Disclaimer: Not my toys, I just like to play with them.
.
Life was just not going Sakura Haruno's way. Her boyfriend had walked out on her, Her blonde orange-jumpsuited friend was a
ramen-obsessed freak and she had woke up three hours late.
"OH GREAT KAMI, TSUNADE-SAMA IS GOING TO KILL ME!" She screamed as she ran out the room.
"Sakura! Why are you three and a half hours late?!" Tsunade yelled as Sakura ran into her office.
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I-I would have been only three hours late, b-but.."
"No buts, or I'll warm yours! Just admit you over-slept so we can get started training!"
"Please don't shout at me anymore or spank me Tsunade-Sama! I'm sorry! WAAAAAHHHH! LIFE SUCKS HARD!"
"My one true love and kid brother are dead! Don't you talk to me about life sucking!"
"MY boyfriend left me for another man!" She then bursts into tears.
Tsunade paused and leaned back in her chair. 'Wow, she's just a kid...just a hurt little kid." She opened her arms.
"Come here."
"W-what are you going to do?"
"Just come here."
'Oh, Kami she's going to strangle me isn't she?" Yet oddly there was nothing at all angry in the old lady's face.
Sakura hesitantly approached. In an instant Tsunade had her young protege wrapped in a warm hug. Sakura smiled.
"Thanks...I needed that."
"I know, Sweetie."
...
"Ino, does your mama ever hug you?" Sakura asked Ino later that day.
"Huh? Well...yeah. Doesn't yours?"
"Not since I was three and got a shuriken stuck up my..." She trailed off.
Ino grinned. "Your...what?"
Sakura blushed. "N-never mind."
"So, what's all this hugging stuff about?"
"Tsunade gave me a hug today 'cause I was crying about you-know-who and I was thinkg my mama never hugs me and..."
"Never ever?" Wondered Tenten who was sitting across from them at the Ramen shop they were at. "How about when you leave
out for missions?"
"No."
"Feh...you girls are obsessed with your mommies aren't you?" Shikamaru said. "Mothers are so troublesome."
"I've seen you bawl like a baby in your mom's lap. 'Oh, Mommy, why couldn't I protect Choji? Whyyy?"
Shikamaru only ignored Ino's impression of him and made a mental note to put her on underwear-cleaning patrol next time they were on a
mission. He grinned at his devious thoughts.
"My mama gives me pity hugs when I'm grounded." Said Ino. "I'll just sit in my room and mope until my ma feels so bad she
gives me a hug and ice cream."
"My mama just sort of ignores me until she wants me to do something for her." Sakura said. "I wonder why she never hugs me come to think about
it? M-maybe she doesn't really love me at all."
"Oh, Sakura don't be silly! I'm sure she loves you despite your numerous faults."
"N-numerous faults?"
"Yeah, like being the weakest chinobi in our village..."
snifle"
"Or being a cry-baby."
Sniffle
"Your know-it-all attitude and your god-awful temper"
sniffle sniffle
"Ino, you're not making this situation any better..." Mumbled Shikamaru.
"WAAAAHHH! I'M A COMPLETE LOSER! NO WONDER SASUKE AND MY MAMA DON'T LOVE ME!"
She ran crying from the ramen shop.
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"
"Ino, you can be a serious bitch at times"
"Asshole. You couldn't even protect your own best friend."
"To far. Seriously." ...
By the time Sakura arrived home she was no longer crying, she was fuming. Her mother didn't even have the decency to comfort her
when her boyfriend left her. She never gave her hugs, not even when she came back wounded and exhausted from missions.
'I'm a good daughter, aren't I? Don't I deserve a hug every now and then?"
"Sakura could you-" Her mother began to ask as Sakura walked in the door
"Do it your self! I'm tired from training!"
"O-okay...i-if you're tired. Is something bothering you?"
"No! Yes! Maybe!"
"Well, which is it?"
"Shut your face!"
"Sakura! What's gotten into you?"
"A fucking backbone!"
"You're grounded!"
"Whatever!"
Sakura marched intro her room and slammed the door. Mrs. Haruno decided she might want to pay there village's beloved hokage a visit.
.
"Lady Hokage, an irate parent is here to see you." The hokage's messenger said walking into her office.
"Are they concerned about my no chinobi left behind program?"
"No."
"Send them in."
A woman very much like an older, fortyish Sakura walked in.
"Mrs. Haruno? Is Sakura alright?"
"Grounded, but otherwise okay."
"She's being punished? For what?" Tsunade asked.
"She sassed me."
"Well, that's very distressing, but I don't see how its any of my businsess."
"You and your gambling and your booze and your loose lifestlye. You've corrupted my daughter!"
"Um...what?" Tsunade asked.
"My daughter NEVER used to sass me until she became your apprentice!"
Tsunade thought for a moment. "Nope. Still don't see where I'm involved in this."
"You, you, umm...LUSH"
She then ran like Hell.
...
Visiting the Hokage had not been the BEST idea ever, Mrs. Haruno decided once her common sense returnd. She really had no idea what Tsunade
had to do with Sakura's behavior only that she wanted to blame SOMEONE. She sighed and walked into Sakura's room. Sakura was asleep and
clutching onto what looked like a doll version of that Uchiha boy she was always crushing on.
"Sakura-chan?
"Mommy?" Sakura wondered stirring from her sleep.
Mrs. Harno sit down on the bed. "You're not grounded anymore-"
"Really?"
"If you tell me what's wrong."
"How come you never hug me?"
"Huh?" That she hadn't been expecting. "Do you want a hug?"
Sakura nodded. Mrs. Haruno tentatively put her arms around her daugter. Sakura nestled into the hug.
"That was all?"
"I've had a really terrible month. I've needed a hug, but no one even offered. Not even you..."
"How was I supposed to know that? What happened?"
"Sasuke left me! He just left like I meant nothing to him!"
"I thought you'd gotten over him. You always act so darned cheerful. How am I supposed to know when something's
bothering you?"
"'Cause you're my mama and you should just know!"
"I'm not a mind reader. Just tell me when something's wrong. I'll always be there to hug you from now on."
"I love you, Mama."
Mrs. Haruno hesitated. She was no good at things like this. She then looked at her sweet innocent, hurt daugter.
"I love you to, my little cherry blossom."
Sakura smiled. It didn't matter that Sasuke had left her. She had her mama, and Naruto, and her friends to help her out whenever she
needed it.
Maybe life really wasn't so bad.