Pulling My Weight

Chapter 1 || Realization

Though her eyes never left the makeshift graves they'd dug for Zabuza and Haku, and her ears dimly registered Naruto's sobs somewhere to her right, Sakura's mind wasn't focused on the tragedy before her, but rather, on the events that had led up to it.

It was clear from the moment they'd left the Village and been ambushed by the two rogue ninjas that, despite having been in the Academy for the last six years and despite having prepared diligently for becoming a ninja, Sakura was nowhere near ready for what the life of a ninja entailed outside of the safety and comfort of Konohagakure.

As her mind wandered to the appearance of the Demon Brothers, she cursed her inattention to her surroundings: she had prided herself on her intelligence, something she had always used against Ino when the blonde had insulted her forehead or less developed figure, but then she had failed to connect the most basic of dots.

And it wasn't even that she hadn't noticed the glaringly conspicuous puddle, nor that she wasn't aware that concealment jutsu like the one utilized by the Demon Brothers existed – they had, after all, been on the Academy syllabus. It was that she had dismissed the first lone puddle since they'd left Konoha when it hadn't rained for over a week in favour of admiring the grace and comfort with which Sasuke-kun had walked despite the fact that he too had never been outside the village before.

Sasuke-kun...

Her eyes strayed to her crush, to the slight rips in his shirt from where Haku's senbon had pierced, the scratches on his face and uncovered forearms. She had gotten to hold him after he'd escaped Haku's dome of mirrors, and her heart had done somersaults despite his damaged condition and the fact that he was barely conscious; those things had mattered little in her mindless than three hours ago, but now, in retrospect, she felt little more than shame.

Because in order to hold Sasuke-kun, she had abandoned her post at Tazuna-san's side. If Zabuza had sent even one clone after his target, Sakura would've singlehandedly failed their mission, reducing Kakashi-sensei's poor condition gained protecting them and Sasuke-kun's transformation into a pin cushion to naught.

And then even Naruto, idiotic, loudmouthed, dead-last Naruto had managed to save the day, while she had failed to even attempt to land a single blow on any of their opponents.

Though her confidence and pride in herself as a kunoichi had grown since meeting Ino and being put on a team with Naruto, in light of the recent events, she couldn't help but think that said pride was misplaced. Because the only reason Kakashi-sensei or Sasuke-kun had even so much as looked her way during the fights on the bridge was to make sure she was still alive, and that she had protected their charge. Because they didn't trust her skill. Because she was a liability. Because even Sasuke-kun and Naruto had managed to cooperate and free their sensei during their first clash with Zabuza, despite being vastly outmatched by the missing-nin's skill and experience and sheer readiness to kill.

While Sakura? Sakura had stayed within the safety of the shore, a meagre kunai drawn while her teammates and sensei were doing the work of legends.

She had never felt as useless as she had in during the last week.

And with that thought in mind, an idea bloomed, a small flame of determination gently warming her insides: she would get Sasuke-kun to notice her, but not in the way as he had today. Not as something he needed to protect, because he knew she couldn't protect herself.

She was beginning to loathe the girl who had spread the rumour that Sasuke-kun's preferred type of girl was one with long hair, pretty, slim, confident, and all the adjectives Ino used to constantly rant on about; because she had ensured that she ticked every single metaphorical box, yet the most she had ever received in terms of acknowledgement had been "Hn. Annoying."