I don't own Naruto
just thoguth that this might be an intresting story.
sakuraxino pairing
Ino couldn't believe it. It was a shock, her hands were shaking, her mascara was beginning to run, and the only thing she could think of was a person. A certain pink haired rival that she couldn't tell, because she wanted to protect her. She always wanted to protect her. And this.
This would effect both of them.
Some form of friendship had blossomed between them in the past year or so. Sauske was gone. Sakura had been sourly depressed by that and Ino found that she missed the way Sakura would smile more than she missed the boy. Sakura had at first out right ignored her but after a while they wound up having dinner together.
Her relationships for the moment had to be put on hold. Ino stared at the ground not knowing what she was going to do. How she was going to explain this to anyone. She was sitting in the examination room, starring almost stoically at the floor.
She knew how the treatment would be worse than the ailment. Treatment would all but kill her. Her illness would kill her…..and then she began to wonder how she was going to pay for the treatment. She was barely making enough to feed herself. Missions were scarce for her, and she didn't think that she would get the internship at the hospital. Especially not now.
Sighing she put her head in her hands wishing that she could go home…but where do you go when home doesn't welcome you anymore? Her parents hadn't taken the news that she wasn't willing to even date Choji or Shikamaru very well. They had thrown her out of the house onto the streets.
Sakura didn't know.
Tsunade was the only person that knew that she was living on her own. The person that had given her an apartment, was the one that had taken the test to find her positive. The person that had told her about it. The person that had walked out of the room claiming to leave her alone for a moment while she checked on something.
XxxxXxxXxxXxx
Tsunade sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Sometimes she hated working in a hospital. She hated seeing people go through things like this and she hated being the one to tell them that their life was going to have to change. On some level she knew that she was still helping them.
Ino though was a different case entirely.
Tsunade had left the girl to her own devices for a few minutes. She needed to check something. She wanted to see if the internship position was still open.
Originally she wanted to allow Ino a few more years in the field before she brought the girl into the medical life.
This news though changed everything.
Tsunade knew that Ino would only be able to continue missions for a few weeks maybe a month if the blonde was as resilient as Tsunade thought she was. Paperwork though wasn't out of the question.
The new internship would include insurance as well so that Ino wouldn't be screwed financially. Ino would be around people that either loved her or knew how to help her. It worked out perfectly.
"Shizune."
Tsunade smiled to herself when Shizune looked up at her grinning slightly before making her way over. It only took a look for her older student to understand that something was wrong. Tsunade couldn't remember the last person that was able to read her the way Shizune could.
"I have an intern."
"We have an applicant in mind."
"I'm hokage."
Shizune glared at her and Tsunade sighed. She hated people thinking that she had a soft side. She hated showing her soft side even more. Normally she would set up what needed to happen and just allow the person to believe that it was fate that saved them. Sometimes though to save one you had to screw another.
"Who?"
"Yamanaka."
Shizune sighed again putting her head in her hands again before looking up at Tsunade.
"She tested positive for Leukemia. Do you know how much a high stress job like this one takes out of a person? She's going to be literally going crazy by the end of the day are you really going to keep her here?"
Tsunade had originally wanted to send the girl into interrogation. Ino's ability to get into the mind was going to be missed.
"Yes."
Tsunade could see the wheels turning in Shizune's head. Having Ino under Sakura would be an annoyance. At best. Sakura who at sixteen was now considered to be a full fledged doctor, Sakura who would argue with Ino as if they were both five year olds. Tsunade knew the headaches she was going to get form this but sometimes you just have to do what you know is right.
"Ok. You tell Ino. I'll tell Sakura, but for me to do this, you can't go near a bar for the next week."
"Deal."
(Later on Tsunade would regret this decision for Shizune had cleared all of her stashes of sake leaving her nothing for seven days know as the week of darkness for much of Kohana)
XxxxX
Ino closed her eyes again. She was beginning to feel the pull of a headache and only wanted to go home and try to sleep it off when the door opened. Looking up she saw Tsunade smiling at her. The Hokage grinning was usually dangerous for her so she began to slide towards the wall hoping that she could just get out of here.
"You're our new intern."
What?
Wait?
This was because of the cancer. Sakura would never let her live it down and the pinkette would obviously figure it out. Sakura aside how could she just take the job from someone else?
"Don't think about it. The job has excellent insurance and pays nine fifty an hour."
I can't make it on my own without this job and it does solve a lot of my problems. And hey, there is a forty percent chance that I wont even have to live with myself so morals don't really apply here.
"When do I start?"
"Not so fast. You do know that you will be doing a lot of book work because of the low white blood cell counts. Typical low red blood cell counts, then we have the other stuff. You know associated with chemo, I just want you to be clear on this. Two to three weeks after the chemo your hair will fall out. This is because."
"Chemo kills the rapidly dividing cells so it kills the cancer cells and it also kills cells that grow hair, and finger nails."
Tsunade was slightly frazzled that Ino had interrupter her but then her mind went back to what they were talking about and why.
"Don't interrupt me. You might want a wig. I know hats are not permitted in hospitals but I'll give you a special doctors note about some crap that's a lie to cover you. You're going to experience some nausea and possibly vomiting. I can write you a prescription that should help with that but don't go challenge Naruto to a ramen eating contest. When your nauseous don't eat hot food it'll only make it worse. When we put you on the pills you might have mouth sores within three to ten days. We have a saltwater solution that should help with them. Because the cells in the digestive tract are rapidly dividing along with the cells in the mouth we need to watch you."
Tsunade stopped. Ino looked sick.
"Ino?"
The blonde looked terrified. Tsunade wanted to kill the girls parents for throwing her out on the street now more than ever. Because they couldn't deal with their daughters free will she was having to go through cancer alone.
Who says she's alone?
That little voice in her head asked.
"I know this is a lot to hear. Come on we'll get lunch."
Ino didn't react at first. Shock. Tsunade rationalized. The girl knew some of what was going to happen to her but hearing it was something entirely different. This was the slap to the face for Ino.
"Is is going to hurt?"
Tsunade didn't want to answer that. The blonde that was so self centered. Was able to hold herself together with a boastful and vibrant attitude was now looking like nothing more than a ghost.
"We can prescribe you medication."
Tsunade said still holding onto Ino's arm as they walked down the street to one of the lesser known stores.
"An oxycodone patch?"
"Very good. That is what we would prescribe you if it was needed. Can I continue?"
Ino merely nodded sitting in her seat still looking like someone had killed her.
"You might feel tired and a little loopy. It's normal and should pass you'll be back to your normal self in no time. We caught this fairly early. You should go through iv chemo in biweekly cycles then we'll go from there."
Ino nodded and stared down at the ramen that she didn't remember ordering.(I don't think I remember them ordering it either…oh well….surprise there's ramen.)
"Hey Ino, Tsunade. Mind if I join you?"
Sakura asked walking up. Normally she would have addressed Ino as pig but in front of her sensei? No way.
"No."
Tsunade nodded to the seat next to her after Ino's quiet statement. Sakura for her part was wondering why Ino and the Hokage were eating lunch together.
"So Ino here is going to start work at the hospital tomorrow. She's your new intern Sakura."
Tsunade watched as Sakura's eyes lit up. It was as if she had told the girl that Santa really does exist and that everyone else just didn't really know the truth.
"Really now. So Pig are you looking forward to working at the hospital?"
Sakura asked sounding slightly smug. Tsunade watched smiling as Ino brightened for the first time that day meeting Sakura's eyes. It was like a Ino had gone through a complete one eighty. One minute she's pale and shaking the next Tsunade swore she could see color in her face.
"Really looking forward to it forehead."
"Girls I should probably head back to the hospital you two should stay together for a little while catch up on some things. Sakura you can have the rest of the day off. And Ino you will start tomorrow. See me on Friday after shift and tell me how your week has been and then take Saturday off."
It was obvious that Tsunade had given her a time for chemo without telling Sakura. Ino was kind of grateful.
Silence could only last so long with them. Soon Sakura was speaking avidly about her patients and explaining to Ino how things would proceed at the hospital. Somehow they wound up walking together after leaving the restaurant until night time. Ino thinking the entire time about how much she loved Sakura's smile.
"You've been kind of quiet Pig is everything alright?"
Sakura asked and Ino nodded smiling at Sakura the whole time. It was the longest they had gone without a fight. She wanted to go longer.
"Thanks for asking Kura."
The nickname surprised both of them. Sakura was more surprised because of the fact that it sounded kind of nice coming from Ino's lips so she decided that while she normally wouldn't let people call her that Ino could.
"Blondes. Shift starts at eight tomorrow, go home and get some sleep Pig."
Sakura said before hugging Ino closely. Ino needing the comfort, savored it while it lasted a little longer than a usual friend hug should. Sakura figuring Ino was secretly insecure about starting at the hospital was more than willing to be there for her friend.
Ino walked home thinking about everything that had happened and when she reached her bed she felt tears in her eyes. She silently cried in her one room apartment to herself over her newest battle. She did find comfort in all that Tsunade had done for her and all that Sakura had done unknowingly for her. Being with Sakura made her feel normal and Ino hadn't felt normal since her parents kicked her out.
XxxxxX
Tsunade sighed as she sat with her hands in her head at her desk. Ino shouldn't have to go through anymore. Somehow this all seemed so wrong but she did feel a certain spark of hope. If Sakura could stir that type of reaction out of Ino it proved her theory that Ino might be…….swinging towards Pinkettes.
Maybe ….just maybe.
"Tsunade you look like you've had a hard day."
Shizune whispered as she walked in with two cups of Sake.
The two of them sat down together, Shizune taking one cup, Tsunade taking the other.
Definately going to bring Shika into this.
Naruto too.
next chapter will be ino's first day at the hospital might even go into her first chemo treatment if i get enough feedback.
hope you like it.