A/N: I refuse to believe that Sakura was just a fangirl, even if I don't like her. Even if she was unbearably annoying in the first couple episodes.

CHAPTER ONE
The Defender

A tiny, pink haired girl curled herself up into a ball, her eyes squeezed shut as her chubby palms tried furiously to clamp out the noises surrounding her. "Foooorehead, fooorehead, forehead!" the other children chanted as if it was the cleverest thing ever, laughing all the while. She shook her head, telling them to stop – begging them too. "There's-there's nothing wrong with it!" she cried out but they heard the tremble in her voice and only laughed harder.

And it was in that moment that a young, dark haired boy walked right through the crowd of aspiring shinobi. He was the same age as everyone else but his black eyes skimmed through them with a certain matured gaze. Despite the fact that he had a hand slipped in his older brother's, the other children grew quiet with intimidation. He stopped, and stared.

One glance. That was all it took.

"Sasuke?" his older brother asked, his eyes calm but curious as the small boy walked up to the crowd of children. Itachi Uchiha was no fool and knew that his younger brother developed the arrogance as most others did of the clan. Sasuke didn't usually interact with anyone outside the clan, but here he was – walking straight up to other children and they parted like the Red Sea. He stopped a good several feet in front of pink-haired girl. She wiped her frustrated tears with the back of her palms and looked up at him with big, emerald eyes.

Her heart raced as he simply stared at her. She flushed, waiting for him to say something first. "You shouldn't be crying," he said at last but there was no scold in his voice, just mild discontent. She was silent and he held out a hand despite the frown on his face. She took it hesitantly and never before had skin felt quite like skin until he touched her and pulled her up. "You go to the Academy, don't you?"

She nodded, but just barely.

"Then you're trying to be a kunoichi," he said and his eyebrows pulled together. His arm dropped to his side. "Kunoichi shouldn't cry." And with that, he walked back to his amused brother, leaving her staring after him.

It was the first time Sasuke Uchiha had ever spoken to her, and she couldn't even have spoken a single word.

Reviews would be lovely and if you like this, I have a ton of ideas that would turn this one shot into a drabble series! :)