Divorcee
Sarada was just over nine months old when Sasuke left. Sakura watched him pack his bag, listened to his empty words about a mission, and then watched him vanish from their front door. Sakura didn’t feel angry, not really, just disappointed. Mainly in herself for thinking things would be any different. He hadn’t even given her a goodbye kiss.
The next day Sakura strapped Sarada to her back and went back to work at the hospital. She had been taking an extended maternity leave to play housewife but that was over now. It took less than a day to fall back into the rhythm of the hospital, even with a baby strapped to her back.
“He shouldn’t be gone too long,” Naruto told her when he brought her lunch that first day, “He’s allowed to come back whenever and check back in as well.”
Sakura made some sort of noise that could have been agreement could have been derision. Sakura simply asked Naruto how his training was and he was off like a shot, complaining about the paperwork.
And that night Sakura went to the Hokage’s office, long after dark, and personally requested a set of forms. Kakashi, dressed in the Hokage robes and alone but for the flickering light and the hidden ANBU, didn’t bother asking if she was sure.
“I told him not to stay too long,” Kakashi said simply, “He chose the mission so I let him pick the length.”
Sakura gave him a look and he returned it evenly and she saw the same things reflected in his eyes that she knew in her heart.
“He could come home early,” she agreed blandly.
Sarada was fast asleep in her sling, a weight Sakura barely felt but a heat she was hyper-aware of.
“Well, if you have any questions about how to fill those out, Iruka should know,” Kakashi flapped a hand.
“Thanks sensei,” she smiled.
“Not your sensei anymore,” he pointed out.
“Fine, Hokage-sama,” she teased, cracking her first smile of the day.
He rolled his eyes and she laughed at him, leaning over his desk to pat his cheek, planting a kiss on the other one.
“Don’t stay up too late,” she told him, “I’ll come help with the paperwork tomorrow.”
He sent her an open look of relief and she laughed at him as she shut the door and trudged home. Sarada didn’t make a fuss as she tucked her in the bed.
“Seems its just me and you, squirt,” she told her sleeping daughter.
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Sakura waited for the first letter from Sasuke before she started filling out the forms.
Thing was, she still hadn’t received one after three months. So Sakura set the thought aside and picked up a pen. She was sort of surprised at how not-angry she was. But well, Sakura had been trained to feel only disappointment with Sasuke. She had begun to expect being left out.
So Sakura put the pen to paper and filled out the forms. Then she waited for a letter.
And at the six month mark she still had no word from him, so she picked Sarada up and made a trip to the Hokage’s office. Iruka was helping at the desk, filling out paperwork, and Sakura really could have went through the regular channels to file hers, but he was the top for all bureaucracy to do with ninja so she went to him.
He read them carefully but they did not need any corrections. He stamped them grimly.
“For what it’s worth Sakura, I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she laughed, “Not to be rude Iruka-sensei, but you never had anything to do with this.”
“I know,” he sighed, “I just…I watched you all grow up and I wish…”
She just laughed and gave him a hug because he looked more upset than she had felt this entire time. Sarada laughed and grabbed at his hair over her shoulder and Iruka cracked a smile.
That night when she left the hospital Naruto was there to sweep her and Sarada off to his apartment. Sai and Yamato and Kakashi sat around the table, food set out carefully but no Hinata in sight.
“She went to see her dad,” Naruto said when Sakura asked after his wife, “She took Boruto.”
Sakura nodded and they let her put Sarada to sleep in Naruto’s room before they poured a round of sake. Sakura was not upset when Sai congratulated her on dropping the extra weight, or when Yamato said he was happy for her. When Naruto and Kakashi looked a little sadder she laughed.
“I tried,” she told her boys, “and maybe I shouldn’t have but I did. I don’t regret that, but I won’t regret this either.”
“To divorce then,” Kakashi said.
Haruno Sakura, formerly Uchiha Sakura toasted that.
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“What do you think?” Naruto said anxiously.
Boruto and Sarada were both playing on the blanket spread out across the grass, each happy to babble at one another and at their toys.
“Why do you want to be Hokage Naruto?” Sakura asked simply, “Why have you always wanted to be Hokage?”
Naruto opened his mouth, then paused.
“You always wanted the respect, the recognition,” Sakura answered for him, “But Naruto, you already have that.”
Naruto slumped.
“But,” he said in a quiet voice, “I said I wanted to be Hokage, wouldn’t it be going back on my dream if I didn’t?”
“You don’t have to drop the dream completely,” she smiled, “Just tell people you are putting it on hold for your family. Everyone will more than respect that.”
Naruto’s eyes found Boruto and she let him have his thoughts.
“Why the sudden worry?” Sakura asked finally.
“I’ve been thinking of it for a while,” Naruto admitted, “I just kept remembering how jiji never had time for Konohamaru or even Asuma. How he was always in that office and never at home. And I …I didn’t want to do that to Boruto and Hinata. And then, well you.”
“Me?” Sakura blinked.
“I was clinging to the dream because it was all I strived to do for so many years. But then I looked at you, how you got your dreams, how you became Sasuke’s wife and had a kid, and then I saw you divorce him. I would…I never expected you to do that Sakura. I thought you would stick with him forever.”
“And it’s a good thing I didn’t?” she raised a brow.
“Well, yeah,” he said with a look that said it was obvious, “He’s my friend but he’s a dick, and he definitely doesn’t deserve you if this is the shit he’s gonna keep pulling. It showed me that you can get your dream and if it doesn’t work out you can keep going.”
Sakura was startled into laughter. She threw an arm around Naruto’s shoulder and gave him a side hug and a wide smile.
“Thanks Naruto. Now, go tell Hinata that you’re not going to accept Hokage for a bit and that you love her. I’ll go tell Kakashi he’s gotta keep that hat warm for a few more years.”
“Actually,” Naruto smiled softly, “Kakashi was the one to suggest I wait; that I take time for my family.”
“Sensei’s a smart man,” Sakura smiled.
Naruto nodded and then they both stood, Naruto scooping up his son and showering him with kisses as Boruto shrieked with glee. Sakura picked Sarada up and her little girl beamed at her. Sakura felt her heart settle.
Sarada and Sakura waved the boys off and then headed for the Hokage’s office.
“I hope you’re prepared to be my assistant for a bit longer,” Kakashi drawled as she wandered in.
“Ha! Make Naruto your assistant,” she smiled, “He got out of the job, but doesn’t mean he gets to escape this office that much.”
Kakashi smiled agreement but Sakura also dutifully took over half the role as Naruto took time with his family. Naruto had talked about his Hokage dream but Sakura knew that Naruto’s real dream had been a family. He’d tried to make Team Seven his family but they had been too young and angry, and while they were close now, Hinata and his son were his true family and Sakura did not begrudge him that. She was just so happy to see him smiling so widely with a little blonde boy in his arms and someone as devoted as Hinata on at his side. It was what Naruto deserved.
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