Here. We. Go! AU-gust 2022 prompt list just dropped! Go on and spread the word!
What is AU-gust? It stands for Alternate Universe August, and it is a creative challenge for everyone. Writers, artists, fans; anyone can join! Be sure to check out our FAQ for more answers! Join us on Twitter,AO3,Discord and under the tags #AU_gust and #AU_gust_2022.
Special thanks to yaoyorozoops for creating this year’s graphics!
[Image ID: 31 days challenge prompt list as follows: 1 Underwater, 2 Artist’s Muse, 3 Countryside, 4 Dinosaurs, 5 Teachers, 6 Fairies, 7 Science Fantasy, 8 Literal Hell, 9 Coffee Shop, 10 Space Academy, 11 Twisted Fairy Tale, 12 Candyman, 13 Reboot/Fresh Start, 14 Food Truck, 15 Hanahaki Disease, 16 Psychological Horror, 17 Annoying Neighbour, 18 Choir, 19 Spies & Assassins, 20 Space Colonisation, 21 Ghosts, 22 Surfers, 23 Infinite Loop, 24 Childhood Friends, 25 Mad Scientist, 26 Paparazzi, 27 Adoptive Family, 28 Unicorns, 29 Where It All Went Wrong, 30 The Good End, 31 Two of the above. You have three Jokers: Soulmate AU, Theatre AU, Yandere AU]
Sicktember is a month-long, multi-fandom prompt event that is taking place in September! This event focuses on sick characters and their caregivers.
Please refer to our FAQ. If you still have questions or need clarification, feel free to send an ask on this blog, or our personal blogs @yes-i-am-happyaspieand@obsessionoftheday.
We are so excited about this event and hope to have lots of participation! We can’t wait to read what you all create with these prompts!
As per popular vote, the event will be running in September this year - specific dates being the 18th through the 24th. Each day will have two different prompts to choose from - as always, please keep in mind the following about the prompts and the event in general:
You can choose one prompt or both per day, or you can skip a day. There is no minimum or maximum participation requirement
You can take the prompts as literally or as loosely as you like
This is a tumblr event. We will not be making an AO3 collection, nor will we be on any other platform. You are, however, more than welcome to host your content on other platforms and share a link on tumblr for us to promote.
Please review our rules and regulations post - we’ve even made it cleaner for you this year
Tagging rules will be below the prompt list, under a cut. Please remember to tag your content properly. The mod team is small, and the way we reblog/tag content is clicking OPs tags to quick add them - there is no way we could properly tag our reblogs otherwise.
By tags, we mean the actual tag section of a tumblr post. Putting everything at the top of your post is amazing and wonderful, and a practice we do commend, but it does not count in this regard. Use the actual tags section, or we will not reblog your content. If anyone has any questions about this, our inbox and DMs are open - we are here to help and want to promote your content.
Sunday 18th: Badass Kunoichi | Loss, grief, and death
Hey guys, there is just two weeks left to nominate prompt suggestions for the mazes for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2022: The Supernatural & Paranormal!
Whether you think of ghost hunters, vampires, witches, demons, or cults, there’s all kinds of ways to interpret the theme; and we would like to hear about what it means to you.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the KakaIru Maze Challenge, or you would like to be reminded of the rules & guidelines, please take a look at last year’s post! We will post this year’s version very soon!
If you have any questions, please contact us! Mod @kakairu-shrine is the one in charge, so it is best to go directly to her.
Hey there! The votes are in, and it was a veryclose race, but we do have a winning theme for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2022! And that is…
The Supernatural & Paranormal!
Whether you think of ghost hunters, vampires, witches, demons, or cults, there’s all kinds of ways to interpret the theme; and we would like to hear about what it means to you.
What kind of things come to mind when you think of the supernatural and paranormal? What excites you about it? Is there anything in particular you would love to see explored in an amazing fic, or captured in gorgeous art?
If your mind is overflowing with ideas, or even if you just have one or two that work with the theme, please go to our form to submit your prompt suggestions for the mazes!
The last day to submit suggestions will be 31st May; and on 1st June, sign ups will open!
Now that the theme is revealed, we would like to kick things off with Part 1 of this year’s event fic, Liberation, which you can read below the cut! Like last year, each part will be released in certain stages of the event; so make sure you keep an eye out on our posts!
If you have any questions, please contact us! Mod @kakairu-shrine is the one in charge, so it is best to go directly to her.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the KakaIru Maze Challenge, or you would like to be reminded of the rules & guidelines, please take a look at last year’s post! We will post this year’s version very soon!
We can’t wait to see your ideas!
Liberation: Part 1
Iruka walked silently along the dimly lit street, studying his surroundings carefully. It was dangerous for a human to be wandering around this time of night; and if he wasn’t on the top of his game, he could become a victim, too. That was why he was here in the first place.
Lately there have been a string of attacks from a rogue vampire that was not just thirsty for blood, but murder, too; and after others had failed to find and slay it several times now, Tsunade had finally sent him to dispose of it.
Iruka wished she had sent him to begin with, instead of the younger vampire slayers. Sure, they were quite skilled for their age, and did need to go on these kinds of missions to gain experience, but more often than not, in their excitement to kill vampires, teenagers tended to overlook things, and either got seriously injured or killed. And he didn’t want to see another body bag. Not when death could be prevented by sending someone like him, an expert, instead.
Suddenly, Iruka felt like he was being watched; and his hand trailed to his hip, where his holster was strapped, as he studied everything more carefully, more alert than ever.
He didn’t see anything unusual around him, but somehow, the shadows seemed darker, and the world quieter, as though nature knew there was a predator lurking about, and had crept back into safety, and was observing sadly, knowing that there would be another victim of the night soon.
But when Iruka saw a shadow leaping off a roof toward him from behind, he quickly side-stepped and pulled out his stake, ready to fight. Humans weren’t going to be the victim this time.
The vampire landed on all fours where Iruka had been standing seconds before, and turned its head towards him, bearing its fangs as it let out a ferocious snarl; and when Iruka charged right for it, going straight for the attack, it rose and dove for his neck, hungry, and eager for his blood.
Iruka stumbled back as it slammed into him, and pushed it away as it tried to bite him, but the vampire was strong and began to overpower him. If Iruka had to guess, it was newly transformed, considering how animalistic and desperate for blood it was - it would do anything, it seemed; and its lack of control, and strong will made it dangerous.
But a new vampire’s beast-like manner was also a weak point, Iruka had learnt. Sure, they were stronger in general, but they also weren’t as aware of their surroundings than adjusted vampires; and he knew how to use that to his advantage.
The vampire knocked Iruka to the ground in the struggle, and quickly gripped ahold of his shoulders tightly, holding him down as it went in for the bite, but before it could sink its fangs into his skin, Iruka mustered all of his strength and plunged his stake into it, stabbing it in the heart; and it stiffened and let out a guttural scream before going limp and falling heavily on top of him.
Iruka lay still, waiting anxiously to see if the vampire was going to fight back, but a few seconds later, it turned to ash; and he sighed in relief as his stake rolled onto the ground and the weight was lifted from him.
Iruka grabbed his weapon and put it back in place when he rose; and as he began to brush the ashes off his clothes, an evening breeze came by, spreading them across the land; and Iruka put a hand to his chest.
“You can rest easy now.” He said, watching the vampire’s remains scatter. “May you reach the place you’re supposed to be.”
When he had confirmed that everything was fine in the area, Iruka turned to make his way back to the vampire slayer hideout and report, but after a few paces, he heard a strange call, and looked up to see an owl flying for him, holding a small tube with its feet.
When it reached him, it dropped the tube, and flew up to the nearest tree to sit and wait; and Iruka opened the tube curiously, wondering why Tsunade had sent him a message when she knew he’d be returning soon.
Iruka,
I need you to finish your mission as quickly as possible, as there is somewhere else I need you to be.
About a week ago, I sent Kakashi to remove a small coven that has recently taken over the pub near the bank; and he hasn’t returned yet. I am concerned that the mission wasn’t as easy as it seemed, and that something has happened to him.
Please investigate his disappearance and rescue him, and aid him in killing the remaining vampires if you can.
Time is of the essence.
- Tsunade
As Iruka read the message, his hands began to shake, and his heart dropped; and he began to sprint to his next destination. He had to leave. Now.
Thank you to everyone who nominated prompts for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2022! There were so many wonderful suggestions, but somehow, we’ve managed to narrow them down to only 20!
It was very hard to choose the top ones since so many of them were so good, but by basing our decision on how generic the theme was and how easy it would be to come up with prompts for the mazes, we managed to cut the list down.
With a lot of the particularly specific ideas, we were able to convert them to a more generic theme; and if said theme gets chosen, the original idea will absolutely be added as a maze prompt!
Now that we have our list, we are ready for you to vote on your favourites, so please head on over to our form and make your pick! You have until 30th April to decide; and we will reveal the winning theme, and more event details on 1st May!
Hey guys! There is just FIVE days left to nominate theme suggestions for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2022!
We have a theme suggestion form that will be open until 20th April, then from 21st April - 30th April, you will be able to nominate your favourites!
We will share more details of the event later, but if you want to be reminded of how the KakaIru Maze Challenge works, you can read last year’s guidelines here!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Hi all! There is just 10 days left to nominate theme suggestions for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2022!
We have a theme suggestion form that will be open until 20th April, then from 21st April - 30th April, you will be able to nominate your favourites!
We will share more details of the event later, but if you want to be reminded of how the KakaIru Maze Challenge works, you can read last year’s guidelines here!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Naruto Canon Couples Week 2022: Shikamaru and Temari
“Tell me why I should agree to this proposal.”
Bright green eyes stared at him, hard and unyielding.
This is such a pain in the ass!
Shikamaru sighed inwardly but he didn’t slump, only stood up straighter before his interrogator. This was not what he was expecting when he’d come here to Suna to propose.
Still, he would answer the question.
“The Naras have been a strong clan throughout Konoha’s history. We are a respected family and will not be a burden to yours. In fact, I can safely say that your social standing will not be reduced with this marriage when our households will be combined. As a shinobi, I know that my job won’t allow for much stability, but I will provide the best that life can offer with the income that I make. I will—”
“Shikamaru, stop.” Gaara’s eyes were now flashing with sympathy.
“Huh?” Shikamaru frowned at him across the Kazekage’s desk. “Isn’t that what you wanted to hear? I’m listing all the assets I bring into this marriage so that you’ll agree to it.”
Gaara smiled. “I’ve already agreed to it precisely because I already know those assets you’re listing. But—” He shook his head at Shikamaru when he saw the confusion on his face. “You’re missing the most important part. I’ll agree to the marriage only if you can answer this question sincerely: Do you loveTemari?”
“Oh.” Shikamaru flushed. Yeah. The Kazekage had a good point.
Gaara was still waiting patiently for his answer, but his face was amused.
Shikamaru cleared his throat and then mumbled, “Yes, Gaara, I love her.”
“Okay. You have mypermission.”
Gaara laughed when he saw the relief on Shikamaru’s face. “Now quit procrastinating by being in here and go to her.”
Shikamaru laughed, too. “Was I that obvious?”
“Yes.”
Shikamaru shook his head. “Shit.”
“Yes.” Gaara folded his arms and continued smiling at his future brother-in-law with sympathy. “You don’t want to keep my sister waiting.”
Shikamaru sighed. “Ugh. Why can’t you just tell her to marry me? It’s just so much easier to propose to you.”
Gaara laughed again but he shook his head. “You know she can’t be forced into doing anything.”
Shikamaru snorted. “It is so ironic that you ended up being the nicer one.”
“Go already.”
Shikamaru shook himself and then bowed deeply before Temari’s brother. “Thank you for your time.”
Gaara bowed in response. “You have my blessing, Shikamaru, and I wish you good luck.”
***
She knew, of course, why he was here.
Temari watched him approach her and folded her fan. She then tucked it behind her and faced her students. “I’m dismissing you from the rest of the training for today.” Her announcement was met by smiles. “But you’ll make up for it by coming in two hours early tomorrow morning.”
She only heard the grumbling from the kids when they were several feet away from her, beyond the gates of the training field.
Hmph! As if she couldn’t hear them.
But he was close now. She raised a brow. “Shikamaru.”
“Temari.” He bowed. “I just talked to Gaara and now I’ve come to find you to ask for your hand in marriage.”
“Hmph! I knew it. You don’t have your usual lazy expression on your face.”
“So you know me enough to know that?”
She pursed her lips. “My knowledge of you is shallow. You only have two expressions: lazy and not lazy.”
He tried to stifle his smile and attempted a serious expression. “But I’ve really come to propose.”
She folded her arms and her expression dubious, asked, “How?”
“I will not go down on one knee.”
“I will smack you if you do.”
He laughed. “I don’t have a ring, either.”
“Good. I don’t trust your taste in jewelry.”
He smiled. “I’ll tell you I love you.”
She nodded. “A necessary requirement.”
“And promise you that I will do my best to make you happy.”
“Doubtful.” She made face. “But I will make sure you hold on to that promise.”
“You’re a pain in the ass.”
Temari shrugged. “But you love me anyway. Continue with this ‘proposal.’”
He was grinning, enjoying himself. “And I’ll apologize sincerely because this marriage will take you away from your beloved home.”
“True, but it won’t kill me.”
He spoke as he reached out a hand. “And I’ll sloooowly bring my hand closer to one of yours so that you don’t react instinctively to cut it off.”
She looked down at his hand and allowed him to grasp hers. “Smart move.”
“I’m known for that.”
“Good thing because I kill fools for a living.”
He laughed but he became serious again. “Then I will look deeply into your eyes.”
She met his gaze and snorted. “And I will restrain myself from making a face to prove to you that I can endure anything.”
“And then I’ll just simply ask you: Temari, do you want to marry me?”
Finally, she smiled at him. “And I will say: Yes, Shikamaru. I will marry you because I do love you despite your faults.”
“‘For love, we will climb mountains, cross seas, traverse desert sands, and endure untold hardships.’”
Sai flipped to the next page, the rustle of paper the only sound in the library where the only occupant was him. He placed his finger on the words and continued reading aloud. “'Without love, mountains become unclimbable, seas uncrossable, deserts unbearable, and hardships our lot in life.’”
He placed the book down and paused to think about the words he’d just read.
He frowned, his normally expressionless face a picture of confusion and distrust.
Love.
Recently, he’d been deep into his research trying to figure out this thing, this inscrutable feeling called love.
Sai gazed down at his current book. The book’s author and title, Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages stared back at him.
He tapped his fingers on the table and decided to give up for the day. He would come back tomorrow and find another source for his research. Maybe something more simple with an explanation he could better understand.
Because honestly, you can still climb mountains without love. All you need was training, a simple enough exercise in breath control. Crossing seas was easy with a sturdy boat. You just have to make sure the ballast will be strong enough to withstand those waves. Traversing desert sands? Oh, that he might ask the recently-married Temari tips on how to walk on hot sand. Either that or he could always practice at the local beach in the middle of summer.
Bearing hardships in life?
That was easy. He was a product of such a life.
Sai thought back to his indoctrination in Root, of having survived torture training, interrogation techniques, and harsh discipline from not only his trainers but from Danzo himself. His childhood as an assassin-in-training was not an easy one.
Still, this strange adjustment to peace-time, to unlearning all the lethal dogma he’d had to absorb was probably just as difficult as his training.
Recently, though, this love thing was bothering him because he just couldn’t understand it.
No matter how many books he read, he still couldn’t figure it out. All the information he’d read always left him even more confused.
But he was honest enough to admit that the source of all his confusion was Ino.
All the other girls in Konoha, he knew that it was better to just treat them as logs—as advised by one of the books he’d read on how to pick up women. The advice was to think of the opposite sex as inanimate objects. And the first thing Sai thought of was to imagine girls as logs: wooden things that just happened to move and talk. He trained with them. He went on missions with them. He ate with them. Sometimes, he spoke to them and they would answer him whenever he asked his questions.
Sakura was a little better than a log, though, maybe because they were both part of Dai-Nana-han. And maybe because she actually got mad and wouldn’t hesitate to smack him and make him realize that their relationship was deeper and went beyond that of logs.
“Girls aren’t logs!” she’d yelled, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose while she closed her eyes. She then sighed in frustration.
Sai observed the nerves of her temple bulging and took a step back so that he would be away from her reach.
Ino had been with Sakura because they were on their way home from the hospital. She’d heard his comment about girls and logs and she’d flashed him a look he couldn’t quite interpret.
Normally she smiled at him and did that little thing with her voice, when she would inject it with something warm and pleasant that made him ease the seriousness of his face. He found it easier to smile naturally at her and he didn’t have to think about “creating” the proper face.
Today, though, as they watched Sakura storm off, Ino was silent.
“Logs, Sai?”
Sai was sure she would understand. Ino worked in a flower shop. She knew lots of information about plants. “Yes, Ino.”
“What makes you say that?”
“It was in one of the books written by that pick-up artist giving advice on how to talk to girls.”
“You can’t trust those types of books!” Ino said with a shake of her head.
“I need help.” Sai shrugged. “I don’t know what girls are thinking most of the time.”
She finally smiled. “Don’t worry, everyone thinks that—even us girls. Half the time, we don’t know the reason why we do things.”
“Okay.” He’ll take her word for it. She was a girl, and that made her an expert in these matters.
“Sai, this is the kind of stuff you can’t really learn from books? It’s sensory and sometimes instinctive. Think about your paintings.”
That caught his interest. Sai’s gaze sharpened on her face. Somehow it was softer, her eyes seemed to be…glowing? “What about my paintings?”
“You didn’t learn to paint from books, you kind of just did it, right? And you get a feel for it, the more you paint.”
“Huh.” His eyes were crinkled, puzzled. There was some truth there.
She looked at him for a moment, tilting her head to the side, which made the blond bangs of her hair fall over her eye.
He suddenly wanted to reach out and brush it behind her ear so that he could see her green eyes more clearly, but he kept himself still.
“Here,” she said as she reached out a hand palm out. “Give me your hand.”
He looked at her small hand suspiciously, but he brought his gaze back to her when she laughed. “Sai! I’m not going to attack you. Just take my hand.”
He did as she asked and placed his over hers.
“Do I feel like a log?” she murmured.
“No.”
Definitely not. He looked down and brushed his fingers hesitantly at her hand, felt again the soft flesh of her palm, the silky softness of her skin.
He looked up at her and saw that she’d been watching him this entire time.
That smile was there again, the one that made him frown in confusion because he could tell it wasn’t fake—like the ones he’d practiced before. Hers was genuine, like the one that was becoming more natural to do when he just felt like it.
But Ino’s smile seemed to have a message. There was something extra there. A certain light, a gentleness, a kindness that he just didn’t see from other girls when they smiled at him.
He wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to smile back at her.
But as she kept smiling at him, Sai suddenly felt his own lips stretching in response.
And he realized that yes, he was supposed to smile back at her because, like she said, it just feltright.
The quiet cry of the cat that had followed him to this tree caught his attention, causing him to open his eyes. Sasuke reached into his pocket and brought out the catnip he carried with him for occasions like these.
He’d been resting his eyes, tired from his trip, his head leaning against the tree trunk when he’d heard the rustle and the inevitable quiet footfalls that always followed him when he was out in nature, away from Konoha, on one of his redemption trips.
He watched as the cat nibbled on the food he’d thrown onto the grass. When all the food was gone, the black and white cat looked at him and then slowly approached to rub itself against his leg.
“Not another one?” came an amused voice. She’d spoken softly to try not to startle the cat, but it inevitably heard her and scampered away to leave the couple alone.
Sasuke looked up at Sakura and smiled.
She shook her head and then looked at him ruefully. “They just hate me.”
“No, they just want to give us privacy.”
Sakura blinked and she tried to hide the flush of pleasure she felt by looking down at her hands and at the kindling she’d gathered. “Oh, I’m just going to—” but she broke off with a fluster and stepped away from him. She walked a few paces to the spot she’d decided to build a fire and dropped the branches and twigs she’d just gathered.
She looked up when she heard the startled crows fly off from the sound of her suddenly dropping the kindling on the grass. They were setting up camp for the night in this clearing, this place Sasuke felt was safe enough to lower their guards and fully rest for the night.
“Sakura.”
She looked at him.
“Aren’t you tired?” He patted the space next to him. “You should rest, too.”
She shook her head and smiled at him. “I wanted to set up the tent while there’s still light.”
“Come rest. I’ll do it later.” Again, he patted the grass beside his hip.
She didn’t need another invitation. She came to him, intending to sit next to him, but her sudden tired yawn made her change her mind. Instead, she smiled at him in question and he nodded in response, shifting on the grass so that she could use his lap for a pillow. Sakura then laid down on her side and rested her head on his thigh. He shook his cloak and laid it on top of her, his fingers brushing against her hair as she sighed her thanks. She was asleep in minutes.
He didn’t blame her. She’d taken the last watch last night so he knew she was still tired from her vigil.
In the quiet of the moment, another visitor came.
Meow.
He was already reaching for his pocket, but he smiled at this one, a different one from before. This one was a tiger tabby, eyes looking at him with confidence, somehow knowing Sasuke was decidedly a cat person.
Unlike Sakura, who was indifferent to cats and animals—unless they were giant, mystical slugs.
When the cat had gotten its fill of food, it swished its tail towards Sasuke in a gesture of thanks, and then silently padded away, leaving him looking down at his wife.
He’d switched to feeding these creatures catnip because he couldn’t keep sharing with them the food she made for him.
The one time he’d told her of sharing the onigiri she’d made with the cats, her brows had risen with surprise but she’d said nothing about it. And he’d realized too late how she might have taken that to mean that he didn’t appreciate the food she made for him.
She didn’t say anything, but the time Sasuke had run into Naruto when he’d been back in Konoha, he knew he’d done something bad. Naruto had mentioned that Sakura had stopped by the Uzumaki home to ask Hinata for tips on how to cook better.
In his opinion, Sakura didn’t need to do any of that stuff.
But Sasuke still picked up on it, those rare instances when she’d show her vulnerability to him, her lack of confidence when it came to her home-cooked meals, the intense and hopeful way Sakura looked at him while he ate.
“It’s really good, Sakura.”
And of course, he wasn’t lying when he would tell her it was good. Because she was getting better.
She knew about his own mother’s cooking. Mikoto Uchiha, from a traditional Japanese family, had known how to cook, of course. But Sakura’s own mother hadn’t known how to and naturally hadn’t taught her daughter how to cook.
But he loved that about Sakura, the way she would always take the reins. If there was something that needed to be done, she would go ahead and do it.
And she’d taken it upon herself to get better at cooking by seeking Hinata’s help so that she could prepare the meals he’d eaten during his childhood, those dishes his mother prepared for him in his youth.
Sasuke truly appreciated it.
Still, she didn’t need to go through all that trouble—just for him.
Still, it was not his place to say anything about it to Sakura, because this was something she wanted to do, her way to show him how much she loved him, that it was all worth the effort.
He looked down at the sleeping Sakura and again brushed his hand against her cheek. She sighed drowsily in response and murmured his name. “Sasuke.”
And he hoped that she could see how much he was trying to be a better husband, at trying to say the truth, to voice his thoughts aloud so she could understand that he loved everything she made for him, loved everything she did for him.
