#sasuke and his dad had more in common than he realized

[silentvoicescryingout]

natsukashii

natsukashii

For Meghzy, by silentvoicescryingout

Natsukashii (懐かしい) -(Adj.) of some small thing that brings you suddenly, joyously back to fond memories, not with a wistful  longing for what’s past, but with an appreciation of the good times

A thick layer of dust coats every surface in the room. Slivers of light slip between boarded-up windows, a scent like woodsmoke, ash and dry dirt in the air. A dated, foggy bulb fizzle-buzzes to life with the flip of an old switch. 

“Wow,” Mitsuki murmurs. “This place really has remained untouched.”

Glancing to his right he sees Sarada push her white, dramatically-brimmed hat back from her forehead. It rests between her shoulder blades, held at her neck by a thin red chord. Their former teammate had laughed for hours after seeing that subtle alteration.

“Aa,” Sarada replies, her dark eyes flitting around the room. “I suppose it would.”

She glides further into the space, the hem of her robe causing dust to billow gently as it sweeps just above the ground. Everything, from the way her inky-black hair smoothly frames her face to the pristine white of her robes and hat, drips poise and honor. 

Long, slender fingers reach out, tap lightly against the wooden desk. Dust clings to the tips of the digits as she draws her hand away, and her eyes flit about the room all over again.

“Beneath the dust and debris,” Mitsuki begins, voice soft as he watches his teammate turned leader circle around the desk, “this place looks like it was well-made, and well-used.”

“Papa says the Uchiha ran the Konoha police department basically since the founding,” she whispers. Her chin tips down as she glances over dingy, yellowed papers and metal encased pens. “This office would have been used by the first clan head to serve during those times. And the last was… my grandfather.” 

Her shoulders lift and fall with a deep sigh, and silence reigns. Not even ambient sounds break through, none that one would expect to hear in a place so old, with so many ghosts. 

The deafening lack of noise is broken when Mitsuki takes a few steps forward, placing himself close enough to brush his hand over Sarada’s back.

“It is a privilege to be allowed to work in this space,” he says. His fingers splay between the blades of her shoulders, applying gentle pressure. “I swear to honor both the village and the Uchiha’s legacy with my service.” 

“Don’t get all ‘honorable shinobi’ on me,” she grunts in reply, her voice a little too hoarse to go unnoticed. Mitsuki simply takes a step back, granting her the space he knows she needs. “Let’s just get all this cleaned out before we die from inhaling all this dust. Kami, why did I not leave my robes behind…”

Mitsuki indulges in a small smile when his companion begins to bark orders, directing him to grab hold of the cleaning supplies they had brought and begin sweeping away decades worth of dust and dirt.

He tries not to focus on the sound of her quickened breaths, the delicate clearing of her throat as she finds items to pick up and discard or adjust. And he does not note that cleaning out an office is not a fitting use of time for the Hokage of the Leaf. For he knows that it is not simply clearing out an old room, but a great act of care being bestowed on not only him, but the memory of a clan that was gone before either of them came into existence, but whose blood and legacy were steeped into the very soil their entire lives were built upon.

The two of them work in a companionable silence, slipping past and around each other easily, with a practiced synchronicity honed by years of fighting and training side by side. Every now and then one or the other glances up to see a pair of eyes lingering, and they share a small smile before moving on with whatever they were doing.

Before long, the light in the room begins to dim with the setting of the sun. Most surfaces are clear of dust, relatively clean save for a few stubborn stains on pieces of furniture that will likely need to be replaced anyway. Sarada’s robe has been discarded over a chair pushed against one of the walls, her hat balanced at the corner of the now glossy if not antique-looking desk. 

“Much better,”  she announces, planting her hands on her hips. With a harsh puff of breath, she blows a wayward lock of silky black hair away from her face. “A lot of the furniture is salvageable, if not a bit dated. I’ll leave the decision to you whether to keep any of it or choose to use your still untouched budget for any upgrades.”

“I said before the budget is unnecessary,” he replies, walking to stand in front of the desk as she slumps down into the old, leather seat. “It’s also rather extravagant considering the police force has gone through a series of upgrades quite recently. I fear I might be accused of receiving favorable treatment.”

Sarada rolls her eyes, scoffing charmingly, “Of course you received favorable treatment. No one else is putting Orochimaru’s kid at the head of any Konoha institution except me.”

“Thank you,” he says simply, curving his mouth in a smile. 

She rolls her eyes again, more violently this time.

“Use the budget or I’ll just add it as a bonus to your salary,” she says sternly. Mitsuki nods, still smiling, and she scoffs again. “Now, we should probably clear out any of the belongings left by…this office’s former occupant.” 

A beat passes as her gaze falls to the surface of the large desk in front of her. Her irises shine with a faraway look, her features remaining carefully smooth. Mitsuki sees the slight tremble of her fingers, though. He catches the deep inhale she sucks through her nose and how her shoulders sag as the breath is released.

At this moment, she favors her father even more than usual. Stoic, regal and perfectly in control of their emotions, at least to those who do not have the privilege of knowing them. Uchiha Sasuke had much the same reaction when Mitsuki approached him to ask for his blessing to make use of what used to be his father’s office.

The older man who had inspired equal amounts of awe and intimidation from Mitsuki in his youth had seemed close to wavering, his aging eye taking on the same half-absent look as his daughter’s did now. Anyone else might have missed the brief (perhaps merely a couple of seconds) of hesitation. Mitsuki had not. For he had spent years in close contact with a girl turned woman who is just like him.

“The desk should be a good place to start,” he says gently. Because commenting on the history and turmoil hanging between the words unsaid would not reach her, nor would it really bring any comfort. Uchiha Sarada was a woman of action. Only she could decide when she was ready to loose the feelings she surely held captive between her ribs and behind tightly clenched teeth.

Dark eyes flit toward his before she nods, full mouth flattening for half a second before she bobs her head again with a quiet, but forceful grunt of determination.

“Come here and help me pull it all out,” she demands. Mitsuki’s lips twitch at the tone of her voice. Boruto had called her bossy many times over the years for it.

He, personally, finds that he rather likes her authoritativeness. He always had. To him, it signaled strength and someone he could put his trust in, perhaps even before he truly understood what that was.

“Coming, Hokage-sama,” he drawls. Sarada jabs him lightly in his side with her elbow when he is close enough, to which he responds with a quiet laugh. A light flush dashes over her cheeks and his chest warms, just a bit.

“Right then,” she breathes. A slow exhale, a deep intake of air again. Then her graceful, lethal hands come up to grasp at the slightly rusted knob of one of the desk’s drawers, pausing for a breath of a moment before she begins to slowly pull it open.

He steps a bit closer as she reaches in to grasp at a stack of yellowed paper, waiting in silence for her to pull it gradually from the confines of the compartment. 

This task does not physically require two people, he knows. He is also cognizant of the fact that the task in this place, for this person–his person–requires a delicate balance of support where his presence is required, but his words are not. So he stands quiet, still, as close as he can without exactly touching, and allows Sarada to hold in her hands the belongings of her lost kin for the very first time.

“Letters,” she whispers. “These are letters. Should probably set them aside in case there’s information that needs to be filed away or preserved.”

When she passes the papers to him with a just-barely trembling hand, he accepts them quietly, stretching his arm to deposit them safely across the room. His free hand coincidentally smooths against the small of her back, fingertips barely brushing over the fabric of her blouse for a second.

By the time she reaches back in, Mitsuki has cut the brief contact, remaining at a close, but careful distance. Her hand remerges with another stack of papers, some folded, others much smaller than standard sheets. A surprisingly pristine folder is among the rest.

Something flutters to the ground as it is passed to him and they both look down to peer at it.

“Oh my,” he mumbles. “That looks like…”

An impressively clear photograph lay face-up on the ground, reflecting a glossy sheen in the yellow light from a thin plastic covering. Staring up at them is a pair of young boys, one who looks to be between the ages of ten and twelve, the other seeming no older than five or six. Both boys have dark hair, dark eyes and pale faces. Their delicate, almost aristocratic features are immediately recognizable, especially that of the younger.

He looks like a masculine version of Sarada as a young girl.

“Papa…,” her voice was quiet, the word riding on the heavy current of a tremulous breath. Sarada slowly lowered to her haunches, reaching out to pluck the photograph up carefully. “And this must be Itachi-ojisan.”

She pulls herself to standing again, peering down at the photo with wide, shining eyes. Mitsuki’s gaze traces the lines of her face, the soft furrow of her brows, the slight downturn of her lips. Her lashes flutter and begin to clump as they gather some of the telltale moisture brimming at the rims of her eyes.

“I have never seen my dad so young,” she says thickly. His heart does a peculiar flip in his chest and he finds himself taking a step closer, so close that the back of her knuckles brush against his chest. “The only photo I’ve ever seen of him when he was a kid was the one with the original Team 7.”

“This confirms where you got your looks from,” Mitsuki says softly. The chuckle he gets in response wavers a bit, but he decides it is better than nothing. “You looked exactly like him at that age.”

“Mama would hate hearing that,” Sarada replies. Her eyes are still fixed on the photograph, a wry smile shaping her lips. “She is convinced that I have her eye shape and mouth. Papa always agrees, but I think they’re both just in denial.”

Mitsuki hums quietly in gentle amusement. Sarada’s free hand slips forward, grasps lightly at the edge of his wide sleeve. He continues to peer down at the photo in her hand, and neither of them acknowledge the movement.

When multiple long minutes have passed and Sarada’s face has mostly relaxed in a wistful sort of smile, he murmurs, “Shall we keep looking?”

If he were anyone else, if she were, too, he’d ask–should we stop?

She nods, gives him a heavy sort of look and turns back to rifle through the drawer of histories. More papers emerge, scraps of metal, sharp tools and old fountain pens. Some of the documents hold ink so faded it would take an expert to glean their contents. Much of the paperwork logs events of petty crime, the rare investigation brief. 

More photographs emerge, as well–if only a few. One depicts a young woman with waist-length, pitch-black hair. She is wearing a jounin uniform, posture slumped as her face spreads in a wide grin. Sarada’s breath catches when she takes in the image, and her lips tremble when she flips it over to read the single word etched in an elegant scrawl: Mikoto.

If Sasuke as a child was a mirror image to his daughter as a child, this woman is nearly an adult Sarada’s doppelganger. From their deep eyes to their soft mouth, fine jawline and small, sharp nose, they hold a near-startling resemblance.

Next is a photo of a young man with what seems to be a permanent scowl on his face. A pair of thin arms are wrapped across his chest, the face of the other person out-of-frame, but the dark locks brushing over the lighter brown of his hair and the intimate way the feminine hands grasp at him cue Mitsuki into who exactly is in the photo.

By the time the first drawer is empty, Mitsuki is feeling rather raw himself. Because of his knowledge that most of the people centered in this small collection of photographs left the world not long after they were taken, as well as his sensitivity to Sarada’s own mental and emotional turmoil. Even as she fights it before his eyes, he sees it in the slight reddening of her eyes and the tip of her nose. He hears it in her shallow breaths, in the sound of shifting fabric as she fidgets and shuffles her feet.

“It’s getting dark,” she says, her voice near-hoarse and quiet as a spring wind. “There are piles of papers waiting to be signed on my desk. I think you can manage the rest of the organization, right?”

“Right,” he replies. He watches as she backs away slowly from the desk, curling her fingers away from the aged wood. 

Her gaze dips to the small pile of photos.

“Make sure to save any documents relating to actual investigations or closed cases. These will need to be processed into the village’s archives. Intra-department correspondences can probably be discarded, but I leave it to your discretion.”

“Okay,” he says in agreement, before offering her a slight bow. Usually she would wave the gesture away, possibly even blush. This time she gazes foggily toward the door, as if part of her has already escaped through it.

“And please make sure to put aside any, uh, personal items,” she swallows thickly again, eyelids sliding shut for a moment and shielding her iris. He wonders if they were crimson for that hidden moment when they reopen, deepest gray. “Bring things like…that to my parents’ house when you’re finished with everything. Please.”

As soon as she is done speaking, she snatches up her robe and hat, disappearing from the partially transformed office in a flutter of leaves and gust of wind. She leaves behind the scent of green tea and ink, and a lighter, sweeter fragrance that he has come to associate with simply her over the years. He imagines all of it, her essence left behind, is marred by a bitter tang, residua of bittersweet reckonings and a memory that never was. 

For a few long moments, he battles with himself. The urge to follow in her suit, to abandon this honorable labor to provide comfort in the space where Uchiha Sarada feels and is most powerful is an intense one. To offer his shoulder to grasp on, his chest to lean into would be easy, fulfilling even. Yet he knows that woman better than he sometimes knows himself (it took so very long for him to recognize a “self” as his, anyway); she does not flourish under watchful eyes or coddling. Her strength is found in solitude where she can battle her demons without respite or distraction.

Mitsuki had not made a habit of acting the savior to his betters in the past, and he does not begin now. Instead, he reaches for the loose and faulty knob of the second desk drawer and pulls it open to reveal more history, more secret memories.

The first thing he sees is the delicate links of a long, thin chain. At the end, a broken clasp–what would bring the two ends together. Hooking his fingers under the slightly tangled coils, he drags it out slowly from it’s spot, picking it out until it swings from his hand, anchored at its nexus by a large, blood-red gem, bracketed by two koi fish fashioned out of slightly tarnished metal. 

Even the feeble overhead lights make the stone glitter and shine when Mitsuki swipes at the dust veiling its face with his thumb. His eyes trace over the fragile-looking chain, the heavy but comely gemstone fit snugly between the highly intricate koi bordering it. 

A necklace, perfect in length and weight save for the broken fastening in need of repair. He supposes this was one of those things found here Sarada would wish that he presents to her parents. 

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

The sun burns hot, beaming down on his face. His eyes tingle, sensitive and aching. The sting of sweat dripping from his temples as well as the too-bright light causes him to squint and yet even his discomfort cannot quite break through the fog of his thoughts.

In his blood-stained, bruised hands is a heavy, dark-green vest. Fashioned with multiple pockets, sturdy shoulder pads and the large, red, swirling design of the Uzumaki clan’s insignia, it feels both extravagant and plain in his grasp. Years of training, weeks of exertion and days of reaching deep into his very core for strength and determination had led to this very moment, this very thing.

It borders on anticlimactic. He supposes he could describe it as surreal. 

Uchiha Fugaku, second son to the Uchiha Clan. Jounin of Konohagakure. 

“Fugaku-san,” a voice calls from behind him. 

His head rises and he turns to meet a mirthful gaze. Deep black eyes ringed with equally dark, sweeping lashes flit over his form. 

“You look a bit rough, comrade,” Mikoto drawls, loping in his direction and leaving behind her chatterbox friend with the flaming hair.

“Hn,” he mutters, mentally berating himself for even acknowledging her call. He steels himself for her teasing, as he knows she could never resist. “I suppose I should offer my congratulations, Mikoto-san.”

Her jounin vest is held haphazardly in one of her hands, dangerously close to grazing the ground as it swings at her side.

“That nin nearly got you in the last round,” she continues as if he had not said a word. She is close enough for him to make out just how thick and long her lashes truly are.

“And yet here I stand,” he says dryly. He holds his vest higher, biting down the twinge of irritation and forcing his expression to remain neutral. “Only one of us is walking away with a vest. Or…walking away at all.”

“Hm,” she hums. Her inky brows arch and he rolls his eyes before pivoting and beginning to walk in the direction of their clan’s compound. She keeps pace beside him. 

“Good thing your opponent wasn’t me, ne?”

Fugaku’s jaw clenches. “That wouldn’t have been a problem.”

“Still full of it, I see,” his uninvited companion sighs. He glances down at her from the corner of his eye, studying the long, glossy strands of her hair, the splattering of dried blood on her cheek. 

“Still a nuisance, I see,” he mutters, eventually. Too much time has passed after her words for it to be an effective rebuttal, but he chooses to not acknowledge his distraction.

“How clever!” she coos. “Too bad your fighting style is not as refined as your wit.”

“Bold of you to say,” he grinds out, “when you have never had the privilege of engaging me in a spar. Ah, and with two failed missions under your belt.”

“Kushina and her big mouth,” she grumbles. “The missions were only technically failed, and that was because I took out a few extras in addition to our assigned targets. Perhaps I damaged a greater-council member’s property, but it was a success in the end.”

He snorts in response, deigning to not respond. Quickening his pace and lengthening his stride, he toils to reach the compound faster, to wipe away the layer of blood and grime from his skin and change into clean clothes. 

Then he would present his certificate to his father. And then lay it before his elder brother's grave alongside incense and an offering. A thanks for his support while he was in this world, and now that he resides beyond. 

“You think you would smile, even a little, on such a monumental occasion,” Mikoto’s voice breaks through the haze of his thoughts. A glance to his side finds her keeping pace with him, still, slanted eyes staring at his face. 

Something in her gaze always made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the pure depth of her eyes, so dark they rivaled the sky during a lunar eclipse; it could have been the knowing in her look, intuition that seemed to peel back one’s layers and reveal the secrets lying beneath.

“What are you talking about?” Fugaku chooses to ask in response, unable to think of any true retort. Even after he breaks her gaze to focus on the path ahead, he feels her stare on his face.

“You never show any emotion,” she states. “I could almost bet you were born with a scowl. That’s terrible for your facial muscles, you know. You’ll age like a prune.”

“Why do you care?” he questions, injecting as much disinterest into his tone as humanly possible.

“Care is a strong word,” she says, before sighing quite dramatically. “I just think you should be a bit more cheerful, is all. You’ve upheld the legacy of the clan–of your household. You must be proud at least.”

“I am as proud as any shinobi of the Leaf would be,” he replies. “Taking pride in serving one’s village is a given.”

“Well,” she sing-songs. “Personally I’m proud that I was able to best some of the most ferocious shinobi that have ever competed in the exam. I’m proud that I proved to be one of the strongest among my peers.”

Fugaku fully understands where her self-assurance comes from. Uchiha Mikoto is one of the strongest of their generation. With a full mastery of their bloodline limit, a tenacious drive and ruthless comportment, she is a force to be reckoned with. 

Her easy-going manner when off-duty was dichotomous enough to give lesser men whiplash.

“You seem proud to be a braggart, as well,” he drawls. A sharp jab to his side has him shooting a glare at the young woman. The left side of his waist smarts, adding to the rest of his aches and bruises.

“Confidence goes a long way, Fugaku-san,” Mikoto’s voice sounds like a grin. “Maybe if you had a little bit more of it, your fireball jutsu would have been less…humble.” 

Fugaku bristles despite himself.  

“I have mastered that jutsu as well as anyone from our clan,” he says stiffly. “Better than most, actually.”

“Not better than me,” her breath brushes against the side of his neck, voice a whisper startlingly close to his ear. She has taken a few steps on her tiptoes to draw so close.

They arrive at the entrance of their compound before he can gather his frazzled thoughts. Mikoto pulls away to stand at a normal distance again, a small but telling grin on her face. 

Crossing into the compound brings a heaviness to his step, a weight materializing on his shoulders. It has been this way since his brother’s death–since his fate was changed before his eyes, his predetermined future re-written. 

A war that had given him a name other than “second son” had also taken from him his closest friend and hero. Since that day, the responsibility of an heir, all of its privileges and duties fell to him.

Mikoto’s words serve to remind him that he should be the best of not only his shinobi class, but of the village as a whole. Strong enough to carry the weight of his clan, their history and the legacy his brother left behind.

“Fugaku,” a deep voice thunders, jerking his attention outward as he looks in the direction of the call.

His father stands a couple yards away, posture perfectly straight and features as severe as always. White streaks backward from his temples, contrasting starkly against his dark hair and brows. Age shows in the areas around his eyes and mouth, yet he looks as strong and as deadly as any ninja in their prime. Dangerous, powerful.

“Father,” Fugaku responds, bowing slightly as he approaches. 

“Mikoto,” his father says blandly, his gray-ringed eyes glancing over his son’s shoulder briefly.

“Uchiha-sama,” she responds politely. She sounds far more reserved than she had mere moments before.

“You passed the exams,” his father states, looking at the vest he cradles in his hands before piercing him with his heavy stare.

“Aa,” he nods, clearing his throat before affirming, “I did.”

“Good.”

A knot ties itself in his gut as he watches his father stride away.

He blinks his tired eyes, spinning in the opposite direction of the main house, taking steps toward the edges of the compound. He thinks that he would far prefer the quiet and solitude of the gardens over the rice paper walls and sliding doors of the place he called home. So he stalks briskly away from the path that would bring him to his residence, firming his jaw against the sour sensations in his stomach and the rush of his pulse thumping in his ears.

It is not until he has broken away from the residential areas and the promenade housing kiosks and shops that he realizes that he is still not alone.

“Your father is a severe man,” Mikoto says softly when his steps pause and he turns his head to see her meandering beside him. “Quite intimidating. I suppose he should be, as the head of our clan and all.”

“Why are you still here?” he snarls, his voice harsher than he really intends. It must be exhaustion finally catching up to him. From training so hard for the exam, from giving his all in the matches and utilizing all of his accumulated knowledge to excel in the theoretical portions. 

His mind and body have been stretched to the limit for days, weeks, years and he is simply tired.

And all he said was ‘good’.

“I live here, too,” Mikoto’s voice pulls him back to the present. He is left wondering exactly when he became so prone to wandering thoughts and letting his guard down in the presence of another. “These grounds are as much my home as they are yours. Or will you simply order me to leave the premises, Uchiha-sama.”

“That’s my father’s job,” he bites. His feet begin moving forward once more.

“Mhm,” she hums, voice light. “And he is very good at it. I’m sure you will be, too.”

“But not better than Mikoto-san would be, I’m sure,” he mutters. A joke it surely is, but her words of confidence lessen the pressure in his chest by a little. 

“Of course not,” she exhales heavily, as if exasperated. “We have gone over this, Fugaku-kun. You’re just lucky I am not one to covet positions of power.”

“Fugaku-kun?” he asks, just barely curbing the shock that seeks to leak through his tone.

“I figure we’re friends now,” she says. Her shoulders shrug and he is momentarily distracted by the glossy sheen of her hair as it shifts around her arms.

“Friends?” he questions quietly. She looks up at him and smiles.

“Well, we are taking a walk together,” she muses. Her eyes move away from his to survey their surroundings. Artfully placed plants and bamboo fountains border the space. At its center is a large, pristine koi pond housing numerous, multicolored fish. “We’re engaging in comfortable conversation.”

Fugaku scoffs, “You’ve been basically insulting me. And following me around. I did not invite you.”

“Aa, but you also have not sent me away,” when her face turns toward him again, she bats her long lashes and his heart seems to momentarily lodge itself in his throat.

He swallows it down heavily and spits out, “Perhaps I should.”

“You won’t,” she replies. Her steps slow and she gazes into his eyes steadily.

He says nothing and looks away. They continue to walk, side-by-side.

A silence settles over them, underscored with the quiet bubbling sounds of moving water, the occasional splash as koi peek their heads over the surface of their pond. A warm breeze shakes the leaves of small trees and long-stemmed flowers sway gently. The temptation to engage his dojutsu, to capture the most minute and subtle movements and shift of his surroundings, for once not out of a need to mark danger, takes him as it often does when he is alone. His eyes had consumed so much death and terror; sometimes they yearned for beautiful things, too. 

“Your father’s response to your accomplishment left much to be desired,” a soft voice filtered to his ears on the current of the wind.

“That is simply the man he is,” he replies, voice equally as soft. Distantly, he realizes he has now passed the same short tree twice, that he has to adjust his steps to avoid the same stone a second time.

“You have accomplished something that many of our peers and forefathers could not,” she says, and her voice is so earnest that it draws his gaze away from the puckering mouths of hungry koi to her dark, glittering eyes.

“Aa,” he breathes. Her features furrow, a small wrinkle taking residence between her brows. 

“Your brother would be proud,” she says. And her face that had become slightly troubled seems to melt into pleasantness once more, her lips curving in a smile. “He would be so happy for you, today.”

“Aa,” Fugaku whispers, again. And despite himself, despite his father’s aloofness and the ache that settles in his throat and his chest–

He believes what she says.

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

Sasuke smiles when he hears two feminine voices laughing from somewhere near the front door to his and his wife’s home. The sound of a long sigh and the wet smack of lips against a cheek filter to his ears, along with a half-hearted protest and more sweet giggles. He sets the last dish on the table, straightening in time to see a tall, slender figure step through the doorway, swathed in pristine white robes and a wide-brimmed head-piece.

“Sarada,” he murmurs, allowing his mouth to shape in another gentle smile.

“Papa,” she replies, pausing to shrug off her robes and deposit it, along with her hat, haphazardly in her usual seat. “Tadaima.” 

Sakura sighs, bending to pick up the items and arrange them neatly on the coat-rack off to the side of the room as his daughter sweeps forward to clasp his shoulders in a warm hug. A pinkish splotch on her cheek in the shape of her mother’s lips draws his attention and he chuckles, swiping it away with his thumb before looping his arm around her back.

“You would think the Hokage would have learned to hang up her coat by now,” Sakura muses, throwing him an eye roll from over their child’s shoulder.

He simply casts a look her way before leaning down to rest his cheek at the crown of his daughter’s head.

“Okaeri,” he says.

“Did you cook tonight?” Sarada asks, pulling away from their embrace. 

“Aa,” he nods. Her mouth widens with a grin for a moment before it fades. 

“Mitsuki might join us,” she informs, glancing between Sakura and him. “I hope that’s alright.”

“He’s always welcome,” Sakura says, voice sweet. She moves to stand behind their daughter, reaching up to stroke her fingers through her dark, thick hair.

Sasuke revels in the warm feeling that pools in his chest as he takes in the sight of his two most precious people. The top of Sakura’s head reaches only a few inches above her own child’s chin, her pale pink locks (slowly being interwoven with strands of silver as the years pass by) an intense, but beautiful contrast to Sarada’s inky black hair. 

His daughter looks both just the same as the tiny infant he once cradled in his one hand, and so different in her maturity. He sees his own mother in the color of her eyes, the shade and texture of her hair. Even her voice is reminiscent of the one that his memories have barely managed to cling to, a smooth alto that can be soothing and gentle or hard and sharp like stone.

It causes a bittersweet pang in his center that he has come to cherish. To be able to see the growth of his and his beloved’s creation, and remnants of his lost loved ones all at once.

The sound of the front door opening and shutting brings him back to the present, where his wife and daughter have settled into their seats and make quiet conversation. He slides into his own just as a tall, lean form appears in the doorway to the dining area.

“I let myself in,” Mitsuki announces. Sarada sighs heavily with a shake of her head while his wife visibly bites back a laugh. “I do hope that’s not a problem.”

“You’ve done so for nearly a decade now, Mitsuki,” Sasuke says dryly. He gestures to an open seat with a flick of his fingers. “If it were ever a problem, there’s no use in harping on it now.”

“You are always welcome to let yourself in, Mitsuki-kun,” Sakura amends. She smiles the smile that can light up an entire room, and chase the darkness away from even the most ruined of hearts. “You’re too special to us to worry over such a thing.”

“Thank you, Sakura-san,” Mitsuki chirps as he lowers himself into his spot. His golden eyes immediately latch onto Sarada. “The office has been cleared and rearranged. I’ve brought with me all the…personal effects.” 

A look passes between them that Sasuke finds familiar. He glances toward his wife, who meets his gaze with a particular glint in her eye before directing her attention back to the pair of former teammates and current…something. 

“Good,” Sarada nods, clearing her throat delicately. She glances down for a split second before pinning Mitsuki with her gaze once more. “Let’s talk about all that after we’ve eaten.”

Sasuke glances toward Sakura again who arches her brow subtly.

“Let’s eat, then,” she says cheerfully. She pushes her palms together, painted fingernails catching the light with a glossy sheen. “Itadakimasu!” 

The rest of the table echoes her words. Sasuke doles out a serving first to Sarada, then to his wife before passing some to Mitsuki. His daughter digs in enthusiastically, shoveling food into her mouth at a breakneck pace while somehow managing to keep her movements graceful.

He is forced to bite back a chuckle as he notes that Mitsuki stares at Sarada eating for a solid minute before directing his attention to his own food. A small, nearly inaudible snort breaks free when the young man manages to mirror the exact order to which Sarada consumed the different food items on her plate.

“Sasuke-san,” Mitsuki says after they eat in a comfortable silence for a little while. “I would like to offer my thanks again to you for allowing me to use your father’s old office.”

His chopsticks pause briefly before he resumes the process of scooping up a portion of rice and meat.

“You’ve already thanked me,” he responds before taking his bite. After he chews and swallows he adds, “And really, you didn’t need my permission.”

“It wasn’t really your permission I wanted,” the younger man smiles, the expression somewhere in the realm between genuine and Sai-like in his younger, post-ROOT years. “It was your blessing.

Sasuke nods, resisting the urge to emphasize the fact that his permission nor blessing were required for Mitsuki to occupy that space. He recognizes the respect wrapped up in the request and is appropriately moved by it.

“You had my blessing when you first asked,” he states. Leveling his gaze at Mitsuki’s, he offers a shallow dip of his chin. “You still have it now. I wish you luck in your new position.”

“You’ll do a wonderful job, Mitsuki. My Sarada made the perfect choice, appointing you,” Sakura says. She reaches out to pat the back of the boy’s hand, which he responds to with a slightly startled glance. “The two of you have always made a great pair.”

Mitsuki smiles and murmurs his thanks while Sasuke barely holds back an eye roll. His wife is kind, beautiful, intelligent– subtle, she is not.

Sarada updates them on the goings on in the Hokage tower, some of it relating to village politics and a good portion involving gossip that her mother is absolutely riveted by. Mitsuki interjects now and then, but seems content to simply gaze at Sasuke’s daughter with an intensity that borders on unusual. Were it not for the faint, but unmistakable lovesick look on his face, he might have been concerned or ruffled.

He empathizes with the poor man’s plight–even after years of marriage, with stretches of heart-wrenching distance in between, Sasuke also finds himself caught in a daze when he watches Sakura simply…exist. Time had brought with it a softness that he was still getting used to. Peace–true peace, and not the fragile mirage of it– reigned fully for the first time in his living memory. His daughter had become the second woman to sit as the Hokage to the Leaf, and the first ever Uchiha at that. Rather than spending his days seeking out trouble and dispelling threats, he spends them taking care of the house he and his wife lived in. 

Each morning, he rises after the sun sits fully in the sky. He kisses Sakura on her cheeks until she stirs awake, brews her coffee and his tea. He tends to his garden of tomatoes and other produce, does chores while his wife goes to review proceedings at the hospital or visits one of her clinics. He makes her dinners, gives her flowers, takes her on long walks around a body of water. And he watches her, when she joins him in the garden on the weekends, when she curls up against his side and plays long, mind-numbing episodes of her favorite shinobi dramas on the television that he has still not managed to learn how to operate. 

It takes a conscious effort to pull his attention away from her now, to take in the visage of the young man who gazes at his child with stars in his eyes. He recognizes the feeling of staring at someone who has seen you at your worst and your best, and managed to stand at your side through every second. 

“Papa,” Sarada’s voice is quiet, but it breaks through his musings with ease. He figures it is a father’s sensitivity to the tone of her voice, the hesitation he can almost taste from even that single word. 

“Yes,” he responds, turning his head in her direction so he may study her face. Sakura shifts at her end of the table, instinctively leaning in toward her daughter. He figures her instincts must be even more finely tuned to her troubles than his.

“While Mitsuki and I were beginning to clean out the office,” she says, voice level save for the barest tightness that most probably would not even notice, “we came across some of what must have been Ojiisan’s personal items. I saw some of them, but had to leave before the room had been completely sorted out. I’m sure Mitsuki came across more. I asked him to set them aside and bring them to you.”

“Aa,” he says, nodding. Her words inspire a tug in his chest, but the years had tamed those reactions, too. “Thank you both, for that. I’ll be happy to take them.”

Sarada nods vigorously. She hesitates for a moment before rising from her seat and circling around the table to stand by Mitsuki. He reaches into the lapel of his shirt and brings forth a pristine white envelope. 

Sakura moves away from her own seat, coming to kneel behind Sasuke. Her hands snake over his biceps, fingers squeezing gently as her chin comes to rest on his shoulder. Sarada’s friend passes the envelope to her, and she approaches slowly, carefully kneeling at his side and extending it to him with open palms. 

His heart thuds in his chest as he accepts the parcel, but he makes sure to send his daughter a small smile and meaningful glance. She blinks quickly but graces him with a tiny smile of her own. It’s a tremulous thing, one that makes the backs of his eye burn and the spaces between his ribs ache. That expression reminds him of the longest night of his life, years in the past, when those wide, deep eyes had been flooded with tears and more emotions than he could name. It was that night when he felt anything but pride watching his child’s irises bleed to red.

Whatever was in this packet seemed to remind Sarada of that night, too. It is all Sasuke can do to remain strong in the face of it, for her.

He does not need to ask Sakura to offer a helping hand, her hand reaching down to hold the envelope steady in front of him as he opens the seam and flips over the tab. Reaching inside, his fingers encounter a thin stack of paper, the surfaces of which seemed smooth, almost slick, while dry.

As his hand emerges, the first thing he sees is a glimpse of his mother’s face. His breath catches in his throat, and he hears both his daughter and wife take in a deep, shaky breath. He adjusts his hold to reveal the entire image, running his eye over it again and again. The telltale tingling and newfound intensity of the black-and-white photo signify his dojutsu coming to life.

“She is so beautiful,” Sakura breathes, the hand still holding him squeezing gently. “Sarada looks just like her.”

“Aa,” he rasps. Using his thumb he slowly, gently slides the photo aside, setting it down carefully on his knee. 

The next image causes a lump to lodge itself in his throat. It shows an Itachi that his memories had begun failing to conjure up, one who was not so deathly pale, and not at all blood-soaked. And beside him, his own face absent of any signifiers of age, or pain or ill-fate. He is rocked with an intense wave of emotion, his single eye sliding shut as flashes of a time long past filter through his thoughts in what should have been hours, in only a handful of seconds.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura whispers. Her hand begins to stroke up and down his arm, her cheek pressing deeply against the side of his neck. He tilts his head to touch his cheek to her temple, briefly, before straightening and looking into the crimson eyes of his (not so) little girl.

“You know who they are,” he says in a low voice. 

“Yeah,” she croaks. Her throat bobs in a swallow and Mitsuki’s hand rises to her shoulder for a second, before falling back to his side nearly immediately after. “Obaasan, Itachi-ojisan.”

“It makes me glad that you’re able to see photos of them, Sarada,” he murmurs. He releases his grip on the photos long enough to stroke his finger over her reddened cheek. “They would have loved you dearly.”

She takes a shuddering breath but still manages to give him a heartwarming smile. It could practically be his mother’s face, but it is Sakura entirely in that smile.

“I noticed you take your looks from your mother, Sasuke-san. Your brother as well,” Mitsuki comments. Sasuke glances up but the younger man’s golden eyes are pinned on Sarada, tracing over her slightly trembling shoulders. “You seem to have taken some of your personna from your father.”

When Sasuke sets the photo of him and his brother aside, he is confronted by his father’s stoic face. Although younger than he was when he perished, his features are nearly as severe as Sasuke gleaned from his sparse and blood-filtered memories. He sees very little of himself or his child in the man’s image. But the carriage that practically bleeds from the page, the quiet, almost cold air is more familiar than he would honestly like to admit.

That coldness he remembers, the distance from his second son and seemingly constant disappointment stands at odds with the material presented before him. Sasuke stares down at the photos, as well as a clumsy drawing of a dinosaur captioned under his own name and small, mundane notes etched into yellowed paper. And he struggles to contend these tiny glimpses into the life of a man who existed first as an unreachable figure of authority and since as a memory with the father he thought he knew.  

“I never knew he kept photos of us in his office,” he admits quietly. “And…I never thought to ask for any of his belongings.”

“Who knows if they would have given them to you, anyway,” Sarada says tightly. “Maybe it’s better that we were able to find them this way.” 

Sakura shifts her position, discarding the envelope to the ground so she is able to place a hand on both Sasuke and Sarada at the same time. His chest tightens and grows warm at the reminder that she has always been and will always be their rock, the person who keeps the three of them secure and whole.

“Aa, maybe it is better,” he acquiesces softly. For a moment he watches the intricate patterns in her iris swirl before they settle into place, and Sarada leans into the stroke of her mothers hand over her hair. “Mitsuki. Thank you.”

“There is something else,” the young man replies, reaching carefully into his wide sleeve. “I came across it after Sarada left. I purchased a box to hold it since it did not have one.”

He is passed a thin, rectangular box that feels velvety to the touch. He uses his thumb to lift its opening and freezes at what is revealed.

In a bed of off-white silk is nestled a necklace. One that he is very familiar with, having seen it mostly every single day during his childhood. A handsome, glossy ruby shines in the overhead light, with such luster that he suspects his daughter’s paramour had it polished before bringing it here.

He hears both Sarada and his wife gasp as he carefully plucks the thin chain and pulls the piece out of its case.

“This was my mother’s,” he whispers. The tip of his thumb sweeps gently over the delicate chain, traces the shape of koi fish crafted from steel. “She wore it every day. I always assumed it was a courting gift from my father.”

“It’s lovely,” Sakura murmurs wistfully. “A beautiful lover’s gift.”

“The chain was broken when I discovered it,” Mitsuki informs. To his credit, he does not waver when his voice draws the attention of one and a half pairs of sharingan eyes. “I took the liberty of having a new clasp fitted and the links repaired, so it could be worn. Or displayed in its fullest capacity.”

“Mitsuki,” Sarada says shakily. Her scarlett eyes seem to glow brighter for a moment, iridescent through a sheen of moisture. “Thank you so much.”

The young man’s usually rather placid expression softens, his lids lowering over yellow eyes and his mouth curls into perhaps the most genuine smile Sasuke has ever seen. He simply lowers his head, offering no other words in response to the gratitude.

Sasuke looks back down to the necklace, running his fingers lightly over the detailed koi bordering the stone once more. He thinks of how this piece of jewelry was worn by his mother, a piece of her that he had not seen in years and had never expected to see again. It is something she obviously cherished, held literally close to her heart at all times. A gift from his father who, for all his flaws and his inadequacies, must have loved deeply and dearly enough to give it to her.

It makes Sasuke think of his own love, and his own short-comings. The years spent in pain, in darkness, time wasted while he attempted to reign in his feelings and wrangle his emotions for the sake of power. He wonders, then, if the man who was so hard on his son, was equally hard on himself. If a husband who could love his wife enough to give her a beautiful piece of jewelry that held no utility except to be pleasing to the eye could so easily sacrifice a life with her for the sake of his clan.

“Grandfather must have loved her a lot,” Sarada says quietly. Sasuke looks up to see her smiling as she studies the necklace in his hand.

Sakura hums in agreement, leaning in to take a closer look. Her verdant eyes hold the gloss of barely contained tears and Sasuke’s heart flutters. He shifts over, letting her lean into his side. He brings the necklace closer to her, meets her gaze and urges her to take it with a nod. A shudder works through her form as it slides into her palm and she reaches out with careful fingers to touch it hesitantly. Reverent, as she is with all the things and people she cares for. 

“My father was a hard man, and he had many flaws,” Sasuke murmurs. He stretches his hand out, to touch his wife rather than the jewel. “But I could never begrudge him for how he loved his wife.”  

The gemstone nestled in the center of the necklace matches perfectly with the ring Sasuke had created for his wife many years ago. A stitch of mirth snakes through his being when he notes that Uchiha men seem to favor gems that mimic the color of their clan’s bloodline limit. 

He remembers the urge he had back then–to find some way to make the bond between him and his wife material, a physical thing that could be touched and seen when neither of them were in close enough proximity. And, perhaps, it had been to assuage his jealous feelings as well. But presenting Sakura with her ring on that starry night in the middle of an unknown place, her green eyes glittering up at him with warmth and affection easily became one of his favorite memories. 

Sasuke wonders if his father had felt the same way when he gave this necklace to the woman who would become his wife. He wonders, if time had not turned as it had, and if he and his father were able to engage in more conversations, if he might have done it sooner.

“Sakura,” he breathes. She drags her gaze away from the jewelry to meet his. He smiles, swipes his thumb at the wetness just under her eye. “I’d like you to put it on.”

“Sasuke-kun,” she gasps. “I couldn’t.” Her hair falls in front of her eyes slightly as she shakes her head. His fingers curl around a pale lock of hair, pushing it back behind the shell of a softly speckled ear.

He holds her stare. “Please.”

She pulls her lip between her teeth, “It should go to Sarada.”

“And it will,” he says. He glances at his daughter and smiles. “Someday. And it will pass to her daughter, too, if she so chooses. For now, it is yours.”

 Sakura hesitates for another moment before carefully undoing the clasp on the necklace and bringing it to her neck. Sasuke gathers her soft hair in his hand, lifting it out of the way so she can fasten the chain.

He adjusts its positioning about her neck, until the deep red charm is centered perfectly between her collarbones, just above her sternum. 

“Beautiful, Mama,” Sarada sighs and his wife smiles widely, eyes shining. 

Sasuke feels a new lightness take up residence in his being. The final unloading of a weight that he has carried for so long, it hardly felt like a burden. It is as if in this act, passing on this trinket that was once his mother’s to his own wife, creating a new family heirloom that could be transferred through future generations, he finally sits fully in his promise to remake his clan and honor their legacy.

They have a legacy again. Because of his wife. Because of their child. 

His eye wanders away from his precious little family to study the guest who lingers just on the outside of this intimate moment. If the emotions of it all have an affect on him, it is difficult to see beneath his calm expression and relaxed posture. And yet his gaze seems to burn from within, fixed on the necklace hanging now from Sakura’s neck.

Sasuke watches as those cat-like eyes flick away from the jewelry Sakura wears to Sarada’s direction, tracing her features and stopping at her neck. His gaze lingers, and grows warm, wistful.

Sasuke huffs quietly to himself, and smiles.

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

Fugaku walks with his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his training pants. The fingers of his right hand fiddle with the long, slim box hidden beside it, nerves scratching at his very bones.

Mikoto studies him with narrowed eyes, a small twitch of her berry-stained lips giving away the smile she is trying to hold back.

“Shifty today, are we?” she teases. “Failed mission?”

He snorts through his nose, perhaps more aggressively than intended. “Obviously not.”

“Oh, obviously not,” she drawls. “Because you are simply perfect in every way.”

And, although he knows he is anything but, he simply responds, deadpan–

“Yes.”

When Mikoto’s head tips back in a warm, belly-deep laugh, Fugaku fights his own smile and revels in the oozing, honey-like sensation that pools in his chest. The warm light from the last rays of the sun disappearing over the horizon brings out the bare flush to her cheeks. It glints off the sheen of her hair and casts about her a glow that he can only describe as otherworldly. Angelic, perhaps.

“You’re learning,” she coos. And he rolls his eyes, quickening his step just a bit as they wander mindlessly in circles around the same koi pond they always find themselves at. 

“Your big-headedness must have rubbed off on me,” he states, focusing his gaze on the gently rippling water. He catches sight of the pair of red and black koi that circle around each other, slightly separate from the rest of the shoal.

The pair seems to be inseparable, always chasing after each other's tail fins. Fugaku hopes it is an omen, or some manner of sign.

“Good,” Mikoto chirps. “If only my skill and prowess could, too.”

Fugaku growls in only half-feigned irritation, “Mikoto-chan.”

She  bounds ahead of him, spinning to pace backwards and shrugs. 

“You have not bested me yet,” she states, tilting her head in a way that makes his heart skip a beat in his chest.

“I won our last spar,” he reminds her, lengthening his stride to move close enough to her that each of his steps forward forces her to take one of equal measure back. “The one before that, too.”

Her dark eyes seem to absorb all the fading light around them as they dip toward his chin.

“...I let you win those,” she mumbles. His mouth curves upward slightly.

“Sure.”

“Your fireball still isn’t bigger than mine,” she challenges, her voice firmer now. She meets his stare and stops her steps.

He pauses only when her forehead is mere centimeters away from his nose. The scent of lilies fills his nose, something like iron and smoke underneath. It is pleasant, comforting.

“You think so?” he murmurs. 

“Shall we test it and find out?” she whispers. Her breath brushes warmly over his chin. 

His fingers grip tighter around the parcel hidden away in his pocket. Anticipation and trepidation grip at him in a heady mixture that nearly draws him into a daze. Or perhaps it is simply the proximity, Mikoto’s breath mingling with his, her scent.

In the next second she is dashing away, jogging through the more compacted sections of the gardens. Fugaku blinks in shock before trailing after her at a slightly slower pace.

Long, dark hair floats behind her as she dashes around trees and vaults over stubby shrubs. She does not stop until she reaches a small dock at the edge of a lake far on the outskirts of their compound.

“Future clan heads first,” she says with an exaggerated bow as he draws close.

He shoots her a look that he hopes fully imparts his annoyance. She simply laughs, gesturing for him to position himself at the edge of the dock.

For a moment, he feels bitterness grip at him–his plans to present the item he holds firmly even now had not involved one of her little competitions. Yet the shining of her eyes, the mischievous tilt of her smile as she watches expectantly washes those feelings away like a leaf in the wind. He realizes that even these silly, mundane activities are more than fulfilling when she is around.

So, he steels himself, drawing on his chakra with focus and intense concentration. He squeezes his eyes shut as he allows the heat to boil up from his stomach, to seep inward from his fingers and limbs. As it coalesces in his lungs, he pushes further, until the burn is nearly unbearable, the flavor of smoke coating the roof of his mouth and tongue. 

When the burn becomes so intense he teeters at the threshold of pain, he allows his jaw to fall open and lets loose possibly the largest fireball he has ever created in his life. Its circumference spans over half of the lake’s surface, lighting up their darkening areas and washing his body with a wave of heat that causes sweat to prickle on his face and a tingle at his brow. 

The water bubbles and steam billows when he spits out the last dredge of flame, a cough seizing him that shakes his bones.

“Impressive, Fugaku-kun,” Mikokto says from behind him, her hand stroking gently over his back.

Her tone is sincere as is the look in her eyes when he blinks his own clear enough to see them.

“My turn,” she grins, patting his back. She trots to the edge of the dock, glancing over her shoulder briefly to check that he’s watching.

He is. With his sharingan engaged and every iota of his attention focused on her.

Her fingers fly through the hand-signs fast enough to shock him before her head tips back slightly, her mouth falling open while a stream of flame so fierce that it blows the hair away from both their faces spills forth.

The grass at the edges of the bank shrivels and dries under the heat as a fireball larger than Fugaku has ever seen completely encompasses the span of the lake. The surface of the water roils, nearby trees and shrubbery sway in the wind created by the bursting steam. 

The display is wild and magnificent, awe-inspiring. Frightening. Riveting. 

She is all of those things, and more.

“Told you,” she cries, dashing over to stand in front of him. 

Her lips are singed, slightly raw as are the edges of her mouth. The skin of her cheeks is flushed a deep red, the fine hairs at her temples plastered to her face with moisture. Yet her face is lit up in a bright smile, eyes wide and glittering.

“What do you say, Uchiha-sama?” she plants her hands on her hips, staring at him with her teasing expression.

“I say that you’re better than me in many ways,” he responds in a quiet voice. She laughs gleefully, combing hair back from her face.

“Finally, you admit it.” 

He steps closer, so close that her smile wavers and her eyes widen a bit more.

“I say that you’re not better than me at fire jutsu, though,” he continues, tilting his head so he can hold her gaze.

Her inky brow arches, “Did we not just prove that I’m better at it?”

“I say,” he whispers, pulling his right hand out of his pocket and bringing it and the item it holds up between them, “that I do not want to compete with you anymore. I’d much rather simply stand by your side.”

“Fugaku…” she breathes. Her fingers curl around the box, her other hand moving to slowly lift the top.

Nestled in a bed of red velvet is the gift he has made for her, toiled over with his own hands, melded and molded by his own flame. Two koi fish made of shinobi’s steel circling around a ruby pool, dangling from a long chain.

“My favorite kunai,” Fugaku explains as the item is revealed and she elicits a sharp gasp. “And my expert, masterful use of fire jutsu.”

He smiles at his own humor, but Mikoto simply gazes at him in shock. 

“The ruby is the only thing not created with my own hands. I had help shaping it.”

She stares until he begins to wonder if she is breathing, and if he has made a terrible, humiliating mistake.

“What do you say?” he asks quietly.

“Fugaku-kun,” she breathes, dark eyes glittering, warm with the reflection of the moon that had finally risen to its place in the sky. “I… you’re right, I suppose. My flames could never create something like this.”

Then her face breaks into the widest smile he has seen from her yet. And he finds that this, too, she is better at than him.

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

The Hokage’s residence is larger than it was during the Seventh’s time. The house is sprawling, a single level building formed in a traditional fashion. The designs had come from old blueprints of what used to be the Main House of the Uchiha compound, he was told. It was a gift, and perhaps even an apology from Sarada’s predecessor to herself.

“The sky is so clear, tonight,” Sarada murmurs, her head tipped back as she gazes at the heavy sprinkling of stars. “It’s nice to be able to see it for once.”

“Are you glad now that I tricked you into leaving your office?” Mitsuki asks, raising his brows as she shifts her eyes to look at him.

“As glad as you’ll be tomorrow when I leave the stack of paperwork you’ve encouraged me to neglect on your desk in the morning,” she replies, blinking at him with a doe-eyed expression.

He chuckles and she grins before directing her attention to the sky above once again.

Their steps slow to practically a crawl as they draw close to the dark, rippling water of the koi pond that was built at the center of the property. Bubbling sounds filter softly to his ears, and every now and then silvery, colorful koi pass under beams of moonlight, exposing themselves before disappearing into the inky black shadows of the pool.

“I want to thank you again,” Sarada breaks the silence with a quiet voice. His attention is drawn to her as acutely as if she were shouting. “For what you did for my family. For me.”

“It was nothing,” he replies.

“It was more than nothing,” she insists. And when her fingers slide against his palm, his own respond immediately, wrapping around hers firmly. Feeling as if that is their rightful place. “Using that space, sorting my grandfather's belongings…repairing that necklace. It meant something, everything to me.”

“Anything,” he whispers.

“What?”

Using his grip on her fingers, he tugs them to a stop, shifting around until they are face-to-face. Her long lashes flutter when he steps forward, trapping their joined hands between both of their rising and falling chests.

“Anything for you, Sarada,” he states. “I would do absolutely anything for you.”

His other hand rises slowly, fingers stroking lightly over the high point of her cheek before tracing a path down the side of her neck. He brushes at the center of her upper chest, uncovered in the absence of her robes, with his thumb for a moment and imagines himself one day placing that necklace that had changed their worlds exactly there. 

Mitsuki pulls his fingers away, letting his hand fall back toward his side until it is caught mid-air by Sarada’s. She interlaces their fingers, drawing both pairs under her chin and leaning until her forehead rests against his.

“I believe that,” she breathes. “And I love you for it.”

His responding confession is drowned out by their mingling breaths, snaking its way between the minute spaces between their joining lips.

I love you, too.

୨⎯ End ⎯୧

#silentfics #silentvoicescryingout #silent writes #boruto era #post canon boruto fanfic #uchiha sasuke #uchiha sakura #uchiha sarada #mitsuki #uchiha fugaku #uchiha mikoto #sasusaku #mitsusara #fugamiko #naruto next generations #hokage sarada #i head canon that fugako is the second son #sasuke and his dad had more in common than he realized #unfortunately neither of them will ever know how much #commission

[naruto-scenarios-plus-akatsuki]

I'd like a scenario of Ino and Shika mourning the death of their dads and their uncles. It's not explored at all in the series, but I find it hard to believe that they weren't close. I wish Inoichi could have said something to Shikamaru, even if it was really short due to the time: "I'd have liked to see you grow even more. Work hard, Shikamaru". And Shikaku telling Ino something like "you've always been like a daughter to me. Make us proud'. Inoshikacho is the best family in Konoha.

Thank you for the request. I never lost a father or mother so I may not know the complete feeling but I have loss someone dear to me.  With those feelings, I hoped I conveyed the sense of mourning and loss one truly feels when anyone close to them passes away. 

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV

Loss and Remembering

The war was won. The enemy was defeated. Naruto was safe and Sasuke had returned. You would think all was well with the world. That good had won the day. Yet with any war there was always a cost.  With anything left good to fight for there was a price.

Ino struggled with that price. Her and many of her comrades had suffered a loss during the war. There was an emptiness to her heart that she hadn’t felt before. A bare hole that was expanding with each passing day as the reconstruction of Konoha went on.

The memorial service for the fallen had already taken place and she had shed most of her tears at the event. Home was bittersweet without her dad. Every article and room had a memory of him in it that she could not erase. She had been a wreak the moment she stepped through the door of her house the first night she returned from the Land of Lightning.

The adrenaline and self-preservation no longer distracted her from the reality that her father had passed away. Her mother had already heard the news luckily before her arrival and embraced her only living child fully as soon as she returned. They both cried together, falling to the floor in their grief.

Death was common in the life of a shinobi, but although it is expected, the pain is still very real and affects the lives of those touched by the individual’s sacrifice. Both Ino and her mom knew what kind of man Inoichi was and how he would give his life for his village and comrades to keep them safe. He paid the ultimate price and although there was honor in his death, both of them were really hurt.

After the memorial and funeral service held for those fallen from the 4th Great Ninja War, Ino realized she wasn’t the only one hurting. The village had lost over a hundred lives. Her friends were all hurting. They had lost someone their own age, Neji, who died saving Hinata. Her teammate, Shikamaru, lost his own father. The pain evident on his face while Choji sympathized and cried too, feeling the lost of both of them.

She thought she had cried all that she had that day. The week building up to the funeral was nothing but tears and staying at home. When the day passed and the memory of the fallen forgotten, others were ready to pick up their lives where they left off. The second to the Yamanaka clan had took over as leader while the elders discuss what was next for the clan. They had expectations for her, and she soon had little time to feel anymore as she was filled with busy work.

They were prepping her to become the next leader. The added pressure weighing on her heart and shoulders, making her wonder if she was capable of it. She hadn’t seen her teammates since the funeral, but to be honest, she was currently lost in her own little world. A bubble filled with to-dos and things she had to learn.

Her elders and clan gave her many praises for her accomplishments in the war, but she would not take hold of the clan until she was of proper age. There were still many things for her to learn. They had told her that although war can advance someone’s maturity, they wanted to be sure she was ready.

Ino felt anything but ready. She hadn’t expected to come back from the war to take over her dad’s position. She thought he would still be here with her. She thought she had many more years left with him. With him teaching her, guiding her, loving her, but he was gone and now she wanted nothing more than her father’s warm embrace and kind smile, telling her how much he was proud of her.

Her mind winced at the thought. She thought she was okay but today was one of those days. She stopped in the middle of the street. The sun was beating down and sky was cloudless. There was hardly a breeze and civilians bustled around her going about their daily lives. So much has changed and yet life keeps on going. Her eyes were watching as the architects and stone cravers were working on the latest project of Kakashi’s face on the Hokage mountain.

She was staring at the piece for a while, lost in her own thoughts. A sense of discontent filling her being. She didn’t want to cry. She thought she was done crying. After the memorial service, she told herself she wasn’t going to cry anymore. She had her mom to be brave for and a clan to lead.

“Ino?”

She was driven out of her thoughts and looked away from the mountain top to see Choji in front of her.

“You okay?” He asked concerned.

“Yea,” she replied quickly, glad to have snapped out of it. She smiled out of habit.

“Are you sure?” he asked, not convinced. He was typically sensitive to other people’s emotions, especially his teammates that he has known since childhood.

“Yup, I had a few errands to run this morning and finally got a break for myself.” She gave a fake laugh.

Choji nodded. “How’s your mom doing? I’ve been meaning to stop by, but everything been so busy.”

“You’re telling me. Between clan duties, training, and the flower shop, I’m typically spent. My mom has been doing fine. She’s been tending to the Yamanaka gardens mostly. Spring just popped up, so we been replenishing our stock…” Ino trailed off.

Choji understood. The Yamanaka clan had supplied most of theflowers for the funeral service free of charge for those who were loss. The biggest bouquets going to Inoichi and Shikaku. Choji had a grim smile on his face.

“That’s great to hear.”

Ino nodded, smiling painfully. Her thoughts having led back to her dad. “Yup. Well I’ll catch you later Choji.” She said ready to make her exit and move pass him.

“Wait Ino.”

She stopped to listen.

“If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me. I miss your dad too, not as much as you probably do, and I know its probably not the same way I’m feeling. If anyone knows what your going through it would be Shikamaru,” he said gently.

Ino’s soft smile was more genuine this time. “Thanks Choji.” she said before she continuing on.

Her mind now was overwhelmed and swirling. She guessed she wasn’t doing as great as she thought she was if Choji could tell something was wrong. She sighed. She also felt like a terrible friend. She hadn’t checked up on Shikamaru. The loss of his dad was probably hurting him just as much and Ino knew Choji would be right that Shikamaru could relate to how she was feeling,but he seemed to be doing just fine.

She wondered how he was able to manage it. The grief, the pain, and the numbness from it. She made her way to the Hokage tower slowly, hoping to find her teammate.

Shikamaru was easy enough to find after asking the receptionist. He had his own personal office now and when she entered it, he was reading through a scroll. He looked up surprised to see her and greeted her. She felt awkward as she greeted him back.

He discerned her quickly, knowing something was on her mind.“What brings you here?”

“Oh, nothing just wanted to see how you are doing. I haven’t seen you in a while. I wanted to check in,” she expressed as if carefree.

Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and yawned. “Well I could use a break. Want to join me?”

She nodded and they both made their way out of his office and to the roof of the Hokage tower. They both found a seat on a bench up there and Shikamaru leaned back to stare at the clouds.

“So how are you holding up?” he asked bluntly.

“Is it that obvious?” She questioned insecure.

“No, but I know.” Shikamaru reasoned.

“I feel like I’m just supposed to magically move on from it but I don’t know how everything just keeps…”

“Reminding you of them?” Shikamaru finished.

“Yes,” Ino breathed. “It hurts. It really does. It feels like I lost…” She was lacking words how she was trying to express how she feels.

“I know,” Shikamaru nodded, his face solemn.

“How are you holding up so well?” Ino questioned in desperation.

“I’m not.” Shikamaru admitted. “I think of my father quite often. He showed me how to be a man. How to love. How to fight. How to be smart. I also think of Asuma often. He had depended on me, he was proud of me, he built me up, and never gave up on me.” He took out Asuma’s lighter, opening and closing it. “I miss them both greatly.” He said after a minute.

There was a silence.

“I miss your father as well.”

Ino sniffled trying to hold back tears but started to cry silently anyway.

“Inoichi was kind enough to relay a message from my father and I’m grateful for him to do so, to give me my father’s last words, but also, he too, gave me a message.”

Ino’s ears perked up and she stopped crying to listen more closely. “My dad left you a message too?”

“Yes, just briefly after my father’s words since there wasn’t much time. But your dad told me that he never had a son, but Choji and I were like sons to him. And he was proud of the men he knew we would become. He also asked for me to keep an eye on you.”

Ino smiled softly at that and thought about all Shikamaru had gone through. She thought of his dad, Shikaku. He was a brilliant man as well and she knew how much Shikamaru had admired and loved his dad.

“Your father gave me some advice once,” Ino recalled, and cleared her throat.

Shikamaru turned his head to listen now and stopped fidgeting with the lighter.

“It was when we were little and having a play date while the clan heads got together. You and Choji were being boys throwing rocks and climbing trees. I felt out of place and was mad about something and was sulking on the porch. The grownups went in to talk but before your dad went inside, he kneeled down next to me, seeing as I was staring at you two boys. He told me not to let my anger and sadness keep me from enjoying life and the people in my life.” Ino then giggled. “Of course, I was only six and couldn’t understand what he meant as of yet, but I think now his words ring a little clearer. I feel like the loss of them: Asuma, Shikaku, Neji and my dad will never go away.”

“Yet the pain shouldn’t keep us from living. Although the pain is very real, it is temporary. They will never be taken from our hearts or our memory. We’ll live a life they can be proud of and perhaps one day, we’ll see them again.”

That hope uplifted Ino’s spirits. “Yea, I suppose your right.”

Both of them fell into silence for a few moments, remembering the ones they lost. They spent a good while up on the rooftop, sharing more feelings and memories and coming to peace in the wake of the loss although the pain was definitely there. They had each other to comfort themselves and with that only time would heal.

#ino #shikamaru #choji #ino scenario #shikamaru scenario #Inoichi Yamanaka #inoichi #shikamaru nara #Ino Yamanaka #choji akimichi #inoshikacho #Shikaku #Shikaku Nara #loss #death #ino fanfic #team 10

[obithoes]

could i have a imagine where sasuke and the reader have like 3 children, during while he was on the mission, and he just spends time with the kids, ending with some fluffy and teasing smut between her and sasuke cuz they missed each other? thank you!

a piece of me: sasuke uchiha

authors note: sorry for the delay! there was too many ideas all over the place for this one

word coun: 1610

You could always see the displeasure in his expression during every morning when the both of you were meant to part. Always cutting farewells short — he never intended to be cold, you knew that. The way his eye softened when he held your gaze for too long before shifting towards the small child in your arms the down towards the barely noticeable bump your stomach formed.

You knew this was what he had to do, however he could help but hate that he couldn’t stay with you — bring you with him but you both knew how much he needed this. Without much being said he tenderly kissed you, hastily disappeared right after.

Months after his departure you gave birth to a beautiful set of twins, a boy and a girl. Your daughter Sana, took after you in every aspect except for the dark onyx orbs. While your son Samaru was a mix of the two of you; the only one to not share the same eyes as his father. You cried that night, wishing nothing more than to have Sasuke by your side.

Sasuke was never given the chance to properly interact with the twins, never mind your eldest son. Your eldest Ichiro reminded you so much Sasuke, a carbon copy of him in addition to having the same attitude; although he was much more softer. Regardless of having no memory of their father you often shared stories about him, always involving the tell-tale story of how you met, and showing them pictures from his youth. Your wedding picture seemed to be their favorite, you’d often catch Ichiro fondly gazing at it.

Most believed that you should’ve hated him for leaving you, a lone mother to care for three children. However you couldn’t and would never hate him, you understood why he did what he did and why the way that he is.

No one would ever understand the relationship between you two. You were able to understand each other without having to utter a word; two halves of a whole when separated. Contrary to common belief Sasuke didn’t marry you in hopes of pleasing the village elders, he did it to show his utter devotion; that no matter how far or long he way away for he will always be by your side.

That day was over eight years ago, just three months before discovering you were pregnant with your first. You greatly appreciated the letters you seldomly received from him but they still left you longing for his return. Not just his yearly visit that only lasted through the night with no trace of him to be found in the morning. No you endlessly longed to touch him, wake up next to him, have him at your side raising the children that resembled both you and him in a sense.

——

Just like every other day you raised with the sun, preparing for the day. Since it was saturday you dressed in your old training gear, securely placing a few ninja tools in your pouch. Every since your children decided that they wanted to be just like their parents they’ve been training as much as any seven and six year olds could. Saturday’s became training day ever since Ichiro enrolled in the academy, Sana and Samaru in tow.

Once getting them out of bed they showered ate, and dressed before heading out towards the training grounds. Training with them every weekend caused their skills to greatly improve despite their young age, before turning seven Ichiro was able to master the fire ball justu. Although your nature wasn’t fire you were still able to teach him the hand signs.

Today was mostly spent with shuriken practice, ending with Ichiro helping you teach the twins the fire ball justu. Before the four of you knew it the sun was beginning to set. The three of them raced home, leaving you trudging behind wishing you could share their energy.

Before entering your home you sensed something was off. Picking up on the unfamiliar chakra sense you stiffened, quietly telling your children to wait outside for you. Entering cautiously you concealed your presence, kunai held in a death grip. Entering the living area you were greeted with a all too familiar dark figure lounging on your couch.

“I was wondering when you would come back” Freezing you dropped your kunai at the sound of his voice. Sasuke slowly approached you until you were face to face.

Your hand was the first thing to touch him, landing on his firm chest assuring you this wasn’t some a genjutsu. “Sasuke” your voice was small, lacking it’s usual poise. Looking up you didn’t realize tears clouded your vision until his face became blurry. Your arms circled around his neck squeezing him against you; his lone arm holding you against him.

You must’ve been inside longer than you thought because your children came storming inside. Ichiro in front with his own kunai, Samaru to his left leaving Sana protectively behind them. “Ma what’s... dad?” Ichiro lowered the weapon, gazing up at Sasuke in pure shock, the man that he hardly remembers from only being a few months old was standing right in front of him.

Beating him to it Sana called out for her father in excitement, engulfed him in the biggest huge her little arms could muster. Samaru followed quickly after, both children clinging to their father for dear life as he awkwardly attended to both of them. You remained close laughing at the scene unfolding, shifting your attention you looked around for Ichiro only to come up short. Realizing why he left you gave him the space he needed.

Once it was well past the twins bed time Sasuke helped you put them down before heading off in search of his eldest. Finding Ichiro throwing shuriken at some makeshift targets, he realized he must have slipped outside earlier after this younger siblings became the focus of his attention. Sasuke watched him for a while, waiting for the child to take a break. He became more interested once the child started to weave signs he was all to familiar with, perfecting the first justu he’s ever learned .

“You’re better than I was at your age” his tone was firm, but held a sense of pride. However it didn’t fail to make Ichiro go stiff, only slightly relaxing after realizing it was his father speaking.

Without turning around Ichiro replied “Yeah thanks to mom” He sighed before turning around, he approached his father until they were within arms length of each other. Staring at each other for a while before Sasuke broke the silence.

“It’s not much, but I apologize for not being here for you or the twins. It was never my intention to bring sorrow to any of you”

“Mom already told me. It’s just-“ Ichiro shifted his gaze before looking back at his father with a hardened look “Listen I get that the mission was important for you and you needed to do it” he took a breath before continuing “But it doesn’t matter that mom loves you and she’s okay with you leaving you need to promise that you won’t leave for so long ever again. I don’t like seeing her sad”

Sasuke was stunned, his child lecturing him, putting his feelings aside in regards for another. He reminded him of Itachi, bringing a slight pain to his chest.

“You have my word” his words firm and meaningful,hesitantly he grasped his sons shoulder before continuing. “As I said before I am aware that my words don’t mean much but I’m more that willing to make up for lost time with you. Your mother doesn’t specialize in fire type and I have more than enough ninjutsu’s to teach you.”

The excitement that flashed in Ichiro’s eyes was gone as soon as it came, but not fast enough for Sasuke to miss it. Shrugging his shoulders he looked up at his father as if the words had no effect on him “That would be cool”

Unexpectedly Sasuke pulled Ichiro into the gentlest hug he could manage. Ichiro hesitantly hugged back, basking in the warmth he never knew he missed.

Your heart grew as you watched the scene play out. You silently remained in the door frame, giving them a few minutes before clearing your throat. In an instant Ichiro snapped out of Sasuke’s hold, taking in your presence. You held back a laugh before speaking. “I believe it’s time for bed young man” Nodding Ichiro ran up to you hugging you before wishing you a goodnight, and bashfully wishing the same to his father before heading upstairs.

Once you were sure he was in bed you approached Sasuke almost predator like, pulling him down by the collar of his shirt in for a needy kiss. Gripping the back of your neck Sasuke held you closer. Grazing your teeth across his bottom lip before pulling away.

“Now I think we have some catching up to do” your honeyed tone was almost enough to make him take you right there.

“That we do” His voice dropped an octave making you realize how much you missed hearing him speak.

Lightly trailing your pointer lightly up his chest you stopped all the way at his lip tugging it down. Sasuke playfully nipped at it,

you laughed before speaking. “You know I have some things I’ve been wanting to try out, only if you’re up for it of course” You said in a teasing tone. A light smirk casted over Sasuke’s face, before you could blink you were in your bedroom, back flush against the bed.

#i feel like this fic is all over the place #sasuke uchiha #sasuke uchiha x reader #sasuke x reader #sasuke uchiha scenario #naruto imagines #anonymous

[ranma-rewatch]

Episode 20: You Really Do Hate Cats!

(CONTENT WARNING: This blog post contains discussion of phobias, child abuse, and people doing the worst thing to intensify those problems. Those things are in the show, I didn’t just bring them up out of nowhere.)

Well, it’s that time again. Time to grab a balloon and tell my friends what I think of an episode of Ranma 1/2. We’re starting the first arc of season two with this episode, though oddly enough I feel like I mostly remember what stuff is going to happen in it. But maybe I don’t remember right? I’d love it if that is the case. Though...speaking of that...there is a certain character I have dreaded appearing in this series, and I’d hoped he wouldn’t appear for a while, but I checked and he appears this season. I...I thought I had more time. Oh well, let’s do this episode and I’ll worry about him when he gets here.

Okay, well, for the most part, this episode is actually a lot better than I remember it being. As it turns out, some of the details mutated in my head in the decade since I last saw it, and I actually thought things were worse than they were.

The episode starts in the Kuno manor, where our favorite swordsman is practicing to once again fight Ranma Saotome. But he’s not alone, because for the first time we meet Kuno’s henchman, Sasuke. He’s a ninja, and he’ll do whatever Kuno tells him to do, but he probably won’t do it very well.

From there, we see Ranma’s dad is training him in stupid ways again, and they get back to the house to find Shampoo has mailed Ranma something from China: a pink cat. That’s a problem, because Ranma has a severe cat phobia. It’s not random, either, Genma directly created it. See, when Ranma was 6, Genma thought he should teach his son Cat Fu, which he heard about from an ancient martial arts manuscript. The way to teach it is to cover the disciple in fish sausage and through them into a room with starving cats.

Obviously, that just ended up traumatizing Ranma, and the very next page of the book would have told Genma that training someone that way is very stupid. Kasumi, drawing on the common misunderstandings people have about exposure therapy, thinks that just inviting a ton of cats to be around will help, but of course it doesn’t, it makes Ranma even more distressed. Sasuke is hiding under the floorboards though, and he runs off to tell Kuno about Ranma’s weakness.

At first, Kuno says something about how he could never cowardly use an opponent’s weakness to unfairly win, but then he still makes Sasuke tell him about it, because he can still use it to win in an honorable way. The plan they go for is pretty ridiculous: they leave a note in Ranma’s locker that Akane’s been kidnapped, and he has to go to the gym to save her. But Akane is standing next to Ranma as he reads the note, so he knows that’s not true.

He goes anyway out of curiosity, only to find Sasuke there dressed up as Akane. With the wrong color wig. Even though the trap keeps failing, Ranma walks into it anyway because he has nothing better to do, until he realizes what is going on: cats. But Ranma manages to fight the fear and pretend he’s okay, hoping to just take Akane out of there, but then it becomes clear Sasuke took the extra step of also bringing an enormous tiger.

That’s when we cut back to Genma and Kasumi, and the old man explains that he tried curing Ranma of his phobia, but his way of doing so was to just keep throwing him at hungry cats, only changing the type of food attached to his body. All of it just made the problem worse, but it also actually led to Ranma developing Cat Fu. When Ranma gets scared enough, his mind just let’s go and he mentally becomes a cat.

That happens in the basement of the school, making it easy for him to beat the tiger and escape, just in time to kick Kuno’s butt without even trying. But he doesn’t stop there, and starts running around the school still acting like a cat. Akane follows him just as the dads show up. Genma says the only way to break Ranma out of it when he was a kid was with the help of a kindly old lady, but she’s dead. So, Genma tries dressing up and doing it himself. That fails, so they try catnip, forgetting that Ranma just thinks he’s a cat, so the stuff doesn’t really affect him.

The situation does kind of solve itself, as Ranma doesn’t attack Akane, as she’s afraid of, but instead curls up in her lap to purr. The whole school is watching, so that’s embarrassing for her, but then he kisses her and she freezes for a second before throwing Ranma into the school pool. Oh, and the pink cat is watching and didn’t like that. The curse activating returns his brain to normal, and Ranma has no clue why he was thrown in a pool. Akane walks home, cursing Ranma for doing that, but sounding conflicted.

So, the big thing I misremembered about this episode was I thought Genma did all the cat stuff with 0 thoughts about how it would affect Ranma and not giving a crap how it affected his son. That is actually not the case, he’s clearly really torn up about the phobia, though he still says some bad stuff about Ranma being ‘unmanly’ for having a phobia. He even tried to cure Ranma, a few times. It’s just that, well, his actions still traumatized Ranma. Sufficient ignorance is indistinguishable from malice, as they say. Genma is still, on the whole, abusive to Ranma in my opinion, but he’s not as bad as he could have been, I have to admit.

This was also just a funny episode. The comedy largely worked, even if some of the jokes didn’t quite land. Kuno and Sasuke were especially good, and I found Ranma fighting his fear both humorous and kind of inspiring. The man has a hell of a willpower. Not going to lie, the Cat-Ranma just immediately going for Akane’s lap and then kissing her was cute, I really liked that. Of course, I’m a sucker for anything with them, so I’m an easy mark there.

It’s also interesting how this works as the first part of a large arc, because if you didn’t know that was the case I can imagine thinking this was just a standalone episode. The pink cat was the impetus for the plot, but it’s what will drive the coming episodes forward.

One thing I found annoying was how different the dub and sub were this time around, in terms of script. The dub had a lot more bashing of Ranma for being scared of cats, including from Akane. That isn’t in the subtitled version at all, and I thought the episode worked a lot better there. I’m always a fan of taking liberties with a localization in order to make the story work better in the new country, but I don’t think we needed Akane insulting Ranma for his trauma.

Hey, a Character Spotlight again! Haven’t had one of these in a bit, and this one is for Sasuke Sarugakure. Let’s start with his voice actors. In the English dub, he’s voiced by Robert O. Smith. Does that name sound familiar? It should, I talked about him recently, since he’s the one who voiced Genma Saotome in the dub as well. His voice for Sasuke is extremely comedic, going for an over-the-top pathetic voice. He makes Sasuke just sound like comic relief, which he is. What’s interesting is what the other actor does with him.

In Japanese, he’s played by Shigeru Chiba, another voice actor from this show in Japan who is just known for a billion things. Standouts include Buggy the Clown in One Piece, Emperor Pilaf and Raditz in the Dragon Ball franchise, and dubbing over John de Lancie as Discord in the Japanese dub of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I was completely shocked to hear him play Sasuke with more gravitas, using a very serious voice that one would expect from a ninja, which clashed perfectly with the situations and his character design to make the comedy far better than in the dub. One of those rare times I’m actually preferring the Japanese version!

As a character, Sasuke is interesting because he’s not in the manga at all. For reasons none seem to know, the creative team for the anime decided to delay introducing minor character Hikaru Gosenkugi, and replaced him with Sasuke. We’ll get to Hikaru when he appears, but I don’t really mind Sasuke’s addition to the show. Giving Kuno a henchman just makes his dynamic even better, and there’s something I just really like to Sasuke’s almost naive way of trying to plot and scheme. I don’t actually have any deep analysis, at least not as of yet, just wanted to give him a moment in the Spotlight for being something interesting.

I didn’t expect to like this episode so much! It wasn’t great, there were parts I didn’t care for, but on the whole I’m happy to see my expectations overcome. I’m putting this episode in the middle of the pack, at the #10 slot. It was fun, but it has a lot of better episodes when it comes to making me smile. (Or cry.)

Episode 7: Enter Ryoga, the Eternal ‘Lost Boy’  

Episode 12: A Woman's Love is War! The Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!

Episode 15: Enter Shampoo, the Gung-Ho Girl! I Put My Life in Your Hands

Episode 9: True Confessions! A Girl's Hair is Her Life!

Episode 2: School is No Place for Horsing Around

Episode 19: Clash of the Delivery Girls! The Martial Arts Takeout Race

Episode 6: Akane's Lost Love... These Things Happen, You Know

Episode 13: A Tear in a Girl-Delinquent's Eye? The End of the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!

Episode 17: I Love You, Ranma! Please Don’t Say Goodbye

Episode 20: You Really Do Hate Cats!

Episode 16: Shampoo's Revenge! The Shiatsu Technique That Steals Heart and Soul

Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga

Episode 11: Ranma Meets Love Head-On! Enter the Delinquent Juvenile Gymnast!

Episode 4: Ranma and...Ranma? If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Another

Episode 5: Love Me to the Bone! The Compound Fracture of Akane's Heart

Episode 1: Here’s Ranma

Episode 3: A Sudden Storm of Love

Episode 10: P-P-P-Chan! He's Good For Nothin'

Episode 14: Pelvic Fortune-Telling? Ranma is the No. One Bride in Japan

Episode 18: I Am a Man! Ranma's Going Back to China!?

Next time we’ll continue this tale with "This Ol' Gal's the Leader of the Amazon Tribe!" which, as you might guess from the title, will introduce a new character. This one’s actually from the manga! See you then, y’all.

#episode 20 #You Really Do Hate Cats! #ranma 1/2 #ranma saotome #genma saotome #akane tendo #tatewaki kuno #sasuke sarugakure #anime rewatch #anime analysis #cw: phobia #cw: childhood trauma

[dianapana]

SasuHina Month 2020- Day 9

Prompt-Prolonged Embraces

The exam had been awful; the questions were formulated in such a way that they were confusing to begin with but the subjects they asked about were also very difficult and hard to cover in 50 words. They had over 30 questions and barely an hour and half to finish, much like her, everyone else walked out of the room with their head bowed looking at the ground and doing everything in their power not to catch someone’s eye in case that person thought to strike up a conversation about said exam. They were also all moving in slow motion and zombie-like. The teacher had been cruel, Hinata had attended all classes, did all the extra work and studied as much as she could. Last night as she was looking over everything one last time, she felt hopeful and sure of her knowledge. When Ino quizzed her, she made no errors. But she barely had time to think so she wrote the first thing to come to mind; she didn’t even have time to look over everything before handing in the exam. Thankfully this had been her last exam this semester, this year and this University experience. Ino finished her exams two days ago and she wanted to go out and celebrate, but Hinata wanted to go home and take a 10-hour nap, wake up eat and then go back to sleep.

“I got out. Not 1 word abt it.” Hinata texted Ino and the blonde replied almost immediately witch a bunch of sad emojis.

Her first stop before going to the apartment and cry a little to let out her frustration and make herself better, was a fast food restaurant, she needed food and fast; thus the location. There was only one person in front of her so she was able to order her sub pretty fast. She sat herself at one of the empty tabled to eat half of it in a hurry. The other half she packed and put in her bag; she’d keep that one for later to eat after waking up.

Ino was in the living room on the sofa applying some more lipstick when Hinata walked in. Ino looked at her with sympathy and gave her a big hug.

“I’m sorry it sucked.” The blonde said but didn’t address more the topic because she knew Hinata didn’t really want to talk about it “What are you gonna do? Do you want to come with me and Sakura to a party?”

Hinata only shook her head. “I’ll go party with you this weekend, now I just want to sleep and forget everything I learned” Ino laughed

“Ok babe, but if you change your mind just shoot me a text and I’ll let you know where I am” The blonde said as she checked her reflection one more time before picking up her fanny pack and putting it around her waist. “Whoever decided to bring these back into fashion was a genius. I have my phone, money and keys in there and I won’t have to worry about losing my clutch or whatever the whole time” Ino’s gratefulness to the fanny-pack-Gods has been something she expressed whenever she went out in the past year.

Hinata went to the fridge and put the remaining half of the sub before kissing Ino’s cheek and dragging herself up the stairs. Before sleeping she decided to take a bath and relax. The tub filled slowly with hot water and she even decided to use one of her citrus bath bombs and some lemon oils. Before stepping into the water, she went to fetch her phone and played some music in the background. The moment she was fully undressed and in the water her muscles started to relax. Her brain started to wander; how she wished Sasuke was there, he would be able to distract so easily. Her body was indeed starting to loosen up but her brain was still overthinking everything about the exam from her actual answers, to how she wrote, wondering if the teacher could even read her scribbles at all especially since she rushed so much. She wrote her name right…?

Shushing her thoughts, she started to wash her body and hair slowly but even as she was rinsing her hair for the second time her brain was still spinning in circles. The bath didn’t seem to help so she got out of it much faster than she wanted. Dressing in her most comfortable pj which were a pair of loose shorts and one of Sasuke’s t-shirts she went to bed after drying her hair for a while; it was still damp but she was too tired to care. She almost wanted to force herself to cry a little because she always felt better after crying but no tears came so she did the next best thing, closed her eyes and thought of Sasuke; of his soft hair under her fingertips, his beautiful eyes when he looked at her, his soft lips as they traced her neck. She fell asleep with Sasuke on her mind and her mind gripped onto that thought and continued it into her dream.

In her dream they were having a panic, they just finished eating and were laying down on the blanket looking at the sky, pointing at clouds and saying what they looked like. She was just pointing to a cat folding origami when Sasuke pulled her closer and started kissing her neck. He breathed her in and hugged her close.

“I missed you so much” Her brain was still half-asleep but she was certain that the voice was real, as were the arms that were holding her close. Hinata opened her eyes wide only to see Sasuke looking down at her; he was still in his uniform. The moment their eyes met she started crying and pulling him as close as she could; her arms were around his neck her legs around his waist; if she could she would live in his embrace.

“I missed you too” she said still crying. She hadn’t seen him in about 4 days, he had been really busy and couldn’t skype; but she hadn’t touched him in over 7 months. Sasuke was a solder in the army and had been deployed for almost 2 years now. He returned for a few weeks when he had been injured 7 months ago but that hadn’t been nearly enough time together.

“How long are you back for?” His deployment only ended in another 3 months as far as Hinata knew. “Oh my God are you hurt again?” She asked and pulled away from him softly and looked at him as he was lying on her bed, he seemed fine.

“I’m not hurt” He told her with a smile and ran his hand over her upper arm. “Things worked faster than then we thought and most of us were sent home. Only a couple people higher in rank had to stay till the end.”

Hinata looked at him for a second. “So…you’re home…for good?” Her voice was trembling.

“Yes. At least until the next deployment which shouldn’t be very soon” His smile was blinding. Her tears were pouring again. Sasuke was on his back on the bed and she crawled on top of him; almost instantly his arms curled around her. They stood there embracing for a really long time. Sasuke was really tired after his journey and Hinata just wanted to hold him close and make sure he was real.

“I’m going to take a shower and change ok?” He asked, his voice was lower and he sounded sleepy. Hinata got up from him and allowed him to go to the bathroom. While he was showering, she went downstairs to the kitchen, she was sure Sasuke was hungry and the only food they had was her half sub which was nearly not enough for both of them. So, she put some water and rice to cook and, in another pan, fried some chicken breasts. The chicken was done quite fast and the rice was still being cooked so she decided to make a sauce; she cut some tomatoes, onions, peppers and carrots and put them into a pan with some salt, garlic, tomatoes sauce and soy sauce. As she was stirring softly two strong arms came from behind and hugged her.

Neither of them said anything; it was common for Hinata to cook while Sasuke was embracing her softly, his head on her shoulder. The rice was cooked so she stopped that burner but the sauce needed a bit more time which was fine since the rice needed to cool off and steam for another 5-10 minutes to be fluffy. The veggie sauce was done too and she turned off the last burner and took a step back into Sasuke. He took one as well and loosened his embrace just enough so she had space to turn around and hug him back.

“Welcome back; I just realized I didn’t even say that” Hinata said as she ran her hands thought his hair, it was longer than last time he was home but just as soft.

“I’m home” He whispered into her neck and kissed the skin just above her collar bone. They didn’t mover for a couple minutes before Sasuke’s stomach started making sounds.

“I think you’re hungry” Hinata said amused. It was amazing how Sasuke made everything better in her world, the exam and her bad mood felt like they had happened ages ago. All she could remember, all that mattered were Sasuke’s hugs. Hinata filled two cups with water while Sasuke fixed 2 plates for them to eat.

“You finished your exams, today right?” Sasuke asked between chewing.

Hinata nodded “Yes, it’s finally over”

“We should celebrate this weekend, you finished University” Sasuke was 3 years older than her; but she was also almost 2 years older than most of her peers; instead of going to Uni right after high school Hinata had to stay back due to some family issues. Sasuke did more courses than normal people for 3 semesters so instead of 4 years he finished University in 2 after which he went directly into the army. Hinata’s dad was also in the army and that’s how they met; during the first event Sasuke attended. They started dating about 2 months after; Hinata was a senior in high school and Sasuke had just joined. (They were 19 and 22 at the time; now they are 25 and 28)

“Of course, we’re celebrating, you’re home” The house was Hinata’s and Sasuke’s but during the 4 years of University Ino rented their guestroom but the blonde packed most of her things and sent them back to her home with a moving truck. She was to leave Wednesday next week.

They ate and talked some more about Hinata’s future plans to teach middle-school English, about Sasuke’s deployment which went really well, besides a few injures, nothing major happened. After they finished eating Sasuke went to wash the dished. Just like he did when she was cooking Hinata hugged him from behind while he was working.

He was finally home; whenever he was gone Hinata always was a bit on the edge but with him close everything was as it should be. “I love you” she said and kissed his shoulder.

“I love you too” Sasuke said and turned around and in a few quick moves picked her up and put her on the counter. He walked between her legs and held her close and kissed her slow and steady. He had missed her so much, not only in a sexual way but in a physical and emotional way. He missed holding her while they slept, missed smelling her perfume everywhere around him, missed her voice and they way she held his hand whenever they were walking together even if it was in the supermarket. Her positivism and innocence also were things he craved. He missed everything that made her her.

He deepened the kiss and Hinata crossed her legs over his waist. He placed his hands under her butt and picked her up still not breaking the kiss. Sasuke knew the house well enough to navigate it while kissing her but Hinata broke the kiss when they reached the stairs and smiled at him.

“Let’s go to our room” She said still smiling beautifully at him. Every part of her body was touching his in their embrace and nothing had ever felt that perfect before.

“Yes, let’s go” He would sleep with her in his arms today; of course, after ravishing some of her innocence.

#sasuhina #sasuhina month 2020 #sasuhina fanfic #sasuhina month #shmonth2020 #sh2020 #sasuke #hinata #sasuke uchiha #hinata hyuuga #naruto #diawrites #dia-story #writers on tumblr #writing #writer #fanfic #fanfiction #SH #hinasasu

[imfires333]

Medley (pt. 2)

Summary: You’re a star swimmer on your high-school team, but so is Jeon Jungkook. What will this mean for your chemistry in and out of the pool?

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader Genre: Fluff, swimmer!jungkook Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: Tried to show a lot more of Y/N’s thoughts in this one, hope it’s not too uninteresting! I think the ending is so cringe and funny lolol I’m so sorry

The steam from your scorching shower followed you out of the bathroom, and you took the few steps you needed to reach your bedroom. There you picked up your hairbrush and slowly started combing out the knots that towel-drying your hair caused. You looked through your mirror and imagined Jungkook sitting on the couch behind that wall, watching a program on your TV, his doe eyes transfixed by the images moving on the large screen. He was probably watching a documentary on sea animals, knowing his obsession with the filmography typically portrayed in those kinds of programs. Or maybe he was watching a cooking show since he loved food and learning how to cook new dishes. You have learned these things about Jungkook over the past few years, as you’ve known him from freshman year until now, your last year in high school.

You considered blow-drying your hair and adding more damage to it after the chlorine from the pool. Deciding against it on top of being lazy, you threw it into a wet bun on top of your head. It was a little lopsided, but it was just Jungkook you were seeing, not the Queen of England. Reminded of the former, you looked at your post-workout outfit, leggings and a college T-shirt that ended where your leggings began. After pouting at your unimpressive appearance, you left your room to meet Jungkook.

The lanky, black-haired boy was leaning against the couch with one leg stuck out and the other tucked up to his chest. Like you expected, he was staring intently at the screen, watching some sea turtles glide through the water. The narrator’s serene voice seemed to be the only thing he heard because he didn’t turn around at the sound of your bedroom door closing.

You plopped down on the couch he was leaning against and fluffed his hair. It was almost dry since swim practice. The strands felt clumpy from all the chlorine, and the movement of his hair let the pool smell reach your nose. For some reason, you loved the smell of the pool. Good feelings and memories were associated with it, so it was a calming scent for you. It always made you think of competing and was even sometimes able to get your heartbeat racing. You got distracted from your brief reverie when Jungkook looked up at you from his spot on the floor with a mischievous look in his eye.

“Are you finally done?” he asked teasingly. You pushed his shoulder in response and smiled. While being playful, he still looked so innocent with his orbs for eyes. Moving to stand, he questioned, “Can I go now?”

You pointed to the closet doors next to the bathroom. “The towels are in there. You can use whichever one you want. Except the Lilo and Stitch one, that one is special.” Lilo and Stitch being one of your favorite movies, you felt particularly possessive over that towel and didn’t want anyone else using it. If someone did end up using it, however, you’d get over it, unless it was your little brother. A freshman in high school, Chris still did any tiny thing to rub you the wrong way, and it worked every time.

Jungkook chuckled, his bones cracking as he stretched his back. “All right, so I can’t use whichever one I want,” he contradicted. “Got it.” You watched him waddle over to the closet, pick a purple towel, and disappear into the bathroom. The water began running, and you turned your head to the TV to see a school of fish wandering around a reef.

It would be nice to be a fish in some ways. Always in the water, possibly friends with a shark, sleeping with your eyes open. But fish also have to deal with people without likely understanding what’s going on. Regardless of not having a complex mind like humans, it probably still doesn’t feel great having your home taken over by trash and nets.

Picking up the remote, you browse the selections on Netflix. It was always hard choosing a show to watch since you were very indecisive and struggled to commit to a program. A lot of time had passed, and you hadn’t even settled on a show when suddenly, a door behind you opened, causing you to look over your shoulder.

Jungkook was standing there, a towel wrapped haphazardly around his lean waist, his arm half-covering his chest. Droplets of water were falling from his damp hair onto his broad shoulders, running down his torso toward the top of the towel. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Sorry, uh, I forgot my clothes.” He walked toward you and picked up his bag, digging through it to locate fresh clothes. You realized you had been staring, so your head snapped to the TV to see that you had accidentally clicked on a show involving a dessert competition. Straining to look interested in the pies that had just been introduced, you felt your heart beating in your ears and hoped he didn’t hear it too.

He found what he was looking for and trotted back to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Sheesh, what does he think I’m going to do, just barge in there? you thought to yourself. The pastry chefs on the TV began talking about what they would put in their pies, which made you lose your train of thought, focused only on desserts.

The now-clothed boy joined you on the couch this time, dressed in black sweatpants and a loose white T-shirt. No matter how dressed down he was, Jungkook could make anything look good. After getting himself comfortable, he grinned. “Can I stay and watch some TV with you, Y/N?”

Jungkook sometimes hung out with you at your house, whether you were having a meal, playing games, listening to music, or watching TV. He got along well with your parents, so you didn’t think it would be a big deal if he stayed today as well.

“Have I ever said no to you, JK?” you joked, crossing your arms.

Jungkook’s face scrunched up as he thought about it. Honestly, there weren’t many times you said no to that kid. Every time you played Ultimate Ninja Storm, he got to play your favorite character, Sasuke, while you got stuck with someone who wasn’t your main. When you were showing each other music, he often had more turns than you did, getting to jam to his songs more than you could listen to yours. When your dad was cooking steak, Jungkook got the second-biggest cut (after your dad, of course). When you watched TV together, he always picked the program, which was actually okay with you, since you never knew what to watch anyway. Needless to say, Jungkook couldn’t come up with an answer and just shrugged, to which you stuck your tongue out.

“I’m sure there are things you would say no to,” he said. “Like, ‘Wanna race me in fly?’”

Your jaw dropped in mock horror. “First of all, how dare you say that word in my house. Second of all, that’s not even my stroke! Beat me in breaststroke, then we’ll talk.”

A lot of your banter revolved around swimming since both of your lives were so centered around it. You’d met on the day of the tryouts for the swim team, both nervous for what had turned out to be a piece of cake. The two of you had gotten to know each other since you were placed in the same lane with many of the older swimmers. Even at a young age, fresh to the high-school swim team, you were still respected by your senior teammates. Thankfully, there wasn’t an atmosphere of jealousy or envy but of teamwork despite the age differences between you and Jungkook and the veterans in your lane.

Jungkook’s face lost the playfulness it held moments ago. He looked at you with an intensity that you only saw at swim meets. His fingers were playing with the hem of his shirt as he looked between you and the TV, which had turned into mere background noise. His eyebrows came together, and he let out a breath through his nose. After seeming to ponder something for what seemed like an eternity, he spoke. “Would you say no to being my girlfriend?”

Your senses seemed to falter then. You could no longer hear the pastry chefs worrying about the time they had left to complete the challenge. You couldn’t feel the remote still in your hand. You couldn’t see the rest of your living room in your periphery. All you could see was Jungkook, your teammate, your best friend, sitting cross-legged in front of you on the couch, staring at you with a nervous look on his face.

You looked down at your hands in your lap, wondering how to even respond to a question like that that came out of left field. “Well…I think my dad would feel differently about a boyfriend being here unsupervised,” you blurted out. Dumbass, you mentally scolded yourself. “What I mean by that is…I don’t think I’d say no…” you said slowly, looking up from your lap.

In the span of a few seconds, Jungkook’s expression went from nervous to blank to smug. A sly smile crept over his face. He leaned closer toward you. “So that means…?”

You rolled your eyes, a common occurrence when Jeon Jungkook was around. If you dated him, would your eyes eventually roll out of your head? Laughing at both the thought and him, you nodded your head and assured him, “Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

At this, he shot up from the couch and did a little dance, swinging his hands above his head and spinning in a circle, his eyes closed and his smile showing brightly. After a few spins, he came to a halt in front of you, towering over your small form on the couch. Jungkook leaned down and took your hands from your lap.

“Y/N, we are finally going to be the swim team’s power couple.”

“Oh my god, I say I’ll be your girlfriend, and all you can think about is being a power couple on the swim team?!” You beat your closed fists against his chest lightly, and he grabbed them, holding them tightly in place. He took the opportunity to quickly close the space between you, his lips touching your forehead for a moment. Immediately, your stomach did backflips, and you tried to control the smile on your face before he pulled away.

“Did you mishear me?” he asked, sitting back down next to you on the couch. He took your hand in his. “I said the swim team’s power couple.”

#bts #bangtansonyeondan #bts fluff #jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook fluff #omfg so dumb but idc #jungkook x reader

[narto-you-ignorant-slu-inactive]

The thing about naruto bieng a bad parent ,it's not about not spending enough time with your kids , it's how ruined his character is they wanted his character to seem grownup and responsible ,but he just seems tired and out of place , even with his family he feels like an outsider , like he doesn't fit at all and I dont even know how to explain it , it's just sad I f you were going to force a canon ending that makes no sense, at least do good man

HONESTLY THOUGH

No, really, what you just said is literally what I think whenever I see adult Naruto. It's not just that he looks tired and thus consequently ugly as hell, he doesn't even act like you'd imagine Naruto being, even after decades, at ALL. Of course growing up can basically tilt your character 180 degrees, and politics are even more prone to doing that. And considering that he spent the last of his teenage years being groomed into the perfect figurehead (because let's face it, there's most likely decisions being made behind his back, decisions that Naruto simply 'wouldn't understand' because I want to believe that deep deep down he's still the same righteous dork he was years ago and politics are ugly, dark, shadowed things, no matter how calm the peace times may be).

But generally? Not even his deeply rooted characteristics stayed the same. He's a dork. He's righteous to a fault. He has to save everyone. He's liquid sunshine and soothing warmth and the most important thing for him is family.

How far did he go to protect his friends, his found family? How often did he yell at Sasuke that he sees him as his brother? How FURIOUS and PANICKED was he whenever talk about eliminating Sasuke came up? How angry was he when Sasuke talked shit or even straight up tried to kill Sakura and Kakashi?

You want me to believe that this guy, so thirsty for love and acknowledgement and a family of his own, would—what, neglect his own family, both blood and found, the way he does? Not be there for every little milestone of his kids or pout whenever he misses one? Not kiss his wife every time he gets to see her, hold her hands or her arm and just constantly keep touching her because he's been starved for this kind of closeness for years? Yell about his FAMILY, inform everyone he comes across about whatever his kids did that day ("She finally called me Da, man! DA!!!!)"), whatever Hinata did ("And she just straight up knocked him out, dude, like didn't even hesitate and gentle fisted the shit out of him")? Bug his friends and tease them and talk to them when they run into each other on the street, even if it's just for a short moment? Not constantly lose his shit whenever Sasuke comes back, even if it's in a more controlled way thse days (frame slightly shaking and smile earsplittig and he has to hold up an image but his emotions are overwhelming, always have been whenever Sasuke's involved)?

He's already using so many shadow clones, and most of the time he doesn't even dignify his own fucking family with that. Instead he tells his pre-teen son to call him Lord Hokage instead of dad, like he wasn't the brat that flat out called the third old man. Instead he misses his daughter's birthday and sends a shadow clone that disspells because he—what, couldn't uphold it any longer? Instead he barely sees his wife, and doesn't even kiss or hug her when he sees her. Instead we see him looking at a freshly returned Sasuke (who came as a surprise, without any kind of warning, mind you) like he's just another one of his shinobi, like the man wasn't his greatest desire for the better part of his teenage life. Instead we rarely see him interact with his friends, with his found family, outside of Shikamaru, who literally works for him. We don't even see him interact with Sakura, who, arguably, is his best and closest friend. Doesn't even visit Kakashi under the pretense of seeking important kage advise.

For fucks sake, the guy literally sleeps on the couch. And, sure, common sense tells us he's merely doing that because he doesn't want to wake Hinata up when he gets home late, but honestly? The third week in a row you haven't slept in your own fucking bed next to your own fucking wife is probably when you should re-consider your priorities because I know, I know that Naruto cares for all of the villagers, loves them, needs to protect them now that they finally acknowledge him, but the thing about Naruto is that he always had priorities, even if it was unconsciously. Just look at his teenage years—does it really look like he didn't have his friends ranked from more important to less important? He'd have never believed it, never even realized it, but between Sakura and Kiba, heck, between Sakura and Sasuke—he chose, back then during whatever the fuck the five kage summit was. So politics and paperwork aside (also, do they REALLY want me to believe he or Shikamaru or SOMEONE with a fucking braincell wouldn't just get an assistant or a full team of assistants just to take care of the paperwork? For real?) he'd spend time with his family, period. Hell, even is it's just 10 minutes every day! He'd find that time. Make that time, even if it means pestering his kids until they come visit him in his office every day so he can play a quick round of cards with them and they can update him on their life, what they've done today and how school is.

Of course, you could also turn that around on its head and say the guilt of not being there for his family weighs down on him, thus making him even more tired and worn out looking.

Honestly though, what I'm trying to say is..... who decided making someone who solves problems via punching and screaming the hatred and stupid out of someone a political figure is a good idea in the first place? He's charismatic, people are drawn to him, but that doesn't change the fact that Naruto, even if he might be good at them, is not someone made for politics, for a position that's more bureaucratics than anything else these days; he's a do-er, does things with his own two hands and not his signature on yet another piece of paper.

They should have made him like... an ambassador or something, who regulalry visitis the other nations to uphold peace and treaties and remind people on why peace times are, actually, a good thing. Because time makes people forget, and they need someone to remind them about this fact and Naruto's the perfect person for that job. He could have even gone and done that with Sasuke, honestly, and left the whole Hokage thing to someone more suitable, like Sakura and Shikamaru. I mean, c'mon, Shikamaru was already pointed out to be a good Hokage in canon itself, and Sakura was both the fifth Hokage's apprentice and the sixth's assistant. They'd have made a terrifying duo.

And personally? All this talk about dreams, the way canon itself likes to point out that Naruto has dreams and things more important than his childhood dream mainly Sasuke, making him realize that dreams change and sometimes you HAVE to choose (because that's one thing Naruto, in canon, never had to do and is one lesson he really should have learned) would have made for one hell of a character development. (Not that Kishimoto cares much about THAT.)

But honestly, when I look at this guy slumped over his desk like his responsibilities are literally crushing him, crushing his spirits and draining him of everything that made him Naruto in the first place (love and care and the desperate need for a family, sunshine warmth and big ol' smiles) I don't even see Naruto. That's some beat-up workaholic father who neglects his family and forgot about having priorities.

#Boruto can't hurt you if you believe in the 'its all Madara's dream world' theory #Ignore typos it's literally 5 am n I just woks up but now im angry and need a Naruto fix it #Nart #Asks

[bisame]

Itachi doesn’t do relations aside from his tongue to the hokages boot but canon fucks with my head of how the clans work like are they a people group of hundreds, a small family, what are they cause like I remember in canon Obito said Itachi killed his ‘lover’ and it was like well he was 13 what lover for one but I headcanon shisui as mikotos nephew and that’s why he tries to look out for Itachi but I hadn’t thought much about Itachi and Izumi. Is Sasuke inbred?

Did kishi think of all these implications with the clans and how they work when he was writing them? Did he think to himself, yeah the only girl nice to Itachi cause he’s a freak is his ‘lover’ like what does that even mean. That’s not even a pairing it’s a mess.

Okay, so, this is going to be a long ass post because I’m verypassionate about this subject, so be prepared for a wall of text. Let’s see ifthe read more works… ( trigger warning for discussion about incest )

tl;dr: I don’t think Kishi put much thought into the clans besides “The Hyuugashave Byakugan andslavery which has been blessed by the Official Konoha Seal of Approval, while the Uchihasare violently emotional and suffer from their OP eye powers”, and because hedidn’t explain much about the clans’ histories or the clan members’ relations to oneanother, shipping Itachi with either Shisui or Izumi is questionable at best.

I’ve been thinking about the whole clan ordeal for the longest time. Forsome reason it’s super easy for me to believe that, for example, the Hyuugaclan is inbred because they have other nasty things going on but that’s just myheadcanon. Where I base it on is mainly the slavery and keeping their dojutsuwithin the clan. We never see Neji or Hinata’s mothers so I think that a)either Kishi didn’t even bother to think about their moms [wouldn’t surprise meat all] or b) he realized what he would be implying if he gave them motherswith the Byakugan, and didn’t want to put that kind of controversial thing intohis manga. If I remember right, we get to see Hinata’s mom only in the anime,but she has her eyes closed. The Byakugan is only carried by the Hyuuga and bc/they want to protect it from “outsiders”, it wouldn’t surprise me if theynever married anyone outside the clan. BUT I digress.

While I don’t think that marriagesinside the Uchiha clan were unheard of, I think they’d have some regulationsfor it just to keep the gene pool as healthy as possible, e.g. they’d look fromrecorded family history if the couple wishing to be married were too closelyrelated. There’s a difference between marrying your cousin than a person withwhom you share an ancestor from six generations ago.

We see a bunch of Uchiha clan membersfrom Madara’s era and there’s a lot of variety between them. Hair colors gofrom black to red to dirty blonde, and facial bone structure and eye shapesdiffer a lot, too. Though, with majority of the known Uchihas, Kishi used thedark hair/dark eyes combination that can also be considered as a common Uchihatrait (that every major Uchiha from Madara to Sasuke have [and if we considerBort to be canon, this includes Sarada]). The only visible thing that unifiesthem is the Sharingan, and since it can be implanted on people, it wouldn’tsurprise me that if someone who married into the clan could get their eyesswapped (though in that case there should be a donor) and learn the GreatFireball Jutsu.

We don’t know how the Uchiha clan feelsabout the possibility of marrying outside the clan but, considering how theUchiha didn’t seem to have as many strict restrictions as the Hyuuga clan, itmight be more common. It might be that an Uchiha can marry someone outside the clan,but their partner doesn’t inherit the clan name or be eligible to wear thesymbol on their clothes, but their offspring can.

What we also don’t know is how the clanfeels about adopting a child or an adult to the family. Correct me if I’mwrong, but I’ve understood that adoption between ancient Japanese clans wasn’tthat uncommon. For example, samurai Taira no Kagekiyo was originally from theFujiwara clan but was adopted by the Taira. So, I don’t see a reason whyadoption would be so frowned upon in a fictional universe that takes a lot ofits inspiration from ancient Japan and Japanese lore.

Shipping Uchiha clan members that sharethe same surname but haven’t had their relative status clarified is a bit…skeevy at the least. We know that the only confirmed relative Shisui has isKagami, but that’s about it. We don’t know if Kagami is his grandfather orgreat-uncle, nor do we know his relationship with Fugaku and Mikoto. I havealways thought that Shisui is Itachi’s cousin or second cousin, because theylook a lot like each other, and they have a close brotherly bond, so I totallyagree with you. Shisui being Itachi’s cousin from Mikoto’s side would makesense.

Izumi is more or less a filler charactersince she doesn’t appear in the manga. I can’t remember and confirm that Obito usedthe word “lover” in canon, but I believe you. It might be a continuationfuck-up (which, again, wouldn’t surprise me) or maybe Kishi was… I don’t evenknow. How can a 13-year-old have a lover? Lover?? When I was 13, two of my schoolmates“dated” for a week bc/ they were popular and all they did was hold hands andsit next to each other in class. Kids don’t have lovers, that’s just fucked up.They have kiddie crushes, and that’s a totally different thing. Man, I don’tknow… I hope there has been an error in the translation or that it really is abrain fart on Kishi’s behalf, because I can’t find any other good explanationfor it.

BUT if we consider Izumi a canoncharacter, shipping her with Itachi is weird because we don’t know how closelythey are related. At least Izumi’s dad is a non-Uchiha, so she isn’t inbred (we’llget to you later, Fugaku and Mikoto), but there’s a thousand otherpossibilities for her and Itachi to be related, and none of them are worth takingthe risk of sailing an incestuous child ship.

Speaking of inbreeding, Fugaku andMikoto have been a mystery for me from the very beginning. While both look likethey’re Uchihas by blood, they don’t look related. Their bone structure isdifferent and so are their eyes and hair. Mikoto looks more like a Madaradescendant (thought that gay little man didn’t conceive any kids let me tellya) while Fugaku resembles random background Uchiha number 13 from Madara’sflashbacks in the anime. Personally, I think that both are from the Uchiha clan,but they come from different branches of the family tree. There’s this little voiceinside me telling me that I should have at least the tiniest bit of trust in Kishimoto,that he wouldn’t make Itachi and Sasuke’s parents close relatives, but I’malways ready for disappointments.

My second favorite theory is that eitherFugaku was adopted (most likely Fugaku’s adoptive parents’ child(ren) died andthey adopted him, implanted the Sharingan and taught him the Great FireballJutsu) or Mikoto was married into the clan. While it could be argued thatMikoto looks more like an Uchiha than Fugaku, there’s also other charactersthat could pass as Uchihas (I’m thinking of Kurenai, Sai and Shizune), so Mikoto’sappearance isn’t a great  argumentwhether or not she’s an Uchiha by blood or by adoption/marriage.

This has become a 1,200 word essay bynow and while I could continue, I think I’ll just start digressing more. Thanksfor the thought-provoking messages, Anon! ♥

#ilja.txt #uchiha clan #hyuuga clan #meta #long post #incest cw #Anonymous

[avenger-hawk]

Lol, I am so sick of Sasu//saku fans that portray Itachi as an uncle who would adore Salad. Like, seriously if Itachi saw how disrespectful Sara is towards Sasuke, how she doesn't appreciate him, how she judges him because apparently he didn't even become Hogake (ugghh) Itachi would be damn angry and annoyed with that brat.

(2/2) The same goes with how they portray Madara. They make him beyond OOC, shit like He would give Salad the whole world. Lol, what the hell makes them think, no, imagine such a think. By the way let me tell you I really like your blog and sorry for sounding angry but after seeing screenshots of the new episode of Bolt (i try to avoid as much as I can) with the parenting day. And how Salad called Sasuke annoying… just ughh 

(anti post ahead. tagged as anti. not tagged as sasuke so it won’t show up in the sasuke tag. read at your own risk and don’t bitch if you do)

Thank you and don’t worry, I always sound angry and piss off some ppl in the process lol

Uncle Itachi is a fan fantasy based on the fan fantasy that Sasuke’s marrage is amazing and happy, like Sasuke being oh so jealous of his wife (or brother or whomever else, but we’re shitting on SS here so I’m gonna keep on that lane), ofc he wouldn’t support something that makes his brother suffer, especially since he thinks in a big picture kind of way so he wouldn’t even focus on the girl but on the system that made her possible in the first place. Not to mention, again, that he’s not Iruka. He doesn’t even like kids or small animals like fans portray him. I get self-indulgent fantasies but that’s what they are and how they should be recognized for. (also why tf uncle Itachi has no partner or whatever, how belittling is that))

Don’t even get me started on Madara cause wtf? Why would such a strong man who never showed attachment to random ppl who weren’t powerful or important in some way, be attached to this half breed random girl daughter or a random descendent? I mean I would have liked Madara to focus on Sasuke and their common blood much more…and Madara did aknowledge Sasuke and his eyes. He wouldn’t even notice the girl. Let’s say he’s better off dead and gone than resurrected?? and brought??? to a family?? and distant relative that he wouldn’t give a shit about.

I haven’t watched that episode or others and I don’t wanna know about it but wow. I couldn’t stand seeing Sasuke disrespected by an ungrateful brat, and it makes me laugh that when Gaiden came out fans, even Sasuke fans, were all like ‘SS is wrong but salad has no fault poor bby protect the Uchiha princess at all costs’ when to me it was always obvious that she is SS. literally. And her so called drama was ridiculous to say the least, compared to Sasuke’s. 

We shouldn’t be surprised, it’s a different show with a different lighter vibe. It’s not meant to be as tragic as N*ruto was, so characters have small silly issues like dads being embarrassing and shit. If I think about this I feel offended in Sasuke’s behalf cause he saw his dead parents’ bodies piled up, killed by his brother cause he had been blackmailed to do it to spare his life…Sasuke held his family’s memory as a sacred thing and he had this admiration and kinda fear of his father…he wouldn’t even imagine disrespecting a father. He got angry at s*kura when she complained about her parents even…it’s horrible. I don’t want to know anything about this shit.

Anyway, if I may suggest you smth from my own experience since I had this blog even when the ending came out, try not to look at the new shit. Complaining and analysing helps for a while and I did it a lot, but then I realized I wasn’t feeling better. Only when I put my anger into writing fics I felt better (for a while lol, it never really goes away) cause I gave myself explanations about that shit and changed certain things to better cope with it. Try channeling your anger into creative stuff, writing fics or drawing or making edits or just focusing on the good episodes and good stuff. Really, it helps. Personally I kept a dark vibe to explain canon and analyse certain things, but others change it completely and make it positive, whatever helps.

I unfollowed a Sasuke blog yesterday cause they posted that episode screenshots. TBH even tho it may sound unpleasant to hear and even tho I respect other ppl’s opinions as long as they don’t come bitching at me imposing them, when I see someone I thought had opinions similar to mine, come up with salad or pro stuff I’m disappointed and I lose interest in them cause our positions are too different to talk, and I hate the ending and all this too much to tolerate it lol, and since more and more fans are turning to that stuff I’m losing interest in most ppl in the fandom. 

#anti-sarada #anti-ending #anti-sasusaku #anti//sarada #anti//sasusaku #vivalarevolution #vivalarevolution: not crazy but desperate #vivalarevolution: refuse resist #Anonymous

[kumeko]

zahar

Character/Pairing: light hints of NaruSakuSasu, mostly friendship

A/N: Written for the @narutohistoryzine —this is technically a platonic piece so I could only put the lightest hints of shipping. I picked ancient India, during the Maurya Empire as the setting for my piece.

Summary: Sakura dreamed of poison dripping through her veins, corroding all it touched. She was an assassin, after all, and it might have been too much to dream her friendship with the prince and his general could last forever.

...

...

...

...

Drip.

 Drip.

 Drip.

 Sakura dreamed of poison dripping into her veins, corroding all it touched. Her body burned from the venom, an all-consuming fire. It spread to everything she came into contact with until everything was up in flames. Her skin, flesh, organs blackened, the contamination swallowing her whole.

 You’re a brave girl, her mother whispered into her ear, stroking her hair. You will survive.

 A mountain of corpses grew beneath her feet and still the poison flowed on.

 -x-

 “Sakura!”

 Naruto’s voice was as loud as usual, echoing through his chamber and into the main hall. Sakura winced at the threshold of his entrance; she had not wanted her visit to be a big deal. Looking behind her, she saw the servants scurrying from one post to the next, none of them so much as looking up at the outburst.

 Well, that was to be expected. He had the loudest voice in the region. Her bare feet brushed the cool stone floor as she entered the room. There was a rustle of silk, the sound of footsteps, and the blonde rushed her, sweeping her off her feet. She laughed, accepting his welcome. Fortunately, curtains blocked the view so no one could peek inside and witness this impropriety.

 Over his shoulder, she spotted Sasuke standing erect next to the cushions. Catching her eyes, he rolled his own and sighed. “You deal with him.”

 “What is it this time?” she asked, still dangling off the ground as Naruto whirled her around. She could spot the traces of a pout on his face.

 He had been sulking then.

 Also not entirely unusual for her friend.

 Finally, after much laughter, he released her. Stepping back, he rested his hands on her shoulder. “You’re back?”

 “Just returned.  The mission went well.”

 His face darkened a bit. “I can’t believe Dad knows and allows this.”

 “Naruto, one day you’ll have to do this too. Even if you don’t like it,” she admonished, not breaking free from his grasp. “You know your position.”

 Naruto frowned, letting go. “My father’s position.”

 “Your position one day,” she corrected. As though he needed the reminder. His quarters were filled with only the finest goods. Rich tapestries hung from his walls, depicting scenes of old, while the floor had soft rugs. Even his clothing, made of rich silk and heavily decorated with jewels, indicated just what his position in life was. Son to the Kumara, next in line to govern their province, he was only subordinate to the emperor and his family.

 As though she needed the reminder—she was just a common spy and Sasuke, while gifted, a general.

 “I didn’t earn it.” Naruto gritted his teeth, gripping the bracelets on his arm, the gold necklaces that hung heavy on his neck. The trappings of wealth and power that he had never wanted. “This isn’t mine.”

 “It is.” Sasuke stepped forward, staring down at the slightly shorter man. “And if you didn’t earn it, make sure you do.”

 It was an old argument, one they had every now and then. As usual, it would end the same way, with the two wrestling on the ground while she waited for them to let out their steam. Trying to speed up the process, she quickly interrupted Naruto before he could argue back. “So what were you pouting about this time?”

 “This time?” Naruto gasped, clutching his heart. Good. If he could act like this, then the argument was as good as over. “Sakura, you wound me. You’ve been spending too much time with the bastard.”

 “Better than spending time with you,” Sasuke retorted, playing along. Turning to Sakura, he smirked. “They’re arranging his marriage.”

 Sakura blinked, not sure if she heard him right. “Naruto. His wedding. Our Naruto.”

 “The one and the same,” Sasuke confirmed, dodging Naruto’s punch effortlessly. “His.”

 Well, he had reached marriageable age. The time one started worrying about heirs. Sakura blinked again, staring at her old friend. The pout was back, his cheeks pronounced and puffed, and she wondered if he was more chipmunk than human.

 He was supposed to marry someone. Suddenly, she pitied his future in-law. “Congratulations.”

 “Sakura!” he whined, abruptly stopping his fight to grasp her hands. “Is that all you have to say?”

 Was there anything else one was supposed to say? “Uh...good luck?”

 Clearly, that wasn’t the answer he wanted. His eyes grew bigger, if possible. “I don’t want to get married and all the bastard can say is that it’s for the good of the family and it was bound to happen. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

 His grip was tight, his arms shaking. Suddenly, she understood this was more than his usual game with Sasuke. Despite the playacting, this was all real on some level. “Naruto?”

 “I want us to all be together,” he murmured, his voice low, his head hung. There was something small about him, lost. “If I get married, we can’t…”

 Can’t be together were his unsaid words. It was true. Right now they could be casual away from prying eyes, assured that none would enter without permission. A wife could change all of that. Her announcements could be minimal, her visits frequent. Perhaps Sasuke could still visit frequently, a prominent general. But her? She could guard him from outside his chambers at best, from a respectable distance.

 “We aren’t children anymore, idiot.” Sasuke’s hand gripped Naruto’s shoulder, his voice more affectionate than he would ever normally let on. “We all knew this would happen one day.”

 And what of him? If Naruto was on the market, then Sasuke would be as well. A shiver ran up Sakura’s spine at the prospect. Both of them would be married and she, well, it was never in the cards for her. She lost that right a long time ago.

 In the end, she’d be alone.

 “Yeah.” Her voice trembled and she hated herself for it. All those years of acting and now she couldn’t keep up the performance? “You both can’t avoid this forever.”

 Sasuke gritted his teeth, looking away. It seemed the same realization hit him as well.

 “No.” Naruto’s voice was soft but firm and she looked back at him. There was a fire in his eyes. His jaw set, he shook his head. “No, I won’t let this happen.”

 “You can’t avoid it,” she said, but without any force. When he talked like that, she knew he’d make it happen. He’d move mountains if he had to. It was the reason she knew he’d make a great Kumara.

 “No, it’s easy.” Naruto’s expression relaxed into an easy grin, catching her off-guard. “You both will pick my bride.”

 They stared at him for a long moment before releasing a simultaneous “Huh?”

 -x-

 Sakura rubbed her head as she left the prince’s chambers. Despite her persuasion and Sasuke’s force, Naruto hadn’t budged from this at all. They were to inspect all the possible the brides and find one that would work.

 An impossible task. But then again, Naruto was an impossible person.

 Behind her, soft footsteps echoed in the arched corridors. The fires lighting the path flickered softly, the colourful paintings decorating the wall looking darker and grimmer in the faint light. Small jewels glittered from where they were embedded. The footsteps were closer now but no louder. There was only person it could be. “Tenten?”

 “The one and only.” When Sakura turned, her fellow visha kanya waved lightly. “Been a while.”

 Sharp. If there was one word to describe Tenten, it was sharp. A dagger in the night. Even her greeting, though jovial, seemed to slash the air around her. She was wearing her sari so it was more like a pair of pants and a long cloth wrapped around her chest, tightly binding her breasts to her body. Even though Sakura was wearing the same uniform, it looked sleeker on Tenten. In another life, she would have made a great warrior.

 “Going on another mission?” Sakura asked, moving to the side. Pillars lined the corridor and it took little effort to vanish within the shadows of one.

 Tenten held out a small vial. Its murky contents were hard to make out. “An easier one this time.”

 Poison was still poison, whether her body could withstand it or not. Sakura grimaced. “Good luck.”

 “I won’t need it.” Tenten hide the vial in her bodice. Showing the scroll in her other hand, she handed it over. “Tsunade has selected your next target. Take care of it while protecting the prince. I hear he’s making a ruckus about his marriage.”

 Sakura gingerly gripped the parchment. The paper crinkled at the touch. “A ruckus is putting it lightly. Did they pick someone yet?”

 “Not yet.” Tenten shrugged. The kohl at the edge of her eyes looked fresh; she must have applied it recently. “A list of candidates has been gathered but they still have to go through them.”

 “A list.” Sakura smiled. That made everything much easier. Much, much easier. “See you later.”

 Before she could leave, Tenten grabbed her arm. “Don’t get soft on me.”

 “Soft?” Sakura chuckled. “I’d rather not die carelessly.”

 -x-

 When Sakura was five, her mother dressed her up in her prettiest kurta. She brushed her hair slowly, braiding flowers in her hair. Their family was a merchant family, doing relatively well since the era of peace had begun.

 “You are a brave, smart girl,” her mother praised, taking her by the hand. They walked the stall-lined streets, various smells and sights distracting Sakura as they travelled. “You will survive.”

 At the time, she hadn’t understood what her mother meant. When they arrived at the palace gates, her mother handed her over to a blonde woman, telling her to be a good girl and then left without so much as a backward glance.

 -x-

 Their first candidate was a woman named Temari, the sister of the neighbouring province’s governor. Gaara had stared at them when Naruto asked to meet her and Sakura was certain if he hadn’t lost his eyebrows from his wounds, he’d have raised one. As it was, his younger brother did it for him, questioning them as the pair led them to her waiting room.

 “Temari? Are you sure you want to court her?” Disbelief coloured his voice as they led the trio down the hall. Elaborate clay pieces, ranging from urns to religious sculptures, lined the walls. Gaara’s province was well known for its pottery so this was of no surprise.

 “Not really,” Naruto replied bluntly and if this were somewhere more private, Sakura would have hit him. Honesty was not the best policy. Especially considering Gaara’s fame as a blood-thirsty warrior. Naruto claimed that he had reformed and changed since his father died, but Sakura wasn’t all that sure about it.

 Especially since he might have killed his father in the first place. His only saving grace was that he hadn’t killed his older brother.

 “Then why? On a whim? You should leave then,” Kankuro warned them. “Prince or no, she’ll kill you.”

 “I won’t let her.”

 Despite the monotone in Gaara’s voice, it sent a shiver down Sakura’s spine. Not a killer her foot. Sakura adjusted her sari, worn in alignment with a typical servant girl’s outfit. It was looser than she liked, not quite as good to run in, but she had to make do. Unlike Sasuke, she couldn’t accompany the pair as openly without a disguise.

 “Really?” Naruto practically bounced to his friend, wrapping an arm around him. Sakura twitched.  Gaara. Killer. It was hard to protect someone who insisted on doing dangerous things. “Don’t worry, I’m not doing it on a whim—I have to get married soon and I’m trying to pick my bride before she gets picked for me.”

 Gaara looked at Naruto for a moment then back at Kankuro. “I can do that?”

 “No, no, no.” Kankuro shook his hands in front of him, shooting Naruto a glare. It seemed the Uzamaki household wasn’t the only one preparing for a wedding. “You won’t pick someone, I just know it. Let Temari handle it.”

 “Oh.” Something akin to a frown formed on Gaara’s face. This was clearly a conversation they had had many times before.

 “Don’t worry, I’ll help too,” Naruto offered, still leaning against Gaara. “I’ll find you the most fun wife.”

 Kankuro’s expression paled. Before he could refuse, Gaara had already given his permission. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Sasuke’s smirk growing wider, clearly amused by the whole conversation. It seemed she was the only one concerned about Gaara then. The party turned right at the next entrance, pushing their way through silk curtains to reach a chamber.

 Interestingly enough, Temari’s waiting room didn’t have a trace of pottery. Instead, fans decorated the wall, intricately detailed. Some appeared sharper than others, each more foreign than the last. Catching Naruto’s curious gaze, Gaara explained. “We trade with Iskander and Cina.”

 This perked Sasuke’s interest. “Iskander? Have you fought him?”

 And of course it was the prospect of battle that pushed him into the conversation. Sakura suppressed a sigh, standing several steps behind the group. The usefulness of being a servant—without much work, she was invisible and had the best vantage points to every room.

 “Once.” Gaara moved to a pile of cushions and soft sheets, gesturing for them to all sit there.

 When he didn’t elaborate, Sasuke prodded him further. “How was it?”

 “Hard. Long.”

  Another short answer. Before Naruto could chime in and prod him further, the soft clink of bracelets alerted them to Temari’s entrance. From the back of the room, she entered. Her clothing aligned more with the northern regions of their country, pants and long shirts, clothing that was far easier to move and fight in. Sakura had heard rumours on the warrior princess and she wouldn’t have been surprised to find a weapon or two hidden within the folds of her clothing. Even her nose ring could be one.

 If Tenten was sharp, Temari was dangerous. Every part of her screamed it, from the kohl lining her eyes to the way she smiled. On a different pile of cushions, she sprawled on the floor, resting her head on her hands as she watched them. Two male servants sat near her, their bare chests glistening in the pale light. “So?”

 Naruto stared blankly. Clearly he had not actually planned this far ahead. Rubbing his head, he gave a sheepish smile. “Marriage?”

 Sakura almost hit her head against the wall.

 “Marriage? That’s how you word it?” She gave him a once over and snorted. “To you?”

 “Hey!” Flustered, Naruto glared at her. “What’s so bad about me?”

 “Do you need a list?” Temari rolled her eyes and looked at her brother. “I know you like him but I refuse.”

 Definitely dangerous. She was staring down Gaara. Sakura’s smile grew strained as she watched it all unfold. To be honest, as a queen, Temari made a great candidate. She was forceful and had great mental strength, something required when Naruto was away and she would have to rule on her own.

 Unfortunately, those very qualities unnerved him entirely.

 “Oh come on! I didn’t even get a chance!” Naruto almost got up before Sasuke discretely yanked him back down. Even if Gaara was his friend, Sakura was sure he’d take offense to whatever Naruto had been planning. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to impress me? I’m the one searching.”

 “Whatever gave you the idea?” Temari gave him a bored look as she gestured for one of the servants to come closer. A handsome man, he obeyed instantly and sat next to her. Her hand traced the man’s face idly.

 “Sis, not in front of me!” Kankuro complained, averting his eyes.

 It didn’t stop her in the least. If anything, her hand went lower, running up and down her servant’s chest. Her nails lightly raked his skin, leaving faint marks. Throughout it all, her eyes remained on Naruto. “Now what do you have to offer me?”

 -x-

 “No.” Naruto had repeated this several times as they returned down the corridors. There was a wild look in his eyes. “Definitely no.”

 Sasuke smirked. “You sure? I think she liked you by the end of it.”

 “What?” Naruto shivered, as though that scared him even more. He shook his head even more vigorously. “Nope, I can’t, definitely can’t.”

 Her poor prince had been completely dominated. Temari had controlled the entire conversation and no matter what Naruto did, he had been a step behind. He’d be haunted by this humiliation for weeks. Sakura chuckled softly. “You sure? I think she likes you.”

 “Not you too, Sakura!” Naruto grumbled, picking up the pace.

 Ahead of them, the entrance to Gaara’s compound loomed. A guard remained posted at the entryway, eyeing the streets outside. She halted before they got any further and Sasuke turned around. “Not coming?”

 “Not this time.” Sakura let loose the pins in her hair. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 Sasuke nodded, understanding immediately. Naruto, catching on, frowned. “Don’t do this.”

 They had had this argument before. Yesterday morning in fact. She shifted her bracelets. “It’s my job, Naruto.”

 He took a step toward her, his hand outstretched. “You don’t have to do this.”

 “No, I do. It is my job,” she repeated firmly, rejecting his offer once again. Though she would never wish it on another, she took some pride in her abilities and her position.

 Naruto opened his mouth to argue before gritting his teeth and looking away. “Stay safe.”

 These were the times she wasn’t sure if he’d be able to rule their province. The hard decisions were impossible for Naruto and while she admired his spirit in finding good alternatives, there wasn’t always one. He would never be able to hand her orders, even if he must. “I will.”

 Without another word, he whirled around and left. As his angry stomps echoed the hallways, Sasuke gave her a nod and followed after him.

 Now then, it was time she completed Tsunade’s orders. With that in mind, she sauntered off a side hall.

 -x-

 Sakura’s hips swayed with the beat. The sitar and tabla played in a corner, their musicians watching the dancers almost as closely as the generals were. Her target was one in the corner, already drunk off his lust. The alcohol was a formality at this point. He was a minor general but was already making waves as he haphazardly aimed for power.

 If he truly wanted it, he should have been more discrete about it.

 Her anklets chimed as she stepped toward him, her smile disarming. The other dancers were twirling around the rest of the officers, their bracelets clanging together as they lightly stepped from one patron to the other. Sakura picked up one of the drinks, discretely slipping a poison in it.

 She took a deep sip in front of him, his eyes following the trail of an escaped droplet as it slide down her throat and into the valley of her breasts. As he reached for her, she offered him the cup. Accepting it, he quickly downed the whole thing before reaching for her once more. This time she relented, allowing his roaming hands as she silently counted down.

 In a minute his breathing grew laboured, his arms drenched in a cold sweat. His hands gripped her arms hard as he fought the poison, unable to comprehend just what was happening. Fifteen seconds after that, he collapsed, choking on air as he struggled to stay conscious.

 “Why?” he croaked, his eyes locked on hers.

 Instead of replying, she let loose a scream, pointing at his body. The other dancers shrieked and bolted and she slipped into the crowd. Within minutes, she was gone.

 -x-

 Visha Kanya. Girls reared since childhood on poison. Those who survived the process were immune to poison, making them effective assassins and guards. It was even rumoured that even their very blood was poisonous, though Sakura scoffed at that particular myth.

 More girls died than survived the painful process. When she was younger, she remembered collapsing in pain for days after their regular doses. The beds in her dormitory grew emptier with each treatment, girls giving in to death’s call. This finality was a blessing never granted to her, each day more painful than the last until finally she could withstand almost anything.

 Her mother had sacrificed her to this. Without looking back, without warning. Sometimes, she liked to pretend her mother’s shoulders were shaking, that her eyes were sad.

 But the truth was obvious. Her family had abandoned her. Perhaps it was only fitting then that Sakura could never have one of her own now.

 -x-

 “How was it?”

 Sakura halted at the entrance to the servant’s quarters. The moon filtered softly through the trees on her as she slowly turned to Sasuke. A warm breeze blew through the courtyard and a quick scan revealed that they were alone. She slipped out of the shadows and approached him. “You noticed me.”

 Sasuke just gave her a look and perhaps she deserved that. Somehow or the other, he always did find her when she wanted to be hidden.

 The trees provided a natural canopy, an archway connecting different compounds. Closer now, she noticed a series of dark flowers blooming on his arm. Her fingers reached out to brush them involuntarily.  “Naruto?”

 “Sword lessons while we waited for you,” Sasuke explained, not flinching as she gently pressed each one. She didn’t have to ask to know Naruto had fared no better. “How was it?”

 The keen general struck again. Perhaps it was fine to have a single confidant. “The target died.”

 “Not what I was asking.”

  She could barely make out his expression in the shadows, only his eyes as they bore steadily on her. It was hilarious how ineffective her deflection and lies were against him. Sakura sighed, baring her right arm. Her victim had a surprisingly strong grip as he died, his fingerprints marking her skin. “Aside from this, it went fine.”

 His voice lowered, his fingers examining her wound. “Even the poison?”

 Like the moon, his expression was distant and she didn’t need to ask to know he was remembering the times she had collapsed due to her work. The poison would not kill her but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t harm her at all. It still ran its course through her body, leaving waves of pain until it was fully purged. Sasuke always seemed to find her when she had one of those fits, no matter how hard she hid. “Even the poison.”

 “Good.” Sasuke stepped back, no doubt to return to his own abode. “We’ve picked a second candidate to inspect tomorrow.”

 “Another already?” Sakura laughed, relieved her interrogation was over. “After what he went through today? Can he handle it?”

 At this, Sasuke cracked a grin. ��Probably not.”

 -x-

 A few hours after dawn, she found Naruto hacking away at the training grounds. She watched for bit, his blade glinting as he spun from one stance to the next. It was his usual spot when he found out about her work. Either that or taking it out on Sasuke, though the end of those fights left her wondering if there were even any winners or just losers.

 When she was younger, Naruto had seen her position as superhuman. You don’t even need poison, you can just spit in his drink! he had suggested, laughing, as they played in one of the many secret gardens of the palace.

 At some point, he realized just what it meant to be a Visha Kanya and all his jokes died just as surely as her victims did.

 “Naruto?”

 He finished the last of his stances before dropping his sword. Sweat dripped down his bare chest and onto his cotton pants. Once his breathing calmed, he turned to her. There was something fragile in his expression, like a bird caught in her hands. “Did anything happen?”

 Sakura chuckled. Same question as Sasuke. For all their grievances with one another, they were more similar than they realized. “Nothing at all.”

 He stepped forward, frowning. “Is that the truth?”

 “I swear.” Sakura’s arms were covered in a fine layer of powder. What Naruto didn’t notice wouldn’t hurt him. “See? I’m fine.”

 Naruto studied her for a long moment before giving a nod. “When I take over, you won’t have to do this.”

 An empty promise and they both knew it. She played along, not quite ready to break his heart just yet. “I look forward to the rest.”

 “Maybe you can join me on touring the province.” Naruto wasn’t quite smiling yet, his expression like a sun slowly rising. The morning birds sang from the gardens around them. “We can even be nice and invite the bastard.”

 “I don’t know if I can handle that many months on the road with the two of you.”

 “Then we don’t have to bring him.” Naruto waggled his brows, his expression almost too bright to look at.

 “He’ll cry,” Sakura replied seriously before breaking out into laughter. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

 -x-

 “Why are we in the bushes?” Sasuke asked, irritated as they crouched next to a dusty road. Across from them, the Hyuuga palace rose. Delicate colours covered the various walls, an extravagant display of wealth.

 Naruto shivered. “I don’t think I can deal with a second Temari.”

 Sakura knew little of the Hyuuga princess other than that she behaved more like most princesses. Soft, gentle, she might not have the spine to lead as a ruler. “I think it’ll be fine with this one.”

 “No.” Naruto insisted, still clearly traumatized. “We confirm before we talk.”

 “Maybe next time you should practice what you’ll say.” Sasuke stood up and stretched his legs for a moment.  His arms were crossed as he studied the food stalls near them. “Why are we hiding in the bushes and not in the food stalls?”

 “It’d be easier, but we’d be noticeable after a while,” Sakura explained, getting logic even if she didn’t agree with the premise. For once, Naruto was finally putting those tactic lessons to use. If only he’d use them for something other than stalking his bride candidates.

 “A while?’ Sasuke stared down at her. His expression was ice. “How long are we staying here?”

 “Well…” Sakura heard a soft click and she pointed at the gate. “They’re leaving!”

 His expression told her it wasn’t over and she crossed her fingers that Naruto’s next stupid act was enough to drive this from his mind. Quickly, he crouched next to her once more and they watched, barely breathing, as a palanquin exited the compound. Heavy veils lined with golden tassels and jewels hid the princess from sight, offering only the barest hint of blue and pale purple silk.

 A beautiful princess, it was rumoured. A beautiful, shy princess. Entranced, Naruto leaned forward. His eyes were as big as saucers and he craned his body left and right to get a better view of her before she disappeared. He started to rise slowly.

 “Oh?” Sakura cocked her head. “I thought you wanted to wait.”

 “I am waiting.” His gaze was still transfixed on the palanquin as it shuffled on. “I just can’t see very well from here.”

 “Should we just go to her?” Sasuke cut in, rolling his eyes. The sooner this was over the better.  “If you’re not scared.”

 “I’m not!” he retorted, getting up. The gates opened once more and another figure on horseback exited the compound. The figure was stately, even his mount was covered in gold, and quickly he trotted up to the princess.  Naruto stared in disbelief before he hissed, “Is that Neji?”

 Sakura nodded, remembering the rivalry they had since childhood. A one-sided rivalry to be honest. Unlike Sasuke, he never took the bait. “They’re cousins, remember.”

 “Yeah, but why is he here now?” Narut groaned. He swiftly ducked back down, watching as Neji laughed at some joke Hinata said. “I thought he was off at the border.”

 “Didn’t you just say you weren’t scared?” Sasuke frowned, his lips a thin line. This had gone past amusement and into pure annoyance territory for him. Despite what it looked like, he was a general and he did have actual work to do.

 “You don’t like him anymore than I do,” Naruto snapped, tearing his eyes away from the scene to shoot a glare at his friend.

 “I’m not the one getting engaged.”

 Boys. Sakura sighed and softly smacked the pair. “Not now!” Turning back to departure, she waited for a good time to push Naruto out. Maybe Neji would push forward—he hated travelling slowly. The entourage around them wouldn’t protest. Sakura scanned the group before her eyes rested on a pair of brown buns mixed in with the group.

 Tenten. It was only for a moment, but she was sure she glimpsed her friend. Whatever brought her here could not be good news. There’d be death and it’d be best if Naruto was not around to witness that. Depending on who died, Hinata would be too distraught to consider his proposal anyways.

 Casually, she slowly got up. “Let’s do it when he’s not here then. Some other day.”

 “Huh?” Naruto squinted up at her. “Seriously?”

 “Do you want to talk to Neji?”

 He blanched. “No. Next time, definitely next time then.”

 -x-

 “Naruto? Seriously?” Ino scoffed, running her eyes up and down him. “Sure, he looks better than he did as a child, but he’s still Naruto.”

 Naruto shivered under her gaze.  “I feel violated, Sakura.”

 It had been almost a week since the incident with Hinata. Sakura hadn’t yet heard about Tenten’s victim—either she was being cautious or the target was so minor that no one talked about it. Either way, she had directed Naruto to almost everyone else on the list in the meantime.

 Which now left them in front of Ino, a somewhat childhood friend. Sakura remembered bumping into her a few times at the palace when they were younger. Her mother was clever—though Ino’s family were merely wealthy merchants, she knew how to leverage their position to rise in the ranks. Perhaps she was no princess but money and connections could make up for such things.

 “He has a good position,” Sakura countered, ignoring his whines entirely. “I hear you’ve taken on a job as an administrator—he’ll allow you to retain that position.”

 It was rare for a woman to achieve such a rank and Ino bit her lip, considering it. Desire and disgust warred in her expression. “Give me some time to consider it. If you are serious, arrange for a proper meeting with my parents.”

 “We will.” Before Naruto could ruin it, Sakura quickly bid Ino farewell and propelled him out of the room. Sasuke hadn’t been able to join them, a backlog of work overtaking him, but they had managed the past few candidates just fine. Heck, they even managed to find some that looked viable.

 Despite their recent successes, Naruto seemed deflated. “Both she and Temari laughed.”

 Ah, it was pride. Sakura resisted the urge to pat his shoulder as they were in public. “Others didn’t.”

 “But others didn’t know me and they did.” Naruto ran a hand through his hair. “Am I really that unreliable?”

 “No, it’s not that.” Sakura tapped her chin, trying to find the words. “I guess it’s just that they know you so long, so it’s weird?”

 “Would you laugh if I asked, then?” Naruto gave her a sullen look, not quite buying her words.

 Sakura blinked, not sure how to answer. His expression was serious and she rubbed her arm. After a few minutes, she quietly shook her head. “No, I don’t think I would.”

 It was the right answer. Naruto perked up, his stride more purposeful. “Alright. Do you think we’ll find someone?”

 “I think so.” It had seemed an impossible task at first but Naruto had always been someone who found possibilities. “We still have to double check Hinata, but we have a good list now.”

 “Hinata.” Naruto grimaced, remembering Neji. “If none of them work out, I’m becoming a priest.”

 “A priest.” Sakura stared at him, rubbing her ears. There was no way she heard that right.

 “Yeah, a priest.” Naruto warmed up to the idea, flinging his arms up. “I won’t have to marry and we can be casual—”

 Leaving his fantasies aside, Sakura asked, “Could you really shave your head?”

 That stopped him cold. Naruto gingerly touched his hair, frowning. “No? Maybe?”

 “I don’t think I could handle it.” Sakura grimaced at the image. The idea of him in priestly robes, leading prayers and meditations, it made her shiver. He could barely stay still long enough for conversations, let alone for deep thoughts. “So that’s out.”

 “Boooo.” There was no bite to it. He laced his hands behind his head. “You know, it’ll all work out.”

 “Huh?” Sakura looked at him in confusion. The crickets chirped around them, a constant steady beat. “Why?”

 “Even if my room isn’t safe, there are all those secret gardens and stuff.” Naruto gazed up at the sky, at the slowly setting sun. “That’s how we met, right?”

 Sakura remembered a young prince reaching out to her, his hand helping her up. “And we met there for years after.” Sneaking around guards, always on alert—it had never been the most comfortable meetings but she treasured them all the same.

 “Besides, you’re smart and Sasuke’s smart.” Naruto puffed up his chest proudly. “If you two can’t figure out something, no one can.”

 It was praise she didn’t deserve. “I’m not that smart.”

 “You are,” he insisted. “It doesn’t matter where we meet, as long as we can.” Looking ahead, he shouted, “You should have just come if you were going to wait anyways!”

 Sakura followed his gaze to find Sasuke leaning against the palace walls. He grunted in response and she laughed.

 Maybe he was right. It would all work out. As they all returned to his chambers, Sakura walking a few steps behind the pair, she smiled.

 She had been wrong. Being a Visha Kanya had not stripped her right to have a family.

#naruto uzamaki #naruto #sakura haruno #sasuke uchiha #fanfic

[kuramaspartner]

Will Peace Ever Come?

Naruto found, very early on, that people will always look at you with judgmental eyes, never giving you the chance to say a thing or even explain yourself. Or maybe that was just Naruto? They always have this pre-conceived notion of you in their head that they abide by and no matter how many times you try to be better, no matter how many times you try to prove them wrong they will never get rid of those misconceptions.

                               NOT EVEN WHEN THE T R U T H IS STARING THEM IN THE ₣₳₵Ɇ

It's a way of life that Naruto had grown used to living, on the outskirts and never inside. Even around his friends, he was being looked upon with judging eyes, though never by them but by the peers around them, just waiting for when the explosion would come and he'd be all alone again. Where he would be forced to be all alone AGAIN. It never got better and he doubted it ever will.

The war may have given him the chance to prove himself that he wasn't the demon they made him out to be but at the end of the day when the threat passes he is, once more, the person they all turn to blame, pointing their fingers at him and whispering behind his back.

                       He's... grown tired of it all.

How much more should he give for them all to be happy? How much more should he lose before they all finally decide that he had finally given up enough of his life to be able to safely live? He didn't know and he doubted he'd ever know.

                                              Maybe it will N E V E R be enough?

He lost his parents, his childhood, his grandfather, his godfather, his friends; heck he lost his INNOCENCE before he had even been a day old, forced to bear the burden of carrying a terrifying creature within his gut. He didn't know how much more loss he could take.

                                                                   HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE CARRIED ON!

He's thought about just leaving Konoha in the middle of the night, just disappearing from his home village and running as far away as possible. Had Sasuke not ran away himself that day so many years ago Naruto would've done so himself. What did he have those days? A sensei who was more focused on the Sharingan that his team-mate had? A fangirl who prefered to stalk her crush? An avenger who thought of nothing else but killing his brother? A grandfather who was always too busy being the Hokage and trying to deal with the council?

                        ιт нα∂ вεεη α ℓσηεℓү εxιsтαηcε

It got better after Tsunade-baachan had been brought to be the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. He lost a grandfather but he had never been allowed to mourn. He gained a grandmother and a sister in one go - Tsunade-baachan and Shizune-neechan doing everything to be there for him.

          AND THEN EVERYTHING STARTED GOING DOWN THE DRAIN

Sasuke defected from Konoha, Sakura made him promise that he would bring him back, their Team had been disbanded, Jiraiya took him on a THREE YEAR training trip, Sakura was taken under Tsunade-baachan's wing, the Akatsuki started making their moves by taking Gaara and extracting Shuukaku from him... and it just went on and on and on and on.

There had been no end in sight.

Losing Jiraiya had crushed him even worse than losing the Third Hokage to Oorochimaru. Seeing half of Konoha being a veritable crater had made everything worse. Fighting Pein no, not Pein but Nagato, Jiraiya's Nagato, a fellow Uzumaki and a BROTHER and witnessing Hinata jump in front of a blow for him just made it all the more horrifying. He lost control of the Kyuubi and found himself lost in a haze of painevenmorepaindarknesssomuchdarkness and then he finally, FINALLY, met his dad only to be ripped apart from the man minutes after their meeting. Who cared if it was just a Bunshin that had been sealed within him to stop the Kyuubi from escaping? It had still been his FATHER. He was once more fighting Nagato, only this time he didn't hesitate and he fought to survive.

And survive he did - beating Nagato was supposed to have been the end of it all. There wasn't supposed to be any more fighting or wars or bloodshed. Just a hunt for Sasuke to bring him back to Konoha.

But the war did start, a war on such a scale that Naruto hoped to never see it again. They lost many people in the war, children lost their parents, parents lost their children. It wasn't a fight that anyone was willing to lose. This was a fight where the entire world was at stake.

Villages, only at each other's throats weeks before, were fighting side by side against a common enemy only to find that the enemy was not above using the recently, and not so recently, deceased to do their bidding for them.

He hadn't seen it himself but the aftermath had been terrible, many shinobi had been lost fighting their former team-mates, sensei and even Hokage. He had been glad that he hadn't been there himself.

They all fought and they all defeated their foe only to realize that Madara and Obito and the Ten-Tails had never been the true terror. No, that honour laid on Black Zetsu and Kaguya's shoulders. Fighting a GODDESS had never been in the plans but like always they all just fought. And they finally had been able to taste sweet, sweet victory.

They finally had their victory, Sasuke finally came back to Konoha, Team Seven got their happy ending. Konoha was flourishing, as were the other nations, but nothing had changed within the walls of Konoha. War may have frightened them but the villagers of Konoha went back to the simplistic and quite annoying viewpoint.

The civilians of Konoha never realized just how much they all gave to even be alive right now, they never even realized just what they had to do to even survive the war. He and Sasuke had the Shinigami breathing down their necks for Shodai's sake! Neji had sacrificed himself just so they all could somehow defeat the Ten-Tails. He kept his mouth shut though and never uttered a thing. Let them live in their small, unsoiled world. Let them have their perfect fantasy that nothing is wrong with the world.

He kept his mouth shut but that didn't mean that he didn't hear what was being whispered behind his back, behind his friends' backs. Those whispers carried and when you have a thousand-year-old fox sealed within you... well, your hearing was even more amplified. You heard things you were not supposed to hear and Naruto heard a lot.

The whispers hadn't been horrible, not even in the negative, at first but over time, over the weeks and months following the conclusion of war those whispers had turned into accusations. The villagers who had hailed him as a hero following Nagato's defeat once more started calling him a demon.

He listened to those whispers, he listened to the threats and accusations thrown about, he listened and he thought, not for the first time and certainly not for the last...

                                                                   ᵂᴵᴸᴸ ᴾᴱᴬᶜᴱ ᴱᵛᴱᴿ ᶜᴼᴹᴱ?

#naru; headcanon #naru; musing #naru; thread #long post #this has turned into a freaking giant of a thing... #well.... #don't have to read if you don't want to #but Naru just wanted to soo.... #give me your thoughts??

[roraewrites]

twenty three

[ sakura’s secret ] rating: m

previous | next

Throughout the week, Sakura felt like an absolute zombie. She couldn’t decipher just what she was going to do on Friday when her parents came face to face with Sasuke and her dad realized just who exactly he was.

She could tell him that they were going to a quiet place to do some tutoring… Or they couldn’t, because why would a teacher take his student to Old Konoha and shop around a store that sold guns and knives? She groaned into her arm as her head fell back onto her pillow.

“Why me!” She screamed out. Her parents had been gone all night, on a date supposedly, but Sakura considered that they might actually be at marriage counselor. It was Thursday night, she couldn’t possibly think of anything else she could do to make her parents stay home tomorrow night instead of go and listen to how great of a stupid she is, and oh, she has a thing with her teacher.

Sakura removed her arm from her face, she scowled at her popcorn ceiling and felt like she was just wallowing in her pity party. Her phone vibrated from under her pillow, causing her to grab it quickly and read through the message. It was from Ino.

Forehead. Figure anything out yet?

Memories of confiding to Ino came whirling back to her mind, and a blush crept to her cheeks. A sigh of distress came from her nose before she began to type back.

No.

She couldn’t think of anything else to say, anything to do. Maybe Sasuke had a plan? Regardless, she reached for her lamp on the nightstand and flicked it off. She needed to sleep at one point tonight.

.

.

.

“As  you all know, there’s parent-teacher conferences tonight. You’re more than welcome to show up with them, but that won’t hold me back from discussing what I’ll need to discuss with them.” Dark orbs glanced at Naruto, his face merciless as Sasuke looked away from the blonde.

Naruto could only whine before hiding his face in his arms. Sakura felt her heart beat against her ribcage, loud and hard. It felt like it had gotten ten degrees hotter in Sasuke’s classroom, her throat grew dry while her eyes felt wide. She didn’t sleep worth shit last night, or throughout the week.

“Pass your homework forward and we’ll start discussing the next lesson,” Sasuke’s monotone voice broke through her thoughts and she was more than frustrated with the fact that she forgot about her homework. He hadn’t even glanced in her direction all day, and it was only making her stress and anxiety levels shoot through the roof.

What a great fucking day.

.

.

.

“Sakura.”

His voice stopped her in her place. She felt her heart begin to hammer against her chest more so now than earlier in the day, but she couldn’t quite make her eyes meet his. She felt nervous, sick to her stomach, like she could hardly talk, but when she finally looked up at him, she was met with soft, onyx eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” She asked quietly, her eyebrows raised as she looked at him. Of course she wasn’t okay. She was a seventeen year old girl -- almost eighteen -- and she felt like her life was going to come to an end in the next hour and a half. Sasuke’s face didn’t falter when she threw his question back into his face. “Of course I’m okay,” she lied.

A soft scoff sounded and smirk appeared on his lips. His body came to sit on the corner of his desk while he held the rest of the classroom’s homework in his hands. “Then why didn’t I see your paper in this stack?” He held them up with a smug look on his face.

“I have a lot going on.” She muttered quietly. It had been days since she talked to Sasuke, even during his class, she would make it a point to keep her eyes off him and run out of the room whenever the bell rang. She didn’t want to get stuck talking to him about her feelings, especially when she just didn’t know what to do.

“Hn,” he grunted. “Like parent-teacher conferences?”

Sakura frowned now. Her hands came to grab the strap of her bag and she shuffled her feet awkwardly. Her evergreen eyes dropped, looking down at the cold tiled floor as she began to think about what she was going to do. Sasuke’s shoes came into her line of sight, his body standing right in front of hers.

“Hey--” he tilted her chin up, forcing her to look into his dark eyes before he offered a small smile. “I’ve got it figured out,” he reassured her before dipping his head down, meeting her lips with warm, soft lips of his own.

Sakura felt her brows raise with question, viridian irises narrowing softly as she ran her fingers down his jawline. His skin was always soft there, and it always smelled like aftershave. Maybe that was the scent she just couldn’t pick up when they first started this whole thing.

“Trust me,” he murmured, his warm breath fanning over her cheek as he pulled away and turned around. “I have to get stuff set up. I’ll see you later.”

Sakura nodded before she turned away and walked out the door. The hall still held stragglers, her being one, but once she reached the commons, she found her blonde best friend sitting on the bench with curious eyes.

“Hey, Forehead,” she greeted kindly. Sakura knew that it was just a cover up, because the second they walked out those doors, Ino would be all over her. Sakura only smiled before pulling her coat on over her shoulders and her hat over her head.

The weather outside was still cold, but the snow was finally starting to let up. Unlike every other year, this one had snowed ten times harder and the brisk winds blew from every which direction. Sakura was surprised she hadn’t gotten sick, considering all the different times she had been out late without her jacket or coat on.

Ino’s annoying hum started to get to her the second they entered the freezing cold air, and when Sakura glanced at her friend, she could see the smile playing on those thin, pink lips.

“What?” She hissed.

“Oh, nothing.” Ino’s shit eating grin started to appear, and Sakura couldn’t help but smack Ino’s arm, followed by Sakura pulling her friend under her arm and smiling.

“Oh, nothing, my ass!” Sakura laughed. It felt good to have her friend here with her, knowing her deepest and more darkest secret, yet she made her feel better about it. Although she didn’t agree with Sakura’s choice, she also didn’t bag on her or scold her.

“Any plans yet?” Ino asked from under Sakura’s arm.

The pinkette shrugged before glancing into icy blue eyes. It always looked like a storm in her gorgeous orbs, something Sakura could get lost in if she dared look into Ino’s eyes for far too long. “Sasuke said he has a plan. I’m a little anxious not knowing what he has up his sleeve.”

Another low hum sounded from Ino before she shrugged as well. This time Sakura removed her arm from her best friend and walked alongside her. They had already arrived at Ino’s street, and with a simple goodbye spoken into the cool air, Sakura made her way home.

Her heart stirred in her chest the closer she got to home, and the second she walked inside, her knees felt absolutely weak.

“Hello, sweetie!” Mebuki called from the kitchen. Sakura hadn’t even closed the door behind her and her mother was already greeting her. It felt nice to see them both at home tonight, but then again, she felt the pit of her stomach burning and bubbling at the thought of going to the school now.

“We’ll leave in fifteen minutes. You hungry?”

The last thing Sakura had on her mind was eating -- she could hardly stomach the piece of toast she ate that morning, let alone the few crackers she tried providing her body during lunch. Once this entire thing was over and she was grounded indefinitely, she’d eat.

“No, I’m good.” Sakura called as she walked passed the kitchen and to the stairs. “I’ll eat when we get home.” It was a lie, but she wanted to reassure her mother and not worry her.

The moment she got to her room, she closed the door behind her and began to remove her coat and hat. Her hair was an absolute mess, the bags under her eyes had grown to be an ugly shade of purple, and her skin was completely dried out. She exhaled heavily before rubbing at the bags underneath her eyes; she didn’t feel tired, but her body was mostly running off adrenaline at this point in time.

With her school uniform peeled off her body and a pair of denim jeans, a pink blouse and ankle high boots on her body, she grabbed her coat and made her way down the stairs. Sakura didn’t even think about hiding the bags under her eyes or fixing her hair. She was tired and ready for this to end.

“Hey, dad.” She greeted casually as she came back to the kitchen. Her mother had prepared hot sandwiches for the two of them and although they smelled delicious, it made her stomach roll with nausea.

“Ready?” Her father asked with a chipper voice and a wide smile.

“I guess so.”

.

.

.

Sakura could no longer feel her body. Her toes and fingers were numb, trembling. She couldn’t breathe due to the lump that had formed there earlier in the day. She couldn’t think, due to her thoughts being a jumbled, knotted mess and she could hardly hear now. Everything was fuzzy, voices entering her mind but she could hardly make out who was talking to her.

“Hello, Principal Hatake!” Her mother’s high pitched greeting shook her from her thoughts, but Sakura hardly cared. She was too tired, and too high up on a wall, waiting to come crashing down.

“Haruno,” he greeted with his monotone, lazy voice. His silver hair and eyepatch always freaked Sakura out, but she knew he was a good guy. After loitering through the halls and her parents snacking on provided snacks, her father clasped Sakura’s shoulder in his large hand.

“Ready to go talk to.. Er-- Who’s your homeroom teacher?”

Chills ran down her spine at the thought, and her voice lodged in her throat before she could squeak it out. “Uchiha-sensei.”

She began to lead them down the hall, her hands clenched into fists, allowing her nails to bite into the palms of her hands. The second they arrived at the open door, she noticed that it was empty of any other students and their parents and they could go in.

Here goes nothing… Or everything, she breathed out heavily before dipping through the entryway.

Sakura’s heart dropped to her stomach when she was met by a pair of dark eyes, fair skin and a kind smile. She frowned slightly, unsure of what to think, but this man definitely wasn’t Sasuke. She stopped in her tracks, glancing towards the door to make sure this was her homeroom.

It definitely was.

“Sakura Haruno and her parents, hello.” His voice was deeper than Sasuke’s, but Sakura couldn’t get over the fact of how much their looked alike. Mebuki was the first to walk right up to him and shake his hand, her father following in hot pursuit.

“Have a seat,” he offered, but Sakura was still frozen in time. She swallowed hard when his eyes found her, and instead of making a scene, she tore her feet from their planted location and took a seat next to her mother.

“Uchiha-sensei, these are my parents,” she introduced them with a cool tone. “Mom, dad, this is Uchiha-sensei.” But it wasn’t.

Sakura thrummed her fingers on the desk that she was sitting at, listening to the way he talked and conversed with her parents. She hadn’t listen to a single word he said, only to the tone of voice and how he talked. Her mind was completely spaced out on thinking that this man was possibly Sasuke’s brother that he had mentioned.

Minutes ticked by on the clock, and by the time they were done, it had only been a half hour. “All in all, she’s a pleasure to have in class and I see her doing great things in the future.” He finished their conference with a soft pat on her back and a reassuring smile.

His features were entirely too warm, yet his presence was comforting. Sakura finally returned his smile as they left, and the moment they closed the door behind them, she felt a breath of fresh air finally make its way through her lungs.

She could breathe, she could think, she could hear, she could feel. Sasuke hadn’t been there tonight, and for that, she was thankful. When Sakura and her parents finally arrived to their car, Mebuki turned to Sakura and smiled.

“Your sensei certainly has undergone a lot of stress!”

Sakura raised an eyebrow before her head tilted slightly. “What?”

“Well, and he grew his hair out, I suppose. That picture you drew of him towards the beginning of the school year -- he’s certainly changed a lot.”

Sakura rolled her eyes before getting in the backseat. “It was just a drawing, mom.”

.

.

.

Sakura’s phone began to vibrate violently on her desk, startling her mind as she looked away from her research and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Sakura. How’d it go?”  Sasuke’s voice had never sounded better. She smiled after hearing it, completely reeled in by how calm and warm he sounded on the other side of the phone.

“Fine,” she reassured him. “Who was that?”

“Itachi.” Sasuke answered almost as fast as she had asked. “I had to beg him to step in for me. Hopefully he didn’t cause too much trouble. I gave him the gist of what was going on, but not too much.”

Sakura frowned now. The gist of what was going on? “What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing,” he dodged. Their conversation died down before a low cough came from the other end. “Are you available tomorrow night?”

Sakura giggled lightly before checking the time. It was eleven-thirty-four and she still hadn’t passed out. Now the excitement of hearing Sasuke stirred her heart and made her blood rush.

“Why do you ask?”

“I thought we could go do something.” His response made her giddy, a smile pulling at her lips before she nodded to herself.

“I’d like that.”

“Good. I’ll get ahold of you sometime tomorrow. Goodnight, Sakura.”

She hung up the phone before even telling him goodnight. Her heart rushed in her chest, her cheeks ached from the smile that pulled at her lips. Her world had completely flipped back over and she felt like she was standing up on her feet once more.

On top of all of this, she would see Sasuke again.

A/N: someone fucking guessed what was going to happen and i was like just scREAMING. thanks for reading ♥

#sasusaku #ss fanfiction #sasusaku fanfiction #ronan rae #rrstories #s/t

[ryodan]

Sasuke and SASUSAKU.

Okay, I just saw this and I’ll humor you. I’ll even make a whole post for you.

@homez18

1)      Whether  Kishimoto said he was good or bad at writing romance is pretty irrelevant here as sasusaku related material made it into 44 of his 72 volumes. And actually, he never said he is bad at writing romance, he said he felt uncomfortable seeing characters he ‘grew’ kiss (Hinata and Naruto) and that he does not understand the hearts of women so he had to consult his editor and wife to write certain SS scenes, which in itself is effort spent. He never said ‘Idk how they got together’ he said he wrote the story with them in the back of his mind wondering how he would make them end up together and just decided to go with the flow.  This is coming from the man who also said in the second board meeting with the Naruto staff that they were end game since their conception as character #5 and #6 respectively, a rival and a heroine added to the story and he thought of making a love triangle thing happen but was like no I probably could not pull that off. So, there goes that argument.

2)      I will mention part 2 ss if you want me to, friend. But, saying SS does not make sense to the character (who I am assuming is sasuke?) and trying to erase part 1 is pretty???? Because a lot of part 2 was focused on getting the Sasuke they loved in part 1 back..a happier more emotionally stable one though.

3)      Part 1 SS is very important because it is the time during the run of the series that featured the most  positive emotional growth and development for sasuke, and a huge part of it was linked to sakura. We start off with this irritable, socially reclusive boy who’s first thought in the series is ‘more people will just drag me down’, and we later learn the reason of this behavior is trauma and survivors guilt which often leads to isolation, repression and irritability. This is not me trying to add psychology to his character arc, all of this is out right shown multiple times on spaced out occasions which reinforces that these are reoccurring thoughts. His fixation on his ‘revenge plot’ was aided by the fact that he was an introverted shy boy (this does not equal wants to be left alone considering he regularly sought acknowledgment) pre massacre and a full blown out isolated mess afterwards. Being alone only allowed him to obsess over revenge further, which no matter how you look at it is not healthy and it was never shown in the series to be healthy.

But anyways, I digress. A lot of him growing positively linked to Sakura. Some of his biggest part 1 moments include fighting orochimaru, awakening his seal and suppressing it (the cursed seal is arguably one  of  the biggest progressions of his character in part 1 as it leads to him being manipulated into leaving the village) and his fight with gara (again, arguably the moment he showed how much he grew as a character with team 7)

4)      Don’t forget. The Curse of Hatred (憎しみの呪い, Nikushimi no Noroi) was an ideal common to the Uchiha Clan, the Uchiha are people greatly devoted to love and friendship, yet they tend to conceal their more affectionate traits. When the object of their affection is lost, an Uchiha’s love can instantaneously turn into hatred, leaving them more inclined to do anything and everything in their power to achieve their goals and show their own superiority, regardless of the consequences and repercussions of their actions. The despair of these experiences cause a manifestation of unique chakra within an Uchiha’s brain, impacting the optic nerves and creating the sharingan. This also requires extremely painful experiences, which cause the user to delve into darkness that utterly consumes them.

I won’t bring this up

                        Because this also happens

What I am trying to say is early part one gave a very good set up for who sasuke really is as a person, genuinely pretty empathetic and pure hearted which is easily backed up by the fact that when he was a kid (kishi regularly uses childhood to explain a psyche of a character) despite his inferiority complex growing due to his brother, he was still more concerned with the relationship between his dad and his brother going sour than his own feelings of neglect.

Even so, it was still obvious that he needed to go through some positive development.

The first time we are introduced to Sasuke’s stance in the entire series as an avenger is through his first interactions with sakura, which were literally given romantic context from volume 1 and mentioned again over the entire series and highlighted nearing the finale in volume 70, so yeah pretty relevant.

His isolation and irritability generally made him seem off standoffish but even with that, he took his time out to explain his stance in the story which is a pretty fuckin big deal considering this opening up is something suigetsu complains about in part 2 and jugo struggles to understand him because of. Naruto has to physically pull it out of him, kakashi got it when sasuke was in a very emotionally volatile state and sakura got it with a hug.

Cut to the first mission and his ties with naruto and sakura are established , the rival friend and the girl with the crush he feels some sort of protective affection for.

Moments like these (that make grown ass men cry but get antis panties in a knot) are funny bc when you say that he is comfortable with her touch already someone has to say he just woke up, but homeboy had a bunch of senbon sticking into him like a hedgehog and he still took a moment to call naruto a moron and say he did not want to die before accomplishing revenge.

 So, until this day the person he is most physically comfortable with sakura and we all know how he feels about physical touch haha

After said mission, a very sweet and important scene happens and it highlights a shift in character for sasuke. It’s also the scene my avid sasuke hater friend says ‘the only time that dick did anything nice’. Where after he has a lil salty moment with a naruto who was acting particularly bratty that day gives Sakura the ‘instead of minding me why don’t you practice a jutsu? To be frank with you, your abilities are even less than naruto’s.’ which if after the guy readily jumped in front an attack to protect her you think he is going out of his way to be a dick then that is a pretty faulty assumption. He was being frank, it is what it is. Was it needed to make sakura realize her ass needs to grow up? Yes. Could it have been worded better? Also, yes. Which is why the next scene happens where Sasuke grows more in tune with her and is able to tell she is feeling down. Him being aware of and caring about her personal feelings is a huge step forward  for his character and is pretty much the only time this type of behavior exists from him.

He is being nice, says a huge compliment and look at his little smile, he is satisfied that she is happy. A huge step forward from ‘I don’t care for bonds bc I have revenge!!11!!’

The fight vs rock lee happens and sasuke grows a little more and team 7 has a scene furthering their bonds (added romantic context on sakuras part ofc)

During the chuunin exams ofc they face orochimaru and sasuke over comes something shown right in the beginning of the land of the waves arc : an intense paralyzing fear of strong  opponents with an intense blood lust dating back to the day of the massacre.

 He sees Sakura shaking and his sharingan activates, showing he is worried about her and as they are about to get attacked he forces himself to move (ugoke!) and stabs himself to go get her. Cute moment showing he cares. A lot.

And yet again a huge character moment, when she calls him out on being a coward and for his hypocrisy towards naruto, insulting him frequently yet in the same position naruto was once in and in his mind he immediately flashes  back to the reason he always believed he needed to live : his ‘moral burden’ of killing itachi and for the first time refuses to live tied by the ‘rules’ itachi made for him and over comes that fear and fights. She talk no jutsued sasuke lol

And ofc he gets bitten and seeks physical comfort from her. he initiated that contact with her meaning her presence is comforting to him, a big deal in a moment of such intense agony.

And then the iconic hug scene, where his survivor guilt is shown in his nightmares and his intense feelings of hating himself for not being able to protect him family causing his curse mark to act up and when he wakes up to see sakura hurt, the mark and by extension sasuke under it’s influence heating him up go out of control. (but even then when she expresses worry over him he takes time out to explain his major stance in the entire story yet again, even if I abandon myself to evil on my path I must obtain power)

‘Sakura, iie! omae o kizutsuke ta no wa doidsu da?’

‘Sakura, tell me! Which of them hurt you?’ chosen in the databook by kishi and readers as one of the best scenes because it shows ‘she is now a person he wants to protect and how angry he would get at himself if he could not do it’

Again quoting the databook, Sakuras heart thinking of sasuke devours the wicked power.

And even after this is over homeboy watches over her getting her hair cut, is like ?? at Naruto when he asks about her hair instead of her beat up face. After this, they really became much closer and more in sync, even working together and show casing that they can strategize together.

His resolve of avenging his families death doesn’t magically disappear however and he is still focused on getting stronger hence the little conversation they have, where sakura is worried about him in pain and starts crying, sasuke sees this and is disturbed so he yet again explains his stance in the story to her but funnily enough singles her out (ikura omae demo) as a very special person and says he won’t forgive even her if she takes that away from him. Inside the fight he is sustained by his wet dream (joke)  and the cheer he got from the annoying orange and is able to suppress the curse once again thinking about (his crying fetish) her tears.

And then god damn, they are on a roll here bc the fight with gara happens and sakura jumps in to protect him from a lethal blow and if what happened previously wasn’t enough of an emphasized thing, the love in sakuras eyes #triggers  gara.

And Sasuke gives his little speech telling naruto to save her and essentially that he is about to go off on a suicide mission and knows it’ll probably end here but he is ready to do it because he is not willing to see another precious person to him die right in front of him again. Mind you, this is after he shows again the intensity of his survivor guilt straight up saying the only reason he was ‘allowed to live’ was to carry the moral burden of avenging his clan but at this moment in time the pain of losing someone that precious to him is enough to make him consciously decide he is willing to die and leave all of that behind. This is the biggest difference between this and those scenes in the land of waves arc. Back then, it was show casing his empathy and kindness, my body moves on it’s own and even though I could die and not accomplish my goals which I really want to I cant just let a comrade die in front of me, where as now it’s I know I probably won’t come out of this but then pain of dying and not accomplishing my goals seem less than seeing another person I care so much about die right in front me. Seeing this, naruto realizes the importance of caring and fighting for the people you love and fights gara, teaching him the same values. Important scene overall to the story.

After seeing  naruto go up to par with gara and ‘realizing how helpless’ he was in that fight he was pretty jealous due to feelings of inferiority to naruto, and that jealousy was  partly fueled and thrown in our face twice by seeing sakura smile gently at naruto. Romantic or not, he is jealous of her smiling at naruto, that is undeniable.

And then itachi happens, and that reawakens his intense resolve. It doesn’t help the fact that orochimaru sought him out while extremely emotionally vulnerable. Ofc his petty ass attitude in the hospital scenes was fueled by his feelings of inferiority thrown in his face by the one person he really did not want that from, the same person who made him feel inferior as a child. And again to add heat to the burn, he remembers the smile and the plate thing happens.I see a lot of anti sasuke people talking about his scene pretending that when i say inferiority complex while talking about sasuke i mean something stemming from lack of acknowledgment from his dad, from being weaker than itachi and not able to protect his family, for having itachi be like i am here for naruto idc about you after everything. Not, oh man naruto seems better than me :/ gotta start shit :/

Oh right the hug when he wakes up. Again, people claim he was tired and traumatized, which he was, But the look he gave her for caring about him so much was very tender and it did not go unnoticed to nardo.

He ofc gets manipulated by the sound 4 and we are shown how emotionally attached he is to team 7

And the confession scene happens where sakura just desperately gives him promise after promise of making him happy and it isn’t just because she wants him there but also she doesn’t want to see her loved one torment and hurt himself over revenge, but it is more than revenge to sasuke it’s a moral burden, (he has a right to want to avenge his family from their murderer from a moral stand point) and that is what he kept trying to communicate to both her and kakashi. He doesn’t allow her to come because just as we saw with team taka, he isn’t willing to let anyone shoulder what he believes to be his personal pain and burden, specially not someone so special. And when she cries over him leaving and the fact that she believed for a second that he doesn’t care and forgot all of their meaningful interactions he turns around and says annoying, but with a smile this time.

That thank you meant a lot, man. It was not just a thank you for saying I love you.

Sasuke fights naruto to obtain the mangekyo by killing his best friend but then realizes last moment that he being manipulated by his brother and snaps out of it, refusing to kill such a close person.

Sasuke’s encounter with team 7 early part was pretty significant in developing naruto and sakuras friendship as 2 comrades who share the pain of their dear friend gone from their lives, but it also explains sasukes psychological point of view. After having his resolved awakened to a point of obsession again and realizing that there was a time in his life where he cared about other people to the point of giving up that goal, he decides to cut off his bonds with them.

The ‘attack’ on naruto was again for the mangekyo, and sakuras ass would have come out unscathed if she didn’t go all ‘gotta stop this hoe he out here hurting my pals’  but he was hurting her pals and stabbing people ofc she wouldn’t be like yas baby go. He pulls out his sword in defense but yamato ends up getting stabbed, my poor wood boy.

Sasuke takes down orochimaru because in  his constructed moral everything that relates to itachi is bad and senseless killing and torturing( at that time) registered in his head as an itachi thing, which only made his already strong moral code tingle with a strong feeling of ‘im going to take you down you sick son of a bitch, and ill make a bible reference while I am at it’

The lil hawk takes flight and assembles Taka, showing again, a strong moral sense when he says he isn’t going to take anyone by force and he even sets orochimarus captives free. Sasuke is shown to care for Takas safety on multiple occasions but it’s the biggest insult his character receives when people look at him with fan goggles to monopolize him as if he is a cold hearted sadist who only cares for a few people when he is a very selfless, empathetic person. On a personal level though, he did not know their last names, nor did he ask about their history as captives (except for jugo..for obv reasons) so I would not exactly call that emotional investment. But I do think something was there, like they were a hella good team in combat. However,they noticed him going ‘dark’ and never tried to help or stop him so I cant call it a friendship, but I can’t deny it was a team.

After the fight with itachi he is again very emotionally vulnerable and obito hops on his dick to manipulate him, and it works significantly well because sasuke ends up seeing the ENTIRE leaf village as responsible for killing his family after they discriminated against them, and while that might be a wrong train of thought since most people in Konoha are innocent (ten tens worst crime is how little screen time that cutie has), in his now much more jaded, cynical mind it makes a whole lot of sense since it now seems like konoha killed them for their personal benefit and are dancing on their uchiha graves by pretending it never happened and that they never placed the burden of an entire world war on his brothers shoulders.  Everyone is guilty. Everyone is laughing at their deaths. I am a little unstable. I am also a victim. Not to say he isn’t held accountable for his actions because he is a victim but a lot of his character arc and decisions make sense and tie in with his suffering …people going ‘bad’ because of their victimhood is not a new concept you see it with bullies all the time and that is why its important to grasp the situation by the balls and end the circumstance that creates such victims. He also awakens his mangekyo sharingan, meaning he is slowly stepping further into the curse of hatred.

They go to retrieve bee and its shown that he has yet to lose all logical moral reasoning because he still cares for takas safety even though he has declared to crush the leaf, meaning he hates only the leaf atm..all of his concentrated itachi hatred redirected. But he falls a little morally when he captures innocent ass bee and attacks the cloud. That shit was uncalled for, but he was trying to further his plans. I mean suna attacked konoha and its all good in the hood so we could chill. But it wasn’t right.

Ofc however during the bee arc sasuke uses his power that is obtainable through an emotionally driven doujutsu by having an image of team 7 on his mind as he was made to remember when he sees people showing genuine care about him. No matter how far he slipped, seven was always there. Right there, in part 2. The only time sasuke remembers team  7 in a positive light (otherwise he just wants to kill naruto because he stands in the way of his plans) includes sakura and kakashi. You cant argue he doesn’t care cause???

In the 5 kage summit arc a new falling rapidly into the curse of hatred sasuke makes the leap in logic that if his brother who he saw as a good person now, and Konoha which he previously thought to be good could kill on multiple occasions then killing is no longer an off the table option anymore and he warns those samurai before doing the doodly do. He is a bit out of character here, but his change in mind set made him 180. Its an interesting shift in character for a kid whos empathy and moral high ground kept him on the fence of killing in a series where a teacher tells 12 year old kids to come at him with the intent if killing. He seeks out danzo and this is where his motives and pain come into full display  ‘sono migiude teni ireru tameni nanin no uchiha o teni kaketa?’ ‘how many uchihas did you take down in order to get that right arm’

His driving force for his emotions and suffering are lost bonds and a moral burden he still sees himself accountable for.

Ofc this fight features his full descend into the darknes when he stabs Karin and generally looks beyond mentally unstable, this is where his character even though distorted before, goes through a gross distortion where he seems maniacal and just not there. This is bc as an uchiha, the more emotional pain he feels the more hatred he feels ,and the more he uses magic eye level 2.0, the more he loses himself.

Sakura somewhere out there doesn’t know the truth about itachi so sasuke is just acting like a dick wad and attacking innocent villages to her, and to avoid anyone getting hurt, physically or emotionally she burdens herself with killing him in order to save him from going darker. ‘oh but she gave up on him!!111!!!’ like, kakashi did the same thing for obito and at this point her logical order isn’t flawed. Sasuke was by definition an S ranked internationally wanted criminal attacking villages and peace meetings, falling rapidly into a darkness that his past self wouldn’t approve of  and he was getting hunted by every hoe in every country who wanted his ass dead. At least sakura (who again, did not know his reasons and you cant blame her for not knowing) did it to protect the empathetic boy who wouldn’t do something as senseless as attack an innocent man and aid a terrorist organization and to protect naruto emotionally and physically from akatsuki as well as ensure no one gets hurt from him as he is strong. In no way is it her way of being selfish, considering the language she used insinuated she was willing to die right there and then with him. The mission was a complete failure from the start bc hoe can’t kill him and if you truly think she could, I pray for you to find the light.

She shows up ofc and homeboy is suspicious right away, like I know u well enough what u plotting yo?? He knows from the get go shes out here for murder and he goes behind her and almost chidoris her. The factors that go into play here are 1) curse of hatred. 2) she is out for murder, he knows it and turns the table. It’s a low moment for him but that’s the whole purpose behind the scene. The fact that he went behind in the first attack of The Day ™ even though he probably knew he could take her down if he wanted to showed that he still isn’t able to attack face first. That’s not me romanticizing that scene bc ew, but it’s the truth. The look on his face is also not that of the most stable person. Second attack is purely in self defense and he has fallen to the point where he could do it from the front. Naruto shows up and his face shows he knows he done fucked up.

Naruto declares that you are my friend ™ (aaah ano hi no yume..) after sasuke yet again shows how far hes fallen due to the curse, pain and obitos brain washing by some good ol’ evil laughter, shouting he will turn peoples laughter into ‘screams and moans’ (how..awful sounding..to have sasuke make you scream and moan..jokejoke) and sasuke is like fuck u shit how dare u CARE about me ? Stop. And again naruto declares he will stop him and help him to which sasuke pulls an I-listen-to-my chemical romance and bring me the horizon- you don’t understand me!! And although affected by naruto still calling him a friend after all of this, he ends up getting also annoyed by Naruto trying to stop him and leaves thinking give me magic eye level 3.0 I want to kill Missy Elliot in her orange jump suit bc she thinks she will stop me by being my friend. How do I feel about what Naruto said to him that day? Personally, I think he missed the moral perspective of sasuke going crazy (he knew the truth) but he was coming from the right place. They all were. They just wanted him to stop suffering, all of them willed to die with him.

And thus begins their cute chase. Will Naruto fight sasuke first and save him? OR will sasuke kill him first so his ninja jesus light doesn’t stop his plans? Are they going to die together? So much to think about.

Sasuke gets his much deserved confrontation with itachi during the war and this is the healthiest time for them. Itachi no longer sheltered sasuke in a way that was poisonous for the both of them and sasuke asked the questions he deserved answers for. He got them, and an I love you all wrapped with a bow of existential crisis because after the fight with Kabuto, he sees his brother still doing his best for the leaf, still believing kabuto -an evil hoe- could change for the better. And he asks why such a ‘perfect’ person as itachi would still associate with shit like this and itachi is like dude I think you missed the part where I killed your family, tortured and manipulated you. I am not perfect, and neither is the dark world we live in but let me tell you some solid advice  that correlates with the star hax of the arc, the beautiful jutsu that makes no sense : Izanami. The past may be shitty, and we could either run around in an infinite loop suffering because of it, or we could chose to break free, accept what happened and change the future instead of doting on the past. Sasuke is like k cool man I get u but what next? ur jesus talk no jutsu ability is impressive but now I am questioning everything. What do I change? What is right and wrong? What is a village? What is a shinobi? I may not know now, but when I become supreme lord of everything, ill know then haha.

To answer these questions he goes to the One Who Knoweth All, the master of snakes-voldermort with a nose, and revives the kage who basically tell him yeah dude listen our history was fucked, apparently now is fucked, conflict always arises in every age and time its like madara said- you can never look into someones gut.But like maybe the new young generation can deal with it?? deal with ur own fucked up economy, suzan. He also finds out more about why the uchiha were so feared (madara, sharingan, tobirama the little shit, a sticky messy situation kishimoto why are u like this)and Donald trump (tobirama) tells him ur bad bc u love too much tf is wrong with u and sasuke was like fix ur fucking face tattoo u discriminatory bitch. Sasuke comes to the conclusion that he is now a renewed konoha fanboy ‘I wont let this village or my brother go to waste!11!’ because he realizes yeah man history is fucked and I want to change that so no other kid ends up in a situation like mine, full of pain, anger and blind hate.

Shows up on the battlefield, (Sakura, ka? ) and engages in some eye sex with sakura while ignoring others and declares yoyo idc bout what u think of me losers, imma be president. And naruto was like um imma let u finish but im gonna be the greatest hokage of ALL TIME (about that…anyways) . and ensues some team 7 and some naruto and sasuke being the iconic duo they are. It is important remember however, sasuke was at the moment in process of truly cutting all bonds, ensuring he is hated and fully immersing himself into the shadows. Although he is the first to react when sakura is attacked, warns her and kakashi multiple times so they don’t get hurt, saves them from infinite tsukiyomi and double checks on them in the Kaguya dimension, he pretends that like uh idc whatever I don’t care u guys cant even do much, I saved naruto because without him the world would end and u were just there so I saved you

to which naruto calls bullshit and sasuke is like ‘ur ruining my reputation as a heartless bitch’ ah brings back memories..of sasuke pretending to be a heartless bitch.

But like, he could not let her hit the floor so I am sure her hitting lava was a no-no. That moment happens, it was nice. Thank u, for that, kishimoto. And he even says ‘okagede todoita’ ‘thanks to you, I reached’ , nice moment.

After kaguya is over, they even exchange smiles. But nah, sakura, still in tune with sasuke as ever was right not to trust him 100% bc he pulls a IM GOING TO BE SUPREME WORLD LEADER, START A REVOLUTION, KILL THE 5 KAGES AND CAST THE WORLD INTO A NEW FUTURE. I fully support sasuke wanting to change the world that caused people like him, itachi, naruto, nagato, madara, obito, neji etc etc so much pain. I fully support revolution. I don’t want him to kill the 5 kages, but they really aren’t innocent so I understand where he is coming from. Him wanting to put the entire weight of hatred on himself is pretty selfless. It pains me (and naruto) seeing him say he is alone and willing and ready to bear hatred. All of that is valid but see :

dictator

noun

1.    a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force.

Synonyms:

Autocrat, monocrat, absolute ruler

How a dictatorship works : Dictatorship is a form of government  where a country or a group of countries is ruled by one person or political entity, and exercised through various mechanisms to ensure that the entity’s power remains strong

A dictatorship is a type of Authoritarianism, in which politicians regulate nearly every aspect of the public and private behavior of citizens. Dictatorship and totalitarianism societies generally employ political propaganda to decrease the influence of proponents of alternative governing systems.

Examples of dictators :

·         Adolf Hitler ,dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and Benito Mussolini ,dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943.

·         Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome.

·         Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953.

Sasukes plans :

So, while I do support him wanting change, I don’t think his method was right. Not for the world and not for him and the only person who could communicate that to a boy who is at his core is just lonely, is a boy who was equally lonely but learned the value of comradeship, unity and love. He saw it’s ability to bring about great, good change and he believed he wanted that to continue and not sasukes self destructive autocratic plans.

Anyways, sakura begs him not to slip any further, says that she knows he is in pain but she doesn’t want him suffering any longer but she cant fight him physically like naruto, neither can she convince him to stay even though she loves him so much, however she tries one last time again, hoping maybe his hoe ass will agree that unity is better than separation and sasuke is affected as hell. He shakes, showing once again he is the boy who cares about the people he loves too much.

Gave her a look that would have looked like this without the rinnegan, because he does not want to be alone and anyone who says that is a jackass

She is an annoyance because for a faltering second, she can still after all this time, in part 2 weaken his resolve.

He shows her the genjutsu of him killing her to seal the deal and ensure she hates him, but I doubt he would have ever been able to physically harm her after his head cleared up a bit. A bit.

Kakashi scolds him saying she doesn’t deserve this when all she did was try to help you. literal Japanese translation, Sasuke says ‘ are you suggesting I enjoy ‘renai’’ quite literally ‘romantic love’ in Japanese. He acknowledged the romantic context of their relationship himself. Then he goes on, and I translate literally again ‘I have no reason to love her and she has no reason to love me’, and kakashi calls bullshit by basically stating sasuke, love is not something you have to look for a reason for. The thing you do need excuses and reasons to fill your life with though, is hatred. She is not trying to make you ‘her thing’, she wants to help you no matter how much bad you’ve done her because she loves you so much it makes her suffer. AND IMMEDIATELY he flashes back to the purest love he knows, the love that he never sat down and tried to reason with, the love that caused him suffering. His love for his family. ‘perhaps those are ties to a failed past’..and goes on to kill Naruto bc he is the last friend who will stand in his way.

Hagoromo basically confirms ss will happen when it shots to sakuras face saying ‘love turned to hate’ then kakashi asks ‘so like sasuke is a lost cause?’ hagoromo says ‘not at all I hope naruto and sasuke break the cycle of hate’ then it pans to sasuke saying ‘I hope  hate turns to love’ and since this is a shonen, ofc it did.

Naruto and sasukes fight communicates all of their feelings and experiences and no matter how stubbornly sasuke insists on being alone, naruto is like no bitch I know what that’s like and I refuse to let my brother (from another mother) go through that eternally. And boom bada bim, it took an arm but he got free from the curse of hatred, and they broke the cycle. Sasuke then goes on to say how he always admired naruto to a point where it gave him an inferiority complex, just like itachi. He had a strong will and a power source unknown to sasuke. But one thing he finally fucking learned, is wait yeah man when we were on the same time and you became my comrade I felt your pain too. I saw you guys as my family- fuck right shit the sharing of pain and enduring it together until it comes to pass. That is what I learned from team 7, that is where your source of power comes from and you know what I accept that you learned it a lot earlier than I did. It’s my loss. Naruto is like if ur hoe ass don’t stop with this emo shit ill beat u up again bc YOURE MY FRIEND AAAH and sasuke finally god damn gets what naruto meant by that and the realization that the love he starved for all his life was right there waiting for him to accept it was so earth shattering to him that he cried. Blood connected, pain shared, bond reformed and sasuke wanted to start over. Which is why when he realizes what was meant by sakura loves you so much that seeing you suffer makes her suffer was she loves you unconditionally he fucking asked for that beautiful bond again. After all this mess, there is a reason he apologized only to her. She couldn’t do much for him because she isn’t as strong as he is, but her love was pure and selfless and all she ever wanted for him was happiness and he apologizes for not getting that earlier, for his mistreatment in the war, for the land of iron, for ‘everything up until now’.

We don’t know what happened in the blank period, but all we know is they spent some time together. And he is about to go on a redemption journey, again his own moral

burden but this time it’s to start fresh and check some kaguya traces that worry him. Sakura is all like k but can I come, and he tells her frankly girl no ur too pure for what I did, lemme deal with this first. ‘Mata condo na’ is different from itachis ‘mata condo da’, theyre both delaying something, but the difference with na is that is is definite promise of something inevitable. The forehead poke means the world to sasuke, both the negatives and the positives that came with it and he let it’s legacy carry on but in a positive light. This is a promise of a better tomorrow together, where I am ready and think I am in a position where I completely understand the world without being manipulated or full of hate.(he was so easily manipulated when because he was always kept away from the truth so he had no footing to base thing off) that happens, I’ll be back for you, and that is inevitable. I want this, but on amicable, better terms. And fuck, that happens. Sasuke learned the answer to his question by the end of the series and the final blow of logic was thanks to naruto- a ninja is one who endures until things come to pass. The sharing of pain can be applied to greater things.

He would have to endure a little longer before his redemption comes to pass.By shinden sasuke walks around the best human being, helping people, doing a talk no jutsu, worrying about Konoha but he isn’t sure if he shows up there it would be completely safe from people after him or if everyone is ready to welcome him back and at the end of the novel he receives a letter from naruto that’s like sup yo come back homie I miss ur emo ass also sakura was like ooh hes protecting the village from the outside like a police officer!!11! And sasuke flashes back to his dreams when he was younger and says ‘I guess I should head home’, basically this bitch came back for sakura, and sakuras hiden concludes with him showing up home after he took down the people on the outside of root to come save her (lol but his wife is not a weak woman) and seeing her saying ‘I am home, Sakura.’ ‘Welcome home, Sasuke-kun.’

They travel together probably fucking under stars and shit, got married, had a baby and raised her until Naruto became hokage and sasuke took up a mission only he could do bc he has rinnegan. Obviously this fucking hurt him and he was miserable about it considering he finally gets a family and hes walking his baby girl with his wife one day and the next fate is like ok but if the world ends in 2 minutes and they both like die along with the rest of planet earth haha sasuke I like to shit on ur life. But as he and sakura said it he took up the mission for the future to remain bright and because sakura and sarada are very precious to him. Sakura wasn’t allowed to give out any potentially dangerous information as this mission was top secret so she would avoid questions but still gave her daughter the basic run down ‘vv important he loves u k that’s all I can say’ and she was in general a great mother, shown to be caring, reveal what she could and take care of her sick baby. Sasukes mistake was even though he was doing it for his family, he failed to realize that his daughter still wanted him there. That is why he apologized and told sakura that this mess is not on her.The baby mama drama happens and sakura is like leave it to the child of the man who wanted to be ninja hitler to think she has a different mom bc she wears glasses and jump to 30 conclusions about her dad and I’s relationship, which I’d like to mention gaiden has no ss marriage issues. Sakura and Sasukes bond lives, their feelings are connected, their thoughts and feelings reach each other, they both greatly love and respect each other.. gaiden was about saradas adventure in whys my dad such a jerk and holy shit is this woman my mom land. As it goes on she sees her parents interact, sees the love and respect, the depth of the bond between them and is shown smiling, touched by that. She gets her verification of love and the importance of the mission and why it was done by the end of gaiden, and she even gets a forehead poke (try and make it negative but it gave her tears of joy) and a hug. + a cute ass family photo that she stares at and thinks how her family shares a true link of love. He tries his best to spend time with his family despite such an important mission waiting for him and he promises more if he can. I will defend papa-suke until I fuckin die bc from what we are shown he is a deeply caring dad who actually makes sure his child is happy. And if you are pressed about him leaving without kissing her sakura herself says an expression that means he Is teasing me by making me wait, and like sasuke is a reserved ass boy who grew up very traditionally Japanese, he isn’t about to make out with her on public. He does leave however with a smirk on his face (lil shit is happy he saw his wife and teased her) and a bento (not just a boxed lunch..its made with love by someone very special to you –sarada my bb) in his hand. By boruto he comes in time for the chuunin exams and the light novel literally says sakura has been gleaming and glossing since he came back, a Japanese expression for having lots of sex so the wait was worth it. Boruto defeats Momoshiki in 2 minutes like the op bitch he is and hallelujah sasuke is back with his family and everyone is smiling and happy and loved up. Sasuke looks over his child and student with a gentle smile that he only shows sakura (light novel written by kishi), they stand with each other just watching over their baby girl how cute.

Sasukes character is complex but if you sit down and try to understand him before running your mouth, he is easy to understand. Kishimoto does not owe you shit, he worked hard, he put his work forward and that is it. criticize his work or the dude but don’t pretend to understand a character you misinterpreted better than the author. Sakura was always relevant. This is a little SS input into the character of sasuke. If you need anything else i own most of the series (even tho i got lazy to keep taking pictures lol) and i am pretty fluent in japanese, so come to me if you need anything else. Bye.

#sasusaku #pro sasusaku #naruto #sasuke #sakura #anti sasusaku #anti everything #anti the world #anti anti anti #come at me' #bye #watch a fuck from a cross tagging fandom be #like ugh ss #i am not hereon behalf of ss #let me live #and be an edge lord #sarada? #itachi #idk who else to tag #why do i tag so much #ew

[dianapana]

SasuHina Month 2020- Day 14

Prompt -Yakuza

This is in the same universe

Today should be a celebration, but most of my maids have been quiet and watching me with pity. Their uneasiness is understandable but it doesn’t help my anxiety. I was 7 years old when I realized that love in our world does not exist; if love is a flower than we are poisoned and dry soil, love cannot survive here let alone flourish. But marriage is sacred to women, it’s our only goal, since we are born, we are taught to cook, clean and be silent. We are trophies for men to display. Women are not seen as humans but as objects that men can do what they see fit with. We’re always owned, first by our fathers and later in life by our husbands. I’ve seen quite a few of my cousins getting married, most of them were terrified. Only very few still had their innocence and viewed marriage as a positive thing, they were foolish enough to thing that love and marriage are the same thing. But one does not need love in a marriage, most of our world is proof of that. I’ve seen one of the girls that has naively gone into the arms of her new husband expecting kindness, her innocence has been killed, every little sound makes her flinch, she always wears long sleeved shirts and turtlenecks. I wished to help her but, in our world, nobody can come between a man and his wife, despite the clear signs of abuse.

“You look beautiful, Hime-sama” the maid brushing my hair says. She was new, young, maybe 13 and her eyes shine like diamonds. The maid that just finished my make-up shakes her head but everyone remains quiet.

“I can’t wait for my own wedding. How I want a man that loves me like your future husband loves you Hime-sama.” Her voice is breathless and I can tell she’s in her own world. She has rose-colored glasses on and sees everything in pinks and reds. She touches the tiara on my head “Look how beautiful this is. And he bought it just for you, oh how much he must love you”

The piece of jewelry is indeed lovely, it was delivered this morning along with a full set of earrings, necklace and bracelet. They are heavy and rather than ornaments they feel like chains. I had done my best in the past 2 hours, since I put the dress on, not to look at myself in the mirror, I don’t look at my hands in my lap for the fear of seeing the engagement ring. I had a habit of playing with my fingers but it stopped a few days after I got the ring; I kept touching it and being reminded of my future.

I had only seen my future husband once; when he gave me the ring. And we did not speak. But I knew his name and I looked him up, asked around. I wish I hadn’t. The young girl stops brushing my hair and an older maid takes her place and starts curling it. “permission to take the tiara off until your hairdo is done?” her voice is low and filled with pity. They all pity me. They know who this man is and what his reputations says about him. They raised me and now they’re preparing me for the beginning of the end.

“Granted.” The tiara is placed on the vanity and my eyes fall to it. It is beautiful, it looked like a flower crown made out of silver; each flower has in the middle a white diamond surrounded by 6 rubies. The earrings are small, each a flower, the bracelet is just like the tiara flowers braided together and the necklace is made out of a single stem in a U shape with one flower at each end. The red rubies only make me think about all the blood money they must have costed, just like the dress I’m wearing, just like every other dress I own. Not a single thing I have touched in my life has been paid in anything but blood money. I was born with blood on my hands.

“Your mother would have loved the sight of you today” says one of the maids, she too is new in taking care of me, she’s one of Hanabi’s maids so it makes sense for her to lie. My little sister is one of the few girls that hasn’t had her innocence ripped from her soft hands.

My mother wouldn’t have loved this for me. My mother wouldn’t have loved me. She couldn’t. She was bitter and cold. Dad had turned her to be like him. But Hanabi doesn’t know that. The stories everyone tells her about our mother are of her being loving and caring, about how mother’s dying wish was to hold her baby. Mother died giving birth to Hanabi, but she hadn’t seen her, she didn’t hold her, nor would she had wanted to. Hanabi had to be cut from my mother’s corpse. I walked in the room expecting to see my mother and father smile at each other and kiss their new born daughter like they do in the movies. Instead mother was dead on the table, a nurse was holding a crying baby and father was smoking. He hadn’t seen me and even if he did, I don’t think he would have cared. ‘Take this thing away’ he told one of his men, disgust could be heard in his tone; the ‘thing’ was my mother.

Mother had never been affectionate, she never held be, never played with me or told me stories. She critiqued me or ignored me. Yet when she became pregnant, she seemed to be happier and for the first few months of her pregnancy she was kind. It all changed when they learned it was yet another girl. Father wanted a boy, an heir. Moher spiraled, she started drinking and smoking not caring that it was bad for her or the baby. Hanabi was born prematurely at 6 months and a half because mother tried to get rid of her on her own but that led to Hanabi being born early and her dying. Who knows, maybe that was her goal all along.

The maid finished curling my hair and put it in an elegant bun when she says “I’ll put the tiara back on” and I nod. The preparations are done. Any moment now father will come to walk me to the ceremony and down the aisle to the man known as ‘the devil’. In a world of murder and crime my future husband is known under that and many other names. I have heard stories upon stories and they were all cruel and terrifying.

I don’t get much time to run wild with my own thoughts because my bedroom door opens and Neji is on the other side which shouldn’t surprise me but it still does. I get up and go to him; Neji has been oddly quiet since the engagement was announced a month ago. He did almost everything in his power to stay away and even now I see grief and regret in his eyes. He’s blaming himself for not being able to stop this marriage. There is nothing anyone could have done. Father and Fugaku Uchiha reached an understanding and they decided to unite our families. As far as I know this hasn’t happened in the past 150 years.

The walk to the back door is not as long as I would have wanted. This ceremony is the official one but it’s held in our backyard because only our immediate family was invited. There’s a war going down in the yakuza world at the moment which is also the reason why I think the two leaders decided to bury the hatched for the time being and focus on the common enemy. Neji leads me to the door where he tells me to wait and he goes to the side door probably to tell father I’m here. A few moments later the very same side door opens and father walks in; it is weird seeing him in a suit and not in his normal traditional Japanese clothing.

He doesn’t tell me I look pretty; he doesn’t say he is proud; he doesn’t say anything but place my hand on his arm and opens the doors. Neji, Hanabi and 3 elders are on the right and 6 Uchiha’s are on the left. The wedding is a secret. In front is my future husband, wearing a suit my eyes move to his ear. He has a number of piercings but the one that catches my eye is a flower with red rubies. His earring matched with mine.

Mikot, Sasuke’s mother was the one to organize this, she pushed for a western ceremony for the family so I could wear a normal wedding dress which apparently is every little girl’s dream. After the waters clear we will have another ceremony and party with more people and in a traditional Japanese style. Upon hearing that, Hanabi started whining and saying how unfair it was that I would get two weddings. I did not feel quite as lucky as she thought I was.

There is no music in the background, the walk is short and father does not make a show of telling Sasuke ‘you better take care of her’ this is not like in the movies. I take a step towards Sasuke and do my best not to flinch when he takes my hands into his. His skin is rough and his hands look so much bigger compared to mine. I heard that he crushed someone’s neck with his bare hands. I heard he bathes in his enemies’ blood. I heard his eyes look red like the devil just before he kills someone.

I am frightened to look him in the eye, but I feel his overwhelming presence all around me and his stare on my face and I know he wants me to look at him so I do. My eyes meet his and they do indeed look red. I have to fight against every instinct in my body that tells me to run.

The officiant says his part and asks us to repeat after him and we do. The rings are exchanged and the ceremony ends with the man saying ‘You may kiss the bride’. I didn’t allow myself to think about this before. I don’t know what to do but I don’t have to do anything; Sasuke takes a step forward and lowers his head so our lips meet. His lips are softer than I expected and so it the kiss, he doesn’t put more pressure on it and after a few seconds he rights himself. We both turn to our families. I don’t feel different. I thought I would feel monumentally different after becoming someone’s wife, after becoming Sasuke’s wife. But I feel normal. Hanabi is he first to come to me and hug me. She goes on and on and on about how beautiful I look and how she’ll miss me. I’ll miss her too. In all this I never once thought about how I am leaving her here with father. He’ll crush her spirit much like he did mine. Despite being the one that just gave her life away to ‘the devil’ of the yakuza; I feel pity for Hanabi.

For the next hour or two Sasuke stays by my side, his arm around my waist and we all sit around a table and eat. Father looks pleased for the first time in forever and he and Fugaku talk like they are old friends. Hanabi talks to Mikoto about whatever they talk about. Neji and I are quiet, while my husband talks to his brother.

I ate a few bites but I have been on the edge the whole day so eating more would only lead to disaster. I push the food in my plate around for a few moments before I feel Sasuke shift next to me. “Are you not hungry?” he whispers into my ear and I shiver, half from fear and half because he caught me off guard.

I look at him and he looks genuinely worried. I heard him being called the stoic, emotionless and expressionless prince. So why would he look like that? I simply shake my head and avert my gaze from his. His fingers around my waist tighten for the briefest moment letting me know he’s displeased with me ignoring him. The meal goes on for a couple more minutes before Sasuke clears his throat rather loudly and everyone stops talking.

“Today has been a lovely day and I could not imagine having spent it with anyone else. But as lovely as it has been it has been just as tiering. So, if you wouldn’t mind, I would like to take my wife home and rest”

Sasuke gets up and extends his hand to me, I don’t even think about it and take it. Before leaving I go to hug Hanabi and Neji once more. I return to the side of my husband and he takes my hand and holds it. I see Neji looking worried at our joined hands but for some reasons I feel oddly calm. All throughout today I have been very calm.

Sasuke’s mother hugs both of us, his brother and father clap him on the shoulder and kiss my hand and we part ways. Sasuke leads me to a limousine and I have to say that is not what I expected. My surprise must have shown on my face.

“Mother insisted. If I learned something in this life is that it’s much easier to just allow her to do whatever she wishes than fight her.” He says. It feels weird to be alone with him and hear him talk about such trivia things. It makes me realize how I did not think of Sasuke as a human at all.

We spend most of the ride to his house in silence, but it’s not an awkward silence. I feel something scary starting to bubble in my chest, hope, hope that this might not be as bad as I initially thought. I thought I knew better than to have hope. But his gentleness thus far took me by surprise. Even now in the car he hasn’t let go of my hand, rather his thumb is caressing my wrist gently. His eyes are on the road so I allow myself to look at him. Beside all the horrible things I’ve heard about him the other thing I knew was that Sasuke is beautiful. And being as close to him as I am now, I can indeed confirm those stories. I have not seen many men outside of the Hyuuga family in reality, but Sasuke is much more handsome than all of them and then any men I’ve seen in cinematography. He turns to look at me and our eyes meet, this time his eyes are black and not red. He looks relaxed and a bit tired but not cruel and my hope grows a little more. I have to remember myself that no matter how beautiful and kind people look they could still be monsters, and my husband is a monster, but he doesn’t look like one when he smirks at me and rises our joined hands to his lips and kisses my knuckles. When the car stops and we step out it isn’t dread that I feel but hope. I thought I knew better than to expect anything out of life, but this moment right here proves me wrong. I don’t scream, I don’t cry or try to run away, instead I walk hand in hand with my husband to the door of my new house, it all feels utterly domestic, normal.

#sasuhina #sasuhina month #sasuhina month 2020 #SHmonth2020 #SH2020 #sasuhina fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #sasuke #hinata #sasuke uchiha #hinata hyuuga #naruto #hinasasu #writing #writer #writers on tumblr #diawrites #dia-story