AN: I've got a question. Which ongoing story would you like my focus to be on? Majority rules, tell me in your reviews. Hehe.
Traditions
By: Karasu Kyra
Ino grinned and turned to Mrs. Haruno, handing her the batter she'd just stirred. "Here. It's ready. Do you want me to coat the chicken, or do you want to?"
"I can do it, why don't you work on the cupcakes with Sakura?" the pink-haired girl's mother suggested.
Blond hair swayed as Ino's head bobbed up and down. The blonde walked over to Sakura, one arm slipping around her waist and the other dipping into the batter. Ino brought the finger to her mouth and licked the batter off.
She smiled mischievously as Sakura batted at her face with batter covered fingers. Those fingers got batter on the blonde's cheek, and Sakura's neck. Ino tried to ignore it, really she did, but it was a losing battle when her head dipped and her tongue ran across the batter.
She could feel Sakura shiver underneath her. She opened her mouth and bit down on the spot, then started sucking on it. The blond pulled back to view the slick red mark replacing the batter. She smirked as Sakura turned around and glared at her, the green eyes going to the batter on her cheek.
She was slightly surprised when a tongue slid up her cheek, leaving a trail of saliva. The blond grinned and was just about to claim those rose-colored lips when a voice cut in, "Girls! Not in the kitchen. Get to the cupcakes."
"Yes, mother," Sakura said, throwing a glare at Ino. The pink-haired girl then shoved the bowl at Ino. "Finish whipping this."
"I'd rather whip something else," Ino said, smirking at the blush that rose to Sakura's face.
To hide her embarrassment, the green-eyed girl turned and walked over to a cupboard, kneeling so she could reach into it. She came back with a cupcake pan. Ino watched her grab paper cups from somewhere on the counter. The pink-haired girl started putting a paper cup into each of the holes in the pan.
"Put two tablespoons of the batter in each of these.
Ino did as she was told and when she was done, she was rather satisfied that she hadn't made more of a mess. She turned around, looking to find Sakura, only to find Mrs. Haruno staring at her rather contemplatively.
Ino raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"You love my daughter, don't you?"
"Yes."
Mrs. Haruno's green eyes flickered downward then back to Ino's face. "I would like for you to marry my daughter."
Ino choked. She had most definitely not been expecting that. She took a moment to calm her breathing and compose herself. "I've…thought about marrying Sakura before," the blonde said cautiously. "I just didn't know how she, or you would react to it.
Mrs. Haruno nodded, then reached to her left hand and pulled off her own wedding ring. She held it in her palm out toward Ino. "Please. This was my grandmother's ring."
"I…Yes, alright…" Ino grabbed the ring and slid it into her pocket. Her mind started racing, going through ways she could possibly propose to Sakura.
"She love you, you know. More than any other person she's been with. She…well, to tell you the truth, she asked me to give you a push in the right direction…in terms of marrying her." Mrs. Haruno laughed.
So, this was Sakura's doing. Well then, she'd have to do all she could to make her proposal memorable to Sakura, wouldn't she?
0o0o0o0o0
Mr. and Mrs. Haruno sat on one side of the small table, while Sakura and Ino sat on the other. They'd just finished dinner and were sitting, idly talking. When the conversation lapsed into a silence, Ino took the opportunity.
"Sakura, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." All attention was on the blond now. She could feel three different people's stares. She stood from the chair, a hand sliding into her left pocket.
She moved around her chair, to the other side of Sakura the table. She got down on one knee in front of Mr. Haruno. "Kyetsu Haruno, I present this ring of the Haruno family in askance of your daughter's hand in marriage."
Ino pulled the ring out of her pocket and held it up, bowing her head low. Using a family ring, the ritual words, and bowing to the matriarch of the house—it was all an old tradition, that many hardly even remembered, let alone practiced. She could practically feel the surprise radiating of the other occupants of the room.
Ino was surprised when Mr. Haruno stood and then pushed his chair out of the way. The man knelt before her and bowed his own head to her. "I would be honored if you'd take my daughter's hand in marriage."
The blond hadn't expected Mr. Haruno to know the old way's either. She lifted her head and rose, followed by Sakura's father. Ino walked over to Sakura, lifting the pink-haired girl's hand delicately. She slid the ring onto Sakura's ring finger, grinning at the dumbfounded look on her now-fiancée's face.
Then, the blond leaned forward and captured Sakura's lips in a kiss. The kiss with the bride was supposed to seal the deal. After their lip's met, there was no going back. Ino was ecstatic when she felt Sakura kiss her back.
Ino pulled back, then, keeping the kiss chaste. She then walked over and reclaimed her seat across from Mrs. Haruno.
"So," Mrs. Haruno began, "Does this mean I get to plan the wedding. As per tradition, of course."
"When I announced my homosexuality to my parent's, they disowned me, so there's no conflict there."
"Oh, my dear," Sakura's mother said. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. They weren't good parents, anyway."
Then a smile that promised trouble drew over the older woman's face. She bit out as if she was finally realizing something, "I get to plan your wedding!"
Ino looked over to Sakura who had a similar expression of horror. Then, Sakura winked at her, grabbed her hand, then the two were running out the door. Well, they needed to celebrate their engagement as soon as possible, right?