This Boy Is In Need Of Some Hugs

This boy is in need of some hugs 😭

also, bonus panels:

kind of related to my prev post of sns feeling safe around each other, and this is smth that I wanted to talk about for a while now but probs won’t be anywhere near as coherent as I want it to BUT. these little children shinobi tools have been living in survival mode for YEARS. sasuke with the massacre of his clan, being alone, having his ambition be fuelled by hatred and grief and the loss of love. conversely, naruto has no love, is shunned, abused, verbally and physically implied, both of these boys are just trying to get through the next day of their lives, striving to reach their goals and bearing the weight of so much. 

and then they graduate from the academy and are thrust into the shinobi world and what that truly means, the danger of it all. I noticed in their beginning missions, and the chuunin exams, they were afraid. they said/thought it, they were shaking in fear, because yes! they were children afraid for their lives! and they never caught a break! then for sasuke it was orochimaru followed by itachi’s return. for naruto it was orochimaru followed by sasuke’s departure. always fighting. always violence. that’s all they knew.

and yet, throughout this time, throughout all this fear and trauma, they made each other happy. they found moments of peace and quiet with the other. even in battle with their lives on the line, naruto and sasuke fought together, alongside the other, trusting each other. they felt safe with the other by their side. and outside of battle too. spending time with each other saved them from the crushing weight of loneliness that came bearing down at the end of the day in the form of quiet, empty rooms where once there was noise. or where there should’ve been noise to begin with but never was.

then they drastically change after the time skip after they get stronger and more experienced even in the face of terrifying situations. Sasuke is stoic, calm, cool, collected. Even when facing off against Orochimaru during the soul transfer which is terrifying! it just looks like it’s another Tuesday for him. With Deidara, Sasuke can’t even be bothered to look bothered. It was only when he thought Itachi was going to kill him did Sasuke look terrified again, making the scene that much more poignant because you could feel Sasuke’s fear that he hadn’t shown in ages. And then all that happened afterwards. Inside was a storm of emotions brewing, an anger and grief so strong that would crush most. 

With Naruto, alongside fearing that the Kyuubi will get out and he’ll lose control, there’s a crushing weight of responsibility that accumulates throughout Shippuden as he becomes everyone’s hero through the Akatsuki arc and while also trying to save Sasuke although the world is against him. It’s when he realises this that things come crushing down for Naruto. He’s afraid people are going to kill Sasuke! He has a panic attack. Naruto’s fear manifests itself into physical symptoms. naruto thinks about everything by himself, he doesn’t let anyone in truly, either his true feelings or to help fight (except sasuke). and naruto can repress dark!naruto or whatever that was and take on the hero mantle but he can’t repress what it is he feels for sasuke, the fear he has of losing him. 

naruto says himself both sasuke and him had to bear a lot of responsibilities on their shoulders, and he tells sasuke that they’ll die together, yet naruto looks happy doing so, almost relieved, that they’ll get rid of the burdens of being an uchiha and a jinchuuriki through death. they were both so so so traumatised by the hand fate dealt them that death looked like a release. at least they’ll be together. even at the end sasuke was planning on putting an end to himself. their trauma cuts deep but the love and safety they found in each other ran deeper. and they reconciled, vowing to take on each other’s wishes, pain, and live together instead.

warm hug

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Glimmer: *Nudging Adora* Why are you always falling asleep on me? Am I that boring?

Adora: *Half asleep* You make me feel safe.

He’s so buggable 🫂

Fairgame thought of the day: Clover embracing Qrow with his big strong arms, cradling his head to his chest, and making Qrow feel safer than he ever has in his whole life