Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters.

Warning: This fic is slightly NSFW. Contains nudity and sexual references, but no actual sex.

A part of Ino has always resented Sasuke Uchiha, ever since the day her childhood crush became the reason that she lost the best friend she ever had. As a young girl, she pushed those feelings aside and continued to pursue Sasuke, reminding herself that Sakura was to blame, not him. Subconsciously, she knew that the main reason she wanted him at that point was so that Sakura couldn't have him.

Almost a decade later, Ino lays awake in her bed next to a sleeping Sakura, pondering why she still feels resentment toward Sasuke. She remembers when she first met Sakura, how insecure the young pink-haired girl was. When she thinks about that, she can't blame her for ending their friendship over a boy when they were still children. Ino smiles to herself, thinking of how far Sakura has come since then. She first noticed the change in her when she saw her in the Forest of Death. For the first time, Sakura's confidence did not seemed feigned. She was facing powerful adversaries, but she still stood strong. Shikamaru urged Ino to help her "best friend." He's always been so smart, she reflected. She didn't believe much in fate, but she knew something like that must connect her to Sakura. Whatever they went through, they would always be best friends.

Ino couldn't shake the part of her that wanted more than that. Sakura is a kind, strong, and confident young woman whom she admires greatly. She wonders why Sasuke couldn't see how amazing she is. Maybe that's why she resents him. Or maybe it's how he broke Sakura's heart when he left the village. Or maybe it's how even to this day, her heart still belongs to him. She won't say it, but Ino knows it's true. She sees the way her emerald eyes light up when someone mentions Sasuke, only for them to drop in sadness a moment later. She hears the wistfulness in her voice when she talks about him. She knows that she is still torn apart by his departure.

Despite her sadness, Sakura remains a lively and upbeat person. She's skilled at not only healing bodies, but spirits too. With her kind and gentle yet strong and jovial personality, she brings at least a little bit of happiness into the lives of everyone she meets. That, Ino is almost certain of. She doesn't know how anyone could be around Sakura and not feel happy. She just hopes that she has the same effect on her.

Ino realizes that lately, Sakura has been talking less and less about Sasuke. She takes this as a sign that maybe her sorrow is going away and she is finally moving on from him. Maybe, she would even be ready to give her heart to Ino. The blonde smiles, thinking of how nice it would be to call Sakura hers.

In some ways, she already is hers. Sakura was Ino's first.

Her first best friend.

Her first rival.

Her first girl crush.

Her first sexual relationship.

Her first love.

Her only best friend, rival, girl crush, sexual relationship, and love. Everything starts and ends with her. She doesn't know when or how she fell in love with the pinkette, but she knows exactly why. Everything about her amazes Ino, from her excessive compassion and resilience to the little things like her bubbly laughter and cute forehead that she used to tease her about. She is not perfect, but she's constantly working to better herself, and Ino falls more in love with her all the time. She considers that maybe a part of her has always loved Sakura, and that part has grown along with the two of them.

Their friendship is atypical. It always has been, in a way. They don't fight and tease each other as much anymore though, instead they kiss, have sex, and even go on dates. At least, that's what Ino considers those outings to be. She hopes that one day she will work up the courage to confess how she feels. She believes that some part of Sakura must feel the same way, even if she's not willing to admit it to herself.

"Sasuke... don't go," Ino hears Sakura mumble in her sleep from beside her. She finds it adorable how she sleep-talks, yet heartbreaking that in her dream she is reliving the pain of Sasuke leaving. Sakura knew Sasuke better than anyone else, aside from Naruto and maybe Kakashi-sensei. Her feelings for him had grown into more than just a mere crush. As much as Ino hates to admit it, she knows Sakura really does love him. She can't even begin to estimate the depts of her love. All she can do is try to ease her pain. She gently takes one of her beloved's soft hands in her own and intertwines their fingers. With her other hand, she softly strokes short pink hair.

"You don't deserve this pain, Sakura. No one does, especially not you," Ino says solemnly. As she continues to run her fingers through Sakura's hair, she leans down to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. "I could make you happy," she whispers.

The sleeping teen squeezes her friend's hand tightly, almost as if to say "You do." Ino can't help but smile. She lays her blonde head on Sakura's small but shapely naked breasts. God, how I love those breasts, she thinks to herself. Through her chest, she can hear Sakura's steady heartbeat. It reminds her of how her love for Sakura is the most steady thing in her life. No matter what, that love is always there, and it always will be, until the day her own heartbeat stops, and maybe even after that.

You love me, Sakura. In one way or another, I know you do. If you give me the chance, I will give you my everything, and I'll never let you down. But I'll wait until you're ready. Until then, even if your heart is not mine, it's enough simply to hear your heartbeat, are Ino's final thoughts before drifting off to sleep.

A/N: This is the mushiest thing I've ever written omfg. I'm in my feels about my ex-girlfriend and I love Sakura and Ino soooo much and girls love is just really beautiful so the words kind of came naturally once I started typing. I was thinking about the song "Heartbeat" by Childish Gambino while I was writing this, hence the title. Hope you enjoyed!