Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Of Showers and Thought

When sad, depressed or otherwise thoughtful, Haruno Sakura spent her extra time in a shower, washing her troubles down the drain at the expense of her water bill.

Yamanaka Ino looked around her friend's apartment thoughtfully. The lights were off and it looked uninhabited, but the keys on the table and the unlocked door told a different story. With a sigh of frustration, the blonde slunk her way to the back of the apartment. She entered Sakura's bedroom and stopped at the door of the adjoining bedroom. She knocked politely and waited a moment before placing her ear against the wood. The shower was on and there was faint music playing, but there was no response from the medic.

Yamanaka Ino being Yamanaka Ino and therefore prone to dramatic outbursts of panic, quickly retrieved a senbon from beneath Sakura's mattress and stuck it into the lock of the door. She jostled it until it clicked and she threw it open. She hurried inside, unplugging the music player and shoving aside the shower curtain.

There, curled in the tub of her shower, was Haruno Sakura. Snoring.

Ino made a sound of annoyance, "Goddammit, Forehead! Don't scare me like that!"

The pink-haired medic had the gall to open one eye and stare angrily at the bathroom intruder. "Pig, why did you turn off my music?"

"I think that's the least of you problems! You're sleeping in the shower! This water is freezing! How long have you been in here?" the blonde shrieked.

"Two hours? I think?"

"Two hours? You've been in there for two freakin' hours? Get out!" she yelled, gesturing frantically before turning to pull a towel out of the cabinet.

Sitting up, Sakura turned the faucet off and stretched, "Neji broke up with me this morning."

Ino paused and faced her friend once again, her eyes wide and her mouth pulling down at the corners, "Oh, honey…come on, let's get you out and into clothes before you die of hypothermia."

Sakura allowed herself to be babied and soon was sitting on the couch with her friend with a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. Her feet were in Ino's lap and her back against one of her plush pillows. She recounted her day, from the break up to the harrowing shift at the hospital afterwards.

"…and even while I was elbows deep in Genma's chest, I just couldn't stop thinking about what Neji said about me being 'unexpressive' towards him. I thought that I made my feelings pretty clear."

"Forehead, how are you feeling now?"

"Annoyed mostly," Sakura took a sip from her mug, "and almost entirely at me. I feel like I should be more broken up about this than I am. I was able to perform three back-to-back surgeries and finish three stacks of paperwork before I came home, so I got in the shower to think about it."

"Did you come up with anything?"

"Not really. I don't really think I'm unexpressive, but I really don't feel anything in particular. I'm actually not even mad at Neji, and that just doesn't seem normal to me."

"Forget normal! If you say you think you're alright, we're going out tonight!" Ino declared. "We don't even have to drink a lot or anything, we'll just go out to eat and have some wine or something!"

"When?"

"Right now. Finish your hot chocolate and put on real clothes. Like, a dress or something."

"Alright, alright," Sakura finished her drink and placed the mug in the kitchen before changing and returning to the living room. "Is this acceptable?"

"More than acceptable! Let's go!" the blonde smiled, pulling her friend outside and linking arms. "Sakura, I want you to know that childhood rivalry aside, I think I love you."

"That's alright, Pig," the medic smiled, "I think you might be the most stable relationship I've ever had."

"You're probably right!" Ino laughed. "Now, let's have a girl's night to remember!"

Até Logo~

Hey there! So, no pairings in this one.

Just friendship.

Honestly, the inspiration behind this is a little more personal than most of the other fics I've written. I actually do this. I mean, I've only ever spent more than an hour in a shower once before when I was in the dorms and there was unlimited hot water that I didn't have to pay for, but I use my time in the shower to think (or take micro-naps).

Also, this is personal for the simple fact that I started it the day I was broken up with. However, unlike Sakura, I wasn't actually given a reason, so I had to think about it a little more.

In addition, this is also inspired by my everlasting love for my friend/waifu that may actually be the most normal relationship with a person I've ever had. Derp. Thanks, Ashley.

F~R~I~E~N~D~S~H~I~P~

Without ships.

Later,

AJlovesKakashi

P.S. I don't want to undermine the love I retain for my yandere-as-hell roommate, Hannah. Love ya, even if you're dating my birthday twin and you both love to freak me out.