AN: cool off period now. This episode is just a little bit silly, before the next few chapters, which may well end up being quite serious and thoughtful. Oh well, please enjoy.
There is so much blatant hinting here its funny. Crap compared to my usual writing style, it almost reads like a parody.
Any direction is particular you want to see pursued? All feedback is very welcome. I respond to every review personally and quite often use any ideas suggested to me, so please do.
1450 words in this chapter
Back to Surreality
Chapter Five- Rash
Sakura glanced ahead at the couple walking in front of her, and at their slightly dis-arrayed clothing. She had a feeling that, although they were dressed when she had found them, it wasn't long since they weren't.
In public too. I wish I had Ino's confidence. I could never do anything like that.
"Yeah and making out with Kakashi didn't count?" Inner Sakura giggled
That's different, it was unwilling. Ugh, how dare he do that to me!
"It's not like we didn't enjoy it. I still say we should have followed him. It wouldn't be too hard."
No, we couldn't follow him, I don't want to.
"Whatever"
No, really, I don't.
"Don't pretend you didn't like it. I'm you remember, I know what you like"
What happened to eww sensei?
"Well duh! Sensei got to be a pretty good kisser."
Let's not talk about this now.
She could see from her position how Ino's hand kept creeping towards Shikamaru's, but then hastily withdrawing in fear of being discovered.
They had told her specifically not to tell anyone about their secret relationship, but that they did plan on being together in private a lot more, so her twice weekly sessions in Ino's company would be cut down to just one a week.
She didn't mind that so much, but she did get the impression that it would take a long time before Ino could sensibly discuss anything else.
How nice it must be for her to find happiness. I had expected this to have taken longer with Ino's stubborn attitude. Something big must have happened for her to discover her feelings like this.
I can only hope now that Tsunade finds some way to make up the hardship she put their already tender relationship through before they got to this point.
They approached room thirteen just as Naruto started to wake up, and the noise could be heard from the corridor. Sakura told Ino and Shikamaru to stay still while she went to deal with it.
"Uzumaki-san! I can't allow you to leave!" Haruka's strained voice came from inside
"But I have to find him! He will pay for what he did to her, the disgusting pervert!"the Hokage wannabe yelled.
Sakura took a deep breath and stepped inside the room to find Kiba desperately trying to help the nurse keep him down.
"It's alright Haruka-chan, I'll take it from here" she ordered and sent chakra to her arm to give her enough strength to hold him down.
"Hai Haruno-sama!" she bowed and left the room
"Naruto! What the hell do you think you are doing?!"
"I have to find him! He shouldn't have done those things to you."
"I know that Baka, but it's my problem, not yours so shut up and stay still!"
"But Sakura…"
"I don't care Naruto. I'll sort it out later, but now I'm working. Now can you stay here for ten minutes while I go and get the others?"
"Fine!" he crossed his arms and sat back in frustration.
"And this applies to all of you, not a word to anyone about what you saw this afternoon, ok?"
"Hai" all three shinobi nodded.
"Is Ino here?" Chouji asked "did you find her?"
"Hai. They're just outside. I'll go and get them"
She went out and brought them in a few minutes later.
Chouji sat up in surprise at the sight of his second friend "Shikamaru? You're here aswell? Whoa. This must be the first time we've been in the same room since… Christmas or something."
"Hey Choj." He greeted
Ino sat next to him on the bed "How are you? How's your hand?"
"It's much better, thanks to Sakura. Wow, what a coincidence that you should be here at the same time."
"Actually Chouji, we were together when she found us." Ino explained, but went into no further detail "we actually talked for once"
Chouji paled "Are you alright Shikamaru? She didn't hurt you did she? Your hair is down."
Shikamaru blushed slightly "No Choj… I uh… I just forgot to tie it, that's all"
"Here." Sakura took one of the bands from her own hair and passed it to him.
He took it with a nod and put his hair back into its ponytail. "Arigato Sakura"
The soft sigh that Ino let out was barely audible.
"I thought you had a mission today aswell" Chouji continued
"I did. I was with Sakura and Ino."
"What? They sent ANBU with you guys? It must have been difficult."
"Don't worry about that Chouji. You just concentrate on getting better." She leant forward to give him a hug.
"I didn't notice until now. Are you hurt Ino-chan?" he frowned, looking down at her.
She stepped back "huh?"
"Your neck. It's all red in places. Is it a rash or something?"
Ino glanced sharply at Shikamaru before flushing an equal shade of red and laughing nervously. "n-no Chouji it's just, um…"
Sakura smiled lightly and stepped closer to Ino "I know what this is… here, let me…" she reached out a chakra-laden hand and healed the broken skin from their little session on the hill.
She then turned to face Shikamaru, who was clutching nervously at his collar, trying to move it further up his neck.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Shika, shirt off. Now."
He froze on the spot.
"What?" Chouji looked confused "why Shikamaru?"
"What Ino had on her neck was contagious." She told them with a smirk "medical intuition and personal experience says that we'll find the same on Shikamaru, seen as they've been together all morning and most of the afternoon"
"If it's contagious, then do you have it Sakura?" Kiba asked, fully understanding from his own personal experience what it was.
"I did, but I healed it myself. Now, Shika?"
He sighed heavily and removed his shirt, revealing love bites on his neck and collarbone and soreness across his whole chest. He cringed when both Chouji and Naruto gasped at the extent.
"Whoa Shikamaru." Naruto stared "that's so much worse than Ino's"
"It's had days to develop." Sakura smirked, seeing some of her own marks along with Ino's. She was going to tease some more, but a stern look from Ino told her to stop. "and anyway, Ino's is probably just as bad, but I'm not going to tell her to take her top off in here with everyone watching so I'll finish her later."
"Aww… spoil our fun Sakura" Kiba pouted playfully "why should you get all of the treats?"
"Shut up Kiba" Sakura went over and started to run her hand across the red marks on Shikamaru.
"Can I play next Sakura?" he kept teasing
"Seriously Kiba, I will put you through that wall if you don't stop talking. I thought you had a ball of fur to pick up."
"No, I called Hana to ask her to take care of him. It seemed to be hotting up in here so I'd thought I'd stay."
"It's a hospital, not a fucking soap opera dog boy!" Ino snapped
"All right, calm down. I was just having a little fun"
"What's wrong Ino?" Chouji asked "you seem on edge"
"Nothing's wrong Chouji. He's just pissing me off, that's all."
"What were you guys talking about earlier?" he asked as Shikamaru put his shirt back on
"Shika promises not to hide away so much so we can talk more often."
"Really?"
"Yeah Choj. I've already got enough cash to retire on through ANBU so I don't need to take as many missions"
"Wait" Sakura interrupted "you've only been in ANBU for a couple of years and you have enough to retire?"
"Providing I marry soon enough and raise children to support me later, yes."
"Well then, Kakashi was in ANBU for much longer. Does that mean…?" she reached a hand into her pocket, letting it rest slightly on the little black box inside.
"Hai. He's not short on cash at all."
"What?!" Naruto protested "no way! Kaka-sensei always makes us pay for his meals and everything!"
"What are you suggesting, Naruto?" Kiba raised an eyebrow at him
"I say we make a bet." The three looked at each other in despair "I bet that he spent it all on those books of his and hentai activities and if I'm wrong, you can all make up a forfeit"
"Well, how exactly do you plan on finding that out?" Shikamaru frowned
"I'm sure Sakura could help." Ino smirked slyly at her
"Ino!" she scolded, then heard a chuckling sound behind her. She turned to be faced with Kiba, trying to keep himself in and failing. "Not a word Kiba!"
"Of course Sakura-chan, I wouldn't dream of it."