Chapter Text
The first time Sakura had heard the term ‘soulmark’ was 3 years ago when Ino had been boasting that as someone with a kekkei genkai is much more likely to have a soulmark than a civilian.
“Seriously forehead, it’s meant to be, I’m telling you- “she paused, sighing as she flopped back into the grass, staring at the leaves rustling in the breeze. “If I could just get Sasuke to have just one conversation that consisted of more than stupid grunts, we’d be marked within an hour!” She huffed, glancing over to catch Sakura’s gaze.
“I’m just as much shinobi as you, I could be the one to mark him!” She grumbled in response, smacking her hand into Ino’s side as she started to giggle.
“You don’t even know what it is forehead! You don’t mark them, the mark appears when you realise, you’re made for each other, duh!”
“Well, you know that’s what I meant!” Sakura stood, hiding her reddening cheeks as she turned away from Ino, whose brow raised in challenge at Sakura’s response.
“Sure, you did forehead. That’s why I think if he gets a mark, it’ll be with a blood shinobi, not just a trained one... give me a hand will you?”
Sakura turned back and held a handout for her, pulling her to her feet with a quick tug. She cut her eyes but refused to bite back at her snide comment.
“Hey, don’t be like that! I only know about them because of my parent’s bond, they told me that it’s rare, even for Shinobi. I’m just saying, don’t be disappointed if you don’t get one, most civilians don’t even know it exists!” She stated, brushing her hands down her skirt to remove the blades of grass that had clung to her.
Sakura placed her hands on her hips and huffed “I’m not a civilian! We both passed the genin exam at the same time! You’re just angry because you already know your team is crap, Pig!”
“Ugh don’t remind me, I can’t believe I’ll be grouped with the laziest guy in our class. You know I heard someone say he could’ve passed the exam years ago, but couldn’t be bothered to take it?” Ino groaned “- and don’t even get me started on Choji, he just follows Shikamaru around like a lost puppy!”
“I really hope I’m teamed up with Sasuke-”
“-me too! You can introduce me, and I can finally get some alone time with him!” Ino interrupted, once again explaining why they would be a perfect pair.
Sakura had agonized over their exchange for days afterwards, unable to sleep while the intrusive thoughts ran through her head.
She argued relentlessly with her inner self who was so sure she would get a soulmark, the doubt seeping in from all angles. She reminded herself that she had barely passed the genin exam and will never be an equal to Ino, let alone Sasuke.
Still, none of that mattered now. As she stood pleading with Sasuke to return before he made a terrible mistake, she felt her heart drop to her stomach.
“Please, Sasuke-kun, don’t do this! You don’t... you don’t have to do this alone. Just come back to the village and we can-” Sakura begged through sniffles, tears streaming down her face.
“Enough! You can’t give me what I want, no one here can!” He spat back, his body facing the road away from Konoha, away from her. His face was angled to his shoulder, his eyes not quite meeting her watery gaze.
“Sasuke-kun, please... don’t go like this. Naruto and Kakashi-Sensei can-” at that, he was behind her in a flash, his lips close to her ear as he spoke.
“Naruto is a distraction, and our precious sensei has nothing more he can teach me.” His harsh whisper sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine.
“Then... stay for me. Please, Sasuke-kun?” She muttered.
“I-” He paused and for a moment, she held her breath in hope she’d changed his mind.
“I’m sorry.”
She felt a sharp pain, then the world went black.
***
When she awoke Sakura went straight to the front gates, tears still rolling down her cheeks as she begged the guards to send help.
When she saw the team Naruto assembled, she felt a warmth spread across her chest, hopeful they would succeed.
She went to the hospital on the guard’s instructions to have her head checked over from where Sasuke had struck her. She was seen and discharged within the hour. As she was leaving, she caught sight of her sensei walking backwards away from a nurse, his eye crinkling as he held his hands up in surrender.
“Ma, I was just going for a walk! Would I ever sneak out of the hospital when you’re not watching?” He asked, his voice smooth and sweet. The nurse knew he was trying to butter him up, but still couldn’t resist his kind eyes.
“Very well, but if you don’t come back, don’t expect me to heal you the next time!” He sighed before shuffling to the next patient bed. Kakashi turned and dropped the pretence, the false smile now completely wiped from his face and his shoulders hunched. He regained his posture quickly as he saw Sakura, once again plastering on his sweet expression.
“What’s wrong Sakura-chan? Are you hurt?” He rushed to her side when he saw her tear-stained face, kneeling before her as his hands found her cheeks. His thumbs swiped away the tears that began to fall once more, before she told the humiliating and heart-breaking story of how Sasuke left them. Left her.
He listened patiently, nodding, encouraging her to continue when she sobbed so deeply her words faltered. Then, when she mentioned her head injury, his left hand slid from her cheek to her crown, feeling for any lumps or cuts. Rather silly really, she thought, as they were in a hospital and she was explaining how she had just been given the all clear to go home.
Kakashi released her cheek and the back of her head, slapping his thighs as he stood.
“C’mon, let’s get some food, my treat.” He said, shoving his hands in his pockets and tilting his head towards the door. She followed him eagerly, a mix of excitement and hurt flowing through her. Usually, Kakashi would spend his spare time with the boys, Sakura rarely had one on one time with him. Perhaps he would offer to teach her something he couldn’t teach the others. Or perhaps he just felt sorry for the pitiful fifteen-year-old girl, still sniffling as they walked in near silence to the nearest restaurant to the hospital.
They waited for their meals in silence, Sakura unsure of what to say as Kakashi sat looking out across the restaurant, watching nothing in particular.
“How are you feeling Kaka-Sensei?” She asked when the door opened once more and Kakashi glanced her way, almost to reassure the new customer he wasn’t searching for them.
“I’m ok, nothing a bowl of miso won’t solve. Don’t worry, I’ll be back training the three of you in no time.” He said with what Sakura could only assume was a smile, his eye crinkling once more.
“Do you... do you really think he’ll come back?”
“Ma, of course! He’ll see sense soon enough.”
“He was so angry sensei-”
“-He’s an Uchiha, of course he’s angry.” Kakashi interrupted, hoping his deadpan delivery would lift her spirits. Of course, she hadn’t known the Uchihas like he had, his joke not falling flat as she scrunched up her features, trying to stop more tears from falling. He reached his hand across the table, holding her forearm as he delicately brushed his thumb across the exposed skin.
"How do you do it Sensei? How do you carry on when you're team is gone?" She asked.
Her gaze was unwavering and Kakashi felt as though he was truly seeing her for the first time. He hadn't told them much about his team, only that he valued them more than they could ever know. Sakura was deceptively smart, and apparently he hadn't noticed. What else did she know about me, he wondered, before focusing on what she had asked. he chose to answer with a question of his own.
“You really love him, don’t you?” He asked, the answer evident on her face. Just like Rin, wears her heart on sleeve, he thought.
“I... I don’t think this is what love should feel like Sensei.” She snivelled, pulling her arm away and turning toward the wall to wipe her tears as the waiter laid out their meals. They ate in a comfortable silence after that, Kakashi determined to stop making his student cry.
True to his word he paid the bill and as they were leaving Kakashi reached out and Sakura stopped, waiting to see what he would do. For a moment she thought he may hug her, but his hand rose in the air before ruffling her hair and disappearing from the spot he stood in.
She felt lighter for it though, feeling hopeful that Naruto would bring Sasuke home.
***
Kakashi sought her out the following day, news traveling across the village that Naruto's team was due to return. He found her on the training field, practicing her aim with kunai. Watching her from afar he felt guilt run through him, she’s almost exactly the same as when she left the academy he thought, sighing at the notion. He supposed it was partly his fault, but what had the Third expected when he put the jinchuriki and the last Uchiha together? Sakura was a kind soul but was a wholly unremarkable ninja. He thought she would be better suited to someone like Gai, a constant stream of energy and positivity that he lacked. Even now, he stood in the shadows of the large trees hoping she wouldn’t spot him, as he had no idea exactly how to teach her. Almost three years leading her team and he was unable to get through to her.
He watched the last kunai hit the nearby target before stepping out and clearing his throat.
“Hi Kaka-sensei! How was my form?” She asked, a smile spreading like the pink in her cheeks.
“Erm, fine Sakura, but Naruto’s team should be on their way back.” he said, reaching for the knives that littered the floor as she collected those from the practice board.
“Is Sasuke with them?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“I couldn’t say.”
Knives in hand, they ran to the gate just as familiar faces came into view, along with some unexpected visitors.
“Is that Gaara of the sand?” Sakura asked Kakashi.
“I believe so. Close your mouth Sakura, he’s volatile at the best of times.” He chastised, but his tone was light, and he nudged his shoulder against her own. Almost like that was an inside joke between the two of them.
Sakura nodded and smiled, before heading out of the gates straight to the approaching shinobi.
“Is Naruto with you? Did you find Sasuke? What happened to you guys?” She blurted out, her gaze roaming across the wounded nin being carried into Konoha.
“We found him, Naruto pursued him alone, I’m sorry Sakura. We haven’t seen them since-” Shikamaru faltered and turned to Kakashi, who began the summon technique.
“Yes boss?”
“We need to find Naruto, now.”
“On it.” As Pakkun raced out of the village Kakashi began to follow stopping beside Sakura, ruffling her hair once more and running down the path the rookies had retreated from.
***
When Kakashi and Naruto returned, it was a bittersweet moment. She held Naruto in a tight embrace, happy he had returned home safely and terrified of the unknown that Sasuke had left them for. Her eyes found Kakashi’s while she held him, giving him a weak smile, receiving a small nod in return.
The three of them had ramen that evening, and though Sasuke’s presence was missed, Sakura felt a pang of hope as she looked at Naruto and her sensei. We’ll bring him home.
Naruto made plans to leave two days after their meal, promising to find Sasuke once he was strong enough. Jiraiya had promised to show him the world and to teach him jutsu even the Fourth could only dream of. They were leaving at 6am, and as Sakura approached to say goodbye Kakashi was the last person she expected to see leaning against gates.
“Yo! Sakura-chan! Here to say goodbye to our boy?” He asked cheerfully.
“Have I missed them?” She asked, crossing her arms and running her palms up and down her biceps.
“Not yet, they’ll be here soon.”
“Do you think they will be gone for long?”
“I... I don’t know.” He answered, his gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s... not safe for someone like Naruto right now. But don’t worry, you still have me!” He replied, lifting his eyes and smiling once again. She knew that smile was insincere, but she returned it all the same.
“Sakura-Chan! Kaka-sensei!” Naruto shouted, running towards the gates as Jiraiya followed closely.
“I promise Sakura-Chan, I will get Sasuke back for you.” He exclaimed, his tone serious and his eyes wide.
“I’ll miss you, Naruto.” She replied with a soft smile.
“Now lovebirds, I didn’t realise I was breaking something up here! Did you need a minute Naruto?” Jiraiya asked with a laugh.
Naruto’s cheeks blushed furiously as he replied “Shut it pervy sage! Sakura and I are not lovebirds!”
“Ma, Naruto he was joking! Now don’t forget to eat your vegetables ok?” Kakashi asked, stepping between Sakura and Naruto as they tried to contain the blush still spreading, making Jiraiya laugh even harder.
“C’mon Naruto, we need to head out, we’ll see you both soon ok?”
“Goodbye, Naruto.” Sakura said, her hand briefly brushing his shoulder before releasing him.
“Goodbye, Sakura-Chan.”
Kakashi stood closely to her as they watched the figures disappear into the sun rising on the horizon. As Sakura turned to him, he saw tears were once again threatening to fall, he crouched slightly to her eye level.
“It’ll be ok, Sakura. Trust me.” He said softly, his hands reaching out to her shoulders.
Her eyes met his and for a moment, the world went completely white. Kakashi barely suppressed the sigh that threatened to break free from his lips, a burning sensation staring in the crook of his right elbow and spreading like wildfire through his whole body. It should’ve been unpleasant, but in that blissful, damn moment, he felt something he hadn’t for as long as he could remember. He felt at home. He realised Sakura he felt the same pressure as her gasp registered in his mind, her breathing heavy and her gaze fearful.
“Ka... Kaka-sensei...?” She asked, her lip quivering and her eyes wide.
Oh shit.
Kakashi knew exactly what was happening, and he had no idea what to do. What could one do when you soulmarked a minor?
He did the only thing he could think of.
He ran.