A/N:I would advise reading Crying Out first, but you dont really have to...actually I lied. You have to. This story depicts a lesbian relationship(s) sooooo If you have a problem with that turn away from your computer screen and go play in traffic :) Reviews and constructive criticism welcome, flames too lol
Also I have only seen about 20 episodes of the Anime in dubbed, I prefer the manga and subbed, because of that sometimes I use the words interchangeably. Suna;Sunagakure=Village Hidden in Sand, Konoha;Konohagakure=Village Hidden in the Leaves, kunoichi=female ninja etc etc I think thats it. If not drop a line and I will add a footnote or something :)
TenTen sighed happily as she exited her shower; she shook her head letting her hair leave speckled drops of water everywhere. She rolled her shoulders and sighed, her latest mission had been particularly stressful and the sand nin on her team irritated her to no end. It was no secret about her dislike of Suna and its resident ninjas under its disposal, the fact that Tsunade ignored her protests angered her even further but she did what was required of her and received her cut. The kunoichi glanced at her reflection as she towel dried off, a light pink faded scar etched on her back would forever be a painful reminder of her first chuunin exam…beaten by a Suna nin.
TenTen turned away violently from her image in disgust. She could put her hair back up later because right now she was liable to destroy her mirror again. I have got to get over this, she thought with a heavy sigh. As she stepped out of the bathroom into her bedroom she was met with a beautiful sight.
Ino was barely covered with TenTen's bed sheet, her long shapely legs peeking out from underneath and her long blonde hair was cast down her shoulders.
"I was wondering what was taking you so long TenTen, I thought you forgot about me," Ino pouted, but she still had a smile on her face.
"Sorry, just stress," TenTen commented still standing in the bathroom doorway.
Ino smiled and beaconed the chocolate haired kunoichi over with the one hand that wasn't holding up the sheet. TenTen came over to her, bending down to give her a kiss. Ino smiled in the kiss leaning backwards away from TenTen so that the weapon mistress would have to use both hands to balance, effectively dropping the towel from her frame.
TenTen growled playfully, "You are too much sometimes Ino."
"Why thank you TenTen, I do try."
"As fun as this might be I do need get dressed, and I'm not up for taking another shower so quickly after just getting out."
"Aww why do you always tease me," Ino pouted again and eyed her lover's bare frame. It would be such a waste for them to not have fun right now but she did understand that TenTen had to get dressed.
"Tsunade is going to kill me if I don't go see her on time, and I really don't feel like running for my life right now," TenTen joked, pulling back.
She moved backwards because of her need to get dressed and because talking about Tsunade cooled down her feelings of desire considerably. She was, after all, Sakura's mentor and Ino was Sakura's girlfriend. TenTen was going to have to look Sakura in the eye, more than likely have polite chit chat conversation with her, and pretend to not have been sleeping with Ino for the past couple of months. The chocolate haired kunoichi bit back a sigh, Ino just didn't understand how awkward it was for TenTen, sometimes she felt like Tsunade knew about their affair and was purposely sending her on missions with Suna nin because of it.
TenTen was almost sure that after only a few hours of recuperation Tsunade was about to magically find another mission for her and send her off for another week of stressful objectives. She dressed slowly, her annoyance was starting to show in her body language and Ino glanced over to her and frowned.
"TenTen, what's wrong? You seem tense," Ino stood up and began to get dressed as well; she rarely stayed in TenTen's apartment when the weapon mistress herself wasn't there. It felt too much like they were playing house, like they were a real couple and she wasn't with TenTen. I'm with Sakura…
"Ah nothing Ino. I'm just thinking about this mission that Tsunade is about to send me on."
That startled the blonde; she turned to TenTen with wide eyes, "You just got back yesterday afternoon. Surely she won't send you out that quickly. Especially not for as long as she did last time. It might be a quick one."
TenTen made a noncommittal noise, she didn't want to bring up why Tsunade might be drilling TenTen into the ground, and it would just cause another argument between them. It would make Ino feel like crap and TenTen would get blamed for pointing out that Ino was the adulterer in this triangle.
The weapon mistress turned to the blonde as she finished dressing and watched Ino. Doing these missions was good money but they were tiring, definitely. She mildly wondered if it was worth it. This was supposed to just be a fling that went on longer than thought possible by the two of them in the beginning.
Ino's thoughts were all over the place, she didn't want to leave TenTen, she did not feel like hanging out with her teammates, and her father had picked up some help for the shop so she didn't have to go there either. There was always seeing what Sakura was up to if the pink haired kunoichi wasn't busy training with Tsunade.
Ino couldn't stay with Sakura because the pink haired girl still lived with her parents; it was awkward waking up after love making knowing her mother and father was just down the hall. TenTen's place was just freeing, whenever she wanted to get away from the stress of her family and Sakura's she goes to TenTen. Ino quietly huffed; she couldn't really compare TenTen to Sakura. It was like comparing apples to oranges.
When the blonde really tried it just frustrated her, Shikamaru would always tell her she needed to do it and figure out what she really wanted. Then he would just complain saying she was too troublesome and that he didn't know why Sakura or TenTen even bothered with her. TenTen was the epitome of independence. She was strength and determination embodied and deadly grace. She made Ino feel like an equal, and gave her an odd feeling inside. It was hard to describe but she was just drawn to TenTen.
Sakura was dedicated and had changed completely from their childhood. Her fierceness was something Ino admired but at the same time, Ino felt like Sakura was the 'safe' choice. There was excitement in their relationship but it still wasn't the same as it was with TenTen. Her months of being with TenTen had been great but then Sakura had asked her out, she thought she could give the weapon mistress up but she was wrong.
"I'll go with you to the Hokage."
TenTen nodded, she didn't mind but it wasn't a position she wanted to be in.
Ino was quiet during the trip to the Hokage. She was wondering if she should complain to Tsunade about sending TenTen on missions back to back but that would look odd. She could just go see if Sakura was busy but she felt like she was taking an easy way out.
TenTen stopped at the Hokage's door and turned to the blonde next to her with a raised eyebrow, "You can leave to find Sakura, I don't want you being stuck on this mission as well." Only one of us needs to deal with this punishment, TenTen thought.
Ino scrunched her eyebrows but nodded. She was disappointed in herself for not sticking to her guns. The blonde looked at her uncertainly before planting a soft kiss on the taller girl's lips. TenTen smiled softly into the kiss but pulled back when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. As TenTen slipped into the Hokage's office she heard the gentle voice of a surprised Sakura happy by the appearance of her girlfriend during her lunch break. TenTen resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she didn't really resent Sakura, but she was prevented from having a friendship with her because of Ino. TenTen angrily thought that if Sakura could give Ino whatever she needed in their relationship the blonde wouldn't visit TenTen and that they could all be somewhat of friends.
Of course Ino is getting the benefits from both ends, honestly I seem to be the only one getting the bad end of the stick.
TenTen raised an eyebrow at the Hokage pretending to do work. TenTen was sure that the woman had been doing nothing but maybe starring out in the clouds. Before the whole situation with Ino TenTen looked up to Tsunade, she even quoted once or twice that she had wanted to be like her one day. Apparently being in an affair was beneath Tsunade TenTen thought with a slight smirk. The old blonde kunoichi raised an eyebrow at TenTen wondering what she was smirking about.
"TenTen I see your previous mission was a success," Tsunade's eyes seemed to drill into the weapon mistress'.
She already knows this; if it hadn't been a success I wouldn't have gotten paid.
"Yes Hokage-sama. I strive for nothing less than 100%."
Tsunade leaned backwards nodding, her fingers crossed on the desk in front of her, "Yes well. I know you might be tired from your latest mission but I need your assistance."
The pause made TenTen feel like the Hokage was waiting on something, she assumed confirmation, "Whatever you think you need help with I can be there."
Tsunade nodded again and began shuffling papers on her desk, "Suna has contacted us asking for help…" TenTen shifted her scroll against her back, When is Suna not asking for help? They really need a more efficient military power, she thought briefly. "… apparently they have suffered from a child learning their puppetering jutsus a little early. He took control of what seems to be a large dune dwelling animal and caused the destruction of numerous homes in a 3 block span. The homeless need a place to stay so we've offered homes to as many we can house while they are doing repairs."
TenTen's eyebrows furrowed, "They are going to trek all the way over here for housing? Shouldn't they pick someplace closer?"
Tsunade smiled loosely, "We are the only ones close enough they trust apparently. In any case they are sending someone to watch over the refugees and to help them adjust to what might be a long relocation stay. You are to assist them and be a friendly face to those poor people; I can only imagine having to leave everything behind because of the bad parenting of one child."
TenTen couldn't imagine, every time Konoha was destroyed she never had to go far before it was fixed back up again.
"So who is it that they are sending in?" She could deal with one of the less talkative Suna nin, just the ones that always went on and on and on...
Tsunade nodded her head to the back of the room and the chocolate haired kunoichi turned just as someone entered the room.
The arrogant smirk always irritated the weapon mistress, "Hello again, TenTen."