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Sarada fell back onto her bed, hands tucked behind her head, and stared at the ceiling. Unlike every other time she found herself alone in her thoughts, this time it was with a soft smile on her face.
‘It was nice to meet you, Papa,’ she thought, and she closed her eyes with a grin. Her father really was as amazing as she had been told. He was strong. He was stoic. He fought for the protection of all of Konoha, as well as his family. And once you got to know him, he was a very loving parent and husband. It just took a very trained eye to see it.
‘Maybe that’s why I have Sharingan,’ she mused, rolling onto her side and staring into the mirror on her dresser. Her black eyes stared back; so far, she wasn’t sure she had full control of her visual prowess. However, it always seemed to activate when she needed it most, so for now, it wasn’t too concerning a problem.
‘But... when will you be back, Papa?’ she wondered for what seemed the millionth time in her life. Now that she had a taste of what it was like to be a complete family, she craved more of it. It was hard watching all her friends have family dinners out or walking along the market hand in hand with their parents. Then there were those who took what they had for granted. ‘Like that idiot Boruto,’ she frowned, turning over to bury her face in her pillow, glasses pressing irritatingly into the bridge of her nose. She sighed into the fabric, pushing her chin forward and peering over the fluff to her headboard.
‘That moron has everything. A complete family that he actually gets to see, even if it’s not every day. And all he can do is complain about it,’ she crinkled her nose in disgust.
“Papa, I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world,” she mumbled. “But sometimes I wish you were here with me.” Sarada sniffled, unaware that tears had unexpectedly welled in her eyes. She had assumed the blurriness was the usual bout of eye strain she was used to, and she took off her glasses, rubbing away the wet streaks. How had she gone so quickly from smiles to tears? She tried to sigh again, but this time it came out with a waver.
“Papa, I just want a future where you’re actually in it. I want you to teach me how to master my Sharingan. I want you to be there when I become a genin, a chuunin... When I become Hogake,” a sharp intake of breath interrupted her personal monologue. She shut her eyes in a futile attempt to stem the flow of tears. “Be safe, Papa.”
A knock on her door jolted her up from her pillow-hugging position on her bed. She fervently wiped at her face, but it was too late; a loud sniffle escaped and she hoped its sound was muffled beneath her forearm.
“Sarada? Are you okay in there?” It was her mother, Sakura, on the other side. The door inched open slowly, as though she were giving Sarada a moment to collect herself.
“Ah... Yeah, Mama, I’m fine....” As if to give her up, she sniffled loudly again, and the door opened more quickly. Sakura’s eyebrows were knit together in concern, the way only a mother’s face could convey.
“It’s about your father again, isn’t it?” Sarada sat up, trying to dry her tears, and slowly nodded. After their family reunion, she finally understood now how her mother always knew what was wrong. Like with Papa, Sakura was just as connected emotionally to her daughter. They truly were connected by feelings, not just blood.
Sakura slowly smiled, sitting next to Sarada on her bed, pulling her into a hug. They sat like that for a while, before Sarada looked up at her. Her mother dried her tears with her thumb.
“I know it’s hard, Sarada. I miss him too,” a wistful look flickered behind her green eyes for a moment, but it quickly passed. “Sasuke-kun will be back as soon as his mission is over... He may even stop to visit if he needs to resupply or deliver a message to Naruto directly,”
“But Mama... When will that be? How will we know? What if he goes through Konoha and doesn’t come to see us?” Another tear rolled down her face, despite her attempt to control her emotions. After all, that’s what Papa had said was an important skill for being a ninja. Sakura just smiled softy again at her daughter, and pulled her close again, a gentle hand rubbing Sarada’s back comfortingly.
“We... may not know if he’s come by, but... If he doesn’t, then it’s for good reason. You know that now, right?” Sarada nodded against her mother’s shoulder. “Your father loves us both very much. What we can do for him here is our absolute best—in the clinic for me and in the academy for you. You’re going to be a brilliant ninja, Sarada. Just like Sasuke-kun,”
Sarada looked up at her mom again, and the pride and love she saw on her face brought a trembling smile to her lips. She remembered the insane strength that lay hidden inside the gentle woman in front of her. It had been awe-inspiring in every sense; frightening and admirable at the same time.
“And like you, Mama,” she said confidently, suppressing a sniffle. Her mother blushed lightly and grinned down at her.
“That’s right, my precious daughter. I’ll teach you everything I know,” she reassured her, and squeezed her tightly in one last hug. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah... except... you’re squishing me again,”