Title: Fashion means war
Author: Ella / ff.net’s xElla8D / youtube’s xHawtAMV
Summary: Day 30: Apocalypse - in which one thing Ino would have never seen coming was her falling in love with her new client, but what she expected even less was the intrigue and slight softness his eyes held when he gazed at her best friend.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto.
Prompt: Apocalypse
Rating: T
Warning(s): unrequited SasuIno
Comments: I like Sasuke when he’s an arrogant jerk, makes him even more sexy.
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11349882/30/Daily-spices
~ In the end of it all, they each do what they do best.
SasuSaku Month 2015
Week 5: In Another Life
Day 30: Dystopia/Apocalypse
The world is dying, little by little. There are already a set number of breaths they’ll take before all of it is over. She can see the end, she can feel it, sense it. Life is slipping away and there is nothing that can be done.
And the clock is ticking and everything around them falls and burns, it’s suffocating.
“It’s just a matter of time…” She tells him every day, no hope for a future in her voice and every single day he pretends he doesn’t hear her.
Somehow, she knows, her breath is stuck in her throat as she turn around and spots him in the distance walking toward her direction. It’s the only way out the refugee camp and she’d been there only a few minutes. He is dressed in dark camouflage colors pistols hanging at both his sides and his two swords on his back.
The determination and resolve that burns in his eyes doesn’t surprise her one bit it’s always been there… and this, just like their own end, was a matter of time.
He walks past her and only stops when she speaks. “What are you doing?” Even though she knows the answer.
“I will fight for a future.” He answers and she can almost hear as he says “our future”.
“Sasuke, it’s over, nothing you do will change that.” She tries and fails to convince him so she pleads. “Please just stay.” And she knows her pleads fall on deaf ears, but she doesn’t expect any less from a man who never known how to give up.
He takes another step and she tries once more because if she doesn’t she’ll never forgive herself. “Please, I love you, don’t do this.” But he will and she can see it on his posture, on the way his shoulders are squared, the way he stands firm. “If you stay, nothing else will matter, not as long as we’re together.”
He turns to her as the words come out of his lips. “I’ll be back, and we’ll be together forever.” And all her pleas are forgotten. He’s holding back tears, his eyes imploring her to understand that there is no way he can lose without a fight.
And he’ll fight, he will fight until his very last breath for the dream of their future.
Despite how she doesn’t want to, she understands. Her lips set in a thin line as she keeps from begging him to give her the last of their days.
In the end of it all, they each do what they do best.
He walks away and she pours her heart into it, both condemned to die under the same sky.
title: Ellipsis
prompt: day 30 - apocalypse
summary: For the first and last time, they tried to find a beginning in this great ending. AU.
notes: a little late but I read excerpts from Robert Olen Butler’s Intercourse and I just fell in love. The format used for this piece is modeled after the he-said/she-said style of Butler’s stories in the collection. This is an experimental flash fiction piece.
–
Haruno Sakura, 25, Doctor
Uchiha Sasuke, 28, Corporate manager (according to Sakura’s medical record)
In the hospital, Uchiha Sasuke’s room, the night of the last sunrise
Sakura
For a well-known doctor, I have committed the sin of misdiagnosing my patient’s condition. It must have been the smell of the hospital’s brand of disinfectant or the sight of blood or just an intentional carelessness on my part, but I actually thought that what he needed was more than just medication. I know I should’ve walked out the moment I saw that his wounds were serious but nothing deadly, the moment I finished checking for his heartbeat.
But I keep walking in, asking him if he needs anything else besides fixing. Maybe it’s his eyes and the way he looked at me only once or maybe it’s his voice, so hollow, when he said, “Thank you, doctor” or maybe it’s his heartbeat and the lapses in between that scares me. He’s not dying, but he’s also far from living, and I need to know if he wants to go on because I can kiss his wounds, breathe air into him, and save him. For a well-known doctor, it’s stupid, too stupid of me to try to look for a remedy for a wound that goes deeper than the lacerated tissue, for a disease that begins and infects the victim from within. But I’m never a doctor when it comes to him.
The stars are falling outside, balls of fire rushing to meet the ground, and the explosion of colors might’ve been thought of as fireworks if it made noise, but there’s only the inky background being washed out rapidly, unfamiliar colors fading in, and I can only look at him never looking back at me. The ground begins to shake, and I can hear the window starting to rattle, and I’d like to be here beside him when it finally breaks.
I’d like to be a woman with the man she loves on this last day of visiting him, on this last day of walking in. The walls are starting to crack. I slip off my medical coat and take his hand in mine. “I love you,” I say with no hesitation, no fear, just the hope of his eyes meeting mine one last time even without a response. I can only continue saying so even when the ceiling finally shakes, the cement dust free falling. I know he doesn’t love me back, that I’m nothing but a healer to his eyes, and I haven’t even completed my job – he’s still bleeding even after everything. But this time, I will bleed for him.
Sasuke
I didn’t expect to live the moment I was rushed into this room. But she said that my wounds were nothing, that something still beats. I wanted to recover fast then and repeat what I did. I wanted to end up somewhere else. I wanted to end. But she kept coming back, and she wouldn’t stop talking, so I muttered a thank you because that’s the only thing doctors needed to hear whether it’s with intention or not. I just wanted her to stop. But she kept walking in, checking for my heartbeat through that laughable device, and she was always … smiling as if everything was okay. But this night is far from ending, and nothing’s going to get better.
Her eyes are the only sign of life in this room, and it’s annoying. She’s too happy, too full of life, and I hate it. But she’s always here, night and day, and for a well-known doctor, she sure isn’t busy. I may be a patient, but I don’t need pity. She doesn’t have to try so hard to fix me, heal me, make my wounds disappear. I don’t need any saving, and my silence should’ve pushed her away.
But why did she have to walk in now and stay here when it’s finally the end of the world, the end of me? I didn’t ask for her. I don’t need anyone to be with me as I welcome death. But her hands don’t feel cold at all. The building begins to shake, and I know that the end is very near, but my hand is still in her grasp. I’m not pulling it back. Can’t.
Debris from above are falling, and I would’ve missed what she said if she didn’t so stubbornly repeat it. She doesn’t know what loving is, and I don’t. Nobody knows. But she’s not smiling. The dusts continue to fall, and her eyes are starting to blur. It feels so different.
I pull her head against my chest, and I hope she hears – even without her laughable device and despite the crashing – this beating.
Sasuke, of course, graduates first. It’s no surprise, and when his name is announced, there are no gasps like there were for Naruto—barely nineth.
But later that night, when everybody celebrates, the three of them find a spot behind the bunkers to stargaze and drink mead. This isn’t a celebration; this is an assessment of their future.
“What now,” Sakura says first, puts down her drink. “We said if we graduated in the Top 10…”
“we’d stick together,” Sasuke murmurs.
Naruto clears his throat, and they turn to him. “I,” he says, eyes flickering between the both of them. Sakura’s never seen Naruto so serious, and she swallows.
“I’m going to choose the Survey Corps,” he says. They nod. Sakura, really, can’t see Naruto anywhere else, and she thinks the three of them always knew they would choose the Wings of Freedom: they’ve lost their families, lost too much, to do anything else other than fight for humanity.
They know it’s a death wish.
It’s one they’re willing to take.
Sakura puts out her hand, and doesn’t hide the tears streaming down her face. “The ocean,” she says.
Sasuke’s hand goes on top, and then Naruto’s.
“The ocean,” they repeat.
On their third expedition, something goes terribly wrong.
People are getting eaten left and right, and they’re riding in an open field and there are no places to use the maneuver gear and Sakura gets thrown into a panic.
Intelligent titans, is what she’s hearing from their commander. Kakashi urges the expedition forward into the forest, so they can use their vantage point from the trees to kill, but Sakura knows that if the titans are intelligent, able to thwart their 3D maneuver gear—
it’s all over from here.
Naruto and Sasuke are on the left and right flanks, and she’s in the back—she sees more titans coming, and hears more bones crunching, more screams.
She does a scan of the area, sees some in the back running towards them, and then—
they’re coming in from all directions.
They’re being cornered.
Sakura stops her horse, sets her sights on the back titans running closerclosercloser, and from some deep instinct inside her, ignoring the screams of her squad to continue—
she bites her hand, and for a second there is searing heat and then she is lost.
Sasuke hears a roar from the back of the formation, and turns because Sakura is there and then—
it’s a titan, with pink hair.
Pink.
He’s only seen pink hair once in his whole life and none of this is making sense and then—
the titan begins fighting off the ones in the back.
And for a bone-chilling second, his stomach twists violently because he knows from the punch the female titan throws:
it’s Sakura.
Inside…she is inside her own memories, right now.
They’re seven, the three of them, and running through the streets. Sasuke’s scarf, a blood red, flies out behind him as they chase Naruto’s bullies.
Sakura has the honorary first punch, and she nails a boy’s nose with a right hook.
“Hurt my friend again,” she snarls, “and there’s more.”
The bullies run, screaming bloody murder, and Naruto laughs through his bloodied face, thanks the both of them.
“Thank Sakura,” Sasuke says, and she feels her cheeks turn pink. “She did all the work.”
Naruto hugs them, and she smiles wider than she has in a long time, under the bright blue sky.
Then it’s seven years later, they’re fourteen, and Sasuke sneaks into her bunker. He wakes her and she starts, raises a fist, but he places a cool hand over her mouth and a finger over his.
Sakura nods, getting out of bed and retrieving the first aid kit. Naruto had been training late at night to get the hand of their gear lately, and sometimes he hurt himself and needed patching up.
They step outside the bunker, and Sakura shakes her head.
“Sorry for almost punching you when you woke me,” she says, throat still heavy from sleep. The night air is cool, and she shivers.
He takes off his sweater, drapes it around her shoulders.
She almost pauses, but he continues walking and ignores the red in her cheeks if he sees any.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, looking down at the ground.
“Don’t worry,” he says, and then she feels his fingers sifting through the ends of her hair. “Your hair is longer now.”
She knows that in the morning they have training and a practice exam, and this world is shit and terrible and cruel, but when he stands this close, looks at her that patiently—
everything feels like it could be okay again.
Sakura smiles, teases. “I’m growing it out for beauty purposes, obviously. Vanity in the time of titans.”
He snorts, and hikes his scarf over his mouth.
“Can you help me cut it?” she asks, suddenly, as they reach the training grounds. “Tomorrow.”
“Sure,” he says, and she feels her heart jump.
Again, this isn’t the time and place for that—if her gaze has ever lingered on him, they’ve never talked about it, always shoved it to the side—and Naruto is currently waving at Sakura, wincing from his cuts, but…
in a world that is shit and terrible and cruel, patching up her best friend and having her heart jump (with her almost-kind-of-maybe soul mate) feels like a brilliant happiness.
Sasuke ignores the yells of his commanders, and redirects his horse towards the titan with pink hair.
Sakura, his heart beats. Sakura Sakura Sakura.
She’d taken down all the titans in the back (Sasuke didn’t have time to be amazed by the fact that there were titans fighting each other when some part of him knew that titan was her) and now there were more, but she had sustained some wounds and oh God if more gang up on her…
Sasuke finally reaches the back, and jumps on a seven meter one to kill it before it can grab her.
He knows now the pink haired titan is her: the eyes are green, the face is eerily similar, and that right hook—
“Sakura,” he breathes.
She’s fighting and there are distant roars, and then her titan form is suddenly steaming and collapsing. Sasuke’s chest clenches.
Sakura Sakura Sakura.
Most of the expedition has made it into the forest now, and the titans follow the scent of the humans, greedy.
He’s left with the scent of decomposing bodies and he’s terrified her titan body is decomposing too but, he sees, letting out a guttural sound that he realizes might be a sob:
her own body is rising out of the titan.
“-kura!”
She’s twelve and gathering firewood in this memory, and she turns, sees Sasuke with his scarf looped around his neck.
“Come back inside, Sakura!”
She shakes her head, and calls back out. “I’ve got two more bushels to do!”
“It’s urgent,” Sasuke says, and he’s running towards her now.
He grips her shoulders, and she drops her firewood. There’s fear in his eyes, and her mind runs with a million possibilities, each more terrible than the last.
Then the wall—the wall surrounding their city, the one she learned as a little girl would protect them—the wall breaks.
This is the worst possibility.
And a titan smiles, teeth red with the blood of humanity.
“Sakura!”
She wakes.
There are deep cuts on her face but they heal, automatically.
This is something to be amazed at another time, Sasuke figures, because she’s alivealivealive and he is speechless, gingerly holding her in his arms.
“Sasuke,” she says, squinting. “Sasuke?”
He shakes his head, and on impulse, holds her tight to his chest.
“You’re crying,” she says, voice filled with wonder. “What happened?”
“It’s fine,” he says, shaking. Her arms reach up around his waist, and he breathes her in.
The first time he saw her, when he was five and his family was dead and her mother took him in—he had dropped his gaze, too startled by her sheer color.
In a world as bleak as theirs, a girl with pink hair and green eyes, holding out a crimson scarf “to keep you warm, Sasuke-kun” existed. A girl with a gentle smile, who liked to make him laugh and dreamed of seeing the ocean one day.
“Everything is fine,” he says, against her neck. “You’re alive and I’m alive, and we’ll see the ocean, one day.”
She nods, slowly, and they hold each other.
In a world that lets his family be murdered without reason and that keeps humanity in cages, he thinks—
as long as she exists and is in his arms, everything will be a little bit more bearable.
Sasusaku Month 2015! I'm so excited to be participating this year!
Day 30
Prompt: Dystopia
Rating: T
Summary: After the war was one, strong leaders emerged and took control of their country's future. Such an act has lead to a society where any freedom of choice is absent and no rule shall be questioned. The country and cities within it have been this way since the war ended, and many citizens have accepted such a way of life. However, one love struck boy is not too keen on his society's systems determining his future for him. Yet, his strong disapproval desire to control his fate may not be enough to marry the person he desires.
Disclaimer: Naruto and the other characters are not mine, only the plot is.
~Enjoy
The Continental War was an event that stretched across the entire continent and nearly destroyed everyone and everything on it. However, a few great men stepped up and led their comrades to victory. Easily, the men were established as leaders once the war was over, and in hope of making a better tomorrow, they worked at establishing a very controlled society. It took years, decades to achieve the dream they had, but their dream was accomplished. The continent once devastated and split by war became one forging nation. The continent was split into regions and each region a metropolis was established for the citizens of the region to live, and each city received its ruler from one of the great leaders of the Continental War.
The leaders cohesively believed in control, so even though the leaders were given free reign over their regions and cities, they all took away the freedom of choice from their citizens. Leading to a society where one can move around from city to city but always be in the same situation.
Naturally, there were some people who thought the society the Leaders created was wrong and people should have the ability to choose. Those people were quickly silenced over the years though, and no one questions and test the society's rules now. Even though people do not speak of dissatisfaction and their desire to want options, there are people who still believe such things. Some dissatisfied citizens even being groomed for positions that will allow them to influence the way a city and region controls is people.
"I don't understand the point of this! Why does some stupid test get to decide who I am going to marry? Why can't I pick my own bride?" A black haired boy angrily speaks as he marches around his kitchen. He keeps his voice below a yell, because he knows the Regulators will appear at his family's door step if his house registers yelling.
"Sasuke, sweetie. This is the way it is. The Leaders have an amazing system set up for everyone to find their perfect match; that test will lead you to your soulmate." A black haired woman who looks similar to the young man conveys to her son as she neatly sits at their kitchen table drinking a cup of tea.
"Like you and dad? You guys barely talk and have no similar interests! How are-" A red light fills the room for a split second and interrupts the boy's rant. His mother gives a pointed look to her son and he sits down across the table from her and continues his thoughts in a softer tone. Both the boy and woman know that if the house registers another above average volume; the red light is just a warning and the Regulators will show up next time. Something nobody wants.
"How are you two soulmates?" Sasuke questions his mother in a whisper, since he wants to make sure he can finish this conversation with his mother without being dragged to the High Tower to receive a lecture on accepted talking volumes from his father.
"Simple, you're father and I had matching spousal desires. He wanted a wife who wanted nothing more than to be a housewife, and I wanted a husband who would be important and allow me to be a housewife." Mikoto gives the explanation easily and her face doesn't change throughout it, but Sasuke on the other hand. Sasuke had watched his mother explain her and his father's relationship, and his face just grew in disbelief as he listened to her. He knows that's not what he wants.
"So you and dad are together only because you wanted to be a housewife and he wanted a housewife?" The words are harshly whispered, but Mikoto remains unfazed as she continues to drink her tea.
"Yes, what else is there? Your father and I have an amazing relationship." Sasuke leans back in his chair and lets his arms fall down to his sides as he realizes his mother just doesn't understand.
All he wants is the freedom to choose who he is going to marry, he's only asking for this one choice in a society where everything is already decided for everyone. Ever since he little he has never truly been able to make his own decisions. His school was chosen for him based on his lineage, his classes chosen based on his intelligence, his clothing style chosen based on his family's position in society, and his future career based on what his father's career is. Not too mention his days are scheduled based off of the society he lives in. Sasuke comprehends that this is the way society is, and has been since the continental war. However, it's a bit too much and he just wants to be able to make one choice for once.
"You'll get the right girl, honey. Now, it's time for bed." Mikoto voices to her son as she moves from the table and to the sink to put her cup in there. Sasuke remains seated though, even as the bed time signal flashes on the clock more persistently.
"Sasuke." His mother says in a stern voice as she walks over to him and plants a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke sighs and realizes he has no control in his life and will just have to accept it.
"Good night, mother." Sasuke grunts out. His mother's lips curve upward into a smile Sasuke cannot see until she leans down and gives him a kiss on the cheek.
"It'll work out, don't worry so much." Are her last words before she gives Sauske's shoulder one last pat and leaves the room.
Sasuke sits in his chair one more minute after his mother leaves, even as the clock practically burns the bed time signal into his eyes. He finally stands up though as he realizes he wants to escape into his dream where he has the freedom of choice. However, his dreams are filled with the voices of how going to bed on time is important for one's health; so Sasuke continues to live his undesirable reality in his dreams.
A pink haired girl fiddles with her skirt as she stands alone in the spacious room. It is bright and open because of one whole wall being a ginormous window, and there are couches and chairs scattered strategically throughout the room, but the girl continues to stand. She was looking out the window and admiring the 15th floor view, but now she is standing in front of the circular mirror in the room to give herself another once over.
The girl nervously looks herself over, and shakes her head before she moves to fix what she believes needs to be fixed. She pats down hairs on her head that she believes are sticking up, she runs her hands over her shirt to smooth out wrinkles that are only seeable to her eyes, and she pulls up her stockings as if they are at her ankles. Once all the actions are completed the girl turns away from the mirror, only to turn instantly back.
"I can't believe it's him." She conveys to her reflection as she pats out her skirt, trying to calm her never-ending jitters.
"I can't believe it's him." She says again as she leans on the vanity in front of the mirror.
A face fills her mind and she completely sinks her head into her arms as she wonders how much longer she has until she will come face to face with the man who is suppose to be her future husband. A man who every girl probably wanted to be told they will marry, the son of a director of the Leaders. Or in simple terms, the son of the man in charge of the city she lives in. Sakura is going to marry the man who will inherit his father's powerful position and is related to one of the great leaders of the Continental War.
Feeling another wave of jitters overcoming her body, the girl keeps her head in her arms and for some reason, continues to think about her husband to be. Her husband whose name is Sasuke Uchiha; a man she has never talked too. She has seen him and heard about him, but she's never actually met him. Of course, that makes no difference in them being chosen to marry each other.
The girl tilts her head up a little so she can have her eyes glance into the mirror. She knows she's pretty, she has decent lineage, and she is smart, but compared to Sasuke, she feels inadequate. His family has held the director position for generations, ever since the war ended. However, her family has merely been fulfilling doctor roles. She herself will be starting her medical training soon, but even though being a doctor is a highly respected position, it is nothing compared to director.
Barely hearing the knock on the door, the girl hastily stands up so she is not caught in such bad mannered position. She's actually surprised nobody over the loud speaker told her to stand up straight and stop fidgeting, any other room such an act would occur. The girl imagines this room is an exception to the manner rule since it is often used for introductions between freshly decided couples.
"May I present, Sasuke Uchiha." The double doors open and the girl watches as the man she's never met, but who she has ogled at before, enter the room with a confident stride.
Sasuke is gorgeous as ever as the thinks as she watches him walk over to her. He's wearing a black-tight-dress shirt that is tucked into his dress pants all while sporting blue sneakers. The girl gives a little smile as she notices his shoes, knowing he probably got some sort of punishment for choosing to wear those shoes with the rest of his outfit.
Sasuke stops a foot away from the girl, just as instructed, and he waits for the walls to announce her name. Sasuke had watched her as he walked over to, and he saw a smile appear on her face as she glanced at his shoes. He also looked her over and admitted she looked beautiful, as always.
"Sakura Haruno, wife to be." Sakura gives a simple curtsey as she was told to do once her name is announced, and Sasuke bows as he was instructed to in response. Neither one speaks over moves afterward, and Sakura shifts on her feet as she tries to think of something to say.
"I'm glad you're the one who was chosen for me." It is Sasuke who breaks the silence, and Sakura jumps slightly at the sound of his deep voice resonating in the room.
Sakura meets the eyes of Sasuke as she looks up after his confession, completely astonished that he is happy they are going to be married. After all, there are daughters up for partner matching in higher positions in their society; daughters of people who hold positions just below Sasuke's father's.
"Why?" The question seems dumb after Sakura lets it out, and she instantly blushes as her embarrassment level sky rockets. She wonders why she can never accept anything people say right off the bat; a horrible trait to have in her society.
"That." Is Sasuke's one word response to her question as he moves himself closer to her. Sakura tilts her head in confusion at his response though, not entirely sure wha the means.
"'That' what?" Sakura inquires as she realizes how close he's gotten to her, but she remains were she is.
"That trait of yours to never just accept things." Sasuke offers as he finally stops his gravitation towards her right in front of her. His hands itch to move the hair out of her face, but he knows that may be a bit too much on their first real meeting.
"How would you know that about me?" Sakura inquires as she tries to keep her blush down because of how close they are. Instead, Sasuke's cheeks redden as he turns his head to the side and looks down at the floor.
"School. We had class together two years back and I saw you question the teacher about a fact they said, and after that, I started watching you to see if you did it again." Sasuke turns back to a blushing Sakura, and smiles slightly at the sight.
"And you did." Sasuke's eyes are now closed as he thinks back on his memories of him watching her as she never just swallowed anything someone told her.
"Why does that matter though? How come you like me because of that?" Sasuke keeps his eyes closed even after Sakura's questions, still relying the memories.
"Because it's different, and you're not just some sheep in this society. You actually have opinions and the ability to debate." Sakura is unsure if she should smile or laugh after Sauske's confession, and from holding back both, she suddenly erupts in a fit of giggles. Making Sasuke panic as he believes he did something wrong.
"Sakura?" Sasuke asks in a shaky voice as she tries to calm her giggles, but they keep slipping out.
"Sorry, sorry. I just, that's the first time anyone has ever said those traits are actually good to have. Plus, you called everyone else sheep." Sakura's laughs have finally resided, and she offers Sasuke a smile. A smile which stops him dead in his tracks, because to him, it makes her look stunning.
Sasuke stares at her completely star struck for a whole minute; his only thought being how beautiful Sakura had looked when she smiled at him. Sakura is still trying to control lose giggles which try to escape her mouth, so she is distracted as the man stares at her with wide eyes. At the same time, Sakura truly seems to have gotten her giggles under control as Sasuke comes back into reality.
"So, now what?" Sakura inquires as she shrugs and glances around the room before meeting Sauske's eyes.
"We go register for our wedding. Since neither of us want to protest our chosen spouse?" He left the end of his last sentence open in case Sakura objects to them being each other's selected spouse. Not that protesting changes the decision, Sasuke thinks. Protesting just leads to an explanation of how accurate the test is and how it can take time to see the accuracy.
"No, I think I can deal living with you." Sakura states slyly as she wiggles past Sauske and heads for the door, pretending she knows where she is going to go. Sasuke just smirks and shakes his head as he turns to follow her out of the room. The only thought in his head being that he got lucky with not having a choice for once. After all, not many people end up having their crush chosen as their spouse through the Partner Test.
At the same time in an office in the High Tower
"Was she even a match for him?" Mikoto questions the man sitting in the chair her standing figure.
"She was one of his matches."
"Then, why? I admit the girl is intelligent, has decent upbringing, and would give me cute grandchildren." There is a pause at the end of the sentence.
"But-" The man finishes as he watches his wife's reflection in his window.
"I thought that wouldn't be enough for you. I figured you would make it so he has to marry a colleague's daughter." Mikoto finishes as she continues to stare out at the city from her husband's high office level She can hear her husband sigh and his chair spin back to his desk, and wonders what is going on in his mind.
"Ideally, I would have liked to have done that despite the fact that this Sakura girl was his number one match. However, the boy is teetering towards the rebellious side and forcing him to marry one of those girls would probably push him over the edge. Allowing him to marry this girl he likes will stabilize his rebelliousness and keep him from leaving the city to join the rebels." The man grunts out as he reflects on his earlier actions.
"She's known to be a little rebellious herself. Are you sure putting them together will keep them here?" Mikoto asks as she turns around to watch her husband's reaction.
"She questions things, yes. However, she's far from completely rebelling and leaving the city. Not to mention she will straighten out after she marries Sasuke and realizes as the future director's wife she has to uphold the laws of our city."
"You don't think Sasuke will rebel with her?"
"Not at all. He'll feel content having her as his wife and fall in since he has what he wants." The man says confidently as he begins to shuffle papers around on his desks.
His wife watches him for a few seconds after he assured her about their son and his future, and despite her husband's own confidence in his plan, she feels none. However, she keeps her opinion to herself and just allows her husband to work with no more interruptions leaving her mouth.
Sorry it lacks action, but any such story would take up more time than I have. I hope you still enjoyed a cute Sasusaku moment in a dystopian society.
Happy summer!
~S-cherry-Blossem
P.S Thanks for all the likes, reblogs, and follows! They mean a lot!
Summary: Shaving, Sakura mused, was a luxury one simply forgot about while living in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world.
Prompt: Dystopia/Apocalypse
Disclaimer: slightly nsfw(?) nothing too heavy
When the infestation had first started, she had been working a shift in the ICU and had hardly had time to change out of her scrubs before the legion of undead had mobbed the hospital. By some stroke of luck, she managed to escape and meet up with Sasuke and Naruto. They had been on the run for almost two months now, attempting to find a safe house based on clues left years ago by their oddball teacher.
The road hadn’t been exactly easy. They had stuck to traveling by foot for the most part in hopes of going undetected in heavily infested cities, which resulted in copious amounts of sweat and stink clinging to their bodies. But they had decided that the abandoned roadside motel on the edge of Fire Country would be safe enough for a night, and to Sakura’s delight, they discovered that the plumbing still operated well enough.
Sakura relished the hot water that pounded against her aching muscles. She applied generous amounts of shampoo and soap onto her body, and then spied a canister of shaving cream. A giddy grin broke over her face. Shaving, Sakura mused, was a luxury one simply forgot about while living in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world, but she was going to go all-out given this opportunity. She ran the razor over her legs and underarms, delighting in the appearance of her hairless skin.
“Feel how smooth I am!” She declared as she burst out of the bathroom. Her eager smile slipped from her face as she realized the bed was occupied, not by Naruto like she had thought, but by Sasuke. He cocked an eyebrow at her and she immediately felt heat creeping up the base of her neck. One glorious thing about running for your life was that you forgot to be self-conscious around your crush, but Sakura now felt the embarrassment in full force.
To her surprise, Sasuke rose from where he had been lounging and smirked at her, “If you insist.” Sakura took a step backwards, her eyes widening as Sasuke moved towards her. His arms caged her to the wall. His head dipped down, and Sakura had the briefest moment to be surprised before his lips pressed against her own.
Sakura hesitated. The apocalypse was definitely the worst time to start a heated romance, but on the other hand, there was a chance they would be dead the next day. She pressed her lips more firmly against Sasuke’s, letting her hands wander the plane of his chest. Sasuke let out a low sound of approval, making heat rush to Sakura’s core.
Sasuke cradled her head with one hand while the other trailed slowly down her side until he reached the end of her tank top. He hesitated to go any further until Sakura, impatient for more contact, pressed her body flush against his. Sasuke let out a strangled moan and hoisted her up by the back of her thighs so that their cores aligned. His hands burned as he roughly pushed up the hem of her shirt and caressed the underside of her breast.
Their lips separated as Sakura arched into his touch. Her eyes screwed shut and she bit her lip in attempts to quiet her moans. Sasuke continued to pepper kisses down the column of her neck, running his tongue against the smooth line of her collarbone. His hand swept over her muscled thigh, traveling upwards until he had a firm grasp on her backside. Sakura was five seconds away from losing all her sanity when the door burst open unexpectedly. Sasuke relinquished his hold on Sakura and she hurriedly pulled her shirt back down.
“What-” Naruto’s eyes widened at the disheveled sight of his two friends, but his expression quickly changed to one of exasperation. “About time. Sorry to interrupt, but we’re going to have company in about ten minutes, so I figured we should have a plan.”
Sakura’s eyes shot to the window and saw the hoard of undead moving steadily towards their would-be sanctuary. She cursed under her breath and tried to reign in her raging hormones and come up with a plan. “We’ll take the car that’s in the lot and keep heading west. The safe house can’t be much farther than Suna, and I’d rather take our chances with the desert than those things.” She ran her fingers through her mussed hair. “We’ll need as much water as possible, Naruto. Sasuke, uh, check the ammunition stock and get weapons ready.”
The boys nodded and turned to leave. Sakura hoisted her personal pack from beside the bed and hurriedly secured her belongings. She jumped when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Sasuke stood with one hand on the doorknob, his eyes blazing. “You were right, Sakura.” At her questioning look, he elaborated, “You really are smooth.”
Sakura’s cheeks flared as she recalled the sensation of his hand running over her legs. With a lopsided grin, Sasuke left the room. Sakura swiped the razor and shaving cream from the bathroom, hoping that she would live long enough to put them to use again.
title: Don’t look out
summary: Looking out for ones own family is his duty
Note: I’ve always wanted to write a zombie-ish apocalypse story. The video game The Last of Us really is awesome and you should totally play it if given the chance.
“Papa?” Sarada looked at her father who swiftly picked her up. His face calm but a sense of urgency could be felt with his swift movements.
“What’s going on? Papa?”
“Don’t worry papa’s right here to protect you. We have to go get your mama from work and then we are going on a little vacation with your uncle naruto”
“But it’s the middle of the night,” Sasuke didn’t reply to her comment and instead carried her to the car, placing her in her booster seat and buckling her before starting the engine. As he finally pulled out of the driveway heading toward the city he looked in his rear view mirror. He glanced at his daughters distraught face and sighed .
“Sarada, I can see it in your eyes and honestly your attentiveness never ceases to amaze me. Something has happened in the city and we have to go pick up your mom. It’ll be hard but try not to look outside too much. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you or your mama. You have to believe me ok sweetheart?” Sarada nodded her head and buried her face in her stuffed rabbit in an attempt to not look out of the window. Her curiosity got the best of her and she looked out. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion.
“W-wha-?!”
“Sarada, don’t look,” She once again buried her face in her stuffed animal, the scene outside was nothing short of a dystopia. With people running around frantically and freshly deceased people laden around. After what seemed to be a never ending drive they finally arrived at the hospital. Sasuke grabbed his phone and dialed.
“Sakura we’re outside, are you okay? Hmm? Yeah, she is. Are you sure you don’t need me to-... Okay we’ll be waiting for you out here” He hung up the phone and turned around. Sarada looked up with teary eyes and a worried look.
“Where’s mama?” she whimpered out. He tried to give her a reassuring smile.
“She’ll be here in a second. She had to change real quick.”
“Is mama ok?”
“She’s fine. You know how stubborn and intelligent she is. She asked about you. Even though she’ll be right out here in a little bit she wanted me to tell you she loves you... we both do,” She looked at him and tried to smile at the words but the scene she saw outside was too much.
Sasuke turned back around to face the front of the hospital entrance. The car moved forward and the door quickly opened and closed.
“Ah, thank goodness you two are alright!” Sakura was enveloped in her husbands arms and was pulled in for a kiss. They parted and her attention went toward the little girl in the booster. Her dark colored eyes still full of tears.
“Hi baby!”
“Mamaaaa!” Sarada cried out and reached out for her mother. Sakura placed a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder then climbed to the back. Her little arms tried wrapping around her mother and she buried her face in her mothers chest.
“Shhhh, we’ll be okay,” She planted a kiss on the little head of dark hair and cradled their daughter.
“Sasuke, what about Naruto and his family?”
“We are gonna be meeting up with them at their house. Make sure we’ve got all the provisions covered,” With his family safe and secure he headed towards the suburbs where naruto and his own house resided, hoping it wasn’t as bad over there as it was in the city. He took a look in the rear view mirror at his two girls and swore to himself he won’t let anything happen to them while he’s around.
A/N: I’m kinda in love with post-apocalyptic sasusaku now. This might turn into a longer thing bc I had too much fun writing it.
First came the eruptions, then the drought, and then the plague. In the span of two years, the world turned to complete chaos. Wars, nuclear disasters, animal mutations. In the span of ten years, the world was unrecognizable. And quiet, at least on the surface.
Of the people who remained, some worked together. Others didn’t. And outside, everything was out to get you.
“Ready?” She asked him.
“Hn. Yeah.” Sasuke said.
She pulled on her gloves, face grim, and zipped up her protective jacket. Despite his annoyance that he wasn’t going alone, Sasuke couldn’t help thinking that (even with the ridiculous pink hair) Sakura Haruno looked impressive in her gear.
You won’t think that when she’s weighing you down later, he thought to himself.
“Report back every night,” Kakashi Hatake, one of the head scientists, said, and Sasuke almost rolled his eyes—he was sick of hearing directions that he already knew. Sakura nodded.
“Okay. We’ll see you in three weeks, then,” Kakashi said. Everyone had stopped saying ‘good luck’ a long time ago.
“Yeah,” Sakura said, and Sasuke frowned. For a second she sounded as impatient as he felt, itching for the heavy doors to open. But then, “Thanks, Kakashi. See you soon.” Fucking typical manners.
Kakashi ducked out and the interior door slammed, sealing off the outer entranceway. Sasuke and Sakura pulled the masks over their noses and mouths, and snapped on their goggles. He counted to five in his head, and then the doors were sliding open and they were hit with a gust of wind.
Sakura stepped out first, her foot hitting the sandy ground without hesitation. The airlift bikes were waiting outside, along with a mechanic.
“Here you go,” he said, voice muffled through his mask. Sasuke and Sakura were wearing comm links that would enable them to hear each other clearly.
“Thanks so much,” Sakura said, loading her pack onto one of them.
“No problem,” the guy said, sounding pleased.
Wow. “Thanks,” Sasuke muttered.
“Any time,” he said. “Watch out, Sakura, the acceleration’s a little temperamental on that one.”
“It’s fine,” Sakura said, dismissing it with a wave of her hand. “I’ve used this one before.”
“Okay. Just bring them right back to the repair bay when you’re back, and—well, you know the drill.”
“Yeah.” Sakura swung her leg over the bike.
The guy backed up, gave them a wave, and then went back to the entrance.
“Shall we?” Sakura asked Sasuke.
“Aa.” Sasuke grunted. He got on his own bike and started it up, appreciating the engine’s thrum.
Sakura kicked off first, rocketing forward, and Sasuke followed, eyes narrowed. They left the base behind, leaving a trail of dust behind them.
He would never admit it to anyone, but Sasuke loved this feeling. Riding over the rocky ground, real wind hitting him and the smell of real air like a drug to his nose. The stale air of the base was easy to get used to, but it could never compare to the outside world. Once you tasted fresh air, nothing else compared.
People who never left the base always acted like they were crazy, the ones who volunteered to go outside again and again. But seeing the real world was an addiction that you couldn’t get rid of, even with huge lizards and violent gangs and unpredictable weather.
They sped over the sandy wasteland, stirring up clouds of dust. The geography looked the same in all directions, but after a few hours Sasuke could see the western peaks, far in the distance. Above them, the sky was its perpetual gray-ish color. Sometimes you could trick yourself into thinking it was blue…But the sky hadn’t been truly blue in a long time.
Sakura kept up with him at every turn, expertly maneuvering her bike. Sasuke realize he had definitely underestimated her skill, which had been stupid. Of course she would be as experienced as he was, she went out just as often. She’d been at the Suna base for weeks before this, apparently.
It was helpful having someone who wasn’t afraid to travel fast. By dusk, ahead of schedule, they had reached the craggy rocks where they planned to make camp. Everything had been mapped miles from the base, so they knew the best locations for shelter.
They found the cave marked on their maps fairly quickly, and parked their bikes in the cave mouth. Sakura pulled her pack over her shoulder and grabbed his as well, bringing them inside. Sasuke followed her, shining a flashlight into the corners of the cave per normal procedure.
Once they’d determined it was safe, Sakura yanked her mask down and let out a relieved exhale. “Phew. Feels good to breathe.”
Sasuke frowned and pulled off his own. “Hn.”
Sakura pulled food out of her bag and tossed him a packet. Sasuke barely caught it and she smirked at him. He turned away, irritated, and ripped it open. Some kind of bean jerky.
Sakura settled against the cave wall and opened hers, eating it without really looking. She pulled out her map and started perusing it carefully, not talking. That was something Sasuke hadn’t expected; she seemed like someone who’d be chatty, once they were on the road.
But she’d proved him wrong before, so maybe it wasn’t that surprising. He watched her for a moment; she was frowning, tracing a line across the page and comparing the map to another piece of paper. Then she ran a hand through her hair and looked up at him suddenly. Sasuke looked away, annoyed with himself that she’d probably caught him staring.
She didn’t say anything, however, just frowned at him. “This says there’s an outpost twenty miles north that got run down by scale worms. Should we check it out?”
“Sure,” Sasuke said, though the prospect of going through outpost ruins wasn’t particularly enjoyable. Especially outpost ruins that could now be gang territory.
“There hasn’t been any rival activity around here, the radars would’ve picked it up,” Sakura said, but it sounded as if she was thinking about it because of her own misgivings, not trying to convince him. “It’s weird, though…”
“Lizards?” Sasuke asked her, eyes narrowed.
“…Yeah. That makes the most sense.” She rubbed her forehead. “Fuck, we’re going to have to go, then. They’ll want to know what happened, we’ll have to get data to send back to base.”
Sasuke nodded. “Tomorrow morning. Early.”
“Okay. I’ll take first watch.”
“I’ll do it,” Sasuke said immediately.
Sakura raised her eyebrows. “I just offered. I’ll send the transmission back to base, too. Go to bed and I’ll wake you up in three hours.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, but something about her stance made him hesitant to argue with her. “Fine.” He unrolled his sleeping bag.
When he woke up, Sakura was still in the cave entrance, staring outside. He slid out of his sleeping bag silently and walked over; he’d checked the time and knew she expected to be out there for another half an hour.
“Anything?” He said.
To his dissatisfaction, she didn’t even jump. “I saw something over the hill about an hour ago, but otherwise all quiet.” She got up. “Have fun. And thanks for giving me extra sleep.” Her look told Sasuke that she saw right through him.
He nodded and she went back into the cave. He couldn’t help glancing back at her, surprised. She was much more sober now, not so quick to be cheerful. It showed him the girl who’d survived so long on the outside. She had layers he knew nothing about.
There was a howl from far off, and Sakura froze. Sasuke scanned the darkness, looking for any kind of movement. They waited almost five minutes in silence, but nothing.
“Wolf, you think?” Sakura had come up next to him again, frowning. Sasuke had sat down, so her thigh was level with his face.
“Aa,” Sasuke said, eyes narrowed.
“I didn’t think they’d come this far south,” Sakura said.
“They’re everywhere,” Sasuke muttered. “Adapt to anything.”
“Well, let’s hope they haven’t adapted to smell us from miles away,” Sakura said.
“Tch.”
Sakura looked amused, and Sasuke couldn’t help smirking. In a perverse way it had been genuinely funny.
“We really are messed up, aren’t we,” Sakura said suddenly, but Sasuke knew exactly what she meant. He consistently volunteered for these missions, knowing almost nothing about what lay outside the thick walls of whatever base he was in. No matter what information people brought back about the new mutation developments, or weather conditions, or air quality, they never knew enough. But that didn’t stop people from going outside.
“They think we have a death wish,” Sasuke said. Maybe we do. He was almost positive that he did.
“It’s a life wish,” Sakura said. “At least for me, as dumb as that sounds. I just want to feel the real world on my skin. Sometimes I feel like I’m suffocating behind walls.”
“Hn. Yeah,” Sasuke said, because he couldn’t argue with that.
Sakura stood there in silence, until Sasuke shifted and looked up at her. “You should sleep,” he said. “Leaving early tomorrow.”
Sakura looked like she was about to argue, but then she nodded and trudged back to the sleeping bags. Common sense always won out. If it didn’t, you didn’t survive.
They left the cave at dawn the next morning and headed towards the outpost. There was no sign of any animal tracks; Sasuke kept his eyes peeled as they sped over dunes and through a dusty canyon. There was a rough road, almost unnoticeable in the stirred up dirt, that led to the settlement. Or what remained of the settlement.
The two of them slowed down at the same time as they reached the crest of the hill overlooking the outpost. Sasuke had a feeling he knew what they would find on the other side—an empty ruin—but protocol was protocol, so they dismounted and moved closer, silently. Even with the tight hood of his jacket, Sasuke could hear the whistle of a breeze.
And sure enough, the outpost was a ruin. Not a natural ruin, either; it had been destroyed by animals. Judging from the round holes in some of the buildings, it had been scale worms.
He heard Sakura’s sigh through the comm link, and then she pulled out the camera to get some footage for the researchers at the base.
“Let’s go down,” Sakura said, sounding tired.
“Should we?” Sasuke asked, skeptical.
“It’s abandoned. No nests or anything. They left ages ago.”
She was right, so Sasuke followed her down the hill. They made their way down onto what had once been the walkway between buildings, and Sakura turned in a circle for a full panorama of the site. She zoomed in on the damage and they cleared away some brush from one of the holes to get inside.
Sasuke hated places like this. It reminded him too much of the cities after the eruptions and the evacuation to health centers. He’d gone in once in a full bodysuit with an oxygen tank and all the precautions, as part of a search team looking for any survivors or salvageable materials. They’d found nothing that they wanted to take with them.
Entire towns had been left to decay, the signs of humanity eerily evident. Laundry still hung outside. Rotting food sat out on tables. Clocks were still ticking. It had given all of them nightmares.
Of course, by the time it had been deemed safe to go outside again, seven years had passed, and the world was completely different.
“Alright, I think I’ve got everything we need.” Sakura’s voice came in through his comm link, and Sasuke watched her pack the camera and equipment away.
“Let’s get—”
Suddenly there was a hissing noise, and Sasuke felt his stomach drop. They turned at the same time to the crest of the hill, where several large shapes had appeared.
“Lizards,” Sakura said. “Are we too late to outrun them?”
As if to answer, the lizard at the head of the pack seized Sasuke’s bike in its jaws (they’d left them at the edge of the outpost) and tossed it away. They were huge, scaly things, yellowish-brown with jagged teeth. More like giant crocodiles than anything.
“They’d be on our tail anyway,” Sasuke said, trying to size up the pack. They probably smelled us, he thought. Ironic, because of the conversation they’d had the day before.
Without hesitation, Sakura pulled the guns from her leg holsters and gripped them steadily. “We need to spread out. Hit them from a distance. It’s the only way we’ll have a chance.” Her voice was calm and determined, like she did this all the time.
Sasuke nodded, frowning. He drew his own and moved several steps away from her. Sakura looked at him. “Now.”
They fired at the same time, and the lizards roared. Sakura had hit one point blank in the chest, while Sasuke had hit one in the leg. The pack charged towards them, and Sakura yanked the flame gun from her back. It was the most dangerous thing to use, and could be an incredibly stupid move, but under the circumstances Sasuke would’ve done the same thing. Sakura blasted one, and the flames caught immediately in the dry air. A blaze sprang up, delaying the lizards for a moment.
And then they were hissing around the flames, and Sasuke and Sakura fired again and again. There had to be ten lizards, now six, now four, but the flames were growing around them until the two of them were standing behind a semicircle of fire. It could trap them any minute, if they weren’t careful.
“Sasuke!” Sakura was backing away from a lizard blundering toward her, blood gushing from its leg. She’d run out of ammunition in her normal gun, and using a flame gun at this distance would be deadly for herself as well as the lizard.
Sasuke didn’t hesitate, turning away from the ones coming at him and shooting it in the eye. It scrambled, whining, and fell over. Sasuke turned back to face the remaining ones, head whipping back and forth to assess his best move. The huge flames were unbearably hot, but they were also the best defense he and Sakura had. He blasted another, and then there was only one left. It was tussling with Sakura, who was trying to trip it up. Sasuke couldn’t get a clear shot, but then he didn’t have to. There was a shriek from the lizard and then it fell to the ground, a smoking hole through its chest.
Sasuke breathed hard, the intensity within his stomach calming slightly. The flames were still going, but they’d made it out. Everything here was metal or dust, which meant the fire wouldn’t have anything to latch onto. Sakura was standing over the body of the lizard and looked unharmed. They’d been ridiculously lucky.
But then he heard the sharp intake of breath through his comm link and knew Sakura was hurt. He squinted through the smoke and realized she was slightly hunched over, arm dangling at her side. Her left sleeve had been singed clean off, and even from here he could see the red, blistering flesh that ran from her shoulder almost to her wrist. He ran toward her without hesitating and grabbed her before she lost her balance. Her eyes narrowed and then she relaxed and yanked off her mask. She was trying to catch her breath; he could see her medical training coming through, because she was inhaling and exhaling methodically. The pain in her arm must be excruciating, but she wasn’t letting it show.
“Just breathe,” Sasuke said, ripping off his own mask. “We have to get out of here. Back to the bike.” They had medicine, assuming Sakura’s pack hadn’t been ripped apart like his own.
Sakura nodded. “I’m fine. I can walk,” she said, her voice hoarse from the smoke. “Let’s go.”
She sucked in a breath on her first step, and Sasuke’s arm went around her automatically. She felt like a feather against him, though he had a feeling she was almost as strong as he was, at her full strength.
They made it back, though by the time they reached the top of the hill, unintentional tears had made streaks in the soot on Sakura’s face.
Her bike was still intact, and Sasuke plunged his hand into her pack, trying to find the medicine kit. He fumbled for the burn ointment, fingers closing on the tube that now seemed way too small.
“Here,” Sakura said sharply, “I’ll do it.” She held out her unburned hand expectantly.
Sasuke shook his head. “I should. You’ll pass out.”
Sakura waved a hand, clearly too weak to argue. She slid to the ground and Sasuke sat down next to her. He didn’t bother telling her it was going to be painful; she would know that.
The second his finger touched her arm, Sakura hissed in pain. Sasuke’s hand jerked back. “No, do it,” she said through gritted teeth. “It’s fine.”
He loaded more ointment on his fingers and returned to the singed flesh, rubbing up and down. “Just look at me,” he said to her, trying not to wince at the thought of how much this was hurting her. Sakura obeyed and watched him steadily, green eyes fixed on his face. Under other circumstances, her gaze might’ve made him uncomfortably warm. Sakura’s good hand was clenched tightly, knuckles white. Sasuke’s fingers inched closer to the worst of the burn, a patch her upper arm.
Sakura blacked out when he touched it. Sasuke finished as quickly as possible and then rummaged for water and a cloth to bind her arm in. Then he doused his hands in disinfectant. He never wanted to do this again.
When Sakura woke up a few minutes later, Sasuke was waiting with a water bottle. “Here,” he said. “Drink all of it.”
Sakura nodded, putting the bottle to cracked lips. She drained it and then dropped it on the ground. “Thanks, for doing this.” She motioned her bandaged arm. “Most people wouldn’t have finished.”
“Hn.” Sasuke decided not to mention how hard it had been.
Sakura looked past him. “We have to…Assess damage. Your bike.”
“I’ll do it,” Sasuke said, frowning. “Stay here.”
He crossed the sand to the remains of his bike. He confirmed his worst fear in about a minute: not only was going to take a lot of work to salvage the bike, but the communication equipment that had been stowed in his pack was now lying broken on the dirt. They had no way of contacting the base.
Sasuke trudged back to Sakura, who was watching him and frowning. She looked surprisingly alert, and yet again Sasuke was struck by how determined she was. And also embarrassed at how much he’d misjudged her.
“Broken?” Sakura asked him.
“The bike, and the radio equipment,” Sasuke muttered. This was bad.
Sakura nodded like she’d expected it. “We’re on our own, then.”
Sasuke sat down next to her. His whole body ached. “Need a plan.”
“Survive,” Sakura said, sounding exhausted. “There’s not much else we can do. But I think we can manage that.” ‘Hopefully’ was the unspoken word at the end of her sentence.
Sasuke nodded, looking at her. He was glad that Sakura was with him. Together, they might stand a chance.
