AN: What is this, I don't even know. I've wanted to write a Team 7 Music AU for like fifteen years, so this is basically a big tribute to my teenage self. I'm going to go full 2003 and put song lyrics at the start of every chapter and I'll probably reveal my age with my ancient music references. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I liked writing it!
"This girl's tryin' to kill me..." - It's Gonna Kill Me by Filter
Sakura doesn't like the way the record executive on the right is frowning, but she likes the slight leer on the left one's face even less. Glancing to her right, Ino's singing her heart out, her soaring soprano ringing with all the clarity of genuine skill and all Sakura can think is what am I doing here?
She knows their voices can synchronise beautifully. Knows that she can sing, too. But when faced with the silent judgement of the aces of Uchiha Studio's production team, she can't help but think she's been destined to fail since she opened her mouth.
Their duet peters off and it's not with a bang but a fizzle. Ino swings her baby blues towards her, concerned. They've been best friends since the womb, and the other woman knows Sakura as well as she knows herself: knows her well enough to realise they've blown the audition, too.
"Thank you for your time," Sakura manages to choke out, giving the two men a short bow. She's nothing if not well mannered.
Ino doesn't follow suit. She was always more of a diva, and her looks and her talent ensure she gets away with it.
"Yes, thanks," says the executive on the right, his voice polite but his face disinterested. He's already written them off, Sakura can tell, and she knows enough about the industry to know that from Hatake Kakashi that's practically a death sentence for your career. With his immaculate suit juxtaposed with messy silver hair and an attitude that screams I could make you famous, but I can't be bothered, he's the kind of executive she's been waking up in a cold sweat over ever since Ino blagged the studio session.
Still, he's better than his companion. Sakura's sheltered in a way - as a grown woman, she knows she's naive - but even she's well aware of Uchiha Obito's tactics. He's the classic example of a talented man from a good family, and he knows how to manipulate both of those benefits to his advantage. There's rarely a few months go by without someone or another of the Uchiha company's talents becoming embroiled in a scandal at his expense.
From the way he eyes Ino, it looks like she might be next.
"That was… a treat, ladies," he says eventually, but he hasn't looked at Sakura once and she knows what's coming. They aren't interested in both of them; she fully expects Obito, at least, to make Ino a separate offer.
"Tell me," Obito continues, "you look kind of strong…" he looks down at the paper in front of him, "...Sakura-san. Do you dance?"
She doesn't. Ino's the dancer, while Sakura prefers to adopt the path of least resistance by leaving the dancefloor.
"I'm sorry, I don't." Shaking her head, Sakura tries not to fidget too hard, but it's difficult under Kakashi's blunt disinterest and Obito's clear disdain.
"I see. How about your vocal range - do you go any higher?"
Sakura keeps shaking her head, surprised that Obito's even drawing out the farce as long as this. It would be far simpler to make an excuse, ask her to step outside, and then make Ino the solo prize. She's sure they will: the Yamanaka is that good.
From the way her best friend is slowly tensing beside her she can guess how it will be received.
"Any instruments?"
That's unexpected, and the young woman jerks her head back from where she's been appreciating the plush floor of the recording studio.
"Huh?"
"I asked," Obito drawls, scrawling something down on her form, "do you play any instruments?"
There's a tense pause, and Sakura's too busy exchanging a hurried and silent conversation with Ino's imploring eyes to notice Kakashi sitting up straighter in his seat. Obito is still writing something down - her blatant dismissal, she guesses - and misses the way Ino shakes her head almost imperceptibly.
"No," Sakura says, after so long that Kakashi's frown creases his handsome features into a suspicious stare. "I don't play anything."
"Nothing at all?" the silver haired exec prompts, the first thing he's said for the whole meeting, and Ino's hand reaches out to squeeze her own. Sakura squeezes back reassuringly.
"Nope," she repeats. "I'm sorry."
"Hm." Kakashi sounds like he doesn't believe her, but there's nothing he can do and she knows it. Just like Sakura knows she's lying. Regardless, he sits back in his chair with the air of someone who's finished with the conversation.
"Alright then, girls, thanks for coming in today - we'll be in touch, okay?"
Obito waves his hand with a false smile and the confidence that his orders will be obeyed. Both young women offer goodbyes and Sakura thinks they might make it out unscathed, when two steps from the door his voice rings out again from behind them.
"Ah, Ino-san," he says melodiously. Sakura had almost forgotten that in his younger years he'd been a famous singer. "Have I heard your name somewhere before…?"
Sakura hears the squeak of Ino's high heels as they slide to a stop against the plush carpeted floor. It's a smart ploy: Obito will most certainly have heard of, if not Ino herself, then the Yamanaka family at large. Her family were one of the country's most prominent business empires, a floral enterprise that supplies everyone who is anyone with stunning arrangements and eye-wateringly expensive rare blooms.
That includes the Uchiha family on both a business and a private level, and Ino can't afford to be dismissive of a client. Especially when she'd already leveraged the not-inconsiderable influence of her family to get them this audition in the first place.
Oh, yes, Sakura thinks as she gives Ino a brave smile and gestures with her head back towards the centre of the room. He is as good at this as the rest of his family. The Uchiha are, after all, famous for their ruthless pursuit of talent.
She leaves the room before she can hear Ino struggle against what Sakura has already accepted as the inevitable. There's a reason she'd been so reluctant to join the blonde on this quest to become famous: it's obvious Ino's singing far outstrips her own, and while she is undoubtedly good, she isn't close enough to the other woman's skill to hold her own in a professional context.
Yes, they synchronise harmoniously, but as Sakura leans against the chic wallpapered corridor to wait for the news, she knows with certainty that Ino is better going it alone.
Drumming her fingers against the wall, arms folded behind her as she waits almost at attention, Sakura's too distracted by her gloomy thoughts to notice the other door to the room open down the corridor. Kakashi steps through, all corporate poise, and casts his head up and down the busy thoroughfare before spotting her bright pink hair and making his way towards her.
"Sakura-san," he greets, surprising her out of her reverie. For a second, she just blinks up at him in shock, and he smiles like he expected it before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card.
She accepts it automatically, moving to give him one of her own before realising he was holding hers in his hand. He must've swiped it off the desk, she thinks, bowing her head as she reads his information.
"If you change your mind," he says, reaching out to tap the number printed in smart black font on the card, "contact me there, okay?"
With that, he ruffles her hair - and she'd be indignant but he does it so charmingly - before turning and loping down the corridor with the lazy pace of someone off to find his next nap.
Sakura frowns, watching him go with the card clutched in her hand.
Change her mind about what?
Later, when they're in the local bar and Ino's stopped fuming long enough for Sakura to get a word in edgeways, she brings the business card out and puts it on the sticky table, tapping it apprehensively.
"While Uchiha-san was busy buttering you up," she says with a laugh at Ino's scowl, "the other executive came out and gave me this."
Ino squints down at the innocuous square where it rests half-drowned in the spillage from her drink. They're both a little drunk: Sakura keeping up with Ino's anger-fuelled cocktail sampling to the extent where it's hard to make out the neatly printed words.
"What is it?" Ino asks, before holding her hand to her chest in shock, "Is that a hotel key?! Men are complete-"
"What?!" Sakura cries. "No, Ino-pig, you drunken lout - it's a business card."
The beautiful blonde sways next to her on the stool, and even inebriated she draws the attention of various patrons in the cozy little establishment. Next to her, Sakura feels like a girlish imitation, all angles where Ino has curves. The outfits they've donned for the audition, flirtatious, showing skin where she'd rather be covered, make her feel even more of a fraud than usual.
And though it would be highly inappropriate - and she'd refuse - Sakura almost wishes it was a hotel key, just to be able to say to Ino look, someone preferred me more. But the thought is uncharitable, and she brushes it aside as Ino's face swings from righteous outrage to curiosity.
"A business card? From Hatake Kakashi?" she looks incredulous. "Those are like gold dust."
"Yeah?" Sakura knows his opinion counts for a lot, but she didn't know he was that important.
"Absolutely," Ino abandons her tirade against Obito and men in general, nodding and looking surprisingly serious for the sugar and vodka in her system. "I wish he'd been the only one to audition us. I'm sure he saw your good points and this," she taps the card, "is proof."
"I'm not so sure," Sakura shakes her head. "He didn't seem impressed with the singing… he just told me to contact him if I changed my mind."
Ino frowns. It's still pretty, and Sakura has to hold back a smile at the fact even when pulling a face, her best friend still outclasses anyone else in the room. "I wonder if he figured out that you…"
They both sigh, hands on their respective chins while Sakura sucks the last of her drink through the glittery straw. She feels dizzy enough to want another, sensible enough to know it's not a good idea.
"We could make it work, Ino," Sakura says with a hint of humour. She knows the answer, even before Ino's nose wrinkles in refusal. "I don't have to sing."
"I don't think so, Forehead. All that energy and shouting just isn't for me. And besides, you're a lovely singer. Obito's just a complete…"
Whatever Obito is exactly, Sakura doesn't find out, as she tunes out the blonde's words to listen to the faint music playing from the bar's old speakers. From his position behind the counter, the bartender meets her eyes over Ino's shoulder and gives her a lazy thumbs up.
Nara Shikamaru has worked behind the bar since they were old enough to patron the establishment, and he's one of the only people that doesn't bend to Ino's whims. Naturally, Sakura likes him immensely. Even better, they share a similar taste in music; he's put tracks on to help Sakura drown out the worst of her friend's rants for years.
"Ino-chan," Sakura interrupts suddenly. "Did Uchiha-san actually make you an offer, or did he just chat you up for fifteen minutes?"
"He made me an offer," Ino admits. "But I'm not taking it. I don't want a solo debut. We promised we'd get famous together. We're kind of a package deal."
It's true, but it's not exactly fair to the Yamanaka. The last thing Sakura wants is for her to hold back on anything else; Ino has sacrificed a lot for their bond, over the years.
"Don't be silly," Sakura chides. "Sleaze aside, you know this is an offer you shouldn't refuse."
Her arms folded mulishly, Ino stares her down, blue eyes boring into green.
"I'm not leaving you behind." she says strongly. "That's not what we do."
Fingering the card on the table - which is in real danger of turning to mush thanks to the alcohol - Sakura takes a moment to consider her response.
What do I really want? She knows Ino will be successful if she debuts as a solo idol. Stardom is in the woman's very bones, and she's got the perseverance and the stubbornness to back up her talent. On the other hand, Sakura's not so sure of herself. Neither of her own gift, nor in her integrity if Ino succeeds and she doesn't.
But her loyalty to her friend wins out, and she digs at the card with her fingers until it flips up into her hand.
"I… I don't think you would be," she murmurs. "Leaving me behind, I mean."
"But if we can't debut as a duet…"
Mind made up, Sakura grins. "How do you feel about being famous, if not together, but at the same time?"
Ino seems taken with the idea, if the dawning excitement on her face means anything. "Are you talking good old divide and conquer?"
Sakura nods. "If Hatake-san is interested in what I have to say."
And if all goes well, she doesn't add, but Ino knows.
Her friend tsks at her across the table, reaching out to flick the forehead that haunted her childhood. "I'm no expert, Forehead, but I've heard you play. If he's not interested, he's a hack."
Emboldened by Ino's declaration of confidence, Sakura picks the card up and weaves her way to the bar. She's far too drunk to phone right now, but if she doesn't do it today then Sakura knows she won't do it at all.
"Shika," she calls, and Shikamaru throws his towel over his shoulder, abandoning the glasses he was wiping on the pristine counter. She feels a moment of guilt at the mess they've made of their table, all sugared stripes and paper mush. "Can you get me a big glass of water, and a chaser of ginger ale?"
One for hydration and one for the bitter shock. Combined, she hopes they'll sober her slightly.
"Ino made you overdo it?" he asks, moving with methodical slowness to pour her requests.
"No," Sakura shakes her head, laughing, "that was all me."
Her friend rolls his eyes, passing her the cool glasses and refusing her coins. "Keep it, it costs next to nothing."
"You're running a business…" Sakura hates the little gestures her friends make that acknowledge her poverty. But it's rude to refuse gifts, and when he pointedly slides the coins back across the counter she pockets them and gulps down the water in three large gasps.
"Whoa," Shikamaru says, before flicking his towel at a patron who whistles appreciatively.
Wiping the back of her mouth with her hand, Sakura grins at him, with all the fierceness she can muster. If she fakes it, maybe she'll feel it.
"I'm about to do something stupid," she comments lightly. "Can I borrow the back room?"
The brown-haired young man looks curious, but he's too lazy to comment, and he simply waves her into the small room behind the bar. When she shuts the heavy door behind her it's all too clear that no amount of faking, nor drunkenness, can steady the sudden spike in nerves.
She hadn't expected to feel anxious about the prospect of debuting; Sakura knows she's less invested in it than Ino is, but the other woman looked as cool and confident as ever. If only.
A few steadying breaths later, Sakura pulls out her phone - an Ino hand-me-down - and squints to read the fading black type of Hatake Kakashi's phone number. She doesn't want to risk texting or emailing him with her query; a busy exec like that is sure to lose something if it's not put in front of his face.
Typing in the digits and feeling impressed at her lack of jitters, Sakura holds the ringing phone up to her ear, breathing heavily as though Shikamaru's office is in the middle of a heatwave.
He picks up after two rings.
"Hello, this is Hatake Kakashi speaking," he says coolly.
Hang up. The impulse strikes her so suddenly Sakura is halfway to the button, but Kakashi's voice interrupts her movement.
"Hello?" he repeats. "Mah, prank call…"
There's a rustle before the line goes dead.
"Oh, shit," Sakura says emphatically. Pranking an important record executive and wasting his time certainly isn't going to do her any favours. But she hadn't hidden her number, and now it's in his phone. There are no second chances if she doesn't call back immediately.
This time he picks up after a few more rings.
"Yes?" his voice sounds professional, but also just a bit pissed off.
"I- I'm sorry," she stutters. "I didn't mean to not speak."
There's a pause, and then-
"Who is this?" he sounds curious now, and of course Sakura forgot she'd need to introduce herself.
"It's, um, Haruno Sakura. From earlier?" she chuckles and she's not sure whether it sounds nervy or drunk. "With the pink hair. I was with Ino. Yamanaka Ino."
"Ah, Sakura-chan!" Kakashi's voice is recognisably warmer. "What can I do for you?"
"Uh…" she's surprised at his reception, but the fact he hasn't made an excuse and hung up on her gives her enough confidence to blurt out, "I was wondering if you need, if you work with…"
Her bravery sputters out. Kakashi waits on the other end of the line, and Sakura feels a roaring in her ears that she hopes doesn't herald something ridiculous, like a faint. The dusty backroom of the bar feels constricting all of a sudden, and she leans back on the door, opening it and listening to the comforting noise of one of her favourite places to hang out.
"I work with many kinds of talent," the voice on the phone prompts, kindly. "What can I do for you?"
His repetition and the buzz of her favourite song bolsters her resolve. Taking a deep breath, Sakura grips the phone tighter in her hand, looking over her shoulder to where Ino is talking to Shikamaru, who has appeared to clean up their mess. Her friend meets her eyes and sticks out her tongue, and Sakura crosses her eyes in retaliation.
It's with the peal of Ino's laughter ringing in her ears that Sakura closes her eyes and asks,
"Do you have any use for a drummer?"
Kakashi regards him with such smugness when he opens the studio door that Sasuke nearly shuts it in the older man's face. He doesn't, though, because the executive is both one of the few people he truly respects and is also the kind of person to take the action and turn it into a day long tease.
"Yo!" Kakashi says in his usual lazy way. He's not suited up, which is rare for him these days; ever since he and Obito settled full time behind the scenes, they've embraced the corporate image with an alacrity that shocked their fans (Sasuke included, though he'll never admit it).
"Hey," Sasuke greets, moving to his stool and picking up his instrument. Kakashi is late as always, and he's keen to get started. Beside him, Naruto practically vibrates with poorly restrained excitement, as though he's as thrilled to be here as he was the very first time they stepped foot in a recording booth.
Knowing his friend, it's probably not far from the truth.
"What's the plan?" Naruto asks, chugging from another of his energy drinks. Sasuke's privately shocked they haven't ruined his voice, but Naruto swears by the lurid orange liquid.
"You'll be pleased to know," Kakashi starts, his arms jammed in his pockets, "that you won't be subjected to my drumming any longer."
That perks up both young men's interest, and Sasuke frowns as he notices Kakashi hadn't taken his customary position behind the kit. Like himself Kakashi is a guitarist at heart, but the man is remarkably skilled at almost any instrument he tries out, and for the last year he's been filling in while they cycle through a selection of drummers. So far nobody has stuck; either they weren't up to the high standards demanded from all three men, or they couldn't handle sometimes explosive friendship that characterised Sasuke and Naruto's relationship.
Sasuke doesn't think this new drummer will be any different but he's intrigued all the same, his musical senses piqued at the thought of testing out a new sound.
"Hn," he comments, "bring him in, then."
For some reason, Kakashi's smile widens until he's showing teeth. "I thought we could play something first, to give a flavour of the style we're going for."
They haven't done that for any of the other prospective drummers that have attempted to join their twosome, and Naruto exchanges a frown with him, before shrugging and moving to pick up the mic.
"Sure thing," he agrees easily, pointing a finger towards the glass between them and the sound booth. "I'll give ya a show, dude!"
Standing up - there's no way he's going to be left on the sidelines - Sasuke hefts his practice guitar and strums a few experimental chords while Naruto warms up. Kneeling to adjust the pedal, he sends a surreptitious glance towards the glass, but the privacy mode has been engaged and he can't see anything beyond the smoky black clouding the surface.
From the corner of his eye, he can see the former guitarist giving his best fake smile while retuning the spare bass guitar they have on set.
"Not drumming today, then?" Sasuke asks, to throw Kakashi off his stride.
"Nope," the older man counters, unperturbed. "I want to give our guest an idea of what we need filled in."
Sasuke nods, but privately he's excited for the chance to play alongside Kakashi on the strings. Though bass isn't his main instrument he was far, far better at it than he had any right to be, and even Naruto seems infected by the energy.
"Should I get my guitar, too?" he asks eagerly.
"God, no," Sasuke says with disgust. "If I never hear you play guitar again it'll be too soon."
That had been a short-lived project: Kakashi had wanted to see how they'd mesh as a singer / guitarist duo. Unfortunately, while Naruto sang like an angel, his guitar skills didn't extend beyond holding it and attempting to look cool.
Turning around so the mysterious drummer wouldn't see, Naruto shows Sasuke exactly what he thought of his comment with a rude hand gesture, and Sasuke has to hold back a smirk when Kakashi rubs a hand over his face in consternation.
"Let's do This Isn't Real," he suggests wearily, picking the song Sasuke is most proud of penning. It makes sense, because aside from the drums the song is almost fully realised.
Without waiting for a cue, Naruto launches into the lyrics, and it's a testament to both Sasuke and Kakashi's musicianship that they catch up without a hitch.
It's not easy to play without the steadying thud of a drumbeat, but Sasuke loses himself in the music, fingers dancing across chords and notes that he sees in his dreams. And he knows he's got a reputation for arrogance: people whisper about nepotism and pulling on purse strings when he snubs them in the studio. He also knows he has the musical ability to back up that arrogance, and he sends a challenging glare to the person behind the glass, hoping they're watching him play.
They'll need to be the best to keep up.
The song finishes after what feels like forever and yet also feels like an instant; Naruto trails off with the husky growl that's part of his signature sound and even Kakashi blinks as though coming awake.
Sasuke listens to what sounds like muffled clapping through the soundproofing, and Kakashi gestures towards the production booth, inviting the drummer into the studio proper.
"Come on in," he calls, and there's a definite edge of mischief in his voice that raises Sasuke's suspicions immensely. "Why don't you tell us what you think?"
The Uchiha is still frowning as the door opens. And he's glad of it, because the alternative is looking like Naruto - eyes wide, mouth hanging open in shock - as in walks the kind of picture-perfect girl his cousin Obito likes to get in trouble with the media.
She looks like a record producer's dream: pastel pink hair and eyes so green he's sure she's wearing contacts, short enough he's a full head taller than her and covered in baggy, cutesy clothes straight from the second-hand store. The kind of girl Uchiha Studios pushes as an idol for all ages, inoffensive, sweet, more sugar than substance.
"Are you kidding?" Sasuke asks at the same time Naruto croaks out "But she's a girl!"
The girl folds her arms indignantly, but unlike the other idol-wannabes he's encountered she doesn't try to shrilly defend herself.
"Sakura-chan's a great drummer," Kakashi says simply, and he gives out compliments so rarely Sasuke knows it must be true.
Still, this Sakura doesn't look strong enough to pick up a drumstick, and he'll believe it when he hears it.
"Hn, go sit, then," he says coldly, jerking his head towards the kit.
She looks at it apprehensively, viridian eyes flicking between him and Naruto, and then moves towards him, arm outstretched to offer her hand.
"Nice to meet you," she starts, "I'm Haruno Saku-"
"I don't really care," Sasuke interrupts, and behind him he sees both Naruto and Kakashi glower at him for his rudeness. But he doesn't like being taken by surprise, and so he sticks to his guns. "Show us what you can do."
She withdraws her hand, retreating until it's hidden within the folds of her baggy cardigan. He tries to ignore the sliver of regret that worms its way into his head when Kakashi shakes as head as though he's disappointed.
Without another word, Sakura seats herself behind the drum kit, accepting the sticks Kakashi proffers her with a reassuring smile.
"I'm Naruto," his best friend offers suddenly, having gotten over his initial stun. "Sorry about Sasuke, he's an ass."
Sakura throws him a smile that transforms her face from pretty to beautiful, and Sasuke doubts Naruto will be able to sing anything more than a squawk.
"Shall we play the same song?" Kakashi's voice is deceptively light.
"Fine by me," Sasuke says, shrugging.
"Is there sheet music?" Sakura asks tentatively.
None of the other drummers they've worked with have requested it, working instead from ear, and Sasuke doesn't refrain from the urge to roll his eyes as she takes the papers in her hands and quickly sifts through them.
"Okay," she murmurs quietly, "I'm ready when you are."
"You're the drummer," he fires at her. It's basic band practice: the drum beat leads the music.
"And it's your project," she retorts, with an edge to her voice that he hadn't expected.
"From four, then…" Sasuke relents, and he's bored with this farce already, thinking ahead to the earliest slot he can book out to begin composing his next piece. His countdown is apathetic, at best.
Then Sakura whatever-her-name puts sticks to skin, and Sasuke feels that if this is a joke, then it's definitely at his expense.
Because she's good. She's very, very good.
Well, Sasuke thinks, this time the shock painting his face openly. We might just have found our missing piece.
AN: And there we have it. I'd love to know what you think! Somehow the idea of Sakura as a kick-ass drummer really appeals to me.