Ch 5
'Well that was certainly weird' Tsunade though to herself as she glanced at her newest pupil from the corner of her amber colored eyes. Then again a lot of unusual things had been happing around Haruno Sakura as of late. One of the first abnormal things the Godaime noticed was that her apprentice had arrived to work rather early this morning...Two and a half hours early to be precise. Although Tsunade herself did take some pride in her job as chief medical ninja because her job required help people out, she didn't adore it so much as to come in to work early or at least not as early as Sakura did. The other thing that stuck the Hokage as odd was that for someone who was so eager to come into work, Sakura seemed rather distant. Her mind was obviously else where while she half heartedly carried out her tasks. Lastly the most recent peculiar thing Tsunade noticed was the random sighs Sakura would let out. They didn't sound annoyed or bored; rather they had a more dejected sound to them which worried the Godaime greatly
"Sakura" Tsunade called out apprehensively determined to figure out if her student was alright or not.
"Hai Hokage-sama" Sakura replied and turned around to look the Hokage in the eye. The second green eyes met brown ones Tsunade knew that there was with out a doubt something was definitely out of place, and that it was probably not an illness that was making Sakura act so strange. When Uchiha Sasuke walked out of Konoha breaking the young girls' heart by ignoring her pleas, the light in Sakura's eyes had left along with the traitor genin. But for reasons unknown to Tsunade, the light was there in her eyes once more. There was only one logical reason for Sakura's actions now. 'She's in love' Tsunade concluded before mentally slapping herself in the head.
Of course she was in love! Why else would she sigh like she did that and zone out frequently, and sigh like a love sick fool. Of course this didn't explain her unusual early arrival however it could prove to be relevant to the mater as well. "Uh...it's nothing, just make sure you finish your rounds and then report back to Shizune" Tsunade replied and walked away. Sure she could question the young girl to 'spill the beans' and tell her all about this new crush; however in the immortal words of Naru Shikamaru it would be 'too troublesome' to do so.
"Yes, ma'am" Sakura chimed and tried to resume her duties with a smile on her face. While the two high ranking females went on with their respective duties with smiles, one kunoichi in a not too far off training ground was not happy, in fact one could bold as to say that she was down right pissed.
"Yamanaka-san that last bout was truly amazing, worthy of the power of your youthfu-"
"Lee! If you use the word 'youthful' one more time I swear my Shinranshin won't miss next time" Ino vowed slowly picking her bruised body off of the ground which was damped by her perspiration and blood.
Lee on the other hand stood a few yards away from the weakened blonde with no scratch to be seen on him, which angered her even more. His strength was admirable Ino noted and spat out what looked to be one of her molars and rubbed her jaw tentatively, but she wasn't going to give in that easily.
"Please back up your promise of a life time with force Yamanaka-san. I do not wish to see such a passionate declaration used so lightly." Lee said in his awkward way of speaking.
"Heh...You asked for it" Ino stated before moving at a speed that no genin would be able to trace, but for such a speed demon like Rock Lee her movements were obvious...or so he thought.
"Konoha senpuu" the green beast yelled and used his most famed combo on Ino or what was thought to be the chunin kunoichi, Lee's kick came in contact with a log that had been disguised by a gen-jutsu to look like his opponent.
'I got you now' Ino thought when she came up behind the jade clad ninja. Her fist that was heading towards the back of Lee's head missed its target completely, in fact the tai-jutsu master himself was no where to be seen. "Eh" was Ino's blank comment on her new situation, forgetting for the slightest of seconds that Rock Lee was one of the fastest people in all the ninja nations. That brief moment when Ino's defense dropped was all the swift shinobi needed to land his next attack on the unaware girl; who was slightly confused by the now familiar taste of dirt in her mouth. "Mou Lee-kun you're way to fast for me" she groaned and once again lifted herself off of the ground.
"Shall a take that as your admit to defeat" Lee asked raising one of his outrageously thick eyebrows, which made Ino shudder when she saw it move.
The flames of passion flamed in Ino's eyes as she smirked and replied "Never" and ran at Lee once more.
"Yosh! If Yamanaka-san can't land a hit on me then I shall assist her in training until she is able to become a formidable sparing partner" Lee screamed towards the heavens, before taking his nice guy pose. "It's a promise of a life time" he said in a slightly less loud tone and took his usual fight stance.
"I suppose we won't be able to fight like this more often then, cause my next attack is going to hit for sure" Ino swore. When Lee charged at her, Ino was able to doge the frontal attack with out having to use a kawarimi no jutsu. Mustering up all the speed her hands could handle Ino formed the hand seal for the Shinranshin in no time at all. After shouting at the name of her attack her, Ino let out a portion of her mind energy towards Lee. Lee who was already winding up for his next attack, sensed the danger of the on coming jutsu and diligently moved out of it's path way before throwing a punch towards his opponent's stomach.
All air depleted from the blonde kunoichi's lungs before the blow even hit her. However once Lee's fist came in contact her gut, Ino's eyes grew dim and the world as she knew it began to darken as she flew back several meters. Noticing that his opponent was no longer conscious the green beast ran and caught Ino before her prone body was to hit a large bolder in the middle of the field.
"Oh my...This is not good I have once again underestimated the strength of my springtime of youth. Forgive me Yamanaka-san next time we battle I shall try to limit the passionate flames of the beast within me" Lee said remorsefully as if his statement was meant to be some obtuse form of an apology. He then placed Ino on his back and carried her back to civilization. Lee was about to take Ino back to her apartment when he was stricken by a much more brilliant idea. Ino had been pretty injured during their training session correct...injured people go to the hospital do they not? The hospital is where god's gift to Konoha works right?
"Yosh! To Sakura-san it is, for she will be able to cure Yamanaka-san's wounds with her incredible healing abilities." Lee proclaimed before speeding off towards Konoha's only medical facility where the object of both his and Ino's affections was working.
"Ah chu" Sakura sneezed shortly after Lee's loud outburst.
"Bless you Haruno-san" a ninja on the medical staff commented.
"Thanks" Sakura replied before returning to her duties. The young chunin was about to check up on a near by patient when she was stopped by the sound of yet another door being broken. 'That boy seriously needs to layoff of the steroids' Inner Sakura remarked. Sakura ignored her inner self's statement and went to go investigate on why Lee was in the hospital, seeing as he was healthy enough to break down a metal frame door.
"Ah Sakura-san just the person I was seeking out" Lee yelled down the hallway once he spotted the pink haired girl.
"Lee-san this is a hospital you're going to need to lower your voice" Sakura stated, her face flushed when the spectators in that hallway began to stare at her and Lee. "What is it that you needed?" she asked trying to hurry their rendezvous along so that she could withdraw herself from the looks she was receiving.
"Ah well you see Sakura-san" Lee started in a not so quiet whisper "Yamanaka-san and I were testing the boundaries of our youthful spirits and the mighty power of our resolves in a competitive spar. While in the mist of our heated duel the flames of my inner beast rose up inside of me and released itself on to Yamanaka-san rendering her unconscious. Although I do not believe her injuries are so severe that they are able to endanger her life, I myself am not a medical expert and thought it best to seek out a specialist such as yourself to inspect her wounds" Lee explained. By this time in the conversation Sakura had noticed that Ino was resting peacefully on Lee's back and nearly leapt out of her skin at the sight.
Her trained eyes scanned over Ino's sleeping form taking in every detail and noting every scratch and bruise that marred the blonde's body. No more then 15 seconds later Sakura let out a breath that had been caught in her chest. "She does look pretty busted up...but she's at least breathing, so that's a good sign. Set her down in the room to your right if you would Lee-san. It'll be easier to treat her in there" Sakura said and pointed to a vacant room to her right.
Lee nodded vigorously and gladly followed Sakura's instructions. He proceeded to carry Ino into the room to his right; it was a standard hospital room that hit Lee with a sort of nostalgic feeling. After his first encounter with Sabaku no Gaara, Lee was forced to stay in a room such as this one, with nothing more then the bed on which he laid paralyzed and the window to the left of that confining bed to keep the humiliated and broken Rock Lee occupied. However during those depressing times where Lee was stripped of everything, his pride, his movement, even his well known youthful energy seemed to have faded while imprisoned in the dismal hospital; there was a light that warded off the darkness that slowly began to delude the mind of Konoha's green beast.
An admirable being that waits for spring as it stands valiantly against the winter cold. A single entity that is able to hold a person's dreams and wishes; daffodils that Lee received from an angel, a tender person who was kind enough to go out of their way to bring fresh flowers every week and keep him company in his time of need. Although Lee was sure that there was no way he could express his gratitude to Sakura for helping nurture him back to health, he tried hard everyday to show her in the little tasks he could do to make her life easier. To show her how much he appreciated what she did for him, to demonstrate how much he would do for her. If Sakura asked for it Lee would give her everything.
Not anything, for it was too vague for his liking; Sakura didn't deserve just anything, she deserved everything. If it was possible Lee would give her the world because she was worth that much to him. And right now the disheartened shinobi could only think of how she needed not the situation he had made happen.
Lee could only gaze at his angel as the pink haired goddess tended to another's wounds like she had once done to him. Wounds that he caused; there was not reason for him to go all out in just a friendly sparing match. Even though Gai-sensei lectured passionately on how one should never hold back their true powers, that they should always give it their all when running that last stretch to reach that glistening sunset in the distance. Gai also taught never to kick an opponent when they are down. Although Ino was injured she was not down for the count nor would she have been easily persuaded to throw in the towel. Yet in still Lee felt ashamed of himself, there was no need for him to finish it in the manner that he did. He had failed his angel by causing her to worry and hover over someone who was very important to her.
However it was not like Lee to ponder so deeply about darker feelings such as the ones that were overwhelming his system. Yet another wondrous and amazing thought stuck him and his spirits were lifted from the gloomy shadows by the glowing rays of the moon. "Sakura-san" Lee shouted suddenly, causing the preoccupied girl to jump at the load clamor. "Please excuse me for but a moment, there are...uh...other things at this current time that I need to attend to. Please await my return for I will be back in a jiffy." With out waiting to hear her reply, Lee ran out the hospital, leaving a very confused Sakura in his wake.
Sakura didn't wonder too much about Lee's sudden departure and returned her focus once more on the task at hand. From what Sakura could tell with her experience as a medical ninja Ino was far from death's grip and her injuries weren't serious at all. But that didn't stop her from worrying. Every punch and or kick Lee managed to land on Ino left a very dark and painful looking bruise, and seeing how the two of them had been sparing in the woods Ino suffered many minor scrapes and cuts due to the rocks and sticks that broke her fall every time she fell.
All in all she looked like hell, but the looks were very deceiving. The cuts were shallow and Sakura had known Ino long enough to know that her fair skin bruised easily. It only took a few low level healing jutsus to make the blonde girl look healthy again, but Sakura still didn't leave her bed side even though she had other patients that needed tending to. Once more she was captivated by the cuteness of Ino's sleeping face and was unable to stifle a giggle that emerged when the sleeping girl let out a very undignified snort and mumbled something incoherently. Sakura smiled knowing that Ino was resting peacefully and would be fine if she left her side for a couple of moments.
"Sleep well Ino" Sakura whispered to her sleeping lover before planting a kiss on her forehead and exiting the room...or at least she would have left the room had a very amused looking Godaime not blocked her only exit. "Tsu-Tsunade-sama" Sakura stuttered nervously.
Tsunade looked at her flustered pupil and the sleeping shinobi behind her before letting out an all knowing "Ohhh" and grinned at Sakura who quickly decided that she did not like that smirk on the Godaime's face. "Might I inquire as to how Yamanaka-chan got injured?"
Sakura gulped and silently wondered how long had superior been standing their. "She was training with Lee-san" She stated truthfully which earned a bout of chuckles out of the Hokage.
'Well that explains that' Tsunade thought to herself. The reason why Tsunade came in to inspect this empty room was because she saw Rock Lee flee from it like a madman. And if it was Lee who hurt Ino, the girl Tsunade knew to be Sakura's roommate, her student must have chewed him out for injuring someone so close and important to her. If Tsunade was also to add Sakura's odd behavior from earlier in the day and the affection she saw while Sakura cared for Ino to the mix... "So Sakura how long have you and Yamanaka-chan been together" Tsunade asked
'Breath...breath...that's not breathing' Inner Sakura commented seeing as her outer self had literally stopped all inhaling and exhaling at Tsunade's question. Completely red faced Sakura attempted to answer the question. "W-we've been roommates for tw-three months now...I think" Sakura answered in a squeaky high pitched voice.
"Only three months" Tsunade asked her face was completely fake as it feigned a surprised expression.
Having been under the Godaime's wing for so long Sakura knew that expression all to well. Tsunade was a teaser by nature and loved more then anything else in this world (save for sake of course) to make people squirm. Too many times had Sakura been the victim of Tsunade's weird taste in humor, and now it seemed like she was about to get another painful dose of it. Sakura and her inner self braced themselves for the worst, for the amused comments and embarrassing questions that were soon to come.
"Y-yes Tsunade-sama only three months" Sakura answered looking as if she had just signed her own death wish.
Tsunade let out another "Ohhh" before making another comment. "You two seem awfully close for people who have only known each other for three months" she stated knowing for a fact that the Sakura and Ino had known each other long before moving in with each other.
Had not very tired sounding groan caressed Sakura's ear she would have died from embarrassment in trying to answer her superior's question. The young medical ninja turned her strawberry head just in time to see Ino come to. "Ugh...Where...where am I" Ino asked aloud. The last thing she remembered was fighting Lee in the forest and she could only assume she must have fallen asleep or something because after that everything was blank.
Completely forgetting that the leader of Konoha, a member of the densetsu no sannin, the best medical ninja in history, her boss, the one and only Tsunade-sama was in the room Sakura rushed to Ino's side and replied "You're in the hospital, Lee-san brought you here. How are you feeling" Sakura asked in a tone so filled with concern and worry that forced Tsunade to smile at the pair, knowing that right now she invisible to the two of them who were only focused on each other.
'Besides the fact that I feel like I just got run over by Choji's meet tank jutsu I feel just peachy' Ino thought to herself but kept that comment to inside knowing that if she said it, it would only make Sakura worry more. Ino grinned at Sakura and replied "With a cute nurse like you taking care of me, how could I not feel fine" Ino gave Sakura a wink and an ever wider grin to reassure her overprotective friend that she was fine.
Sakura lived true to her name as her cheeks became the color of a sakura blossom at Ino's antics. "Don't tease like that" Sakura muttered and then went to say "Are you sure you feel ok"
Ino smiled before cupping her girlfriend's face in her left hand. "I am 100 sure" she answered and then stoked Sakura's cheek with her thumb, trying to calm the other girl's nerves.
Sakura let out a sigh that Tsunade noticed wasn't like the one's the medical ninja released earlier. "I'm glad" Sakura said truthfully before adding "And that is the last time you go training with Lee-san! Honestly what on earth were you thinking" she demanded to know, her calm expression was soon replaced by one filled with furry; however a slight touch of concern still remained.
Ino visible flinched at the tone Sakura used to scold her with. "I-It couldn't be helped, I accidentally let it slip that I was possible going to go train latter in the day; and Lee-san was so enthusiastic on us training together that I didn't get a chance to say no" Ino protested in her defense.
But the blonde's excuse wasn't enough to cool Sakura off. "Ugh, what am I to do with you, you really could have gotten seriously wounded. Lee-san isn't a pushover" Sakura said raising her voice and her chakra output to make sure Ino understood the gravity of this situation. "Promise me you won't do something stupid like that anytime soon"
Ino nodded rapidly "Trust me I have no desire to go though that again any time soon" Although the wounded girl was sure she would rather train with Lee every day of the week if it meant she'd never have to witness this scary Sakura before her.
"Good" Sakura replied in a voice so sweet it sounded unrealistic. It was Ino's turn to let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she was no longer in any danger. But little did Yamanaka Ino know that danger was lurking in the back of the room.
"My, my Sakura; you should know by now that threatening patient's isn't good for business" Tsunade mused with the biggest Chester cat grin plastered on her face.
Both Ino and Sakura jumped out of their skin at the sound of the Godaime's amused voice, and slowly turned their heads so that they could face the Hokage with looks of pure horror glued to their faces.
"Tsu-Tsunade-sama"
"H-Hokage-sama" the two girls stuttered simultaneously, their panicked tones only adding fuel to Tsunade's burning fire of enjoyment and pleasure.
"Should I warn Lee the next time he's in here that this hospital is no longer safe for his health while your on duty, Sakura" Tsunade asked her playful tone not lightening up as she spoke, sending more dread into the two chunin before her.
'You idiot, you complete baka! Well don't just stand there with your mouth open, say something!' Inner Sakura ranted. Yet with all the yelling going on in her head Sakura found herself completely and utterly speechless.
"I...I really don't think t-that's necessary Hokage-sama" Ino spoke, tripping over her own words as she did so.
"No" Tsunade asked teasingly "I suppose it wouldn't be that necessary now would it. Lee is a big boy, he can take care of himself...Although I do wonder how his resolve will hold against a cute nurse such as Sakura" Tsunade said, letting them know that she over heard their conversation by using Ino earlier comment.
"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura blurted out no longer able to stay quiet. Her face much like Ino's was a deep red shade very similar to the lines on Inuzuka Kiba's face.
Tsunade laughed good naturedly before saying "Hai, hai I've had enough fun for one day" she said still snickering between some of her words. "You two are free to go" she stated.
"Eh...both of us" Sakura asked blankly "B-but what about the rest of my shift" she questioned not really sure if it was alright for her to leave or not.
Tsunade waved the question off by saying "Didn't you come into work early this morning? You've already put in enough hours for today; it's only natural that you get to leave early as well."
Sakura beamed at this, knowing that she really didn't want to spend the rest of the day in the hospital. She flashed Ino the same cheery smile before helping the other girl out of bed. After Ino was removed from the stiff bed, a light shade of pink still present on her cheeks; the two girls bowed to Tsunade before exiting the room.
"Oh and Sakura one more thing" Tsunade yelled down the hall way after the pair had walked away, unable to hold back one more witty remark. The pink haired girl turned and blankly store at the Hokage, silently asking what was it she wanted. "Don't wear Yamanaka-chan out too much; she is on vacation after all"
Both chunin to the Godaime's pleasure became the brightest shade of red she had ever seen. "Tsu-Tsunade-sama!" Sakura shouted back absolutely shocked that the Hokage would say such things! Tsunade let out a deep chortle of laughter before walking away from the blushing girls still laughing as she muttered something under her breath sounding an awful lot like 'young love', which only made the two kunoichi blush even further. Sakura sighed before saying to Ino "We better leave here quickly before Tsunade-sama decides she's really in the joking mood" she then took a tighter hold onto the taller girl's arm and proceeded to drag her down the hallway.
"You mean to say that that could have gone worse" Ino asked not believing that anything could have made those moments any more embarrassing.
Sakura turned her head slightly and looked Ino straight in the eye with such a serious look in her on her face that Ino almost flinched as she said "You have no idea"
With the mental picture of an evil Tsunade decked out in devil horns and a pitch fork upon exiting Konoha's hospital, Yamanaka Ino found herself wishing never to get on the Hokage's bad side.
A/N: Guys I am sooo sorry that this took me forever to post! I really didn't know how I was going to write this chapter and I really do hope that it turned out alright, seeing as I made all of you wait so long to read it. Unfortunately I've hit a major roadblock in this story and I'm not too sure how the next few chapters are going to turn out. I only expect to pull out two or three chapters before it's done. Once again I am really really sorry it took so long to update, and I apologize in advance for the slow updates that are to come.