Title: test results

Character/Pairing: Sarada, Sakura

A/N: I half want to write more for these two because it is a level of stupid absurd that Sakura does not have a single photo of the guy she married (not even a wedding photo? Come on) and that she's barely able to make rent despite marrying the heir to a clan + having a spouse on a life long mission. It looks more like Sasuke saw she was pregnant and fled than anything else. A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THAT MINI SERIES, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

Summary: We can break a few rules, Sakura promised. Your father's done far worse, after all.

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"What's this?" her mother asked, uncrumpling a paper ball. A paper ball Sarada could have sworn she had hidden. In the back of her closet, buried under piles of forgotten clothing and toys.

A paper ball small and so unnoticeable her mother would never find it.

Sarada stared at her mother for moment, forgetting how to breathe.

"Hmm?" Her mother was smoothening it out now, and there was no time, not time at all. It wouldn't take her long at all to read it, to read it and know just what Sarada had done.

"It's nothing!" Quickly, she jumped up, trying to grab it from her mother's hands.

Somehow, her mom expected this, just rising the paper high enough that she couldn't reach it. "Right."

"It's really nothing. Just doodles." Sarada jumped again, trying to grab it still. Even now, the red on it taunted her—more wrongs than rights, more failures than successes.

What would her mother think? Disappointment? Disgust? Anger?

(And her father, what would he think? He wouldn't want to come back to a failure.)

Sarada couldn't breathe, her chest tight.

(And what if this was enough for her mom to leave?)

"Please." Her voice broke and she didn't know what else to say, what else to do. "Please don't read it."

Her mother looked down at her, and Sarada wiped her eyes quickly.

"Please," she repeated, a little stronger now.

"Sarada." Her mother sank to her knees now, pulling Sarada in for a hug. "It's ok."

"No, it isn't."

"It is." Her mom pulled back, smiling lightly. "I was a kid once too, you know. I got a few bad tests."

"No you didn't."

"I did." Her mom looked sheepish. "Your grandma will definitely be able to show them to you. "

Sarada looked at her mother in disbelief. Her mother, head of the hospital. Her mother got bad grades. "Really?"

"Yeah. And Naruto—the hokage, do you know he failed almost every class he was in?"

"Ehh?"

"It's true." Her mother chuckled. "Besides, I know you'll do better next time. You always try your best." She raised her fingers to Sarada's eyes, wiping the tears away. "I'll help you study."

"But you're busy—"

"Never too busy for this." Her mom smiled broadly before folding the paper carefully. "Now let's add this to the folder."

"But it's not a good mark."

"The folder isn't just for good marks, Sarada. It's a record of what you've done."

"But dad will see it."

Her mom snorted. "Your dad can handle this. He's done far worse things than just a simple failed test."

"Worse?"

Sarada flushed as her mother ruffled her hair. "I'll tell you about that later. But trust me, I have enough blackmail material on him that we can pretty much get away with anything."

"What'd he do?"

"Many, many things. You know, he cheated on his chunnin exams?"

"What!" Sarada stared up at her mom. "How?"