Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Ino grinned as she squeezed Sakura's hand, she could hardly believe that this was happening, that she had finally confessed her feelings for the other girl. It was even more unbelievable to her that Sakura returned her love. The pinked hair kunochi was leading her through Konoha Forest to a place where they could be alone. She couldn't help thinking that she would wake up any minute, just as she had so many times before. The florist was pulled from her thoughts as the other girl tugged her through a bamboo screen into a large clearing.
The grass in this place was worn down in some places and amassed into soft cushions in other places. The branches of the trees above had been ripped off to allow sunlight in. This clearing had been engineered for something. "Who made this?"
"Lady Tsunade."
"Why?"
"I never asked, I just train here a lot." Sakura sat down on one of the plush cushions of grass, bringing Ino into her lap. She wrapped her arms around the blonde letting the other girl snuggle close. After so many years of denying her feelings and physical attraction to Ino, it took a lot of self control to keep from ravaging her. She didn't care though, all that mattered was the florist's soft breathes on her neck, her pulse that she felt through her skin, and her arms wrapped loosely around her waist. She reclined back, bringing Ino down with her.
Ino huddled closer to Sakura, her breasts brushing the other girl's. Her lips were mere inches from her long time rival's soft neck. The pink haired kunochi raised a hand to stroke Ino's blonde hair. "Your hair is so beautiful Ino, did I ever tell you that?" She murmured, lost in the emotional and physical intimacy of the moment.
"No, all you've said to me in the past few years have been insults and challenges."
"I'm sorry Ino I really am."
"I was just as horrible to you."
How many insults had they traded over the years? How many hurtful comments had they attacked each other with? Why had they done these things? The cherry blossom wondered. What had really caused the to hurt each other so? She'd asked herself these questions for years, after every nasty fight they'd had. So many times she had run to the Yaminaka's flower shop to apologize only to get into another bickering match with the blonde.
The two were so lost in each other's embrace that they did not notice when it started to rain. They held each other silently until Ino realized that she was soaked. She looked into the sky, seeing the heavy sheet of rain that was coming down upon them. The blonde pulled herself from Sakura's lap and tugged her to her feet. "Its raining." She stated to the pink haired girl who was looking at her strangely.
"So it is." The other girl remarked, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I know a place we wait out the storm out."
*Meanwhile*
Tsunade was watching heavy rain drench the forest and Konoha. Thunder sounded to the East as the sky returned to its normal color. She heard and felt Shizune sit down beside her, their arms brushed as the younger woman offered her a cup. "Lady Tsunade, you should come farther inside the cave or you'll get wet and catch a cold."
"I am not a child Shizune." She snapped, snatching the cup from the brunette. She sniffed its contents, sake and from the feeling of the cup it had been warmed. She felt slightly guilty now, realizing that Shizune had gone through the trouble to find a cup and build a fire to warm her sake. She took a long sip, enjoying the taste and warmth of the sake. "Thank you." She muttered, almost becoming disappointed when her attendant stood and retreated into the cave. A few minutes later Shizune returned with a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Her attendant sat down next to her, ducking under the blanket and pressing against the older woman. Tsunade wrapped her free arm around the younger woman, they sat together watching the storm in silence as the older woman slowly sipped the sake. The blonde almost spat out a mouthful of sake as she felt Ino and Sakura's presences quickly approaching them. "Shizune we have company." She said gravely, feeling as though her perfect escape was slipping away.
Shizune stiffened and immediately pulled away from the Hokage. She stood up and backed a few steps and settled dutifully and stiffly behind the strong woman. Tsunade sighed in frustration, just as Shizune was beginning to relax, Sakura had to come and ruin it.
The girl's came into sight, running up the hillside to the mouth of the cave. They burst through the opening, splashing water onto her and Shizune. Confused looks crossed their faces as they spotted the Hokage and her attendant. Just as they opened their mouths, the brunette shot up them and began fussing over their wet clothes.
A few minutes later the girls were dressed only in undergarments and wrapped up in blankets, sitting by the fire. Their clothes were stretched out on the arm rocks beside the fire to dry. Shizune had returned to watch the storm with Tsunade, though she was still standing behind her. With the presence of the genin her plan was impossible to enact. Though she thought highly of Sakura, she knew she was only a child and would gossip if she saw the physical side of her and Shizune's relationship, that would spread to the jonin and create a very awkward situation. She was considering giving up and returning to the city. She knew that it would resolve nothing, even now she could feel something from Shizune, what it was she did not know. She did know that there was a chance that the younger woman would attempt to claim what she wanted, no matter where they were. For that to happen in a place as populated as Konoha would be disastrous. It made more sense to stay here, risking that the girls would see.
Ino felt her cheeks heat as she pulled the blanket tighter around her practically naked body. Sakura was mirroring her actions and looking toward Lady Tsunade. The florist sighed softly, feeling her cheeks cool a bit as her body became less excited. She watched as the Hokage jumped up and stalked back to the fire with Shizune following close behind. The blonde sat down to Ino's right, sloshing the contents of the cup she was sipping. Unsurprisingly Shizune stood behind her a troubled look crossing her face as she looked at the leader of Konoha. "Sit!" Lady Hokage ordered her attendant. The brunette quickly sat next to her master. The older woman drained the dregs of the sake and handed the cup to Shizune. Shizune grabbed the pitcher and refilled the cup, setting it near the fire to heat up.
When the cup was warm again Tsunade picked it up and began sipping the sake again. She was slowly relaxing. Ino and Sakura had drifted closer together and begun muttering things she didn't care to pay attention to, she was just glad the duo hadn't started bickering yet. Shizune was almost pressed against her side again and the sake was heated perfectly. Just as it seemed that the world was finally ready to let her have her peace a loud boom shook the cave, then they heard a sliding, dragging sound that seemed to go right over their heads. A thunderous crash resounded at the mouth of the cave, dirt flew into the air. They were blind for a moment before the dust settled and they blinked the dirt from their eyes. A huge mass of dirt and rocks had settled over the opening of the cave. Tsunade scanned the other three for injuries before running to the mouth of the cave with Shizune to check the rocks. She tested a few, all of which shifted dangerously and made the top rocks sway or come loose. Too many variables, it would take more than four people to safely clear the opening and the cave had no other exit. It was extremely clear that they were trapped. Tsunade sat down cross legged, with her face in her palms. Now all they could do was wait for rescue, she wasn't worried though, she'd told an Anbu team where she would be in case of an emergency and to come get her if she had not returned be night fall of the following day. She just hoped nothing serious had happened to the village. She felt Shizune sit down next to her and lean against her, unthinkingly she wrapped her arm around her attendant. Then she thought. Let those two think what they want, I've faced worse then embarrassment. Shizune lay her head on the blonde's shoulder and whispered. "I trust them."
"I'm still in doubt, but does this mean the answer is yes?"
"I don't know, Tsunade." Shizune sighed. "We both feel the physical attraction between us, for years we've both ignored it. Would there be anything else to a relationship afterwards?" Her mind drifted back to a day just after her twenty third birthday when Tsunade had taken her virginity, the busty blonde had been so drunk that she had not remembered what had happened the next day. I remembered though, I remember the kisses, the feeling of being touched and taken, the sensation of being told that I was loved as I neared my climax, the bitter disappointment when I'd realized that my master had simply used me to get of and I remember the longing for the touch of my master.
"I can't answer that." The blonde looked away. "All I know is that my body wants you and I'm tired of the longing. Don't tell me you don't feel the same." Shizune fell silent then stood and walked back to Sakura and Ino.