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Sakura was never late to the Academy. She always showed up early and ready to learn. Except the unexpected blizzard overnight had dropped an unprecedented amount of snow and she'd had to tunnel out of her house before she could even think about making the trek to the Academy.
She was a little sweaty, a lot frazzled, and very much late to class. There was no way the instructors wouldn't have noticed her absence and she hated to think about the repercussions would be. A million seals? Testing her knowledge of the hand seals? A two page essay on the founding of Konoha?
She heaved her backpack higher as she neared the school gates. She wouldn't let the others see how flustered she was over this. Let them giggle over her punishment like they did her forehead.
Chaotic sounds rose from the side yard of the Academy, shouts and laughter filling the crisp morning air. Was she missing weapons training? She quickened her pace. She hated missing things.
The entrance to the Academy rose from snow drifts taller than her. Excitement charged the air. She couldn't see the training grounds from where she stood but she didn't want to miss another second. She raced through the entrance, her backpack bouncing behind her as she rounded the corner.
She was met with a snowball to the face.
Wet, powdery snow exploded around her and into her hair. She barely had time to blink before another sailed towards her. With a squeal, she ran for cover. A seemingly endless barrage of snowballs flew over her head and crashed into the ground.
"New blood! Get her!" someone shouted.
Sakura blinked. This didn't seem like a lesson. Were they playing a game? They never had down time like this at the Academy. She chanced a peek around the top of her hiding place and a white missile flew just past her head.
She ducked back into safety, clutching her backpack to her chest. She felt overwhelmed and outnumbered. She'd only entered the Academy in the fall. She wasn't ready to be a genin yet. Come on, think, Sakura. You're not going to let them corner you here forever are you? Get out there and fight!
Resolve flowed through her. She was going to be a kunoichi of great renown! She wouldn't cower in fear.
She quickly cobbled together a small arsenal of snowballs, dense enough to fly but soft enough to burst on contact. She crept along her cover, keeping her ears open for others. A snowball sat heavy in her hands and she couldn't wait to let it loose.
She peeked around the corner and saw another student with their back towards her. Perfect. She launched her snowball at them and ducked back around to grab another. She heard their cry of outrage as it met her mark. She briefly let herself crow in victory before she readied her next attack.
The morning became a blur of snow and sneaking. She managed a few crafty assaults but after a while she found herself pinned down in a corner with assailants pressing in on both sides. She didn't have allies out here, she barely knew the rules of the wintery warfare the other students were waging. Nerves jumbled in her stomach as footsteps crunched over the snow closer and closer. She hunched down as far as she could, hoping to maybe bury herself in the snow before they got to her.
One kid after another stepped into view. They slowly formed a firing line, the wicked grins of children at play spreading across the older kids' faces as they wielded their snowballs. There was nowhere to run and she did her best to prepare to get pelted.
A dark gray blur vaulted over the snowdrift Sakura hid behind and handed in front of her. She looked up from between her fingers to see a familiar boy standing in front of her, his silver hair poking every which way and a sage green scraf wrapped around his neck.
"Fire!" a voice cried and a flurry of snowballs was launched into the air.
Sakura squished into a smaller ball and waited for the inevitable bombardment of snow and ice. When it didn't come, she peeked around her fingers to see the boy moving with unreal speed and grace as he caught snowball after snowball and whipped them back at the attackers. She stopped cowering to watch him, transfixed by his skill. Something big and warm uncurled in her chest.
"Pick on someone your own size," he stated as he launched one final, ridiculously large wad of snow at the group of other kids.
They were buried in snow, their arms and legs flailing out of the pile. Satisfied they wouldn't try for round two, Sakura stood and grabbed the boy's wrist.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue," she said shyly.
He turned and looked at her with impassive eyes. "It was nothing."
"Well, I really appreciated it," she replied, bowing her head in thanks.
He didn't say anything for a long moment and Sakura slowly peered up at him. A hint of pink colored his cheeks as he looked at her hands around his wrist. She flushed and released his arm.
"Sorry!" she yelled as she took a step back.
At that moment, two other students wandered over as the other kids slowly skunk away after freeing themselves from the snow drift.
"We were wondering where you went, Kakashi!" a girl cheerfully stated.
"Yeah, once you left, a gang of students saw their chance and pelted us with snowballs!" the goggled boy grumbled.
The girl turned towards Sakura and her smile widened as she looked between Kakashi and Sakura. She elbowed the boy next to her. "You know, I'm getting pretty wiped out. Why don't we go inside and warm up? Classes are canceled for today so we might as well enjoy ourselves! I packed hot cocoa!"
Sakura vaguely recognized the others as students a few years older than her. Her cheeks pinked and she took a few more steps away from them. She had to find her bag anyway.
"Oh, no. You're coming too!" the girl said as she grabbed Sakura's hand. "I'm Rin by the way. That's Obito and your savior is Kakashi."
Kakashi blushed again, the color barely visible over his mask. Sakura hid her smile. He was really cute how he was so tough but still got embarrassed so easily.
Rin chattered happily the whole way inside as the boys trailed behind them. Sakura tried to pay attention but found herself repeatedly sneaking peeks at Kakashi. He was back to acting cool and aloof. Her heart fluttered at his serious expression.
Rin guided them to a table, having Sakura sit on one side of the bench before she slid in next to Obito. Rin grinned broadly as Kakashi stood for a moment and looked around before taking the seat next to Sakura. Sakura tried not to blush as she stared at her hands in her lap.
Rin pulled out a thermos and cups and poured steaming hot chocolate into their cups before dropping big, squishy marshmallows on top. She grabbed her cup and lifted it to the middle of the table.
"Cheers! Here's to fun in the snow and making new friends!"
Everyone slowly raised their cups to hers before taking a sip of the decadent beverage. As Sakura swallowed the warm drink, she looked at Kakashi from the corner of her eye. It was quick as a flash but she saw him move his mask and take a sip. She'd never seen anyone more beautiful.
When she grew up, she made a promise to herself that she'd marry him. She'd become the best kunoichi around to prove herself worthy of his attention. She smiled into her cup, not noticing the pleased look on Rin's face.