#naruto angst

The air in the Konoha central clinic smelled of dried herbs, boiled linen, and the faint, metallic tang of sterilization chakra. It was a scent Y/N Hyūga associated with order; in a world so recently built from the blood and mud of a dozen battlefields, order was the only solace. 

She moved through the ward like a still point in a turning world. At twenty two, she was the jōnin Head Director of the hospital, and she commanded it with a quiet, unyielding grace. Her pale lavender gray eyes, the Byakugan, were not activated, yet she saw everything. The dip in a patient's breathing, the tremor in a young nurse’s hand. 

"Y/N-sensei," the nurse whispered, her voice tight with panic. "The tenketsu points on his left arm, they won't stabilize. This fire style jutsu... it's dissolving his chakra pathways." 

Y/N’s gaze settled on the shinobi. A Senju, barely twenty, his face slick with fever. His left arm was a ruin of charred flesh and sluggish, laking chakra. 

"You have done well to contain the necrosis," Y/N said. Her voice was soothing. "Step back. I will take it from here." 

She stripped the white hospital coat from her shoulders, leaving her in her simple lilac robes. Her hands, pale and slender, hovered over the wound.  

"Byakugan." 

The veins and muscles around her eyes expanded. The world dissolved into a tapestry of gray and silver. The fire was not simple flame; it was a curse of chakra, designed to eat, to linger, to destroy from within. It clung to the boy's network like poison ivy. 

Her hands ignited in the soft, pale green of medical chakra. But where others would flood the area, Y/N’s control was finer. She spun her chakra into microscopic needles, a thousand tiny, precise instruments. She did not douse the dark fire; she began, thread by thread, to un-weave it from the Senju’s own. 

For an hour, she did not move. The nurses watched, mesmerized. They called her the "White Fire of the Hyūga," not for her passion, but for the intensity of her focus; a flame that healed where others consumed. 

Finally, with a soft exhale, the last of the dark chakra dissipated. The boy's breathing evened. "He will heal," Y/N said, her voice quiet with exhaustion. "See to his dressings." 

She was washing her hands when Hashirama Senju found her, his Hokage robes already rumpled, his face alight with his usual, chaotic energy. "Y/N-chan! Perfect! I was just coming to see you. Tobirama is complaining about our budget for the new children's wing again, can you believe him? I need you to look over these requisitions and tell me if-" 

A sharp, formal rap at the door cut him off. A Hyūga guard stood in the doorway, clad in the stark white of the Main Family. He did not look at the Hokage. His pale featureless eyes were fixed on her. "Y/N-sama. Your father, Hisasi-sama, requests your presence at the compound. Immediately." 

The warmth in the room vanished. Hashirama’s smile faltered, his boisterous energy replaced by a sudden concern. He knew, as she did, that Hisasi Hyūga never "requested." He commanded. 

"I... of course," Y/N said, her voice regaining its formal ton. She bowed. "Hokage-sama, forgive me. My duty calls." "Y/N..." he began, worried. "I am sure it is a small matter," she lied. 

𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖

The Hyūga compound was silent, a stark contrast to the hospital's vibrant, aching life. Here, emotion was a flaw, a thing to be controlled, polished away like a smudge on a perfect surface. 

She paused outside her father’s study, the shoji screens casting a pale, milky light. She checked her reflection in a polished lacquer box by the door. Her long black hair was tied back. She took a breath, smoothed the front of her robes, and knelt. 

"Father. You sent for me." 

She slid the screen open and entered, bowing her head as she took her place on the tatami mat across from him. Her father sat in perfect seiza, his hands resting on his knees. His Byakugan was not active, but she felt his gaze rake over her. 

"You smell of the hospital chaos, and Senju" he said. His voice was flat. "You were with the Hokage." "I was, Father," Y/N replied calmly. "He wished to discuss about some concern." Hisasi interrupted. "I see. But what we require is stability between clans. His 'village' is a dream held together by hope and charisma. Hope is not a foundation, Y/N. Charisma is not a treaty." 

Y/N remained silent, her hands folding gracefully in her lap. "The Uchiha," he said, the name dropping into the room like a stone. "They are the crack in this new foundation. They follow Madara, and Madara follows only his own pride. They are a fortress within our walls. They will, inevitably, be the source of the next war." 

A knot of familiar, cold dread tightened in Y/N’s stomach. "The Uchiha were responsible for Mother's convoy," Y/N said, her voice quiet but unwavering. It was the one grievance that was hers. "Yes," Hisasi said, his pale eyes finally meeting hers. "They took your mother, they spilled our blood. That is precisely why this new accord is necessary." 

He slid a single, unadorned scroll across the low table. "The Senju offers words. The Hyūga will offer blood. We will bind the Uchiha to this village in a way they cannot break. We will forge an alliance that will force peace." Y/N stared at the scroll. Her heart rate was slowing, her extremities growing cold. "You have... arranged a marriage," she stated. "I have." She thought of her younger brother, Haru. "You cannot mean Haru. He is... he is not a diplomat. It would be a disaster."  "To send Haru would be an insult. A sign of weakness." Hisasi's gaze was sharp, pinning her. "The Uchiha are a clan of power. They respect nothing else. They will not be bound by a child. They must be bound by an equal : by our strongest." 

The room was suddenly very small. "Father... what have you done?" "I have done my duty as clan head. And you will do yours, as the heir." He tapped the scroll. "You will marry Uchiha Madara." 

The sound of her father's voice dismissing her was a distant hum. Y/N stood, bowed, and slid the shoji screen of his study closed. She didn't remember walking. She was suddenly just... outside. The village was alive around her, the smell of cook-fires, the shout of a merchant, the ringing of a hammer. It all felt like a painting : distant, flat and cold

Her feet carried her past the hospital. She couldn't go there, not now. She was walking to the Hokage tower. She went to find her friend. The guards at the tower bowed, "Y/N-sensei." "Is he in?" Her voice sounded strange to her own ears. "Hokage-sama is... yes. He's in." 

She didn't wait. She took the stairs, her steps quick and silent. She didn't knock. Her hand was on the door, sliding it open with a sharp, rattling whoosh. Hashirama looked up, his dark eyes wide with surprise, a half-eaten rice ball in his hand. "Y/N? What is it? Another attack? Is the hospital-" 

He stopped. He truly looked at her. She was paler than her Hyūga blood usually allowed. Her hands, those instruments of perfect, steady control, were clenched at her sides, shaking. A fine, violent tremor she couldn't seem to stop. "Y/N..." He was on his feet in an instant, his chair clattering to the floor. "What happened? What's wrong?” 

Y/N opened her mouth. No sound came out. She tried again. "He... my father." "Hisasi? What did he say? Did he forbid you from working at the hospital? I'll speak to him, Y/N, I swear I will-" "No." She held up a shaking hand. "It's... the alliance. The one we all wanted." A terrible, cold understanding began to dawn on Hashirama's face. He knew the old ways. "Y/N... what did he do?" "He said... he said the Hyūga would offer blood. To bind the Uchiha. To force the peace." Hashirama's face went white. "A... a political marriage? He's forcing Haru to...?" 

Y/N let out a sound that was almost a laugh. It was a terrible, broken thing. "No. Not Haru. That would be an insult. They are a clan of power, he said. They must be bound by our strongest." She finally looked up, her pale, lavender-gray eyes meeting his dark ones. The shock was finally cracking, revealing the raw, 14-year-old grief beneath.    "He's marrying me to Uchiha Madara." 

The name hung in the air between them, a declaration of war disguised as a promise of peace. Hashirama stared at her. His mouth opened, then closed. The man who could command armies looked utterly, devastatingly helpless. "He can't," Hashirama whispered. "Madara... Y/N, he...he’s my friend but I won't allow it. As Hokage, I forbid it." Y/N shook her head, the last of her strength failing. "You can't. It's a clan matter. You know it is. It's... it's done. The contract is drawn." 

She took a staggering step forward, her hand landing on his desk to steady herself, scattering scrolls. "He's giving me to the man... to the clan... that killed my mother, Hashirama. He's calling it peace." 

Hashirama’s face crumpled. "But... you, Y/N. Your mother. How can you...?" "He asks because I am the heir," she said, her gaze distant. The shock was being replaced by a deep, bottomless exhaustion. "It is my duty. The same as yours." She straightened, her hands performing the simple, familiar gesture of smoothing her robes. The moment of crisis was over. "I must go," she said. "I won't be at the hospital tomorrow, Hashirama." The simple, domestic statement struck him harder than her grief. "What? Why?" "My father has arranged a meeting. A formal introduction. With the Uchiha family," her voice was perfectly level. "Tomorrow evening. I am to... prepare." 

She bowed, a deep, formal bow that was suddenly miles away from the friend who had burst into his office. "Hokage-sama." She turned and left, her back straight, her steps silent, leaving him alone with the ruins of his perfect, peaceful dream. 

Y/N walked from the Hokage Tower in a daze. Her limbs felt heavy, her movements automatic. The sounds of the village, the shouting merchants, the ringing of hammers on the new Academy roof, were a distant, muffled hum, as if she were underwater. 

Uchiha Madara. 

The name was a black, cold stone in her stomach. A nightmare. A sentence. She was walking, but she had no destination. She just... had to move. 

"Nee-san!" 

The voice was a bright, familiar, painful sound. It cut through her fog like a kunai. She stopped, her head turning. Haru, her seventeen-year-old brother, was jogging toward her, his jōnin flak jacket unzipped, his face bright with a post-mission high. He was the picture of the normalcy she had just lost. 

"Just the person I was looking for!" he grinned, stopping in front of her. "I finished that patrol early. Let's go to Ichiraku, my treat. You've been cooped up in that hospital for-" He stopped, his smile faltering. He wasn't a sensor, but he was her brother. He saw her. "Nee-san?" he asked, his voice softening. "Are you okay? You look... pale. More than usual." 

This was it. The first test. The first lie. Y/N manufactured a smile. It felt brittle, thin, like a paper mask that would tear. "I'm fine, Haru," she said, her voice sounding falsely bright to her own ears. "Just... a long day. The hospital budget meetings were... exhausting." 

He frowned, not entirely convinced, but he accepted the plausible, boring excuse. "See? You need ramen. Come on. A few minutes. It'll cheer you up." He tugged on her sleeve. 

She couldn't. She couldn't sit with him. She couldn't listen to his cheerful, simple stories about his mission. She couldn't bear his happiness while this cold, dark secret was suffocating her. She gently pulled her arm free. "I can't, Haru. I... I'm sorry." The lie tasted like ash. "There's... there's a new shipment of medical supplies at the hospital. I... I have to catalog them before dark." 

His face fell in open, boyish disappointment. "Oh. Right. Work, work, work." He tried to rally, giving her a playful shove on the shoulder. "Rain check, then! Don't let Hashirama-sama and those stuffy budgets work you to death, Nee-san." "I won't," she lied. "See you at home!" he said. With a final, cheerful wave, he turned and ran off toward the market, oblivious. 

Y/N watched him go. The smile on her face didn't just fade; it crumbled. She was, for the first time, completely and utterly alone. She had just left her only friend in the tower. And she had just lied to her only family. This was the real weight of peace. It was a burden she had to bear in silence. She turned, her heart a cold, heavy stone, and walked, not to the hospital, but home to the white, silent, empty walls of her compound.    Earlier that day. The Uchiha Compound. 

The room was dark, lit by multiple candles that cast long, flickering shadows. Madara sat at the head of a long, dark-wood table, his eyes closed, his presence a cold, heavy void. His father, Tajima Uchiha, and three of the clan's most powerful elders sat in the shadows. 

"The Senju are one pillar," Tajima said, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. "We are the other. The Hyūga... are a loose stone. They are a threat." An elder, his face a map of old scars, nodded. "Hisasi Hyūga is pragmatic. He has offered a solution. A... bond. A marriage." 

Madara's eyes opened. They were cold, black, and utterly devoid of interest. "A marriage. We will give one of our branch cousins to their heir. It is... trivial." 

"No," Tajima said, his voice hard. "Hisasi is not a fool. He does not offer his heir for a branch family. He offers... his strongest... for our strongest." 

A pause. The air in the room grew heavy, the pressure of Madara's chakra a physical weight. He understood. "You are joking," Madara's voice was not a question. It was a low, dangerous growl. "You want to bind me... the leader of the Uchiha... to a Hyūga?" His disgust was palpable. It was not just a rival clan; it was them. Their "weak" eyes, their "rigid" customs. 

"It is not a joke," the scarred elder snapped. "It is logic. It neutralizes our most dangerous dōjutsu rival. It binds the Hyūga's neutrality to us. With this, the Senju cannot move against us. We will have the Byakugan as an asset, not a threat." 

Madara's hands slammed onto the table. He stood, his shadow swallowing the room. "I will not be... sold... for a treaty. I am Uchiha Madara. I lead this clan. I do not... whore... for it." 

"You WILL!" Tajima roared, standing to meet his son's gaze, his own Sharingan flaring to life. "This is not about your pride! This is about survival! You swore an oath to protect this clan. This... this... is how you protect it!" The elder's voice was a furious hiss. "You will bind that pale-eyed princess (he spat this last word) to our house, and you will chain her entire clan to our interests. It is your duty." 

A long, terrible silence stretched, filled only by the hiss of the candle. Madara's own Sharingan blazed, a crimson, spinning vortex of rage. He was at war with his father, his duty, his hatred of the Hyūga. Finally, the crimson faded. His face became a mask of cold, hard ice. He had made his choice. 

"...Fine." The word was a chip of obsidian. "I will do my duty." He turned, his black robes sweeping. "Prepare the contract. But... make no mistake." His voice was a flat, lethal promise. "She... is a duty. Not a... wife." He swept from the room, leaving the elders in the dark, his cold, furious sacrifice hanging in the air.  𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ 𓂃 ࣪˖ I hope you liked the first chapter. Don't hesitate leaving a comment or a repost ! Luv yall Jasm.

Sasuke🗡️-*

Also was treated like an outcast but it didn’t affect him in the way it affected naruto. He doesn’t really think he’s a bother, if anything he’s scared that you think your the bother, since he’s so “cold” towards you sometimes he’s scared your going to leave or think he doesn’t love you anymore. Once it got so overwhelming for him he had teary eyes for hours just thinking about how he acts, he decided he needed to tell you. Once he found you he ran towards you and engulfed you in a big hug. You thought this was adorable or him being silly until you felt something wet on your shoulder followed by a broken breath

“S-sasuke? What’s wrong…Are you crying?” You could hear a sad whimper coming from him. “I love you. I-I love you so much y/n please don’t forget. No matter how I act I-” “I know. Baby I know. I love you too, what’s this about, your scaring me?” He didn’t dare remove his tear stained head from your shoulder “I know I’m…mean s-sometimes but-” it finally clicked for you why he was so upset all of a sudden “sasuke… your not mean! And I know you love me no matter how you act.” “I..just thought…no one understands how I truly feel. I just Need you to know…t-that I do love you” he pulls away from your shoulder to wipe his eyes before turning away from embarrassment. He felt you wrapping your arms around him causing him to jump. “I’m sorry y/n. I’m just over reacting” “no don’t. Don’t say that… I think we should lay down. You need to relax do you need me to help you? I know you feel…weak” he takes a deep breath “please y/n… yes” you both walk together to your bed. Trust me when I tell you he is going to feel a lot better after some comfort *wink*

Itachi🥀-*

He just feels… worthless sometimes. He just doesn’t feel worthy of good things that happen in his life, aka you. He doesn’t feel worthy of you. But he is very open with you unlike others, he tells you what’s wrong no matter what.

“Y/n. I have uhm… I have some feeling I would like to share.” “Of course Love, what’s up?” “I…” You gaze softens realizing he’s going to get upset “I don’t feel worthy.” “Oh…tachi… come here” you pat the spot next to you but instead he took your lap instead, he reaches in for a hug before speaking up again “tell me you love me. Please. And tell me I’m worthy…” “you are the love of my life. And you are worthy of that love. No matter what you think you deserve love.” That is all he needs to hear. Although he gets very upset you can always calm him down. It does happen more often but you do not care. Anything to make him feel better.

Kakashi🍃-*

We all know he’s very attractive but that doesn’t mean he thinks the same. He doesn’t like his scar, he doesn’t like the story it holds and he doesn’t like the look of it. He can hold back the insecurity in battle because he knows it’s not worth dying because he thinks it’s ugly, but he cant hold back the insecurity on a day to day basis with you, he gets extremely timid with you. You see him with the mask off all the time so it’s kinda funny that you rarely see him without something covering his eye. But you just thought he forgets it’s there so you didn’t think about insecurity, but when you walk in on him washing his face he almost instantly covered his eye with his palm you knew something was wrong

“Ay? Why you covering that cute face?!” “Aha thanks y/n” he chuckles trying to make you ignore it yet he still kept his hand up “serious what’s with your hand?” “Well..ah you know..” he points to his eye with his other hand “what your scar? Babe I don’t care” he smiles softly before replying “I care…” “take your hand away” “I’d rather not-” “kakashi.” Groans “yes y/n…” he drops his hand and you let out a content sigh “there’s my baby” you grab his face with both hands and kiss his scar softly “you don’t find it odd?” He looks away while blushing “no kakashi I don’t find it odd because I love you.” He flashes a smile before turning back to the mirror with a weird look still on his face, to lighten the mood you grabbed him my the cheeks to shake his head back and forth before giggling at him. “Cutiee” you comment before kissing his beauty mark then walking back out the door.

Kiba🐺-*

He’s sensitive, he may be a big joker but if someone else says the wrong thing he will not be happy, normally the only thing he doesn’t like being called is a mutt or a dog. It makes him feel ashamed of him family quirk. Just because he loves animals doesn’t mean he is one right? He started thinking maybe he is just a dog. A Dirty, annoying, unfunny mutt. He started to feel like foolish for loving a dog so much, but he can’t help it it’s the family he was born into.

He has been rather distant from akamaru, still taking him on mission but recently he hasn’t been letting his puppy in the house as much anymore and he gets upset when you let him in instead. “Why did you let him in the house y/n!” “His a good boy he won’t chew up furniture if anything you would!” You we’re just trying to lighten the mood but it didn’t help “akamaru outside now!” He commands “come on why don’t you want him inside??” “You don’t need two mutts in the house y/n” this confused you for obvious reasons “two mutts? Are you talking about yourself? Your not…your not a dog thought?” He crosses his arms in protest “tell that to my friends, Or anyone because for some reason they all think I am a dog stuck in human form and it’s getting old.” You chuckle nervously “your not? If your talking about your dog like features and fighting style it’s just your quirk? It’s not your fault you can’t choose” he lowers his head “even you think I’m a dog sometimes!” “No baby. I dont I think that. your a human just with some animal features but most of your family is like that?” “If you don’t think I’m an animal why do you call me names like puppy.” He’s stretching, he loves it when you call him that he’s just in a mood “I call you that because you love attention and can’t go a day without seeing your loved ones. Plus your as cute as a pup!” His shoulders relax finally realizing he shouldn’t be upset over this. “I just feel ashamed of who I am sometimes y/n I’m sorry.” “Don’t be sorry. I love who you are if that makes it better” he chuckles “yeah…it kind of does make it better honestly…can you kiss me..?” He smile at his sudden change of mood “of course!”

Shikamaru🀄️-*

He knows he’s good looking but he also knows he’s not the best, he also knows your absolutely stunning, so it gets to him sometimes without realizing is, he changes his look every now and then to see if it would make him feel better. Maybe make him more attractive to you he hopes

“Dear could you turn around please?” “Sure shika whats u-” you stop dead in your tracks with a shocked look on your face “your hair is down!!!” You exclaim, the only time you see his hair down is when he is sleeping, you’ve never seen it down when he’s awake “I know, I’m trying something, does it look good?” You giggle “You always look good darling, just not use to it that’s all” you walk over to grab a handful of his hair which was slicked back but not up in a ponytail anymore. “Well I think you look handsome no matter what” he groans “don’t lie to me does it make me look worse?” You give him a nasty look “worse? You say that as if you already look bad…?” “Well eh-” “well what? Your very attractive Shika do you think other wise?” He puts his hands in his pockets “uhm sometimes-” “oh come on!” You grab his face “your soooo handsome no matter what you do with your hairrrr” you tease. He continued to make eye contact with you while a smile grows on his face. “…can I put a little braid in your hair?” “No” “Aw man.”

Shino🪲-*

He’s ok with his looks and doesn’t feel like a burden on you, oddly enough the only thing he’s insecure about is his voice. He thinks he sounds funny sometimes and doesn’t like how raspy it is, that’s why sometimes he doesn’t talk to you that much. Sometimes all he responds with is either nodding his head or shaking it which makes you feel bad

“What do you feel for dinner love bug?” “…” you looked around because maybe he left the room but no, he just didn’t respond. “Uhm hello???” “…” “are you hungry?” He shakes his head yes “with words please?” He looks around before responding quietly “yes I’m hungry” you giggle not quiet knowing what’s up with him “why are you so timid right now?” He finally speaks up “do you think I sound funny y/n?” “Uh no? Why” “sometimes I feel like my voice isn’t that pleasing.” “It sound pleasing to me-” he lightened up at the compliment “really?” “Yes of course!” When he’s insecure he normally gets over it fast, he’s rational and knows when he’s just being silly

Neji🎋-*

He knows he can choose his own destiny, he just wish the preset plan for him was burned into his forehead. He hated it so much, he was disgusted by it and therefor disgusted with himself. Sometimes you find him crying in the mirror over the symbol plastered onto him. But you always let him know that it doesn’t define him

You could hear cries coming from the bathroom and you couldn’t take it anymore so you decide to knock “sweetheart…are you crying?” He knew there was no point in lying anymore “y-yes..” “may I come in?” You could hear a cracked “mhm…” coming from the other side or the door so you walk in, immediately pulling him into your chest. “What happened. Did Someone do this?” He pulls away from your chest just to look back to the mirror to cover his mark while his lip quivered. You finally realized what was happening. “Give me your hand please..” he obliged lowering his hand. You grabbed his cheek and gave a very long forehead kiss. “Your worth more than this mark Neji.” You mumble against his head. You decided the best thing to do is go to bed and give him more love so that’s just what you did

Lee🥋-*

He may seem strong so it was shocking to you when he confided in you about how he’s insecure about almost everything about him (poor thing) he try’s to stay strong but he can’t help but get vulnerable with you

All you were doing was giving him love but he just felt unworthy of it. “My handsome, strong, perfect boy!~” kiss “well I don’t know if those words are accurate but thank you my precious!” You huff at his self doubt “don’t say that, your all of those things?” He laughs nervously “I don’t think so heh” “you are! You don’t think your handsome or strong…?” You frown “well uhm y/n…It obvious I’m not the best looking, and yeah I’m strong but…I could always be stronger.” He looked down at his feet in shame “Lee…take it back.” “W-what” “take it back. No one is allowed to insult my baby like that, not even himself.” He thought you were just joking until he looked up into your eyes to see the seriousness that laid in them, he could see tears forming in your eyes. “Please Lee. Take it back.” “I-I…I take it back y/n I’m sorry” “please…don’t ever say things that that again”

Choji🍥-*

He’s always been bullied because of his weight so of course he will be extremely insecure about it and anxious when your trying to love up on him, you knew he was insecure about it and you always told him it did it matter but you never realized to much it really affects him until your further into the relationship and you started to be more physically affectionate, he loves the affection just hates the body that it receiving it. All you were trying to do was hold him after a long day but he seemed so scared of if and you had to ask why

“Cmon let me hug you!” “No y/n..” you pout “why not! I wanna hold my fluff ball!” He cups his hands together then proceeded to look at the floor “I don’t think holding me is even possible…” your pout turned into a confusion “uh what do you mean choj?” He pinched at his stomach to hint at what he was talking about since he was to shy to actually tell you “oh…Choji you don’t need to worry about that I don’t care!” “I care because it means I can’t do certain things! How are you supposed to hold me!” You scoff “I’m confident I could carry you like a baby if I needed too.” “Your just saying that to make me feel better…” he crosses his arms and puffs his cheeks up out of timidness “I’m being serious Choji! I could totally carry you! Your not as big as you think you are.” He closes his eyes so tears dont form “I’d like to see you try y/n, you won’t be able t-” since his eyes were closed he didn’t see you walk over to his side, he only realized when he felt your arm latch around his shoulders and your other cupping around his legs. He open his eyes right in time to realize you just picked him up bridal style. He gasps in reaction, he turns to your face to see not a single ounce of struggle on your face “I told you! Your not that heavy choj!” This Moment honestly cured almost all his insecurity on that subject for a very long time. And sometimes he thinks “maybe she’s just really REALLY strong” he still loves the thought behind your actions. “Heh uhm…I guess maybe I’m not. Thank you sweetie!” “Anytime bubs~” with that you place him back down on his feet and give him a very passionate kiss

Gaara⏳-*

Most of his life he was basically controlling by either others or his inner demon so he didn’t have time to worry about appearance. But ever since he finally felt in control of his own life he now worries about his appearance sadly. He doesn’t like the mark on his head, he doesn’t really like his hair either and feels like his facial features just look wrong on him. He’s very good at hiding things so you didn’t realize until you overheard a conversation with him and his brother, he figured since kankuro is considered attractive maybe he should ask him for advice!

You were wondering around trying to find Gaara to ask him god knows what until you finally hear his voice along with kankuros, you walked behind the door about to knock until gaara’s question caught your attention. “So is there anything that could make me more ‘attractive’ or something along the lines of that?” “I don’t know? Maybe try face paint chicks dig it” you could hear a sigh leaving Gaara “I don’t want to attract ‘chicks’ I just want to attract y/n.” “What makes you think she doesn’t already feel attracted to you?” “I don’t know, I just feel like if I find myself unattractive maybe she does too.” That’s enough, you have to stop this. You knock on the door making them both look at it, you swing the door open and immediately look at gaara which was all it took for kankuro to take the hint “I’m just gunna..goooo…” you and him exchange nods before he leaves. Once the door shut you look back at gaara “what was all that?” “Oh so you heard?” “Yes gaara I heard, why do you find yourself unattractive? And why are you going to your skanky brother for help?” He turns his head to continue speaking “I can’t explain why I feel that way about myself, but I went to my brother because I know he is considered attractive to others.” You sit next to gaara and grab his chin to make him look at you. You lean closely to speak “how could you not love this face~” you whisper almost seductively while you drag your thumb across his cheek bone. “What don’t you like…?” His breath hitched out of fear of spilling his insecurity’s. “I guess…I don’t like the mark on my head, and I don’t like my nose much either, I also don’t really care for my hair it makes me look like a clown sometimes.” He’s waiting for you to agree with him but instead you lean closer to kiss everything he listed, first his little nose, then his marking and then you drag your hand through his hair which made him flushed. “Well I like Everything about you…” he finally makes eye contact with you, with red cheek. He took a big deep breath to reply “ok…thank you y/n. That makes me feel a bit better” you reach in for a hug which he gladly accepted!

Kankuro🪆-*

Even though he seems so hot and confident he’s much like his brother, sometimes he doesn’t like his bare face. He has make up on almost all day so rarely do you see him without any on, and when you do see him bare faced he’s weirdly shy which isn’t like him.

—

As time went on, and as other classmates like Sakura and Ino developed crushes on Sasuke, your bond with him stayed steady, untainted by infatuation. While others would compete for his attention, you shared a camaraderie that didn’t need grand gestures. It was in the small moments: the shared glances across the classroom, or the way he’d wait an extra second after a sparring match, silently making sure you were okay before nodding and walking away.

Sasuke, in his own way, came to cherish this friendship too, though he’d never say it. He appreciated that you didn’t press for answers, nor did you treat him like a prize. Instead, you were just there, steady and patient, giving him the respect he couldn’t find in others.

When he was placed in Team Seven, and you were assigned to another team, things changed. Yet, there was still that comfort in knowing you’d both be around the village, even if on separate missions. Occasionally, your teams would cross paths on joint assignments, and while he remained his usual reserved self, you noticed a small change in him when he spoke to you. Sasuke would look at you a bit longer, and his tone softened just slightly in a way that wasn’t there with Naruto or Sakura. He wouldn’t admit it, but your presence grounded him, giving him a fleeting sense of normalcy that no one else could provide.

On one particularly difficult mission, your teams had been caught in an ambush. You saw a rare flash of worry in his eyes when you were hit, even though he quickly masked it with his usual stoic demeanor. Later, as the teams rested and regrouped, he’d walked over to where you sat, silently offering a water canteen before looking out into the distance, as if pretending the exchange had never happened. But in that gesture, in that rare flicker of concern, you saw that he cared—even if he didn’t fully understand why.

The day he decided to leave, he sought you out—not under the cloak of night as he would with the others, but in broad daylight. Something about your friendship made him want to give you a proper farewell, even if he wasn’t sure what that farewell should look like. The two of you walked to a quiet part of the village, a place where you’d once trained together as kids.

There was a heaviness in the air, a feeling that you couldn’t quite place. Sasuke’s gaze was distant, but something in his expression seemed conflicted, almost vulnerable.

“Next time we see each other…if that ever happens…” he started, his voice trailing off. The words hung in the air, filling you with a sense of unease.

“What do you mean?” you asked, your heart sinking as you searched his face for answers.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked down, an almost guilty expression crossing his face before he straightened, hiding it with a mask of determination. “You’ve always been…someone I trust,” he said, his voice almost inaudible, as if admitting it to himself for the first time.

Before you could ask him what he meant, he reached out, his hand lingering near yours for a moment. His fingers brushed against your wrist, a gesture so small yet filled with a weight you couldn’t understand. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice softer than you’d ever heard it.

You opened your mouth to speak, to ask him to stay, but something stopped you. You knew that he had made up his mind. And so, instead, you simply nodded, swallowing the words you wanted to say. “Take care, Sasuke,” you replied, your voice barely holding steady.

He gave you one last look, something like regret flickering in his eyes, before he turned and walked away. You watched him go, realizing only after he’d disappeared from sight that this was his way of saying goodbye.

Later that night, as you replayed his words and his expression over and over, the truth sank in. Sasuke was leaving the village, leaving you—and it hurt. Yet, a small part of you felt honored to be the only one he’d said goodbye to. It was as if he’d left a piece of himself with you, a promise that, no matter how far he went, you’d always hold a place in his life.

You didn’t know how long it would take, or if he’d ever return, but you decided then and there that you’d wait. You’d wait for him, believing that, someday, he’d come back. And until that day, you’d carry his trust like a quiet vow, a reminder of the bond you shared that transcended words.

—

Three years had passed since that quiet farewell, and you’d held onto the memory of it. You didn’t know if you’d ever see him again, but a part of you had always kept hope alive, silently believing he’d return. Then, as fate would have it, during a mission with several of the Konoha 11 to locate Sasuke after his fight with Itachi, you saw him again.

It was a mere glimpse—Sasuke standing there, exhausted but resolute, his form silhouetted against the fading light. Your eyes locked, and time seemed to stop. There was no exchange of words, only a quiet, intense gaze that held unspoken emotions neither of you fully understood. The years of silence fell away, leaving only the remnants of an old, unbroken bond. Sasuke didn’t smile, didn’t offer any sign, but in that moment, something deep inside him stirred—a flicker of familiarity and comfort he hadn’t felt in years.

And as you met his gaze, you felt the same. You didn’t know why, but seeing him there, alive, felt like a missing piece of yourself had returned, even if only for a moment.

—

During the war, Sasuke had seen you again. And this time, he saw a different side of you. Where once you’d been quiet and patient, a steady presence in his life, you now carried a fierceness that impressed him deeply. He watched you fight with skill and determination, handling challenges with calm resilience that rivaled his own. There was something about your confidence, your unyielding spirit in the face of danger, that drew his attention more than he’d admit.

He’d thought of you as the person who’d always been there, waiting in silence, yet now he saw you as so much more. A subtle respect had grown within him, and while he’d never voice it aloud, a part of him admired your strength, your growth, and the way you’d found your own place in the world, even without him.

In his mind, he couldn’t help but acknowledge it: You’ve become incredible…in ways I never expected.

—

It was after the war, after everything had finally ended, that you saw him again. He’d just come from the hospital, signs of fatigue in his features, but his gaze was clearer than you’d ever seen it. The two of you met by chance outside, and there was a moment of silent recognition as he nodded toward the path beside you, a quiet invitation.

You walked together in the growing twilight, the orange hues of the sunset casting long shadows around you as the last light dipped below the horizon. It was a familiar quietness, like so many moments from years ago, but this time, the air was charged with something heavier, something unresolved.

Finally, Sasuke stopped, looking away as he took a slow, measured breath. “I…,” he began, his voice rough, uncertain. “I owe you an apology.” He looked down at his hands, almost as if searching for the right words, his expression unreadable but tense.

You stayed silent, letting him gather his thoughts. He was never one to speak easily, especially about matters so close to the heart, and you knew he needed the space to work through this on his own.

“I was…cold,” he continued after a moment. His voice softened slightly, as if the admission took him by surprise. “Back then, I never… I never tried to explain myself. To anyone. Especially not to you.”

There was a brief pause, and he looked away, frustration crossing his face. “I don’t know how to say this,” he muttered, more to himself than to you. Then, after a moment, he turned his gaze toward you, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. “But I knew you were different. I knew I could…count on you. And I still left.”

Your chest tightened, emotions flooding in at the sound of his words. “Sasuke,” you whispered, unsure if you wanted him to continue or stop altogether.

He held up a hand, his gaze intense as he looked at you fully. “Let me finish,” he said, his tone gentler but still firm. “I’ve been thinking…about all of it. About how much you put up with. All the times you tried to help me, tried to understand me, and I never gave you a real answer.”

You could see the faintest hint of guilt in his eyes, a weight he’d carried, even if he didn’t fully understand why. “When I left,” he continued slowly, “I told myself it was for revenge, that nothing else mattered. But that last day, when I saw you…” He trailed off, searching your face as if looking for understanding. “It felt…wrong. Leaving you behind. I couldn’t explain it, not then. But it bothered me.”

You swallowed, feeling the lump in your throat. “Then why did you leave without a real goodbye?” you asked softly, your voice wavering.

Sasuke’s gaze dropped, his expression unreadable. “I thought…if I said more, if I tried to explain myself, I’d be too weak to actually go,” he admitted, his voice barely audible. “And I thought I had to be strong, to cut all ties. But it wasn’t that simple. You were the only one I said goodbye to. And even then, it…haunted me.”

For a moment, the silence stretched between you, filled with years of unspoken words. You could see the conflict in his expression, the way he struggled to put his emotions into words. “I didn’t realize how much I’d hurt you by leaving,” he continued, his voice almost a whisper. “And now, I know…I can’t change what I did. But I needed to say I’m sorry.”

Your heart ached at the vulnerability in his words, at the raw honesty you’d never seen from him before. “I was hurt, yes,” you admitted, fighting back tears. “I didn’t understand why you had to go, or why you couldn’t trust me enough to tell me. But I knew you had reasons. And despite everything, I forgave you long ago.”

He looked at you, surprise flickering in his eyes. “You forgave me?”

You nodded, a small, bittersweet smile crossing your face. “I figured, if I kept holding onto the hurt, it would only make things worse. And…I believed in you, Sasuke. Even if you didn’t say it, I felt like you cared. That was enough.”

He seemed to struggle with your words, almost uncomfortable with the weight of your forgiveness. “You always were too understanding,” he murmured, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone.

“And you were always too stubborn,” you countered gently, a soft laugh breaking the tension. “But that’s who you are.”

A faint, almost reluctant smile tugged at his lips. He looked away, as if the emotions were too much to bear. “I never…expected you to wait. For me to come back,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

You stepped closer, looking up at him, catching the brief flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. “It’s alright. You’re here now.”

Sasuke let out a quiet breath, his gaze softening. “Thank you,” he said, the words simple yet filled with meaning. It was as if, in that small phrase, he was saying everything he couldn’t put into words—the regret, the gratitude, the unspoken connection that had kept you tied to each other all these years.

As Sasuke turned to leave, the weight of his promise lingered in the air. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the village. You felt a renewed sense of hope, knowing that the bond you shared was stronger than ever, despite the trials you had both faced. And with that, a new beginning opened between you—a chance to rebuild not just your friendship but the trust and bond that had endured through years of silence and separation.

—

As the sun rose over Konoha, you found yourself at the training grounds, practicing your techniques. The rhythmic sound of your feet hitting the ground echoed through the quiet morning. You focused, but your thoughts kept drifting back to Sasuke. The lingering memory of his apology had stirred something within you, a warmth that urged you to hope for more.

“Focus,” a familiar voice called out, snapping you from your reverie. You turned to see Sasuke approaching, his brow furrowed in concentration as he watched you. “Your stance is off.”

You grinned, feeling a rush of happiness at the sight of him. “Thanks for the tip, Sensei,” you teased lightly, adjusting your stance. He rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile ghosted across his lips, reminding you of the boy you had known long ago.

As you trained together, the air buzzed with unspoken comfort. Occasionally, he would offer you pointers, his tone serious yet softening with every exchange. Each shared glance held unspoken understanding, a reminder of the bond you were slowly rebuilding.

—

One evening, you found a quiet spot near the river, the gentle sound of flowing water providing a calming backdrop. You both sat on the grass, enjoying the peace that surrounded you. The sunset cast a golden hue across the landscape, and you couldn’t help but feel content.

“Do you remember the first time we came here?” you asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Sasuke glanced at you, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a faint smile.

“Yeah,” he replied, his voice thoughtful. “You fell in the water trying to catch a frog.”

You laughed, the memory bringing warmth to your chest. “I was determined! But you helped me out,” you reminded him.

“Because you wouldn’t stop whining,” he shot back, but there was a hint of fondness in his tone. The two of you reminisced about old memories, the laughter bridging the gaps between the past and the present.

—

After a long day of training, you decided to share a meal. You prepared a simple dinner, and when Sasuke arrived, you laid out the food on a small table outside. The night air was cool, and fireflies danced around you as you both dug in.

“This isn’t bad,” he remarked after taking a bite, surprising you with his praise. You raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a smile.

“Just ‘not bad’? I thought I could impress you,” you teased, leaning back in your chair. Sasuke glanced at you, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

“Impressing me isn’t easy,” he replied, but there was a lightness to his words now, a softness that made your heart race.

As you both enjoyed the meal, the atmosphere was filled with easy conversation, laughter, and the comfort of companionship. It felt natural, as if the years apart had only strengthened the connection between you.

—

One night, after a particularly exhausting day, you both lay on the grass outside the village, gazing up at the stars. The sky was clear, and you pointed out constellations, your excitement palpable.

“Look, that’s the Big Dipper!” you exclaimed, tracing its outline with your finger. Sasuke turned his head slightly, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

“Do you really believe in that stuff?” he asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

“Why not? It’s nice to think there’s something bigger out there,” you replied, glancing at him. He was silent for a moment, contemplating your words.

“Maybe,” he finally said, his tone thoughtful. “But I think…what’s important is right here.” He motioned between the two of you, and the weight of his words settled warmly in your chest. It was a small moment, yet it held the promise of something deeper.

—

As the day approached for Sasuke to leave on his next mission, the mood between you grew heavier. You both knew it was part of his duty, part of who he was, but the thought of him being away again made your heart ache.

“Be careful,” you urged, your voice softer than usual as you stood at the village gate. He met your gaze, the intensity of his dark eyes making you feel like he was searching for something.

“I will,” he promised, and for a moment, you felt a sense of peace.

“Just…don’t take too long this time,” you added, trying to keep your tone light despite the lump in your throat. Sasuke paused, and in that moment, you saw the flicker of a smile.

“Next time we meet,” he said slowly, his voice steady, “I’ll make sure to have a better goodbye.” And with that, he left, and you knew that this time, you would be waiting.

With each encounter, the distance that once defined your relationship faded, replaced by a deepening connection that felt both familiar and new. As time passed, you both embraced the changes, finding solace in each other’s presence, which slowly turned from friendship into something more.

The journey had been long, marked by pain and loss, but now, as you walked alongside Sasuke once again, the path ahead felt promising. The bond you shared was evolving, hinting at the possibility of love, quietly waiting to be acknowledged.

—

As the weeks turned into months and the months quickly into a year, the bond between you and Sasuke continued to deepen. The unspoken tension between you lingered like an electric current, and every shared laugh, every moment spent in each other’s company seemed to ignite something new in your hearts. Yet, while the connection felt undeniable, neither of you had taken the leap to acknowledge the shift. Sasuke, in particular, struggled with the burgeoning feelings that swirled within him.

Sitting outside on a warm summer evening, you both watched the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The air was still, and for a moment, it felt as though time had stopped. You turned to look at Sasuke, who was staring intently at the sky, his face illuminated by the fading light.

“What are you thinking about?” you asked, breaking the silence. He shifted slightly, glancing at you with an expression that was both contemplative and guarded.

“Just… how everything has changed,” he replied, his voice low. “It feels different now.”

You nodded, your heart fluttering at the possibility of him meaning more than just the sunset. “Yeah, it really does. We’ve come a long way.”

He didn’t respond immediately, and you could sense that he was grappling with something deeper, something he wasn’t quite ready to voice. Sasuke had always been more comfortable with action than words, and you respected that, even as you wished he could share more of what was on his mind.

As the stars began to twinkle overhead, you lay back on the grass, watching the constellations appear one by one. “Do you remember the stories we used to tell each other about the stars?” you asked, your voice soft and reminiscent.

He chuckled softly, the sound warming your heart. “I remember you always had some elaborate story about them.”

“Of course! They were all very important,” you teased, sitting up to face him. “And you always pretended not to care, but I know you did.”

Sasuke looked at you, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Maybe I did,” he admitted, his gaze softening. “You just… have a way of making things seem more interesting.”

That comment made your heart skip. You smiled back, feeling a rush of warmth at the sincerity in his eyes. “Well, I’m glad I could entertain you.”

As the moments passed, you both fell into a comfortable silence. But the quiet between you was filled with an unspoken understanding, and that was when it struck Sasuke.

Days later, Sasuke found himself deep in thought as he trained alone in the woods outside Konoha. Each punch and kick felt more powerful, fueled by a growing sense of determination. But as the sweat dripped down his brow and he paused to catch his breath, it hit him like a jolt of electricity.

He loved you.

The realization was startling, yet it made perfect sense. You had always been there for him, through his darkness and his pain. You never pushed him to be someone he wasn’t; instead, you patiently allowed him to be himself, to feel the way he felt, and to heal at his own pace. While he had spent years isolating himself, you were the one person who saw through his walls and accepted him as he was.

And it wasn’t just about your patience; it was the way you challenged him. You made him think, you brought laughter into his life, and you shared your dreams and fears with him, fostering a connection that felt both intimate and genuine. You had never demanded anything from him, yet your presence was a light in the shadows that surrounded him.

As he stood there, a countless of emotions flooded him—fear, joy, and a fierce longing to express what he felt. But there was also anxiety; what if you didn’t feel the same way? The thought of losing the friendship that meant so much to him was almost unbearable.

A week passed since Sasuke’s revelation, and he knew he could no longer keep his feelings to himself. The next evening, he invited you to meet him by the river—the same spot where you had shared so many laughs and memories. He arrived early, his heart racing with anticipation and dread.

When you approached, the sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow on the water’s surface. You smiled brightly at him, and for a moment, he forgot his nerves.

“Hey! You’re early!” you exclaimed, settling beside him on the bank.

“Yeah, I wanted to make sure I had some time to think,” he replied, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside.

“Thinking about what?” you asked, tilting your head curiously.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come. “About us,” he said, his tone serious.

Your eyes widened slightly, and he could see the intrigue mixed with concern in your expression. “Us?”

“Yes.” He hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. About everything—about what we’ve been through and how much you mean to me.”

You shifted slightly closer, your heart racing at the intensity of his gaze. “Sasuke, what are you trying to say?”

He paused, gathering his thoughts, the weight of his feelings pressing down on him. “You’ve always been there for me. Even when I pushed everyone away, you never gave up on me. You let me be who I am, without judgment or expectation. And… I don’t think I ever truly expressed how much that means to me.”

His words hung in the air, and you watched him, your breath caught in your throat. The sincerity in his eyes was palpable, and you felt a warmth spread through your chest. “I… I appreciate that, Sasuke. I really do.”

He swallowed hard, his resolve strengthening as he continued. “But it’s more than that. Being with you, talking with you, training together—it’s brought me a sense of peace I didn’t know I needed. And I’ve realized… I love you.”

Silence fell between you, the weight of his confession settling like a blanket over the two of you. Your heart raced, and you felt a mixture of shock and elation.

“You love me?” you echoed, your voice barely above a whisper.

Sasuke nodded, his expression earnest. “I do. I’ve tried to ignore it, but it’s become impossible. I don’t want to hide how I feel anymore.”

Tears pricked your eyes, not out of sadness, but joy. “Sasuke, I love you too!” you exclaimed, unable to contain the happiness that bubbled inside you. “I’ve felt this way for so long, but I never knew if you felt the same.”

A rare smile broke across his face, and the tension that had been coiled in his shoulders eased. “You really do?”

“Of course!” You reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. “You’re my best friend. I’ve always cared for you, but it’s grown into something deeper, something beautiful.”

The moment felt surreal as you both sat there, fingers laced together, hearts racing in synchrony. Sasuke’s grip tightened around your hand, a warmth radiating from his touch that sent shivers down your spine.

“Then let’s not waste any more time,” he said, his voice soft yet resolute. “I want to be with you—fully, completely.”

You nodded, a wide smile spreading across your face. “I want that too.”

He leaned closer, and you could see the uncertainty in his eyes, a vulnerability that was rare for him. “Can I… kiss you?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

“Yes,” you breathed, your heart racing as he leaned in. His lips brushed against yours, tentative at first, before deepening the kiss. It was sweet, filled with all the unspoken words and emotions that had built up between you over the years. Time seemed to stand still as you both melted into each other, the world around you fading away.

When you finally pulled apart, you felt breathless, a sense of joy flooding your heart. Sasuke smiled softly, and for the first time, you saw a glimpse of the warmth that lay beneath his typically stoic exterior.

“Wow,” he murmured, his cheeks slightly flushed. “That was… nice.”

You laughed, the sound light and full of happiness. “Nice? That’s all you’ve got?”

“I mean, it was more than nice,” he corrected himself, his gaze intense. “It was everything.”

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the horizon in shades of purple and gold, you sat together, hands intertwined, feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment. The future felt bright, filled with possibilities and adventures yet to come.

Sasuke glanced at you, his expression softening. “I know I’m not great with words, but I want you to know I’m here for you. I’ll always protect you.”

You squeezed his hand, a smile dancing on your lips. “And I’ll be here for you too, no matter what. Together.”

The two of you shared another kiss, the warmth of your connection solidifying the bond that had been formed through trials and time. With every moment spent together, you knew you would navigate whatever came next, hand in hand.

note : If you liked it, I’d appreciate it if you could please leave a like and reblog. ᥫ᭡

Throughout the series, there's something really interesting about the narrative journey we go on when exploring the mangekyo sharingan (how it works, what it means, who has access to it, etc). We (the reader) first learn about its existence through Sasuke and Itachi and our early knowledge of this phenomenon is incredibly limited (and, in some ways, very flawed) because of that.

We eventually come to learn that Itachi has a vested interest in deceiving Sasuke at this stage in the story and many of the 'truths' he offers Sasuke about their clan's abilities are little more than lies designed to set Sasuke on a certain path/encourage him to draw conclusions that benefit Itachi's plans. Now, this isn't to say it's all a lie as some facets do remain true once we are exposed to different narrators/contrary evidence (ie. the mangkeyo is indeed an incredibly powerful evolution of the already coveted three-tomoe sharingan and it's not exactly common by any means) but the actual rarity of it throughout the Uchiha clan's history and the means by which it is 'awakened' are pretty easily debunked (at least when it comes to Itachi's first few explanations which, again, exist for their own specific purposes).

Obviously, building off of this understanding, the 'you must kill your best friend to unlock it' idea is grossly exaggerated. Now, I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility since I'm sure something so intensely emotional and heartbreaking could have the potential to awaken the mangekyo but we never actually see an Uchiha do this.

The two cases of a real-time mangekyo transformation that we do see and know for certain are Sasuke and Obito.

Sasuke awakens his mangekyo due to a combination of factors: 1.) learning that his beloved older brother sacrificed everything (including himself) under the notion that it was the only way to protect Sasuke (this is also amplified by the revelation that the older brother he adored, idolized and loved was still out there all this time) and 2.) that his entire life, all his suffering and sacrifice, was based around a complete lie.

To me (and I do think we can interpret it in different ways), this mangekyo transformation reflects the ideas of unadulterated heartbreak in addition to profound, earth-shattering betrayal. That the village he once called home had deemed the conditions surrounding the UCM acceptable, conditions that led to the merciless slaughter of people whose only crime was being born Uchiha, and that decision then snowballing into Sasuke's life becoming a living hell, was understandably far too much for him to bear.

At its core, Obito has a similar awakening in that he too was essentially forced to grapple with the unjust, unfiltered cruelty of the world he lives in and as he comes to terms with this, it's so devastating that it shatters his faith in reality itself. The hopelessness is profound - trying to save, protect, and do 'good' become warped in his mind as he comes to view them as now-futile endeavors.

While Sasuke's manifestation takes a bit of time to settle as he comes to new internal conclusions and begins to question everything he's ever known up to this point in his life, Obito's is quick, near-instant and it results in an absolutely brutal rampage and slaughter as his emotional turmoil boils over.

Of course, even if it's not depicted directly, we know through context that 'at some point' Shisui, Izuna, Madara, and Indra have all awakened the mangekyo as well.

And here I will add that, naturally, we know Itachi also awakened his. Although, I actually ran into some unexpected issues when I was re-examining his exact experience with the mangekyo (but maybe I'm just missing something - please, feel free to correct me on this).

While I think it's near-universally accepted that Itachi's mangekyo was triggered by witnessing Shisui's suicide (and was therefore also influenced by the implications of that decision/circumstances surrounding it which revealed that shit was about to hit the fan and the peace he so desired was likely impossible/futile), as I was scouring my scans in reference to this post and rereading a few of the chapters I assumed it might be mentioned in, I couldn't actually find a panel that concretely stated any of this. I think it's just heavily implied given the fact we know the bond between Itachi and Shisui was strong enough that Shisui gifted Itachi his eyes for safekeeping, but, yeah, I was surprised I couldn't find more explicit evidence in the manga for this (again, unless I'm just missing something glaringly obvious - totally possible, lol). Don't get me wrong, I'm still under the impression that it was Shisui's suicide/the combined weight of the growing pressure that was placed on him between the village, the clan, and his dedication to Sasuke's continued safety that triggered Itachi's mangekyo. I guess I'm just more surprised this was mostly covered in the expanded material (which is sometimes dubious as far as 'canon' goes) rather than the manga itself.

Anyways, all of this is really to say that I think it's safe to assume the mangekyo, similar to the base sharingan, is unlocked via intense emotion and not the blood libel-esque myths and stereotypes that persist about the Uchiha and their abilities. Since the sharingan can be interpreted/viewed as a reflection of the heart (an analogy I've always found really apt), the materialization of the mangekyo could be seen as the 'shattering' of that heart to better capture the distinction between it and the base sharingan.

But there's still a lot of room for interpretation, of course, and it makes complete sense that something like this wouldn't be an exact science - there will always be outliers and because of that I think looking at it as the experience of 'intense emotional response' coupled with 'radical internal resolve/revelation' better captures the wide breadth of how one might obtain these eyes.

While I love the way Sasuke awakens his mangekyo and find the panels to be utterly harrowing in how they depict Sasuke's emotional response (seriously, go back and reread that chapter if you haven't revisited it in a while, the emoting done with Sasuke is incredible and the anime does not do it justice, imo... it never does, lol), there is just something so brutal about Obito's that I keep returning to.

Both are extremely raw and rooted in deep, unfathomable pain, but the fact we get to see the devastating results of Obito's and how this is not 'just' relentless, unabashed slaughter in response to his despair over Rin's unjust situation/death but it is also the very elimination of who Obito was up to that point is illustrated so well. Here, he transforms and the emergence of the mangekyo serves as the backdrop of that transformation. In this chapter, the charming, inherently kind and caring person Obito once was, ceases to exist in light of his unfolding disillusionment over the futility of life itself.

And that got me thinking...

We know that Madara worked with Zetsu to plan this trial for Obito as a means to manipulate him. He needed to groom Obito into someone who would be capable of carrying out his plan once he died. Knowing this, it really makes me wonder how Madara himself understands mangekyo awakenings (or what might have influenced that understanding) since he essentially had to plan the delicate circumstances of one from scratch to get what he wanted out of Obito.

Sure, he would of course have his own experiences to reflect on, but consider that the mangekyo sharingan is an unconscious, internal evolution... I would assume there are parts of this experience that are simply unknowable to the bearer (the why/how matter far less in the moment than the 'what' which results in the immediacy of this process), especially if we consider they are likely deep in whatever emotional event is triggering it.

In that case, I kind of wonder if Madara's 'true' understanding of the mangekyo (what it is, how it operates, why it happens) only really came after he witnessed his brother endure the process. Seeing it happen to someone else, especially someone he can easily analyze due to how close the two of them are, might have been extremely revealing.

And, playing off of that idea, this then makes me believe that the incident he planned for Obito might have mirrored aspects of the event that resulted in Izuna's mangekyo. Essentially, Madara would have been able to reflect on the change he observed in his brother and then meticulously hand-craft an ordeal that would affect Obito in a similar manner, hoping to capture the same results. Since he had both his own experience and that of his brother's, I think that combined knowledge would bolster his confidence that such circumstances would ultimately result in Obito's despair (again, he needed to make this happen).

So, what I'm picturing is a young(er) Madara (a very different Madara than the one sitting in a cave and planning to weaponize such a harrowing experience against a child of his own clan) watching in horror as Izuna rampages and savagely eviscerates the targets of his ire in pure rage and anguish upon awakening his mangekyo. It's likely devastating for him to watch, a memory that keeps him up at night and serves as just one more reminder of him being unable to protect his brother from the savagery of the world - of him failing as a protector.

To watch his brother he loved so dearly lose parts of himself and transform into someone who (like him) now knew true heartbreak would have (imo) left a lasting impression on Madara.

...An impression that he then utilized against Obito as a ruthless guarantee to not just foster his future successor's power/visual prowess but to also no doubt destroy his belief that any aspect of this world/reality was worth salvaging and therefore the only answer left was Project Tsukuyomi...

That Madara would twist what he knew of Izuna's experience in such a way would also work so well to signal his continued corruption and the departure from who he once was. In a sense, it would be him sacrificing an aspect of Izuna's legacy and essentially soiling its memory by using what he knows to force Obito into a similar state (full well-knowing the emotional/mental cost).

And then it becomes even more tragic when we later see Obito continuing this cycle by drafting the same conditions so he can groom Sasuke (cue the unplanned 5KS gauntlet and pushing him into accepting Itachi's eyes, something he was originally very much against). But that's for a different post, I think.

Mostly, I bring all this up to explore the idea of Izuna's mangekyo and the ideas I'm trying to marry together when I consider my 'headcanon' for it.

To me, these are the key factors at play:

As stated, the mangekyo involves intense emotional revelations that can serve to symbolize dramatic transformation from within the bearer as they come to new conclusions, thoughts, and ideas.

The world Izuna inherited was already dark and unforgiving - whatever triggered his mangekyo would likely need to be an event that shocks even someone familiar with such a bleak reality.

Izuna is deeply tied to Madara and their bond is profound.

I think we can safely speculate that Izuna's hatred of the Senju was similarly profound. Even with his dying breath he refused to see peace with them and his word alone stayed Madara's hand from accepting Hashirama's offer.

I personally think it would be neat to explore the concept of Madara learning from Izuna's experience in such a way that Izuna's mangekyo story mirrors Obito's in terms of its gravity and reaction (ie, bring on the carnage).

All that said, my personal headcanon leans towards Izuna reacting violently to whatever triggers his mangekyo - so violently, in fact, that it's almost difficult for Madara to watch. While Madara might similarly be horrified/angered by the events they're witnessing, I think the surprise of seeing his brother react so intensely (and to have that intensity verified with the manifestation of his mangekyo of all things) would really give him pause as Izuna, blinded by his raw emotions, rampages.

But what could that event be?

It could be the death of Tajima, a close friend making a sacrifice, etc... but I just feel like Izuna would likely be prepared for events like those and might have even come to accept them (I think it's notable, for example, that Madara didn't awaken his sharingan when any of his other brothers died -whom I'm sure he loved/wanted to protect- but rather from the more foreign pain that emerged from realizing his dream with Hashirama, their friendship and connection, was futile).

Now, of course there's a difference between accepting such things may come to be and then actually experiencing them (meaning he can be as prepared as he wants but find himself still deeply affected by the event anyways and therefore obtains his mangekyo that way) but I kind of want to play with some of the other horror elements that lap at the surface of the very fucked-up world that is the Naruto-verse for something a little more new/unique.

This is lowkey 'dark' (so, please mind yourself), but a concept that I find uniquely grotesque in the Naruto-verse is bloodline thieves. While seemingly condemned, we know in actuality it's still a relatively accepted practice behind closed doors even within Naruto's era. We also see how the sharingan in particular is coveted, how corpses are maimed and the dead are defiled to unlock its secrets (à la Orochimaru's whole deal, Danzo harvesting sharingan for himself after orchestrating the genocide of the clan, Tobirama studying Madara's body in search for Uchiha 'secrets' rather than destroying it or returning it to his clan, etc). Additionally, we know that there are issues with the 'plug-and-go' method of 'stealing' a sharingan. For non-Uchiha, the use of the sharingan causes immense drain and there's a natural, inherent finesse/mastery they will never posses.

It's this dark, disgusting reality that I think would really fundamentally change Izuna. He already knows the cruel war tactics of forced starvation, biowarfare, and indiscriminate killing/carnage... but I feel like witnessing the dark depths of bloodline thievery/their tactics would cut too deeply. It's so unsettling and incredibly dehumanizing to not just kill someone but to reap 'trophies' from their body and wear them as if you're entitled to it (and, as discussed, the sharingan is not merely some 'fun' ability all Uchiha bear from birth - there is a significant personal cost to unlocking it that adds weight to what those eyes signify).

We know from his declaration to Madara about not letting the Senju deceive him that Izuna refuses to excuse the past wrongs done to their people. Yes, there's obvious hypocrisy in this idea, but we're just looking at this from Izuna's perspective at the moment. While this conviction was likely formed over countless battles against rival clans, I do think an event where Izuna maybe came face-to-face with the most callous disregard for his kin would have solidified it.

Perhaps it was being faced with a known enemy who now bore the exact eyes of one of Izuna's loved ones as if it was their own. It could be a cousin, a lover, or even Tajima's... but he knows those eyes, he knows what those eyes meant to that person. He might even be there facing this enemy trying to avenge their death and, now, here they are before him - mocking that person's memory and callously bearing their eyes.

Or maybe it was coming across an underground bunker filled with Uchiha women of varying ages. They're chained and being kept captive for the sole purpose of breeding a natural sharingan bearer for the rival clan that plans to mold that child into someone who would fight on their behalf.

Conversely, what if Madara and Izuna received intel that several Uchiha children had been kidnapped? The two brothers mount a rescue and rush to save them only to discover that all the children had been tortured to death in a crude attempt by whoever captured them to force the children into awakening the sharingan so they might harvest it for their own purposes.

There's something so sickening about the concept and methods surrounding bloodline thievery that I think would sway even a hardened soldier like Izuna. It's fundamentally inhuman. There's no moral justification for it, though those who practice it would argue such things aid in their own brutal calculus of survival - it gives them an edge - hence why they're willing to stoop so low.

But seeing that up close, especially with how tight-knit the Uchiha are as a community and culturally what their identity as a family/unique people means to them... I think it would break something inside of Izuna. It doesn't even have to be the Senju who do it (though... I don't know, Tobirama's proclivity for pursuing ethically questionable jutsu/'scientific' study couldn't have appeared out of thin air...), but regardless of the perpetrator it leads to Izuna's revelation that everything must now be framed as the Uchiha v. The World and there's absolutely no room for anything else. If this is how the world will treat them, how it will hunt them down and defile them, then the world should be damned and everyone else can burn for all he cares.

Izuna, bearing his fresh mangekyo, mercilessly slicing down his enemies as he blinks away bloody tears of heartbreak, declares that the rest of the world that exists beyond their clan is dead to him and Madara then watches (perhaps silently) in real-time as gore fills the scene before him and his baby brother's last shred of innocence is decidedly destroyed.

Once the adrenaline and shock finally dies down, Madara regains himself and his big brother instincts kick in. He finds Izuna still wrestling with his feelings and offers whatever comfort he can. Madara also now understands more clearly what the mangekyo means and the revelations it can inspire... he knows his brother is no longer the same person he once was.

I've mentioned it in another post, but I think it makes so much sense for the Uchiha perspective on the sharingan (and its associated powers) to be complicated... for them (given the unique context they possess as it's their culture) to see someone bear a sharingan is to know, on some level, that they've endured something challenging - be it loss, terror, betrayal, pain, etc.

Sasuke actually illustrates this perfectly when he flashes his eyes towards Hashirama and insists that he's not a child and doesn't need to be coddled - in this way, the sharingan (and its transformations) operates almost like a battle scar. It's a visible sign of one's experience and what life they have led... and whatever subsequent transformations might be present in those eyes, reveals the repeated occurence of such things.

Hm, there's always so much to think about, lol, but I fear I'm making this way too long (per usual).

Anyways, I'm mostly curious what everyone else's reads/thoughts are on this topic. How do you think Izuna awakened his mangekyo? How do you think Madara reacted to it?

Disclaimers: I use what we have from the manga more as foundational basis for how I came to imagine Izuna's mangekyo awakening, but I think there can be a lot of varying interpretation given how the sharingan behaves symbolically within the narrative. And I don't mean to make Obito's awakening any less tragic or meaningful to him when I try to connect Izuna to it. I just think it could be an interesting parallel to explore and I acknowledge that the circumstances (meaning the details/how it comes about) would be vastly different... more so, I think the reaction was what I wanted to bridge off of. Where I think characters like Sasuke and (likely) Itachi had more contemplative awakenings, the brutality associated with Obito's was what ultimately intrigued me as a potential example for Izuna (that I could then draw parallels to Madara and connect him to it was just a bonus, lol).

Also, end of the day, this is mostly just headcanon and a drawing I wanted to do.

Here's the uncolored version (I'm so insecure about how I color/know it's one of my weak spots and I've never tried depicting blood before, but I wanted to try something new/take risks):