D: Say what? What happened guys? I promised you a long update and this is what I get? LAST UPDATE. EVERRRR. Rofl. Just kidding. Thanks for the reviews. ;D I won't be able to update as soon as people think as I'm going on Holiday soon…So whatever. ~ NOT a filler Chapter. You just have to know what to look for. ;D

Chapter 8

The Plans of a Lord

Ino rubbed her eyes wearily, watching the pink woman lying across her waist with a sour expression mixed with one that most would recognize as sadness.

Glancing over at the Lulu alarm clock, Ino pouted her lower lip at the bright red numbers that shone out brightly to her.

5:24am.

Thirteen hours, Sakura had been asleep for thirteen hours…And she, Ino Yamanaka had been up for a whole twenty hours.

"Sakura?" Shaking the pinkette gently, the blonde Jounin smile softly at the grunt and swift kick she received from the ANBU who by the looks of it didn't like being disturbed in her sleep - even if she was still sound asleep and wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

With a soundless sigh, Ino let herself fall against the soft feathery fabric of her three red, spotty pillows - bringing the sleeping ANBU along with her.

If she was correct, then Naruto's surprise birthday bonanza would be today in Temari's club: The Drunken Thief and if she was also correct, then there would be plenty of sake in the storage cupboards underneath the end seat of the fifth table - aka they would be breaking into Tsunade's secret stash.

At the thought of them even going near Tsunade's secret stash, Ino's delicate fingers tightened around Sakura's slim waist possessively as if even Sakura touching the stuff would most likely make Sakura drop dead in a couple of seconds.

'She is not going anywhere near that stuff, if she's anything like Tsunade then she'll be down on the floor after her first shot.' Ino thought bitterly, shaking her head at how, now that she thought about it, it seemed that she was most likely going to grow up with a mini-Tsunade until she was dead and gone.

This time, Ino did sigh. Loud and clear with a hint of weariness that could only be recognized as her being tired. Which she was…So tired, it was unbelievable how worn out she felt by just looking at Sakura sleep naked against her waist.

As if Sakura had somehow read her mind, the pinkette kicked the sheets that were surrounding her waist which made the linen fabric slide down so that it only rested just below the ANBU's waist.

Blushing with a hint of a smirk on her features, Ino couldn't help but let her hand roam Sakura's porcelain fortress of a body, grinning devilishly at herself whenever her hand lingered on a certain spot and the pinkette reacted with a rough groan of desire.

The Jounin felt no guilt at touching Sakura like this, in fact she revelled in the fact that she would hopefully be the only one who could touch Sakura like this even if said person was asleep…Not that she couldn't touch Sakura like this when she wasn't asleep.

On the contrary, Ino enjoyed making love to Sakura whenever she could. It wasn't that she was sex mad, it was just the fact that she couldn't stand not touching the pinkette and because of this Ino immediately reminded Sakura that she was like her own personal drug that she would most likely never give up even if someone paid a doctor to help her.

'This is horrible. I'm violating Sakura. The shame my family must feel…Oh well, it's so much fun!' Ino thought gleefully, rolling over onto her side so that she could stare lustfully at the sleeping form of none other than Haruno Sakura, her one and only.

She had promised to talk to with Sakura once the ANBU had awoken, yet whenever she thought of the oncoming conversation that was sure to come…Ino wanted to hide in her duvet and stay there forever.

It wasn't right, lying in bed next to the sleeping Sakura, dreading what was to come, fearing what they might say to each other and knowing that what she was fearing was absolutely selfish.

It was selfish that she, Ino, was terrified of said conversation because of the fear that Sakura would finally say no that she would finally say no - with an unwilling glint and passion - no to the relationship that they were fighting so desperately to keep together…Yet getting hurt each day because of it.

There wasn't a day that one of them didn't cry, if Ino didn't cry, Sakura did and if Sakura didn't cry, then Ino was positive that she did.

What a disaster they had both placed themselves in. Of course, she shouldn't have expected anything different from their relationship, Ino had always known one day it would collapse under the strain…She just really hoped she wouldn't be alive to see it, that or she had grown so tired of Sakura and wouldn't care.

She was a fool to think so, but Ino had really believed that she would grow so tired and angry at Sakura that one day, she would get up one day and just leave Sakura in a cold bed. Alone.

Yet, the attraction and love that had already been there for the pink-haired woman still remained. On the contrary, her feelings for Sakura had most likely grew over the year that they had spent together - even if half of the year was spent arguing whilst then having make-up sex…

"I'm tired. And thinking stupid fucked up thoughts…" Ino murmured softly to herself, pressing the lower part of her palm against her right eye whilst keeping the other pressed securely around Sakura's slim waist.

This wasn't good for her health, stressing and being tired at the same time was something that was going to kill her in addition to her being dead, then Ino knew Tsunade was probably going to somehow revive her and then kill her for missing Naruto's stupid return party.

Groaning at how her eyes just didn't want to close, Ino decided that she would probably have to eat something before she could even get close enough to get the amount of sleep she planned for tonight which if she was honest, wasn't a lot seeming it was almost time to get up anyway.

With that in her mind, the blonde Jounin smoothly removed porcelain hands away from her waist and in one swift movement replaced her waist with the pillow that her head had been lying on so that Sakura wouldn't wake up without something to hold onto.

Whatever had happened to that old saying that old farts like Tsunade used? "I rise with the sun, not before it." What a load of crap that turned out to be.

Sliding out of bed with unexpected ease for someone who was so sleep-deprived, Ino hurriedly threw her side of the duvet over Sakura's upper-body before continuing her way into the lounge where the door to the ledge lay.

Hurrying out onto the ledge, Ino let out a sigh of relief as she let her whole body collapse against the rails that were stopping her falling from her death into the deserted streets below.

Even against the harsh blowing wind that was making her eyes sting and her vision blur, still Ino found her eyes closing slowly and softly as if they were meant to close yet not to succumb to sleep.

"My god, what the hell is wrong with me?" Ino whispered softly to herself, her words coming out in a puff of frosty air, chilling her to the core mentally and physically. "Why can't I sleep? I haven't been able to sleep properly since Sakura got that damn Curse Mark? What the hell is going on with my body?"

Nothing answered her and Ino wasn't even surprised when someone from the lower part of the apartment told her to shut the fuck up before they threw their ninja stars where the sun didn't shine.

Without a single glance at whom could the offender of yelling abuse to her - even though she would find out when she could be bothered and would remind the fucking bastard to keep his or her mouth closed when she was talking to herself - Ino managed to drag herself up to go back to bed.

She just hoped Sakura didn't wake her up if she got to sleep again. That was, if she was going to go to sleep.

- -

"Ugh. I feel like I've had a hangover." Sakura mumbled grumpily into the pillow that she was snuggling against her face, faintly moaning at the pleasurable aches that occurred around her body's joints.

She grumbled even more at the light that was now hitting her in the face.

"Inoooooo. Shut the curtains…" Sakura stretched out for the blonde, her hands only meeting sheets and fabric that certainly did not feel anything like her blonde girlfriend.

At this thought, Sakura jolted up from her bed. Instantly awake with wide eyes, her whole body trembling at the cold that has somehow managed to work its way into her entire system.

Glancing around, Sakura feels her heart clench and unwillingly tears start to well up in her eyes. Has Ino-? Did she-?

'Did she leave me?'

Panic. Something that Sakura has never felt fully. Not really, but now it was rushing through her veins like poison would do. And like poison, every breath she exhaled hurt her chest painfully. And like poison, Sakura found it hard to breathe at the panic that was making her head sting and groan in protest.

Unless…

Sakura turned on to her stomach, crawling across the large king-sized bed until she got to the end and without hesitation, peeped over the edge to see if maybe she was right after all.

Relief. Like an antidote. It soothed the ANBU's soul from the poison along with the fact that…That Ino wasn't - hadn't - gone.

She had just fallen off the edge of the bed and was now by the looks of it was clutching the side of the bed as if her life depended on it and looking at how the blonde Jounin was snuggled with a pout on her face as she slept…

Sakura found it truly adorable. To be able to see Ino like this…She was just so glad that she could see this side of Ino while others did not…Sakura felt superior at knowing more about Ino than others…Powerful.

"Ino…" Without knowing what she was doing, without a plan whatsoever…Sakura lifted herself off their bed before kneeling down next to the blonde Jounin and within a second lifting Ino gently up so that the blonde's head was resting in the crook of Sakura's arm. "You're…-"

Gasping at how the blonde suddenly moved in her arms, Sakura almost dropped the Jounin when she began wriggling in her strong arms - most likely trying to get comfortable thanks to the way her body had been changed by the pinkette - yet grinned wryly when the Jounin let out a little tired yawn before wriggling once more so that she was now on her side, face in Sakura's chest.

"Really beautiful." Sakura murmured dreamily, brushing a blonde strand away from closed cobalt eyes.

The ANBU then blinked, then shook her head almost immediately. "Geez…My head's getting fuzzier by the second. It's making me feel corny." With that in her mind, Sakura turned swiftly before placing Ino gently in the middle of their bed.

Gazing at the Lulu alarm clock, Sakura raised a perfectly shaped pink brow at the time that was glowing out at her.

12:34am

Well, Naruto's party was at six-thirty so that gave Sakura plenty of time to do her normal routines before heading off to Yamanaka's shop so that maybe she could surprise her blonde girlfriend with some flowers…That was, if Ino wasn't working today. Cause that would suck. And be pointless.

But whatever, Sakura wouldn't let that obvious flaw ruin her plans for today. Nope! Anyway, she was sure that Ino wouldn't mind her going out to do her routines and check up on a few people.

'Even if she's sort of supposed to be looking after me. Oh well! Ino's a big girl now, she can deal with Tsunade.' Sakura thought with a smug smirk, rubbing the nape of her neck before shuffling towards her drawer where her clothes lay.

Once she had got ready with her usual Jounin gear - it was pretty sad that she only wore modern clothing when it came to parties and all other crap, though she supposed it was all for a good reason. Where was a kunai in a jumper? Huh? That's right, she'd stab herself if she wasn't careful (stupid Tsunade and her troublesome worries).

Tsunade also told Sakura that she wasn't allowed to wear her ANBU gear on days with missions either. When Sakura had ignored her sensei one time - a time where things seemed to make a lot more sense - the pinkette had paid by running to the Lightning Country and back…A hundred times.

So she was stuck with her old dumpy Jounin gear. Great. Oh well, once she had her medic job back then she would be out of this crappy gear and into some real clothes!

Even if they were scrubs and was rather clingy to her body and that did nothing but make the male patients stare.

Whatever. Scribbling down a quick note and literally sticking it lightly to Ino's forehead - whilst also pecking her girlfriend shyly on the lips - Sakura threw a quick grin over her shoulder.

Which quickly disappeared into a sullen look of forbidden emotion. Like, Sakura had somehow messed up in something that she had planned. And she had, she had told herself that if she wanted to keep Ino yet not get so close that she would actually make the blonde fall in love with her as much as she herself loved the blonde - though as many people reminded her, it was far too late for that - then she would have to bottle down her emotions until they - her and Naruto - had managed to get the Uchia.

Forbidden fruit. Forbidden flower. Not allowed. Do not touch. Illegal. Prohibited. Nuh uh. No can do.

Why couldn't she get that in her head? She had to be patient. Not to rush her and Ino into anything that she couldn't keep steady, she couldn't push her and Ino's relationship forward when she was too busy to keep the blonde Jounin happy. It was wrong.

She was already furious at herself for letting herself open up to the blonde Jounin last night, crying and falling asleep in the rain? How stupid of her, now she would just have to tighten her walls…

However, she just couldn't help it. Now, even as she was staring so longingly at the blonde angel that was sleeping silently - like an angel should - against the tons of pillows that were surrounding her body like a shield.

I love you

Mouthing the words, it didn't sound right because it had no voice…No sound at all. Yet, that was all Sakura could do for not. Until she got Uchia, she couldn't - wouldn't - let herself get even deeper - she was so far gone already, she didn't even know if she could go any deeper.

And that was why she was so downright egotistic. Sakura could clearly see she was the one that was causing all the pain. The pain that was ripping her and Ino apart. Limp by limp, piece by piece…Solid into fractured.

Shrugging her shoulders - as if trying to shake away the guilt that was clinging so tightly to her shoulders - Sakura left the apartment without another glance. Fear of running into Ino's arms scaring the living daylights out of her. Forbidden.

- -

The first thing of today was going to check up on Ino's team that she would be receiving in another couple of months. Sakura was always the one who checked up on Ino's Jounin profiles, nobody had done it for her when she had become Jounin and she knew that nobody had done it for the rest of her friends.

Being an ANBU and a student of Tsunade-sama did have its advantages when it came to work, but honestly Sakura still didn't feel all that comfortable when people that were lower than her - only in work! - glared at her when they thought she wasn't looking.

Seriously, what a bunch of bastards.

Once at her arrival to Tsunade's office to collect Ino's team's records, Sakura stopped at the door with her ear pressed against the wood: and was intensely surprised to hear shouts and whispers all rolled into one.

"Tsunade, you seriously can't be telling me that you'd sacrifice Sakura's and -" Shizune was whispering hurriedly and Sakura had to bite her lip to stop herself from gasping at what Shizune had surely been about to say.

"I am being serious…It's the only way we'll be able to track Lut. Besides, it's not like it's real. They won't be sacrificing anything." Tsunade replied calmly. Nonetheless, Sakura could feel the solemn tone that was starting to creep in.

"But that's a preposterous thing to say! They'll be sacrificing everything! Would you really go so far just to help get rid of the Curse Mark?" By now Shizune was starting to get louder and louder which made Sakura wonder if Tsunade's so-called-secret-mistress knew she was here and was trying to warn her.

But warn her from what? What was Tsunade-sama planning to get rid of her Curse Mark? How would she be sacrificing something? No, no. How would they be sacrificing something? And who was they? Sakura knew she was one of those people that Shizune and Tsunade-sama was talking about, but who was she accompanied with?

Ino? Naruto? Temari? It could easily be anyone, relationships just didn't mean love. They meant friendships, enemies, rivals and people who you just had to bare even if you didn't like them.

Nevertheless, even if that question was bugging her the most; Sakura had to focus on the one question that needed to be answered so that she could locate the answer to her first question.

Who in god's name was bloody Lut? How would she/he help her get rid of the Curse Mark? And why was Tsunade-sama going so far to track the person?

Okay, so that was more than one question, nevertheless they were still important essentials to the final answer that Sakura would need even if they were in a very complicated order.

"Do you really think that they will approve when they find out what you're doing? How do you know you can even trust this Bishamon? If he's a Lord then why would he know where Lut may be?!" Shizune was now starting to ask multiple questions in very short sentences, almost confusing the pinkette until she herself had no idea what they had been talking about until a loud bang occurred inside Tsunade's office.

With a disappointed sigh, Sakura shook her head in disgust. Obviously Tsunade had broken her desk in two with both of her fists.

"First of all, I don't really give a crap if they don't approve or not. The old crumply bastards." Tsunade snarled angrily - Sakura could imagine her Sensei even having the power to actually show only her canines to try and scare Shizune off in a desperate attempt to have some peace from this situation.

"Secondly, I don't trust this Bishamon, however I have no other option. We have no leads on Lut at all. As for him being a Lord, well…Let's just say that his name being Bishamon Lut does make me wonder how he would know where Lut's whereabouts are."

A noise of protest sounded through the door at that, followed by a loud growl of impatience.

"Don't even think about telling those lot up there Shizune, or you'll be out of Konoha before you can say Haruko!" Tsunade said this with a hint of edginess, making Sakura wonder if Tsunade was actually nervous that Shizune would go to tell 'those lot up there' as the Hokage kindly put it.

A snort filled the pinkette's ears, surprising Sakura to the fullest at whom spoke after the sound. Surely Shizune wished to have her whole body in one piece after she had finished speaking to Tsunade?

"Haruko. Tch. What kind of name is that? Haruko Lut? Have you discussed this with the Yamanaka's at all? Or are you just going to sell their only -"

Sakura had to bite her tongue to stop a growl from escaping her parted lips. Shizune just seemed to be cutting off at every sentence that was most vital to the answer the pink-haired ANBU was looking for and because of this Sakura now had a sinking feeling that both Tsunade and Shizune knew she was there.

"Of course I've talked to the Yamanaka's. And they've agreed. Surprisingly. Kaori seemed to be pleased about the arrangement actually."

"Kaori would. She'd love to know that her daughter and the Lord Bishamon's -" Shizune cut herself off once more, stifling a cough with what Sakura guessed was her hand.

'Figures. They so know I'm here. For fuck sake. I don't even know why I'm listening to this. Apart from that I know it's about me…And apparently Ino. What in god's name is going on?'

"Kaori is a woman that loves money Shizune, you can hardly blame her for being excited." Tsunade responded back to her friend with a tone that was full of ice and cold frost. So cold, that Sakura instantly shivered once the words that had left Tsunade's lips had sunk in.

"Still. Why must the woman be blonde? And blue eyes? Surely this family isn't related to Germans?" (1)

A muffled laugh. Sakura crossed both of her eyebrows together in frustration. Geez Tsunade-sama! Geez! How inconsiderate was the Hokage? Laughing about the Lut's being related to Germans?

"They aren't related to Germans, Shizune. All through their life their family has had blonde hair and blue eyes. They don't want to break tradition."

'Tradition? What the heck? All through their life their family has had blonde hair and blue eyes? Why has this got anything to do with Ino? The hell?'

Another snort broke out.

"I hope you're going to explain this all to Sakura, she won't take it well despite what she says." Shizune spoke passionately, her anger clear as it sounded through the wooden door and into Sakura's head. Obviously Shizune didn't care anymore if she was outside or not seeming as she was now starting to make a little bit of sense.

"Huh, yeah. Anyway, open the door please. Sakura is at the door and no doubt she will be questioning us on what we were talking about seeming as she is a nosy little bitch."

Sakura immediately jumped back at her Sensei's words, eyes wide and alert along with her body which had also tensed once the words had finally sunk into her brain.

Then the door opened and Sakura felt like she was most likely going to faint at how many people were actually in the room.

Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei, Shizune-san, Yamato-sensei, Kurenai-sensei and to make matters worse - even if it almost seemed impossible to make worse - was a strange looking man who wore the headband of the Lightning Country.

Why did this make it any worse? Well for one…Sakura didn't know who the hell the guy was and secondly of all…

He had blonde hair along with blue eyes. That and he looked extremely angry at something. What the hell was going on here? Why had it seemed like only Shizune and Tsunade-sama were the only ones in the room? Why in god's name couldn't she sense any other chakra's?

Before she could try to work out these questions, Sakura was pulled in the room with a full forced tug by none other than the Lightning stranger who by the looks of it was now shooting her evil glances as he stepped back after pulling her in the room.

"Now, now Ryuu. We don't want you pulling Sakura by her arms into my office. In fact, if you touch her like that again I'll kick your fucking arse." Tsunade smiled sweetly at the blonde man, who in reply smiled bitterly back at her with a roll of his eyes.

Blinking to try and refocus her mind, Sakura found herself swallowing her own saliva before looking warily over at the blonde bastard who had pulled her so forcefully into Tsunade-sama's office with suspicious eyes.

"Who the fuck are you staring at?" The blonde stranger seemed to growl angrily at her, his blue eyes full of fire and passion.

However, even if he was from the Lightning Country, Sakura was hardly going to show any respect to any stranger who talked to her like she was some piece of filth on someone's shoe.

"I could ask you the same question. Who the fuck are you?" Sakura snarled, her lower lip curling down whilst her upper lip curled up in an unmistakable growl.

"Ah, ah. Sakura maybe you could just come here and say what you want to say and go hmm?" Kakashi-sensei seemed to be trying to reason her, but with anger as thick as smoke still clouding her concentration, Sakura basically ignored reason.

Instead she waited for this Lightning Idiot's answer with eyes made of steel. Whatever this prick's problem was she was going to find out before she left Tsunade's office even if she didn't like the problem or not, she was going to fucking find out.

The blonde chuckled sadistically, giving a crooked sideways smile at her before coughing lightly as if to clear his throat.

"I'm Ryuu Lut. You're obviously Sakura, however you didn't answer my question." He folded his arms against his waist, making him look like he was hugging himself. "Who the fuck are you staring at?"

"Ryuu fucking Lut if you continue with your foul behaviour and language then-" Tsunade was cut off by a snort mixed with a cough along with comments of 'hypocrite' and the likes.

"Hokage-sama. Let him finish. Maybe it would be easier this way…" Kurenai seemed to be defending the blonde bastard or it looked that way to Sakura until the red-eyed Jounin gave the blonde a sneer with her eyes. "Meeting the family of course…"

"Whoa, that was a low blow." Kakashi seemed to be surprised by his friend's backbone. Even she, Sakura was astonished by Kurenai-sensei…Surely somebody was scared of the Hokage as much as she was apart from Ino?!

Tsunade in response to all this clapped her hands over her eyes and let out an exaggerated groan. "Why are you all against me on this?! I'm only doing what's best for Konoha and its people! Something I haven't done since ages ago. I haven't even had one glass of sake today y'know?! So why are you all against me?!"

"You're selling my brother off! That's why I'm against you!" Ryuu yelled suddenly, his cerulean eyes wide and fierce.

"What?! Tsunade-sama you're selling his freaking brother?!" Sakura roared, outraged at everything that she was hearing. "His brother?! Hell now even I'm against you!"

"Back off you pink-haired little slut! Nobody asked for your opinion!" Ryuu retorted back, his features twisted into a furious grimace.

At this, Sakura's face became suddenly emotionless. "Fuck it, sell his brother. I don't give a shit." Then, her gaze snapped up to meet the gaze of none other than her Sensei. "Tsunade-sama, could you please give me Ino Yamanaka's Jounin records please?"

A grunt came from Ryuu along with mumbles under his breath and at this point Sakura had to inhale so it would stop her from shoving a kunai up a place where the sun didn't shine sideways.

Closing her eyes, Sakura let her chakra roam so that she could try and focus more intensely on this Ryuu's chakra as she waited for Tsunade-sensei to find Ino's Jounin records.

Sure enough she managed to locate it and scrutinize it in a matter of moments and so her being baffled by how little chakra he had taken up most of the time of her waiting for Tsunade.

'Fucking hell, no wonder I couldn't locate his chakra before. He hardly has any.' Sakura's brow furrowed in absorption. 'But that doesn't explain why I couldn't sense or locate the others chakra."

Deciding to ignore this miraculous event for now, Sakura timidly opened her eyes to see two piles of sheets on Tsunade's desk.

Tsunade then pointed at the first pile of sheets, distracting Sakura from all her thoughts on the situation on hand.

"That sheet is just basically about Ino being a Jounin in general." A wry smirk crossed Tsunade's features for a moment before turning back to its normal bored expression. "The other sheet is about Ino's Jounin team."

"Not that she'll need one." Kurenai murmured underneath her breath, covering her tracks with a slight cough and puff of her chest.

With an angry snarl, Sakura turned on all them - one hand clenched in a fist whilst the other fastened tightly around the sheet with information on Ino's Jounin team - her teeth bared in an animalistic roar.

"Okay, so can you please tell me what I'm missing here?! Why is everyone talking in freaking riddles for gods sake?! Don't I have the reason to know what the hell is going on here?!"

In reply, Yamato stepped forward with both of his hands in the air in what looked like to be an attempt of trying to reason with the whole situation.

"Sakura, why don't you just leave this to us. It is none of your concern at the moment. It's just between us and the Yamanaka's-"

Sakura had no idea how this didn't include her. She was basically related, even if Kaori didn't approve of her being in a relationship with her precious daughter - the woman basically thought that she had turned Ino into a dyke.

"To hell it isn't my business! I'm Ino's fucking girlfriend! I have a right to know what the hell is going on between-"

"Whoa! Hold the phone! You're going out with Ino Yamanaka? You told me that Ino Yamanaka was -!"

Sakura couldn't stand it, all of this yelling and accusations. All of it. It was clogging up her brain and making her absolutely infuriated by all the sound that was making her head scream like thunder and it was all thanks to herself for getting up late to go get Ino's Jounin records.

"Shut the fuck up you fucked up little Lightning Kid! Sakura get your fucking ass out of here right now before I kick it out!" Tsunade had now stood up from her chair and Sakura couldn't help but cower at how intimidating her Sensei looked when she was this livid.

"Eh?! Who are you to tell me to shut the fuck up huh?!" Ryuu glowered at the Hokage, his boyish features pressed into a pout.

Sakura scowled at the blonde. 'Geez, his mouth is even worse than the Akatsuki member Hidan's…'

"Sakura!!"

With a sulky humph, Sakura turned her back on the Hokage and her Sensei before walking out in a very stiff manner - which could be due to the fact that she was still not very impressed or happy that she basically knew nothing about the situation that was going on inside that very building.

"It's like they've totally forgotten that I am actually Ino's girlfriend and that I'm also the student of Tsunade-sama." Slapping her palm to her forehead, Sakura let out an exaggerated groan. "They're assholes."

Taking a quick look over Ino's Jounin notes even if she was feeling a bit off thanks to the events that had happened in Tsunade's office, Sakura couldn't help but grin at whom Ino would be training.

She also couldn't help chuckling at Tsunade's notes on these trio of what seemed to be misfits.

'Aoi Takashi, Tsubomi Ren and Hanazano Nico.' Well they seemed troublesome enough, so troublesome in fact that maybe Ino would forget some things about Sakura that got on her nerves - Sakura forgetting to pay some of the bills being one of them.

With that thought, Sakura felt her smile loosen slightly.

'Well, I'll look over these Jounin files tomorrow. Now I'll just head over to the Yamanaka's to pick some flowers for Ino.' Even if Ino worked at the damn place, it didn't mean she couldn't make the effort to please the blonde Jounin. 'I just hope to god Kaori isn't serving me. She'll most likely make me pay double. Scheming bitch.'

Walking out of the main building, Sakura eyed the top floor cautiously. Whatever was happening up there, she didn't like it.

And she was going to find out what was going up there, even if it somehow managed to kill her.

- -

Whispers seemed to be following her everywhere she went today, first at Tsunade's office and now as she waited at Yamanaka's Sakura could hear the frustrated and angry whispers inside.

"What I'm doing is for the best Inoichi! Do you see what that dyke has made Ino become? I've never ever seen her so sad before! And we all know who to thank for that!" Kaori seemed to whispering anxiously and Sakura could imagine the repulsive frown that was creasing her forehead.

"I know! I know Kaori! But don't you think that we should ask Ino about this first?"

Sakura smirked callously at this. Of course, Inoichi was always the one to try and make things sound better than they were.

However, she didn't want to hear it anymore. She was sick and tired of having to hear whispers and not know the full story about it anymore even if she was the one that they were talking about along with Ino. It was just too much.

Pushing the oak door open, Sakura pasted a large and fake grin on her porcelain features.

"HE-y; where'd everyone go?"

It was true, the room was deserted and by the looks of it whoever had been in here had left in a hurry - discarded flowers lay over the counter and dirt and soil seemed to be covering the floor near the counter as well.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Sakura yelled, cupping her mouth with her hands for added effect to her efforts.

Nobody answered. It seemed that Inoichi and Kaori had managed to slip out of the shop by the back, probably because they had sensed her coming and had probably decided that they might as well make a run for it before she heard anymore.

Whatever, it didn't bother her. If they weren't here by the time that she had picked the flowers for Ino then she would merely just walk out with the damn flowers, it wasn't like she was stealing them after all seeming as she had Ino for her girlfriend who was one of the owners to the shop.

Strolling over to what looked like to be a promising part of the shop, Sakura started to search for the perfect flower type for Ino - she really had no idea what Ino would do to her if she somehow managed to get an offensive flower for her blonde girlfriend.

Maybe she should get a flower for that Ryuu Lut guy, whoever he was Sakura didn't like his attitude and because of it, Ryuu Lut kept invading her mind with his ugly, angry, little piggy face.

She just hoped he wasn't staying here because if he was Sakura would have to punch him in his face whenever she saw him. Geez, and she thought Sai was bad, but this guy was just plain creepy.

Whatever, she couldn't let him get in the way of her flower picking for Ino; she was just glad that she knew most of the meanings of these flowers or she'd probably be hit repeatedly because of her mistakes. She remembered Ino's past boyfriends yelling abuse and running thanks to them getting their flower meanings wrong.

First Rule When Going Out With Ino Yamanaka: Know your flower meanings for fuck sake.

Fingering a petal of a red rose, Sakura smirked smugly at the velvet feel of the petal on her finger.

'A red rose means love. Well…Maybe I should get her two of them…Or should I? Ugh…This is so hard! I do love her but…I shouldn't really let her know so much about it yet.' Yanking a pink strand that was getting in the way of her flower-gazing, Sakura let out a little sigh. She wasn't ready to fall deeper, she had to keep her distance yet still be able to show Ino how she felt without her and Ino getting too close for comfort. She didn't want to bring Ino into a relationship she couldn't hold steady at the moment. It wasn't because she didn't love the blonde because by Kami she did, she just…Sometimes, it was just hard.

'I guess it couldn't hurt getting her a red rose. Two in fact. But whatever, I need to somehow show her more about my feelings for her. Roses are far too simple.' Sakura let her eyes scan over the various types of flowers for a moment…Before stopping at one that caught her eye.

A twitch of her lips formed into a defiant smirk. 'A cactus? Lust and sex. What a laugh that'll be.' Picking the plant up by its pot, Sakura chuckled under her breath at the prickly green texture that was making her skin tingle pleasantly. 'I'll have that as a side order. Hopefully whoever serves me won't figure it out who I'm giving it too.'

Once glancing at the other flowers, Sakura had finally made her choice of having two red roses, a yuri, - sweet - a yellow camelia - longing - and a side order of a cactus, the pink-haired ANBU straightened up to look at her flowers with a proud grin on her face.

Then before she could turn to actually go pay for her flowers - that or she'd run off and give the money to Ino before anyone could get her for thievery, cough cough, Kaori - two hands pressed firmly against her shoulder blades along with two breasts being pushed directly against her back.

"Eh?!" Sakura gasped slightly as the two hands that had been on her shoulder blades slowly crept down so that they were now groping at her firmly shaped butt. "I swear to fucking god if you are someone who I don't know you are fucking dead, you hear me you freaking pervert?!"

A little laugh answered her, startling the pinkette to the core nevertheless before she could even think about protesting, she was spun around to meet the dominatrix grin of none other than Ino Yamanaka.

"Hey. I couldn't help but notice something hot in my shop so I thought I'd check it out." The blonde Jounin smirked wickedly, her hands still resting on the pinkette's ass. "That and I lost my number, can I have yours?"

In response, Sakura rolled her eyes and let out a little giggle which surprisingly led to her blushing at the seductive little smirk that was appearing on Ino's features.

"You're an idiot. Where'd you learn that one? Naruto?" Nevertheless, even if Ino was acting a bit idiotic today, Sakura found that to be one of Ino's sexiest features. So with that, Sakura didn't mind wrapping her arms around Ino's neck and giving the blonde an open mouthed kiss to her collar.

"As a matter of fact…I did learn it from Naruto." Ino responded with a yawn, a wry grin on her already smug features.

"Figures." Sakura laughed, snuggling her nose into the crook of Ino's neck which in reply made the blonde Jounin sigh silently in ecstasy at the touch. Sakura must have been in a good mood today because she'd never act so cuddly with her before, that or maybe Sakura had finally given in to pushing her away last night in the rain…

"So? Those flowers that you've got in your hand are kind of tickling the back of my neck. Who are they for? Someone special?" Ino grinned lively, pulling away from the ANBU to examine the flowers in Sakura's hand with wide eyes. "Ohh…The meanings of those flowers…"

"They're for you!" Sakura yelled all of a sudden, head bowed - to hide her blush - and both hands outstretched with said flowers in both of her palms. "I meant to give them to you as a surprise, but y'know I should've figured you'd be here seeming as you…Own the place kind of…"

Ino looked down at the flowers in astonishment…Yet, once re-reading the meanings of each flower, a bright and soft smile appeared on her gentle and delicate features at once.

Then, almost as if her body was programmed to do this whenever Sakura showed a part of her that Ino didn't recognize before, Ino found herself stiffening at the meaning of each flowers.

"T-they're…" The blonde Jounin didn't know what to say. What could she say? It was so obvious what she SHOULD say other than it wasn't what she wanted to say, in fact what she should say didn't even roll on her tongue right…

The blonde's lids snapped back all of a sudden at the look of terror that seemed to have somehow sprouted on the pinkette's face and instantly she stepped back.

"Uh!! Ahh! S-sorry! Did I get the meanings wrong?!" Sakura was now whispering to herself in what seemed to be a panicky tone. "Damn it! Damn it! Sorry!"

At that moment, Ino found herself half wanting to hold the pink-haired ANBU in her arms and half of her wanting to run away from the pinkette in apprehension. She'd never in a million years seen the pinkette look so worried and sincere about something that was to do with her…

What the hell was she thinking?! Here Sakura was stressing over something that was completely unnecessary to stress over and all she was doing was staring at the ANBU like a scientist discovering the reason to life, what a complete idiot she was being!

What to do? What to do?! She didn't want to sound like she was confused at what Sakura was doing seeming as that would only knock the pinkette's confidence and that was something the blonde Jounin did not want to happen.

Then, in a spur of the moment kind of sequence…Ino had snatched all of the flowers out of Sakura's hands - including the cactus which was in a pot -, placed said flowers behind her on a shelf and roughly shoved the ANBU into the crook of her neck which was now covered in pink strands.

Her slender arms was wrapped tightly around Sakura's lower back, crisscrossing each other in a way Ino used to crisscross herself in a position of what could be identified as 'hugging' herself in a protective manner.

"Uh? Ino?" Sakura mumbled into the crook of Ino's neck, her tongue accidentally flittering over the Jounin's skin in her attempt to talk. "Innoooo!?" Why was the Jounin remaining silent? It was making her damn nervous god damn it! Had she or had she not done something wrong?

Ino on the other hand, was tightening her grip on Sakura and because of this she had to keep her eyes tightly shut. Tears were starting to well up in the corners of her eyes…And she didn't like it one bit.

Tsunade's words kept replaying in her head yet every time they did appear, Ino hardly listened to them. In fact, she didn't listen at all.

"T-they're really nice Saku." Her voice had given in at the beginning which was the reason why Ino had clenched her delicate fingers even tighter around the Jounin jacket that the pinkette was wearing to give herself an extra boost.

"Ino? Are you crying?!" Shit, now she had done it. She'd really fucked this one up. If she had use of her arms, Sakura would have whacked herself over the head repeatedly in an attempt to at least TRY to get some sense into her brain.

"No! Nuh uh! Idiot!" Ino let the ANBU go instantly, hands immediately going to her eyes to wipe away the traitor of tears that were starting to creep down her cheeks. "I'm not crying!"

"Eh?! Ino you are crying!" Sakura really had no idea why, she had only brought flowers for the Jounin…And by the looks of it she had picked the right ones with the right meanings. What the hell was going on with the world?!

"So?! Leave me alone!" Ino snapped, pouting her lower lip out at Sakura in a cute glower. "I'm allowed to cry aren't I?!"

"But I'm your girlfriend!" Sakura cried out in anxiety, lifting her hands up in the air to clamp around her head in frustration. "As being your girlfriend I hate it when you cry so what the hell?!"

A whimper and soft sob answered the irritated - yet worried - pink-haired ANBU and once again Sakura found herself in a bone-crushing hug.

"Eh?! Ino?! What's with all the hugging?! Ino?!" Seriously, what was up with the Blonde Jounin? Was she -?

"Ino are you on your period or something?! Geez woman!" Scowling whilst blushing at the sudden show of affection, Sakura placed her arms up in the air so that the blonde wouldn't completely crush her.

"Y-you really care? Y-you hate it when I cry?" Ino mumbled into Sakura's shoulder, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Uh. Sure?" Sakura answered uncertainly, glancing down at the unsteady blonde against her left shoulder. "I mean, yeah. Duh. Course I do."

Sakura thought it was going to get better, seriously she did. However, whatever she had just said just made the Jounin wet her Jounin jacket even further. "Ino!? Pull yourself together god damn it!" Stop crying!"

In response, the blonde did pull away. But only to punch the pinkette in the ribs before pulling her into another tight hug.

"Ouch! Ino what the hell?!" Sakura continued to protest, wincing at the stinging pain that had now appeared thanks to Ino's impossibly strong punch.

"I-it's just that…You just gave me the impression you didn't care before y'know? All the times that you left on those missions." Sakura thanked Kami that Ino was now making sense, geez even if she didn't look it, Ino was impeccably strong.

"Sometimes without even telling me. You just really acted that you didn't care about me…But you do! Even if you put up those stupid walls of yours! Baka!" Ino squealed, clenching her arm's tighter and tighter around Sakura's lower back.

At that point in time, Sakura felt something wriggle low in her stomach…Something that had nothing to do with hunger.

Guilt? Happiness? Sakura sometimes couldn't tell the difference and these were certainly one of those times…Had she really made Ino so unhappy that she thought that she didn't care?

A part of Sakura wanted Ino to think like that and this was part was yelling at her for questioning what she herself wanted, what she yearned for and what she couldn't have at the moment.

Nevertheless, maybe she could break a rule today…

'One today, all of them tomorrow.' Her own thoughts scowled at her in such a patronizing way that Sakura had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling sheepishly.

Of course she cared. Stupid blonde idiotic Jounin. Stupid Jounin.

Curling her one hand into a fist whilst letting the other hand trail up Ino's hips towards Ino's chin, Sakura tilted her head down - she couldn't actually believe she was taller than the older woman - and pressed her lips gently at the milky white forehead that she just loved to melt into with her lips.

Then before Ino could protest - the idiot always did when she didn't get kissed anywhere but the lips - Sakura lunged herself at the blonde with more force, pinning the Jounin against her very own counter.

While Sakura's eyes were closed, Ino's were open in astonishment and shock. Reason being, the kiss was soft, slow and it made the blonde want to tug at all of Sakura's clothes so that she could imprint another pattern of love bites all over Sakura's breasts and stomach.

"Resistance is futile." Ino bit her lower lip to stop herself from groaning at the husky voice and smirk that was imprinting against her lips and on instinct to the wandering hand that was slipping up her black Jounin shirt, shut her eyes in bliss.

"Who'd be resisting against you?" Ino whined hotly, both of her hands going under Sakura's Jounin jacket and straight up the ANBU's own black Jounin shirt.

"Good point." With a smug smirk, Sakura started to paint breathy open-mouthed kisses down the blonde Jounin's neck before letting her tongue start to trace circles around skin, watching it darken in delight before plunging back in with little bites and nipples as if making up for lost time.

"Sakura…" Ino whimpered, pressing her hips into the ANBU's own, and with a serrated rhythm, began to grind roughly into Sakura's.

The ANBU gasped and let her head tilt back away from Ino's neck and collar, letting her dainty porcelain digits curl into the diaphanous blonde fortress that she knew so well.

A growl escaped Ino's parted lips at the action, however, instead of typically placing her mouth where Sakura wanted to, she instead let her hands trail from Sakura's shoulders and collarbone. As her hands reached Sakura's shoulders, she mercilessly shoved a knee in between Sakura's legs, separating them.

"We really shouldn't be doing this here…" Ino almost groaned at the sound of reason, her lower lip tugging into an almighty pout.

It seemed to show seeming as Sakura almost immediately looked weakened at the piercing stare the Jounin was most likely giving her.

"Hey! It doesn't mean we can't do it later after Naruto's party, hey Ino-!" With a thump Sakura found herself beneath the blonde, her whole face red and a part of her below throbbing with unmistakable heat.

Sakura didn't know what she should feel. Intimidated by the unearthly gorgeousness that was Ino or the expectant look of lust in the Jounin's heavenly features.

Instead, Sakura swallowed heavily, shaking frenziedly at the fierce look of covetousness that was making Ino's cobalt eyes burn furiously and passionately in desire.

"I want you now. Not later." Ino told Sakura coldly, her features a cold, stoic, unbreakable mask.

"Inooo…Honestly…" Sakura couldn't help but redden at the intense look she was receiving off her blonde girlfriend…And she certainly couldn't help at how turned on she felt all of a sudden.

"Sakuraaaa…" Ino didn't hear anything when she leaned down to capture Sakura's lips in a kiss that was all teeth and tongue thanks to their ferocity and yearning for the other.

She didn't hear anything, nothing at all. She undoubtedly didn't hear anything when Sakura unexpectedly arched up with a long - not to mention loud - moan.

"Hey Ino dearest, sorry me and your father took- what!?"

Of course, someone had to walk in. Couldn't anything go her way today? Of course not, she was fucking Ino Yamanaka. Nothing could go right.

Sakura, if she had any free arms - or hands - then she most likely would have face-palmed herself. Of all the people to walk in…KAORI?!

"Ino, I think you should get off me before your mom has a heart attack." Sakura murmured half-heartedly, rolling her eyes at the stiff figures that was at the entrance of the shop.

"You freakin' dyke!"

Next Chapter; Naruto's Bonanza. Type: Filler. Yay. I love ruining the sexy moments. ;D It makes tension, which means…ORGASM. Smex? Maybe. You'll get your sex chapter later on. And that is it. I haven't had time to write my PRETTY BABY epilogue so don't get your panties in a twist. That and I'm on holiday on Saturday for two weeks. Yay. It's going to be stupid and rubbish. So you better miss me. GOTZ IT? Kthnxbai.

(1) Not me joking. Scissors beat paper. ;] Don't take offense.