Chapter Text
It was quite obvious to Sakura that his childhood was not normal. He discovered this fact at the bright young age of 8. In fact, he could recall vividly the looks of disgust and horror that plagued his classmates' faces. Classmates, not friends, never friends.
It was summer and Sakura had been sweating so, like any normal child he began to remove the ugly sweater. Unbeknownst to him his shirt had risen up during the struggle. The sweater had been 2 sizes too small at the time and was tightly clinging to Sakura’s body. By the time he managed to remove the jumper the classroom had gone silent. A second later the looks of disgust blossomed, quickly followed by shouts of disgust as they took in the monstrosity he called his body.
“Ew, omg did you see?”
“I know right, what did he do to get those?”
“My mama always told me to stay away from him”
“Freak”
The taunts continued for weeks on end, the children’s words relentless in their jabs. It was that fateful day Sakura stopped changing in front of others. No longer would he give them another excuse to verbally wound him.
Of course as the years went on, the marks only grew and so did the list of people who inflicted them. At first it was only his father. But the list quickly began to grow. His father’s friends, teachers, and other students. Cigarettes, broken beer bottles and belts were the most common item of offence. However it was not uncommon for rocks to make their way into the fray. Really Sakura supposed, their instrument of torture would be whatever was nearest, the quickest.
Well not anymore, bastards. Sakura would be damned if he ever lost to one of those weaklings again. They could go to hell for all he cared.
“Sakura-kun!! There you are, we were beginning to think you were going to skip school, weren’t we Nirei-kun?”
“Sakura-san you're here!! Suo-san was right, we were beginning to worry”
“Aye Captain you made it!”
“Finally decided to grace us with your presence did you?”
Sakura rolled his eyes, he was 5 minutes late for christ sake! The bell hadn’t even rung yet, what was the issue?
“Oh fuck off ya bastards you wanna go?” Without waiting for an answer Sakura collapsed into his seat.
“My my Sakura-kun, that's not very polite”
Before he could retort the school’s speaker chimed to life and the room was filled with their leader’s familiar voice.
The school day passed in a blur and before Sakura knew it, patrol had ended without an issue.
“Ah thank you so boys, my back has been so tight lately, here, take some sweets”
“S’fine you don't hafta” Sakura grumbled his cheeks tinted in pink.
Kiryu forced a pink lolly into Sakura's hand
“Cherry pink, for our captain” Kiryu chirped
“To match his cheeks!” Anzai chimed in, chucking a purple one in his mouth as he dropped an arm around Sakura’s shoulder.
“Shut ya mouths and go home ya bloody idiots" Sakura all but yelled.
He waited for them to disperse before muttering a curse and starting his walk home.
Sakura was almost home when a voice came from behind him.
“Oi Othello, there you are… we've been looking for you.”
Sakura ignored the shouts no way in hell is he dealing with this right now
“Oi Othello we're talking to ya, you're meant to listen when your elders are talking. HEY!!”
Sakura snapped his head up as a glass bottle shattered on the concrete wall in front of him.
What. The. Fuck.
“It's payback time Othello, you didn't think we would let what you did to us last time stand did you?”
He whipped his head around, coming face to face with at least two dozen guys holding an assortment of weapons. He vaguely recognised them, they were the ones he, Kiryu, Suo and Tsugeura had taken out a month or so ago.
Well this works out, Sakura was itching for a fight anyways.
“I already told you, weaklings, the name’s Sakura, maybe this time you'll remember”
Without another word Sakura launched, landing a spinning kick sending one of the punks careening into the alley wall.
Chaos broke out as another 4 rushed him with one with a wooden bat and the other 3 with metal pipes. Dropping low, Sakura's foot swept out, catching two of them off guard. He heard the familiar worship in the air and jumped back the bat missing him by centimeters.
Sakura grinned.
He jumped up landing an uppercut to his attacker's jaw before grabbing the other bastard's shirt and slamming his forehead into his nose knocking him out cold.
Turning to the rest, Sakura began to chase after the quickly retreating figures. Slamming them to the ground, Sakura made quick work of the stragglers. By the time they reached the town a dozen remained. Sakura chucked his jacket to the side and continued his advance.
It was still early in the night so the streets were filled with last minute shoppers and afternoon walkers.
“Get clear!” Sakura yelled to the crowd. At the sound of intrusion the townspeople scattered, those who could, running into nearby shops.
Sakura didn't stop, launching himself off a wooden cart, grabbing two of the remaining fighters and yanking them back before they could shatter the bakery's window. He winced when one of their glass bottles broke over his head, bloody hell that hurt. He could feel the blood trickling down his head but he refused to stop grabbing the two punks heads and slamming them together.
Wiping his face Sakura spun around taking out 3 more with a series of punches avoiding their weak attempts to fight back. What he couldn't avoid however was the hand that yanked the back of his white shirt. Tearing his favourite shirt open in an attempt to distract him. (They were all the same according to Suo, but this one felt just right). Without thinking Sakura jumped backwards, unhooking the bastard’s hands while using his shoulders to spin himself mid air, landing behind. Sending a kick right into the bastard's back pushing him into the ground. Sakura landed in a crouch peering at the stranger ensuring he didn't get up again.
Scoffing, Sakura rolled his eyes. So much for a good fight he supposed. This one had done nothing to dispel his need to fight.
“Hey you haven't won yet freak”
Sakura felt the final pieces of his shirt rip away as two sets of hands attempted to grab him. The 3rd and final punk landed a solid kick sending Sakura flying into the concrete. Now shirtless, Sakura flipped to his feet, using his hands to stop the fall and push his back up to stand.
“What on earth do you think you're doing to my Kohai!!” A voice rang out. “Anyone who causes pain will be purged by Bofurin without exception. You have 3 seconds to leave before we make you.”
At the arrival of backup the gang fleet grabbing their fallen members, scrambling to get away. Sakura watched them run into the distance waiting until the last one had dropped out of sight before turning back to the others, his irritation at such a bad fight returning.
“Tch” Sakura turned to find Umemiya, his 4 kings, Kaji and his second-in-commands and most of class 1-1 standing. Staring. At him.
“Whatcha looking at me, you wanna go?”
“My, my, Sakura-kun, how on earth did you end up shirtless?” Suo asked, smiling tightly.
Sakura froze, fear creeping up on him. No. No.
This couldn’t be happening, no it just couldn’t, it was just a dream. Any second now he’d wake up, in his bed, his secret still safe. Refusing to meet their eyes, Sakura looked down, eyes shut tightly, fists clenched, fingers digging into his palm. He was waiting. Waiting for the laughter to start, the comments on his disgusting body, something. Anything.
The specifics didn't matter. It would end the same way.
“Sa-Sakura-san, wha- are those- um how did you get those s-scars”
Sakura flinched. Scars. He hated that word. Scars were badges of honor. Each one had a story behind it. A tale of bravery. They came from a demonstration of strength not weakness. They were something to be proud of. To show off to others. They did not disfigure the body beyond recognition, they decorated it.
Sakura didn't have scars. He wasn't worthy enough to call the disfigurements that plagued his body scars. They were the furthest thing from badges of honor. They were reminders.
Reminders of the burden he was to his father.
The disappointment he was to his teachers.
The freak he was to other kids.
Literally. The reminder was carved into his back, FREAK. In all caps. The word started on his shoulder. The F covering his left shoulder blade. The R, E and A continue diagonally down his back. The K ended at his right hip.
“Sakura”
Voices filled the air but their words were muffled.
Sakura felt the weight of a hand land on his shoulder. His bare shoulder. Right where the F started.
He flinched. Again. Stumbling back out of their reach. Hands reached out, to hold him.
No. To harm him.
It was stupid of him really, to get his hopes up. His inner child had poisoned his mind with dreams of having friends, a place to call home. Somewhere he could call his own.
Stupid.
Stupid
Stupid.
Sakura took off. Running back down the alley he came. He vaguely registered the footsteps behind him but it was too late to stop.