![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Teamwork - sequel
"You are NOT going to be around this monster any longer, Sakura!"
Her parents had been, as expected, frantic. For a few days, her mother had even refused to let her out of her sight; she'd had to lie to her to be able to see Sasuke-kun alone -- something about only authorized ninja being allowed to visit Sasuke's wing. The fib seemed painfully obvious to her, and she cringed at the thought that Kakashi-sensei was finally warping her personality just like he'd warped Naruto and Sasuke.
Haruno Hana already had difficulties tolerating the risk that her baby daughter would disappear during a mission -- but to have her disappear in the middle of Konoha, during what had been supposed to be a calm night out between friends had been too much.
The lack of clearance was a great excuse to avoid going into details about what exactly had gone wrong during Sakura's visit. But the second Sakura found the moron who had let it slip that the Kyuubi had been involved, she was going to tear out his liver and stuff it up his nose. The first three days after she came back had been hard enough when all her mother wanted was to randomly hug her, but when the fourth day started with an argument over her going back to her team at the end of the week...
Sakura tried to talk, but could only produce a bewildered "What?" as reply. The least she could say was that she was flabbergasted. Hana had always been reserved about Naruto, but as she was not a ninja and hadn't seen first-hand the destruction the demon fox had caused, she didn't have for him the seething hatred Ino's or her other friends' parents had for him.
Her mother immediately launched into her argument.
"I know you're dedicated, Sakura, and I understand that you take things like clearance seriously, which is why --" her lower lip wobbled, and Sakura felt awful for lying and hiding things from her -- "why you can't tell me what he did to you, but Tanaka Megumi said he kidnapped you, and -- she suggested other things -- horrible things -- and I don't want you around him any longer!"
Sakura tried to reply, but her mother wasn't stopping -- she was pouring out everything at once, everything she must have been thinking during the three days. Now Sakura understood the worried, "discreet" sidelong looks better.
"Being in danger of injury or death during your missions is one thing, and I'm proud of you for being so brave, even though you give me more white hairs than your father ever had to his name--"
That was saying a lot, seeing as her father had been born white-haired, even though now he was balding quite badly at the top.
"...but being in constant danger because of your own teammate! That is unacceptable."
/Shit. Fucking gossips./ She had known it would happen, eventually, but she had hoped it would take longer. Sakura took her mother's hands, that the older woman was wringing nervously, and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
"Mom, calm down. I don't know what you heard, but it was nonsense. The whole thing was a misunderstanding. Naruto..."
Her mother shook her head in denial, almost unraveling her heavy chignon of graying red hair. "That thing --I heard -- I wish you would just tell me! I understand how loyal you can be to your teammates, and I understand that you've always been afraid to be rejected by the ninjas -- I never stopped you when you decided you wanted to be one as well, never! But you're taking this solidarity too far. If he hurt you, then you are going to change teams, or you are going to stop being a ninja."
"But he didn't hurt me!!" Sakura protested, letting go of her mother's hands. "And that's not even what you mean, is it? Why can't YOU tell me what you believe he's done?"
Her mother's lower lip wobbled, and Sakura fought not to wrap her in her arms. She was making her mother cry. She hated it.
"I hear he r-raped-- oh, god, Sakura!"
/It's not rape when there's consent,/ Inner Sakura muttered back, but Sakura had more sense than blurting it out like that.
"He most certainly did not! If he had, I'd be trying to kill him right now, I would certainly not protect him!"
Apparently alluding to her willingness to kill people who wronged her wasn't the way to reassure her mother.
"My baby girl..."
"Mom, I'm seventeen, and I've been a ninja since I was twelve. I'm not a baby anymore." Half her age-mates were living on their own by now; the ones who belonged to a large clan, like Hinata, Neji and Kiba, had moved to independent rooms. By ninja standards, she was an adult.
But by civilian standards, she was still a kid. Sometimes she loved it -- it was good not to have so many responsibilities, and she liked being her mother's baby girl, liked going to buy pretty dresses with her and having her play with her hair and watching her cook treats -- but sometimes, when she wanted to give her opinion on things like politics or the level of freedom she could claim, it stifled her.
"Sometimes, I think you want to prove how mature you are too hard. You ARE mature for your age, Sakura -- but you're still underage."
"Not by shinobi law," she countered sharply. Shinobi were legally under the responsibility and guidance of their parents until they turned fourteen or became chuunin, whichever came first. After that, it was traditional that they continue to defer to their parents as long as they lived under their roof, but if they wanted to move out, no one could officially stop them. Sakura didn't want to move out -- but she was pretty sure that if she'd been allowed to go through the exams again, she would have passed by now.
"The shinobi law is ridiculous -- how many of the genius children were allowed to climb through the ranks and killed and killed until they broke or went crazy ? It doesn't let children be children -- it only cares about ability, not emotional maturity, so don't use it as an excuse!"
/... damn, that was a good one,/ Inner Sakura muttered, annoyed at being forced to concede that point.
"... So you mean that at seventeen, I'm not emotionally mature enough to know better than to engage in an abusive relationship? Believe me, mom, if Naruto dared to treat me wrong, I'd beat him up so bad his grandchildren would feel it!"
A thought came at her like a kick to the chest and her breath hitched. Our grandchildren.
Hana's eyes were narrowed in righteous indignation. "Maybe you don't realize it, Sakura, but he's probably not as nice -- Sakura? Are you okay?"
"... I'm fine," she replied, voice wavering. She'd probably paled slightly. It was just -- just the reminder that -- god. She lifted a hand to her stomach, fancying that she could feel the little spark of warmth inside her, and fearing/hoping/wondering.
Her baby. Naruto's baby. Maybe. Maybe.
She understood her mother's fears, but she didn't want to hear her badmouth him. She just -- couldn't stand it. Couldn't stand anyone badmouthing Naruto, stubborn, faithful, chivalrous, silly Naruto, without even knowing him. Her Naruto. Her boy. Hers.
"Don't. You don't know him. He's sweet and funny and silly. He's risked his life to save me countless times. He's always protected me, cheered me on, smiled at me. Don't. Just don't. You don't know him. He's not the fucking fox!"
Hana jerked back, startled and visibly stung. Sakura allowed herself a second to feel guilty.
"Sorry -- but he's not, mom. I know you think you know better, but you don't know him at all. He's the fox's container, NOT the fox -- and I know people say it corrupted him, but how many of these people actually talked with him? Even just once? Why don't you stop listening to gossip for once and actually trust your daughter to know someone she's lived alongside for over five years?"
Her voice had turned pleading at the end, but then she was feeling pretty desperate. She hadn't inherited her stubbornness from her father, that was for sure, and the way Hana was scowling...
"Mind your tone and language, young lady."
Sakura winced and lowered her head. She didn't feel that chastened, but she didn't want to aggravate her mother now.
"You're too close. I can't expect you to be objective."
"Oh, because YOU are?!" she lashed back, incensed. Now THAT was grossly unfair!
"Maybe not," Hana replied just as quickly as her, "but how can you expect me to be? This is about my baby daughter's safety!"
"I'm NOT A BABY ANYMORE!!" she yelled, slamming her fist on the table.
The wood cracked under her knuckles.
Her mother stared as the table fell to the ground in two pieces, a plate landing on Sakura's foot and rolling off to crack against the wall. "... That's it. Go to your room. We'll talk later, when you're ready to be reasonable."
"Don't you mean, 'when you're ready to admit that I'm right and you're wrong'?" Sakura replied, shoving her anger down forcefully and leaving only cold control behind. She would not convince her mother that she was mature by throwing temper tantrums, but neither was she disposed to let her believe that Sakura obeyed her for any other reason than because she wanted to.
Hana looked about to suffocate from astonishment and anger. "Sakura--"
"No. We are going to talk, calmly and reasonably, and you will not guilt me into acting like a chastened child. We are going to list the things that trouble you, then we will talk about them until they don't anymore, and then -- I have some things I have to tell you too, but I am not saying anything until you're ready to listen and try to understand."
Now, her mother was suffocating. "Chastened -- reasonably -- READY TO UNDERSTAND?!"
Sakura felt a flush of anger rise to her forehead and took a deep breath, then another.
"I refuse to 'try to understand' why you put this -- this monster over your family!"
"BECAUSE HE IS FAMILY!! He's--"
Sakura noticed with horror that her mother's wide-eyed stare was fixed on the hand that was protectively splayed over her belly.
no subject
//heartbreak//
no subject
WOW.
Well, that's ONE way of breaking it to her parents. Not the best way, but one of them. Write more! *lick!*
no subject
o_o!!!!
no subject
Excuse me, I need to take a few long, deep breaths first. *faintly*
*long pause*
AUUUUGHHH! You can't end it there! You can't! I need more, right now! *wails*
*another long pause*
I'm calm. I'm calm. I'm completely, totally and absolutely calm. Calm enough to give a nice review of what I think. I love this, I love this, I love this. Sakura's not letting her mother get away with hating Naruto, and I'm so anxious to see what happens now that her mother's most likely guessed that Sakura's pregnant. Can't wait!
no subject
You make her fun to like. And leave things realistic. So... *purr*
no subject
Now I'm going to go squeal like a moron as I reread.
no subject
Sakura's control is impressive. Her mom's just pushed her to a point where she's calmly, coolly talking, holding back how pissed she is, and that's actually a scarier point than when she's breaking tables.
And, just, oh dear. I fear what her mom's reaction will be.
~Sam
no subject
no subject
Write more. Found your work through Teamwork, thoroughly enjoyed (and introduced a friend to your work with) Best Laid Plans and Oft Awry. I love the fact that you write/draw feral/kyuubi!Naruto. There's just not enough of those fics/pics.
But yeah... more teamwork. Love the interaction between Sakura and her mother. Definitely good and feels... real. And I love the image that this puts into my mind: Her mother stared as the table fell to the ground in two pieces, a plate landing on Sakura's foot and rolling off to crack against the wall.
Can't wait until you write more.
no subject
Can't wait for me!
no subject
LOVE SAKURA. SO MUCH LOVE FOR HER.
no subject
and you know what? it wasn't until i blinked that i realized i was doing it. you're just THAT GOOD!
*loves on* <333
no subject
Teamwork sequel-ness! YAY!! *applauds* *worships*
The hand on her stomach- that was a great way for her mom to find out.
So...is your Sakura muse still working? More of this coming soon??
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Re: o_o!!!!
no subject
You're calm. got it. ^-^ eeeee *loveloves*
*posts more* ^___^
no subject
Also, can I marry you and have your babies for the protection of Naruto that Sakura is steadfast in? *____* That totally made my night.
*nibbles on fic* Mrrrr.
no subject
yes, you may. X3
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
You make feel like a 12 fangirl when you write, I am reduce to prettyprettyGOODpretty instead of cohernent thoughts.
Poor Sakura.
Poor Hana.
This is not the best time for her and I doubt she is this bitchy in real life; she must have been terrified gor her daughter.
no subject
no subject
no subject