A/N: I have finally decided to try my hand at a Naruto fic, and what better way to start it than with my most favorite pairing. This is going to be a multi-chapter fic. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Naruto.
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Day One
I did it. After all the years of training under Tsunade's tutelage, all of the years of getting beaten into the ground and feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere fast, all the years of struggling to be seen on par with the males of Team Seven, I had finally reached and conquered my proving ground.
Chakra completely depleted, I stumbled out of the training compound with all manners of injuries: a nasty looking-gash along the side of my jaw, a couple of broken fingers and what felt to be at least two broken ribs, and what was left of the tatters of my uniform was covered in a thick layer of grime.
The Hokage stood just outside, fully garbed in the ceremonial garments that all Hokages wore for special occasions. There were others standing outside flanking both sides of the exit; pretty much all of them familiar faces and I was extremely surprised and pleased to see that so many had showed up for me, even knowing that I could have failed that day. My spirit couldn't help but feel slightly dampened at the lack of one person's presence, but the thought was pushed to the back of my mind as Tsunade began to speak.
The ensuing ceremony was brief, but it was still a very emotional event for me. I couldn't help but break down into tears as the woman who had helped to mold me and push me this far, the woman who I felt to be a mother figure to me, personally handed me my promotion warrant. After expressing my thanks and gratitude, I mentally braced myself as the waiting group of people swarmed me to dole out their congratulations, my vibrant best friend, Ino, the loudest among them.
Before long, the residual adrenaline that remained from the fighting began to wear off, and the pain kicked in ten-fold as my vision began to swim. Funnily enough, the one thing that kept repeating in my mind was that the one face I had looked forward to seeing the most was nowhere in the crowd. I was sure I imagined the familiar shock of white before I lost consciousness.
When I later awakened to the sterile smell and white-washed rooms of Konoha hospital, I received yet another pleasant surprise when I spotted my lover of almost a year seated next to my bed.
"Ah, you're awake, Sakura-chan," Kakashi stated, automatically adding his trademark eye-crinkled as he pocketed the ever present little orange-jacketed book. I grimaced at the annoying use of the suffix but decided to ignore it this time, mostly because my throat was still extremely tender due to the high level Fire Jutsu I had used towards the end of the exams, but also because it had suddenly tightened up from the force of the emotion that rocked through me upon sight of him.
"You did wonderfully, Sakura," he said, reaching over to lightly rub the part of my arm that wasn't bandaged. "Get some rest. Tsunade said I could take you home tomorrow morning."
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