"Too late, I found you can't wait to become perfect, you got to go out and fall down and get up with everybody else." - Ray Bradbury
The Uchiha Massacre upsets the entire village. The murder of hundreds in a single night, by the prodigy they so lauded, is both nerve-wracking and heartbreaking. For once both the civilians and ninja align, and within the month early graduation is forbidden, as the entirety of Konoha gathers to mourn. Sakura privately laughs in derision, because her mother has a place in the council and she knows for a fact the only thing they are debating is what to do with the leftover properties and finances. The only one arguing in the clan's best interest is the Hokage, which is fortunate because the Hokage also has the final say. Sasuke Uchiha's inheritance is locked away in a trust for when he comes of age or achieves ninja status, and his "guardian" is Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.
When the seven-year-old walks by himself to school a week later, the fangirls hound him, fawning over him with tearful sympathies and heartfelt apologies, ready to comfort their "Sasuke-kun" to the best of their abilities. Sakura watches them chase him with thinly veiled disgust, and as the boy moves to sit down, she stands from her usual seat at the front of the class. Stacking her belongings, she proceeds to the center of the classroom where the black haired boy is attempting to sit, Hinata standing from the seat beside her and trailing behind her fearfully. The gaggle of girls automatically parts in fear, their squawking silenced as Sakura approaches, and when she finally reaches Sasuke, they have all gone quiet.
Sakura gestures with a single, elegant hand. "You may have the window seat. Hinata and I shall occupy the other two," The crowd of girls screech in protest, but Sasuke looks relieved, and he takes the far side chair only to stare outside. Hinata timidly makes her way to the middle seat, fidgeting uncomfortably, while Sakura gracefully lowers herself into the seat closest to the fangirls, who are still attempting to protest. She ends their squalling with a single cold look, meeting each one's eyes and cowing them into submission.
From the other side of the classroom, Shikamaru Nara sighs, standing himself to shuffle over to the desk behind Sakura. He sits directly behind Sasuke, slouching in his seat, while his best friend, Choji, plops down in the center chair. Ino Yamanaka, appearing distinctly uncomfortable, sits herself behind Sakura, spine ramrod straight. After a pregnant pause, she leans over the desk, hissing into the pink haired girl's ear, "Just what do you think you're doing?"
Sakura answers loudly and calmly, for the entire class to hear. "I doubt all that ceaseless noise is very comforting, Miss Yamanaka," The classroom dims at the reminder, fangirls looking equally embarrassed and ashamed, and Ino's eyes widen. She sits back stiffly, before her shock melts into determination, and Sakura is pleasantly surprised to see the intent to protect reflected in the clan heiress' eyes. She knows without looking that Shikamaru is resigned to helping, the genius and his friend equally helpful as they are laid back. Hinata toys with her fingers anxiously, but there is a certain set to her jaw that tells Sakura the Hyuga will stand firm as well.
Sasuke seems surprised by the show of power Sakura has lead, with so many clan heirs gathering to protect the last Uchiha from his frantic fans. His eyes only widen further when Shino Aburame moves over to the desk before them, covering the seat in front of Sasuke in a silent, yet scarily unyielding manner. Kiba Inuzuka follows, tramping down the aisle loudly, dog balanced on his head. He drops himself in the middle seat loudly, crossing his arms and huffing, as if refusing to be left out.
It is only after a pregnant pause that he turns and points a finger in Sasuke's face. "Don't go thinking you're special or anything! Pack's important, so I'm only helping 'cause of that!" He looks distinctly uncomfortable as he shouts this for everyone to hear, before facing the front again, cheeks faintly red. Sasuke continues to look shocked, but his face evens slightly at this declaration. Kiba has created a sense of normalcy, and the girls begin to titter again as they debate who gets the last seat at the front table.
Even Sakura recoils in shock when Naruto Uzumaki, the silent blonde prankster who rarely interacts with anyone, takes the last chair. He scans their faces quietly, looking for some sign of refusal, and when he finds none, he sits quietly, doodling on a spare sheet of paper without a word. Sakura knows that her mother has said not to speak to the blonde, but in a show of power like this, she feels she can make her own decisions for once.
"Thank you, Naruto." She says smoothly, adding the appropriate amount of gratitude, and the boy jumps slightly. He turns to stare at her with fearful blue eyes, so similar to Hinata's that day a year ago it hurts, and the thumping in her chest starts again, this time so loud and determined it pounds in her ears. "Your assistance is greatly appreciated." She finishes, smiling at him slightly, and this spurs on the other children.
Hinata jumps on the train first. "Y-yes, th-thank you, Naruto-kun." Sakura eyes the girl at the added honorific, but Naruto's eyes only expand wider.
"Good job blocking those troublesome girls." Shikamaru drawls out sardonically, laying his chin on his crossed arms, and Sakura can't help the small giggle that escapes her lips. It serves to end any leftover tension, and the dam breaks.
Choji swallows, offering a thumbs up. "Thanks, Naruto!"
Ino huffs, crossing her arms, but she grins at the blonde anyways. "Yeah, those girls are pretty annoying. Thanks for taking the ninth seat, Naruto." The ironic statement earns a snort from Shikamaru, which Ino promptly swats at him for from behind Choji's back.
Shino only nods in acceptance, but Kiba is exuberant enough for the both of them when the brunette thumps Naruto on the back, giving a wide, fanged grin. "I didn't want to sit next to them, so consider yourself a friend of me and Akamaru now!" Naruto almost falls out of his seat when Kiba touches him, but his eyes are shining with something greater than just tears now.
He smiles at the other eight children, and his eyes close and his teeth show, but Sakura thinks she's never seen anything brighter. Naruto joins Sakura's list of protected individuals, next to Hinata and the new addition of Sasuke, and the future Rookie Nine is cemented early. The pink haired girl gains repute among her classroom, and the eyes of the clans, who better understand the significance of how she gathers all the clan heirs behind her in the protection of the last Uchiha.
It speaks well for the future. Mother approves of her actions when she gets home, but Sakura can't help but think that Naruto's smile, Sasuke's relieved eyes, and the support of her peers felt much warmer. (Mebuki drops in Sakura's list of priorities, and the perfect Lady and Ninja subconsciously decides that seeing her new friends happy trumps her mother's approval. Somewhere in her, Sakura acknowledges that the love of her mother is unattainable. Her dreams change, from a four-year-old's memories of hugs, to a future of laughter surrounded by friends and warmth.)
(Sakura has always had to work for love. She can do so again.)
Thank you so much And The Others Laugh for the compliment! You honestly made my day, and for your information, I actually have been working on an original story.