I don't own naruto.
this is my first naruto fanfic.
"You better watch your back Pig. After all if you crash and die on this mission how will you beat MMYy record?"
This is a dangerous mission and you need more backup than just Anko. What if something happens?
Ino smiled understanding exactly what Sakura was saying to her. They had a language that no one else really got. They had a system of looks, secret touches. Yes there was a bit of rivalry but in the long run, they loved each other deeper than they were willing to let on to the rest of the village. Neither one though was able to admit it to the other.
This was why every mission one went on, caused the other to worry and all but lose it in her absence. Sakura was known to mumble in the hospital and never leave it, when Ino went on dangerous missions, it showed that she didn't sleep at night.
When Sakura went on missions Ino was easily angered, and irritable. She was especially brutal to those that she was interrogating. And she caught herself walking by Sakura's empty apartment hoping to find the lights on and Sakura back.
"You better watch yourself forehead. Tsunade's training is worse than anything that this mission can do to me. After all I am amazing."
I'll be careful I promise. You don't have to worry.
Sakura understood the message Ino was sending her. She reached out and brushed Ino's arm just under the elbow and faster than most ninja could catch Ino flashed Sakura one of her secret smiles as they walked up to Sakura's door.
"You're wobbling out at midnight right Pig?"
Will you stay with me for a while?
"Yep. My A ranked mission starts at midnight. With Anko sensei."
Yeah I can stay for a while, I'm not gong alone. I'll be with a teacher that has done this a million times.
"Whatever pig you're probably just going to be going on patrol throughout the woods and the reason that they made it an a ranked mission was that no one could put up with you."
"Keep dreaming forehead. Come on I want to watch tv."
Tv was an excuse to get close to each other. They both knew that the second it was on they would find that one of them was cold and the other felt like a pillow. This night was no different as Sakura found her head becoming a lead weight. She had spent the day at the hospital and had worked a seventeen hour shift. Ino's shoulder looked more and more comfortable by the second.
Ino looked at the clock it was eleven she needed to be at the gate by twelve. Sighing she looked in her lap at the sleeping Sakura.
Deciding not to wake her, Ino lifted her counterpart and carried her to bed. Once she had Sakura safely in bed, she slipped the other girl's shoes off and placed a blanket over her, savoring the image some part of her saying this might be the last time she saw her.
"I'll miss you."
Ino whispered. Most of the time they used their language. Some times though, there were words that needed to be said.
"Be safe."
Ino smiled as Sakura whispered those words and began to walk out of the room. When she reached the door she could have sworn she heard a small "pig" but that had to be her imagination.
She broke out in a run after she locked Sakura's door with her spare key.
Xxxxx
"Damn! Ino. When I say run, I want you to run like nothing else."
Ino found herself looking up at the woman that had taken her in after Asuma's death. Anko. The person that was creepy and scary, the one who loved dango, the only person who knew what was going on between her and Sakura.
"Hell no. Kurenai would kill me."
Anko just smirked for a moment. Both of them remembering what was waiting back home for them. The scroll that they picked up safely on Anko's back. Each of their resolves hardening.
Then all hell broke loose. Thirty men jumped out from behind the trees each holding two swords. Their uniform was recognizable as the order of death. A deadly team that was had a notorious reputation. If you saw them, they killed you.
"I told you to run."
XxxxX
Sakura was getting on Tsunade's nerves.
The first few times that Sakura acted so distracted Tsunade wondered who it was that her apprentice had feelings for. She had tried sending each of the rookies on missions, and observed the girl closely. Sakura would worry over Naruto, but still go home. She would smile at Kiba but nothing more. She didn't even notice when Shika went away on missions. And Lee was out of the question.
So Tsunade started sending out the females.
Sakura would worry slightly about Hinata, Tenten's absence didn't affect her, finally Tsunade realized who it was. She caught her apprentice tenderly touching Ino's arm when no one else was looking. So she sent the blonde out. And Sakura went into zombie mode.
After getting over the initial shock Tsunade had started scheming wanting happiness for both of the girls.
She would give them time together but never let them go on missions together. Absence makes the heart grow founder. Besides she wanted to know how Ino acted when Sakura wasn't around.
What she had seen surprised her.
Ino was able to keep up with Anko in the interrogation room without even flinching. Tsunade had seen the girl leave men a mess on the floor sobbing and often starring blankly at nothing.
Shizune finally caught on in the final stages of her plan to rig a hospital elevator and leave the two in there for a day or two. However long it took.
The more responsible on had said that they would find each other on their own and even though they were happy together Anko was still after Tsunade's hide after her 'help.' The plan had worked a little to well and a slight influenza that wasn't supposed to progress past stage one, left Anko in bed for close to a month.
At least she had been well looked after.
Tsunade would never risk Sakura's health. And infecting Ino was a risk to Sakura because teenagers were not known for saying no to hormonal urges. And a smile kiss could have both of them lying in bed…..then again. Tsunade's eyes lit up when she realized that they could be in bed together.
"Lady Tsunade did you hear me?"
"Of coarse Shizune and the answer is yes."
"I wasn't asking a question."
DAMN!
Shizune's face became more serious than usual.
"The order of death is after that scroll. A contact has informed us that, there is an ambush waiting for Ino and Anko in the forest. We need to send them back up now or there will be nothing left of Ino for Sakura to date."
Within minutes a team of six stood in her room.
Kakashi, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kurenia, Neji, and Choji.
"We have two nin out there with no backup going up against the order of death. The mission is to bring them home. The scroll is of less importance as their lives. If you must relinquish it you may."
They were off with Neji and Kiba finding the path that they had taken.
"Tsunade?"
"Shizune we need to ready the hospital…..should we sedate Sakura, or ask her to attempt to remain calm as the person that she loves is out there and we don't know her status? If Ino comes in battered up is Sakura going to be one of the nin's working on her?"
"Ino?"
Both women turned to see Sakura's eyes widen.
"She's going to be fine and I am going to make sure of that. Does that answer your question?"
Tsunade only smiled and hoped that Ino would make it back to the village in one piece.
Xxxx
Anko fended off another attack with her snakes. Ino was penetrating their minds and using them to fight each other. They had already taken out six. Anko could feel her strength waning. Before she could cry out a senbon found it's way into her left shoulder. She found the ground approaching rather fast.
Ino realizing what had happened picked up a katana.
She somehow maneuvered herself between her sensei and the order. Fending off attack after attack until as she killed one, another swung his katana. Ino tried to doge but her back took the entire blow. From her right shoulder to her left hip. She managed to kill the man and then turn to the next.
She had promised Sakura that she was going to be safe. She just wasn't going to let her down now.
Suddenly a kunai whizzed past her ear, transformed into a snake and took out the thug that was charging toward her. Ino knew better than to look behind her at Anko. She wanted to but she knew better.
"Ready?"
"Always."
Ino smiled as she heard Anko standing behind her.
Xxxxxxxx
Kurenai knew they were taking time that Anko and Ino didn't have. She only hoped that they could hold them off long enough.
As they approached the area. The smell of blood assaulted their noses. Running up they got there just in time to watch Ino take a katana across the stomach falling to her knees. The girl was covered in blood the tape that she usually wore coated in red.
Anko wasn't in better condition. She was pale, sweating and shaking. Almost dropping and not able to stand on her own.
Kurenai ran to Anko letting the others handle the enemy
Naruto was never one to play doctor but Shikamaru had told him on the way there to run with Ino back to the village. The blonde was barely breathing, paler than anything he had ever seen, and when he picked her up blood covered him as well.
He was running as fast as he could.
For Sakura who had told him her true feelings. For Ino who he knew loved Sakura too. For himself because if his friends could find happiness maybe he could too. He didn't want to lose one of the people who ate ramen with him.
He could hear Kurenai running with Anko next to him.
When they reached the hospital Shizune was the one that took Anko being the poison specialist. Tsunade met him at the door taking the blonde from him.
Sakura wasn't able to breath when she saw all of the blood. She had already pulled out a pint of blood for Ino, that was ready and waiting, when she looked at her though, she reached for another.
"Told you I'd make it back."
Ino rasped shocking all of them medics in the room. Time seemed to stop for Ino and Sakura as they met each others eyes.
XXxxx
The operation had been brutal for all of them. Fixing up the blonde. The stitches in her back and stomach, fixing internal injuries, Tsunade convincing Sakura to at least change into nonblood soaked scrubs.
The next day Ino was blissfully unconscious, with Sakura refusing to release her hand. To Tsunade and Shizune it was obvious that Sakura was checking for a pulse the entire time trying to assure herself that Ino was alright.
The second day. Ino's eyes opened and she smiled at Sakura.
"Pig. It's about time you woke up."
"Forehead you should get some sleep."
By the time that Tsunade walked in, both girls were sleeping, sharing the bed. Sakura had her head on Ino's right shoulder and Ino was still holding a certain hand.
Xxxxx
A week later Ino was cleared for release. Anko was standing in the doorway smiling at her, Sakura was the one that would be walking Ino home. Tsunade was gleefully humming her I know something you don't know song and Shizune was merely shaking her head.
"Pig if you don't at least let you help me I am going to strap you to the bed and leave you here."
"Forehead I'm fine watch….OW…I mean yay it hurts so good."
Anko died laughing at that Kurenai dragging her away and mumbling something about corrupting the youth, laughing just the same because now she had something to wave over Tsunade's head.
"Watch it pig."
Slowly they made it out of the hospital, slowly walking, Ino with a slight limp. When they reached the bridge Sakura turned left confusing Ino to no end.
"Why are we turning this way? Is that big Forehead of yours malfunctioning?"
"Pig you live by yourself. Did you really think that we would let you go home and try to walk around your home and then hurt yourself worse? You're coming home with me."
Ino smiled.
Xxxxx
They were finally in their pajamas. Ino laying in Sakura's bed watching the Tv that had been moved into Sakura's room. Sakura found herself walking in and laying on her side of the bed .
"I was really worried about you."
Ino wrapped both of her arms around Sakura before whispering back.
" Sorry."
"Love you."
"You too."
After years of dancing around each other, Ino finally leant in and brushed her lips against Sakura's and the gentle kiss, as innocent as it could be served as the first of many in a new relationship.
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