Punctuality Falter

Sakura ran like her life depended on it. Never in her time of working at the hospital had she been this late. If she didn't make it in two minutes, she was going to be four hours late. She didn't have an excuse - she overslept, right through her alarm. Tsunade was going to kill her.

Jumping down from the rooftops, she burst through the doors into the Hokage Tower and continued to run, dodging everyone she passed with quick shouts of apologies.

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino greeted her.

"Hi, Ino! Can't stop I'm late!" Sakura shouted as she sprinted past her friend.

Up the stairs. Along the corridor. When she passed the Hokage's office she was half tempted to stop and apologise then, but that would only delay her work even further.

When she reached the hospital, she slowed down her pace to a brisk walk. Entering the first ward, she stopped dead. Good job she didn't go grovelling into her mentor's office, because her mentor was here...

Tsunade turned around with a raised eyebrow and Sakura melted. "I'm sorry, Shishou! My alarm went off but I slept right through it and I woke up really late! I can work extra hours tonight instead! Or tomorrow? Or anytime! Whenever! Or I can do paperwork! Or bring you a box of sake or something, I-"

"Sakura," Tsunade put a halt to her babbling apprentice.

The pink haired medic went to open her mouth again but the Sannin held up her hand.

Sakura lowered her head. "I'm sorry."

"For?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura's eyes widened. "I'm nearly four hours late!"

"Oh," Tsunade mumbled. "So you were supposed to be in today."

"Yes, why? Did you think I wasn't?" Sakura frowned.

"No, I thought you were, when you didn't turn up I assumed you'd swapped shifts with someone and they forgot." The Hokage shrugged.

"I never swap shifts." Sakura pouted.

"I know, but you take on others." Tsunade looked down at the chart she was holding.

There was a long silence and Sakura shuffled uncomfortably, her nerves were rising, she was just waiting for the outburst from her mentor.

When it didn't come she mumbled, "What am I doing?"

"What are you doing?" Tsunade repeated.

"Working?" Sakura frowned.

"Are you?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Am I?" Sakura's brain was a mess at the minute. She didn't know what she was supposed to be doing.

Tsunade held in her smirk.

"I'm sorry." Sakura frowned.

"You've said that."

"Are you going to punish me?" The pinkette pouted.

"Haven't you punished yourself enough?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes..." Sakura sighed, but her head bolted up. Was that a trick question? "No? Maybe."

Tsunade loved to make others squirm, Sakura was especially fun to see flustered and confused.

"I've got a headache."

"I wonder why," Tsunade smiled. "Go home, Sakura."

"What? But-"

"Don't complain, I'm not surprised you overslept, you've been overworking yourself lately and I was just waiting for something like this to happen."

Sakura lowered her head.

"I'm not going to shout at you." Tsunade smiled.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Or punch me through a wall?"

The Hokage laughed. "Or that."

Sakura smiled. "Thanks, Shishou... I'm going back to bed."

Tsunade nodded. "I'll see you on time tomorrow."

"Of course." Sakura grinned and headed for the door.

When her apprentice was about to leave, Tsunade stopped her, "And, Sakura."

Trying not to flinch, Sakura turned around nervously. "Yes, Shishou?"

"I accept your box of sake apology."

Sakura groaned and left the room leaving a very smug Hokage.

She loved her apprentice.

Author Notes:

Hmm... This was a random short that popped into my head that maybe would be better in a wider context. I'm tempted to remove it and maybe put something similar in a longer story. Is it anti-climatic? I figured that Sakura's paranoia would probably be worse than what Tsunade actually did to punish her apprentice for being late. I'd also say that Sakura probably wouldn't be that old in this fic because I see her fear of the Hokage dimming a little as she gets older.

Thanks for reading! :)