Thank you very much! That was a lovely message to wake up to. Hopefully my life will slow down soon and Iâll have time to sit down and write some more for you lovely people.
Ok Iâm just going to call it. My life is super busy right now and it wonât be cooling down until the start of November, so I think my works/writing will be on a temporary hiatus. Iâm definitely going to try to work on them a little bit when I can, but most of the time when I get home Iâm just too tired. I wish I didnât have to go on hiatus, but I figured you guys should at least know.
in the past month, iâve read over 200 submissions for the literary organizations i volunteer with, and i want to share some of the stuff iâve learned about writing as a slush reader.
(a slush reader is someone who reads submissions, and either declines them or pushes them through for editors/judges to make a final decision on whether or not a story will be published.)
a rejection does not mean you are a bad writer or that youâve written a bad story. itâs all chaos. thereâs no rhyme or reason to any of it. i was chosen as a reader for these publications because my personal taste in literature jived with the editors. thatâs all it comes down to â personal taste. if your taste doesnât match the taste of the slush readers, youâre not going to get published. there is no way you can predict that, so all you can do is keep writing and keep submitting and hope your work aligns with someone who gets what youâre trying to do. that said, there are some across-the-board things that are worth noting:
your story should be doing some kind of Work. what is the intention of your piece? what are you trying to comment on, explore, or do? it doesnât have to be concise or obvious or complex, it can be literally anything in any way, but if youâre writing something just for the sake of getting published, or to validate yourself, itâs going to be pretty obvious to readers. that is not to say that self-validating work is not valuable, or that a story cannot be both Doing Something and self-validating, but readers want to see that you have something to say, some work to do other than, âi want to be a good writer.âÂ
readers will probably have made their decision by page 4. probably sooner than that depending on the quality of the writing. that means you have (if youâve written in 12pt serif font and double-spaced, and please dear god, do these things unless youâre intentionally playing with form) about a thousand words to engage a reader. if youâve written a short story, personal essay, or novel excerpt (sorry, cannot speak for poetry), this means your core conflict needs to have been introduced by this point and headed in some kind of direction. to put it more clearly: i need to know whatâs going on. elusiveness is not your friend. i want to know: 1) who is the main character, and 2) what do they want? if you do not have these things established by page 4, your work might still be an early draft.
caveat being, of course, if youâre writing experimentally, in which case i hope youâve submitted to an experimental publication. but thereâs a big difference in good experimental vs bad experimental writing, and that is:
write with intention. intention is the difference between dancing alone in your bedroom and becoming a ballerina. both forms of dance might be good, you might be an innately talented dancer alone in your bedroom, but choreographed dancing takes discipline and practice. when it comes to writing, every sentence needs to be chosen to determine if it works for the piece. this is unfortunately one of the hardest parts about writing.
take risks. my least favorite stories are the ones that make me think, this has been done before. having to read hundreds of stories means repetition â i see the same themes over and over (white man feeling conflicted about cheating on his wife), the same writing styles (purple prose run-on sentences), the same characters (middle-class english teachers). i want to read words i donât expect about stories iâve never thought of. i want to see confidence in creativity. i want to see writing that acknowledges convention and destroys it for something better. show me newness, ingenuity, artistic expression. show me the stuff youâre afraid to write for fear of ridicule â thatâs the stuff that gets published.
THE WORLD WANTS TO HEAR FROM FANFIC WRITERS. when i volunteered with one publication, the application involved a list of the last 15 novels iâd read. and i thought, i donât want this gig if i canât be brutally honest, so you bet your ass i put fanfic on there. i was accepted within a day. when iâve told my writing mentors that i write fanfic, their faces have all lit up in excitement and they have a ton of questions. i cannot tell you how many submissions iâve read where the interactions between characters feel stilted and normative, and all iâm looking for is the kind of dynamic tension and chemistry that fanfic authors have mastered. so if you write fanfic and donât think youâre good enough to write âliteratureâ iâm here to tell you, you absolutely are.Â
Summary: In which Kakashi majorly screws up and is rewarded with a cold shoulder from his favorite medical ninja. Maybe a little spat is all he needs to really open his eyes to what he wants.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of characters. I am making no profit off of this and am only writing it for my entertainment.
A/N: Set in my Same Age AU sometime shortly after Kakashi leaves Anbu. Somewhat established relationship. If anyone has watched Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, this was inspired by Sunny and Reaperâs reincarnations.
Also sorry this is suuuuuuper late. Life has been exhausting, but this is my last entry for Kakasaku month. It could actually fit for the prompts The Mission or Summer Rain all the way from week one.
Unbeta-ed.
[ao3] [fanfic]
âStay with me.â The voice was far away like hearing someone through a tunnel or in the waking moments after a deep slumber. It rang in his head, so persistent that he couldnât tell if his name was being called repeatedly or if it was just from the ringing in his head brought on by the loud slow thump of his own heartbeat. One thing was certain though. It was panicked. âKakashi, look at me. Donât take your eyes off me.â
Blackness faded away to meet grey skies. For a moment the world was a blur before it came into sharp focus, and he was aware of everything all at once. The agonizing pain in his chest only slightly dulled by the gentle, warm flow of Sakuraâs chakra. The green eyes that bore into his, commanding them to stay open. The soft patter of rain that beat against his much too pale skin. Some part of him knew that if he turned his head slightly, heâd find the dead bodies of the Kiri Anbu that lay just beyond them.
âWhat are you doing?â His voice was ragged. Talking was a luxury his failing body could barely afford. It spasmed in protest, and he was sure he could taste the metallic tang of blood when he coughed. âFinish the mission.â
âIf you think Iâm leaving you, youâre dead wrong.â Sakuraâs voice was hard. It left no room for argument, but as Obito would be happy to point out and in fact, had many times, Kakashi had always been a fool.
âSakura-â
âShinobi who abandon their comrades are worse than scum, right? Thatâs your rule, and it applies to abandoning you too. Now hold still and stop talking, so we can be on our way sooner.
âŠ
âThe rain isnât so bad, we could keep going.â If he were still in Anbu, they wouldnât have stopped, but heâd been demoted from espionage and assassinations to courier missions. Granted, the information theyâd been transporting was highly sensitive information, but if he were honest with himself, it wasnât the mission that had him itching to keep moving. Even if it was, theyâd technically finished it and were on their way back to the village. It didnât matter if they stopped for the night to stay in a roadside inn instead of camping out on the road. No, what was bothering him was the cold shoulder Sakura had been giving him ever since theyâd run into those Kiri shinobi.
âIf you want to keep going in this storm, be my guest, but when you get struck by lightning, donât expect me to heal you.â Sakura brushed the wet hair back from where it clung to her cheeks as best she could before stepping into the roadside inn. âAnd Iâll be sure to inform Rin not to help you either.â
âI wouldnât get struck by lightning.â And he doubted Rin would refuse to treat him. If anything sheâd just give him a stern talking to about not making idiotic decisions.
âWanna take that bet?â
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky followed seconds later by a clap of thunder as though the sky were working with Sakura to prove him wrong. Rather than arguing the point any further and pressing his luck, he wordlessly stepped into the building. His clothes were darkened and weighed down by the heavy rain theyâd run through for the past hour. Rivulets of water dripped off the both of them and left a trail of puddles after them on the hard wood floor of the inn.
Sakura coughed lightly to get the attention of the old woman who looked to be half asleep behind the counter.
âAh, got caught in the rain, did you?â She peered at the two of them through her thick rimmed glasses. âWe donât usually get many ninja all the way out here.â Her eyes drifted between the two of them again until it began to feel like she was trying to read their deepest darkest secrets as payment for the rooms.
âWe were just passing by.â Sakura shifted uncomfortably. Kakashi couldnât quite tell if it was from the way her wet clothes clung to her and let the cold seep into her skin, or if it was from the older womanâs penetrating gaze. Even he was beginning to get unnerved by it.
âThe weatherâs brought a lot of customers today, but youâre just in luck.â The women fished around her desk for a moment before pulling out a key connected to a wooden tag with a room number on it.
âOh. Actually, we need two rooms, if you donât mind.â Sakura smiled at the woman, but Kakashi could tell it was entirely forced. He had a sinking suspicion that the tense set of her mouth had more to do with him than it did the intrusive old woman.
âSorry, weâve only got the one room left.â
âWeâll take it. Thank you,â Kakashi swooped in and picked up the key, offering the woman a much friendlier smile as he steered Sakura towards the stairs. Without looking, he could already tell Sakuraâs eyes had lowered into a glare that very well might kill a man on sight, but he was thankful she didnât seem to be full on fighting him for manhandling her just yet.
As they reached the first step, the door opened again and a young couple around their age ran in all giggles and smiles.
âDo you have a room?â
The old womanâs faint reply stopped the two shinobi in their tracks. âYouâre just in luck, weâve got one room left.â
Charcoal eyes met emerald. Pressing his luck, Kakashi let his hand slide along her arm until their fingers were interlocked. âJust let it go.â
Sakuraâs jaw was set in a way that he knew she was physically restraining herself from going back and accusing the old woman of lying to them.
âPretend you didnât hear anything,â he advised and gave her hand a little tug before starting back up the stairs.
âI didnât hear anything.â She pulled her hand away from his. Her voice was strained, but she moved ahead without any argument, and Kakashi breathed a silent sigh of relief. He didnât really want to deal with a spectacle. Sakura could be prone to making them when she got angry, and sheâd already been in a bad mood for days.
âŠ
A hot shower later, and Sakura seemed to be in a slightly better mood. At the very least, it seemed to undo the damage the storm had brought about, and he was beginning to get used to the cold shoulder at this point.
Changing into dry clothes seemed to have picked up Kakashiâs spirits as well, and as the pink-haired kunoichi stepped out of the bathroom, Kakashi set his book aside. âDo you want to talk about it?â He let his eye follow a stray droplet of water that rolled down a wet strand of hair and along the skin of her neck before looking back at her eyes. âYouâve seemed kind of tense for a while, and I think itâs about time we clear the air.
âOh, have I? I hadnât noticed.â It took everything in Kakashi not to wince at the barbed sarcasm that dripped from her tongue.
She moved around to the uninhabited side of the queen bed and climbed in, deliberately turning her back to him as she did. âIâm tired. Turn the lights out when youâre done.â
For a brief moment, Kakashi sat in silence, then steeled himself, knowing exactly what he was about to instigate. âIâd like to talk about it.â
Just like that, Sakura rounded on him, turning to face him with fury in her eyes. âWould you? Or would you rather just pretend that everything is fine, like you always do? We could just keep living in a world where nothing, not even your death matters! Thatâs the world you live in, right? I donât think you understand how close you were, Kakashi. Seconds. You were seconds away from dying, and you told me to just leave you there!â
Ah. So thatâs what the cold shoulder for days on end had been about. âIâm not afraid of death, Sakura. Iâve been close to it before. Itâs just-â
âDonât you dare say itâs just part of the shinobi lifestyle.â She pointed a menacing finger at him, and this time he did have the sense of self-preservation to shut up. âIâve known you for your entire life, Hatake,â she poked him hard, and Kakashi knew thereâd be a little bruise there in the morning, âAnd I know that this is just some stupid way for you to punish yourself for everything that happened in the past that you somehow think is all your fault. You did it with ANBU and now that you canât take it out there anymore, youâre trying it here. Well itâs not going to work.â Another poke for emphasis.
âI have no idea what youâre talking about,â he lied, though he at least had the decency to look ashamed.
âGoddamn it, Kakashi, this isnât a joke.â
âI never said it was.â
âThen take this seriously!â Sakura fumed. âThere was absolutely no need for you to let things get as far as they did. Not only that, but itâs insulting that you thought you needed to take the hits aimed at me. You know I can handle myself. You were looking for an excuse to be reckless, when you had no reason to be. Sometimes you act like you donât have anything to live for, and it pisses me off!â
This time before Sakura could poke him in the chest again, he caught her hand. âIâm sorry.â His clothed lips leaned down to graze the skin of her hand as he spoke. âForgive me?â His eyes were lowered. He couldnât bring himself to look at her fully when he knew that she was right. Even after all these years, even after Obito had returned, he still felt guilty for the pain heâd inflicted on his teammates. For being unable to save Minato. Most times knowing the truth or thinking through the logic of the situations didnât help. Sometimes he needed the rush of battle or the single mindedness of a cause to distract him. The field was where his worth laid. Sometimes, he felt like he couldnât be absolved of all his crimes until he had fully martyred himself.
âI donât want an apology.â A softness had finally begun to replace the hard edge of Sakuraâs voice. âI want you to forgive yourself.â Her free hand moved to brush through his unruly hair. âItâs been years. No one holds you responsible.â
He let her hand slip away from his grasp and shook his head tiredly. âItâs not so simple as that.â
âHey,â she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. Immediately, he let himself melt into her hold, his face burrowing into the crook of her neck. His strong arms came up to wrap around her tightly. âYou donât have to hate yourself,â she murmured against his hair. Her fingers stroked slowly through the silver locks. âI know I donât.â
He couldnât help but let a sad smile tug at the edge of his lips at her words. âYou donât make it easy for a guy to run away, do you?â All his life heâd been trying to run, away from his mistakes, from the people he knew would only be hurt for knowing him, and towards whatever self-imposed justice he thought made up for them. Somehow in the midst of it all, there was Sakura, always finding a way to keep him sane. She was always there to keep him from going too far.
âMaybe you should stop trying to run. Have you ever thought of that?â
Her words brought his head up to look at her, and her green gaze bore into his soul with the same seriousness as when her chakra had been stitching him back together only days ago. With most others, the gaze would feel intrusive, but not with her. Never with her.
It happened slowly at first. Kakashi wasnât sure who initiated what, only that there was no hesitation. It wasnât the first time theyâd fallen into this, and selfishly, he prayed it wouldnât be the last, though he could never find it in himself to voice his true affections for the girl who had been the only constant in his life besides death.
There was a part of him that wanted to resent the way her calloused fingers left chills in their wake as they traveled along his bare skin. He wanted to reject the way he longed to taste more of her even as he left openmouthed kisses along the strong lines of her stomach, but the thing about Sakura was that when he was with her, all of that melted away. He didnât want to think anymore. He just wanted to be.
And, as he lay in bed the next morning, his legs tangled with hers, and his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her bare back while she slept on, he finally allowed his mind to wonder. Maybe someday, he would have the honor to wake to the sight of her pink hair splayed across the pillows every morning. Maybe someday, heâd be brave enough to tell her how heâd grown to feel about her. He could only hope that day would come soon.
Thank you for the welcome! You can find my personal here or thereâs a link to it on my blog. Beware: Itâs a huge mishmash of fandoms with little to no tagging system. But yes! I am definitely trying to make a point to make room for writing this semester, so hereâs hoping!
@saradrak
Thank you for the encouragement! I actually have another oneshot set in my Same Age AU planned for my 4th week of KakaSaku month and time willing, it will be up by the end of the month :)
As August ends, college is gearing back up for me so Iâll have less time to write unfortunately, but I do plan to continue throughout the semester. The wait time for fics will probably be longer. As it stands now, I have one more entry for KakaSaku month in the works before I go back to regularly scheduled fic writing which will include a focus on finishing The Lost Prince and expanding the Mershark!Kakashi AU I started.
Now that the business is done, Iâm going to talk about myself below the cut for anyone whoâs interested in getting to know me a little.
Thank you again everyone for welcoming me to the Naruto fandom. Iâve actually been a part of the fandom since sometime in elementary school, then I fell away from it for a few years, but now Iâm back!
Iâve been writing for years, and for a long time it was on a pretty regular, almost day to day basis. I saw some people comment on my writing in reviews and what not, and I want to assure you I didnât decide one day âHmm, Iâm going to write fanfictionâ and then pop things like Strangled By Fate or Ănouement out without years of practice lol.
I did used to write fanfiction in the early years of high school before I got busy. A couple of those stories still exist on my Fanfiction account, and I have no current plans to take them down, but the quality of writing is definitely noticeable.
I love hearing from you guys, so if you ever want to ask me any questions about my writing, my fics, myself, or whatever else, donât hesitate to message me or send me an ask :) Donât worry Iâm super shy about that stuff too. Anyways, thanks again for the welcome and all your kind words these past two months!
Summary: In a world where soulmate marks only reveal themselves to you when youâre ready for them, Kakashi decides itâs better to resist rather than risk ruining another life. He has spent so long believing he canât have one, that he almost misses her completely.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of characters. I am making no profit off of this and am only writing it for my entertainment.
A/N: Well guys, Iâm officially part of the fandom because I got a comment on my last story telling me to kill myself. Rather than let this bother me, I decided to put out my next submission for KakaSaku month even quicker, and I added extra fluff to the end just for the rude anon. Enjoy guys.
Unbeta-ed.
[ao3] [fanfic]
There had been so many times that Kakashi had felt strangled by the red string that was meant to determine his soulmate. For most of his life, heâd never been able to see it, but he could always feel itâs heavy presence wrapping around his skin in warning. He felt the way it pulled and tangled against his every movement with every step, punishing him for all his failures.
For so many, it came easily, leading two soulmates to the other with little fuss. Kurenai and Asuma had found each other even before they left the academy. It had only taken Hayate and Yugao a few training sessions together to realize what they were to each other. Hell, even Gai had eventually found his soulmate in his enthusiastic student, Lee. The boy was like the son Gai had never had, but Kakashi had never had his string appear.
Despite being told âIt will appear if you just open yourself to it,â or âMaybe youâre just not ready to find your One yet,â Kakashi never minded being alone. Being alone was safe. Being alone meant heâd never have to lose anyone again.
Sometimes when he laid awake in bed at night, his mind replayed all the mistakes heâd made, showed him all the people heâd lost in a crisp precision only the sharingan could afford, and heâd feel the string tighten around him. It was paralyzing. He felt like he was suffocating under the weight of it all. Even years after the fact, sometimes he could feel the phantom blood dripping from his red eye or Rinâs life-force draining away around the hand heâd pierced through her.
The truth was, he didnât deserve a soulmate. No one deserved to be saddled with him, and those fears were only confirmed when he failed to care for each and everyone of his genin students. Theyâd all seen he was useless to them despite his best efforts and moved on to better teachers.
Sometimes the invisible strings felt like a sticky web. They clung to him and slowed him, holding him in place when all he wanted to do was desperately escape. Other times, they encircled him like vices and pulled him down, down, down into an abyss of his own making. Sometimes they were so tight, the dug into his skin. They felt so tangible, it seemed like a miracle no one else could see him caught up in them.
He lived that way for so many years, and then one day after the war, after Obitoâs return and after his true death, they loosened. It happened slowly at first. It was the barest release of tension, but he felt it. Even that small slack felt like the biggest relief after years of it cutting into him. Slowly the red string didnât feel like such a burden. Slowly, he began to understand just why people might be so overjoyed to have someone by their side when he had only seen the bond as a liability before. As he stood looking over Narutoâs wedding reception, he couldnât help but feel lighter than he had in a long time.
âItâs wild to think Narutoâs life has finally settled down long enough for him to find his soulmate, huh?â Sakuraâs voice drifted over from behind him as he kept his eyes trained on the couple. Even from the distance, Kakashi could make out the little red lines representing the strings imprinted on their fingers. Though only the soulmates could see their individual string, he could imagine the way it linked the two, hanging lightly in the air the way it was meant to.
âNo one deserves happiness more than he does,â Kakashiâs eyes crinkled as he smiled softly beneath the mask. âHeâs grown up a lot. Hinata and he will be very happy together.â
Sakura moved to stand next to him and watched the happy pair chatting animatedly with Kiba. âHeâs not the same knucklehead ninja he was when he was twelve. Thatâs for sure,â she laughed lightly, her fingers subconsciously moving over the smooth red mark that wrapped around her own finger but led to nowhere.
Kakashiâs charcoal eyes turned to the pink-haired woman next to him, not missing the longing look in her emerald eyes. âAnd what about you?â
âHmm?â
âYour life has settled too, and that mark has been there ever since the war ended.â His eyes shifted from the thin mark to her eyes. âArenât you curious? OrâŠâ Did she already know who it led to? His thoughts flitted to the goodbye sheâd shared with Sasuke when heâd left the village. Perhaps sheâd gotten the fairy tale ending twelve year old her had longed for after all.
âYou know, itâs funny. Once upon a time, I might have been searching frantically for whoever is on the other end of this mark.â She held up her hand and turned it in the sunlight, examining the little thing that was supposed to be the key to her happy ending. âBut, I just figure there are more important things right now. What about you?â
âWhat about me?â He deflected like it was second nature. He really should have known better than trying his old tricks with Sakura.
âYou know very well what Iâm asking,â she gave him a reproachful look that walked the fine line between teasing and seriousness. âYouâve been alone a long time, Kakashi Sensei.â
âKakashi. Just Kakashi. Weâve been comrades far longer than I was ever you Sensei.â
âDonât try to change the subject.â
Kakashi would be lying if he said he wasnât slightly amused by how easily she saw through his evasion tactics now. âThe truth? My markâs never appeared.â
Sakuraâs brow furrowed in concern, and her gaze moved to where his mark would be if his hand werenât hidden behind a glove and buried in his pocket. âDoesnât not knowing bother you?â
âNot any more than itâs bothering you,â he shrugged before his eyes were drawn to the loud commotion Naruto and Rock Lee were making by the food table. It wasnât long before shouts about the Spirit of Youth distracted them from any more talk of soulmates or marks.
âŠ
Life went on.
It wasnât hard for Kakashi to become caught up in his new duties as Hokage. The slow release of the stringsâ hold on him was something he barely noticed anymore. With every string that fell away came a new feeling of freedom, and soon enough he could barely feel them at all. As much as he thought heâd hate the position of Hokakge, there was something oddly fulfilling about it. For the first time, he experienced a peace he and the ninja world alike had never known. For the first time, people looked up to him, and it didnât instill a sense of self-loathing within him.
Oddly enough, out of the three remaining members of Team Seven, it was the person heâd offered the least guidance to that offered him the most. Sasuke chose to continue to working for Konoha from afar, and when Naruto wasnât preparing for his future seat as Hokage, he was at home caring for a pregnant Hinata. In the years following the war, it was Sakura who became his constant friend and companion, no matter how busy she was running the hospital or her childrenâs clinic.
It wasnât such a rare occurrence for him to find himself slumped over his desk, having fallen asleep after a long day of work. Some mornings heâd wake with dried ink from important papers clinging to his face, but more often than not, heâd be awoken late at night by the smell of tea and take out accompanied by a dazzling smile and warm emerald eyes.
Tonight was one such night.
Heâd only meant to close his eyes for five minutes, but when they opened again, night had fallen and a soft laugher stirred him.
âKeep this up, and Iâll have to put you on bedrest, Kakashi. Believe it or not, the human body needs proper sleep or it canât function properly.â
âMaa, Sakura,â He blinked sleepily and slowly lifted his head from his desk. âIâve got everything under control. I know my limits.â He ignored the rustling of paper by his ear even though he knew very well that something was stuck to his temple.
Sakura merely rolled her eyes when she was met with his signature everything-is-fine eye crinkle and moved around to his side of the desk. âThatâs a lie if Iâve ever heard one. Remind me, how many times have you been admitted to the hospital for extreme exhaustion over the course of your career?â She hopped up to sit on his desk and pulled the note paper off of his temple. Faint traces of dried ink remained pressed to his skin.
âThatâs hardly fair. I was a victim of a dojutsu my body wasnât equipped to handle,â he argued halfheartedly more out of habit than trying to prove his point.
âMhmm.â The disbelief was so clear in her voice he could practically hear the deadpanned âbullshitâ in her subtext. Still, he was a good patient and held still when she held his chin and tilted his head to better see the ink on his skin.
Before it had been so hard for him to foresee being alright with anyone being this familiar with him, but with Sakura it felt right. He didnât feel any sort of discomfort around her. Instead of hating the touch and care, there was a part of him that ached for it. And yet, he knew he shouldnât. Even if it was only because he knew the mark on her finger proved there was someone out there waiting for her, someone out there who was perfect for her, he knew he shouldnât. It wasnât fair to confuse her just because heâd long ago given up his hope of ever finding his One.
She was so close now, he could feel her warm breath brush against the exposed skin of his face, and any sleep that had clouded his mind was now gone. He could clearly make out the flecks of deeper and lighter greens in her eyes and the little furrow of her brow as she focused on the ink. Her tongue darted out to lick her finger so she could wipe away the black that stained his skin, but all he could focus on were the lips that had pulled his attention.
He could just make out the light sheen of a gloss or balm sheâd used not too long ago. Her thumb lightly skimmed over his temple, leaving what felt like a trail of molten lava in itâs wake, and before he knew what was happening, his traitor hand moved to loosely encircle the wrist of the hand that held his chin, keeping them connected.
Heâd heard stories of what love and attraction were supposed to be. Butterflies in the stomach and a heart hammering against the chest, but right now, he felt perfectly at peace. Time seemed to slow, and if he could stay in that moment forever, heâd be perfectly happy to do it.
He was so caught up, that he hardly felt when she finished cleaning him. He completely missed the way her darkened eyes skimmed his face or how her free hand came to rest against his cheek. He was so, completely wrapped up in her that he didnât snap out of it until her voice pulled him from his trance.
âKakashi.â It came as a whisper on a breath of air, but it snapped his attention back to the present. His eyes jerked up to meet hers which were fixed firmly on his face. A light blush graced across her skin.
Heâd been caught.
A sinking feeling spread through him, and immediately, he dropped his hand from hers. âIâm sorry.â
He would have pulled away, but her touch kept him close like an inescapable gravity. Her entire being held him spellbound. He was at a loss. He was frozen as she scooted over on his desk to place herself more fully in front of him. Frozen, as her hands moved to deftly untie his hitai-ate from where it sat on his forehead and placed it on the desk beside her. Frozen, as she leaned forward to lightly brush her lips over the hair that now spilled lightly over his forehead.
It was only as her lips moved to brush against his temple that he finally found his voice. âSakuraâŠâ Her name came out more unsure than heâd meant it to. As much as heâd love to give in, he couldnât ignore the mark that promised her to some other man.
At his voice, she pulled back slowly, just enough to look at him, but her hands remained where theyâd fallen at his shoulders. Heâd never been as hyperaware of a touch as he was now. He wanted nothing more than to let her keep caressing him. He wanted nothing more than for her mark to lead to him, but-
âKakashi.â Again, her familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. âItâs alright.â
For a moment, his dark eyes searched her clear gaze. He scoured it for even the tiniest trace of hesitance. Even as she leaned closer, letting her lips hover just out of reach of his masked ones, he searched. He had to be absolutely sure. She had to be absolutely sure, and she was. There wasnât a single trace of doubt in her expressive eyes.
At that moment, he let himself fall.
It was a gentle, timid kiss, more on his side than hers. He was testing the waters, worried she might change her mind, but as she relaxed into him, he gained confidence. Slowly, he began to press back. Somewhere along the way, he slipped his mask down his face, and it was just the two of them, flesh on flesh, meeting her desire with his own.
And then he felt it.
The last string falling away.
A warm glow encircling his pinky finger.
At the same time, both pulled away and were left to stare in awe at the thin red string that led from Sakuraâs pinky and disappeared underneath Kakashiâs glove. For a moment, all the pair could do was stare at it, and then, as though some spell were broken, both were scrambling to rid Kakashi of the offending glove that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After what seemed like too long for the both of them, his hand was bare except for the little intangible string that only they could see linking the two together. A wave of euphoria washed over the two. Gleeful laughter sprang from Sakuraâs lips as her head fell forward and leaned against Kakashiâs. Meanwhile, he could do nothing but sit dumbstruck with a giddy smile that betrayed his every emotion without the mask in place.
âI wanted it to be you so badly,â Sakura admitted quietly in a reverent whisper as though speaking too loudly might make the little string disappear into oblivion. Their connected hands laced, holding each other firmly, not wanting to let go.
Was this what it felt like? Was this how everyone else felt when they found their One? It wasnât at all like heâd expected. It wasnât the feeling of completion, of having a missing piece that has suddenly been found. It was better than that. It was having more. Having a piece that complemented rather than completed him. Finally, he understood.
âWhatâs wrong?â Sakura frowned when she glanced back up at him only to find watery eyes.
âNothing,â Kakashi shook his head. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. âNothing at all. Iâm just happy.â
Summary: After the Third Shinobi War ends, Sakura vows to never see her friends suffer again and leaves to pursue an apprenticeship with Tsunade. Upon her return, sheâs more than happy to show off everything sheâs learned to her oldest friend.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of characters. I am making no profit off of this and am only writing it for my entertainment.
A/N: No lie, the hardest part of writing this was deciding which characters get to benefit from me ignoring canon and which donât. I went back and forth over who gets to live and who doesnât forever. Well, that and the logistics of a Same Age AU are more difficult to get around than I expected. And fight scenes. Fight scenes are hard.
Iâd also like to thank everyone for being so welcoming to me. Writing for a new ship is always nerve-wracking, and you guys have been lovely :)
Unbeta-ed.
[ao3] [fanfic]
Sakura sniffed and rubbed the tears from her eyes. This time, sheâd managed to keep from crying long enough to get to her secret hideout instead of breaking down in front of the mean girls at the academy. They didnât used to pick on her so much the year before, but now that her best friend had graduated, there was no one to stop them. The only thing that had kept them at bay before was their respect and admiration for the class prodigy. Things had been different back then. Really different.
Sakuraâs sniffles began to quiet, but tears still streamed down her cheeks for a completely different reason as she thought back on the change that had overtaken her friend. She barely saw him now that he had not only graduated, but been promoted to chunin. He was always out on missions or training all the time. Not to mention, on the rare occasion that he was home, he avoided everyone. He had become so quiet and serious ever since Sakumoâs passingâŠ
âYou know, if you spent as much time applying your book knowledge to your training as you did crying, they wouldnât have a reason to make fun of you.â
âK-Kakashi,â Sakura stared wide-eyed over at her friend who had seemed to appear out of nowhere. She quickly rubbed her tears from her eyes, feeling guilty for crying at all in front of him when heâd suffered far worse than she had.
âNinja shouldnât allow themselves to be so overcome with emotion,â the silver-haired chunin lectured as he settled beside her, bringing his knees up to his chest and settling his arms around them. âPeople only get hurt when that happens. Channel your feelings into something productive like training so you can be better than them. They wonât make fun of you if youâre leagues ahead of them.â
Sakura blinked, digesting everything heâd told her, then pouted and looked at the ground. âEasy for you to say.â Her fingers began absentmindedly pulling at the flowers in the field they sat in. âYou were born leagues ahead of everyone else. Iâm just-â
âClever.â Sakuraâs green eyes shot back to the boy beside her whose own charcoal gaze was fixed out in front of them. âYouâre clever, Sakura. Use it to your advantage.â
A small smile began to grow on the six year old girlâs face. âYou really think so?â
Kakashiâs eyes slid over to her, and even though she couldnât see the lower half of his face, she knew he was giving her an exasperated look. âWell I wouldnât say it if I didnât mean it, would I?â
Sakuraâs entire expression lit up, and all previous negative thoughts were banished from her mind at her friendâs encouragement. âThen Iâll do my best!â She clenched her small fists in determination and grinned at the boy only to be met with a flowerâthat was very clearly freshly picked from the wildflowers around themâin the face.
âItsâŠan apology.â Even with the mask in place, Sakura could see a light blush dust the silver haired boyâs skin. âFor not being around as much,â he elaborated.
Gingerly, Sakura lifted the flower from Kakashiâs fingers and held it to her nose. It was a plain looking flower, but it was beautiful in color. It almost matched her hair perfectly. âWell, it isnât a very good apology since I saw you pick it just now,â she teased him with a grin, âBut I accept.â
âIf you donât like it, Iâll just take it back,â Kakashi huffed more gruffly than a six year old ought to be capable of.
âNo, itâs mine now,â she giggled and held the little flower far away from him. Even if his ego was a little bruised, Kakashi couldnât help but smile at the sight of his best friend happy again, especially when there were so few things to be happy about.
âŠ
Sakura smiled to herself at the memory as she made her way to Konohaâs gates for the first time in three years. It had been so long ago when her drive to better herself began. Graduating from the academy and being lucky enough to have Uzumaki Kushina as her Jonin Sensei pushed her even further, but it was the war that banished all thoughts of childish worries like her hair color or forehead size from her mind. It was the war that forced her to grow up before her age had even reached the double digits.
Despite Kakashiâs warning that she was too emotional, it was never something Sakura had managed to outgrow. If anything, she clung to it as a reminder of her humanity. A reminder that she wasnât just a tool or a nameless shinobi to be lost on the battlefield.
Every death was a pierce through the heart, but none hurt more than the death of Uchiha Obito. Over her training under Kushina and her friendship with Kakashi, sheâd come to know Team Minato well. Though heâd started out obnoxious, the spirited Uchiha had wormed his way into being one of her closest friends along with the rest of the team, and as if Obitoâs death wasnât a blow enough, seeing Rin and Kakashiâs reactions made it hurt all the more.
It was that day that Sakura decided she couldnât stand to watch any more of her loved ones suffer. From that day forward, she spent all her free time studying or in the hospital learning from the medic-nin there, and when the war ended, she appealed to the new Yondaime to set out on a solo mission.
Sakura still remembered the morning she left. The streets had been quiet when sheâd left home. She hadnât expected to see anyone on her way out, but when she reached the gates, Kakashi and Rin were there waiting for her even though she hadnât told them when sheâd be leaving.
âKakashi? Rin? You guys didnât have to see me off,â perplexed, Sakura came to a stop in front of her closest friends.
âWe donât know when youâll be back. We wanted to wish you luck on your travels,â Rinâs smile shone as bright as the early morning sun. The brunetteâs enduring optimism was something Sakura knew she would miss during her journey.
âYou could still come with me you know. You have as much to gain from it as I do,â Sakura tried. As excited as she was, she had to admit, traveling alone in search of Lady Tsunade of the Legendary Sanin was a daunting task.
âMmm,â Rin shook her head decisively, âMy place is here.â Sakura didnât miss the way Rinâs brown eyes flitted quickly to Kakashi then back. âIâll have to wait for you to teach me your new tricks when you come back.â
âSo youâre really leaving then?â Kakashi spoke in a way that got across exactly what he thought of her journey. After so many years of knowing him, Sakura prided herself on how well she could read him, and right now she could tell that despite knowing it was the best course of action, he didnât want her to go.
âYouâre the one that pushed me to be the best. Donât tell me youâre going to try to stop me now,â she laughed lightly to hide the thick emotion that crept through her voice, because despite knowing it was the best course of action, a part of her didnât want to leave either.
âNo. JustâŠbe careful.â Kakashiâs voice softened in the way it always did when she knew he was being especially sincere. He didnât want to lose another friend anymore than she did. A lot could happen while she was on the road.
âI will. Iâll come back stronger than ever. âKay?â She smiled reassuringly at him then pulled him into a tight hug before he had the chance to pull away. âThis is something I have to do. Donât do anything stupid while Iâm gone.â She pulled back and turned to Rin before Kakashi could see the reluctance to leave in her eyes. She couldnât give him the chance to change her mind. In a way, Obitoâs death had brought the three of them closer. It made it all that much harder to leave the two of them behind.
âTake care of him for me, Rin.â The girls embraced tightly. âAnd you take care of yourself too.â
They parted and Sakura took a deep breath as she stared at the road just beyond the gates. âWell. I guess this is goodbye.â
âŠ
And now, three years later, she was returning home. The gates came into view, and Sakura could feel a giddiness within her. An extra burst of speed, and in seconds, her feet were touching Konoha soil. She couldnât hold back the enormous grin from her face as she wandered through the familiar streets.
âEh? Sakura?â A voice pulls her attention from near one of the stands in the marketplace. It took her less than a second to identify the owner of the voice as Rin. Though sheâd grown, she still looked almost exactly the same as she had the day Sakura left. The only thing that gave Sakura pause was the blonde little boy holding onto her friendâs hand.
âR-Rin?â Sakura could do nothing but point in shock at the little boy who couldnât be more than two. There was no way he could be her kid. Rin was only sixteen, maybe seventeen just like Sakura. There was just no way.
âHuh?â Rin followed Sakuraâs finger to the small boy beside her, âOh! Right. You left before Kushina was pregnant.â She guided the young blonde over to the pink-haired kunoichi and bent down to the boyâs level. âSakura, meet Naruto. Naruto, Sakura. Sakura was one of your momâs genin students, Naruto.â
Sakuraâs eyes softened as she looked at the boy. Sheâd already been gone when the Kyuubi had attacked Konoha, but sheâd heard about the casualties. When sheâd heard about Minatoâs fate, sheâd wept for Kushina. For a while, sheâd thought about returning early, but Tsunade had talked her out of it. âItâs nice to meet you, Naruto,â Sakura squatted down and offered her hand to the boy with a smile. âHopefully Iâll be seeing more of you around.â
âIâm watching him today while Kushinaâs out on a mission,â Rin explained only to be interrupted by someone loudly calling her name.
âRin! Riiiiiiin! Whereâd you go?â
Sakuraâs eyes widened at the familiar sounding voice. Her heart seized in her chest. âButâŠthatâs notâŠthatâs not possible,â she murmured to herself and stood just in time for the unruly, ebony-haired boy to come into view. The entire right half of his face was disfigured and scared while the left eye was covered by a bit of fabric that dropped down from his hitai-ate, but his identity was unmistakable. He even still wore that idiotic pair of orange goggles on top of his head.
âObito!â Rin turned and waved him over. âOver here! Look whoâs back!â
The next thing she knew, Sakura was being picked up and whirled around by someone sheâd long thought to be dead.
âO-Obito? But youâre- How are you-?â Her feet touched the ground again, but she couldnât stop staring at the man in front of her.
âOhâŠI guess no one told you, huh?â He paused and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. âIâve been back for a year now. Itâs a long story th-oof,â He glanced over when Rin poked him in the side and looked meaningfully at Naruto who seemed to be held rapt by every word the older boy was saying. âThaaaat we can fill you in on later because it is inappropriate for young ears, mmhmm,â he nodded sagely. âYeah. Thatâs what I was going to say.â The two year oldâs disappointment was palpable, and it took everything in Sakura not to melt at the cute pout on his face.
âHave either of you seen Kakashi around?â Sakura changed the subject, finally having shaken off her initial shock at seeing Obito alive. âI should probably let him know Iâm back now that Iâve run into the two of you.â
Obito and Rin glanced at each other. Subconsciously, Rinâs hand went to rub her right shoulder as though it pained her. Just like that, the entire atmosphere changed.
âGuysâŠyouâre scaring meâŠâ Sakuraâs smile dropped immediately, and a look of worry took itâs place.
âOh no! Itâs nothing like that!â Rin put her hands up quickly to calm Sakura. âItâs justâŠhe might beâŠdifferentâŠthan when you last saw him. Heâs taken,â she glanced at Naruto again, âSome things hard.â
âYeah, and being in Anbu for the past three years hasnât exactly helped his cheerful disposition,â Obito added. âIf heâs not out on a mission, heâll probably be at the cemetery.â
âŠ
True to Obitoâs word, when she found Kakashi, he was standing somberly in front of Minato Senseiâs gravestone, and he looked like he hadnât moved from there in a while.
âI see youâve finally outgrown me.â Sakura moved to stand next to him. Her eyes softened as she looked at the name engraved on the stone in front of her. âIâm sorry I wasnât here,â she spoke again after a moment, âIt seems Iâve missed a lot in my absence.â
âNo, itâs better that you werenât here. I know you. You wouldnât have given up until you found a way to be there with him and Kushina Sensei. And then were would we be?â
âIt wasnât supposed to be like this. I wanted to learn so that we wouldnât lose anyone else.â Sakura bent down and brushed a hand over the cold stone, trying not to let her voice waver.
âDeathâŠis a part of the shinobiâs way of life.â Kakashiâs voice sounded hollow. âI should know.â Heâd lost count of how many people heâd killed in cold blood as an Anbu alone. How many had it been since heâd become a shinobi? Death followed him more than anyone else he knew. His mother, his father. Even if Obito was alive now, Kakashi had thought him dead for two years, and heâd carried that burden. Heâd almost been responsible for Rinâs death, and she still had the scar just above her heart to prove it. If Sakura hadnât left the village when she did, there was a part of him that wondered if sheâd have suffered by his hands too.
âIt doesnât have to be as prominent a part as it has been,â Sakura stood with a determined look in her eye. âIâll see to that. Iâve talked to Lady Tsunade, and now that the warâs over, Iâm going to resume her petition to have a medic-nin on every squad. That way we can minimize casualties as much as possible.â
âHaving a medic on the team might not do anything,â Kakashi sighed tiredly. âRin was on my team when Obito got hurt. It could just hinder mission efficiency. Medics arenât allowed to fight on the front lines, and defending them would just be a distraction from the mission. They would slow the squad down. I know you know that. Lady Tsunade made the rules herself. Itâs better to just put together the best team for the job and get in and out as quickly as possible.â
âIn a war, that makes sense, but as long as the medical ninja are trained in combat as well as medical ninjutsu, there shouldnât be a problem for individual missions. Kakashi,â Sakuraâs eyes sparkled with sincerity and passion as she addressed him. He could tell she believed what she was saying 100%. âFight me. Fight me and then afterwards, you can honestly tell me whether you think itâs possible or not. Youâll see.â
âSakura, Iâm not going to-â
âFight me.â
Kakashi sighed. âIâm not going to get out of this, am I?â One look at Sakura proved she wouldnât be dropping this any time soon. âFine. But Iâm not going easy on you. Meet me on the third training ground.â
In the blink of an eye, he was gone, and Sakura took a brief moment to smile triumphantly before body flickering away as well. She had to admit, she was excited by the prospect of going up against him. His skills had always seemed so far out of reach to her, but now she was sure that she could give him a challenge at the very least if not give him a run for his money.
The second she appeared on the training grounds, she was deflecting a barrage of kunai. Leave it to Kakashi to start the sparring session without any warning. Heâd always been very serious when it came to his training.
By the time sheâd either dodged or deflected all the kunai, Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. She knew heâd already be long gone from where the kunai had come from. Now, where is he?
Closing her eyes, she focused on trying to find his chakra signature only to catch a wisp of it coming from exactly where the kunai had. She snorted to herself. As if sheâd fall for such an obvious trap. Even before sheâd left Konoha, Kakashi had been able to control his chakra well enough to mask it to a point where it was nearly undetectable. The traces she was getting were way to strong for it not to be a trap.
âSakuraâŠâ A shadow appeared from within the woods where the chakra signature was. Ever so slowly, Kakashi hobbled out, covered in blood. âH-help.â
âNow youâre just insulting me, Kakashi,â Sakura rolled her eyes and formed the release sign. As quickly as it had come, the genjutsu faded away. Immediately, Sakura turned on her heel. In the blink of an eye, her fist was coming down on Kakashi, who had used the distraction to sneak up behind her. The second her fist made contact, he disappeared in a poof of smoke, leaving behind a thoroughly shattered log.
âYouâve gotten stronger.â His voice seemed to come from all around her. The hair on the back of Sakuraâs neck stood on end, and she couldnât help but feel like he was playing with her.
âIf you think Iâll be that easy to beat, youâve got another thing coming,â she spoke to the air, trying to buy herself time to locate him. She just needed to land one solid hit on him to put him out of commission. She had to use the surprise of her new strength to her advantage while he still didnât know the full scope of it. Failing that, if she could just do something to prevent him from forming signs, sheâd stand a far better chance at actually beating him.
âKaton: HĆsenka no Jutsu!â Volleys of small fireballs hurtled towards Sakura, all of which she dodged with ease thanks to Tsunadeâs relentless training. Before her feet even touched the ground, sheâd thrown down a smoke bomb and disappeared into the forest under itâs cover. She needed to find a way to lure Kakashi closer. She was a close range fighter. If he stayed as far away as he was now, nothing would be achieved.
Kakashi landed on a tree branch at the edge of the woods as the smoke cleared. Heâd admit that Sakuraâs evasion skills had greatly improved, but that wasnât enough to prove that she wouldnât get herself killed by accompanying squads on dangerous missions.
The woods around him were completely silent. It was just as well. A shinobi who couldnât conceal themselves properly could only achieve so much. His sharingan eye roved the area, searching for any sign of her chakra.
It was the sound of metal that drew his attention. Quickly, he whipped out his own kunai to deflect those coming straight for him. By the time theyâd stopped coming, little white pieces of paper were fluttering the air and littering the ground around him. The thunk of a kunai landing near him pulled his focus, and his eyes widened at the sight of the explosion tag. It took him no time at all to put two and two together.
By the time the explosion from the hundreds of tiny tags rocked the forest, he was far above it. His eyes narrowed at the flash of pink in the trees above him. Heâd always questioned the lack of stealth it afforded her. Backflipping, he landed on a branch not far away. There was no shadow, he realized. And his Sharingan hadnât picked up any chakra signals from where the flash of pink had been. She was trying to distract him.
âClones donât work on me, Sakura. I can see right through them,â he called. His eyes shifted around him.
âSee through this!â Kakashiâs eyes widened as Sakura boldly hurtled towards him from the front, fist raised. Sheâd gotten much faster than she had been the last time theyâd worked together.
He raised an arm to block her punch. âThat wonât do any-â His words where cut off. The punch connected, sending an incredible pain up his arm while his entire body was thrown backwards and through a tree from the force of the punch. What strength⊠He skidded to a stop on the ground, and Sakura was already there, poised to bring her heel down on his sternum. This time, he only barely managed to avoid her in time.
He jumped away, taking stock of his arm as he did. There was no doubt about it, sheâd managed to break the bone, and he had the feeling she could have done much worse if sheâd wanted to. Even now, he winced at his own movement, he was sure sheâd managed to break some ribs when sheâd sent him through that tree.
As soon as her foot came in contact with the earth, Sakura bounded away, leaving a crater in the ground. That had been her only chance to take him by surprise with her strength. Now that he knew, heâd plan accordingly. At least sheâd eliminated the possibility of being attacked with ninjutsu for now.
âWhy donât we call a truce for now?â Sakuraâs stance relaxed at the sound of Kakashiâs voice. âYouâve proved your point, and I donât really want to fight with this many broken or bruised bones unless I have to.â She could practically hear the weary smile hidden under his mask.
Immediately, Sakuraâs expression went from battle ready and serious to a pleased smile. âTold you,â she singsonged as she walked over to him, and Kakashi let his body sag against a tree where heâd sat down.
âI might have beenâŠa little presumptuous.â It was hardly his fault. Heâd always been taught that medic-nin werenât fighters but support members.
âYouâve always been arrogant like that,â she teased him and settled next to him. Her hand lit up with green chakra and rested over his ribs. Slowly, the pain began to fade away. Regardless of the quip about his ego, Kakashi couldnât help but stare at her with admiration as she began to speak again. âTheir training may take a little longer, but I have no doubt that with the proper training and diligence, we can have a whole sect of medic-nin capable enough to hold their own during missions.â
Already, she had finished with his ribs and was moving onto his arm. Even if he generally avoided the hospital and medical attention from anyone other than Rin, he knew that most medic-nin werenât so quick in healing. Heâd always known Sakura had incredible chakra control, but this was truly on another level. âSakura,â he drew her attention away from the details of how sheâd go about proposing an educational system for medic-nin.
âHmm?â
âYouâve come a long way.â Once again, Sakuraâs face lit up into a smile, and it occurred to Kakashi, that heâd missed her. Heâd missed how emotional she was and how he could practically read everything she was feeling through her expressive eyes. Heâd missed having his best friend since childhood around. A selfish part of him wished sheâd never left. âItâs good to have you back.â
âItâs good to be back. And I donât plan on going anywhere anytime soon, so youâd better get used to me sticking around, âkay?â She finished healing his arm, and patted it, remembering the expression on his face when sheâd found him standing at Minatoâs grave.
Yes.
She planned on being around for him for a while to come.
Took a break from writing to draw a teaser for my kakasaku week 2 fic. Not completely happy with kakashi and the colors didn't transfer well in the pic but I don't have a scanner so *shrugs* Enjoy~
So Iâm confused. Iâd been under the impression that Obito and Rin were older than Kakashi because they were all put on a genin team together, but the anime shows the three of them as having started the academy at the same time. So what was Kakashi doing when he was a genin before he was put on a team? Does anyone know or have any theories about it?
Summary: Pirate Captain Haruno Sakura always knew that if she died, it would be at sea in a battle. When the time comes, she finds she isnât ready to accept the end and is saved by a mysterious stranger. If only he would stick around so she could thank him.
Prompt: [S]he desperately wanted to breath/Myth/Fairytale - for KakaSaku Month
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of characters. I am making no profit off of this and am only writing it for my entertainment.
A/N: My very first KakaSaku fanfic! I heard Pirate Sakura and Mershark Kakashi was a thing in this fandom? Iâm going with the myth about mermaids/men being able to turn human.
Unbeta-ed. This is meant to be a oneshot, but I might go back and add to it later when my writing mojo is working with me a little more
[ao3] [fanfic]
It was chaos. Theyâd known well enough not to try to outrun the pursuing ship. Not when cannon-fire was already raining down on them. Better to return fire and fight than to run and be gunned down by the faster ship. It happened so quickly. Splinters of wood sprayed into the water. The Will of Fire rocked violently while the crew struggled to stay on their feet. Soon the ships were upon each other and The Will of Fire was being boarded. Swords were drawn. Metal clashed. Of course theyâd be attacked days away from shore leave. Fleetingly, Sakura wondered how long her rival had been following them, waiting for an opening. It didnât matter now. All that mattered now was finishing this fight with as many of her crew members alive as possible.
She let her instinct kick in as the fight heightened. She was vaguely aware of being stabbed in the side, not because sheâd felt it, but because sheâd watched the knife go into her. Her body felt numb to everything barring the adrenaline that coursed through her veins. In the blink of an eye, sheâd drawn her kunai to put an end to her attacker while the katana in her right hand held off another. She muscled the enemy near the railing, with the intention of pushing him off over the side when she felt a sudden pain in her head. For a moment, her ability to think was stalled. All she could register was the throbbing pain at the back of her head. Someone had come up behind her and hit her with something, she observed vaguely and slower than she normally would. Hard. The impact had thrown her body into the rail, and stolen her breath from her. Then she was falling.
Sakura hit the water hard. She tried to cry out, but all that escaped her were bubbles of precious air. She hadnât felt the stab wound before but now it felt like her entire side was ablaze with pain. Any place sheâd been cut or scratched felt like it was on fire.With her lungs nearly empty, even they burned, but the surface kept getting farther and farther away. Her heavy coat dragged her down, and she squirmed until she was rid of it. Sheâd always loved the sea, even as a little girl. It was part of the reason sheâd decided to become a pirate, but she was not ready for the sea to take her yet.
When she broke the surface, she gasped for sweet air. Between her throbbing head and burning wounds, it was the one bit of relief available to her. She struggled to stay afloat between her waterlogged clothes and heavy lids. Her mind wanted to keep fighting, but her body felt sapped of energy by the cold water and rough waves. It took considerable effort to keep treading water. Debris filled the water around her. The ships were already beyond her reach. Whether sheâd drifted away or they had, she didnât know, nor did she have enough energy to contemplate it. It was all she could do to pull herself halfway onto a piece of floating wood torn from one of the ships by a cannonball. It was a miracle it held her.
The second her torso was out of the water, she began to shiver. Her hands clawed so tightly to her makeshift raft that her knuckles were white. Her cheek pressed into the rough wood. In the distance, she thought she saw a land on the horizon. They had only been sailing just beyond it. What were the chances that sheâd still be on the driftwood when she washed up on itâs shores? What were the chances sheâd still be alive? She didnât have the energy to kick. She didnât even have the energy to keep her eyes open any longer. She just wanted to sleep. Maybe in her sleep, her head would stop throbbing, her wounds would stop stinging, and the cold would stop creeping into her bones. Not even the pain could keep her alert.
A low groan escaped her lips, in a last ditch effort to rally herself, but it was no use. As unconsciousness sank in, her grip on the wood loosened, and her body slipped back into the icy water. It drew her into itâs dark depths, and this time she didnât have the energy to fight back. The pirateâs eyes fluttered open one last time, and through the murky water, she could make out something coming at her fast.
She didnât have the energy to care anymore. She could feel the pull of the water as it sped past her, grabbing hold of her roughly as it did. Her last thought before she surrendered fully to the sweet painless darkness was of her crewâs survival.
âŠ
The first time she awoke, it was only briefly. She was surprised to find herself awake at all. Her entire body felt the aftermath of the battle. She must have grunted or made some sort of noise, because the next thing she knew, a man was kneeling over her. All she could register was a shock of white hair before her body succumbed to sleep again.
The next time she awoke, she felt much more alert. The pain in her body was still there, but not quite so overwhelming. It was brighter this time. Daytime. She was surprised she hadnât registered it was night when she awoke the first time, considering sheâd been sleeping under some sort of makeshift tent. It was very crude, held up with branches and palm leaves, but it protected her from the sun.
She tried to sit up so she could look around better, only to grimace as pain shot up her side. Right. The stab wound. She allowed herself to collapse back onto her bed, which she noticed was made of more palm leaves laid out on the sandy beach. Carefully, she began to take stock of herself, testing what range of motion she had and where else she was hurt. The wound on her side was wrapped with what looked to be seaweed, and the throbbing in her head had dulled considerably, though it was still there.
Just outside her makeshift shelter lay the still warm embers of a fire, and next to it was a fish laid out on a leaf, but her savior was nowhere to be found. With a littleâmildly painfulâmaneuvering, Sakura reached for the fish, ignoring the strange punctures along itâs back in favor of sinking her teeth into it. It wasnât until the first bite that she realized how hungry she was, and by the time sheâd devoured the entire thing, sleep began to cloud her vision again.
Every time she awoke thereafter, a new fish or an open coconut with fresh water would be waiting for her. Her bandages would be changed, but there was never any sign of her rescuer to be found.
Finally, days later, she awoke in the middle of the night to see him hunched over the fire with his back to her. She was silent as she observed him. The hair sheâd thought before to be the white hair of an old man was actually closer to silver in the flickering firelight. There was no shirt covering the manâs back which was far to muscled and smooth looking to belong to an old manâs, but to scarred and worn to belong to someone just learning to navigate the world.
She tried to be silent as she sat up so as not to spook him, but his hearing was impeccable. Even the quiet rustle of fronds beneath her had him spinning to look at her. His body was tense as though he were ready to run at any second. Warm charcoal eyes pinned her to her spot, but it was the long scar over his left eye that pulled her attention.
For a moment they were silent as they sized the other up, trying to gauge what the other might be thinking.
Finally, âYou saved me.â It wasnât a question. âThank you.â
The manâs mouth opened as if he might say something, then shut again, but not before Sakura noticed two rows of finely pointed teeth.
âWho are you?â It was only then that Sakura remembered the shape sheâd seen hurtling towards her in the water right before sheâd passed out. Again, the man floundered for words.
She wasnât the superstitious sort, but over her years at sea, sheâd heard tales of the creatures that lurked below. Stories of beautiful women who sang like angels and led men to their deaths, giant squids that pulled entire ships to the depths of the ocean, or creatures who were part sea animal, part human circled pubs once sailors got enough liquor in them.
Sheâd never been one to believe in them, but now as she looked at the man before her, she began to notice other oddities. His ears were more pointed than any humanâs sheâd ever seen. If she looked closely, she could see shallow lines along his neck where a fishâs gills might be, and of course the teeth. The teeth that would explain the strange punctures sheâd seen in the fish left for her.
âIâm Sakura,â she tried again, moving from her propped up position to try to sit up.
What came next, happened in the blink of an eye. Before sheâd even sat up fully, the man was retreating into the nearby water.
âWait! Iâm not going to hurt you! I just-agh,â She tried to go after him, but the lingering pain in her side stalled her. By the time she looked up again, all she could see was the end of a shark tail splashing into the water and disappearing into the night.
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