logs | (catch-all)

[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?

[y'all are op as hell, damn]

N-not a fan of water, generally... [For reasons canon will only imply and never confirm, except that they are Not Good.] I'd rather stay on the beach and read, thanks.

Not even hotsprings?

（ don't do this to her. don't reject only the best experience you can have with your clothes off!!!

wow, the bar is on the floor, huh? ）

[my god, sakura.

Not that furious virgin Fukawa can talk. For all her foul words she has a pathetically limited oeuvre when it comes to intimacy. For example:]

No. Are you k-kidding? [Just look at her. look at her. Does anything about Fukawa scream fun spa day?] Even m-my parents wouldn't take me there.

[They also wouldn't take her anywhere, but no one really needs to hear that.]

Well, I don't see your parents anywhere, do you?

（ with a mischievous little smile, she reaches up and pokes fukawa's forehead. ）

Come on. After we finish this gig for Esmeralda, why don't we go? Nothing like a hotspring on a cold day!

[Her eyes cross as that finger approaches. At the poke she bobs her head back in mild distress, mouth open to scold her for these pesky antics.

Instead, she squawks.]

What? Seriously? B-but, then we'd have to be...exposed to each other...

[Oh my god oh my goodness oh my gosh]

Is that weird where you're from?

（ it's asked with a curious little lift of her eyebrows. she's never actually thought about it like that before, it's just... you know. that's the normal way to be in a hotspring for her! ）

N-no, people do — it's just —

[haha wow is it getting hot in here? Fukawa wipes the first dusting of sweat from her brow.]

I-I-I've never revealed myself before...too risky...

[the mom from Carrie's voice: THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU!]

Well, if it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to. Or we could get you a bathing suit? I'm sure they sell them somewhere in Mirth...

（ a little weird to wear one in an onsen, but she's not going to complain about it. breaking tradition to be comfortable is more important than conforming, anyway. ）

No! Th-that's even worse!

[She'd stick out like a sore thumb. Moreover, it would be a mark of her cowardice. Or draw further curiosity, unwanted curiosity.]

I'll do it! [It's blurted out before the conclusion even settles in her mind.] I w-will — I will conquer the hot springs!

[Her free hand clenches into a fist and her jaw sets with determination. Though there is still sweat sprouting along her hairline.]

I r-refuse to f-fail another ch-ch-challenge...

（ wow, she is so cute. sakura just beams at her, and — ）

Oh! The crystal. Did you feel that? I think it's charged up.

（ where it sits between them, it's now softly emanating heat. surely that's proof enough, right? ）

[Her greatest weakness, a direct beam of dere energy...free her from its forces.]

Oh! [She flexes her fingers. It's about what the woman had said it would feel like. She waves Esmeralda over and the woman takes a quick peek at their hard work.

"That does look well handled, ladies! Good show." She smiles brightly at them both. "It'll fetch a fair price for sure. Here you are, your earnings. Make sure to spoil yourselves rotten. Two gorgeous things like you, ain't nothing worse than tucking your coins away for when you're too old and pickled to enjoy them. Off you go, now!"

Fukawa doesn't even get to protest the compliments. She's much too flustered by the incoming trial. Her hand curls over her share of coins and she thrusts them into her pocket.]

It's n-not far, I don't think? The springs?

Nope! It's just a few blocks away. It's a nice spot, I've gone a few times after my shift at the clinic.

（ self-care is important. sometimes, you just need to relax. ）

So you've already left your sc-scent all over the place. [Fukawa purses her lips.] Okay, well. L-let's go then. At least it won't be two strangers appearing suddenly. Th-that's way too suspicious.

[How, she will not clarify. Her only goal is to never be perceived, so a jaunt to the Hot Springs poses a vital threat.

Nevertheless, they arrive shortly. Towel rentals are cheap, and the place is dead quiet. They'll have it to themselves at this time of day, thankfully enough. Fukawa's eyes dart around nervously, though they purposefully miss Sakura each time. Each mounting second before they shuck clothes and descend into the water is another tick on a time bomb.]

Y-you go in first. I need to...prepare myself.

[Mentally.]

（ freshly warmed by the pre-onsen shower, she's feeling clean and is even enjoying the cold air on her skin. even getting here with fukawa, she thinks, is a step in the right direction, so she's not going to say anything or try to cajole her into it. she's braver than most people think, isn't she? she said she'd do it, and sakura believes that, so she shucks her the big, fluffy towel and keeps the small hand towel neatly folded and nested atop her hair as she steps down into the water. like this at least, she's not terribly self-conscious about herself or her body — her, ino, tenten and even hinata sometimes go to them together, so being around similarly-aged girls in a hotspring is entirely normal to her.

she sinks down gratefully at one edge of the rocky outcropping, leaning back into a scooped-out section of rock worn away by generations of use. politely, her back is to fukawa now, a clear indication she's not looking and won't.

she rests one arm along the lip of the pool, sighing contentedly as the warmth seeps into her bones. ugh, it feels so nice to just relax! ）

It's the perfect temperature. They really know their stuff here!

[A shower before you stew in more water? Horrific.

But Fukawa, too terrified to misstep, has dutifully scrubbed herself free of filth and shampooed her overlong hair, which she now pins at the top of her head. The front desk was kind enough to supply her with clips, though there's enough of it that it takes some time to wrangle. By the time she pads over to the onsen she's nearly as peeved at the thought of it falling as she is of losing her towel.

Sakura isn't looking, though. That's good. She checks behind her, to the left then right. Then, very skittish, dips a toe in.]

Ah!

[Hot.

Slowly, she lets herself tread forth. She only shucks the towel when it would be impossible to keep dry, and sinks to her shoulders with a tight squeak. At least her feet touch the bottom here. And it's not so wide. It should be simple enough to escape. The pressure of water and heat on her newly scrubbed skin is...nerve-wracking. She is audibly seething as she approaches the edge, hugging her breasts below the water and gripping the dry rock for peace of mind.]

I feel like I'm b-being boiled into ramen broth. Who knows how many people have been pickling in here already?

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!!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject