Title: Crucible
Summary: Haruno Sakura never develops a crush on one surly Uchiha boy. We follow the trail of destruction this change wreaks. [nanowrimo 2017] [sakura-centric]
Rating: T for FUTURE violence, swearing
Genre: Adventure
Characters: Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Ino
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"Can't you see him?" Twitching at the impromptu distraction from Iruka-sensei's lecture on kunai types, I followed her gaze to–
-oh no.
Again?
Well, to answer her - sure, I could. Considering he was sitting right in front of me. And I had functional eyes. That, however, did not mean I had to devote my entire being into what I had internally dubbed 'Sasuke-watching'.
Like birdwatching, with the binoculars and everything.
Just, instead of birds, it was one highly unimpressed Sasuke.
Dramatically sighing, she sprawled out on the desk, pencil skittering off the edge. No attempt was made to pick it back up – and if anything, that irritated me just as much as her waxing lyrical about Sasuke. "So dreamy. Look at that hair. I bet it'd be so soft." Flicking her hair off the table – some of it unceremoniously smacked my face – she managed to somehow make her persistent gaze even more intense. "Isn't he gorgeous?"
"You're looking at the back of his head." Hissing out my rebuke in a vain attempt not to attract the hawk-eyed glare of Iruka (still doggedly persevering, despite a good portion of the class not even looking in his direction), I started up taking notes again, despite the fact my eyelids' only, deepest wish was to slide shut and stay like that.
"Yeah, but it's a nice back." Really, it was amazing how Ino had the gall to pout at the accusation lacing my tone – namely that the borderline stalker behaviour really was going too far. Had been for a while, actually. Fine as a passing joke, sure, but it really wasn't funny anymore and I wish she'd just go back to-
RIIIIING.
Up like a shot, Sasuke was darting out, having apparently already packed up his things in anticipation for a hasty retreat. Seemingly a prudent choice, as his steps were hounded by a pack of my 'classmates' (as if they were turning up to the Academy to study), hot on his heels.
Including Ino, apparently.
Swallowing thickly, I gave her pencil – still on the floor, gathering dust – a vicious kick, finding some perverse joy in watching it snap against the desks, the other side of the central walkway.
Serves her right.
(Really, though, I couldn't help but be disgusted by the bite of bitterness festering at the base of my throat.)
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Neatly highlighting the last title – duralumin alloys, one of a series of different alloys kunai could be made from, and their respective pros and cons – I huffed, watching my pages of notes flutter slightly on my desk. That familiar surge of satisfaction at a job well done was subdued, buried under layer after layer of numb.
Well, now that I knew more than I could ever want (or need) to know about kunai alloys – there wasn't a lot to do, really.
Mama and Papa wouldn't be back from their market stall for two hours, at least, and even then they'd be busy. They had to make the most of the recent upswing in business – it was the only increase in sales they'd seen for years, and it came after a long spell of building debts and steadily cinching belts.
Really, I couldn't fault them for anything. They were trying their best.
Someone I could fault was Ino.
Fawning over Sasuke, making all these plans centred around Sasuke – that was all I heard around her these days, anyway. Look how dumb Sasuke looks in those arm warmers. Look how constipated he looks all the time, probably because there was a background track of giggles to his life at this point. Look how much I care about all these new friends who – guess what? – also have an unhealthy obsession over Sasuke.
Going to any of my usual haunts was right out – which was a shame, because I could really do with a sweet treat right now. Or three. Regardless of the potential cavities that might ensure. Undoubtedly, however, Ino had taken them – her newly founded pack of Sasuke-obsessives – around to all of them. Tainting them. I didn't want to see her stupid face – not now, probably not ever.
Besides, this had been a long time coming – weeks, maybe even months of a steadily growing fixation on him.
Ditching me after school (for him!) was just the last straw.
Groaning, I flopped onto my bed, boneless. Just thinking about her for an extended period of time had put me into a foul mood – one that didn't seem to be dissipating any time soon.
Well – what could I do, then?
Perhaps I could read. I'd already read all the books in the house in the house (a pitiful number, and not much of an achievement, really) only – what about the Konoha public library? Didn't the Uchiha have that huge compound by the village outskirts, anyway? So he wouldn't have any need to go to the public library – meaning no Ino, or her merry band of sycophants.
Sounded brilliant.
Giving my hair a brief once-over – absently, I noted that it was getting a little awkwardly long and that haircut was required before it grew into something that would look uncomfortably like a mullet – I tugged on my sandals; and as an afterthought, I snatched up my notebook and pen. Perhaps I'd find something interesting to research further. Or maybe I'd just curl up on the (mildly musty) sofas with one of those fantasy novellas.
A guaranteed Ino-free activity that could occupy me for a few hours until dinner.
As perfect as it got, really.
Nearly forgetting to lock the house up in my haste – now, that was one telling-off I wouldn't be looking forward to – I picked my way around the loose mid-afternoon crowds that aimlessly milled around Konoha, giving a few waves to my parent's business partners and close friends as they manned their own stalls, streets decked in every colour of the rainbow.
On some days, I really could just sit by one of the stalls and gaze out at the veritable waterfall of colours, and the soothing chatter of nameless passer-byes. This, however, was not one of those days.
I was on a mission.
Didn't that sound cool, though? Like I was part of some secret organisation under the Hokage, slinking around the streets at night and catching all the-
"Sakura!"
Startling, I whipped around, a grin growing on my face as I saw who it was. "Mama!"
"How are you doing?" Tottering over, several armful's worth of richly coloured rugs precariously balanced on top of each other and just about held in place by her, she gave me a half-pat on the head – and I could swear that she was magic, with her touch leaving a residual warmth and phantom sensation lingering right on the crown of my head. "Where's Ino?"
Apparently, my current opinion on Ino was something of an open book.
Mama's smile drained away. "A falling out?" No, came my reflexive answer, bubbling up through several layers of 'think before you speak', yet I kept it down because how could I explain that this wasn't just falling out? "Oh, I'm sorry Sakura – hopefully you make up soon. I have to go now, though – these rugs won't deliver themselves!" Unsurprisingly, her jovial tone fell flat on its face.
"Bye, Mama." Good mood well and truly dead in a ditch, I made the rest of the trek to the library with what I would probably describe as a morose twist to my lips. Ino would-
-no, she wouldn't, because we weren't interacting any more. Or, at least, interacting beyond the level of casual acquaintances. Of desk mates who suffered from severe and irrevocable differences in opinion.
It really didn't matter, at all, that Ino would tell me that it was definitely a sulky pout and whisk me off on some sketchy imaginary adventure around Konoha, fighting dragons and Iwa-nin alike until she got me to crack a grin.
By the time I got to the library steps, my disposition had further darkened – only my acrimony was easily swamped by my jittery nerves as I pushed open the grand front doors - crafted by the Shodai himself, Iruka's level tones reminded me, and all of a sudden I really didn't want to so much as touch the door lest it somehow fall apart under my hands.
First time I'd been here alone.
Swallowing with a remarkably dry throat, I quelled the tremble of my hands. After all, there was a first for everything, wasn't there?
Flashing my ID at the dozy genin guard – darting a gaze at the card, he gave me a lazy wave forwards before his eyes slid to stare blankly at some space in between the air and the wall – I trotted around the sections, uncomfortably making brief eye contact with the chuunin guards for the genin and above area before focusing my attention back to the books I was actually allowed to read.
…goodness, how was I going to choose?
Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery – and that was just the fiction section. Though, it did make bringing along all my writing equipment seem a bit of a waste.
Perhaps reading some of the informative books would help boost my grade a little. Boost it past Sasuke, even – and wouldn't that be amazing? Definitely something to aim for. It was getting a little irritating, how his practical scores seemed to totally supersede my superior theoretical knowledge, and I wasn't quite prepared to be up at the crack of dawn running laps to rectify that, so, well…
Nodding to myself, I wandered the most deserted aisles, debating the pros and cons of each. No more weapons lectures, at least, or I would actually take a nap right here, no matter how unnerving that librarian was at the desk. Or the chuunin guards. How about – genjutsu?
Interesting.
Curiously, we'd never really covered it in any sort of depth or detail – only vague allusions to it and its uses were ever covered, and Iruka was quick (too quick) to change subject whenever it was brought up. Maybe this was why – so that only students dedicated enough to research it could get their hands on the techniques.
Hefting a rather chunky book – coated in dust, too, and stinking like years of abandonment – I stumbled to the nearest desk and chair, dropping it on to the table with an almighty thump that I feared would send the library guards running; thankfully (for my poor heart) none did.
Now inspecting the book on the table, it was far thicker than I had initially been expecting.
What, exactly, had I let myself in for?
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words so far: 1,772
word target for today: 1,700
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AN:
ok so let's get this out of the way - I'm SO SORRY for not updating like any of my stories. I'm just - really busy. All the time. Right now, even. I can see my pile of revision and homework to my right, and a planner full of deadlines on my left.
this will be a short note too - like I said, short of time ect ect.
Also - I do not expect to get to 50,000 words during the month. just putting that out there. I'll just try my best, and as long as I know I've done my best, I'll be happy.
anyway
if you want to comment on anything, if you catch any spelling/grammar errors, if you just fancy it - please leave a review! it makes me happy to know people are reading my works.
thank you!
- rosinban