Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Background Information, and changes I'm making.

Ok, So i've decided I know what animal i'm giving her, and I’m hoping it doesn’t disappoint. But as a hint I will say that it comes from her mother’s side. ;) Thank you for the comments and suggestions. They meant a lot and helped me figure it out! However there is still a chance she shall get two, like Sasuke so if you have any more suggestions then again, feel free to leave them. I’d be looking for a smaller animal preferably one from the desert or from a watery environment.

Alright so, A) I'm just going to start off by saying that under no circumstances do I mean to disrespect Naruto or its creator Kishimoto, I really loved Naruto and it was one of my favorite animes to this day. However I will be honest I do think he did his female characters dirty, and by that I mean mainly Sakura. (As she was the main character and got the most focus) And the war arc was bullshit. Sorry.
So, having said that, I am going to make changes/tweaks to the overall plotline of naruto. We're changing everything in this fanfic because I think Sakura deserves better, and she didn't deserve to be a "Tsunade copy" . I personally think Sakura wasn't even suited to be A med-nin. She didn't have the temperament for it. And yeah you can say she wasn't really a med-nin and she was a combat oriented one, but all they had her do was heal people and punch people. That was it. And I think she deserves better. Both Sasuke and Naruto were trained by Sanin and they weren't carbon copies, hell they even had their own jutsu. And Sakura didn’t, instead she was reduced to the sidelines and made to be this weak damsel in distress, even though she was written to be a stronger woman who could take care of herself. We saw this in some of her battles, but it seemed like they picked and chose when she was “strong” and when she was “weak” for the plot purposes. I’m changing that.

But moving on,

The first changes are Sakura's parents. I hate her parents and I hate their design. To me it was a missed opportunity to have a valid reason for her being picked on, I understand kids pick on eachother for stupid reasons, and reasons that often make little sense, however I do think in this ninja world where villages hate each other that there would be strong racism. So we're making them foreign. Sakura's dad is now from Kiri and her mom from Suna. Her dad has light pink bubblegum colored hair, just a shade darker than Sakura's. And with the cultures I will try to add in some bits and pieces from real life cultures, So Kiri will have a bit of Inuit culture. Because I think we need actual representation of cultures in real life, and I liked how Avatar (the last airbender) was able to bring multiple cultures together and make it work. But anyway, back to the topic. He wears his hair up in braids (following the inuit styles) and wears heavier clothes often made of fur. He’s adapted to Konoha so he won’t wear the super heavy fur/hide clothes but he does keep them because he’s not willing to let go of his culture. His skin is darker than most konoha people, but not as dark as his wifes or Sakura’s.

Her mom has dark skin as well, darker than her husbands. But she keeps her eye color and hair color, with the only difference being that her hair is now long, thick and curly. And she wears it under a bandana. . She also wears baggier clothes similar to the suna people. (I feel like suna would have more arabic/egyptian cultures) It's what she's used to and she doesn't care about fitting in. This also has sakura with longer hair, but it's also braided and worn up more. She also wears clothes that are more "foreign" with them having either fur, or worn loose or both.

But because both her parents' skin being darker and both of them being foreign is what makes Sakura that much different. She’s already a civilian in a primarily ninja clan class, so she sticks out even more because she is not the same look wise as most of these clans.

I know in the manga her forehead looks big but in the anime it looks normal, and I personally think that's a dumb reason to bully someone and doesn't really translate well. "Oh kids picked on me because my forehead was too big so now I hide it." Just seems like a stupid plot line when compared to "All the leaf ninja are white with very little coloration differences and now you have this main character that's getting bullied because the leaf village is racist." And I think that makes a more compelling story line you know? Like the forehead plotline makes her seem vain, and I don't think Sakura is the type to be vain if she's getting picked on by her appearance. And kids often pick on others that look different from them if that's how they were raised, and I think the leaf children are raised to be quite racist. They are brought up to think they are better than the other villages, honestly it makes me think of them thinking other villages are “savage” compared to them and to me that's racist and a compelling plotline.

Also sorry sasuke and Sakura shippers. I don't care if it's canon, but I don't think either or them should've ended up together. I think it sends a bad message to young girls and boys alike. Sasuke treated Sakura as nothing but dirt underneath his foot, and kept acting like she should just disappear and then he tried to kill her. I think Sakura deserves someone better than Sasuke, and I don't actually ship her with him. I haven't decided the actual pairing just yet, but I can tell you it won't be Sasuke. Or Naruto. Honestly I might make it So Sakura has no pairing, She's not that maternal. I know she's young but idk. She seems very independent and I think the only reason she wanted a family was that weird Sasuke crush. We'll see. And I'm making gay couples. Some gay ships shoulda been canon. Just saying.
And on the note of Sakura, she will not be trained by Tsunade, I don’t want her to be a carbon copy of Tsunade and I think Sakura had more potential to be pushed on the sidelines as a medic nin. (Personally, and this might be a controversial opinion, I think Hinata or Itachi would’ve made much better mednins. To me it felt like neither of them actually wanted to fight people. And I believe in the manga that Itachi was described at one point as a pacifist) But ya, so sorry to those who liked Sakura as a mednin that punches everything, she will not be like that in this fanfic. She actually get’s her own powers/jutsu. Mainly earth and water ninjutsu (which also played a part of her foreign nature as most leaf ninja had fire or wind ninjutsu’s) but yes, Sakura gets an actual jutsu.

Now with having different villages based/using different culture representation I will be doing some research to try and make it as authentic as possible. If I get anything wrong I do apologize and will change it if it’s offensive. That’s not my intention. I just think different villages should have different cultures.

Chapter Text

Part 1

"There is freedom that comes with abandonment," - Suzanne scanlon

Chapter Text

Sakura’s eyes pop open, her breath coming out in quick short huffs as she sits up. Eyes darting around, searching for the raven haired boy. Knowing it was too late.

Memories of the light prior fluttered her brain and caused her breathing to quicken, eyes darting around faster. Unable, unwilling, to believe that the boy she loved so much was willing to leave, to abandon, everyone who cared about him.

Her eyes darted up, meeting black ones. Her breath hitched as hope flared, maybe Sasuke-Kun didn’t leave after all! I knew he was good! She thought.

That hope shattered as she looked at the person standing over her, it was a woman. Her hair was brown and spiky, with the red cheek markings of an Inuzuka. She looked gruff.

The woman looked down at her, slitted pupils sending a flash of fear through Sakura. White turning to yellow, brown hair to black. A worried expression stretching into a wide grin with a too long tongue and manic eyes full of malice.

“What are you doing out here brat? Don’t you know it's dangerous?” The woman growled, hands on her hips as she bent down to get a better look at the young girl.

Sakura looked at the woman, silent. Throat tight and aching as emotions threatened to spill out. Her eyes grew wet.

Fuck. She was better than this. Why did she always have to cry? Sakura thought to herself with a burst of self-loathing.

The woman looked even more worried as she saw the tears forming in Sakura’s eyes and immediately crouched down. Her hands rested on her knees as she made herself eye level with the girl. Her eyebrows pinched together as she tried to piece together what was wrong. It had been a few weeks since the invasion so it couldn’t have been that could it? Perhaps something happened?

“Where are your parents?” She asked, head tilted trying to see the girl's reaction. Any ninja worth their salt knew how to read people, and she could clearly see the girl was upset, but she just couldn’t figure out why.

Sakura sucked in a mouthful of air, breath hitching as she tried to form words.

“I ha-” Her voice broke and if Sakura wasn’t upset she’d have been embarrassed. “I have no one left. There’s…. Everyone's gone. Everyone's gone and it's all my fault. It wasn't enough. I wasn’t… it…it was all my fault. It was all my fault.”

“Kid, whatever happened it’s not your fault.” The woman said, speaking softly.

“IT IS! MY PARENTS ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF ME! SASUKE LEFT BECAUSE OF ME!! NARUTO LEFT BECAUSE OF ME!! THEY’RE ALL GONE BECAUSE I WASN'T ENOUGH! I’M USELESS! USELESS!!! It’s my fault,”

Sakura drew in a deep breath, hot tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto her clenched fists.

“If it wasn’t for me they’d all be here. Mom and dad wouldn’t be dead, they wouldn’t have been in the village if I hadn't been born. They wouldn’t have been home if I hadn't gone to the chunin exams. They wouldn’t… they wouldn’t….I didn’t… I… It’s all my fault. And Sasuke left because I wasn’t enough. I couldn’t help him. Why wasn’t I enough? I was supposed to be strong. I was supposed to be perfect. But everyone's gone. I have no one left. I didn’t mean… Why… why did… Why'd they all leave me? Aren’t I… aren’t I enough?”

She looked up at the woman. Tears still streamed down her cheeks as her shoulders shook. The woman wasn’t looking at her in pity, she just seemed concerned and that made Sakura cry even harder. Why was she telling her this?

With a gaspy breath, she tried to hold in her sobs, she couldn't let herself breakdown. Even if the woman has all but seen her breakdown already. Shinobi don’t cry. All she did was cry. God why was she so weak? Why couldn’t she be something, be impossibly happy like Naruto or stoic like Sasuke? Why was she like this? She couldn’t make Sasuke stay, she couldn’t save her parents. She couldn’t help them in the Wave mission, she couldn’t help them in the chunin exams and because Sasuke and her parents were gone. She didn’t even know if Sasuke was going to be ok. He left to join a creepy snake guy. But she still wasn’t able to save them. She was just… horrible. She should’ve died with her parents. Shouldn't have been born.

Her breath became quick, and she couldn’t breath. Air wouldn’t come into her lungs, she was gasping, struggling to breath. She shivered and shook as she gasped, gripping her throat as if to force it to work. To force it to allow the much needed oxygen to enter.

A hand grabbed hers, stopping her from tightening the hand around her throat. The woman's hands were rough against Sakura’s own. And it made Sakura cry harder, falling forward into the woman. Mouth falling open as a loud piercing wail spilled forth. The woman's arms wrapped around the smaller girl tighter, whispering soothing words into her head.

“It hurts.” Sakura blubbered. “Why does it hurt so much?”

The woman gave no response, keeping her arms wrapped around the girl. Ignoring Sakura’s wails and the growing wetness of her shirt. She tightened her grip as Sakura fully collapsed into her. Sinking into the warmth of the woman's arms.

“I’m sorry mom. I’m so sorry I got you and dad killed.” Sakura whispered into the woman's chest, her wails dying down into small hiccups as she tried to pull herself together.

The woman shifted, pulling away slightly to look at the girl.

Sakura looked up at the woman, sucking in a deep breath.

“I’m fine. Everything's fine now. I'm Ok now. It’s ok. I’m fine.”

“No, sweetheart, you’re not,” The woman murmured, looking down at the girl curled up against her. Took in her shivering form and dull eyes. Her arms still partly wrapped against her. “Let's get you warmed up and fed ok?”

Sakura nodded, letting the woman lift her up into her arms, ignoring the feeling of despair that welled up as she remembered her mother who carried her when she was sad. The soft soothing voice of her mother comforting her when she was sad.

The Inuzuka woman's gruff hand smoothed Sakura’s hair, gentle, as she carried her. Each step jostled Sakura but she didn’t even notice. Her head leaned against the woman.

The walk to the woman's home, a clan home Sakura would realize later, was long and quiet aside from Sakura’s soft shuddering breaths and the woman’s soothing words. It wasn’t quite dawn yet, the sun was just peaking over the horizon. A soft pink spilling across the dark sky. Sakura would have found it beautiful, if it didn’t bring up the painful memories of watching the sun rise with her parents. If the pink didn’t remind her of her father’s hair.

When the woman slowed, walking through the large opening to the Clan Homes. Sakura could hear the movements of people around her, but she buried her face into the crook of the woman's neck. Trying to hide that she’d been crying. That she was weak. She was in a ninja’s clan home now, she couldn’t let them know she was a weak little girl playing ninja.

“Mom?”

The woman stopped, bending so Sakura’s feet could touch the ground.

“Mom, why were you carrying Sakura?”

Sakura backed away from the woman, pulling her arms away slowly. Missing the warmth and comfort she’d provided. The feeling of despair and loneliness welling up.

“Sakura will be staying with us for a while.”

Sakura’s bowed head shot up and she stared at the woman.

What?

Chapter Text

“Sakura,” Kiba whined, “Hurry up.”

“Can it, dog boy.” Sakura snapped, shoving against him. She didn’t mean it maliciously.

“Sakura, that's rude. You know what mother says about calling each other names.”

Sakura only offered a grin in response, lips peeling back as she bared her teeth.

Kiba grinned back, sharp teeth on display.

“You’re gonna get it you little pest!” He growled playfully, lunging at Sakura and pushing her to the ground. Hands digging into her shoulders, nails pricking through the red fabric, as he pinned her.

She bucked, causing him to slip, his grip loosening as he fell back.. She quickly took the opportunity to fold her legs up against her chest, kicking out. With more force than she intended, she kicked him in the stomach. He let out a grunt, letting out a whoosh of air. He lay gasping for a few moments, he shot up, rolling away as she moved towards him, a feral expression on her face.

His grin widened as he dashed away, footsteps thundering as he ran. Sakura wasn’t too far behind him, footsteps much lighter. He let out a whoop, heart pounding as he ran faster.

With an unexpected burst of speed she leaped, tackling him from behind. They fell, rolling down a hill. Laughing as they tumbled, grass breaking their fall as they slid down the bank towards the river.

The riverbank was wet this time of year, leaving the sides wet and mushy with mud. The mud was thick and black and stinky, full of rotting leaves and animal scat. Not an ideal place for playing children to be.

She spat out a glob of mud, face twisting in a grimace. “EW! Ew ew ew ew,” She shook the mud off her hands and tried to brush it off her arms and clothes, in the process smearing the mud. “FUCK! This is so gross!”

“Aw, is Sakura scared of a little mud?” Kiba teased playfully, a glob of mud in his hand.

“Don’t. You. Dare.” She hissed, teeth bared and body crouched. She wasn’t going to let this dog boy throw mud at her. Her dress was already ruined and the mud would ruin her complexion.

He grinned letting out a loud whoop as the mud connected with her cheek.

“YOU’RE DEAD DOG BREATH!! I’LL SLIP YOU OPEN AND WEAR YOU’RE ENTRAILS!!!” She shrieked, lunging at him. Face scrunched up in fury, hands reaching out as if to grasp his neck and strangle the air from his lungs.

Their bodies connected with a hard thud, falling into the mud. Sending it flying. They rolled around, kicking and clawing and biting.

Sakura grasped his hand with her teeth, clamping down and Kiba let out a shriek slamming his fist in her head. She gasped, pulling away.

Chest heaving as she drew in quick breaths, bending and grasping a fist full of mud. It connected with his face, a wet smack.

“You bitch!” Kiba laughed, wiping the mud from his face.

She shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”

“Of course you have, you little rat.”

“Hey! I’m not a rat.”

Kiba grinned in response. “Are you sure about that? You’ve looked in the mirror right?”

Sakura’s jaw dropped at the insult. “Well at least I don't smell like a wet dog and piss!” She fired back. Anger welling up.

“Hey! I do not!”

“Do to!”

“Do not!”

“Do too! And everyone knows it! Why else to they avoid you?"

"Please, you're the one everyone avoids! Both Sasuke and Naruto left the village to get away from you!"

Loud rustling sounded from the trees at the top of the hill, a large gray wolf emerging from the trees, watching the arguing children below.

The inuzuka pup was covered in mud, covered in thick brown globs, covered in the stench of it. His skin was no longer visible, and only flashes of dark gray were visible on his clothes. His pearly white teeth, striking against the dark color of the mud, were bared at the other pup.

She was no better, bits of pink peaking out, and her emerald green eyes. She had gotten the worst of it, if that was even possible. He couldn’t tell where she began and where the mud ended.

He couldn’t see the expression on the pup's face, but he knew it would’ve been thunderous. Sometimes the pups took their playing too far, and haven't yet learned the art of friendly teasing. It was annoying at times, finding them mid argument. One of them saying something they shouldn’t have, causing the other to get offended. They often resulted in childish name calling, and sometimes Kuromaru wondered why Tsume took in the pink pup at all. Her own pup hadn’t seemed close to the pink one at first, and everything had been very tense, neither pup knowing how to interact, though Kiba had never been socialized properly as a young one. Tsume did her best, but sometimes her best wasn’t enough. It was hard to raise a pup and run a clan on her own, with no partner to help her.

And the pup had suffered for it, it was no secret that he became aggressive after the loss (everyone knew Tsume chased him off) of his father. Knew that he craved the attention of his mother, the harsh woman she was. Hana tried her best to help Kiba mingle with his classmates and clanmates but he wouldn’t have it. He was the alpha’s son, he didn't need anyone but himself.

Kuromaru hoped that by bringing in the pink pup, orphaned and abandoned, that he’d learn to rely on others. And for a time it seemed like it would work, the two falling into some sort of… something. They had bonded it seemed, training and laughing and playing , honest to god's playing. Like actual pups, Kuromaru had felt a spark of happiness seeing the display. That was until they started arguing all the time, and while he was aware that siblings fight… They just fought so much. And he wondered what had gone wrong.

Were the pups just broken? Did they have something wrong with them that made connecting with others hard? He was aware that Kiba took his father running off hard, and deemed himself the reason. But surely he wanted someone there? Someone who understood him. Someone his age to play with and bond with. It's why litters were born with many, the sibling bond was unbreakable. The reason why pups learned how to interact with others.

He understood that Tsume was busy, his partner was always busy. With something or another, and he knew being the clan head was not easy, he saw how stressed it made her. She was a good mother, if harsh and a bit distant. And he could see how her distance had affected the pup, even if he tried to hide it.

She was a good mother, she just wasn’t very neutering. She cared a great deal for her pups, biological and adopted both, but she was the alpha and demanded strength and obedience. It's why her eldest, Hana, fled to be a vet. Out of her mothers view. He knew neither of them wanted to disappoint their mother, knew her expectations of them was only because she wanted them to be the greatest inuzuka’s. Knew that the elders expected them to be, seeing as Tsume chased off their father and raised them alone. They couldn’t afford to be seen as weak. And he knew that was a great pressure on them.

The pink pup wasn't aware of this pressure he was sure, didn’t see the unwavering conviction of Tsume that her pups would be the best. The pink one had come into their lives, and he was sure that Tsume would lessen the pressure she had of her pups. Instead Sakura seemed to add to it. Tsume was using her as a way to make her son stronger, to make a riverally between the two. He knew it, but he didn’t do anything to stop it.

Perhaps the pup was jealous of the attention Sakura got, the poor pup left for dead by everyone around her. Her parents died, her teammates (her pack) abandoned her. And her Alpha, that Hatake brat, left her as well. She was his pup to train, to guide, to protect. It was him that was supposed to bring her in, not Tsume. She wasn’t an inuzuka, and didn't belong to their clan.

But she was no, maybe not by blood nor by law but she lived with them. Ate with them. Trained with them. She was all but Kiba’s sister at this point, even if they didn’t see it.

It had been six months since she was brought in. Perhaps all they needed was time.

Kuromaru turned, walking back into the underbrush. He’d let the pups deal with their animosity themselves. They would need to learn somehow, and he was not going to coddle them. He could smell change on the horizon, and knew that the snake was just the beginning. They needed to learn how to work together if they wanted to survive, and hoped for their sake that they learned it quickly.

He really did want them to get along.

Chapter Text

Kiba trudged home, Sakura by his side limping. He felt guilty about what he said, he knew that he shouldn’t have brought up her team, knew that it was a sore subject for her.

He didn’t know what he would do if Shino and Hinata left him behind, if Kurenai-sensei had abandoned him. He knew that he wasn’t exactly… lovable. He knew that, his mother knew that. Everyone knew that. It’s why his father left, why he abandoned their family. Kiba wasn’t the son he wanted. He wasn’t the brave strong boy that he wanted. He was small, loud and annoying Kiba.

Maybe that's why Sakura got on his nerves, she was loud. Loud and stupid. And so angry. She got mad at the stupidest of things, said the worst things when she got angry. It seemed like she was always angry. Always yelling at him, and always sullen. She pouts so much.

Sakura was just a whiny little girl with anger issues. And Kiba hated her.

But then sometimes, late at night, he’d get up to go grab himself water. He was staying up late to study politics (so boring) and train with Akumaru he’d walk past her room. See the light peak out from under her door, and sometimes he’d hear her quiet sniffles. Could almost smell the saltiness of her tears. And for a brief moment he’d raise his hand, as if to knock.

He never did.

He wanted to ask her sometimes, whether she cried about her parents, her team or both. But he knew it wasn’t his place. He wasn’t her team, her pack. So he walked past her room, and pretended he never knew that she’d stay up late crying.

His mother brought her home, a fresh orphan, and expected everything to be fine. Well he actually didn’t know what his mother was thinking. She never brought home strays before, never actually paid attention to anyone like that.

But she’d brought Sakura home, the girl curled up tightly against his mother with her arms wrapped around the small girl. She couldn’t help as he hated Sakura. She got what he never got. Comfort. His mother never held him when his father left, expecting him to be the new man of the house. She placed so many responsibilities and expectations on him.

Sometimes he envied Naruto and Sasuke, wanting to leave the village and go out on his own. But he never did. He stayed home like a good little boy and trained and trained.

His mother never noticed.

Sakura did.

She’d caught him more than once outside, training with Akumaru. She’d sit by the training grounds, watching silently. Her cheek resting on her palm as she regarded him with half lidded eyes.

They seemed to glow under the setting sun, her pink hair almost a glowing red and sometimes, sometimes he couldn’t help but think she was pretty.

Which made him mad. How could he find Sakira attractive? She was literally the ugliest girl he ever met. Her hair was choppy (from the chunin exams he knew) and her frame wasn’t dainty at all. You’d think she’d look more like Ino or Hinata, both were pretty. But she didn’t.

He knew she looked different because of her parents, her skin a few shades darker then his own coming from her father. Her hair color as well. And her green eyes came from her mother, he believed. Perhaps it was her father who had them. He couldn’t remember. But it wasn’t her foreigners that made her ugly, if anything it made her look better. Her hair and eyes would not look good on anyone else he was sure. It was the fact that she was so…. Masculine. Her features weren’t soft or pleasant to look at. She didn’t have the lithe frame of Ino, who was practically skin and bones that girl. Or the thicker frame of Hinata, who hid a curvy body underneath that heavy clothes. She had a body more like… like Naruto. Aside from the obvious differences, she still looked to masculine to look like a pretty girl.

Her shoulders were too wide, and she was too rectangular. Sure she still had somewhat of a feminine frame, her hips ruining to full masculine effect.

But he was still undeniably attracted to her. Everyone expected him to have a crush on Hinata or Ino, hell even that girl with all the weapons. But he never really had a crush on a girl before, ever.

And having one on Sakura kinda pissed him off.

“I’m sorry… that I said you smelled like wet dog and piss and that everyone avoids you. That was mean of me.” Sakura spoke up, walking ahead of him.

“Its ok, I know you didn’t mean it. ‘Sides I said some pretty mean things too. Sorry.”

“Its ok Kiba, I started it.”

The mud stuck to him was dry and starting to flake away, but it made him itchy, and he could see Sakura scratching at her arms, watching as the mud flaked and fell off, showing her tawny skin to be seen from underneath.

He never actually understood why the other girls bullied her for it. Sure they were all pale skinned little bitches but Sakura wasn’t that different from them.

“Hey Sakura, do you… you remember the girls that used to pick on you?”

She turned, eyebrow raised. “Ya?”

“Ami and the others right?”

“Ya why?”

“I just… Why did they pick on you?”

“My dads from kumo and my mother from suna, why else would they pick on me? I’m a foreigner according to them remember?”

“Ya but why did they pick on you? Other than your skin you don’t look different from us?”

“I’m not from a clan, I'm a civilian nobody that has foreign parents. I’d pick on me too if I was them.”

“But why? We’re all the same aren't we?”

She tilted her head, thinking. “I mean I guess, ya. I don’t know, I guess I’d do it to fit in.”

“Why would you care about fitting in?”

“I have no friends and I don’t look like anyone here. I stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Well I think you look cool. You’re not boring to look at, even if you’re totally a boy in disguise.”

“Kiba shut the fuck up.” She snapped, huffing and crossing her arms. “I do not look like a boy.”

“Eh. If you say so.”

She rolled her eyes.

“But you’re definitely prettier than Ami and those other girls.” He said, walking past Sakura who stood with her mouth agape and red dusting her cheeks.

“What the fuck Kiba!?!”

“Come on, Supper should be ready by now.”

“You can’t walk away like you didn't just call me pretty!”

“I didn’t say you were pretty, I said you look prettier then Ami. And Ami looks like a horse.”

“HEY!”

Kiba laughed, running away from Sakura as she thundered after him. “God you’re so annoying Sakura.”

“SHUT UP!!!”

He merely let out a raspy chuckle, stopping and letting Sakura tackle him. She had him pinned, her hair falling forward. Just shy of her chin.

He brushed it behind her ear.

She let him go with a shriek and a red face, falling onto her but as she stared at him, shocked.

Kiba laughed, standing up and brushing the dirt off. He held out a hand and helped her up, still laughing at her red face.

“Gods Sakura. I didn’t know you got a sunburn.”

“SHUT UP!!”

Chapter Text

It was awkward at the dinner table. Sakura was avoiding looking at Kiba. God he infuriated her.

But he reminds me of Naruto, she thought. Sadness welling up.

She pushed that thought from her head, and forced herself to smile. “This tastes wonderful Hana, thank you.”

“Someone has manners, “ Hana smiled, lightly bumping her shoulder against Kiba. “Maybe you should learn a thing or two.”

“Shut up,” He grumbled, looking away.

Sakura ate as quickly as possible, she really wanted to get out of this awkward dinner. Six months in and it still felt like she didn’t belong.

“Oh Sakura,” Kiba spoke up.

‘Yes Kiba?”

“I forgot that Kurnai invited you for training tomorrow,” He shifted, scratching the black of his head (brown hair became blonde, red cheek markings became whisker markings) “If you want to come, that is. It’s probably pretty boring staying here all the time huh?” His black eyes met hers.

She looked over at Hana, who smiled and nodded encouragingly.

“I… uh… Sure?”

“Ok great! We usually meet at training ground 8 at 7 am, is that going to be a problem?”

“No. It’ll be fine. I’ll be ready.”

“Great. You’re gonna love Kurenai-sensei! She’s the best. If we’re really good she brings us treats! Like dango.”

“She sounds nice.” Sakura answered, pushing down the wave of anger that welled up. “Is it ok if I leave now Hana-san? I’m really tired and I’d like to have a shower.”

“Of course Sakura-chan. Have a good night.”

Sakura nodded and left.

She quickly made her way to the bathroom, where she filled the tub. The water was hot, and would no doubt turn her skin cherry red when she got out, but she didn’t mind. It gave her time to think.

Undressing she quickly climbed into the tub, hissing as the hot water burned. She ignored it and slid farther down.

Kakashi-sensei hadn’t brought them treats when they were good, he barely did anything at all with them really. And Sakura couldn’t help but feel despair at that thought. Here Kiba was with a team still there and a sensei that actually gave a shit about them.

Sure Kakashi had promised to protect them all with his life, and he did protect them. But that was it. There wasn’t any affection, he didn’t care for her. She saw him ruffle both Sasuke’s and Naruto’s hair more times then she could count. Saw him speak to them in hushed tones.

She didn’t mean to be born foreign, to look different. She didn’t mean to be born a civilian, to act differently. It wasn’t her fault she was born to who she was born to. And she wouldn’t trade her parents for anyone…. Even if they were dead now.

She couldn’t protect them, she hadn’t even tried. She’d chased after Sasuke and Naruto, determined not to be left behind and all that got her was being pinned to a tree and knocked out. In the end she was useless, same as in the Chunin exams.

Tsume had to take her in, she was eating the clan's food. Food that she was sure others of the clan needed. And now she was going to go and train with a new team. She didn’t belong here. She wasn’t an inuzuka (or from clan), she wasn’t even from a ninja family. (If she was, maybe her parents would still be alive. Maybe Sasuke would still be here.)

How was any of this fair?

“Sakura, are you ok in there?” a gruff woman's voice asked from the door. Tsume.

“Yes Tsume-san I’m alright.”

“May I come in?”

Sakura looked at the water spilling over the edge, and the still running tap. Shit.

“Just a moment Tsume-san!”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Sakura quickly hopped out of the tub, more water sloshing to the floor, and grabbed her towel. She tried to mop up the water as best she could, panicking. She’d shut the tap off, the water spilling over the edge still. She’d need to pull the drain.

Shit. shit. It wasn’t working. The towel was drenched.

“Sakura it’s ok.”

Warm arms wrapped around her. “It’s ok.”

“I’m sorry Tsume-san. I’m sorry.” Sakura sniffled, looking at the woman.

“It’s ok.”

“It’s not. I got water everywhere, I made a mess. I Can’t even take a bath properly. I’m so useless. Sasuke was right.”

“You are not Useless. You hear me? You’re under a lot of stress, your parents died for Kami’s sake, but that does not mean you are useless.”

“I am though,” She sobbed. “If i was stronger they’d still be here! I could’ve saved them!”

“Even if you were the strongest ninja alive you couldn’t have saved them, the wall fell onto their house. It crushed them instantly.”

“I could’ve tried! I could’ve done something!” She wailed.

“There was nothing you could do.”

“I could’ve tried,” Her voice was soft, as she whispered those words, falling into Tsume. Pretending the warm embrace was her mothers.

She missed her mother so much.

“It’s ok Sakura, we’re here for you.”

“I’m ok.”

“No sweetie, you’re not. And that's ok, you need to give yourself time to grieve.”

“But I don’t have time to grieve Tsume-San, Naruto is out there getting stronger so he can bring Sasuke back. And Sasuke is out there getting stronger so he can have his vengeance. I don’t have time to be a silly little girl.”

Tsume sighed, pulling away from the girl. “I don’t know how close you were to your team, and it's very admirable of you to want to become stronger for their sake, but Sakura,” She paused, staring into the girl's green eyes. Glossy from tears. “Sakura, you need to get stronger for yourself.”

“I am! I’m getting stronger for myself so I can protect them!”

“You’re still thinking about them, you don’t owe them anything. Naruto has left the village, training to become stronger, yes, but he left the village. He left you. And while he’s still a child, he abandoned you.”

“Naruto would never-”

“Sasuke left you, cold and unconscious, on a bench in the middle of the night. He didn’t care for your safety, he didn’t care for your wellbeing, and to be frank I’m not even sure if he even cared about you. That boy was a ticking time bomb.”

Sakura sniffled, looking down. She couldn’t even defend Sasuke. HE had left her, and while Konaha was the safest village, there was still crime.

“And Kakashi,” She spat his name out like a curse. “Should know better than to leave a vulnerable pup alone. He should have known better to leave you alone. But that man has never been right after his fathers death. He should never have been placed in charge of children.”

Sakura stared at Tsume, mouth agape. Her crying ceased a while ago as she listened to Tsume’s words.

“All I’m saying, Sakura, is that you don’t owe them anything. You don’t owe them your strength, you don’t owe them your thoughts. They have done enough to wrong you as it is, don’t let them have power over you still. Live your life for yourself. You don’t have to be who they want you to be.”

Tsume stood, backing away from Sakura, and pulled the plug in the drain. Before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Sakura sat on the cool surface of the floor, pulling her soaked towel closer to her. Cold seeping in as she shivered. She’d have been embarrassed that Tsume held her when she was naked and wet, but her words caused Sakura to think.

While it was true her team and her were never as close as the others, visibly at least, she was certain they bonded. They almost died together. Surely that meant something to the others? Or had she been seeing everything from a pink lense, hoping that her team would be her new family? That she’d have other people to rely on?

Sakura shook her head, standing. Water dripped down her frame as she bent and grabbed another towel. She quickly dried herself off (so much for her bath) and mopped up the floor.

She got dressed in her night clothes, and quickly went to the room she was staying in. She hurled herself to her bed, filled with melancholy thoughts as she rolled. Eyes staring unfocused at the ceiling.

“She’s right you know,” A voice spoke up from her doorway.

She turned her head to glance over. Kiba, stood leaning against the doorframe. Little Akumaru by his side.

“Oh?”

“They did leave you, you don’t owe them anything after that.”

“And what would you know about people leaving you?”

“My father left,” Kiba said, pushing off from the door frame and walking into the room. “He left because he couldn’t handle my mother, is what she told me.”

He paused, looking at her before sitting on her bed. She pulled her legs up, giving him more room.

“Everyone knows it’s because of me.”

“Kiba?”

“I don’t know who exactly my father was, or if he was an Inuzuka or not, but he couldn’t handle the fact that my sister, Hana would take over the clan after my mother retires or dies. The Inuzuka have always been a matriarchal leadership, paused from mother to daughter. My father had hoped that with the birth of a son that could change, that mother would make me heir. But I wasn’t the strong son he wanted. I was frail and whiny and nothing at all like my father had pictured.” He looked at Sakura with a wry smile, full of hidden sadness. “That's what he told me at least. He’d say Kiba you’re a disgrace to your family! You’re a man! Act like one!”

“Kiba I’m so sorry.”

“Really fucks up a kid huh?” Kiba snorted, leaning back.

“I didn’t know-”

“Not many people do. Well other than my clan of course. They said I should be married off to some Inuzuka girl who could strengthen the family and that my daughters should be strong. I of course, through a fit and mother gave me what I want. I didn’t get engaged.”

“Oh Kiba,” Sakura understood the pain of betrothal. Many merchant’s betrothed their daughters to higher standing families. Selling them to their highest bidder. She was lucky she was not one of the many daughters that suffered that fate, if they’d have wanted some tan skinned girl and not the milky white girls from the rest of Konaha.

“But that made the clan elders hate my mom, thinking she was weak and foolish and that she was the reason that I wasn’t doing my duty. Boring stuff really,”

“No go on, please.”

“Well I lashed out. I was so angry at anyone and I didn’t care who I hurt. And trust me, I hurt a lot of people. Hana was always the best sister I could ask for, she was there for me when mother drowned herself in her work. Trying to fix the problems having me caused, the problems I caused. We all know Hana wants nothing to do with being the Inuzuka al- leader, so it falls onto my shoulders. A boy. My father got what he wanted in the end, even if he isn’t here to see it.”

“Kiba, that's not your fault. Any of it! You didn’t ask to be born! 'Sides your father sounds like a dick.”

“That’s what mother’s trying to tell you Sakura. Team 7 used you, and then abandoned you. They’re all dicks.”

And Sakura laughed, a small giggle, but a laugh nonetheless.

Kiba stared at her, heat flushing his cheeks and neck. She really was pretty.

“Why do you care Kiba? How I live my life?” She asked, having sat up and placed her cheek on her palm. Regarding him with those green eyes of hers. Green eyes that swam with hidden depth.

“Because your team is like my father. You don’t owe them shit and they made everything worse. Especially that emo birdbrain.”

“Mah Kiba, you sound jealous of him. Mad he got all the girls?” She teased, tapping his nose with her finger.

“Please, if I wanted to I could get all the girls. I have Akumaru, girls love puppies.”

“Mmm, I prefer cats.”

“You take that back! Right now!! Blasphemy!"

Sakura giggled, “Go to bed Kiba. I’ll see you in the morning for training.”

He glared at her, holding Akumaru close to him in mock offense. “Goodnight Sakura.”

“Kiba,”

He paused at the door, head turning to look at her.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. I care about you, you little shit.”

Sakura fell asleep with a smile.

Chapter Text

Sakura watched the woman standing before her, Kurenai her mind supplied, as the woman watched her in turn. Both studying the other.

Kurenei wasn’t a tall woman but taller than Sakura. And honestly, Kurenai looked weird. She didn’t understand what she was wearing at all. The dress (could she call it that) was super short and white, with a weird thorn design on it. And instead of shorts she wore bandages (was that comfortable) and then she had one bright red sleeve. It made no sense.
But, a greater question loomed on Sakura’s mind. Why was Kurenai the only female sensei she’d heard of? Teams had one girl each, so shouldn’t there be more women? The rest of their classmates had male sensei’s, even the ones that failed. Were women ninja that uncommon? Were successful ninja women, she corrected, that rare?

“You must be Sakura,” The woman said. Voice soft. Eye’s meeting Sakura’s.

Red. Red. Red. Pale skin, black hair. Face twisted in hate and anger. Black swirls writhing and expanding on a pale neck, darkness emanating from bright red eyes.

Sakura looked away quickly, banishing the image from her mind. She instead decided to look at her feet. Seems to be the only place she could look when interacting with anyone anymore, had lost her brash personality… with everything that happened.

“I am, it’s a pleasure to meet you Kunoichi-san.” Sakura spoke, clearing her throat and shooting a quick glance upwards to at least appear respectful.

“Just Kurenai is fine Sakura-san.”

“I wouldn’t presume such disrespect Kunoichi-san,”

Kami, Kurenai thought. Of course Sakura would be one of those girls wouldn’t she? Raised by civilians to treat all ninja with respect and have a polite attitude. She’d already broken Hinata out of such unpleasant formalities, gotten the shy Hyuuga heiress to come out of her shell… at least with her team. There wasn’t much she could do about strangers, Hinata was a clan heir after all.

But she’d overheard Kakashi and Asuma talking, complaining about their teams really. And Kakashi had said that Sakura was brash and loud and angry. That she’d get violent outbursts when angry. This meek girl looking at her feet looked nothing like how Kakashi had described.

“Please Sakura-san I insist.” Kurenai eventually said, after she was done studying the girl.

Sakura looked up, before her green eyes darted back to her feet. Kurenai resisted the urge to sigh. This was not going the way she wanted. She had thought that she’d be able to interact with her Like Kiba, or Perhaps like Shino. It would seem she’d need to rethink everything.

“So, Sakura-san, what did Kakashi train you in? I’m assuming he was just beginning to find your specialty?” Kurenai asked, manicured hands on her hips. Please let it be something easy. Something she could use to build the obviously broken confidence in the girl.

Sakura felt a wave of anger as she glanced at her own hands. Chewed nails and rough skin. Red and irritated.

“Uh… he didn’t?”

“Didn’t what?”

“Train me?” Sakura looked up, hands wringing together as she Looked at Kurenai with clear hesitance.

Kurenai inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to pinch between her eyes. He'd put this girl through the Chunin exams and he didn't even train her?!? Did he not realize luck was the only reason she survived. A mere punch knocked her out. Granted, Sakura had impressed her when she broke the Yamanaka mind jutsu. She wasn’t exactly sure who had all managed to do it, but she was certain it was just as difficult as breaking the Uchiha genjutsu. Both were products of kekkei genkai. Perhaps she would need to look into that?

Kurenai pushed that thought aside and looked at the small girl before her.

He really let this girl, who clearly was mixed (judging from her coloration) into the chunin exams with nothing to fall back on? He was lucky she wasn’t picked on from her coloration alone. Konaha might be the “nice” village, but it had just as much racism as any other village.

Honestly she was glad this girl wasn’t placed on a team with a Hyuuga, they were the most racist clan. She was surprised the girl was able to put up with an Uchiha to be honest, but she supposed that Sasuke was much too young to develop the mindsets his clan shared.

Either way this girl was lucky.

“He didn’t train you… Did you at least learn anything from him?”

“How to tree walk?”

And damn her if she didn’t want to find Kakashi and skin him alive after she asked him just what the fuck he was thinking. Because clearly he had not. Been. Thinking.

She knew of the neglect that kunoichi often suffered in their genin days, but this had to take the cake. She’d have been a paper nin most likely. Or killed. She was glad Kiba brought this kid to her.

“Well, let's start with the basics today and go from there.”

Chapter Text

Sakura huffed, back drenched with sweat.

What the actual hell? Was this how the other teams trained? No wonder she was weak and couldn’t keep up. This was worse than training with Tsume.

Tsume mainly focused on their offensive capabilities, pitting Kiba against Sakura. Correcting them once in a while, but it wasn’t anything like Kurenai.

Sakura stretched for what felt like hours, Kurenai correcting her stances and guiding her. And it hurt. Muscles stretched and stung. She didn’t even know what half these stretches were, but Kurenai said that she needed to stay flexible. If her body was stiff it would do more harm than good.

And once Kurenai was satisfied with that she had to then do basic exercises. She was doing endless amounts of pushups, squats, and sit ups. Then Kurenai got her started on weights.

After that she got a break, a water bottle and two snacks given to her while she took in large much needed gulps of oxygen.

Then Kurenai made her do laps around the clearing. Over and over. Honest to God, Sakura was sure this woman was going to kill her.

She got another break, after being scolded. Apparently she needed to “walk it off” after she ran.

Then Kurenai made her go through the basic academy katona’s. Having her go through the moves slowly, Sakura knew she was not meeting Kurrenai’s expectations. She was then instructed to do them again but faster.

“Ok, Sakura take a breather.” Kurenai instructed. Handing the girl the water bottle and another protein bar.

Kurenai had some work to do. But first she’d finish this session, and go from there.

Sakura was panting as she gulped down the bar and the water. All but inhaling them.

“We’ll do a few last stretches ok?”

Sakura bit back a groan. Was she even going to be able to get up after this?”

Kurenai started her winding down stretches.

First having Sakura touch her toes, bending at the waist. Before moving into the triangle pose, one hand on her foot, and the other hand in the air. With her face tilted to look up at the sky. Legs spread apart. She held that position for a few moments before moving onto the next.

The low lunge was hard for Sakura, the stretch of her muscles burned.

She then instructed the downward facing dog, before shifting into the upward facing dog, before doing a few more positions that she had no idea what they were called.

“Well, you weren’t kidding when you said Kakashi didn’t work with you at all.” Kurenai began once Sakura was sitting. “Your forms were sloppy and frankly downright awful. I’ll be reteaching you those ones.”

Sakura nodded, pushing back the upset feeling.

“You, while being somewhat flexible, will need to work at it. You have terrible stamina, and very little muscle. To be frank, I'm surprised you lasted as long as you have.”

Sakura looked down.

“But, now that I know where you stand I can begin correcting your mistakes and guiding you the proper way. You’re not hopeless, just misguided. It will take a bit to break you of those bad habits, but we will do it.”

“Yes Sensei.”

“Kiba will inform you of our time schedules, and I expect you to join. I will have a plan for our next session.”

“Yes sensei.”

“Good job Sakura,” Kurenai praised, a hand gently brushing Sakura’s shoulder. “I’m happy you came to me for help. I’m sure you’ll make me proud.”
Sakura looked up, eyes wide. To see Kurenai smile at her.

“Now run along home, make sure to eat well tonight! See you soon!”

Sakura dragged herself into Tsume’s home, grumbling.

She heard a snort and looked up at Kiba who looked to be desperately holding in laugh.

“Not. One. Word.”

Chapter Text

Kiba had told her the rundown of what to expect, and had gone out to get her training clothes. Complaining about how her outfit was impractical.

And it hurt, hearing him say that about the only thing she had left of her parents but she understood where he was coming from.

So, she let him drag her into the ninja clothing shop.

“Now, Kurenai and Hinata often wear baggy pants and a tight fitting crop top. So we’ll have to get you a few sets of those. Shino and I just wear baggy shirts and shorts.”

He paused, looking at Sakura, eyes dragging up and down. “We’ll also have to pick out some winter clothes, summer clothes, and whatnot. And it won’t be in red. That's impractical. Basically a walking target.” He mumbled. “Though she doesn't really have a preferred fighting style right now, so we can’t get anything too stylized. Moveable is what she needs.”

Sakura didn’t realize he was this… into clothes.

He tossed two pairs of black pants at her, which she barely caught. She was still sore from yesterday. Then he tossed a black crop top at her, before throwing a green one at her too. He then tossed her a black sleeveless turtleneck and black skin tight pants. Before tossing her a gray sash. And then a white crop top and gray sweats. Before tossing her a green jacket and a black one. The black one had fur.

It looked suspiciously like Kiba’s.

“Um… do I really need this?”

“YES!” He said, throwing in another crop top and pants. “Do you really want to train in the same smelly clothes?”

“Ah… not really.”

“Exactly.”

He tossed a pair of shorts at her.

They arrived home with their haul, having stopped for dango. And dumped everything on Sakura’s floor.

She now had 6 crop tops, 3 black, 1 green, 1 white, and 1 gray. 7 pairs of baggy pants, 5 being black, 2 being gray. 4 black leggings. 2 sleeveless turtlenecks, 3 gray sweatpants, and 1 black sweatpants. 4 t-shirts that were green, black, gray and white. 3 hoodies, 2 black and 1 green. 2 shorts, both being black. And the two jackets, green and black.

He’d also grabbed her two new pairs of sandals and a hip pouch.

So 15 shirts, 15 pants,2 shorts, 2 jackets, 2 shoes, and some hip pouches. He basically bought her an entire wardrobe.

“This should be enough. It’s less than I have, but you don’t seem overly picky about what you wear.”

She snorted.

He looked at her, suddenly nervous as he fiddled with something. “I… Uh… I also picked up some hair ties… you mentioned growing your hair out again?”

Warmth spread in Sakura’s chest as she threw herself at Kiba in a crushing hug.

“Thank you!” She breathed. “Thank you.”

“One's green, one's red and the other is blue. I thought that maybe the colors would be something that could represent your parents?”

Sakura cried.

Chapter Text

Sakura woke up to Kiba pounding on her door. Throwing it open with an irritated groan.

“You’re still in bed? Oh my god get up,” He whined. Hopping onto her bed and shaking her. “Come on!!! If you make us late, Kurenai will skin us alive..”

Sakura groaned, attempting to pull her blanket over her head.

“Sakura,”

He yanked the blanket off of her, and scooped her up with a grunt. She barely registered being in his arms, instead trying to fall back asleep.

She shrieked when she felt his arms let go, and landed with a heavy thump.

“What the fuck Kiba.”

“Get. Dressed.”

Looking at her crumpled form, green eyes glaring at him from underneath the blanket, he scoffed. Rolling his eyes before digging into the closet.

He threw a crop top (the green one) and pants (the black ones) at her. Looking at the clothes with a pointed expression before walking backwards out the door, black eyes glaring at her.

She rolled her eyes in response, but got dressed quickly.

When she made her way to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes sleepily she noted Kiba scarfing down food.

Hana had made Tamagoyaki.

Sakura’s mouth watered as she quickly sat down, thanking Hana with a smile.

“You kids be good for Kurenai you hear? I don’t need you two given’ her any trouble.” Hana teased, waving her own chopsticks at them in mock anger.

Kiba and Sakura shared a glance before looking at Hana with matching grins.

“Of course Hana-san, we’ll be on our best behavior.”

“Ya what do you think we are?”

“Mannerless heathens.”

Kiba and Sakura laughed.

Sakura blinked, a sudden urge to walk back to the compound and hide under her blankets was overwhelming. She’d talked to Hinata and Shino before, back at the academy. But… Shino was glaring at her. And Hinata was nervously glancing at her.

“Um… It’s nice to see you guys again,” She glanced at Kiba who gave her a thumbs up. “We haven’t really spoken sense the exams.”

“We didn’t talk in the exams. Why? Because you made no effort to speak to us.”

Sakura looked at Kiba with wide eyes, unsure how to proceed. “Um… sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you guys.”

“It’s ok Sakura-chan, I’m sure you were quite busy.”

Hinata was using her clan voice wasn’t she? Oh this was such a bad idea. She did not know how to interact with them, she hadn’t even talked to them during their academy days. Not that she had a problem with them… but well they weren’t Sasuke or Ino. And Sakura used to be obsessed withSasuke. And Ino… Ino was a daily thing for her. She used to be best friends with her.

Sakura wasn’t a very good friend.
“Still, we were classmates and the only teams out of our grade to graduate. I should’ve made a bigger effort. I’m sorry for that.”

She could try to be a good one now.

“Your apology is accepted. Why,” Sakura heard a faint buzzing sound from Shino when he shifted, “Because you’re the only one who has attempted to befriend us out of all the Konoha 12.”

“And Kiba likes you,” Hinata added. “A friend of Kiba’s is a friend of ours.”

Sakura did not let out a sigh of relief. She was just really happy they weren’t super upset with her. They seemed very nice.

“Well I’m glad my students are getting along with Sakura. I know how hard it is for you all to accept new people,”

Hinata let out a squeak, hands flying to her face, cheeks bright red, and Shino’s Kikaichu buzzed louder as he looked away, shuffling his feet slightly. Kiba laughed at the two, and Sakura saw a small smile ghost Kurenai’s lips.

It was nice to see how a team was supposed to be. A wave of bitterness welled up, leaving her throat tight.

Chidori and Rasegan glowed blue as they lunged towards each other, if she didn;t stop it they’d both die.

Sakura looked up, glancing at Kiba as he threw an arm around her shoulder. With a squeeze he pulled her closer.

“So sensei, what’re we doin’ today?”

“I’m so glad you asked.” Red eyes glowed with malicious glee.

Red eyes glowed with malice

Sakura stood, giving Kiba a smirk as she stretched her arms.

Kurenai wanted them to do stretches before sparring with each other, and she’d paired Kiba and Sakura together.

This was going to be fun. Sakura thought with glee.

They hadn’t had a while to spar in ages. Tsume was busy with clan stuff, clan stuff that Sakura isn’t going to pretend she knew anything about, and Hana was busy with the vet stuff.

She rolled her neck.

“Let’s do this dog boy!”

“Oh you’re goin’ down!”

They leapt.

Training with team 8 was hard. She thought those exercises Kurenai had her do were hard, this was so much worse, Kurenai was the literal devil incarnate. She had to be. There is no way she was this cruel.

Sakura stared up at the blue sky, leaves of the tree swaying gently with a soft hiss as the wind blew. Kiba, Hinata, and Shino laid close by, also panting.

“What the fuck,” Sakura groaned out, voice raspy.

“Welcome to team 8,” Shino said, rolling over so he could look at her.

“It’s hell. It’s literal hell.”

Shino snorted, flopping back down. Ending up throwing himself onto Hinata who let out a soft grunt in response.

Kiba sat up with a grin. “PUPPY PILE.”

“KIBA NOO-”

Kiba and Sakura sat on her bed, having showered after the training.
“Oh my god, you look ridiculous,” She giggled, adjusting her pink cat headband to push back his hair further so she could spread her bright green clay mask. Brushing some stray ahirs back so the clay wouldn't get in his hair.

He stared at her with an unamused expression which made her giggle harder. Guess he doesn't like face masks.

“Oh come on, don’t you want to be a pretty princess?” She teased, spreading the green goop over his cheek. Laughing as he scrunched his nose.

“No, I think I’m good, thanks.”

“Mm you’re loss. You could’ve had a handsome prince rescue you." She paused, tilting her head and looking at him with a grin. "Perhaps that kitty boy… What was his name?” It started with a T right? Or was it a K? All she knew was that he was Gaara's brother, and that he had weird face paint. Clan markings maybe?

“Kankuro,”

“Mmm?” Sakura looked at Kiba.

“His name was Kankuro.” Kiba looked away, ears tinged pink.

“OH MY GOD?!? Kiba do you have a crush?” Sakura squealed, pinning him down so he couldn’t get away.

“NO!,” He cleared his throat, ears even redder. “No. I don’t.”

“You totally do!”

Chapter Text

Hi everyone,

So this isn’t an update unfortunately. I know you have all been waiting so patiently for an update, and unfortunately you’ll have to wait a while.

As I’ve mentioned before, my mother is currently undergoing treatments for her cancer so i’m taking care of her as well as my youngest brother and trying to take care of the house. So I don’t have very much time to work on this anymore. But Don’t worry!!! I’m not abandoning this fic, and I do plan on updating it and finishing it!!

But I’m also in a situation where I have to worry about my mental and physical safety as my sister has become quite violent. So it may take a while before I update and continue.

I’ll try to at least update one shots as they only take a few hours to write and a few more hours to edit. I know it’s not much, but I’m very sorry for keeping you all waiting.

Hope you’re all in good health and have a wonderful rest of your day!!!

Chapter Text

---- Week 1 ----
With a loud thud Sakura’s body collapsed to the ground, grass beneath her as her gaze was dragged up to the bright blue sky. Soft white clouds billowed across the sky, slowly. They looked like they didn’t have a care in the world, and honestly Sakura was kinda jealous.

Her chest heaved as she sucked in large gulps of air, panting from exhaustion as she lay staring up at the sky. Her shirt, wet with sweat, was sticking to her back. She tried to ignore the disgust that welled up.

She would definitely need a shower after today.

But that brought her mind back to the present moment. Sakura was dying. She was dead. Any second now her spirit would rise up from her body and she’d be dead.

The clouds couldn’t have looked more appealing then at this moment. She could feel the deep ache in her bones, and the pain in her muscles. Would she even be able to get up? This was worse than when Kurenei made her do all those exercises on the first day.

“Tired already?” Kiba teased, bending over to stare down at her. Hands on his hips as an eyebrow raised. His lips twisted in a lopsided grin.

She looked up at him from where she lay on the soft grass, the only part that hadn’t been disturbed in their spar.

“Kurenai is a demon,” She gasped, chest rising and falling with great heaves as she gulped in air. “She hates me and is trying to kill me.”

Kiba snorted, but it was Shino who answered.

“Kuranei-sensei does not hate you. Why? Because you have shown resilience and hard work. All of us appreciate it.”

Sakura pushed down the warm feeling that rose from her chest at those words, grunting as she sat up.

“Let’s do this!”

----- Week 2 ------
Sakura could see the changes in her body, and while they weren’t as impressive as she’d like she could still see the faint outline of her muscles. And damn it she was proud. Kiba was getting annoyed with her she could tell, but really this means she was improving and that meant a lot to Sakura.

“Sakura we get it, you got muscles now. But please for the love of god stop talking about it. Do you want me to talk about how I have abbs all the time?”

“Well, actually everyone has abs.” Shino pointed out, pushing a tired Hinata who was leaning against him away gently, “So that wouldn’t be that impressive in your case.”

“Shut up Shino! No one asked your scrawny ass.”

“I had to correct you, why? Because if no one did you’d have to live your entire life as an idiot.”

Sakura snorted into her palm, sharing a glance with Hinata. Who was smiling softly as Kiba started yelling at Shino. It had taken her a bit at first to realize that they were just messing around and didn’t mean to be hostile toward each other, the arguments often ending in Kiba’s lopsided grin and Shino’s soft smirk.

She still couldn’t tell if Naruto and Sasuke were messing around or had actual hostility towards each other, but based on the exchange between Shino and Kiba she was leaving toward hostility.

But Hinata had been a nice change, a softness that was nice to be near. At first, back at the academy too, it sorta creeped her out. The girl was practically silent. But Sakura understood, Hinata was just nervous and didn’t seem to do well with new people. Which was surprising seeing as she was the clan heir, Sakura was under the impression that being the heir meant you had to have people skills. But then again the only true heir she’d been around had been Ino when they were young, and then Hana.

Now that she thought about it, most of the clan heirs she’s ment are pretty quiet. Shino certainly was, and so was Choji and Shikamaru from the academy. The only loud one was Ino… perhaps she was the odd one out?

That was…. A disturbing thought. Ino was perfect and gorgeous…. It was hard thinking that she’d be the misfit of the clan kids… it was just weird.

“Come on Sakura, Mom isn’t home so you bozo’s, except you Hinata love you, are coming home with me. Hana made mochi and I can make tea.”

Sakura raised a brow. “Uhhuh.”

----- Week 3 -----
Sakura was exhausted, sweat clinging to her skin once again. And she was certain she stank to high heavens. It was disgusting to think about.

She pulled her tank top away from her with a sigh, the cool air brushing against her bare skin was nice.

“Jeez Sakura, put em away.” Kiba teased, roughly colliding into her, knocking them both to the ground. “Nobody wants to see that.”

She glared up at him. He grinned down at her.

“Not funny.”

“I tried.” He shrugged, still grinning. “But seriously I told you to wear shorts and a crop top today. It’s hot as hell.”

“Oh please, you're just being a baby. This… this is the perfect weather!” It was not. Sakura was dying.

All three of team 8 stared at her with matching deadpan expressions. She bit down the part of her that grew upset knowing that her team didn’t share expressions.

“OK!” She grumped, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “I get it. It’s hot!”

“You know,” Kurenei said, “You guys have been such good kids, we could find a lake or river to go swimming in.”

“Sensei you're the best!!!”

“That would be good,” Shino agreed. “It is very hot.”

Hinata nodded with a small smile, one that Sakura matched. She hadn’t gone swimming in a while.

“Well let’s get our swimming stuff!” Kiba all but screamed, Akumaru barking in agreement. They both went running off.

“Do we meet back here?” Sakura asked.

“Sure. We can do that.”

Sakura went running after KIba. Hollering in excitement.

Kurenai watched them run with a fond smile. “All right you two,” She turned to her other students. “Go on, we’ll meet back here. But be quick ok. I don’t know how long those two can wait.”

Shino nodded.

Both her students went home to grab their swimming clothes.

--- Present day ---
Sakura didn’t mind that the past month had been filled with training. And while Sakura’s entire body ached (Kurenei was the devil) Sakura found she didn’t mind it. It was actually a nice feeling, knowing that her body ached because she was training to be stronger. That she’d found people who put in the effort to make her stronger.

Sakura sat on the ground, smiling as Hinata flopped down beside her. Head resting on her legs. Arm thrown over her face to block out the sun.

That was one thing she liked about this team, they were so tactile.

Shino flopped down beside Sakura, leaving back against the tree.

“Today was a good day. Why?” He glanced at Sakura, “Because you made Kiba eat dirt.”

His lip twisted slightly, and Hinata snorted.

“Hey! Hey! I let her do that.” Kiba snapped, collapsing onto Shino and spreading himself out. “Gotta get her confidence up.”

Sakura smiled, shaking her head. “Well I was going to share some of the Warabi Mochi that Hana and I made… but I guess that means more for Shino-san and Hinata-san.”

“Hey! Hey, that's not fair!”

“But clearly you think I'm not improving so there’s no need for a treat.”

He sat up, narrowing his eyes. “This is a trap.”

“Is it?”

“I sense I’ve made a mistake.”

“Have you?”

He glanced at Shino, before looking back at Sakura whose mouth was stretched out in a large grin, eyebrow raised as she held up a box.

“Yes, you made me eat dirt. Can I have some now?”

“Sure.”

“Well seeing as you little gremlins are enjoying lazing about, we’ll say training is done for today. I’ll see you guys on Thursday.” Kurenei said, looking down at the four kids. All piled against each other.

“Though if you want time in the sun, I suggest moving to a civilian park. Another team should be coming to use this clearing soon.”

All four of them laid in the soft grass, Hinata sandwiched between Kiba and Shino, arm curling up onto Shino’s shoulder. Kiba was on her left, looking over at Shino, arm over Sakura’s back from where she laid. Her arm wrapped around Hinata’s middle and other under her head, holding it up. Resting overtop of Kiba and partly over Hinata. Her elbow rested just slightly on Shino’s stomach.

“Man, it's so nice out.” Kiba sighed, closing his eyes as a soft cool breeze rustled the leaves of the tree above them.

“I agree,” Shino spoke up. “The breeze is quite nice.”

Hinata mumbled in agreement, and Sakura smiled.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” Sakura spoke.

“Glad you find me and Hinata so comfortable,” Kiba teased. “But I swear your elbow is poking my spleen.”

“You do have pointy elbows.” Shino agreed.

Sakura’s face went bright red as she let out a squeak, pushing her face into the crack between Hinata’s back And Kiba’s chest.

Kiba roared with laughter as Shino snorted, Hinata’s body vibrating with her own silent laughter.

“What is this? Gang up on Sakura day?”

Shino smirked.

“Well you know what, next time I make anything with Hana you guys aren’t getting any.”

“Oh no! The horror of missing out on Sakura’s cooking.”

“I lit the noodles on fire ONCE! One time!!”

“They were black Sakura.”

She scrunched her nose. “So.”

“They were charcoal.” Hinata mumbled.

“Sorry that I don't know how to cook!”

“It’s ok, not all of us can be perfect.” Shino said.

“I feel like it’s ganging up on Sakura day,” Sakura grumbled, pushing her face back between Hinata and Kiba.

Kiba patted her shoulder. “We love you.”

“Doesn’t feel like it.”

“If we didn’t like you, Kurenei wouldn’t be training you and we wouldn’t let you hang out with us. Why? Because there are very few people we actually do like.”

“Thanks.” Sakura said, “I feel the love.”

“Kiba? Shino? Hinata?” A voice called out, and they all shot up, breaking apart from their cuddle pile. “Oh? Sakura? What are you doing here?”

“Um…” She glanced at team 8, who regarded Ino with closed off expressions. “Talking?”

Chapter Text

Ino regarded the four other teenagers, hands on her hips.

Sakura was tense, shoulders tight and legs flexing as if to leap up and run. Hands clammy as she wrung them together.

“What are you doing with them Sakura?” Ino asked again.

Sakura didn’t answer this time, eyes drawn to Ino’s blond hair. It was jagged and short now, having been cut in the Chunin exams to trap Sakura.

The grip on her hair was tight. Bruising. Head yanked back by the sound girl. With a quick swipe the pressure was gone and Sakura was falling forward.

“Well?” Ino’s voice broke Sakura out of the memory and green eyes met blue.

“Why does it matter?” Sakura asked quietly, wishing the silent trio beside her would speak up. She knew they didn’t want to interfere with this, they weren’t friends with Ino. Other than them all being heirs.

A sharp bitterness welled up at the thought.

“I didn’t think you had friends,” Ino huffed. Crossing her arms as she stared down at Sakura. “With Naruto and Sasuke being gone and all.”

Sakura’s nostrils flared as she inhaled sharply. Heartbeat pounding. She clenched her fists as she shifted her head to glare at the blonde girl.

“Shut up pig.” She hissed, lip curling.

“Well I’m just saying, everyone knows you dropped me over Sasuke and yet neither him nor Naruto stuck around for you. I thought it was a little weird that you suddenly got friends.” Ino responded, bringing her hand up to inspect her nails.

Sakura used to think this girl was perfect, that she was the type of girl that Sakura wanted to be. Poise, and fierce and perfect. Now Sakura wasn’t sure what to think, other than the fact that Ino wasn’t who she thought she was.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?”

“Shut up.”

“Face it forehead, nobody likes you. They,” She motioned to the stunned trio, “Are more likely humoring you because they feel sorry for the poor little orphan girl.”

Something in Sakura snapped. With a fierce cry she shot up and lunged toward the blond girl, teeth gleaming. A solid punch connected with Ino’s face. A soft crunch was heard underneath. As well as a shriek of pain. Sakura ignored it. All she could focus on was the pounding of her heart. Filling her ears with it’s noise. White hot fury was fueling her moves as she moved to tackle the shocked girl. Pinning her down as she brought her fists onto the crying girl. Slamming them down over and over and over and over. Blood splattering onto her face, and around her. Red flecks exploding around her. Ino was weakly trying to push the stronger girl off of her.

Sakura felt hands dig underneath her armpits in an attempt to drag her off Ino. She retaliated with a sharp swing of her arm, the back of her hand connecting and causing someone to grunt. They were saying something but she couldn’t hear it. All she could focus on was causing the overwhelming feeling of anger and pain as she stared down at the girl underneath her. Face caked with blood, red and bright tears causing the redness to be washed away revealing the milky whiteness of her skin. Pale like pearls.

And that caused Sakura to bare her teeth as more anger swelled up. Maybe if she had milky white skin people would treat her better. Maybe Naruto and Sasuke still would be here, maybe her parents would still be alive. But she didn’t have that skin. She didn’t have her team anymore. And her parents were dead.

“Fuck you.” She hissed. “Fuck you. Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!” She screamed at Ino, allowing herself to be dragged away from the beaten girl. Limp and staring motionless up at the sky. Tears still dripped down the side of her face onto the ground.

She wasn’t sure who was the one who dragged her away, she didn’t stick around long enough to fund out. Team 8 had rushed to Ino’s side (she ignored the spark of betrayal that welled up) and seemed panicked.

“SAKURA!!!”

Sakura turned and took off running, not caring where she went. Deeper into the trees that surrounded them, weaving in between. Green and brown and grey blurred together. She couldn't focus, everything was shaky and unsteady. And it was so hard to breathe and she didn’t know where she was or what she was doing or why she was running.

But she couldn’t be found, she had to leave. Something bad would happened if she was caught.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” She chanted, breaths coming out rapidly and in short bursts. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

She kept running, lost.

Sharp pain erupted as she collided with a tree, falling down with a cry. “No. No. FUCK!”

She lay against the tree gasping. She could feel the sweat dripping down. Eyes stinging as it dripped into her eyes. She shook as her arms wrapped themselves around herself. Gasping and panting. Her fingernails digging into the exposed flesh or her arms. Peeling back with sharp stings.

Her breath was coming quicker and it was getting hard to keep her eyes open. Everything was swirling around her, corners of her vision fading to black before quickly reverting to normal.

She kept blinking rapidly, eyes rolling back as her head thunked against the tree. “Fuck. Fuck. I can’t… Fuck. Gotta. Gotta.”

Her head fell forward, as she panted. It was getting harder to breath, it felt like she was suffocating. She couldn’t understand what was happening. It is hard to see, her eyes stung. Her head was throbbing, it was hard to breathe.

Oh god, she was dying.

The ground rumbled. The air filled with screams. Sakura whirled around, blinking as a body fell beside her. Face looking up with blood dripping from their lips. Eyes unblinking and unseeing.

Sakura vomited.

Wiping her mouth as she panted, crying and looking around. So many people were dying.

No. She had to focus. She had to wake up the others. She had to… why was it hard to breathe.

Why was it hard to breathe? She didn’t die in the invasion? Was the invasion still happening? Was she dying? Did one of the enemies get a lucky shot?

She looked down at her hands. Blood caked onto her knuckles, skin and blood underneath her nails.

She screamed. And kept screaming.

Oh god. She killed Ino. She killed Ino. She killed Ino. She killed Ino.

Head lulling as she bent over, vomit erupting from her lips, hot and burning as she gagged. She vomited more as she felt it on her hands, slimy and hot as it slid against her hands. Mixing with the drying blood.

She gagged, spitting as more vomit erupted.

“I- I- Ino. Oh god Ino-"

She sobbed, ignoring the vomit on her hands and mouth. Wailing as she sat up and threw her head against the tree.

Oh god. Oh god.

She was a traitor. She killed Ino.

She didn’t… She didn’t.

She rocked back and forth, arms tight against her as she cried.

Hands gripped her arms gently, softly. She jolted with a scream, scrambling away from them. Hands and knees sliding into the vomit.

“I didn’t mean to! I didn’t mean to! I promise! I didn't mean to kill her! I didn’t mean to!”

“Hey. Hey,” A soft voice spoke up. “It’s ok, It’s ok. You didn’t kill her. It’s ok. Just breathe ok? In and out, come on. Breathe with me.”

Sakura nodded. Vision blurred as she tried to match the breathing of the one in front of her.

“That’s it! Come on. Deep breath in,” They said. Hands touching her arms again softly. “Good girl. Now breathe out.”

She did as instructed, a wave of fatigue filling her as she slumped.

“Hey, Hey its ok. I got you. I got you.” Arms wrapped around her, one sliding under her back and the other under her legs. “I got you Sakura. It’s ok.”

It was hard to keep her eyes open, every time she tried they’d shut again.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. I know.”

Tears dripped from closed eyes. “I swear I didn’t mean to."

“I know, Sakura. I know.”

“I know, Sakura. I know.”

Sakura opened her eyes slightly. Vision blurred from sweat, blood and tears. "I swear..."

Her head dropped, falling into the green flak jacket as her eyes closed. Exhaustion setting in.

"Oh Sakura - " The voice faded away just like everything else.

Chapter Text

Sakura shot up with a gasp, panting as she looked around. White sterile walls greeted her.

She tried to shift, clicking, sounding across the room as her arms wouldn't budge. She glanced down. Blinking as she noted the cuffs around her wrists keeping her tied to the bed.

She began struggling, reefing on the cuffs causing sharp pain to erupt from her wrists as she kept struggling.

“Hey, Hey,” Tsume rushed to her side immediately. Sakura hadn;t even noticed she was in the room. “It’s ok.”

“Why… what?”

“You messed up that Yamanaka girl pretty bad, and managed to give yourself a really bad concussion not to mention all the scratches on you.”

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, struggling to understand.

“Kiba came to get me, he told me the girl started it. That fleabitten bitch,” Tsume growled. “We came to the hospital as soon as you were found. You really scared me kiddo.”

“I.. I had to get away. I thought I killed her.” Tears welled up.

“I know kid, you really scared Kurenai and her pack of brats you know. They couldn’t find you for hours.”

“I… I don’t know, I just ran further into the trees. I needed to hide.” She sniffed.

“ I know kiddo. I know.”

“Is she ok?”

“The blond brat? She’s right as rain. You broke her nose, and gave her an orbit fraction? You fractured part of her eye socket anyhow, Which good going kid. Maybe don’t beat up on a fellow leaf ninja.”

Sakura snorted at Tsume’s attempt to lighten the mood. “I didn’t mean to. She just… I got so angry.”

“Kiba told me what happened, and while I don’t agree with what you did… she did kinda deserve it. People forget not to mess with an Inuzuka and they regret it every time.”

Sakura cried harder.

“You’re part of the family kiddo, for better or worse. No blonde brat is going to take that away from you.”

“But I coulda killed her.”

“And we’ll work on that, We’ll get that nasty temper and violent streak under control. You’re a kid, Sakura. You’re allowed to make mistakes. And yes, this one was a bad one and you could’ve been in serious trouble. Luckily Inoichi understands that you’re under a great deal of stress and that his daughters a bitch.”

“I lashed out…” Sakura looked to the side, spotting the window. “Just like sasuke and Naruto did. Only I didn’t hold back. I hurt her…”

Blue swirled around Naruto’s hand as a chirping sound surrounded the blue and white electrical mess on Sasukes. They charged forward, yelling.
Sakura was running. Heart pounding. The world fading around her as she stared at the boys getting closer and closer.

She had to stop them. They’d kill each other.

A touch to her arm brought her out of the memory.

“Sasuke is… Sasuke doesn’t have anyone to teach him differently. The uchiha… they’ve always been filled with such hate, anger. Violence. It was always a matter of time somebody put those mad dogs down.”

Sakura stared at Tsume in shock, mouth open. “What?”

“They were bad people, Sakura. At least in the end. I know you don’t understand. You were just a child. But a mad dog needs to be put down. They’re a danger to people. Unfortunately Sasuke has followed this path.”

“ I don’t -”

“Sakura, you hurt Ino. Badly. You could’ve killed her.”

More tears welled up.

“But! But, you feel guilty over it. You didn’t want to kill her. You were scared and angry. The Yamanaka brat cornered you, and wouldn’t let up. Of course you lashed out. Any Inuzuka would’ve done the same. The difference is, if that has been Sasuke. He’d have killed Ino, and wouldn’t have cared. I’ve seen his type in the Uchiha before. They’re monsters.”

“But -”

“Sakura, trust me. If you run into Sasuke the kindest thing you can do is kill him. He won’t change.”

“But I -”

“You hurt Ino, but you’re sorry for it. That’s ok. We’ll work on your temper. And we’ll work on your control. We do it with any Inuzuka child. And I’m sorry I thought you’d be any different.”

“I really didn’t -”

“I know Sakura. You made a mistake. A mistake we have to fix. It’s time I treated you like a true Inuzuka anyway. You’re practically Kiba’s sister anyway.”

Tsume leaned forward and hugged Sakura. Sakura broke down into tears. Sobbing into the woman’s arms. Missing her mothers, knowing that Tsume was the closest thing she had to her mother now.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I promise I'll be better! I promise!”

“Everything will be alright. It’s ok. You made a mistake, it’s ok. You’re human, that’s part of growing up.”

Sakura nodded, clutching onto the woman tightly. Shuddering as she sniffled. Trying to stop crying.

“Kiba and the others will be here soon,” Tsume said as she pulled away from Sakura. “I need to go and talk to the nurses about taking you home ok? Everything is ok.”

“Ok,” Sakura sniffled. “Ok. I’ll see you soon?”

“Yes kiddo, You’ll see me soon. The others will be here quickly. Try to get some more rest.”

Sakura nodded, watching as the woman walked out of the door. Closing it softly behind her.

Sakura was alone.

She glanced up at the ceiling, the bare white ceiling and she tried to ignore the thoughts that were welling up. The guilt. The shame.

She looked out the window with a huff, fists clenching and nails digging into her palms as tears welled up.

Why had she done that? Why had she hurt Ino? So what if she was angry?

She breathed in, trying to calm down.

Blinking as she stared at the tree by the hospital. For a second she thought she saw a flash of white… or maybe silver? Maybe a bird?

Ignoring it she looked back up at the ceiling.

She needed to get her temper under control. She can’t just hurt people.

If you run into Sasuke, the kindest thing you can do is kill him.
He’d have killed Ino and he wouldn’t have cared.

Was Tsume right? Was Sasuke too far gone?

Darkness spread across Sasuke’s neck, onto his face and shoulder. Dark and swirling and wrong. His eyes were cold as he looked at Sakura.

“Who did this to you?” He growled.

Sakura blinked, frozen as she stared at the boy. Her teammate. She could feel the anger, the darkness, wafting off of him in spades. Could feel the murderous intent as he stared at her expectantly.

“It’s ok Sasuke. It’s ok.”

“Who did this to you?”

“I did.”

Sakura screamed. Sasuke lunged.

The boy was on the ground. Arm twisted into an off angle, Sasuke kept going, pushing it farther.

“NOO!” Sakura ran forward. “STOP!”

Sakura glanced out the window once more. Knowing in her heart that Sasuke and her were different.

She needed to kill him to put him out of his misery. She needed to train to become even stronger, to push herself harder. She needed to get her emotions under control. She couldn’t be a burden, a danger. A mad dog.

She needed to become stronger.

Chapter Text

Kiba had noticed Sakura was off, she’d been off for a few days. Ever since she was released from the hospital.

It wasn’t… he didn’t think his mother or Hana noticed. But he could see it.

She was… more withdrawn. Less volatile.

He could still see her clench her fist when she was angry, like she wanted to take a swing at her when she was annoyed. But then she’d let out a deep exhale and unclench her fist.

And then she’d move on, pretend he hadn’t been bothering her in the first place.

He also noticed she stopped crying, and at first he was happy. He didn’t know how to help her when she broke down, but now… why wasn’t she breaking down?

Had beating up Ino changed her that much?

She used to hit Naruto all the time, surely giving Ino a broken nose and beating her to a bloody pulp couldn’t have made her stop crying?

He’d seen Naruto when they brought him back, seen what Sasuke had done to him. What Saukra had done was nothing. She’d hardly touched Ino compared to that.

Was she scared she was going to snap again?

Maybe he should talk to Kurenai about this, she’d know what to do.

But Krenai was busier now, her training them got harsher. More demanding. It was exhausting. She kept saying that they needed to be able to defend each other. Protect each other.

Sakura had been absent from those training days. He’d tried to ask Kurenai but all she said, every time, was that Sakura was healing and she needed time. He wasn’t sure what she meant by that. The medic had healed all of Sakura’s injuries.

But Kurenai wouldn’t say anymore, instead she’d call a break and take them to get dango. Without Sakura.

Was she scared Sakura would snap and hurt them? Kiba knew Sakura would never hurt them. She couldn’t. Sakura cared about them too much.

Right?

He needed to go talk to her, figure out what was wrong.

With soft footsteps he creeped to Sakura’s room knocking softly. He needed to see if she was ok.

He opened the door, staring.

The bed was perfectly made. No Sakura in sight.

Sakura huffed, rolling her neck as she tried to brush of the soreness setting in. She didn’t have time to be tired. She didn’t have time for weakness. She needed to push her body to the limit. To learn control and to push past her violent nature.

She was a ninja damnit.

She sighed, cracking her back and then her knuckles before she began kicking and punching the tree.

She’d seen others do this when they trained, building up tolerance to it she guessed. Kami knew she needed tolerance for being hurt.

She stepped, lifting her leg and swung it forward. It connected with a hard thwack. She repeated it. And repeated it again. And Again. And again.

She’d broken skin at one point, blood smearing over her leg. She ignored it. When it was getting too hard she switched to the other leg.

It began to bleed after a while as well.

Her hands had already been raw, but she switched to them anyway. Cracking open partly healed skin. Blood was dripping onto the ground now, from her legs.

This wasn’t enough. She wouldn’t get strong enough.

She’d made a mental note to go to the library and see if they had any scrolls on genjutsu or anything she could learn to utilize. She hadn’t put much thought into what she wanted to do.

Other than to be Sasuke’s wife and stay home and take care of his kids. The thought of that was nauseating. To think she’d been in love with a monster. No she hadn’t been in love, it was no more than a silly foolish crush.

She dropped to the ground, shifting into the pushup position. Breathing in deeply as she began.

One pushup bled into the other, and soon her entire body was aching. Her arms felt like jelly and shook under her weight.

She sighed, standing up. Ignoring the weakness of her legs and grabbing the weights she’d managed the snag from Tsume.

Beginning to do her reps, curling the weights up and down. Before switching into a different workout.

Then, she dropped them. Arms giving out.

She growled. She was better than this damnit!

She shook her head, fine. If her limbs couldn’t support weight workouts she’d do her laps.

And she ran around the clearing, lap after lap, after lap.

Ignoring the way her vision blurred and how her feet seemed like lead.

Her eyes widened as her left foot was caught under her right, falling forward with an undignified yelp.

She laid there, gasping for breath.

She needed to work harder.

But she was so tired.

She rolled onto her back, looking up at the night sky. Watching the stars feeling her eyelids get heavier and heavier.

Sakura blinked, sitting up with a yawn as she rubbed her eyes.

“You know, I never expected to find one of my students passed out in a clearing with blood all over them,” A voice spoke up.

She whipped her head to look at the source of the voice. Gasping as she stared into Kakashi’s black eye.

“Uh… Kakashi-sensei…. What are you doing here?’

“I was taking a stoll, looking at the scenery. I didn’t expect my cute student to be part of it.”

Sakura felt heat flare up on her neck, and was certain she’d be blushing.

“So… care to tell me what you were doing my cute Sakura-chan?”

“Uh training?”

“And thats why i could hear you snoring from a mile away?”

“I don’t snore!”

“And pigs don’t talk.”

“They don’t?”

Kakashi had his cheek pressed into his palm as he stared at her. Head titled.

“Just what were you doing Sakura?”

“I already told you I was training-”

Kakashi sat up straight, eye narrowed. “Want to try again?”

“I don’t -”

“You’re covered in bruises and dried blood. Your knuckles are torn open. You look like this is the first time you’ve slept in days.”

Sakura looked down. “I was training.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Kakashi snapped, voice sharp. “Do you think I was born an idiot?”

Sakura looked up, and saw his tense frame.

“Do you really think I don’t know what you’re doing Sakura?”
“Uh…. no?”

“You can’t punish yourself for this you know.”

She blinked. “What?”

“You can’t blame yourself for Naruto and Sasuke leaving.”

“I never said -”

“You didn’t have to Sakura.”

“I… why are you here?”

“I can’t let you hurt yourself any longer. This isn’t training, it’s punishment.”

Sakura snorted. “As if you’d know anything about what I'm doing.”

Kakashi remained silent.

“You left, you know. Not one word, it’s like you up and disappeared.”

“I did what I thought was best.”

“Leaving me?”

“You…” He sighed. “You’re right. I never should’ve left.”

“Why, Why did you?”

Kakashi looked up at the sky, before dragging his gaze back down at her.

“You reminded me too much of R- you remind me of my failure.”

She recoiled, drawing back with a gasp.

“Your failure? Are you saying I’m you’re FAILURE?” She yelled.

“I failed you, because you remind me of Rin.”

“Rin? Who the fuck is Rin?”

“My old teammate. I killed her.”

Sakura’s eyes widened and she scrambled back, gripping a kunai.

“I’m not going to hurt you Sakura.”

“You… you killed your teammate? YOU MONSTER!”

“Sakura, she threw herself in front of my chidori.”

“But,” Sakura shook her head confused. Eyes darting around. “What?”

“We had a mission go south, she was captured. I’d already lost Obito, I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t react fast enough. She died in my arms.”

“Your saying I remind you of the girl you killed?”

“In a way, but I’ve realized you aren’t like her. Not truly. Which is why I know what your doing.”

“Punishing myself?”

“It’s what i did, I threw myself into missions uncaring if i died or got hurt. The only difference is, you have people who care. I’m here for you, I can help you.”

“Oh, now you want to help?”

“Sakura if you keep this up you will kill yourself.”

Chapter Text

“I don’t have time for this,” She said, standing. Wincing at the pain in her muscles. They burned and it was hard for her to move her legs. But she needed to get back to the others.

She hadn’t meant to stay out so long.

“Sakura you can’t pretend you didn’t push yourself so hard you passed out. You’re still bleeding, at least let me help you with that.”

“Oh please.” She scoffed, sighing and then straightened. “Sorry Kakashi-sensei but Tsume-obaasan and Kiba are expecting me home. I need to go, any injuries I have Hana can deal with.”

The silver haired man stared at his former student, unsure how to interpret her behavior. He’d remembered her being sweet and volatile with a bad temper. And here she was… trying to be Mature? Closed off? He wasn’t sure.

He didn’t like it.

“Sakura, please you're in no condition to walk home. You're bruised and bleeding and I can see torn skin. Let me bandage them.”

Out of all his Students he didn’t expect Sakura to get this mindset. The other two had pushed themselves harder than she had, and he wrongly assumed she wouldn’t work as hard as them. He can see he was wrong.

Was this his fault? Had he made her this way when he backed away? Scared he would get her hurt or killed or worse? He didn’t know how to help children, how to guide them.

Sakura merely stared at him with a raised brow and crossed arms. She still looked like the girl he remembered, but she didn’t act like her.

The Sakura he knew would never have gone after Ino like that. She was kind, and yes loud and had a temper, but she’d never actively hurt her friends.

Just what had Tsume done to her?

“Thank you for staying with me until I woke up, if you’ll excuse me.” She picked up the weights, nearly letting out a loud hiss of pain as they burned her arms and made her way back to the Inuzuka compound.

Tsume was going to be so mad at her for this.

“I don’t think you should go back to Inuzuka's.” Kakashi spoke up.

Sakura froze, blinking as she turned her head to look at him. “Excuse me?”

“I don;t think you should go back, You… The Sakura I knew would never have continued hitting Ino when she was down.”

Sakura dropped the weights.

“Sakura, I can get you signed up for an orphans fund, we can get you an apartment just like Naruto had.”

She looked at the tree’s trying to school her expression. She couldn’t get mad at Kakashi. She could get in even more trouble than she was in.

Why couldn’t everyone just leave her alone.

“Kakashi,” She breathed in deeply trying to calm herself. “With all do respect I didn’t ask your opinion. I’m quite happy where I am.”

“You were never this violent before you met them.”

“I WAS ALWAYS THIS VIOLENT!”

Kakashi stared at her, silent at her outburst.

“Hate to break it to you, but I have always been this violent. I hit Naruto everytime he said something I didn’t like. I yelled and I screamed. Ar you delusional? I mean you have to be if you think i’m your old teammate. Did you just see Rin instead of me? Is that why you have no idea who I am?”

“Sakura I -”

“Save it, I’m in no mood for your self righteous ass to come back and act like you saved me. Cuz if you had wanted to save me you’d have been the one who found me on the bench after Sasuke left me. You’d have been the one to take me home, to accept me into the family. But that wasn’t you, that was Tsume. Not you. Tsume. So get off your high horse and disappear again. I don’t need you.”

“Sakura please,”

“I SAID NO. The least you can do is fuck off with your bullshit excuses.”

“I understand your mad at me,”

“Oh? OH do you?” Sakura let out a hysterical chuckle. “You don’t understand shit. You never have. It was always the boys so I really doubt you knew anything about me.”

“Sakura-”

“Will you fuck off? Please?”

He remained seated, his knee up with his arm over it. That same fucking pose that made Sakura feel insecure and stupid when he’d look up from that sleezy book and regard her with a blank expression like she’d just asked the stupidest question. Sakura was smart, she wasn’t used to feeling stupid.

Instead of the blank look she could see… something.

“I-”

“SAKURA!”

Arms wrapped themselves around her, a body pushed into her back. A face pressed into her neck. She could feel growing wetness.

“Kiba?” She couldn’t turn her head to look but she was certain it was the boy.

“Why do you keep running away from me?”

“Kiba, we need to talk about this later ok?”

“NO! You’re hurt I can smell the blood. What’s going on?”

“Kiba, Kakashi is here.”

Kiba let her go like she was on fire, quickly shoving her behind him. Akumaru clambering around her feet.

Kakashi had stood up at Kiba’s approach. And was looking at the boy with his arms crossed.

“What are you doing here?” Kiba spat.

“I came to see my student.”

“Ya thats a fat load of shit.”

“Kiba please,”

“No Sakura, after the shit he pulled? You weren’t seriously going to forgive him were you? He left you. Alone.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know Kiba.” She looked at Kakashi before glancing back at the snarling boy. “I want to go home. I’m tired.”

Kiba opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something before he glanced back at Kakashi. “Ya ok. Let’s go home, Sakura. Mom’s going to whoop your ass.”

Sakura let out a watery laugh. “That's what I’m afraid of.”

“Sakura-”

“Let it go Kakashi.” Kiba said, sounding years older. “Just go do whatever you were doing before you decided you needed to be in Sakura’s life again.”

With a puff he was gone.

Hurt welled up as tears spilled over.

“Come on Sakura lets get you home so mom can yell at us and then we can make some tea and watch the new puppies. How does that sound?”

“Great Kiba, that sounds great.”

Sakura ignored the hurt that was welling up, hoping Kakashi would’ve put up more of a fight, or at least demanded to see Tsume and talk about a training schedule or something. Sh epushed it down, and would deal with it later. Or never. Never sounded good.

“DO you think Tsume’s going to ground me?”

“Oh ya, you won’t be leaving the house for a week. And once Kurenai hears about this, and she will-”

“You snitch.”

“Once Kurenai hears about this she might whoop your ass too. And you’ll have to deal with a disappointed Hinata and a disappointed Shino, and let me tell you… it’s not fun.”

She snorted. No it didn’t sound like it would be. But that was alright, she’d rather deal with that then be alone again.

“Sakura?” Kiba asked quietly.

“Ya?”

“Are you ok?”

“I’m… I’m better.”

“Will you talk to me about it? Instead of running off in the middle of the night?”

“Ya KIba, I will.”

Chapter Text

Kakashi had disappeared again not long after Kiba had found them. She’d seen glimpses of his silver hair when she and Kiba were walking around, and she swore once or twice she saw him on top of a building but when she’d looked closer at the silver in the corner of her eye it was gone.

“So… You uh… doing better today?” Kiba spoke up from where he sat beside her, looking out at the river.

They’d just finished training. Kurenai allowed Sakura to join after she had a day to rest and realized that if she was pushing herself to hard training that ultimately it wouldn’t help. Kiba had declared a spar and Sakura had lost almost immediately. Too sore to move her body the way she normally could. She was very embarrassed and didn’t come out of her room for three hours. Sulking. Kiba would still rub it in her face once and a while. At first it made her angry, but she realized that Kiba was just a jerk. But he didn’t mean anything by it. He was happy she was doing better.

“I… Ya. Today was a good day.”

And it was. Hinata and Shino had been angry at her in the beginning, mad she ran off and didn’t tell anyone. Angry that she let Ino’s words hurt her. Angry that she didn’t trust them enough to help her when she needed help. Because of her running off twice, She was rarely alone. Kiba was almost always by her side. Tsume had started calling them the terrible duo. Akurmaru rested on her as often as possible. Her fingers often threaded themselves into his fur. It grounded her.

Hinata and Shino had become closer to her as well. Clinging to her in their own ways. Hinata brushed against her, Sakura ignored the blushes that welled up each time, leaving that to unpack a different time. Meanwhile Shino had begun to talk to her more. He was way more sarcastic then she realized.

It was refreshing to be around.

At this point Tsume kept her word and was training her and Kiba. She wasn’t able to do the moves Kiba was, didn’t have the inuzuka bloodline or an inuzuka dog but she was learning how to fight both humanlike and animalistic. Tsume had realized early on that Sakura was very good at chakra control. And she tried her best to figure out how Sakura could adapt that to her fighting style.

The answer. Augmentation.

“It’s nice training with you guys,” Sakura spoke up, looking over at Kiba after a moment of silence. Both lost in their own thoughts. Watching the water sparkle and ripple. The sun bathes them in an orange hue, everything around them seems to still in the light. Like time itself had slowed down. It was serene.

“It's nice training with you too.”

“No I mean, team 7… we didn’t… we weren’t suited for each other. We were too different. Couldn’t set aside those differences and work together. There was a divide between us. And it’s not… you guys aren’t like that.” She sighed, leaning back. Arms outstretched behind her. Staring back out of the water. “You guys are so different and yet you guys work so well together. You guys… get eachother you know? And you guys seem to get me too.”

“Well ya, we’re way better than those losers that left you behind,” Kiba grinned lightly, punching her shoulder. Sakura shot him a mock glare. “But you were with team 7 what? A month? Not even? It’s been at least three with us, maybe longer I don’t know. The point is, we stuck around.”

She nodded, silent. Maybe they would’ve made it given time. Maybe they just needed a longer adjustment period.

“And we’re gonna stick around even if you look like a boy.”

“Oh please, at least I don’t smell like a wet dog, dog boy.”

Sakura huffed, rolling her neck as she adjusted her stance. Holding out her hand and motioning for Kiba and Akurmaru to come at her. She was beginning to understand what Tsume wanted her to accomplish with the augmentation. Well she understood the theory of it anyway. It was frustrating to her that while her mind had been able to understand it, her body wasn;t quite ready to catch up.

So she flared her chakra and let the coolness of it spread down her amrs and legs, feeling it as it seeped deep within her, Muscles and nerves coming alive. Honestly it felt invigorating. Lik this was something she’d been missing out on. Like this was a missing piece of her.

Kiba launched himself at her with a snarl, Akurmaru following close behind with a snarl of his own. Both lunging with a ferocious need to tackle her down.

But Sakura was getting better and understanding the Inuzuka strategy, understanding Kiba’s strategy and was beginning to understand how to counter it. Kiba didn’t think when he fought, he relied on his instincts to guide him. And while that was a sound strategy for Tsume or one of the more experienced Inuzuka’s it didn’t always work in Kiba’s favor.

Sakura popped her shoulders with a wry grin, side stepping Kiba as he tried to grab her. Ducking under the white blur that followed him. Akurmaru landed a few feet behind Kiba. Before they lunged again.

This continued for a while, the game of cat and mouse. Kiba and Akumaru lunged and jumped at Sakura while she danced and circled around them. Staying out of reach. Her long limbs gave her the upper hand in staying away.

“Stop fucking dodging!” Kiba snapped, as Sakura jumped out of the way of his swipe. Smiling at him.

A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead. She wiped it quickly before jumping away again. As Kiba crouched down, preparing to lunge at her again she switched up her strategy. Quickly invading his space, she spun heel slamming down inches from his nose. Dust welled up as the ground around them cracked.

Both froze as they stared down at the cracks in the earth, shocked and dismayed at the damage. Sakura felt dread pool in her stomach, if her heel had slammed into Kiba;;s head that could’ve been his head that cracked.

“You did it.” Kiba said, standing. “You did it!!”

His arms wrappd around her as he lifted her, swinging her around as he laughed. “Oh I can;t wait to tell Hinata and Shino! They’ll be so proud!”

Sakura smiled softly at his praise, but worry was still gnawing at her guts. She needed to talk to Tsume about what happened and figure out a training regime that would help her out. But she needed to figure out how to control the chakra output, figure out if this was just a fluke. Would she be able to add chakra to just her body? Or can she apply it to weapons? DId she want to work with weapons?

“Sakura you have that zoned out look again. Don’t worry about it, let's go tell mom!”

Sakura let Kiba lead her away, hand entwined.

Was this a step forward? Did this mean her hard work was finally paying off? She wondered, eyeing Kiba. She should go to the library and pick up scrolls about it. See if there was anything else she could do.

She also needed to train in taijutsu, to build up her strength. Maybe she needed to learn another skill. Her genjutsu training with Kurenai was going well, but Sakura wasn’t quite sure how to retrograde it with her current skill set. Maybe she should branch out. Have multiple skills…. She could ask Hana about poison. Maybe ask around to see if anyone was willing to train her in weapons.

Kiba dragged Sakura into the house.

“MOM!” He called. “Hana?”

Neither of the women were home it seemed, but Sakura wasn’t to worried. Hana was always gone at odd hours, helping the vet and the sick animals. And Tsume had a whole clan to run.

“Hey, do you think Tsume-san would mind if we went into the library?”

“No? Why would you want to go read though?”

“To learn Kiba. To learn.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tsume grit her teeth, glaring at the council. Her hands clenched over the table, eyes narrowed as she regarded them with a cold fury.

“Sakura acted in self defense.” She gritted out. “That blond brat,”

“Tsume!”

Tsume grit her teeth harder. “The Yamanaka Heiress deliberty went out of her way to verbally attack her.”

“Verbally. What Sakura did was… it was close to murder Tsume-san.”

“Why are you acting like this is the first time a genin has seriously hurt another one? It happens all the time. They die all the time.”

“This is entirely different.”

“How? Because Ino has some fancy Kekkai Genkai? Because she’s the heir to one of the clans? Sakura has more skill, more potential that that blonde brat ever will. Did we watch the same fight? Sakura broke the Yamanaka Mind Transfer jutsu. There has been no genin in the history of Konoha who has managed that feet before. But she’s just a civvie playing ninja right?”

“I understand your anger Tsume-san,” a voice spoke up, oily with fake niceness. Trying to pacify the angry woman. “You’ve taken in the Haruno orphan, treated her like your own. But she does not have the… breeding… of the Yamanaka heiress. She was not made to be a ninja. Her aggression stands to that.”

“Oh shove it Danzo. She is just as strong as any clan kid, if not stronger. She knocks Kiba on his ass just as much as he knocks her on hers.”

Tsume looked over at the Hokage, a blonde woman. A sanin that abandoned her duty, her village, her people . The woman was watching the argument with a pinched brow, amber eyes hard.

“If The blond brat had nearly killed Sakura would you have been this upset?” Tsume spoke up.

The others remained silent.

Tsume huffed, standing.

“You’re not dismissed,” Danzo said.

“I can’t deal with your council bullshit. Be angry all you want. That girl is under Inuzuka protection. If a single hair on her head is misplaced, we will have problems.” Tsume growled, Kuromaru bared his teeth beside her.

The door slammed behind them on their way out.