Ok, so first ff I've written in years, sorry if it's not great. This was supposed to be a short oneshot, but it got dragged out a bit so I chopped it into 3 short chapters. Basically this is in the same timeline as the manga up to Chapter 699. So in other words, Chapter 700 never happened here. The first 2 and a half chapters are basically just T with some swearing, then the last half of chapter 3 will be pretty much straight-lemon ;) Anyways, enjoy!
Sakura tugged at the hem of her shirt idly, adjusting it for the third or fourth time in the last few minutes. Chancing a quick glance up from the floor, she found the Hokage's brown eyes and descending eyebrows staring right back at her and looked down again. It was amazing to her how Tsunade could still make her, a woman of 20, feel like a little girl about to be punished sometimes. The utter silence was palpable and she looked at Shizune to find her nervously glancing around the room. Her former master was in a foul mood for some unknown reason, though Sakura figured it could easily just be because Tsunade was Tsunade. Not that she'd ever dare to say that to the Hokage, of course. The sound of heels hurriedly clacking down the hall outside broke through her mental image of a furious Tsunade destroying the city and all heads turned to the door, which burst open moments later.
"I'm sorry, I got caught up with…"
"You're late! Get in here!" Yamanaka Ino's crystal blue eyes widened to dinner plates and she hastily stepped in next to Sakura, panting softly under her breath and flicking her worried gaze towards her momentarily. Tsunade didn't waste any time, huffing and tossing a folder at Ino over the desk. The blond haphazardly caught and opened it, reading silently with her lips twitching in that adorable way she had.
"A mission, Tsunade-sama? I thought we were going to be talking about hospital business. We haven't done field-work in a while, and should we really both be going somewhere? I mean, the hospital stays pretty busy..." Sakura trailed off as her master turned those furrowed brown eyes on her, a dangerous glint in them, but Shizune stepped in before anyone started yelling.
"Ha ha ha Saaakura-san, of course Tsunade-sama knows all of that. Tell you what, why don't I just go over the details with you girls on the way out?" The older woman flashed them a nervous smile and pushed them towards the door roughly. She heaved a massive sigh as the door closed behind them and began ushering them much more gently down the hall.
"Don't even ask. Now, about the mission. Suna's got a new batch of genin that are supposed to be tested for aptitude and then begin medical training, so we're sending the two of you out there for a few weeks to help them out." Sakura frowned as Ino voiced the question ringing in her own mind.
"Why can't Suna's medic-nin test and train them?" Shizune sighed again and rolled her eyes.
"Apparently most of their instructors and highly-trained medics were doing research and preparing a new facility way out to the northwest when a monster sandstorm rolled in. According to the request from the Kazekage, they've been stuck there for over a week and it's only getting worse. He says it could last as long as a month, and they can't afford to wait that long to start training the new recruits. They also have quite a few mid-level medics who need further instruction, which is why Tsunade-sama is choosing to send you two instead of a larger team of lower level personnel. Two birds, one stone." Now it was Sakura's turn to sigh, while Ino just shook her head in amazement. She was probably just dumbfounded by the idea of a month-long sandstorm if Sakura knew her best-friend, and she did. Turning back to Shizune, she shrugged in half-hearted acceptance.
"And the hospital? It sounds like we're going to be gone a month at least, between the training and travel. Are you sure you can handle that?" She asked with an obviously pleading tone. One thing Sakura didn't need was to traipse across the desert so she could spend weeks teaching obnoxious 12 year old Suna boys about anatomy. Ino was already groaning and cursing under her breath.
"It'll be fine Sakura. Everyone will step up and pick up the slack, and if there are any emergencies Tsunade-sama has already agreed to help me out. There's nothing to worry about. I really thought you girls might be more excited. Two 20 year old single ladies with the chance to go visit a new city, meet some handsome new young men?" Sakura did her best Ino impression and groaned fantastically, but then noticed her friend had gone oddly quiet. Giving her a glance, she found the usually perky and unfazed blond blushing and staring at the floor. Sharing a surprised look with Shizune, she shrugged her shoulders silently. The older woman gave Ino another curious glance before stopping at the entrance to the building.
"Weeeell, ok then? Um, Suna needs by the end of the week, so best you leave today. Don't push yourself on the road though. Report to the Kazekage when you get there, he knows it's you two that are coming so he should have everything arranged properly by the time you arrive. Safe travels!" Then with a wave she was gone, charging back into the lion's den as it were. Sakura turned and followed Ino, who had already passed through the door and taken a few steps towards the main road. She had to take several quick steps to catch her blond friend and brush her arm to get her attention.
"What's going on with you, Pig?" Ino almost jumped when Sakura's hand brushed her arm, and then that curious blush sprang back into her cheeks. She just stared blankly at Sakura for a moment, and then shook her head and turned away.
"What? What do you mean? Nothing, I'm fine. Ummm, so how was that date last night? I didn't get a chance to ask you before you left this morning…" Sakura frowned at that weird response and sudden change of topic, but let it go unchallenged. Thinking back to the night before, her frown deepened.
"Oh uh, you know. He was nice and all, but I don't think I'm going to see him again." Ino turned her head curiously, a sympathetic look in her eyes, but that's all Sakura was willing to say about it. They lapsed into silence as they walked home, Ino still blushing oddly and Sakura too preoccupied with her love life. More like her loveless life, really. Three years ago, after the war, she'd realized Sasuke wasn't really the man she thought he was. That she had been in love with an idea of him that might have never been true at all. He was still her friend of course, and she absolutely loved getting together with him and Naruto whenever he stopped back in Konoha, but that love affair was long over. Since then she'd dated a few guys, but no one was ever really serious. She'd never even done more than kiss any of them. And since the last one of those she'd had a about a dozen first dates like the one last night. A perfectly nice, decent, good-looking guy that she felt absolutely no attraction to whatsoever, and she meant NONE. To be honest, she hadn't so much as turned her head for a guy in nearly 2 years. She sighed roughly as they rounded the corner of their building and started up the stairs. Ino bumped her softly and gave her that 'something's up so just tell me already' look she had. Sighing again, she stopped in front of the door to their shared apartment and rested her forehead against it.
"What's wrong with me? He was a great guy, and I just felt...nothing. Again. It happens every time now. Every time I'm sitting there looking at them and wondering why I agreed to go out with them in the first place. I don't feel nervous, or excited, or wonder what they look like naked...it's like having dinner with my Dad, except I'm actually happy when I see him. I'm never going to find someone. And now we have to go to stupid Suna in the stupid desert and train stupid genin…" She felt Ino's arms wrap around her, her friend's chin resting on her shoulder as she gave her a squeeze.
"Don't be so melodramatic Forehead. I don't know why this keeps happening, but there's nothing wrong with you. You're an amazing, talented, beautiful woman and anyone would want to be with you. Of course you'll find someone." Ino's arms seemed to cinch tighter around her middle, the warmth spreading across Sakura's back feeling incredibly comforting and oddly...tingly. She leaned her head against the blond's, still upset but feeling a little better about herself.
"And Suna's not so bad. With the walls, the desert doesn't really affect the city all that much. Plus we'll get to hang out with Shikamaru and Temari! We haven't seen them in awhile, right? That'll be fun. And the genin...well maybe it'll be mostly girls and we can scare the boys into being...not pervs. Now come on, let's pack up a few things and get going before Tsunade-sama finds out we're still here." Sakura nodded, turning to smile at her friend as she gave her one more tight squeeze before letting go. She couldn't help but notice her skin felt strangely flushed as she opened the door, but quickly put it out of her mind as they set about packing bags for the trip.
