Work Text:
She has never even been to Konoha, nor has she met her mother. So why was she being dragged along by her father to meet someone he swore he hated? She glanced up to her father, red hair and all, brown eyes glaring at whoever dared look at him and his daughter for more than five seconds.
From the way he was respected in suna, Sakura often forgot he was only twenty-two. Aside from the strange chakra she felt from behind the trees, she had decided Konohagakure was likeable.
"Daaddd! Why are we even here?? She pouted. Sasori sighed. At times like this, he wondered why he didn't just leave her with her mother. Though he loved his daughter, it was hard being a fearsome ninja with a eight year old.
He often wondered how different life would be if he was more responsible as a teen. He could still remember Chiyo's nagging when he brought her home as a infant.
"Sakura, shut it. And again, we're here to meet your mother, remember? So quit all that whining." He snapped at her, and to his surprise she obeyed.
.
.
During the night she woke to the voices to the sound of her father's raspy voice, whispering to the mother she met only the day before. She felt her legs lift her up on the futon she was sleeping on, traveling just outside the door Sasori and Misaki was in. "I have to leave..Just take care of her alright?" He muttered to his blonde ex-lover. Misaki just huffed, "She's gonna miss ya', I mean you are the only parent shes ever known.."
Sakura heard her father whirl around, no doubt he sensed her chakra. She tried wandering back to the room she was staying in, to no luck.
Surprisingly, He wasn't annoyed or mad, like she thought he'd be. Instead his eyes soften at the sight of her eavesdropping. Sasori dropped down to his knees, so they met eye to eye. What was he doing? "Sakura. I've been called back to Suna, so i'm gonna leave you with your mother for a few days and then come and get you, okay?.." His tone more tender then she's ever heard.
She felt his arms wrap around her, squeezing Sakura into a hug she often craved. "Okay.." She was more confused than tired now. "Just come back quick, dad." She managed stammer before she fell asleep once again.
Looking back on it, he probably just knocked her out, not enough to hurt but to send her to sleep without pestering him with anymore questions about his whereabouts.
That was one of the last times she ever saw her dad, the next being years later.
Today was her first day of the academy, today also marks the fifth month her dad, if she could even call him that anymore, abandoned her to her mother. She had never cried as much as she did the first month of being in Konoha.
At least her mother was great, a slight improvement from her always cranky father. Though she'd take cranky over great any day.
She missed the desserts of Suna, Gaara, Temari, Kunkuro, Her great-Grandma, and even the huge cacti outside the apartment she lives (lived) in. But now wasn't the time to reminisce about the past, now she was getting escorted to a new classroom, full of unknown peers she's never met, heck never seen.
As Sakura walked into a classroom, she pouts at the sight of maybe twenty kids her age, turn their eyes towards her. She hated being the center of attention! , Sasori always told her she was a timid kid, and that she got that from him. Yet another thing they had in common.
"Class!" Her teacher, Mrs Saimori, announced. "This is Sakura no- , The pink haired girl shook her head, she wont be called anything close to her father's name. "Er- she will be joining us from now on!, please be nice to her." Sakura waited for a few seconds, then realizing they were expecting her to say something. She refused to open her mouth.
Sakura was told to sit next to a boy with black hair, if you asked her, it looks like a chicken's ass. His face was sort off pretty, but pink, she noted. He adverted his sight from her. What the hell did she do to him?
.
.
The following year went by smoother then the last. This time she actually spoke. And it was because of the Yamanaka, she was randomly paired up with for a project. Ino reminded her of her mom. The pair both blonde and loud.
Sakura decided to become friends with her when she mentioned Sasuke's hair looking like a chicken butt. She judged heavily when Ino mentioned something about actually being in love with Sasuke. "Sakuraaaa!! He's literally so cute and awesome , and COOL!!" Ino flushed furiously.
This was.. gross. She wasn't even focusing on the project, instead choosing to ogle at the Uchiha, who too was not doing the work he was assigned. He was staring at Sakura again! Ohmygosh this is EMBARRASSING.
She groaned, grabbing Ino by the wrist and pulling her away, to where Choji and Shikamaru sat. She'd never actually talked to them, anyone really, before but she observed how close Ino were to them, she figured they'd know what to do.. "Uhm hi." Her eyes silently pleading for help. Shikamaru raised a brow whilst Choji giggled.
"Sorry.. you're on you're own for that one, Sakura." Choji coughed, no doubt hiding a laugh. She sighed. "Hey.. wait.. this is the first time I've heard you talk!" Choji exclaimed. Shikamaru nodding his head to indicate he agreed. He'd always figured she was just mute, after all who could go that many months without talking, well at school at least.
Sakura grinned showing off her pearly white teeth. They were an improvement from the almost yellow teeth she came in with. Turns out Misaki was strict on hygiene. Though she hardly cared about anything else she did.
"Yeah! I made her talk first!!" Ino gushed, like she had just saved the world. Sakura smiled. She'd could get used to this, but she wouldn't. A part of her still wanted to go back to Suna, back home. If that even was her home anymore.
.
.
"You have such pretty hair Sakura-chan!! I think you're the only one in our year who has curly hair," Ino babbled on, "but not in the village coz' Sasuke-kun's cousin, Shisui also has curly hair but that's really weird for an Uchiha coz' most of them all have straight hair! And don't even get me started on.." Sakura softly exhaled, at times like this her blonde friend was too much.
Although she felt grateful, Ino was starting to annoy her. Instead of listening to the conversation on hand she opted to stare outside the window from where they had sat.
She noticed a blonde boy. She knew he was a few grades above her, about two years older. The boy was cool enough, with sandy blonde hair, blue eyes matched with light freckles and oddly enough, fangs.
His features were odd for the village hidden in the trees. Though quite common for places like Suna and Iwa. Fangs were common to the inuzuka, but Naruto was not part of that clan. Sakura wondered on where his parent's must of originated from. Or who his parents in general.
When he turned around and noticed she staring at him, he glared. Sakura quickly ducked down.