and replied, ‘I cannot say. She is particular in what pleases her, though I’ve heard that she finds chakra fascinating.’

“Hashirama-sama found this information gratifying as he had plenty of chakra to spare and display. He thanked the priest and made to take his leave when the priest grasped him tightly by his armor.

“‘Be warned, Senju-sama,’ the priest said, ominously, ‘you must humble yourself before her. She is an ancient being, much older than you and I, and far beyond what we are capable of. She does not have a name and will only surface for those whose souls are pure. If you are lucky enough to see her, steel yourself against her beauty for if you anger her, it will be your undoing.’

“Intrigued and slightly discomfited, Hashirama-sama turned to the priest. ‘And what might you mean by that?’ he asked but the priest denied him answers. ‘Do as I say, Senju-sama,’ he said, ‘And you will never know.’

“Hashirama-sama left the temple with more questions than answers, skeptical of the existence of such a being, and took the priest’s words to his closest friend, Madara-sama. The Uchiha mocked him and called him a fool for even talking to the priest, saying that the land was unstable and the solution was to move elsewhere where land was steadier. Agreeing, the leaders of the Senju and Uchiha set out on building elsewhere.

“But, soon, both Madara-sama and Hashirama-sama found that no matter where they settled, the land was the same: flooded, unstable, and fruitless. Frustrated, Madara-sama returned to where his clan had first settled, intent on staying there until a solution could be found. For his part, Hashirama-sama remembered the words of the wise old priest and figured no harm could come of simply trying, though he did not fully believe.

“Procuring a map, Hashirama followed the rivers of Fire until they became one at the border of modern day Wave and led out to the sea. He journeyed alone, mindful of Madara’s scorn and skepticism, adorned in his finest robes and carrying a basket brimming with offerings.

“When he reached the shore, he found the setting too open and recalled the priest’s words: ‘where fire’s waters meet the sea intimately.’ At once, he knew that what he sought would not be found in the sea and he began searching for a lake of sorts, somewhere private from the world.

“On the second day of searching, he found what he was looking for in the form of an isolated lake hidden amongst the grand trees of the Land of Fire. The lake was blue and beautiful by the light of the dawn, cherry blossom trees in full bloom raining petals on its calm surface. Here, at the edge of the lake, Hashirama laid his offerings.

“In a whicker basket woven by the patient hands of an Uchiha, he had placed fruits, flowers, jewels, fish, bread, and anything else he thought might please a water goddess. Still, as he gazed upon the basket brimming with gifts, he felt that something was missing; so, with the use of his Mokuton, he wove a simple flower crown of cherry blossoms.

“This, he placed at the very top of the basket, and then he knelt—seiza—and waited. And waited. And waited. When the sun was at its zenith, just as he was about to rise and curse his gullible heart, Hashirama heard movement in the calm waters. He remained still, observing the ripples forming from movement underwater, and gasped when a woman appeared directly before him and his offerings at the edge of the lake.

“He was struck by her beauty, instinctively knowing that the maiden was who the priest had spoken of and he hastily dropped into dogeza. He could not believe that the priest’s tales had been true!

“He remained there until he heard curious chittering and he boldly lifted his head to observe the being as she rummaged through the basket. He was surprised to note that she had the torso of a woman, but the legs of a fish! Hashirama would go on to say that she had long, pink hair and pink fins on the sides of her head where her ears should be. Her eyes, he’d say, were greener than the leaves in all the Land of Fire.

“He observed quietly as she sniffed and devoured the fruit, bread, and fish. But he could not contain his laughter when she tried to do the same to the jewels he had brought, and she turned startled eyes in his direction.

“’Hello,’ he called and in return, the sea maiden hissed and disappeared below the water. Dismayed, Hashirama called out to her, ‘Please don’t go!’ Cursing himself, Hashirama thought he had ruined his chance at creating a peaceful village now that he knew that the priest was right.

“Unbeknownst to him his Mokuton reacted in response to his distress, causing flowers to bloom and saplings to sprout all around him. A flower bloomed at the edge of the lake and a small, pale hand quickly plucked it from the ground and promptly disappeared below the water, flower in tow. With bated breath, Hashirama waited for the sea maiden to reappear.

“When she did, Hashirama could not contain his laughter for she looked offended that the flower had not survived underwater. At the sound of his laughter, she turned to him and quickly made her way to him. Pulling herself fully from the lake, she thrust the flower under his nose, chittering angrily in a language he could not understand.

“’You want another?’ he asked, and without waiting for her response, a daffodil bloomed in his hand to which he then gave to her. Delighted, the sea maiden cooed over the flower and then thrust her hand out for more. Perplexed, as he could not understand her, Hashirama made her another…and another…but, still, she remained dissatisfied.

“But he remembered the flower crown he had first made for her and he grabbed it from the basket and reached out to gently place it on her head. In response, the sea maiden gasped in delight, dropping the bouquet of flowers Hashirama had made for her, and returned to the lake. When she resurfaced, she held a crystal in her hands that thrummed with ancient power and beckoned Hashirama into the water.

“Cautious, but wary of displeasing a supposed goddess, Hashirama joined her. She strung the necklace through a strand of her own hair, placed it around his neck, and sealed the gift with a kiss.”

A chorus of sighs and gags filled the classroom and Iruka rolled his eyes—children. Still, he continued.

“Hashirama could not say what she had done and he knew better than to refuse a gift from a goddess. But he remembered that he had come with a purpose, and so he told her of his dreams and desires—of how he wished for peace and happiness for his people. He wasn’t even sure if she could understand him, and yet he still confided in her his fears and hopes. In response, the sea maiden pressed the crystal to her lips and Hashirama knew then that he had her blessing.

“When they parted, he to return home and she beneath the water, Hashirama silently vowed to see her again. The day he returned to where the clans had decided to settle, Hashirama attempted once more to lay the foundations of what would become Konoha and found that the land was stable and the Earth fruitful.

“And so Konoha was founded and built. But Hashirama could not forget the sea maiden who he had named Sakura and so he returned to her, if only to remind himself that he was not crazy and she was, in fact, real. She met him at the shore, just as he remembered her, and it was there that their friendship was formed.

“Whenever he had the time, Hashirama would spend his days conversing with Sakura though she could not speak the human tongue. He found that he quite enjoyed her childlike wonder as he told her of the human world and demonstrated the power of chakra. She, in turn, taught him the way of the sea and how to refine his control over his Mokuton. The priest was right when he had said that she was more powerful than he could ever imagine—he could feel something ancient radiating from her skin, thrumming against his own chakra as if trying to force it to submit.

“For many moons they met, enjoying each other’s company and learning things about the other. Once, Hashirama had brought Madara to meet the sea maiden that had been occupying his time, but, much to their disappointment, she would not surface for him. In time, Hashirama asked that she protect his people if something were to happen to him and she, to his surprise, agreed. Beneath the light of the moon, they swore a silent blood oath. He would protect and nourish the lands with his Mokuton, and she would protect his people.

“The legends say that by making a blood oath with a mortal, she had willingly bound herself to the human realm until that mortal’s death. She would no longer be part of the sea for as long as he lived, giving up her godhood to become human and tying her life to his own, should he accept her oath.

“However, unbeknownst to Hashirama, Sakura had fallen deeply in love with him and the stories he’d told. She had fallen in love with the anecdotes of being human, of how they fought wars in the name of love, and how other beings could be born of it.

“Unfortunately, that same night, Hashirama announced his betrothal to Uzumaki Mito and Sakura, heartbroken, returned to the sea. Hashirama could not have known that he had denied her oath and, by doing so, renounced her freedom to make another. Mythos says that a sea maiden can only attempt to bind herself to a human on her own terms only once—the other, the gods decide. From that moment onward, Sakura would be cursed to search for the soul the gods had chosen for her. Though, they’d say, she’d know when she met it. They say that their souls would become one, but no one quite knows what that means—or if it’s even true.

“Hashirama, ignorant to what he had done, thought it wise to give her space to understand the human custom of marriage. But when he returned the next day, she did not appear—nor the next day, or the next. No matter how many times he called to her, Sakura would not surface for him. That month, the village was plagued by heavy rains, and deep in his heart, Hashirama knew that Sakura was grieving for she would never willingly see him again.

“But time passes as it is wont to do and to maintain peace, Hashirama used the power of Sakura’s crystal to tame the bijuu and sell them to villages in an attempt to maintain peace. Konoha was peaceful for a time, but all was not well within the clans. Madara grew discontent and restless, unwilling to stand in Hashirama’s shadow. His anger grew when Hashirama became the Shodai Hokage and he plotted to destroy the village with the aid of the Kyuubi.

“The two confronted each other in a valley along a great river and they fought furiously, Madara releasing the Kyuubi and the Shodai battling against it with all his might. It was from this battle that the Valley of the End was born. But Madara was proving to be too difficult to defeat with the combined strength of the Kyuubi and the Shodai knew that it must be sealed away.

“He tried to use the power of Sakura’s crystal to seal it away, but found that the Kyuubi’s powers were too great. Hashirama was prepared to give his life when he noticed movement beneath his feet where he was standing in the water before it rose around him like a geyser, beating back the Kyuubi and Madara. When the water settled, Hashirama was overjoyed and surprised to see Sakura at his side, standing on two legs with the power of the Earth and Sea at her fingertips.

“In his personal accounts, Hashirama states that that was the moment he truly believed gods were real for he states that she had assumed the form of a human kunoichi with all the strength of a goddess. Together, they beat back Madara and the Kyuubi until Hashirama’s wife, Mito-sama, arrived to help with the sealing.  When it was over, Sakura remained in the Valley of the End as her home. No one knows why she chose to stay, but some say that she fears Madara will return to finish what he started.

“When the reinforcements arrived to aid Hashirama much too late, they were struck by the sight of a sea maiden sunbathing on a rock as the Shodai tended to his wife. Upon sight of them, she slipped gracefully into the water and later appeared by the edge of the shore. She beckoned the Shodai to her, to which he went willingly and knelt before her. Before dozens of shinobi, the sea maiden pressed the Shodai’s necklace to her lips, and then brought his lips to her own before disappearing beneath the water. It is from this moment that many legends would be born as it was the last time anyone would ever see her again.

“Some say that Sakura-hime is still searching for the love the gods had chosen for her, hiding away until he finds her. Others believe she is merely a myth, that the Shodai had gone mad when Madara had betrayed him. What do you guys believe?”

There was a hush as the story came to a close, and then the classroom erupted into chaos.

✨✨✨

Basically, it was supposed to ease into a very short and cute KakaSaku where Kakashi-sensei of Team 7 (Sai, Naruto, Sasuke) stumbles onto Naruto talking to a pink-haired woman in a lake during a mission. Naruto is obvi pure of heart, so of course she showed herself to him. When she sees Kakashi, she realizes he’s her soulmate, and the fates give her legs--little mermaid style. Because of this, she’s stuck with him and he’s stuck with her. The Third automatically knows who she is and makes Kakashi take care of her. Throughout the story, there were going to be little anecdotes about her learning to be human and Kakashi’s way of handling it in that blase way he handles everything else. 

Things like:

 not walking around naked because sane humans don’t do that, Sakura-hime.

Learning to speak the language and her first word is something like, “fuck,” to everyone’s mortification. Here’s this ancient and pure goddess and the first thing she says is “fuck.”

You can’t hiss at the people you don’t like, Sakura-hime.

You also can’t go around kissing people who make you happy, Sakura-chan. (Kakashi is her favorite person to kiss. He doesn’t really mind it.)

Basically, he falls in love with her and all her quirks and she loves him in return. 

#sakura haruno #kakasaku

[crimsonadri-fanfiction]

My Demons (Chapter 17)

Fandom: Naruto (Anime)

Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, FLUFF

Pairing: Gaara x OC

Rated: T

(First) (Previous)

You can take everything I have You can break everything I am Like I'm made of glass Like I'm made of paper Go on and try to tear me down I will be rising from the ground Like a skyscraper Like a skyscraper

-Skyscraper – Demi Lovato

 The nine teams stood in lines in a room of the tower. Jounin and chunin stood around and the Hokage was in front of the genin teams. Behind him were more jounin and large stone hands making a hand sign. Rin stood up the stairs on the left side of the room. Gaara glanced up at her without moving his head and she gave a small wave to when their eyes met and he nodded his head ever so slightly.

The order of the lines was Team Ten with Ino in the lead, Team Eight with Kiba in front and Akamaru still shaking in Kiba’s jacket, Team Seven with Naruto in front, Team Gai with Neji in front, Kabuto’s team with him in front, the Sand Sibs with Gaara in front, then the sound ninjas with Dosu in front. The ninja behind him had both arms in a sling.

“First of all, congratulations on finishing the second exam.” Anko said into a headset.

“I’m so hungry.” Chouji said holding his stomach.

“What a drag there’s so many left.” Shikamaru said. “This is such a pain.”

“Sasuke and his team have passed too.” Ino said happily.

“Well of course they did.” Shikamaru said. “After all the trouble we went through to keep them safe, they better have passed.”

“Hey look, all of the leaf village rookies are here too.” Sakura said.

“Whoa, everybody’s here: old man Hokage, Iruka-Sensei and even bushy brow. It looks like absolutely nobody got left out this time.” Naruto said.

“I don’t have a very good feeling about this.” Sasuke said holding his shoulder.

“Alright now pay attention.” Anko said into her headset. “Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam to you. You better listen carefully maggots.” She turned to the Hokage. “Lord Hokage, they’re all yours.”

“Hm.” The Hokage stepped forward. He cleared his throat. “First, before I tell you what the third exam entails I want to explain something about the test itself; listen closely now, it’s something that all of you need to understand. I’m going to tell you the true purpose of these exams. Why do you suppose our country holds these exams in conjunction with our allies? To raise the ability levels of our shinobi and increase friendship between allied nations to be sure but it’s important that you understand its true meaning. The exams are, so to speak,” He took the pipe out of his mouth and blew out smoke. “They’re a representation between the battle between allied nations.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Tenten asked.

“Now, if we look at our history all the countries that we’re currently allied with were once neighboring nations that continuously fought with each other for power. In order to avoid destroying each other’s military strength meaninglessly those nations picked champions to do battle on behalf of their counties at a mutually selected location. That was how the Chunin Selection Exams originally began.”

“Well, that’s great but why do we have to go through these exams then?” Naruto asked. “I mean it’s not like we’re doing this to pick chunin to go fight.”

“Well actually, there is no question that part of the point of these exams is to select shinobi worthy of becoming chunin, that’s just not the whole story. These exams also allow for a place where shinobi can carry the pride of their nation on their backs and fight against other ninja for their very lives.”

“The pride of their nation?” Sakura asked quietly.

“Many leaders and people of prominence from various counties are invited to attend this exam as guests and also possibly to seek shinobi to work for them. This exam could determine the course of your ninja work from here on out, and more importantly those rulers will watch your battles and take notes of the strengths of each ninja and each nation is developing. If there is a gap in power between the countries the strong nations are inundated with job requests for their ninja and conversely the request to countries that are deemed weak decline. Therefore, the stronger our nation is the better our position when it comes to negotiating with neighboring countries. So it’s important to show how much military strength our village has.”

“Okay but even so why is it necessary for us to risk our lives?” Kiba asked.

“The country’s strength is the village’s strength. The village’s strength is the shinobi’s strength. And the true strength of the shinobi is only achieved when it’s pushed to its limits such as in a life and death battle. This exam is a chance for each nation to display the strength of its shinobi and hence the strength of the nation itself. It’s because this is an exam where your life is on the line that it has meaning. And it’s for this very reason and for the strength of the nation that your forerunners fought in this exam. It’s truly a dream worth striving for.”

“But then why did you use the expression friendship before?” Tenten asked.

“But you’ve only remembered half of what I said. You also mustn’t have the wrong idea of the exams meaning. This is a custom in which balance is preserved by fighting and dying. In the world of the shinobi that is friendship. The third exam is a fight for life with the pride of your village and your own dreams at state.”

“Hmph, well he sure convinced me.” Naruto said.

“Any test is fine.” Gaara said. “Just tell me what the details of the exam are already. I can handle anything you throw at me.” Rin smiled. Gaara glanced at her and actually had to hold make his own small smile at how proud she looked.

“Mm.” The Hokage nodded once.  “Very well then. Now listen closely I’m going to tell you exactly what you’ll all be doing on the third exam.” He coughed. A ninja suddenly dropped down out of nowhere and was kneeling before the Hokage.

“Lord Hokage.” He said. “Before you do please allow me, Hayate Gekkō appointed as proctor of the third exam, to speak first.”

“So be it.” Hayate stood.

“It’s nice to meet you all.” He coughed. He turned his head to look at everyone. He had bags under his eyes. “There’s something I would like all of you” He coughed some more. “to do before the third exam.” He coughed. “Uhh, we have to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one.”

“Huh?”

“A what?” Sakura asked.

“Preliminary?!” Shikamaru shouted. “Just what do you mean by that?!”

“I’m sorry, sensei,” Sakura said. “excuse me, but I really don’t see the point. What’s this preliminary all about? Why can’t we just move on to the third exam?”

“Uhh, well you see… the first and second exams might have been too easy. The fact is we never expected so many of you to still be here. According to the rules of Chunin exams a preliminary round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining.”

“But-! Is that fair?” Sakura asked.

“It’s just that at this stage we have to speed things up a bit. As lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching. We can’t afford to waste their time. They’ve come to see only the best. So if there are any of you who feel you are not in top physical condition, now’s your chance to-“ He coughed. “Sorry about that. As I was saying, any of you who don’t feel up to this now is the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately.”

“Come on! You mean right now?!” Kiba shouted.

“We just finished barely surviving the last exam, don’t we get a break?” Ino asked.

“Man, what a drag.” Shikamaru said.

“Heeey, when do we eat?” Chouji asked. Naruto gulped.

“Oh yeah uh… the winners will be determined by one on one combat sudden death.” Hayate said. “So like I said if there’s anyone who doesn’t feel up to it, now’s the time to raise your hand.” Sasuke suddenly grabbed his shoulder in pain.

“Sasuke?” Sakura asked. Naruto looked back at Sasuke. Sakura whispered to him. The jounin and the Hokage were talking about Sasuke. Sakura was trying to convince Sasuke to quit. She started to raise her hand but Kabuto raised his.

“What the-?” Kiba looked over.

“Okay, ya got me.” Kabuto said. “I’m out.”

“But- Kabuto.” Naruto said. Hayate flipped through papers on his clipboard. He coughed.

“Kabuto Yakushi, the leaf village right? Okay you can go on and step back.”

“Gottcha.” Kabuto said and walked past his teammates towards the back.

“Kabuto! Hold on a second you can’t quit!” He stopped as Naruto shouted at him. “I don’t get this! What’s going on?!”

“Oh Naruto, I’m sorry, but my body is just too beat up.” Kabuto said. “I can’t hack it. The fact is, ever since orientation with that dust up with the sound village genin, I’ve had no hearing at all in my left ear. And now to have to put my life on the line? To fight again right away without a break? I can’t do it.” Naruto looked down. One of Kabuto’s teammates, Yoroi, whispered to him. They had a short and quiet conversation before Kabuto continued walking away. He turned to wave at Naruto with a smile. Some of the ninja watched him walk away. His steps echoed until they faded. Hayate coughed.

“Now then, does anybody else wanna quit?” He asked. Sakura started to raise her hand but Sasuke grabbed her wrist. Sasuke let go but continued to talk to her. Naruto suddenly yelled at Sasuke and Sasuke told him something that left Naruto speechless. Rin frowned as she watched the three. “Alright then, we’ll now begin the preliminary round.” Hayate said. “This round will consist of one on one individual combat at full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. The surviving candidates from these matches will advance to the third exam. As for the rules there are none; you will fight until one dies or concedes defeat or is rendered physically incapable of continuing the contest. Naturally those who are losing are urged to concede defeat promptly to avoid a fatal outcome. Furthermore, as proctor I’m given a certain amount of leeway in judging the matches.” He coughed some. “I might occasionally intervene if a match seems hopeless to save as many lives as possible. Now it’s time to reveal what fate has been chosen for you.” He looked back at Anko who nodded.

“Open the panel.” she said into her mic. A large blue panel in the top left corner was raised.

“The names of each pair of opponents are chosen completely at random. Before each match these names will appear on the display behind me. As there’s nothing more to say let’s begin. In a moment the names of the first two opponents will appear.” Everyone was looking up. The screen blinked on and circled through names until it stopped with a buzz. Sasuke smirked.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Yoroi said.

“Alright now those whose names have been drawn come forward.” Hayate said. Sasuke and Yoroi walked over then faced each other. “You have been chosen for the first match. Yorio Akado and Sasuke Uchiha are there any objections.

“None here.” Sasuke said.

“No.” Yoroi said.

“Uhh, alright then, let’s begin the first match.” Hayate said. He coughed. “Okay, everyone other than the two opposing candidates will now clear the area and move to the upper level.” Everyone turned and walked up the stairs. Naruto and his team stayed put and Kakashi walked over to them said a few words then walked away. The sand and sound ninja, as well as Kabuto’s team mates, went on one side and the leaf on the other. Rin smiled at the sand siblings before turning to look at everyone on the other side. She recognized Lee and waved at him. Lee waved back with a small smile. Gaara frowned and looked over from Rin to Lee. The jounin next to Lee was wearing the same jumpsuit and had the same haircut. He pointed over at Rin and talked to the boy. Gaara could hear them from where he was.

“Is that the blue haired maiden you told me about?” The man asked.

“Yes Gai sensei.” Lee said.

“Ah the beauty of young love! Have you asked her out yet?” Gai asked as he nudged Lee with his elbow.

“G-Gai sensei!” Lee’s eyes went wide. Gaara started glaring at the two. Gai laughed.

“I’m sure you’ll impress her today, Lee!” Gai said slapping Lee on the back. Lee’s face went bright red.  

“No! It’s not like that!” Lee insisted as he held up his hands. Rin turned to Gaara after seeing the green clad boy freaking out across the room.

“What do you thinks bothering him?” Rin asked. Gaara didn’t answer.

…

Shino Aburame

VS

Zaku Abumi

The sound ninja with the two broken arms smirked.

“Ha, which sucker is that?” He asked. Shino looked at him.

“Step forward please.” Hayate said. The two went down and faced each other. “Very good. Now if you’re both ready then we’ll begin.”

“How’s he supposed to fight with two broken arms?” Akira asked allowed. Akio shrugged.

“Candidates ready? Begin.” Hayate said backing up. Neither moved.

“If you fight me you won’t be able to recover.” Shino warned. “Forfeit and withdraw.”

“Heh, well what do you know, I’ve got a little movement in one of them.” Zaku said moving his left arm. “One good arms more than enough to beat you!” He ran at him with his left arm out of the sling. He swung but Shino blocked him.

“You couldn’t beat me using both your arms.”

“Yeah well I’ve got news for ya!” The thing on his palm started to make a sound. “Try this! Blastic sound wave!” There was a large puff of smoke as Shino got hit and rolled on impact with the ground. The smoke started to clear. “Alright fool, you had enough? Huh?” Shino was standing as the smoke cleared.  “He’s there’s no way!” Suddenly there was a weird sound. “Hey… what?” Bugs were coming out of the top of Shino’s jacket and through three holes on Shino’s face. “Great, now that you’ve creeped us all out what happens next?” Suddenly Zaku heard the noise from behind him and saw a large swarm of bugs on the ground coming towards him. Rin shivered and moved closer to Gaara. He glanced down at her as their arms touched and he had to resist the urge to put his arm around her.

“They’re a rare species of parasitic beetles that attack their prey in a swarm, eating its chakra.” Shino said as he held one on his fingernail.  “An army of this size will suck you dry in less than a minute. Your only intelligent option is to forfeit the match. You can’t fight two opponents at once. If you use your good arm against me my friends will swarm you from behind. Conversely, if you use your good arm to keep them at bay then you’ll have me on your blind side. Either way your defeat will be certain and unpleasant. It’s wise to always have an ace in the hole.” Shino made a hand sign and held it up. Zaku looked extremely angry and raised his arm, opening his palm.

“Now you’ve done it! Now you’ve made me mad!” He shouted as he pointed his other arm at the bugs. Shino lowered his hands. Zaku’s right arm shook his he opened his palm. “Like you said yourself, always have an ace in the hole. Right!?”

“What the-? I thought his right arm was shot.” Kiba said. Zaku let out an angry cry. “I’ll blow you away!” Suddenly the middle of his arms were glowing blue like something was leaking from them. “Arg! My arms! What’s wrong with them?!” He cried as he let his arms hang. He looked at his hands in shock. “W-what?!” Shino’s bugs were on his hands and in the hole on his palm. Shino was suddenly behind him.

“Earlier while I was distracting you with my helpful advice I was also sending some of my little friends to plug up those bothersome wind-holes in your hands. Both hands just to be sure.  See while an ace in the hole is good, two aces are better.” Zaku went to hit Shino but Shino knocked him away to the ground.  Hayate walked over and crouched by Zaku. There were holes in his arms where the wind had blown out.

“I’d say this one… has had it.” Hayate said. “The winner is Shino Aburame.” Zaku was taken away on a stretcher while Shino returned to his team. “Uh, alright everyone, moving right on to the third match.” Kakashi returned to his team. The screen blinked.

Misumi Tsurugi

VS

Kankurō

Rin turned to Kankurō with a big smile.

“Good luck, Kankurō.” she said.

“Like I’ll need it.” Kankurō scoffed as he walked past her and down the stairs with Misumi. They stood in front of each other.

“I’m not like Yoroi; I don’t get careless, not even against kids.” Misumi said. Kankurō scoffed. “A piece of advice once I go into my jutsu give up, quick, if you do I promise to make it short and painless.”

“Funny.” Kankurō said as he took crow off his back. “I was about to say the same thing. Though I can’t promise it’ll be painless.”

“Alright if you’re ready let the third match begin.” Hayate said.

“Lemme do you a favor and end this battle quickly.” Kankurō said.

“You can’t end I if I end it first.” Misumi said. Misumi attacked but Kankurō managed to block him. Suddenly Misumi’s limbs wrapped around Kankurō’s and his arm went around Kankurō’s neck.

“Whoa! What’s up with that guy’s body?” Naruto asked. “That’s freaky! I wish I could do that.”

“I dislocate every one of my joints and soften my body then with my chakra I can control it perfectly. The more you struggle the tighter I’ll squeeze. I don’t know what you’re carrying in there,” Misumi said looking at the fallen crow still wrapped up. “but as long as I have a hold yon you it makes  no difference. I could break your neck right now if I wanted to and I will unless you give up.” Kankurō smirked.

“You wanna bet?” he asked.

“You wanna die?”

“You fool, you’re the one who’s gunna die.” Kankurō said. Suddenly Misumi tightened his arm around Kankurō’s neck and Kankurō’s head fell forward.

“I think he broke... his neck.” Lee said. Naruto and Sakura gasped. Gaara rolled his eyes. Chips of wood suddenly fell to the ground.

“Huh?” Suddenly Misumi gasped as ‘Kankurō’s head spun around to reveal Crow’s cracked face.

“Now, it’s my turn so say goodbye!” it said. Its arms shot out and wrapped around Misumi. Kankurō’s arm popped out of the ‘crow’ on the ground and he unwrapped himself. One of his hands was glowing blue as chakra strings went from his hand to Crow. Crow’s arms tightened and Misumi groaned in pain.

“Enough! I give!”

“But if your bones are all crushed just think of how much more flexible you’ll be.” Kankurō said.  Hayate coughed as Misumi fell over.

“Because his opponent is unable to continue, the winner is Kankurō.

“Two against one is hitting below the belt isn’t it?” Naruto asked.  “I mean, is that thing even far, Kakashi-sensei?”

“It’s not really two against one; it’s a puppet, not another ninja.” Kakashi explained to him. Kankurō walked back up to stand with the others.

“Told you I wouldn’t need it.” Kankurō said to Rin as he came to stand next to Temari.

Rin looked down at Neji and Hinata. They were fighting hand to hand. Their Byakugan were activated. Hinata went to strike and the two stopped. Hinata suddenly coughed up blood.

“So that’s in huh? That’s all there is to the main branch’s power?” Neji asked.

“Wait what is going on?! I mean I saw Hinata hit Neji perfectly!” Naruto said. Hinata hit Neji’s arm away and went to hit him but he caught her arm and poked it with two fingers. He pushed Hinata’s sleeve up and there were red dots on her arm.

“B-But you mean-? All this time you…” She said.

“That’s right, I could see your chakra points the whole time.” Neji said.

“What is he talking about?” Naruto asked. Kakashi explained chakra points to him and Sakura. Neji hit Hinata and she flew back and slid on the ground.

“Look Hinata, I’m completely out of your league and that won’t change. This is what separates the elite from the failures.” Hinata sat up panting and looked at him. “You may not like it but it’s a fact. From the instant you said you wouldn’t run anymore your fate was sealed you were destined for failure. And now, you’re consumed with hopelessness.” He started to walk over to her. “Now this is your last warning Hinata, forfeit this match.”

“I…I…” Blood fell from her mouth and she clenched her fists. “I… never…” She struggled to get up. “Go back…” She started to stand. “on my word. Because that too is my nindo, my ninja way.” She stood completely and faced Neji.

“I had no idea that Hinata’s as tough as she is.” Naruto said.

“She is a lot like you.” Lee said.

“You know, come to think of it, she is always watching you.” Sakura said.

“Huh?” Naruto looked at her then back down at Hinata. Hinata was smiling then activated her Byakugan. Neji did the same.

“Bring it on.” He said. Hinata suddenly put her hands to her chest in pain and coughed up more blood. Neji got into a stance with one hand up.

“Doesn’t it seem like the difference in strength makes it unfair?” Sakura asked. “He’s just way too strong. It’s a mismatch, seriously.” Naruto was gripping a thing of medical ointment that Hinata had given him.

“Go Hinata! You can do it!” Naruto shouted.  Hinata ran at Neji and they started fighting. They both went to attack at the same time and Neji hit her first sending a blast of chakra. She coughed up blood and fell over.

“You just don’t get it do you?” Neji asked her. “Your strikes were ineffective from the very start. You’re finished.” He walked away.

“It’s too bad, but after that blow to the heart Hinata is done.” Gai said. Naruto looked upset. Hinata wasn’t moving. Hayate walked up to her.

“Since she’s no longer able to continue this match-“

“No!” Naruto shouted cutting him off. “Don’t stop this match!”

“Naruto, what on earth are you doing?” Sakura asked. “Hinata’s had it. You can see she’s unconscious can’t you?” Naruto smirked and everyone looked shocked to see Hinata getting up slowly. She managed to stand but was still shaky and was holding herself with one arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Neji asked. “If you continue to fight, you’re going to die.” He activated his Byakugan.

“I’m far from finished.” Hinata said taking a few steps closer.

“Give up the tough guy act. I can tell you’re barely standing.” Neji said. “You’ve been carrying a very heavy burden having been born to the main branch of the Hyuuga clan. And you’ve cursed and blamed yourself for being weak. But look, people can’t change the way they are, that’s just how it is. Just accept defeat and you won’t have to suffer anymore.”

“No, you’re wrong brother, you’ve got it backwards. You see I can tell that you’re the one; you’re suffering much more than I.”

“I’m what?”

“You are the one who’s all torn up about the fate of the main and side branches of the Hyuuga clan.” Neji looked pissed and ran at Hinata.

“Neji no! The match is over!” Hayate shouted as he started running to stop him. Suddenly Gai was holding Neji back, Kakashi had a hand on his arm while Kuranai held his other and Hayate had two fingers on Neji’s forehead.

“Neji, get a hold of yourself.” Gai said. “You promised me you wouldn’t let this whole head family thing get you riled up.”

“Why are you and the other Jounin butting in? The head family gets special treatment huh?” Suddenly Hinata fell forward and started coughing up blood. Kuranai ran over to her.

“Hinata!” She put a hand on her back. “Hinata.”

“Hinata!” Naruto shouted as he, Lee, and Sakura jumped over the railing before running over. “Hinata, you okay?” Naruto crouched next to her. “Hey!”

“Na-Naruto…I just…I…do you…” She ended on a whisper before her eyes closed.

“Hey you, loser.” Neji said.

“Hm?” Naruto looked over at him.

“I have two pieces of advice for you.” Neji said. “First of all: If you intend to call yourself a shinobi, stop that stupid cheering of yours it’s disgraceful. And second: once a failure, always a failure. You can’t change that.” Naruto stood.

“We’ll just see about that.” Naruto ran at him but Lee stopped him. “What are you doing?”

“Naruto, I get where you are coming from believe me but, the rules say all fighting must be done officially in a match. A loser beating a genius through sheer willpower, now would not that make for an exciting match, even if I am the one who is going to have to fight Neji. Of course if you ending up fighting him that is fine too.”

“Alright fine, you win Lee.” Naruto said turning around and walking back to Hinata. Lee gave a thumbs up to Gai who gave one back. Hinata coughed up blood again. Kuranai unzipped her coat and put a hand on her chest and one on her neck. Kuranai glared at Neji.

“I wouldn’t waste your time glaring at me when you really should be taking care of her.” Neji said.

“Get a medic! And hurry up!” Kuranai shouted.

“We’re coming.” One said as they ran over. They rolled out the stretcher. “She has no pulse.” Naruto ran over.

“This is very serious. She’s got ten minutes at best. Let’s get her to the emergency room now!” They put her on the stretcher and started to take her away.

“Stand back.” Naruto watched them.

“Hinata.” He said quietly. “Hinata, I give you my word.” He crouched and put his fingers in her blood before standing up and facing Neji. He held out his closed fist and blood dripped. “I vow to win.”

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#gaara x oc #naruto fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic

[utsus]

NaruHina prompt: Hinata's upper arms.

AO3

If it was going to happen to anyone, Naruto would’ve peggedit to be Kakashi-sensei. He was lascivious and perverted and he always looked astride away from doing something unsavorywhen Iruka raised his voice.

Really, it could’ve happened to anyone; Naruto just neverexpected for it to happen to him.

A fear boner. Sort of. Emotionally, at least.

On the battle field.

Sai was never going to let him live it down.

✧

The morning started ordinarily enough, with Naruto risingwith the sun on his back and the sounds of metal clashing outside his tent. Theair smelled wet with copper, heavy with anticipation. He changed and readiedhimself for another hard-fought day, coming out of his tent completely into thesun. It refracted against the mist, a constant here, and made the day seemsimultaneously over bright and murky. He nodded to those he passed, his name afamiliar kind of awe on their lips.

War changes people. It changes everything.

Naruto still felt unused to it—them. The changes. A fellowshinobi walked past him, ducking his head so quickly he might’ve come away witha mild case of whiplash. At his hip the sun caught in a gleam of charcoal, andNaruto recognized sharp familiarity.

The spiral symbol carved into the iron—it was his.

He tried not to think about it too much, it was just toobizarre.

One of his Captains approached him, nothing more forgreeting than a terse nod before he began to debrief Naruto on what the nightshift had had to offer. Naruto listened with half an ear, weary andbattle-beaten but still kicking. His Captain matched his steps and didn’t haveto ask to know where they were headed.

On the border of Mist, visibility was nil and wicked. Ithelped them prepare, though, for the real fighting. So they carved out a spaceamongst the thinning trees, bare and blackened—not from fire, but from disease.The moors ahead of them were as unwelcoming as they were unforgiving.

Between the trees, they made space to train. To fight. Tokeep idle muscles warm and flexible, to keep their minds geared for the unpredictabilityof war. His Captain stopped beside him when they came to the outskirts of thefield and Naruto could feel his eyes on his profile.

But Naruto had eyes for someone else entirely. They may callhim Commander, now, and he would do his duty to the utmost esteem, but therewere still moments he carved out for himself alone. In these rare times, he wasjust Uzumaki Naruto again. A young man who could be freely curious; a young manwho had learned how to yearn.

He was only a few days past twenty, still growing, the goalahead of him looming but still out of reach. He’d always had his sights set onbecoming Hokage—yet he had never expected to become a war hero on the journey. He’dnever expected war, at all. He supposed that’s how it always was. Unpredictablewhile striking at the heart of nations.

He wondered presently if sheshared a similar rupture of surprise regarding her new status and the titlethat unofficially came with it—or if, somewhere along with mastering medicine, becominga squadron Captain, and Lording a clan even while on the frontlines, she had cometo expect this.

Hyuuga Hinata had always moved like water, effortlessly graceful,powerfully elegant. Slipped right through his fingers.

War had sharpened her edges, brought her to points. Shelearned to move like the breeze: unseen, but unmistakably felt. She had no need for blades, her palms quicker and nimbler andjust as severe. More so.

She leapt away from her assailant’s swift attack, bodytwisting through the air to avoid a new assault of flying kunai, and came downhard with the blunt end of her palm against her opponent’s neck—and just likethat, the spar was over. She had triumphed.

She caught her squad leader’s body before he could fall tothe ground. She laid him down carefully and knelt at his side to check hisvitals as those around her chattered, hushed and awed, whispering.

Naruto had heard it all before. Frigid. Omniscient. Angel of Death.

Hinata shifted, tucking her hair behind her ear as sheglanced over her shoulder. She caught Naruto’s striking gaze and blinked, once,a breathtaking consideration. He had only enough time to realize belatedly thather Byakugan wasn’t even activated. Then she turned away, back to heropponent-turned-patient, and Naruto watched the man come back to consciousnessin her arms with an expression of keen wonder.

Something dark inside him swirled.

Naruto thought, bastardnever stood a chance.

Whether he was referring to her squad leader or himself, hewouldn’t say.

✧

Naruto should’ve planned for this. An ambush was expected,when it came to the Mist. They were impatient but bloodthirsty; an ambush wasnever going to surprise them as the Mist expected it should.

But the Leaf had not expected him. Not here, on the outskirts of a dilapidated and abandonedvillage gradually sinking over time into the moors.

A Warlord, someone cried through the comm.There’s a Warlord here!

Naruto cursed as he weaved away from another sharp-toothedassailant wielding a blade larger then Naruto himself. He’d made the mistake ofedging towards the moor and had lost his footing long enough to feel the biteof that blade against his waist—had he moved a second later he would’ve done soin two pieces.

“Retreat,” he hissed through the comm, leaping from beam tobeam and pushing through the fragile and broken rooftop to attempt to achievesuperior position. His heart thundered in his chest, adrenaline surging. Thatwas Hinata’s squad. “Squad A, retreat.”

“Understood,” came the squad leader’s warbling voice, andNaruto’s heart dropped to his feet. Where was Hinata? Hers was the voice heneeded—the voice he should’ve heard. Was she too busy in the fighting? Was sheinjured? Was she—

He would not entertain the thought. He twisted through theair with a hiss, releasing a multitude of shuriken to slow his opponents down.The stars took three of them from the roof, but the other two absorbed themlike living pools of water. They laughed and charged and even as they swungtheir mighty swords for the very heart of him, he could not completely focus onthem.

It was a foolish thing to do. A Commander would never be socareless. But he was young yet, and he had never asked for the title, andthough he would do justice to the weight of it, they had to have known that hewould fail it. He had a track record of failures longer and wider than the gulfthat ran between Leaf and Sand, still freshly filled with Naruto’s friendshipwith Gaara. They had expected too much of him, and he had expected too much ofhis squadrons.

Hinata still had not answered.

He turned and put all of his weight behind his fist andwatched the skull of the enemy shatter around his knuckles. The man fellheavily, bounced on impact. Naruto turned to the next assailant and heardbubbling over his shoulder, never a good sign. He fended off his masterfulswordsmanship with clenched teeth, forcing himself to breathe through theimpacts.

Kurama, a shadow in his mind, whispered: drop low.

Naruto had long since learned to obey that tone of voice. Hedid as he was told and watched as the Mist shinobi whose skull had shatteredaround his fist heaved his sword horizontally, right through the space Narutohad stood a moment prior. He had aimed to cleave him in two.

Naruto wasn’t surprised that he was up and fighting again,or that he looked untouched and unhurt. He had been on the frontlines of thiswar with Mist for years. The tricks of the Mist were many, but he had nearly seenthem all.

He lifted his hands and said the words and suddenly he wasn’toutnumbered anymore. The Mist nin around him cursed, turning to fight off hisclones, each of which charged with Rasengan in hand.

Hinata’s squad leader’s voice came over the line again, andhis words threatened to shatter what was left of Naruto’s hard-fought control.

“Our Captain,” he panted, sounding both panicked andexhausted, a painful conflict of anxiety and fatigue. “She is facing the Warlordalone.”

Naruto lost the breath in his lungs.

A Mist shinobi didn’t get the title of Warlord by favor ormere triumph. They won the title by committing a multitude of atrocities. Theywere heartless and cruel, cold-blooded and hungry. Beasts made from a differentcloth, maws always gaping. Mist shinobi were known for their cruelty, the chaosthat ensued from their bloodless fingertips.

Their Warlords were known for nothing less than their pleasureof annihilation.

Naruto knew how strong Hinata was. He trusted her. But burieddeep in the folds of his battered and weary soul there was this: an animalistic need to protect those he loved, despite whatmight stand in his way. Death itself could rise up before him and Naruto wouldbeat it back down, teeth and claws bared, Kurama breathing through his veins.

Naruto had fought too long and too hard to create andmaintain a family of his own.

He could see the tinge of crimson around him, the way Kurama’schakra leaked into the air around them. The Mist nin closest to him gasped, theweight of Naruto’s oozing chakra bringing them to their knees.

He felt the heat of a distant explosion, felt the way theearth trembled and the rickety house beneath him quaked. He thought he heardlaughter, loud enough to break apart the clouds. Naruto left his enemies behindhim without a single look back, a blur of orange and black. The sounds of hisclones crashing against them was soon lost to the wind rushing by him as hisfeet moved swiftly over the earth, bringing him unerringly to where he neededmost to be.

He headed for the flames even as he felt them clawing downhis veins.

He hoped he got there in time.

✧

When Naruto arrived, he registered three things at once.

First, the Mist Warlord was more than twice Hinata’s height,and wider around the middle than a pillar of stone.

Second, he was quick. Quick enough to make Hinata’s thighs, fatiguedfrom overuse, tremble.

Third, he was going to lose.

Hinata had cornered him in free space, her chakra a visible,fine-lined stream creating a glowing sphere of restraint around the Warlord,even as he moved. Hers was a moving prison of chakra, the cage of which was asmuch an attack as it was a defense; it erased every chakra center it touched. Itreminded Naruto of the Akatsuki member from Mist whose sword drained chakrawhen it bit.

Naruto’s eyes caught and held on her bare upper arms,glistening with sweat, defined and flexed in tension. He had always known herto be strong, of a special sort—drawing to his eyes—but this was new.

The way his eyes caught and held and couldn’t look away fromthe physicality of her form, the way her arms moved in liquid elegance onemoment, and then struck viper-quick and critically with stunning designationthe next. Her strength silenced in him the roaring of chaos he found so unremitting,and in its absence, something new and equally dangerous lurked.

Desire.

She leapt and twisted, ducked low and dodged, all the whileslicing in and carving her way through the mass of chakra centered throughout thegiant’s body. His monstrosity of a sword was still clutched in his hands, heavyenough to require both, and it was then that Naruto knew the true strength ofthe man.

That still he held onto his sword, even after Hinata had struckevery one of the glowing spheres of chakra from his arms. He was moving bysheer will alone. His shoulders dragged and he was panting, wounded prey.

But so was Hinata. Blood dripped down from her forehead andalready her eyes were swelling deep, mottled blue. A broken nose. She wasfavoring her right side and Naruto could see the rip in her uniform, a perfectslice over her left collarbone and shoulder. A jab rather than a swing—inches awayfrom her heart. An astonishing move with a sword that large—Hinata must’ve beenstartled. She was weary, broken and breathless.

But Hinata had never let herself be a victim. Protective ofher squadron and present on the warfront, she was a predator sensing a kill;she did not hesitate. She moved in close, allowed herself to be caught. TheWarlord’s hand swallowed her throat whole and his laughter blanketed the entirearea, a booming thunder—Naruto could just barely hear someone screaming hername—realized too late that it was him.

Hinata was quicker than the threat at her throat. She kickedout and Naruto saw it: the streamline lethality of her chakra control.

From the toe of her sandal a stream of chakra radiated, everblue, thinner than thread. It sliced through the big man and brought him to hisknees. She brought her hands up—Kakashi’s voice, suddenly, ruthless andclinical in Naruto’s mind: a foolishmistake to have allowed a Hyuuga to keep them—and sliced through the chakrain his wrists. Her biceps contracted, glistened. Naruto’s stomach filled withheat, and fear.

The sword clattered to the ground, heavy enough that Narutofelt the vibration of it fifty feet away. Hinata did not pause to see if theman would fall completely. She leapt over him and secured her win with deftfingers, the veins alongside her eyes pulsing with heat. Her hands moved soquickly over the Warlord’s body Naruto had to strain to see them, catching onlyafterthoughts of fatal blue. She leapt into the air and twisted, and Narutoknew this attack, too.

A beast of her own making, a single sapphire creature ofchakra and fangs surrounded her palm and slammed into the Warlord’s back. Thebig cat did not stop where her palm did. It ran through him, taking and takinguntil every light within him was gone. Naruto watched Hinata fall to her knee,not moving her eyes from her quarry until she had watched the final light inhis eyes flee.

Naruto could see her squadron on the outskirts and hewondered idly how long they’d been there, if she’d ordered them away. Behindthe Warlord there were waves of fallen Mist, freshly silent. Of course, Narutothought coolly, the Warlord had not come alone.

When Naruto had arrived, the Warlord had already appearedquite wounded, as though Hinata’s squadron had intercepted him and done theirbest before parting around what he presumed to be Hinata’s order. She must havewanted them safe. Naruto could see now that they were in awful shape, somehunched over, some being supported by others, all of them bleeding. Far lesserin number than he knew them to be. Naruto turned his eyes back to Hinata andknew without question, without doubt, that she had challenged the Warlord aloneto save the remains of her squadron.

It was unlike Hinata to not use her adept mind for strategyto defeat an enemy. Naruto wondered for only a moment why she hadn’t kept hersuperior numbers, why she had isolated herself to singularity. But he knew whatit meant to need to protect those you cared about. Hinata had done just that,as best as she could.

The Warlord had seemed an easy man to challenge, arrogantand cocksure. A young woman standing before him, provoking him into singlecombat must have amused him; enticed him. He’d probably thought it a game.

He probably never expected to lose.

Naruto moved.

“Hinata,” he called, parsed segments of awe and fearinterspersed into something of a sigh. He felt breathless and weary, and heached for her. For what the war had taken from her; for what it would continueto take from them all. “Hinata.”

She turned to him and he could see the collapse in her, thebattered spirit. He lost his breath when she turned to him, tears in her eyes; asurprising softness. Before the war had begun, when he had allowed himself tothink about her apart from all others, he would think first of the gentlenessof her curves. She had no angles to her. Every deceptively delicate slope of herhad humbled him.

Even on the front lines she had somehow, somehow maintainedthat softness. She guided her squadron kindly, gently, quietly. Taught them ofstrategy and of survival. She was a wraith in the darkest moments of night,tending to the wounded, still wearing her armor. She sat under veiled canopiesin camp with those who could not be saved, and she told them stories, hushedand secretive, theirs and theirs only. Like war, her kindness had changed him.

But he had not seen her cry for years. She was the strongestwoman he knew, right there with Sakura-chan, and though her tears didn’t makeher less so, they shocked him for their rarity.

“Naruto-kun,” she breathed, and this was a breach ofprotocol, but Naruto savored it. He let her voice curl around his name and bringhim home; it had been so long since he’d been there. So long.

He guided the sentiment behind her voice into the deepestand warmest parts of him. His heart called out to her, beckoning.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, and he was the one who reachedfor her.

She came willingly, gladly, into his arms. Hinata allowedher tears to fall stoically, silently against him. It was Naruto who trembled. Shock,maybe. Desire was there too. But all the more surprising was this: the fear.

Despite it, his desire only grew.

In another moment, another time, maybe he would’ve kissedher.

But the beast she’d slayed still breathed slowly behindthem, unconscious but alive, awaiting a secure trip to Ino’s shadowed quarters.Blood ran down Hinata’s cheeks. The skin under her eyes swelled with color, roseneggplant.

Now was not the time for romance.

Soon, though, Narutocouldn’t help but to think. It resonated within him, the first drop in arippling effect; the ocean of their beginning.

Soon.

#naruto #naruhina #uzumaki naruto #naruto uzumaki #hyuuga hinata #hinata hyuuga #naruto fic #the beginning of this makes it seem funny but it's actually just sad #lol @ me yikes!!! but anyways i hope this is okay?? #it got a little out of hand #but my fav thing EVER to write is like unexpected young adult war hero nard!!!! MY FAV!!