Archive of Our Own

Sakura hated her soulmark at first. She thought it was really massive, massive enough that the waves of her soulmark would still peak out to her jaw. It also didn’t help that she had pink hair and green eyes, which did not compliment her large and blue soulmark well.

But she started liking it. Her mother told her that many people had boring or unmemorable soulmarks, and it was rare to have one that big and that beautiful. 

And because of that, she’d grown to appreciate and love her soulmark. She often daydreamed about what her soulmate would look or act like. She was certain that he was fierce and had a clear love or obsession with sharks. Does he often wear blue clothes? Does he like other marine animals? Does he love seafood or hate it?

Her father told her that her soulmate was a strong man, and probably really tall as well. He briefly mentioned that strong people were often shinobi, so Sakura decided to become a shinobi.

When she went to the academy, a bunch of girls started shaming Sakura, calling her soulmark ugly and too unladylike for a girl like her. And Sakura was mad, fumingly so. Nobody got to talk like that about her soulmate, especially not someone like Ami.

When she graduated from the academy as kunoichi of the year, she was put in a team with Uchiha Sasuke, the son of the Uchiha clan head, and Namikaze Naruto, the Fourth Hokage’s son. Their sensei was a man named Hatake Kakashi, the student of the Fourth Hokage and a Sharingan carrier.

One day, the three of them hung out at Naruto’s home, the Hokage’s residence. Naruto suggested showing their soulmarks to each other, and Sakura agreed immediately. She was curious about the two boy’s soulmarks, but mostly wanted to show off hers.

It was a bit embarrassing for her since her’s was large. But Sakura was comfortable enough to take her top and her bra off, covering her chest with her shirt. "You guys can look now, but you two better not peek at me!"

Naruto gasped in awe when Sakura revealed her enormous tattoo. “Wow!” Naruto exclaimed, “Your soulmark is so badass, Sakura-chan! Your soulmate must be really strong! And it's so, it’s so blue!”

Sasuke gave a small awe, a change from his usual blank expression. “Dobe is right, it’s a very beautiful soulmark.”

Sakura giggled, clearly pleased with the praise. She urged them to show theirs.

“Okay! Mine’s not that big though,” Naruto said, lifting up his right sleeve to show his soulmark on the top of his arm.

Sakura blinked. “It’s a tomato.”

Sasuke froze.

Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah, it’s not that impressive compared to yours, Sakura-chan.” The boy quickly changed the topic, "Hey bastard, its your turn now!"

Sasuke looked the other way, "No, I don't feel like it anymore."

"Why?"

"I don't want to, stop asking now."

Kisame was born without a soulmark. That wasn’t unusual, many people chalked it up to your other half not being born yet, or in a worst-case scenario, they either died before you were born, or you didn't have one. 

And that was how Kisame bonded with another shinobi, Zabuza.

While many others had soulmarks, Zabuza and Kisame were the only ones that didn’t have a soulmark in their respective graduating classes, and by the time Kisame graduated from the academy at 10, he gave up his hope of receiving one. After all, he thought bitterly to himself, how could anyone love a monster like him?

Five years had passed, and Zabuza hollered in glee when he saw a tattoo of a senbon piercing a shard of glass on his thigh. Kisame congratulated him but sulked, guess he was meant to be alone forever.

Over a year passed since Zabuza got his soulmark, and Kisame woke up to take a shower. He didn’t know why, but something felt off. And he was proven right when he took a peek at the mirror and saw a sakura petal bloom on his collarbone.

But Kisame suddenly gloomed at the thought of his soulmate, would they share a platonic relationship? A teacher-student one like Zabuza will have with his soulmate? 

After fourteen years had passed, and Kisame was quite grateful that he hadn’t met his soulmate yet; he couldn’t fathom the thought of sharing a sexual relationship with a minor. Kisame knew that his soulmate and he wouldn’t share a platonic bond like Zabuza and his apprentice, although he never met her, he already knew it through the soulbond. 

So when he was at the stadium observing the new batch of shinobi that were fighting in the Chunin Exams, his mind was boggled when he saw a pink-haired kunoichi destroying everyone with her team.

He glanced up to see a board displaying “Team 7 of Konoha, Namikaze Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke” on it.

“That girl,” Zabuza drawled next to him, “she’s yours, ain’t she?”

Kisame nodded, and it merely confirmed his suspicions when he saw her soulmark peek out of her shirt.

“She’s beautiful,” he said softly.

“Are you going to talk to her?” Zabuza asked.

Kisame shook his head.

There were many reasons why he didn’t want to meet his other part yet, but maybe it was because Kisame was scared of what she thought of him.

Sakura became a chunin with her genin team after the Chunin Exams that were held in Kirigakure. She later became jonin at 16 with Naruto and Sasuke as well. Sakura thought it was about time she needed a wardrobe change. The pink-haired teenager eventually decided on a more revealing choice, a dark red halter top to flaunt her soulmark.

Ino nodded in approval at her choice.

From then on, Sakura started taking more diplomatic missions, specifically to other ninja nations, both because she was good at sweet-talking, but also to try and find her soulmate.

 “You should’ve gone and saw her,” Zabuza mentioned, referring to the journey he and Haku came back from.

“Hm?” Kisame pretended not to know what he meant.

Zabuza rolled his eyes, “Go to the Five Kage Summit, she’s not ashamed of you. In fact, she’s proud.”

After a long time of his friend's coercion, Kisame reluctantly agreed: “Okay.”

It’s been four years since her jonin promotion and Sakura was so desperate to see her soulmate. Even Ino had found her soulmate, a man named Sai who was a fuinjutsu specialist and also dabbled in ink art, explaining Ino’s group of inked zodiac animals on her stomach.

It was time for the Kage Summit that happened every four years, and to her delight, Minato selected her genin team to be his bodyguards. Her team knew that the Yellow Flash did not need them, but figured it was a good opportunity for them to meet new people from around the world.

By the time the Konohagakure team arrived, nearly all the other villages were there.

The Fourth Kazekage and his three children, Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara were waiting patiently as Sasori of the Red Sand and Pakura of the Scorch release were bickering with two men of Iwa. The Third Tsuchikage grumbled as his granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, and his student, Akatsuchi flanked him on two sides. The two Explosion Release users, Gari and Deidara were arguing with their respective soulmates.

“Jeez,” Naruto mumbled under his breath, “some people need to get laid.”

In another corner was the Kumo-nin. The Fourth Raikage and his right and left-hand men, Darui and C, along with the Raikage’s brother and partner, Killer B.

Sakura glanced at a far distance, sensing a couple of chakra signatures coming in. They had to be the Kirigakure shinobi.

There came the Fourth Mizukage. and Sakura would be surprised each time she saw how youthful yet domineering his presence was. She gazed at the men and woman standing behind him and Sakura’s jaw dropped when she saw how intimidating they looked.

Terumi Mei, wielder of the Boil Release and the Lava Release, along with her soulmate, Ao of the Byakugan stood at the Mizukage’s right and Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Mist and his apprentice and soulmate, Haku of the Ice Release flanked their leader’s left as they all walked towards the crowd.

Sakura wrinkled her nose, because who the hell did the vastless chakra belong to? It was a bit different from a bijuu’s. Although it was unbelieveably massive, it was more tamed and less malevolent than the chakra Naruto, Gaara, Killer B, or the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura had.

Sakura’s eyes widened, because how did she not see the two-meter tall man walking behind them all.

There he was, Hoshigaki Kisame, Monster of the Mist, and the Tailless Tailed Beast strutting with confidence towards them.

“Well everyone is finally here,” Kakashi drawled, “Let’s get this dumb meeting over with.”

As the five Kages talked about politics and whatnot, Sakura tuned them out and shamelessly stared at Kisame for the entire duration. By the end of the discussion, Sakura had finalized her conclusion.

“HAKU!” Naruto hollered, running towards the Kiri shinobi right after the meeting ended.

Sakura sighed and followed after her teammate that was somehow friends with everyone.

“Welcome, Mizakage-sama,” she said politely as he returned the greeting with a curt nod and headed off to meet with the other Kages. Sakura chatted amicably with Mei and Ao before overhearing Naruto talk about soulmates.

“Your teammate here seems to have a really big one,” Kisame said languidly, seemingly quite interested in the topic.

Naruto nodded furiously, “Yeah she does! It’s really pretty but she hasn’t met her soulmate yet.”

“Is that so?” Zabuza drawled, glancing at Kisame. “Kisame over here also hadn’t met his yet. He’s nearing 40.”

Kisame snorted, “I’m only 36 you asshole.”

Sakura barged into the conversation and gave a pointed look to Kisame. “You’re my soulmate aren’t you?” 

Everyone stopped breathing for a second.

“And why do you think that?” Kisame questioned with mirth.

“My soulmark either has an obsession with sharks or is one and it’s the bluest and biggest soulmark I’ve ever seen in my life.” Sakura said flatly and continued on. “You’re tall as fuck, blue as fuck, and have sharks in your name and as your summons. Plus I think you’re hot.” Sakura murmured the last part.

By that point, the pair had gathered the attention of everyone.

Kisame sighed and tugged on his shirt, revealing his collarbone which was littered with cherry blossoms.

Sakura gasped before forcefully pulling down Kisame and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Nearly two dozen people cheered in a form or another.

Kisame breathlessly said, “Six years change people.”

Sakura gave him a bemused look, pausing for a moment before everything clicked into pieces. “You saw me in the Kiri Chunin Exams!”

"I did," Kisame affirmed, gently hugging her as well. How long has it been since he's hugged someone?

At last, he was at peace with the person he waited for his entire life.