#until he looks at Sasukes right here on this very mountain top after laughing really hard | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dilly-oh · 3 years

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Laundry Day

It had been building for weeks now. Piling up, bit by bit. Iruka ignored it for as long as he could, shoving it to the back of his mind and going about his daily business, teaching at the Academy and pulling shifts at the Mission Desk like nothing was wrong. But eventually, even he could deny it no longer. When he checked his closet and found that all he had to wear was a single ketchup-or-maybe-blood-stained crop-top, tight yoga shorts, and flip-flops, he knew it was finally time to stop putting it off. There was no other choice left.

He had to do laundry.

“Oh my God, who did you kill?” Anko asked as he dragged the bulging laundry bag down the hallway of his apartment complex.

“You, if you don't back off,” Iruka snapped at her. “There's just enough room in here for a body.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” Anko said, cocking an eyebrow at the huge bag. “Seriously, what gives? That thing must be, like, a hundred pounds. Is this some kind of new training craze?”

“It's laundry day,” Iruka stated. Anko blinked. “I haven't done laundry in two months,” he went on impatiently. “It's kind of hard to find the time between my job teaching, my job at the Mission Desk, and my other job keeping Naruto and Sasuke from killing or kissing each other in public, and since they all count as full-time jobs with none of the benefits, I literally have nothing else to wear.”

“Ah. That would explain the booty shorts.”

“They're called yoga shorts, and they're comfortable.”

“I don't care what they're called, your ass looks amazing in them.”

“Stop ogling me!” Iruka barked, his cheeks flaming. Anko's eyes didn't move. “Am I gonna have to go have another talk with HR?” Anko paled.

“Oh, God, please don't. Last time I had to watch a three-hour film on sexual harassment in the workplace. I had to take notes. There was a quiz after.”

“Then stop. STARING.” Iruka gave Anko one last glare, then continued on his way, dragging his laundry bag after him with all the dignity he could muster. Which wasn't alot, considering the bag was heavy as fuck and he'd kinda been neglecting his standard workout routine. Because, you know, three jobs or whatever.

There were quite a few laundromats scattered about Konoha, all stocked with specialized, heavy-duty cleaning supplies for shinobi needs (to aid in the removal of blood, guts, and other icky bits picked up from slaughtering enemies and whatnot). The one Iruka usually frequented was located about ten blocks away, which normally wasn't too bad, especially if Iruka went by rooftop. However, that was quite impossible at the moment, considering his giant bag of dirty clothes was hefty and ungainly enough that it would probably squirt right out of his arms and kill an unfortunate pedestrian below. Also, it was the middle of summer and the sun had decided to be an asshole that day, blazing down like some kind of fire Jutsu and scalding every living thing in sight. To make matters worse, the laundry bag seemed to grow heavier with every step until it was like dragging Hokage mountain down the street. So by the time Iruka finally managed to heave the bag halfway across Konoha and up a flight of stairs into the laundromat itself, he was a hot, sweaty mess, his ponytail half-undone and hanging in his face, damp clothing sticking to his skin.

Which was exactly why Hatake motherfucking Kakashi was in there, of fucking course. There was no way Iruka's silly little crush wouldn't be in the one place he'd hoped he wouldn't be.

Iruka wanted to crawl into the nearest drier and turn it on.

Maybe he won't see me, he thought as he quietly slipped inside.

“Hey, Iruka!” Kotetsu shouted from across the entire laundromat. “Nice shorts!”

Everyone immediately turned to look.

Well I know who I'm going to kill now, Iruka thought to himself miserably as he was ogled by every shinobi in the room. He made a mental checklist and vowed to prank each one in retaliation. His body was a temple.

“You know you could have just stuffed that in a scroll,” Genma said after peeling his gaze off Iruka's thighs, twitching his senbon at the bulging bag.

“I'll stuff you in a fucking scroll,” Iruka hissed at him, wiping a sweaty strand of hair out of his face.

“Ooh, baby, talk dirty to me,” Genma cooed.

“You're disgusting,” Iruka said flatly. He glanced around, looking for a table with any inch of free space, perfectly willing to fight someone for it. There, in the back, he spotted one last table...right next to Kakashi. Because, you know, this day couldn't get any worse. Iruka debated waiting an extra ten minutes or so to see if the laundromat emptied out a bit, saw Genma wiggle his eyebrows suggestively at him, and decided anything was better than this. Steeling himself with a deep breath, he dragged his bag over to the open table beside Kakashi and started dumping clothes out.

Kakashi, thankfully, didn't respond to his sudden arrival except for a polite grunt and nod in greeting. Iruka nodded back, then focused for the next several minutes on organizing his dirty clothes, intent on ending this humiliation as quickly as possible. As he worked, he couldn't help but sneak glances at Kakashi while he sorted his lights and darks. The man was busy folding his own laundry, bent over the table, his movements precise and methodical, done with the utmost care. Iruka almost suspected he was using the Sharingan to achieve such perfect folds. He glanced down at the clothes themselves, expecting combat fatigues or maybe a pair of well-worn sweats.

Instead, he was surprised to discover Kakashi was folding almost two dozen miniature flak jackets with some kind of funny emblem on the back.

“Did...did you accidentally shrink that in the drier or something?” Iruka blurted out before he could stop himself. Kakashi looked over at him, blinking lazily, then chuckled, a husky sound that made Iruka's knees weak.

“Of course not,” he said, his voice warm with amusement. “This is my ninken's laundry.”

Iruka had to hold in a snort. The famed Copy-Nin of Konoha, scourge of all enemies, feared by missing-nin, doing his ninken's laundry? It was ridiculous! It was absurd! It was...

Adorable, quite frankly. Iruka's heart melted a little at the sight of him carefully piling up their little vests, careful not to crease them.

“It's a pain,” Kakashi went on. “They're so picky. I have to use unscented detergent and dryer sheets or they complain.”

“Too bad they don't sell a fresh cat-shit scent,” Iruka chuckled awkwardly before biting his lip.

Kakashi, however, took no offense, throwing his head back and laughing aloud.

“Ha! They'd like that! Maybe they have a three-day-old steak one, too.” He grinned at Iruka through his mask, one visible eye twinkling. Iruka flushed, and he quickly turned back to his laundry, realized he was holding a pair of underwear, and flung it away, his face flushing darker as he busied himself with sorting again. “You've got quite a load,” Kakashi went on after a moment, nodding at the mountainous pile in front of him.

“Yeah, I've been putting it off for a while,” Iruka grumbled distractedly, searching for a stray sock's missing partner with no luck. “This is literally the last thing I have to wear, so I either do laundry today or go into work tomorrow naked.”

“I knew I should have finished that mission report,” Kakashi said under his breath.

“Very funny,” Iruka scoffed in annoyance, shoving his first few loads into the nearby washing machines.

“Oh, I'm dead serious.”

The annoyance turned to anger, and Iruka looked over at the other man to give him a piece of his mind, only to find him staring right back, his warm grin having grown into something much more inviting, bordering on flirtatious. Iruka's sharp comment died in his throat and he cleared it roughly, feeling hot all over. Awkwardly, he reached for change in his pockets, then froze. He looked down and swore. He didn't even fucking have pockets. Stupid booty- YOGA shorts. He'd forgotten the quarters, and he didn't dare leave his clothes unattended for fear someone like Genma would be a creep and steal a pair of underwear or something. Also, Izumo and Kotetsu had a habit of borrowing things and never returning them, and he could see them eyeing several of his favorite shirts from across the laundromat. He'd just have to pack everything up and return home. What a waste, the whole trip had been for nothing-

The clink of coins snapped him out of his mental cursing, and he looked up in shock to see Kakashi paying for his loads.

“Oh no,” he sputtered, “please, Kakashi, you don't have to-”

“It's fine. You can pay next time,” Kakashi said with a wave.

“But I...well...oh, alright, fine.” Iruka sighed, giving in. “Thank you.”

“So it's a date then,” Kakashi said. “Which cycle do you prefer?”

“Cotton cycle, cold water, extra rinse, please,” Iruka said automatically, then blinked. “Wait, I'm sorry, did you say-”

“See you next week,” Kakashi was already halfway to the door, his ninken's clothes tucked under his arms and a pile of quarters left on Iruka's table for the rest of his loads. Iruka gaped after him in shock.

Had that...really just happened? Had he really exchanged pleasantries with one of the most infamous shinobi of Konoha while folding laundry? Or had it all been merely a dream, a figment of his imagination-

“You washing those shorts, too?” Genma asked hopefully, leering like a hungry wolf.

Nope, he was definitely awake. Iruka threw some Tide-pods at Genma to chase him away before turning back to his loads, shaking his head in wonder.

He'd definitely be doing his laundry more often from now on.

(Written for @kakairu-fest KakaIru Month 2021, Day Ten Prompt: Laundry)

#kakairu #KakaIru Month 2021 #naruto #hatake kakashi #umino iruka #laundry #laundromats #but seriously how else does Kakashi clean them little vests #i want answers

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naruto-scenarios-plus-akatsuki · 3 years

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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

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the-foxes-fangs · 5 years

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I Wish I Was the Moon: Epilogue Pt. 2

Read the main fic and interludes at a03

Tagging the lovely @otomediary, @you-mass-effect-my-dragon-age, @louveau, and @wingedtreecookiesludge

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The ride to Echigo had been pleasant, she was in buoyant spirits despite the muddy road and chilly mornings of the early spring, but he felt the anxiety in her back and shoulders as they gained on Kasugayama.

“Cold feet so soon, little mouse?” He asked teasingly, holding her close with one arm wrapped around her waist and the reins loose in his free hand.

“About you? Not one bit. About Kenshin? Well...” She answered, trailing off apprehensively. “The last time I saw him he did put his sword to my throat. I’m not completely sure he’s the best choice for a potential father-in-law. Ieyasu might have been a better option, after all.”

The sky was a mass of pewter clouds that rolled on into a bank of mist, obscuring the mountains and the horizon and threatened to soak them, but all he could feel was the warmth of her against him and some stray strands of her hair tickling his face when he kissed the top of her head.

“Let’s not be hasty my dear, could you really look Ieyasu in the eye at our wedding banquet and call him ‘father’? I think he would expire right then and there of the indignity,” He said with a low laugh that she answered with one of her own.

“Good point, there’s no way I could do that with a straight face.” She said and laughed again. “Still, Kenshin is unpredictable. I’d rather our wedding not become a war zone if we can avoid it.”

He urged the horse onward as the crested the last hill between them and the castle town, and a misty rain began to fall.

“He’s got a code of honor as rigid as his sword, whatever else you might find to say about him.” Mitsuhide answered lightly.

“Oho--” she said with a derisive snort “So that’s the game. Don’t get overconfident though, Sasuke tells me that Shingen is pretty slick, and Kenshin kept up with him all those years.”

“Ah but Shingen is a tiger! What dragon ever noticed a fox running circles around his feet?” He asked, pulling her coat tighter around her against the wet chill.

“I defer to your judgement on this one, with reservations.” She said, and blew out a soft sigh.

They made it to the castle as the rain began to beat down in earnest, tearing the new leaves off of the trees and plastering his hair to his forehead. He slid out of the saddle and caught her, blowing on her frigid fingers to warm them as the guard opened the gates for them. He ignored their prying eyes and held her tightly, kissing her deeply enough to make her breath hitch, though not nearly enough to satisfy either of them.

Kenshin was standing under the eaves looking like an ice sculpture as usual, with a disapproving Sasuke by his side.

Yoshimoto stood gracefully in a doorway and looked them over with elegant amusement on his delicate face.

“Welcome. It’s a shame that you arrive accompanied by a snake.” Kenshin said coldly, but reached out to take her hands so gently it looked as if he expected her to shatter.

“Well, it is a breath of fresh air to see you.” Sasuke said happily, with what passed for a smile as he greeted her.

“We come as a set, I’m afraid.” She said and offered him a gracious bow.

"Why, that’s no way to talk about your soon to be son-in-law.” Mitsuhide interjected airily, with a jaunty bow that earned him a scowl and snort in reply.

“You just don’t know when to quit, do you? It’s like the man said-- you’d face god and walk backward into hell.” Sasuke muttered by way of greeting, shaking his head.

“You do have such a quaint way with a turn of phrase, squirrel.” Mitsuhide replied with a wink.

“I was making fun of you.” Sasuke answered and gestured at her, laughing demurely behind her sleeve.

“Enough pointless chatter.” Kenshin cut in, gesturing for them to follow as he turned toward the shadowy interior of the castle. They filed inside, Kenshin at the lead, and in spite of confidence, he stayed close to her side.

“The lady is looking a bit like a little drowned mouse, and I’d like to get dried off myself before we begin the formalities, if you don’t mind showing us to our quarters.” Mitsuhide said as they paused at the door to the audience hall.

“Someone ought to have beaten a polite tongue into your head long ago, Akechi, and when the lady is my daughter, I just might.” Kenshin snarled at him, ice in his face and tone.

“A term of endearment, I assure you.” Mitsuhide answered, palms up placatingly.

“Show her to her room.” Kenshin said to Sasuke, and then turned to look him up and down with withering contempt. “You’ll be in the house with the other single men.” He said with a flash in his sharp eyes that brooked no argument.

“Very well, my lord.” Mitsuhide said, hiding his rising irritation despite having been prepared for exactly this sort of treatment.

“Wait, I--” she began to object, only to catch his eye and the faint shake of his head, “uh, I wanted to thank you for your generous hospitality and kindness.”

She bowed again and gave him a questioning glance before she turned to follow Sasuke around a corner.

“What an absolutely lovely woman.” Yoshimoto said with a gentle wave of his fan as he watched them leave.

“Isn’t she just? A woman you’d do anything for.” Mitsuhide replied with acid in his voice.

“Is that right? But you were always capable of stooping to any low, so that’s a bit of an insult to the lady, don’t you think?” Yoshimoto said smoothly, fanning himself gracefully.

A retainer who had been summoned to show him to the barracks stood watching the scene with wide eyes.

Kenshin looked between them and curled his lip. “Settle it with your blades or shut up. You both bore me, all talk and no blood.”

“Well I’d hate to be boring, heaven knows.” Mitsuhide answered him, and bowed crisply. “If you’ll excuse me, my lords.”

He nodded at the retainer and followed him down the hall.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“So you’re absolutely sure it’s too late for me to dissuade you from marrying Mitsuhide?” Sasuke asked, handing her a cup of tea.

The room that had been prepared for her was almost stifling in its opulent beauty, books and scrolls, paintings, flowers, even an elaborately made sewing kit and bolts of conspicuously bright fabrics of the sort a young unmarried woman would wear, giving the impression of an overcrowded birdcage.

It was warm but not warm enough to chase away the chill of his absence, of the warmth of his lips on hers that she longed for to drive her fears away, his low teasing laugh that made it all seem like it wasn’t worth worrying over in the first place.

“Sasuke, you cannot be seriously asking that after you helped engineer such a beautiful reunion and proposal.” She answered, and sipped her tea, her hair wrapped in a warm towel.

“Against my will! Let the record stand that it was 99.9% against my will!” He answered, adjusting his glasses primly.

“It’s that last fraction that counts.” She answered and patted his hand soothingly. “I see you haven’t lost your taste for outdated memes.” She added with a snicker.

“Absurd situations call for absurd references.” He replied, but there was brotherly warmth in his eyes. “You do look as happy as I’ve ever seen you. I don’t know how you live with him, but you look well.”

“I could say the same for you and Kenshin. Is he still threatening to kill you three times a day?”

“It was actually up to six for awhile, but we’ve settled at an average of two, so I think he’s forgiving me.”

“I’ve got to admit, I was surprised that you suggested this to Mitsuhide. It’s not like they particularly like each other.” She said, nibbling on one of the beautiful sweets that had been prepared for her.

Sasuke’s eyes flashed behind his glasses, and he crossed his arms firmly. “I absolutely could not allow him to torture Ieyasu. Kenshin is the only one who stands any chance of keeping that man in line, the way I see it. And they both love you, so there’s some common ground.”

She nearly spat her tea, sputtering and coughing until tears sprang to her eyes. “I’m sorry did you--” she coughed hard, “did you just say Kenshin loves me?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should have been more exact in my phrasing--” Sasuke said, slapping her back as she finished coughing, “he’s not in love with you, but you impressed him as much as I’ve ever seen anyone impress him that day, and I think it’s fair to say he loves you in his own specifically Kenshin way.”

“Thanks, Sasuke, psych 101 just bubbled up from the depths of my mostly drunken freshmen memories and took me on quite the ride there for a minute.” She said, waving him back to his seat across from her as she composed herself.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to cause you to revisit your brief but passionate affair with Tequila in such an unfortunate way.” He replied, deadpan.

“I forgive you, just let Mitsuhide be the one who surprises me, if possible. So you think this will all go off without a hitch?”

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and swept the hair out of his face. “I thought a hitch, as in getting hitched was the whole point.”

“That was an appalling pun. Wretched. Unforgivable.” She said and they both broke out into peals of laughter.

“Speaking seriously, I think that as long as Mitsuhide can avoid antagonizing Kenshin, everything will be fine.”

“Oh, is that all? Well when you put it that way.” She shot back with a shake of her head. “Please be a pal and tell Mitsuhide where to find me, he gets an itchy trigger finger when he sleeps alone.”

“Now that’s a euphemism.” Sasuke said with his voice caught between admiration and horror.

“Oh, good lord, Sasuke, that’s not what I meant! Seriously, though, I’m sneaking out to see him if he doesn’t get here first.” She said, drumming her fingers on the table nervously.

“As much as I’d like to be of assistance, I have to, with the greatest affection, ask you not to be as much of a reckless idiot as usual.” Sasuke shot back, and held up his finger. “No sneaking out. No creeping through the halls, and don’t even think about trying to get through the ceilings, I see what you’re looking at.”

“But--” she began, only to be stopped by a vigorous shake of his head.

“I mean it. Nothing that would alert the guards. As of now, you’re officially visiting the family, and unlike a trip to stay with cool uncle Nobunaga, someone will be disinherited of his head if you don’t exercise the utmost discretion. Mitsuhide knows it, that’s why he didn’t argue.”

“Oh, fine.” She replied moodily. “I feel like I’m shut up in a dungeon. A very nice dungeon.”

“Please don’t give Kenshin any ideas, he’s got his own very weird ways of showing his affection.” Sasuke said with a pained look. “Just try to enjoy the party tonight, and see if you can get the two of them talking... I don’t know, tactics or weapons or something.”

“I’m no diplomat, but I’ll do my best.” She answered with a sigh.

#ikemen sengoku #ikemen sengoku series #cybird ikemen #ikemen sengoku mitsuhide #ikesen mitsuhide #ikesen kenshin #ikesen yoshimoto #ikesen sasuke #thefoxesfic #mitsuhide x mc

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beans-shadow · 6 years

Text

looking for the truth (pt 1)

Fanfic!!

Fandom: Naruto

Relationship: Kakasaku

Characters: Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura

read on ao3: here

part one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen

Kakashi didn’t know what day everything changed. Maybe it was all at once, but he missed it. Perhaps it was gradual, a slow change, overtaking him bit by bit before he noticed his attitude had shifted. No matter that strategy, it still made the Lifeblood Assault the worst war he had experienced in this shinobi career. Not in terms of casualties, but emotional impact and destruction.

It was a devastating battle. It tore families apart, partners fought against each other without a second thought. Friends as old as they could remember were ripped apart.

And no one could stop themselves.

Here’s how it all started.

“Kakashi-sensei,” his old student greeted him as he walked into the Hokage’s office. Naruto relaxed his feet on the desk covered in stacks of papers, files, and other village business. He obviously did not care that the Hokage could—and would—walk in at any moment, resulting in a bad flick of the head and a bruise that would last for a few days.

“As I always insist, it’s just Kakashi now, Naruto,” he said. “Everyone in our old team should just call me Kakashi.”

Naruto smiled at him. “You’ll always be Kakashi-sensei to me, no matter what.” He tapped his chin. “Although I’m not sure how Sasuke-kun or Sakura-chan feel about this.”

Of course he didn’t, the oblivious fool. Sasuke never really acknowledged Kakashi as a suitable teacher since he arrived late to their first team meeting. And Sakura was hard to crack—still continued to be. By the time she fully accepted her position as head medic, Kakashi eventually convinced her to drop the formalities once in a while, considering Tsunade had taken over as her sensei many years ago. But being her stubborn self, she still tacked on the annoying title. Kakashi didn’t exactly know why, but it had started to bother him more and more recently.

“You’re to go on a mission with me?” Kakashi asked instead. No reason to divulge that information.

Sitting up in his chair, Naruto gave him an excited look, blue eyes wide. “That would be so fun! I hope so. But I don’t actually know, I haven’t been given any details on why I’m here either.”

Kakashi felt her before she entered the room. Without a need to hide her chakra, the Hokage let her energy exude wherever she went, enticing both fear and apprehension in her wake. Kakashi himself stood straighter in anticipation, but Naruto, still not being aware, played with an empty bottle of sake on the desk. How he could miss the powerful presence of Tsunade mystified Kakashi.

He sensed Genma and Raidō set up position by the front door, and the Hokage burst in. She was clearly aggravated on top of her constant sleep deprivation. Mid-sentence, Tsunade didn’t even notice Naruto at her desk as she continued talking to Shizune.

“And then make sure that Shikamaru doesn’t overthink that one—he’s a smart ninja, but even the best chest players overshoot when they believe their opponents to be of equal competence.” Kakashi held his breath as he watched Tsunade pull back her chair, causing Naruto to fumble with his lost footing, and then promptly sit on the young shinobi.

Her train of thought completely halted, her eyes bulging from their sockets. Naruto sent a panicked looked at Kakashi who maintained a neutral composure, while Shizune just rolled her eyes. Tsunade braced her hands on her desk, painted nails scratching the wood.

“Please tell me you aren’t sitting in the most powerful person in this village’s chair, Naruto,” she said in a low voice.

There was a moment of silence.

“No,” Naruto finally said.

Closing her eyes, Tsunade said, “When I get up, I better be able to feel the cushion under my ass in under a second.” Without warning she stood, and Naruto seized the opportunity to escape and rushed to stand at attention next to Kakashi. Sighing contentedly, Tsunade relaxed into her seat. Then she tensed up again. She stared right at Naruto.

“Also tell me you didn’t mess with the settings on the chair, Naruto,” danger dragged from her voice.

Kakashi practically heard Naruto shrink. “No,” he squeaks out. Oh no, Kakashi thought in his head.

Quick as lighting, Tsunade grabbed an empty sake bottle and chucked it at Naruto’s head. “Fool! It took me months to find the perfect combination for maximum relaxation! Get out! No more mission for you!” Naruto managed to dodge the flying drink, but the office wall didn’t stand a chance. It slid through the wall like butter, crashing into the hallway. Genma and Raidō sent a startled glance back into the room through the sake-shaped hole.

Shaking in his orange jumpsuit, Naruto said, “Grandma! That’s not fair!”

Kakashi resisted the urge to shake his head. He never learns, even after so many lessons.

If looks could kill, Naruto would be dead ten times now. “Get. Out.” Tsunade growled, even more irritated after his use of her nickname she always insisted he never utter.

“But Grandma—“

“That’s it! Errand duty, until an undefined time,” Tsunade announced. Then she leapt over the desk, and tossed Naruto from the office through the sake hole. Of course, Naruto, being a little bit larger than a bottle of alcohol, made the extent of the damaged wall increase. Genma groaned from the other side of the hole.

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade calmed herself. After she returned to her desk, she pulled out a new bottle of sake. As she poured herself a generous cup, Shizune muttered. “I’m sure I checked everywhere…”

Tsunade enjoyed her alcohol, taking a big gulp and sighing contentedly as she settled into her chair despite the altered settings. It seems she’d forgotten all about summoning Kakashi, and he waited about another four minutes before he began to talk.

“Godaime—“

“So Kakashi,” Tsunade said over him. “Now we are in a bit of a predicament.”

“We are?” He asked, keeping his bláse attitude.

Twisting her in chair, Tsunade looked out her window overlooking the village. “Indeed. There’s been word of unrest coming from the Land of Mountain Streams in regards to our trading with them. Whispers of a new type of chemical warfare being developed in their lands have reached us, and I need a pair of our soldiers to investigate.”

Such a small Land requiring two strong shinobi. Something must really be up, Kakashi thought. “Sounds like that was an issue before Naruto was,” Kakashi said instead.

“It was,” Tsunade agreed. “But it’s a mission that required two people who know each other very well.”

“May I ask why?”

“You’ll learn once you’re closer to your destination, that’s not important for the time being.” She waves her hand in the air. “So, you’re obviously a good candidate with your ninken, therefore I needed someone that hopefully understood you and your behavior. But now Naruto has irritated me, and I don’t know what to do.” She directed a frown outside.

“What about Gai?” Kakashi suggested. If he had to admit it to himself, Kakashi would say there was no one else who knew him quite like Gai did. Even with his repetitive and often mind-boggling rivalry challenges, Gai had proven himself to be the closest friend of Kakashi’s that had managed to keep themselves alive.

Tsunade shook her head. “This mission requires the delicate use of ninjutsu. Besides, I need Gai for something else.”

Tilting his head to the side, Kakashi asked, “So you thought your next best option was Naruto?”

Laughing, Tsunade grabs her stomach. “Goodness, no,” she says. “I thought of Genma here, and even Anko first, but that didn’t add up to a successful mission. And before you say anything, I did the calculations of a mission with Naruto. You can’t deny the numbers: even with his mishaps, Naruto gets jobs done. And he worked with you for a long time. So he was pretty much perfect. So who else would know you as well as Naruto?” She gazed outside, scanning the village. “He was a former student of yours. You don’t have many, if any, others of those. Sasuke is out of the village doing Kami knows what, and…” Her eyes fell on the village hospital. “Sakura… Sakura?” She repeats. Spinning, she excitedly poured her chakra out at Kakashi. “Sakura! I forgot about her!”

Something dark churned in Kakashi’s stomach. “You forgot about your own student?”

“No, of course not,” Tsunade insisted. “I forgot she was a student under you, since she is, and has been, mine for so long. You used to teach her. She knows you almost as good as Might Gai does. She’ll go with you. Perfect. Crisis averted.”

“Sakura? Come with me on this mission?” Kakashi practically repeated her orders, for some reason dazed. Not that he and Sakura have had any falling out, but the shinobi had found himself avoiding his former pupil more and more as of late. She didn’t need him pestering her, she was too busy, he didn’t deserve to bother her...

Kakashi was knocked out from his slight confusion with a hand wave from Tsunade. “Well, who else is there? Besides, Sakura is getting antsy in the surgical room. She loves it there, but she also loves being out in the field. This will get her off my back. Here are the mission details, please share them with her when you’re closer to the village.” A manila folder is shoved across the desk.

Kakashi accepted the mission, of course, like the good soldier he was. He’s had years, decades, to separate his emotions and personal feelings from his job. He didn’t fully understand his hesitance or presentiment about this particular assignment, but that didn’t mean compartmentalizing wouldn’t be possible.

With a nod, Kakashi was excused from the Hokage’s presence. He could get through a little mission with Sakura. He’d been through a lot with her: exams, wars, injuries. So what if they weren’t as close as they used to be. It wasn’t a big deal.

He could do this.

It’ll be quick, he told himself. He would get the job done, and he’ll put the pink-haired kunoichi out of his mind.

#kakasaku #kakashi #sakura #naruto #fanfic #ao3 #but thought i would post here too #looking for the truth #my writing

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dimancheetoile · 6 years

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shiver (we’re a saturated sky)

Written for ShikaSakuWeek Hanami 2018 @shikasaku-week

Day Four: Truth/Lies

Read on AO3

Team 7 comes back from the mission with frowning faces and grumbled curses. Everyone stays away from them, because when Naruto looks as grumpy as Sasuke and Sakura on a bad day, you make yourself scarce. Even Sai, who you can usually count on to not look like someone killed his cat, is distinctively disgruntled.

Because Team 10 has no survival instinct whatsoever, Ino suggests they hang out with Team 7 to figure out what went wrong. And because both Shikamaru and Chōji are whipped, they agree. Under the false excuse of meeting up for lunch, they go to Ichiraku where they're sure to find their friends in their post-mission ritual. Instead of debriefing and enjoying the food, like always, they're all silent at the table, eyes on their bowl and very intently avoiding each others' eyes.

When they notice Ino, they all tense up, looking suddenly panicked. Sasuke is muttering something in Sakura's ear, and Naruto is elbowing Sai who looks up to him with a pained expression.

“Hello, losers!” Ino smiles, pushing Sai so she can seat next to him. With a sigh, Shikamaru and Chōji find a place at the table too.

“Hi, Ino,” Naruto says in a morose tone.

“What crawled up your butt and died? You all look like Kakashi forbid you from petting his dogs or something.”

“We were hit by a truth jutsu,” Sasuke says through gritted teeth, like he's trying his damnedest not to answer.

Ino blinks. “You're kidding me.”

Sai shakes his head, silent. Ino narrows her eyes and even Shikamaru looks interested. Chōji looks cautious, like he knows they shouldn't be pushing it. Ino apparently didn't get the memo, though.

“So like, you can't lie? At all?”

“No, we can't,” Naruto sighs.

“Do you know how long it's going to last?”

“No idea. We went to see Baa-chan and she told us that we're forbidden from leaving the village, for safety reasons.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Shikamaru snorts. “You're candy for the other villages right now.”

Naruto wordlessly nods. Sakura is looking at her ramen bowl like it's personally offending her. Ino sees it and grins like a shark.

“Soooo, Forehead-”

“Ino, shut up. Seriously.”

“She's right, you know,” Chōji says. “I can't imagine being in their position. We can't take advantage of that, it's a complete breach of trust.”

“Come on! Just innocent questions!” Ino whines.

“Nothing is innocent with you, woman,” Shikamaru grumbles.

“Just one, real quick. Do you still love Sasuke?”

“Not cool, Ino,” Chōji says softly.

Naruto's eyes widen and he looks at Sakura like she's a ticking timebomb. Sai tries to discretely hide behind Ino. Sasuke is staring at Sakura, silent and serious, his hand clenching on the table.

“Of course I love him. I've dreamed about getting him back for years, I punched God in the face just so we could all be back together. He's about one fourth of my soul and I can't imagine my life without him by my side.”

She falls silent. Her face is crimson and she's looking down at her ramen, shoulders hunched. Sasuke stares. Then he stares some more. Finally, he moves, his hand reaching for Sakura's neck. He tugs her towards him and kisses her forehead softly. He doesn't speak.

“Riiight, Ino, you're done here, come on,” Chōji says as he tugs his best friend along despite her protests.

Shikamaru follows, but he can't quite keep his mind off what just happened. He feels like a creep, but he wants to ask questions, too. He wants to know if Naruto really believes in his dream, if Sai really doesn't know what feelings are like, if Sasuke realizes how deeply he hurt his team when he left. He wants to know if Sakura can sleep now, if she can handle crowds again.

He follows, though, and reminds himself that those are his friends and he owes them respect. Sakura is pressed against Sasuke's side, Sai's arm around her waist while Naruto toys with Sasuke's growing hair. He has no place ruining that with his questions.

As it is, it's Sakura who finds him.

It's mid-afternoon and he's dozing on top of Kakashi's carved head. The clouds are fairly uninteresting today, because summer is closing in and the sky is a spotless blue. The warmth is manageable though, and he enjoys the quiet he can only find on the Hokage Mountain.

He feels her chakra as she climbs the rocks until she's sitting down next to him. He doesn't move, lets the atmosphere shift, because he realizes how huge this is, how much she's trusting him. Her voice is soft when she speaks, without looking at him.

“I want to tell you things, but I'm a coward. So if you have questions, ask them. You know I'll answer.”

“You're anything but a coward, Sakura. Cowards don't fight gods.”

She shifts. “I don't feel brave.”

His fingers drum on his stomach as he looks at the clear sky. She shifts again.

“One fourth of your soul, you said. Does Kakashi matter this much to you?”

“Kakashi is a child in an adult body with no sense of responsibility and the educational skill of an oyster. I'm fond of him, but Sai is the one I was talking about.”

He snorts in laughter. “I'm glad for him. The man deserves some love and Team 7 should be pictured next to 'unhealthy amount of love to give' in the dictionary.”

Sakura laughs, a relieved note in her voice.

Shikamaru looks at her, arms crossed behind his head. “Where do you see yourself in ten years?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Dead.”

He blinks in surprise. “Really? Why?”

“I applied for ANBU. They don't have any medics and I know they need one. Black Ops aren't expected to live past thirty.”

He doesn't answer. He loathes the idea, because he believes she's too soft for this. He doesn't say it, though. He's not in her head, and there are a lot of things she's not telling him. He can't help but think back to the chūnin exam and the trick she pulled on Ino.

“How did you beat Ino at the preliminaries?”

She shakes her head. “It was a draw. I didn't beat her.”

“How did you shake off the possession, then?”

“I have a second personality. She hangs back until I need her, and she can take control of my body if I'm about to pass out. She kicked Ino out when she got too close.”

He stares at her in disbelief. That can't be true. Split minds like hers happen because of trauma and there's nothing in her life that could have caused-

“What happened?”

“I'm sorry?”

He sits up, his eyes looking intently at her paling face. “What was so bad that you had to create a second personality to help you manage it?”

“My dad died when I was little. After that, my mom went a bit crazy, I think. Started beating me up when she felt like it. One day she broke a bottle of sake on my head. When I woke up, Inner was yelling at me to go to the hospital. She never left.”

Sakura is shaking, likely disgusted by the ridiculously small amount of control she has on her voice right now. Shikamaru closes his eyes with a pained expression, feeling guilty for asking. Damn his curiosity.

“Ask something else,” she breaths, eyes open wide. He fights for something to say before blurting out: “What's your favourite colour?”

She giggles, looking a bit frenzied maybe. “Orange. The rusty one.”

The tension bled out of the air and she's looking more relaxed. Shikamaru feels slightly less like a dick. They stay silent for a while as he looks at her. Her short hair is blowing everywhere with the wind, likely tickling her face if her grimaces are to be trusted. The second seal on her forehead is a glaring reminder that she's strong, so strong, and getting stronger.

Something hot is building up in his throat and he has difficulty breathing. She's shifting uncomfortably, a hand in her chest binder, likely replacing her breasts where they're hurting her less. He's seen Ino do it countless times and he always feels bad for them for the added pain. They've all learned a long time ago that body image and privacy were things of the past.

He can't stop himself, and he finds that he doesn't want to. He reaches out, his hand tugging at a strand of her hair. She looks at him with hooded eyes, and that answers his question about her sleep.

“Ask me a question, Shikamaru”, she whispers.

He plays with the lock of hair. “Will you watch clouds with me everyday?”

She freezes. Shikamaru doesn't look at her, doesn't dare cross her eyes. She's shaking. Then, finally:

“Yes.”

#shikasaku #shikasakuhanami #shikasakuweek #my writing

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grecoisms · 7 years

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title: to deserve a spring (3/3) pairing: Kakashi Hatake / Sakura Haruno rating: M summary: “

Still for @ninjas-in-love and @neonanything. THANK YOU FOR EVERY REBLOG AND LIKES AHHHHH!

Let us go forth together to the spring: Love must be this, if it be anything.

xxii.

Kakashi awakes to the sound of his regrets in a form of a headache the size of Konoha, the smell of tea and eggs, and Sakura's voice. He dares not open his eyes yet, so instead, he opens his mouth.

"Yo" he wants to say, but it comes out as "Ugh". The tongue in his mouth feels dry and heavy, as if he had swallowed sand.

It is when he sits up that he realizes he has been sleeping on the floor, fully clothed, using the carpet as a blanket.

The left rim of his vision is a blur, a window on rainy days, with the slight difference of feeling like it is on fire. The dead skin beneath his scar is pulsing.

There is a stench in the air.

"Good morning." greets Sakura, whom he still cannot see. Not even a patch of pink.

"Where are you?" he asks, and touches his own face, alarmed.

"Your mask is on" the voice says, and finally, Sakura's face glide into his world, from behind him. The cup of tea she places on his old, white table is steaming, the eggs are scrambled. "You smell like distillery and dogpiss."

"My aesthetic." he groans. She laughs, but not unkindly.

"Want me to carry you to the table?"

"I think I completely razed my reputation as it is, so why not."

As she helps him up, he notices that Sakura has her flak jacket on, and that her equipment await her next to the door.

"Is this how you usually deal with hospital bureaucracy?" Standing up is especially hard now. The room is a vertigo, but her grip on his arm is gentle steel.

Her eyes follow his. She makes a brushing movement, as if trying to cast aside the question.

"I have Saturdays off. Besides, "and her voice is a little too light now. "One of the med nins in Neji's team has fallen ill. Shikamaru asked me to step in. Just this once. I told Tsunade and she consented."

The table and chair are finally in his reach, but he refuses to sit down now. And while Sakura is still holding his right hand, his left grabs the back the chair.

"Neji and Shikamaru are ANBU."

Sakura licks her lips.

"Yes." her voice is soft.

The realization dawns.

"No." Kakashi says. Suddenly, the room is too bright and sharp, just when the sharingan is alive. Fear makes him alert.

"They asked me nicely."

"Refuse it nicely, then." he knows he is being stubborn and childish. He has not felt this stupid since he left Naruto follow Sasuke and then he decided on acting like a hermit.

Sakura puts her hands on her hips.

"I can decide for good what I really want. ANBU is not the end of the world."

"ANBU is death."

"ANBU is a choice and has the potential of protecting people too." Her eyes are darker now, a shade of dark forest. "You have served in it for years and became wiser for it."

Kakashi wants to say, ANBU was an escape for me. He wants to say, you can take a shinobi out of ANBU, but you cannot take ANBU out of that person anymore.

He does not wish this fate for Sakura. But he wants her to make her own choices.

"The hospital is safer space." he says then, factual and cold. "I think ANBU a mistake."

"I am not Rin." she says then, suddenly. Her hands are not on her hips anymore, but palms open and against her sides.

Kakashi goes very still.

The clock on the wall sets a rhythm to the silence. From this close, Kakashi can see that Sakura has some freckles, even though it is winter. She is not angry but sad, rather, and that makes the stubborness in him melt. Sakura is climbing through his fences, he realizes.

"I know" he says, but the tone of it does not ring quite sincere. " I just -"

He does not know how to finish so instead he sits down and buries his head in his hands.

Her voice is impossibly calm and very kind.

"It was not your choice or responsibility then. And it is not now. Rin knew what she was doing. And I know what I am doing."

Looking up, Kakashi smiles. But this time, the look in his eyes is bitter, the smile is an old facade, the one that reminds her of olden times. She hated that smile then and resents it still. It is a construction meant to deceive.

"She had known and she died nevertheless."

"Her. Decision." She is adamant. He blinks.

"Is this only about the mission?"

She does not miss a beat with the answer.

"Are you ready for another conversation?"

Checkmate.

He does not answer, so she puts on her heavy shinobi boots, collects her gears and before she slips out of the door says,

"See you."

"Be safe" he mumbles, but she is already gone.

xxiii.

First snow falls the next day.

For most part of the week, he vacillates between taking up an S-mission himself or simply lie down and wait for eternal rest to claim him.

Instead, he scrubs the floor six times and washes all of his clothes and sharpens and polishes all his weapons, gives them names and puts them away in alphabetical order. He cleans the windows. He waxes every wooden material. He performs rituals to forbid his mind from wandering and wondering where Sakura is.

Winter has its difficulties, so he takes his team on patrols. He takes them mountain climbing, which means while they freeze their ass off, his students clean the icicles off of the Hokages' noses. Umma is careful - Doctor Haruno is not in town and she would not let another medic nin near her.

Snow reminds Kakashi of their very first mission together, when Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura had to face what being a shinobi really means.

Shinobi, said Zabuza before he died, arms limp and useless against his sides. Use or be used. You are no ninjas until you awoke and slept with the smell of blood. Shinobi is not a shadow. It is a weapon.

The memory sends a chill down his spine.

"Sensei!" Tassun shouts, way above him. "Can't we use some jutsu? Please?"

Kakashi forbids it. He also forbids himself to compare Tassun to Obito. Even though he is prides himself to be a rational man, he is above all a nostalgic men, draped in melancholy.

Rule twenty-five.

Never show your tears.

But Zabuza was not a melancholic man and still, he wept when Haku died. Naruto was - is - like that, but his tears are a way of giving in. Gives all things their due tears. His tears are invert in nature.

Sakura's tears are efficient: she is an emotional being and knows the worth of that. Her tears are public for a reason. She could easily remember and recite the rules while crying for Sasuke when she believed him dead. It did not faze her. Thus her greatest power lies in knowing this compassion is no weakness.

Shedding tears as a lesson.

Kakashi has not cried since they buried Minato, and swore he never would. He used to believe that was something to take pride in - something that makes one mature. He does not remember seeing Sasuke shed a tear either and how much respect he felt for him. Now he looks at Sasuke, all hollow; and regards himself, preserving sanity with total denial (hiding after all, is denial. He is a coward but not a liar) and wonders how could he ever think what they done has been venerable.

He thinks; Sakura must be smiling now, with snow in her hair.

He also wonders whether Sakura smiles with the knowledeg about the unmitigated power she possesses, topping them all in her wake.

xxiv.

News comes on Friday.

The smell of hot chocolate is everywhere, because Umma has spilled half of its content on her vest and the other half on Kakashi's. Then her student stops and points at the opposite direction they are heading.

"Look, it is the crabby man." And truly, Neji is standing at the corner of Konoha's main street with Hinata accompanying him. He seems okay, apart from wearing the ugliest coat in the history of Konoha and the ugliest frown too.

Hinata spots them, and waves. She has her a coat similar to Neji's, but the snow washes out her features.

Kakashi has to get to the lake, but wants - needs - to know about the mission and especially about Sakura's wellbeing.

They are standing far away.

Kakashi might have a premature stroke.

"Umma," he says. "Can you ask crabby man about Sakura? I will run to the lake and bring Koshi back, then we will get lunch."

"Okay." she grimaces. "But we eat at Dango's."

xxiv.

No lunch on Friday. And no drink for that matter. Not now or ever.

Because instead of Umma waiting for them and Sakura standing there with her all-teeth smile and snow in her hair saying, Are you getting senile in your old age, Hatake? See, here I am. Safe and sound; it is Neji and Hinata and Tsunade who wait for him.

Kakashi cannot read Tsunade's face, and Neji's frown is absolute and deep, but it is Hinata who makes him freeze. She is the one wearing true grief. She is pale, she, who always blushes. Paleness means sorrow for Hinata and Kakashi's heart sinks, his mind empties.

Koshi whistles at the sight of the three leaders.

"Go home now, Koshi." he says. The boy looks up at him and he does not joke the order away. He does not even look back as he runs home.

Neji and Hinata lock eyes as Kakashi reaches them. Tsunade looks up at him and this nearness allows Kakashi to see that Tsunade is livid, her eyes have that legendary flame she has cradled since a very young age. Her passion is a heritage of blood.

Kakashi hides his hands behind his back to hide the fact he is shivering, trembling.

"Is she dead?" he asks, slowly. He looks at Tsunade but it is Neji who answers, truthful and cruel.

"We don't know."

xxv.

It happens like this. Sakura Haruno and Shikamaru Nara with the leadership of Neji Hyuuga complete their S-ranked mission in a perfect three-day tempo, in relative ease. Aim of the mission is to secure a perimeter around Kusa and the border of the Land of the Grass so to ensure the safety of an Iwa convoy. There are no complications, the convoy sends hawk they arrived to their destination in peace and by Captain Hyuuga's orders they are to return home.

However, before leaving, Shikamaru Nara and Sakura Haruno visit Kusa in hopes of obtaining some aliment and some information. This is a tradition among shinobi. When time, make sure to use it wisely. Information is weapon in war, the knife of knowledge wounds deeper than any sword. Neji approves, so he lets them mingle among the villagers.

There is no food, and only one rumour, dominant in the city. Two men, two legendary shinobis, are said to have been spotted around the ruins of Kezuma, a former satellite hideout not so far from Eika's base. One is said to be the lost Uchiha heir. The other one is the fox demon of Konoha. They have been said to be disguised as beggars.

It happens like this: a decision needs to be made. To have a second, greater mission without backup or not to have, not to pry, not to try.

Shikamaru Nara votes to have. Neji Hyuuga votes to have. Sakura Haruno votes to have.

Their chakras are full, power and energy not spent. Captain Hyuuga sends a coded telegram home to his cousin, Hinata Hyuuga, who, after transcribing, runs to the Godaime at once with the news. Tsunade Senju does not write anything, because Neji Hyuuga has written: Already on route. No contact.

It is Wednesday dawn when they set out for the ruins, hope in their hearts. For Naruto Uzumaki has this power over them all. Neji thinks of his actions, Shikamaru his eyes, Sakura his words.

They are close. And find them they do.

It happens like this: The two lost ninjas are fleeting from Iwa. Naruto is unconscious, Sasuke is half dragging, half holding him when the three of them find them. Uchiha mistakes them for foes and manages to wound Captain Hyuuga on both legs, when finally Uchiha recognizes Sakura Haruno and ceases his attack.

The medic ninja then insists on healing both Hyuuga and Uzumaki. Uchiha informs them that he is being hunted down by the Explosion Corps and they have no time. Sakura Haruno begins the healing process despite Uchiha's argument and Neji Hyuuga asks Shikamaru Nara to strategize the fastest escape plan he can come up with. Nara insists on a defensive stance until Uzumaki and the Captain is down. Uchiha and Hyuuga agree.

No sooner Nara draws up a plan where they move onto a higher ground - Kezuma used to be three watchtowers of which one remained intact - the assailants arrive. Twenty-five against five. Naruto is almost healed, but unconscious. Hyuuga cannot get up properly. Shikamaru, Uchiha and Haruno fight for a while and the two of them manage to decimate the opponents. Nara then picks up Captain Hyuuga who orders them to retreat at once. Hyuuga tells Uchiha specifically to get Uzumaki and Haruno both.

Haruno screams for them to remain together. Just as Hyuuga and Nara disappear in the bushes, backup arrives. Haruno begins to attack them once again and Uchiha Sasuke makes the choice of using Haruno as bait. According to him, he has had to choose, and he choose Naruto Uzumaki, leaving Haruno on the battlefield, leaving to fate and chance and her own wit to survive.

And the four men - one unconscious, one healed, one fuming, one cursed - return to Konoha without the healer.

xxvi.

Much to Kakashi's dismay, almost all of the villagers are out on the streets, enveloping the main street as Naruto Uzumaki - limping and pale - accompanies Sasuke Uchiha - shackled and back bent - to the shinobi headquarters where judgement awaits him and the mission they completely fucked up. Some villagers spit on the road, some cheer, others are silent as the cenotaph Kakashi has forgotten to visit for a fortnight now.

Within the council, that acts both as judge and jury, are such people as Tsunade (because she is the Hokage and head of this village), Neji (Captain and Commander of said ANBU mission), Shikamaru (a witness), Hinata (head of the greatest clan presently thriving in Konoha), and Kakashi (former sensei and theoretically unbiased outsider).

The room is cold in temperature and color. Behind the table the council is seated, Shizune is attempting to strike a fire with matches, but her hands seem to tremble too much and so any chance for some warmth must be postponed. Self-inflicted exile and revenge has done no good to Sasuke's complexion. There is a sunken demeanor, a broken angle on his face that transformed him effectively unsightly. Naruto does not live his side. They are both standing.

The first part of the hearing is about Sasuke's tour around the world in order to kill Itachi and overrule the Shinobi countries. Sasuke gives one-word answers. Naruto tries to defend him by quoting Orochimaru and Karin and Sakura and basically half Konoha from the times Sasuke was still a genin prodigy. By the time Tsunade and Naruto finish arguing whether Sasuke Uchiha truly committed treason, it is already two in the afternoon. They started the hearings early morning.

Now comes the hardest part. The events of the last mission.

"Captain Hyuuga informed me that the ANBU team found you close to the Kezuma ruins." says the Godaime. "Is that correct?"

Sasuke looks at Neji. Clears his throat.

"We were around five miles from the watchtowers."

"Did you hide within the ruins prior to the meeting?"

"Yes.”

"For how much time?"

"Two weeks."

"For what reasons?"

It is a milisecond, but Naruto and Sasuke exchange a look that makes everyone rather uncomfortable. Shinobis at this caliber can read each other easily.

Tsunade wants none of it.

"Were you injured?"

"We wanted to rest. Naruto had found me in the very West regions of Tsuchi. After convincing me to return, we have been on the road for more than a month."

"Were you resting or hiding, Uchiha?" Tsunade's voice is now sharp.

Sasuke jaws clench and Naruto puts his hand on the shoulder of his friend.

"We knew I was being followed. We tried to outmaneuver them with no success. I killed some of them, but seems like their resources exceeded my calculations."

Shikamaru Nara mutters something. Sounds like "No fucking shit".

Naruto cuts in.

"We guessed an open confrontation would finish it. But I got injured and knew we had to reach Konoha at once."

To everyone's surprise, Hinata raises her hand, demanding the right to query. Her eyes, though milky, have a sharp tip.

"Sasuke" her voice is not timid. "Why did you attack my cousin?"

Neji, next to her, crosses his arms.

"We almost got killed a minute before" Sasuke seems downright bored. "I was sure he was enemy too."

"Sharingan." says Hinata simply. Sasuke reddens.

A beat of silence.

"You are going blind" continues Hinata gently. "Don't you?"

Neji's glare competes with Tsunade's.

"It is not relevant." Sasuke says simply.

"You irresponsible, selfish fuck." This is Shikamaru, voice pleasant despite the profanity. "You endangered all of our lives by giving us orders while we were trying to save your life."

"We were wasting time."

"We tried to fix the damage you have done. What else we could do with two teammate on the ground, one you put there?"

"I told Sakura - "

Neji prevents Sasuke from finishing.

"Sakura did not follow your orders."

It is useless for Naruto to keep his hands on him, because Sasuke tears himself from his clutch.

"She followed no one's. I told her we cannot waste time and yet she made her choice and started to heal you on the spot."

"Are you saying it is Sakura's fault she got captured?" it is the first time Kakashi speaks up, voice quiet.

Sasuke looks haughty.

"I am saying she put her energy in the wrong place at the wrong time."

He stands up. Sasuke is stronger than him, stockier even in his weakened state, but Kakashi is taller by almost an inch, all wire and sinew. He moves around the table elegantly, straight like a knife. Faces Uchiha, whom he taught as a mentor and loved as a father a long time ago.

"Is that why you left her behind?" his voice is still very soft, not showing the horrible fury he feels.

Sasuke stares at him, expression plain.

"Sakura is just a medic nin."

There was a time when thirteen year old Sasuke, angry and hurt and tied to a tree, spit at him, saying; What if I killed the people most important to you? Wouldn’t you care? Kakashi smiled then and answered. Impossible. Everyone I cared about had already died.

And Kakashi Hatake has killed many people in his life, but he has never wanted to kill anyone more clearly than Sasuke Uchiha at that very moment, that cold winter afternoon, in that Konoha council room full of people. Wonders if Sasuke even suspects the possibility of fulfilling an old promise.

And there must be something the way he looks at the boy, the way his voice sounds, because Sasuke is taking a step back and Naruto steps in front of Sasuke. Behind him, each member of the council stand as a precaution.

His voice sounds foreign to him, heavy and dead.

Impossible, impossible. Old - technically young - Kakashi would just smile.

"Get him out of here."

xxvii.

After Naruto pushes Sasuke out, Hinata and Shikamaru leave as well - she touches his back, he nods, both an act of sympathy - and Tsunade, Neji and him remain.

"Rescue mission." he says the moment the door closes.

Neji is looking out the window, on the main square where snow locks the cobblestones deep under dead weight. Tsunade has her head cradled in her hands and sends Shizune for some alcohol before she answers.

"Kakashi" her voice is cautious, warning him to not strain this too much.

"The more we wait the less chance we have." It is a fact. He looks at Neji who still avoids his gaze. Tsunade also refuses to look up.

"I know this. But Sasuke is right and Sakura is a medic nin and one of the brightest in the village. She is a survivor."

"She might be seriously injured, if not dead."

"If she is half the woman I know - and she is, believe me - she will claw and crawl her way out of anything. I taught her well."

"Then let me volunteer for an individual mission. "His voice now has an impatient tinge in it. "Let me have that at lea-"

"ENOUGH." bellows Tsunade and slams both her hands on the table that creaks under her anger. "Do you think I do not care because I did not kill Uchiha Sasuke outright? That it is a weakness or cruelty or disloyalty that I had not opened his guts with my bare hands the moment he stepped into Konoha again? That I was not aware that he is alive through abandoning her and this has not affected me? Because I do not make a public display of my own doubts and fears of what will happen to my most promising heir? Do you think I am made of stone? That I do not fear for Sakura's life and sanity as wholly as you?"

She crosses the space between them. Neji and Kakashi freeze in terror.

"Let me tell you something, Hatake." She just points at his chest, not even touching, but accusing him in all her physicality. "Sasuke abandoned her first. Then Naruto. Then you. You abandoned her too. Remember that? Because I do. She came to me, because she had no mentor left, even though you lived in the same. Fucking. Village." She is unrelenting, not even taking a breath. "Two streets across. And you decided to fuck it all, because there is no worth in helping a girl like Sakura, right? She came to me because you did not find time and energy for her. Not between an Uchiha boy and an Uzumaki prodigy."

She is taking a deep breath now, Tsunade. Then she deflates. Looks exhausted and truly fifty years old.

"Truth is - " she is not even looking at him now. "I think all the guilt you feel fuels this anger excellently against Uchiha. Rotten, the both of you. Worthless."

She turns away from him. Kakashi's legs are stone. He looks at a point, way above all of their heads. In the corner of his eyes, Neji is looking at his boots now, tactful and silent.

Shizune returns and Tsunade does not even need the glass, she gulps the liquor straight from the sake bottle. She still has her back to the both of them when she opens her mouth again.

"I already sent an ambassador to Iwa. They will talk to the Corps and we can have an agreement. This is my hope."

She wipes her mouth and finally turns to them. Him.

"You should congratulate me on my levelheadedness, Kakashi. I knew I would not be able to count on you now."

Her eyes are full of pity.

xxviii.

A box arrives four days later. It is addressed to Sasuke Uchiha. The box contains the head of the Konoha envoy. Iwa claims they do not have anyone named Haruno among their prisoners.

A week after the assembly, Sakura's smell is fading from his flat, the plant is withering in the corner. Kakashi sharpens his knives. Shines his shoes. Washes his uniform until his arm goes numb and his fingers weazen under the water. Washes himself carefully, with care.

Nothing is as satisfying as a clean kill.

xxix.

Just as Kakashi is checking the content of his bag, there are several footsteps on the stairs, small and swift. The children.

Umma's voice is hysterical.

"Sensei" she might have wanted to knock, but Koshi and Tassun simply fall through the whole door, bringing its hinges with them.

"Please" he says, wanting to say, not now. "The mission is in two hours." But he is taken aback. All of them are crying.

"What" he says, voice thick. All three of them.

"Sak- Sakura" Tassun says.

Kakashi does not need another word. He jumps through the sad remnants of his door, slides down the stairs in an inhuman speed and runs, flies like a man losing the last of his wits.

Hinata is the first one who he bumps into. She does not say anything, just points to the quarters on the right, Tsunade's home. Where people go to live or die.

He sees him, Rock Lee, at the door.

Someone is screaming.

It is him.

"Is she alive?" he asks, shouts, screams.

xxx.

"I was at my post when I saw her" Lee's voice is wavering, even now. They have been waiting for Tsunade to come out from the room where she is treating her, Sakura, with the outmost care. "Just a figure, slanting, in the distance. Like a shadow in the snow. Then her hair gave her away, under all that red. I ran to her as fast as I could and she was so relieved upon seeing me."

"Did she say something?"

His heart is beating so loudly it might deafen the corridor. He is trying to contain himself, but finds that he has lost this ability when it comes to Sakura some time ago.

Rock Lee shakes his head.

"She tried to clean the blood off her. She was covered in it." he waits a bit, in shock. "Wouldn't let go of her kunai."

The door opens and Tsunade steps out of the room.

Now, Kakashi Hatake has not cried since Minato was buried. Rule twenty-five. Shinobi, the shadow, the weapon. Impossible, impossible.

But upon hearing that Sakura Haruno lives, he excuses himself, wanders into the room where Sakura sleeps now. Her hair spills like a halo around her battered face an there are scars on her neck. Her knuckles are bloody and raw. But she is here now, alive and safe and in peace. So Kakashi simply falls down on his knees, puts his head onto the bed, very close to her fully bandaged right hand, and begins to weep like a child.

xxxi.

It is at dawn she wakes. Her hand jerks a bit and he is there, sliding to the floor from his seat.

"Kakashi" she states, in the semi-darkness, voice raspy. Her right hand flies into what feels like an abysmal space between them. He catches it very tenderly.

"Are you in pain?"

Sakura's eyes open up and focus. He wonders whether she has a fever. Her eyes are very bright though the light is scarce.

"Just very thirsty." A confession.

Turns out even with her hands healed she cannot really use them. But maybe because she is Sakura and he is Kakashi, they manage. She tilts her head and lets him pour the water into her mouth. Her palms and her wrists have fresh bandages. She must have literally beat her way out of Kezuma.

It takes a nod of her head for him to know that she had enough. Kakashi wants to let her sleep, but she does not let his hand go and as the sun rises, they look into each other's eyes; seeing the unseen; a different chain of confession.

"I am sorry for doubting you." he says finally. Softly. That is all he wishes for her now and wished for her since a long time.

"You were afraid" Sakura says. One of her molar teeth on the left is missing. A proof of her tenacity. She is made of sterner stuff than him, because he wants to cry again.

"Terrified."

Nothing in Kakashi's life turned out how he used to imagine it - fate or taken roads denied him in a way that he gave up trying to predict the course of his life altogether - but when Sakura leans to kiss his cheeks, the surprise feels like a blessing, and not a curse.

The angle is awkard. It does not matter.

"But here I am" and she smiles then, all-teeth, pearlwhite. The sensation of her goes straight into his head. He feels light and carefree and he is still terrified of the very notion of rushing this - whatever - they have.

He cannot say anything grandiose. He cannot, for the life of him, begin to unravel and murmur what he feels for her. But Sakura does not need grandiose, because when he tries to mutter and fails, she touches his cheeks, lightly and carefully.

He kisses the top of her head, because even in sitting he is slightly taller than her. Sakura looks up, expectant and smiling, like she did in Suna months ago, back when Kakashi has realized he wanted her.

Her smile is not teasing, it is welcoming and patient. He wonders if she can hear his heartbeat as her palms move from his jaw to his chest, just above his heart, below and between the collarbones. He wonders if he feels his heart beating its cage at the sight of her face.

And it seems Sakura might hear and know now, because she leans in again, and brushes his chin with the tip of her nose, careful.

"Hey" she whispers, breathes. There is no other sound then, except their heartbeat, and he feels like fainting, the way she looks at him now. "I know. I know."

He places hands on her own, fingers grazing fingers and he leads her hands to the hem, the edge of his mask. Sakura stares, mesmerizes. Kakashi feels his mouth going dry, his own tongue heavy with something called desire as they peel off this shield, this hideaway he has kept up for years. It is the most intimate act either of them has ever witnessed or done.

The unveiling reveals a long, slightly bent nose, a wide mouth with some crooked teeth. All dimples, as he smiles and his scar dances with this movement, his whole face a dazzling, wondrous movement. Just at the left fold of his chin there is a beauty spot. He has some stubbles and he smells clean, clear, all too human and beautiful. He is beautiful.

Aaaand, she just said this out loud.

"Two of us then" he laughs. Sakura laughs too, a heavenly sound, and he feels so weak as she draws him in the bed with her, bringing his body onto her own.

He envelopes her altogether.

"You are also bad influence."

"Am I now?" Another laugh from Sakura, but it feels breathless now, something that makes him greedy and a little too desperate for more. He feels possessive and reverent at the same time. Thinks it selfish.

"Am I hurting you?"

She shakes her head and turns their position, so Kakashi is under her now, the world upside down. It has never felt so right.

And maybe because he is Kakashi and she is Sakura, and although they are both automatic at killing, they are slow and unsure at lovemaking, so they take their time to memorize this moment at the beginning of the day.

She kisses the patch of discolored skin at his jaw and he sighs while his fingers travels at her hips, his palms spreading around the curve of her belly. She tastes a bit like blood and medication and almonds - her kisses are intense, too much teeth and tongue, but it is so Sakura-like that it makes both of his eyes flutter at the sensation. He is already hard but this is no surprise either.

She has that intention and attention that makes him unravel and when he slips one long finger past the elastic of her underwear, the warmth and the wet he finds there makes them both moan.

There is a confidence with which he meets her eyes and they converse nonverbally - do you want this, do you want me, do you want me now, gods, yesyesyes - and the way she inhales now is a sure signal that she enjoys how he slips another two fingers inside her. His black pants whisper and rustle in the silence just as she slips them from his waist. The white hospital shirt is two times larger than her size - it is easy to slide it a bit down so he can kiss her breasts.

He wants to smile - maybe crack a joke - but his mouth is full and her blunt nails cut onto his scalp and the pain and the pleasure merge like electricity.

They take their time positioning - Kakashi asks, Sakura responds; they are open and shameless communicators after all - and her thighs are strong and sure when they are wrapped around his hips; a feeling so natural it is almost scary. And just as her legs are strong, so are her hands as she leads him to her entrance. She sinks, falls, gives in, and then he is inside of her; hot and content. His fingers find her waist and spine and he groans with pleasure.

She swears. Or maybe it is him.

The material of his shirt tousle when she clenches it by starting to move. She must like the way the wool touches and rubs at the skin of her breasts, he thinks, and is mesmerized how her hair chooses to dance across her temple and around her neck. He thinks of deities and says her name.

They are in no hurry. Sakura is rocking back and forth like a mantra, like a prayer and he wants to brand this image, the image of her altar-like body into his eyes and brain as she bears her weight and her pleasure down on him.

"Maybe you are tiring after all." he breathes. Her eyes are closed, lids heavy with passion. She sticks her tongue out as an answer.

"Not my fault" she whispers, opens her eyes. Then arches her hips in a way that his whole body goes stiff and he almost comes then and there.

He sits up in retaliation, and embraces her closely and carefully, so that there is not an inch separating them. It is a support of a kind, this framing of her body; she is magnificent in her unwinding.

It could be him deciphering her, but Kakashi has seen through Sakura a long time ago just as she solved him a decade ago, not as a riddle, but as a poem, all loveliness, good deeds.

Some of the pink tint from her cheek travels downwards; toward her belly and in-between her thighs. She is getting close and when she fastens the pace, there is a pressure at the base of his back presaging his own orgasm. Her thrusts are haphazardous now, no true angles, but this incidental pain, yet again, comes with a jarring-searing like pleasure that makes him see double.

Kakashi thinks, pull out, but Sakura clenches around him, arms around his neck, strong and decisive and he is hit with her pleasure, this unrelenting phenomenon, that makes him come and he empties himself in her. It is a trading of treasure; a purge, a cleansing, a confession. Pleasure comes in loud waves, white-hot thunders, the salt-sweat feels sweet in the valley of her breasts when he opens his mouth to taste her skin for what he fears will be the last time. He is a cynic, above all. Even in the greatest pleasures.

She is resting her head on his a bit after and he touches the damp fistful of magenta hair at the base of her neck, the one he always dreamt of before. The bed is very small, but he decides to roll himself all up around her afterwards. Sakura is the first to talk. She is braver than him, always.

"You better not think I did this in a fit of feverish instinct." She sounds sleepy and content. Peaceful. She is drawing tiny circles on his wrist.

"Do you not care about Tsunade killing me in the morning?" he also feels in peace. Either way, Sakura will make a choice and he is either going to endure life as it is or be the happiest he has been for a long while. She shots him a look. The sun is up now, burning it is wake. The snow outside will melt in a week.

"She knows it would bother me a bit. Tsunade holds my interests close to her heart."

"Ah, a bit. So I have a chance after all."

"Chance?"

"To survive."

Sakura laughs. Kakashi remains serious and lowers his voice. He has to be brave too, now.

"But living might be better."

Sakura stops laughing. Her expression displays sudden shyness, as if he told her what she wanted to hear. He feels shy too, like an adolescent. In a certain way, in this case, in love, he feels lacking and sheepish.

Then Sakura, whom he has respected for years and loved for a while and may marry soon, looks up and says;

"What are the chances of living together?"

He kisses her knuckles that saved many lives, including his, and fought and conquered even more, again, including his, all victorious.

Answers lightly, all dimples:

"I would say the chances are great."

#kakasaku #kakashi x sakura #kakashi hatake #sakura haruno #my writing #waiting is wasting #otp: complicated thing #AYYY

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p101recaps · 7 years

Text

Broduce 101: Episode 10 (Quick Livestream Recap)

This post contains spoilers.

We go straight up to the Regal Chair of Doom for the elimination opening.

There are a few hair changes! Minki is dark haired again, while Sanggyun had an ashy blond dye job and a trim.

They’re not sure what the cut off is because of the rumours and the doubt BoA’s script had provided last episode.

Hyunbin ambitiously wants to be first, and the trainees laugh their heads off at this proclamation.

Entrance pose time!

Pledis trainees come in by imitating Nu’est maknae Minki’s disjointed shoulder trick.

Little Lee Woojin does the thigh touching move from sexy concept song Open.

MMO trainees, Daniel and Jisung, dance to Sistar’s Touch My Body. It makes me feel low key bitter because my girls :(

RBW Lee Gunhee did some hip swinging.

Extra as hell, Fantagio Ong Sungwoo brought a bag with him to recreate his now iconic moment from the work out episode.

WH Creative Seo Sungyhuk did some of IKYK choreo. Cutie

YGK+ Kwon Hyunbin did the robot.

Popular WinkDeep boys Maroo Park Jihoon and C9 Bae Jinyoung did twin moves

Ardor and Able hilariously recreate a reference to Noh Taehyun’s viral stomach scratching picture.

Starship Jung Sewoon did the world’s tiniest Nayana gesture.

CUBE chicks do a Twice Knock Knock reference.

OUI Donghan did a weird dance move on the floor.

Only top 20 gets through. So this rumour was right. It’s like Mnet’s playing two lies one truth lol

BoA gets ajumeoni claps as she enters. That dress looks like something from Red Velvet’s closet though.

Fanservice to soothe the pain begins with cute dorm footage.

Snack time is abound in the dorms once again. One trainee carries what looks like a fuckin mountain of cup ramen across the room at some point.

They reveal a bit of first week footage with the HOTSHOT boys depositing their luggage in the waiting room. Sungwoon’s massive show insole falls out and he gets embarrassed, all ‘When did this come out??’

Sunghyuk has a bit where he comes into to visit his hyungs and gets scolded for his informality. He gets visibly scared by Jihoon’s sternness, leaving with his tail between his legs until Ong-ssi calls him back.

Ong-ssi: Why’d you come in here?

Sunghyuk (looking like he may cry): For...no reason.

All the hyungs: Oh, that’s good! :D I’m glad you came to see us!!! :))

Sunghyuk almost passes out in relief when he realises they were teasing him lol

There’s a cut of how the boys all pull out make up to touch up when production staff calls for a break, yanking out their compacts and pat-patting away at their faces.

Jisung eomma is the funniest of all of course, whipping out the compact with a flourish and patting his too red lips to blend them out.

Ong-ssi puts on a few dozen coats of tinted lip balm and gets ticked off by staff for the red lips visible across the hall

Jaehwan touches up Baekho’s nose for him

Another cut is product placement for face packs, its a sponsored bit (you can always tell when Samuel’s acting, bless him) but they play around well with the differently coloured mask creams.

Sungwoon gets 101 written on his face by his dongsaengs, Jihoon makes himself up like a panda while Baekho gets a beard. He’s very pleased with it. A universal cutie.

Deffo more natural PPL than the herbal supplement.

There’s a cut of early morning shower singing from vocal kids RIP FNC Yoo Hwiseung, getting screentime once he’s been kicked.

Sad practice shots with Jaehwan’s acoustic guitar backing and singing of Nayana. I ALREADY FEEL BAD FOR THEM FUK U MNET

Cut to more cheerful trainee time.

Noh Taehyun once again has to heatedly defend himself because of his stomach clip after already having to clarify he’s not a crybaby. He claims the clip was from after a rehearsal sesh, and he was hot and sweaty so, “I WAS FANNING MYSELF I WASN’T SCRATCHING MY TUMMY EVERYONE!!”

CUBE kids explain their initial awkwardness. Their company wanted them to be clear hyung-dongsaeng on the show, but they were friends while they were trainees earlier. This means Seonho can’t use banmal with him anymore and has to remember to call Guanlin hyung. It doesn’t affect Lai Guanlin, but Seonho is still adjusting lol

Minhyun likes sweet boy Seonho, but the younger kid keeps hugging him and is really fond of skinship.

Minhyun: It’s like he’s my girlfriend...he needs to dial it down a bit.

Seonho: It’s just because I love my hyung???!

Daehwi gets a stool to stand on for his individual bit, and is mildly indignant about it. He doesn’t think he’s that short and pulls out massive insoles from his shoes before also ratting out Sasuke Uchiha cosplayer Bae Jinyoung’s use of insoles.

His friend is not happy, and has to reveal his own massive foam shoe inserts.

Bae Jinyoung: They’re only 2cm!!

Staff: Only because you’re pressing down on them like that.

Auntie Jisung, true to form, mentions Daniel’s night talking.

“Mom, you’re embarrassing me!!” - Kang Daniel, probably.

Red lip tint fans Daniel and Sanggyun get called out for their always pink lips, and Daniel gets his own back by pointing out that Yoon Jisung also always wears tons of it.

Kang Daniel called my boy with his ludicrous pink lips an ajumma!!

Sewoon loves his awkward wink edited with post its on his face and the Jaehwan and Sewoon vocal ship continues to sail.

Hosts Auntie Jisung and Ong Sungwoo for basketball manga oppa times

Ong-ssi: Why are you here? Did you trainees only come to have fun here on the show?

Auntie Jisung: Yes. I did.

They chant ONGSUNG ONGSUNG ONGSUNG for themselves. New comedy MC duo, I loaf

Speed quiz is first up, with sexy waves from OngSung MCs.

Showtime team do okay, Samuel flips onto his back to act out samgyetang. I died. How do you even think of that.

IKYK: Moonbok hard carries. He’s so pretty but that hairstyle...a topknot and scarf wrapped around his head..I wear my own hair like that for house cleans. Taedong quivers for a bit when he gets his word, before dancing The Boys for SNSD.

Open: Daniel does a piss poor imitation of Baekho, who laughs like a baby the whole segment. Seonho gets Ahn Junyoung (the P101 main producer) and wavers for a bit before yelling, ”Ah! PASS!”

Oh Little Girl: Ayn Hyungseob has apple hair! He struggles to convey swag, imitating Baekho and Daniel to no avail. His team finally gets it only because Lee Euiwoong hears Noh Taheyun say, ‘Ah, Hyungseobie definitely has none of this at all!!’

Never: Lai Guanlin passes because he doesn’t know the word...twice; he can’t read Hangul well and the words are too difficult. One of them is an old fashioned Korean flute like?? It’s a hard word and how do you act it out? Poor kiddo

IKYK team wins this segment.

Next game is a game where duos come forth from each team; one trainee does an elephant nose spin, and then runs to apply lipstick on his waiting teammate.

My heart soars at Sanggyun and Jisung representing Showtime

Sewoon falls multiple times and when he gets to Euiwoong, he keeps shaking. Euiwoong gets more and more impatient and Sewoon finally gets shoved by an annoyed hamster.

Jisung veers off and falls like fifteen times before getting to Sanggyun. After, Sanggyun looks at himself and thinks it’s sort of sexy. “You look pretty!!” says excited Auntie Jisung, gleefully.

BNM Jonghyun has a scary determined look throughout.

Kim Yongguk can’t even spin straight, falling over every two spins like a new born puppy. He crawls to Kenta, who waits patiently to have his whole face attacked viciously with red lipstick

Kenta, when the trainees go into splits and Yongguk is still stabbing his cheeks with lipstick: WHY? WHY??

Lee Daehwi remains perfectly, characteristically competent, calmly dabbing on Wartortle GodJonghyun’s lips like a seasoned make up artist.

Yoo Seonho gets to draw again on a caring hyung picked by him, so he picks Daniel

Jaehwan picks Emperor Hwang for redoing the segment. Jaehwan runs lopsided and dementedly fast to draw on his hyung, frightening poor Gunhee on the sidelines.

Seonho applies eight hundred layers of red on Daniel’s mouth lol

The next game is team jump roping and posing for a photo

This was hilarious - you have to look them up, I died laughing at their faces mid air. These are the pictures I’m getting blown up and signed if I ever see them in person.

Open team wins overall, and receives the PPL face packs.

After this dose of healing (this is what Jonghyun calls the segment, with another of his ha ha HAs) cuteness, we go back to elims.

The rankings from last episode are finally revealed for the highest ranking from the live audience. To no one’s surprise, Daniel won the 220,000 benefit.

1 and 20 to be revealed last for the suspense

Jung Sewoon ranked 19.

Woodam and Donghan have a depressingly self aware discussion about how they know they’re lucky to have this far.

Joo Haknyeon is 18. The boys are all shocked but he’s had awful press lately. He’s losing grace swiftly, and this is his first time falling out of top 11.

BNM Im Youngmin has fortunately made it at 17, despite the (totally undeserved) hate he received. He even apologised, for some reason

CUBE Seonho was 16, he almost fell out his seat with shock as his name was called.

Ren, Hyungseob and Jaehwan all make it in succession.

Minhyun’s apparent ‘mistaken’ reveal of his rank was at 12 but it’s Pledis Kang Dongho at 12. The trainees all imitate Baekho’s Boy in Love head bob lol

Pledis Minhyun makes it at 11. He’s handsome on the big screen, and sings at BoA’s request. All the trainees have a shim koong.

Lee Daaehwi at 10. I’m grateful he stays top 11 though a cutie

MMO Yoon Jisung makes it at 9!! YES HE’S BACK IN TOP 11 I LOVE MY AUNTIE!!

So do the trainees, they’re all more excited than he is at his rank, there’s a veritable swarm as they congratulate their eomma.

Samuel’s having a breakdown from nerves.

Auntie Jisung’s ugly crying is slightly muted this time - his company must have scolded him. Daniel is super relieved his hyung’s back in top 11, and Jisung thanks people for supporting him and his dream.

Ong Sungwoo is safe at number 8. BoA asks him to do his Ong-slate bit, which of course, he does with every bit of over the top acting he can.

Nation’s leader Angel God Jonghyun dropped to 7, but at least Wartortle’s safe.

Good shot of the empty Nu’est seats as Jonghyun thanks the voters for supporting him and his fellow Pledis trainees.

Brand New Music Park Woojin makes it to 6! He still has an eye patch on, I hope he’s recovering well. BoA asks him to do his famous snaggle-toothed smile. A cutie.

Samuel’s proper freaking out but he makes it at 5. He thanks all his Showtime hyungs by name but forgets Jisung, adding him last when he realises. Jisung, my drama queen, pouts in mock offence

Goodness, you can really see the relief on Samuel’s face when he sinks into his chair, my poor kid.

BoA calls out Ha Sungwoon and Bae Jinyoung for the next two possible ranks

Ha Sungwoon can’t stop yelling in shock for being in the top 5, he just screams endlessly. When the camera points at him for the shot right before BoA announces his name, he thinks it’s someone else in his row because he really wasn’t expecting it.

ME NEITHER MATE THERE IS SOME FAIRNESS IN THE WORLD I LIVE FOR THIS RISE

Bae Jinyoung is 4. The two pick voting helped him climb back up, WinkDeep sails. In celebration, he does the aegyo bit from his intro.

Sungwoon makes it at number 3 (more slightly muted screaming)

I’m that tear waterfall pokemon gif, and so is he, sort of. This caught me off guard but I love being wrong about this sort of stuff.

Popular kids, teen pick Jihoon and noona pick Daniel for top two.

Daniel and Little Woojin exchange non-forced reassurance as they wait for his rank to be announced.

Sidenote while watching the livestream: That Cha Eunwoo kid is in a lot of ads for a rookie. He’s rather handsome.

MMO Kang Daniel ranks number 1. It’s his first time, he never thought he’ll be Jihoon’s rival, but he’s deeply grateful.

Which puts Park Jihoon at a safe 2. He thanks his fans for their continued support. His consistency has been incredible, he’s never left the top of the pyramid.

Last trainee for the cut off at 20. These shots of my eliminated talented boys makes me sad.

They draw out my pain by showing the ranks from 35 upwards, and having the trainees speak as they get booted.

Bye little maknae Lee Woojin, star vocal Park Woodam, RBW meme Lee Gunhee and musicial kid Kim Yehyun

All of I Know You Know got booted. My sweet boy WH Creative Seo Sunghyuk cries. The Vibe knight boy Taedong and blond pretty kid OUI Donghan are composed. They must have all expected this.

Oh, Donghyun. His BNM trainees look like they’re going to cry as he asks the voters to support them.

Sanggyun spits some sugar coated bitterness, Noh Taehyun and Takada Kenta are graceful.

Visual dark horse Moonbok, who got played by Mnet the most, leaves the show too. He really speaks very prettily. 3

BoA says this isn’t the end for their careers. I wish I can be that optimistic.

Yuehua Lee Euiwoong doesn’t make the cut. You can see Hyungseob’s face fall.

YGK+ Kwon Hyunbin is eliminated at 22. He says a nice ment too, but lasting this long considering his background and skillset is just miraculous.

It’s between Kim Yongguk and Lai Guanlin for rank 20.

Honestly, I’d never have guessed this in a million years. Kim Yongguk, maybe, because of his lack of clear broship, but Cube chicks must get a lot of their hype from teenagers.

Lai Guanlin makes it by the skin of his teeth.

We have to say goodbye to Arctic Fox Kim Yongguk. This feels so unfair, he had such a nice, melancholy tone.

Daniel leads the ending salutations to the national producers.

Last voting period opens, and it’s one pick. This season has been super makjang for real. Far out.

We cut to a new day, the top 20 trainees have gathered for final evaluation mission. BoA reminds them this is the final, debut mission for the live broadcast finale.

The trainees will be split into two teams to perform one of two songs, Super Hot or Hands on Me. I’m keen to hear these songs, the composers are really well known. The choreography has to be created by the trainees themselves.

Harvey Mason and his team created Hands On Me, the demo sounds like a laid back jazzy track that will probably go the IKYK way (hashtag bitter).

Ryan Jhun, who composed Nayana and EXO’s Love Me Right, my favourite EXO title song by far, wrote Super Hot, which is more funky, fast paced.

I take a minute to thank Mother Mary for the lack of EDM. Let’s hope it doesn’t jump out on me when I hear the full songs.

Positions depend on rank, with low ranking trainees picking first and the higher ones possessing the ability to replace them if they want the position.

Im Youngmin’s penalty for leaking spoilers is that he has to take what’s left over, so he picks first and can be replaced.

Seonho ambitiously displaces Haknyeon for sub-vocal 3 on Super Hot, pushing him down to 4.

Hyungseob pushes Joo Haknyeon further down to 5 lol

Then Daehwi pushes him to rapper 1

Jonghyun comes in to shove him to the other team, as vocal 6 for Hands on Me.

Dead. His fellow trainees seemingly have no faith in him at all.

Jaehwan takes his rightful place as main vocal for Hands on Me.

Sewoon had picked sub vocal 1 on the same song earlier, wanting to sing with Jaehwan.

Minhyun continues to be a Joseon level strategist by pushing Sewoon to a different team. Samuel moves him back but to a lower vocal position.

Daniel changes Sungwoon’s team from Hands on Me sub vocal 1 to Super Hot but promotes him to main vocal on there so it works out well.

Everyone on Super Hot understandably wants to be centre considering the timing of the mission and they all sing the main chorus line to compete.

Samuel has to create the choreo and formations as the strongest dance trainee. His teammates come up with a bunch of unhelpful suggestions and he’s stressing out again.

Ong-slate opens on Hands on Me discussions.

They’re discussing leader, Ong-ssi surprisingly nominates himself and receives the position.

Again, everyone wants to be centre and audition with the ‘killing part’ but they don’t show centre pick.

We see the eliminated trainees crying at the eliminations again before next week’s trailer and ranks.

Below is a comprehensive list of this week’s rankings. I’ll post the entire set this time, because we’re down to only 20 :(

Kang Daniel

Park Jihoon

Ha Sungwoon

Bae Jinyoung

Kim Samuel

Park Woojin

Kim Jonghyun

Ong Sungwoo

Yoon Jisung

Lee Daehwi

Hwang Minhyun

Kang Dongho

Kim Jaehwan

Ahn Hyungseop

Choi Minki

Yoo Seonho

Im Youngmin

Joo Haknyeon

Jung Sewoon

Lai Guanlin

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