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[Hate to say it but she is definitely into that. Depends who's doing the pulling, though.]

Snake guy? [Cue deer in headlights impression, at least until a dim recollection bubbles to the surface.] Oh, was that the one p-posting to the network about needing to "cuddle"?

[She'd refused to respond. Frankly it sounded like he'd been asking for something more than body heat. Men were like that, always playing innocent until they had you alone and in arm's reach.

Though if he really was a snake person, then, um...]

To th-think this is the reality we live in now. Snake people. [She shakes her head and scoffs. Adjusts her grip around the stone, through the lace of Sakura's fingers. She can't tell if anything's happening yet, but her own frigid fingers are soaking up plenty warmth from the other girl already. Don't mind her if she squeezes a little tighter. It's chilly outside, shut up.]

Don't be so s-sure. They might come looking for the escapees any d-day now.

（ snake people are literally a 'day ending with y' experience for sakura, so her only response to that is a faint snort. yes, we are all very incredulous, snake people, weird. ）

They might. （ a bit of a smile that happens to coincide with fukawa tightening her fingers. ） But Amun and Assana seemed insistent it was a mistake.

And you believe them?

[A "mistake." What a costly, calamitous blunder to make. Not the kind of wrinkle public statements can smooth over.

She thinks of that man Silco. The cool ease with which he dressed the system down and laid her options before her. Even if she were to believe that this arrest was a fluke, the next might not be. There's two pilots in this cockpit, and the controls may get wrested from her at any moment.

She glances at the other girl through her bangs, speaking low.]

Lots of p-people confessed to some kind of crime in there. Violent stuff.

And even if they d-didn't, nobody buys that you're innocent once you've been convicted. You're still the first suspect every t-time things go wrong.

I believe that they want us to believe them.

（ which is about the politest way she can infer that she trusts neither of them any farther than she can throw them. and, to her credit, that's a significant distance. ）

But remember, there weren't any trials at all. Everyone was just shoved in cells, regardless of their innocence. （ she exhales a little, shakes her head. ） But if it happens again, call me right away. I'll come help.

（ it was worrying that they were able to capture sasuke... but it doesn't mean she isn't going to try, either. ）

[Consider your drift caught. Fukawa agrees with a conspiratorial roll of the eyes. You just can't trust the Man, man!]

S-so? Scared people don't care about facts. They just want to get rid of the boogeyman. [If there were a second massacre — and she suspects there might be, the air is dripping with tension all around — fingers will point again, as quick and callous as the last time.

Meanwhile, what's with this saviour-on-speedial crap?]

What? Come on. Is this like, your thing? [Up one brow goes.] Don't tell me you're a s-superhero. Is that why you're so secretive? You need to slip into a spandex wet suit and c-call yourself some weirdo codename to rescue people?

Don't be ridiculous.

（ hilariously, not a no. but maybe not for the reasons fukawa might think... ）

Spandex wouldn't suit me anyway!

Tch! Such f-false modesty. That fabric was made specifically for clinging to shapely women.

[She tosses her head aside with a sniff.]

You're j-just deflecting again.

（ yes but literally all she can think of is rock lee's green jumpsuit... no thanks! she gives fukawa's hand a playful little squeeze. ）

Well, you're more than welcome to think of me as a superhero. But I was offering as a friend.

[cue the record scratch]

What?!

[WHAT IS THIS? WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHY IS SHE SO SWEATY ALL OF A SUDDEN?]

F-f...f-f-f-friend?!

[She almost lets go of Sakura's hand in shock. Error 404s keep short circuiting her brain. The whole operation is in crisis.]

You can't — so soon? I d-d-don't — what? Why?! We h-haven't even done any t-traditional bonding! Everything is out of order! I— I d-don't even know your birthday!

[Her free hand latches onto her head as if she'd been shot.]

Oh my god! WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY?!!

Edited (forgot a word) 2022-12-02 18:03 (UTC)

（ fukawa why are you like this... sakura just gives her a bit of a faintly exasperated sideways glance, saved from being too severe by the fondness that crinkles the corners of her eyes. ）

March 28th. Though I don't know that it matters here, given that there don't seem to be traditional months the way I'm used to... what about you?

Haaaaa— [Also March? Oh, that would make it an expensive month.] M-March 3rd...But, th-that's not so close we'd have to double up on anything! Make your own party!

[She will not be having one, thanks.]

Still, I just, um. If I mess up you have to f-forgive me, all right? I'm n-not like other girls who just make friends with whoever breathes the s-same air! I only got my first real friendship before I died!

[her exp bar is v low, have mercy]

I'm not much for celebrating it anyway... trust me, you can have all of March.

（ the war may have ended on naruto's birthday, but the clean-up extended well beyond hers. she really just hasn't been able to find a reason to be happy about it when survivor's guilt dogs her heels. her grip flexes a little and she turns their hands so that her palm points upward, moving the crystal just enough it stops stabbing her awkwardly.

she gives fukawa a sidelong look, and then: ）

It's okay if you're not practiced at it. I'm still learning too. We can do it together, okay?

Well. Me n-neither. [Somehow this feels like a less than ideal outcome. Her mouth twists.] S-omeone else can have it then.

[She glances down as the position switches, flexing her fingers in kind. The point of the crystal shifts and stings her palm. Rather than complain, she tightens the grip. Presses it in. That sharp pressure helps quail her colicky nerves, much like biting her lip or her thumb.

Though it doesn't stop her doing either of those things. Her free hand has drifted to her mouth, and she lays into the bed of her nail as she watches the other girl. What's with this sudden coyness?]

Wh-what do you mean, you're still learning? Doesn't everyone here l-like you? [Sure seemed that way.] Or — were you b-banned from making close attachments? Because of your...

[She tilts her head meaningfully. This mysterious kung fu background is still murky territory, and she's not sure what's safe to pry at.]

What? No — no, nothing like that.

（ this is the story of how she's going to eventually break down and tell fukawa the truth just because she's tired of the wild conjecture. she sighs, and then: ）

You already know more about me than most of the others. For now... I guess people like that I'm useful. But I don't believe you can actually like someone — genuinely, I mean — until you know them at least a little bit. Nothing's real until then.

（ is this self-admonition? maybe a little.

(#longing look into the middle distance while thinking sadly of sasuke)

— but it's not like she's averse to getting to know the people here, after all, but... d, and felix and fukawa are really the only ones that have dug any more deeply than the surface. ）

You said yourself, right? I could be anyone. This could all be an act.

[That's how you get 'em: wear 'em down.

There's an empathetic twinge in her chest. Isn't that the most reliable way to curry favour? If you can't be beautiful, be useful. Sakura may not rely on it the same way Fukawa has to, but there's a wistful tone to her voice that tugs at her maiden heart.

Could this be about a boy?

There's little elaboration though, and Fukawa frowns as she chastizes herself for possibly maintaining a front.]

W-well...I don't believe that's true anymore! [She steps a touch closer, facing Sakura more head on.] Or at least whatever's secret d-doesn't change much about how you act. Th-those other bitches — they only got away with it b-because no one could have expected anything of them! They played dumb and everybody believed it. You're still you, you j-just have to keep some things quiet. That's a huge difference!

So. The parts of you that you can show, those still count. And people like them just fine, so they'll p-probably like the rest of you too.

（ she. was not expecting that?? it's obvious in the way she sort of freezes when fukawa swings around to face her directly, and while she doesn't actually step back there's a barely-noticeable shift of her weight to her back foot. a martial artist's response to the unexpected.

her brow wrinkles at what the other girl says. she wouldn't have thought that fukawa was one to offer that sort of validation and warmth. unpracticed, maybe, but she's trying. an odd warmth suffuses her, and she gives the other girl a playful little smile that crinkles the corners of her eyes. ）

Hah, （ it's more like an exhalation of breath than an outright laugh, drawn out a bit in the middle. ） you think so?

（ the question's rhetorical, fukawa has made it quite clear where she stands. ）

Well... thank you. That means a lot from you.

[There is, of course, some flustered spluttering. And naturally her ears and cheeks flush pink, any shift in blood flow shows at once when you've got the complexion of a corpse. She wasn't expecting Sakura to smile like that. How dare she, manipulating her with her winsome expressions. She doesn't even like girls that way!

Infuriating.]

I'm j-just speaking practically! Use your head. [Grumble grumble, glance away.] You're n-not faking your whole personality so you'll probably be fine. Unless you're an enormous pervert b-behind closed doors.

（ uhhhHHHHH yeah about that

quietly hides all her little fantasies about being in a sai/sasuke sandwich that is one hundred percent konohamaru's fault and maybe a little bit naruto's because of his stupid antics against kaguya???

hides them.

deep, deep down.

but it's also sort of sad that her idea of SECRET ENORMOUS PERVERT is literally just 'a threesome where men look after me and tell me i'm pretty'. what even is sex ed in konoha, don't know ha. ）

Haha! No, I like to think I'm pretty normal there...

[this is both valid and yet extremely sad, Sakura we need to get you some Ao3 bookmarks

Unfortunately the one area of human behaviour Fukawa can easily read is any degree of filth. Suddenly there's a curious glint in her eye, a smug quirk to the end of her mouth.]

Oh? What's normal? [That smile grows a teeeeeeensy but wider.] Is it l-like, a honeymoon by the sea, where you h-hold hands and watch the sunset?

Or is it th-thinking about several people at once, writhing in one mass? Chains and whips? Exploring each other's b-bodies in public, somewhere you might get caught? Or would you have an audience?

（ e-excuse her. sakura may have turned a completely horrific shade of red that clashes mightily with her hair, and she's maybe trying to make herself notably smaller by hunching her shoulders up. her free hand covers her face as she makes a noise not entirely unlike a squeaky toy. calm and competent medical professional whomst? ）

N-nothing like that! The first one! Honeymoons! （ and added in quiet horror: ） You make it sound like leeches...

[Heh heh heh

HEH]

Oh. So that's the k-kind of girl you are. I see. How very respectable of you. [Your fantasy game is weak. Though this is pretty funny. ~~and cute~~] Why are you thinking of leeches, though? B-because of the long and smooth shape? Or because they're wet and sticky?

[Okay she'll stop it's just one for the road.]

（ quiet internal screech. sakura just groans, and then deliberately nudges into fukawa's space with a shoulder-check that's only mostly gentle. in a faintly creaky voice, ）

I'm going to find a river to throw you in if you keep on like that.

（ please. have mercy. she needs an adult. ）

[Alas they are forever unchaperoned. Not that it matters because she's successfully knocked Fukawa off her high horse.]

What?! N-no don't do that! I'll get wet! [Brilliant deduction there. She deflates to her usual grumbling self, muttering complaints to the wind.] I can b-barely swim anyway. I'll definitely drown.

Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't let you drown.

（ ninjas can stand on water, clearly this is superior to lifeguarding. plus, her resuscitation game is on point. ）

Just not a fan of swimming?

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shoots the word "sasuke" off this tag annie oakley style

somewhere in the distance sasuke stubs his toe mysteriously

he should stub his stupid face (love u julia)

but then he wouldn't be hot and that would be ANARCHY IN THE STREETS

ugh fine he can keep his face intact I GUESS (also cw: pervert talk)

just girls bein' gross

As they should be!!

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