The Springtime of Our Lives

Flowering Time

Original Prompt: "Can you write about team 7 going through puberty? – Anon"

Disclaimer: This story utilises characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelisations, comics or short stories is intended by KuriQuinn in any way, shape or form. This fan-oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All plot and Original Characters except for those introduced in the canon books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn. (© KuriQuinn 2016- )

Author's Note: This isn't exactly new, but it was only posted on tumblr. Since tumblr is now doing stupid things and I'm worried I might lose my stuff because their system for flagging inappropriate content is complete shite, I'm backing up everything. Ao3 and Quotev will have my NSFW stuff, as well as the Dreamwidth account I've linked to tumblr. Everything else will be uploaded here, FFnet and wattpad.

Warning: This story deals with puberty. And all the awkwardness that entails. Periods and awkward boners and zits and everything.

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The latest mission is a complete snafu.

Team 7 is sent out to help watch a shepherd's flock after he and his entire family come down with a debilitating flu. It's lambing season, when thieves and predators stalk the herd, and so the Hokage saw fit to send a genin squad to keep an eye out.

It should have been a simple mission, something which Naruto complained loudly about the whole way there. It turns out, though, that watching sheep is more difficult than expected, and not for the difficulties common sense might suggest. In fact, sheep have an innate genius for self-inflicted harm. The beasts are too stunned to file through an open gate, but apparently have an inventive talent for getting themselves killed.

Sakura and the rest of her team spend three days following the woolly demons to keep them from wandering off high bluffs, choking themselves on low-hanging branches or tree roots, and poisoning themselves on toxic plants. They almost lost one to drowning, and at some point, Naruto came up with the bright idea to scare them into running into their pen, instead starting a stampede.

And then there was the wolf.

Everything just went bad after that, Sakura thinks with a wince.

Everything hurts, from her eyelids to her breasts.

Not that they're really breasts. She can barely see them when she examines herself in the mirror at night, wishing jealously for the same chest growth-spurt that Ino has already experienced. Still, they ache enough to make their existence known. Almost as much as the stabbing pains in her abdomen.

I swear, if I caught some bacteria or bug while tramping through the mud and sheep crap, I am going to kill Kakashi.

All Sakura wants to do right now is curl up in her bed and sleep.

Somehow, everything is rubbing her the wrong way right now. Her hands sting hotly, sweat-covered and yet chapped, and there's a blister blooming beneath the ball of her left foot. Every crevice of her feels too hot and damp and chafing. It's as if she's far too big for herself, and she is far more conscious of the smell of her body than she would like.

I need a shower like right now, she decides vehemently, and wondering in silent horror if her teammates can smell her.

Almost the moment this fear rises up, Naruto calls her name suddenly.