Rivals, Friends and Lovers (part 9 of 13)
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AN: Hello again. I am here to give you the 9th chapter. This chapter was very hard to write because I went through a frustrating period of writers block. In the beginning the chapter was 2000 words but now it is about 2200 which I got after rewriting it. Despite the rewrite, I still don't feel satisfied about this chapter.
I guess I have to give you a small warning that the chapter contains female kissing :P
Italic text is when a character is thinking
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Accidentally or purposely?
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The 6th day of the current week began. The weather had subsided and was now much better than last night with no signs of the storm left. The wind was back to normal and it had become a little warmer and sunnier. Even the sounds of singing birds were back….the scent of recent fallen rain in the air.
This morning however it was not Sakura who woke up first, Instead it was Ino who was the first to wake this time. She slowly opened her tired eyes, her blurry vision gradually turning sharper as more of her senses and body turned awake from its deep slumber. She yawned once while raising her gaze to look outside the cave, feeling relief that the storm was over and both her and Sakura were alive. Sakura's heart beat could still be felt and heard by Ino's ears and body. It sounded stronger and steadier, telling that Sakura had recovered well last night but seemingly not yet regained conscious.
Just like she had fallen asleep last night to prevent herself and Sakura to freeze to death, she was still lying on top of Sakura's unconscious body, holding her in a warming embrace. She smiled weakly as she lowered her head to rest it on Sakura's chest, sighing in delight. She found this scene very arousing, almost a little erotic. How long she had waited to hold someone special like this…
Suddenly, Ino frowned as she heard Sakura mumble in her sleep. Instead of getting off of her, Ino remained and carefully put her face close to the still sleeping face of Sakura.
"Good morning Sakura. Finally awake eh?" Ino whispered, smiling tiredly.
"Sa…Sasuke-Kun…" Sakura mumbled in her sleep, her mind not fully awake. Ino sighed in disappointment hearing Sakura say Sasukes name.
Not even when she sleeps can she stop thinking about him. Well, it's not like I care about him anyway. I guess that I will not find my love after all…
Sighing again, Ino continued staring into Sakura's sleeping yet beautiful face and remembered what she had thought about last night. Stroking a hand through Sakura's soft pink hair she whispered to her, not caring if she could hear her or not.
"I don't want to wake you up yet… for this will probably be the last time I will ever look upon you like this, to feel you."
She leaned her face closer to her. Her lips hovered over Sakura's and she considered kissing her briefly, for she could still remember the taste of Sakura's sweet lips. But Sakura could wake up at any moment and Ino didn't want her to see her like this….but something…kept her frozen there.
Sakura kept moving a little and mumbled Sasuke's name again. Before Ino could finally pull herself back up, Sakura quickly put her arms around Ino's neck, pulling her lips close to hers and kissed her! Ino's eyes widened so much in surprise and shock that they nearly popped out of their sockets.
What the hell!?
Fury and anger filled her at first, but as Sakura's lips kissed her further, she found they tasted even sweeter this time and felt so soft and wonderful. Ino did not know why she felt her body temperature rapidly rising, her body relaxing or why she kept their lips connected.
I want to stop her… but why does it feel so good?
Ino did not know what happened to her as she closed her eyes and started kissing Sakura back a little, giving into the feelings that were filling her mind and body. If Ino knew that Sakura was waking up then she would most likely stop immediately.
Sakura's mind slowly started to wake up from her deep sleep…she had dreamt a romantic dream with Sasuke in it and it felt awfully real, in fact almost too real…She felt someone lying on top of her, embracing her warmly. Her suspicions grew as her hands on the persons back and head investigated who and what they were holding.
When did Sasuke grow such long silky hair and when did he start using perfume?Wait... this hair and perfume almost reminds me off…
Opening her eyes she did not see Sasuke, instead she saw Ino sharing a wet kiss with her and the worst thing was that Ino seemed to enjoy it!
"PERVERT!" Sakura screamed into Ino's face and pushed her off by ramming her palms into Ino's chest without thinking. Ino cried out in agony as the sharp pain in her wounded ribs awakened again. Not thinking the slightest about Ino's injuries, Sakura hastily stood up.
"YOU FREAK! PIG!" Sakura's voice grew higher in pitch as she kept screaming down angrily down at the fallen Ino, who was writhing and groaning with her arms around her chest in pain.
I can't believe it! She actually hit me straight in the ribs
"Wait… Sakura, you…you…got it all wrong!" Ino said in a hoarse voice, trying to get the words out as best as she could with the pain shooting up and down her chest.
"Wrong?! You kissed me you pervert bitch! You just waited until I feel asleep so that you could try and touch me!"
Sakura's face was red with anger as she grinded her teeth. She had a strong urge to go and kick the fallen Ino hard for what she had done, thankfully she didn't though.
"Damn you Ino! Damn you!! I thought there was hope between us! That we could become friends but now I finally know that it will NEVER happen!"
With that said, Sakura went and picked up her backpack while Ino still lay on the ground and watched her.
"Where… where are you going?" she asked weakly.
"I am going away! I don't know where, as long as I am away from you! If you are so strong then you can survive on your own!" Sakura replied angrily.
"No Sakura…wait…let me explain."
"BYE INO-PIG!!" Sakura yelled, practically spitting out the insult
Sakura did not take any time to listen to Ino's pleadings and quickly walked away, leaving Ino by the camp side on her back coughing badly. Ino felt how it just became harder and harder to breathe with every passing second.
Damn. What have I done? How could I be so stupid!?
She cursed herself like many times before. Again she had to suffer for her stupidity and mistakes. A single tear rolled down on her cheek.
I have now lost my best friend forever, just because of my foolishness
A couple of more tears rolled down as she sobbed. She felt herself getting weaker and could not find the strength to get back up to her feet while the breathing was getting worse.
"Sakura…I have lost you forever…please forgive me…you MUST forgive me! I can't live without you!" She whispered.
The coughing started again, and now it got a lot worse. A feeling of panic arose in her as she felt her lungs did not get any air, something liquid began filling her mouth and throat that tasted very bitter. Reflexively, Ino put her hand on her mouth as her body coughed one last time. Liquid crimson seeped out between her fingers down on the ground. She took a frightened look on her palm; it was soaked in her blood.
Why…what's wrong with me? Why do I keep coughing up blood!? Am I dying?!
She now understood that her wounds were more serious than she thought. The blood from her mouth proved that she had internal bleedings. She needed to get to a hospital as soon as possible. But what if she could not get medical attention in time? What if she was going to die? What if this would be her last day alive?
I need to find Sakura. I must explain to her! If I am going to die then I must let her know everything about me! I'm not holding back now!
Ino wiped the blood away from her mouth and spat out some on the ground.
Looks like I have to use my second soldier pill and some of my dream berries, otherwise I will never get to her
She swallowed another soldier pill and a mouthful of dream berries. The pain almost disappeared and her body got full of energy. A nearby good walking stick on the ground was going to her walk, for she still limped badly on her right leg. Then she started to follow the same path Sakura took.
I hope Sakura won't get too far away from me for the effects of the pill won't last for long.
Ino though, while limping slowly forward step by step towards the unknown.
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A little later, far away from Ino…
Sakura continued walking in the forest, following the path while cursing heavily and swinging her fists in anger and kicking the ground. Never ever before had she been this angry…what Ino had done was even worse than from the many stupid things Naruto had done to her before combined!
Damn Ino-Pig! How the hell could she kiss me like that? I knew she was closet-pervert! I nurse her for days and what do I get for that? Her trying to seduce me!
While walking, Sakura felt a dull ache in the back of her head. Reaching up with her hand, she didn't feel any blood at all, but a large bump covered by a scab.
"How the hell did I get this wound?" She asked herself curiously. Her mind went back to that moment yesterday, the storm causing a large tree to fall and almost land on Ino, and Sakura had tried to get her out of the way. Judging from the wound she had on her head, Sakura realized the tree must have hit her instead. A flood of relief swept through her body, she was lucky to be alive! That tree looked heavy and big enough to crack a human skull.
"Guess you were right Ino...my thick skull did indeed save me..." She could not help but to smile weakly as she remembered what Ino had told her by the waterfall a few days ago when Sakura had saved Ino.
Wait a minute…
Sakura suddenly stopped her walk, her anger gradually ebbing away as she considered what had happened in the morning.
I woke up inside the cave…so how did I get there? Did Ino carry me? But how did she do that when she can't even walk by herself?
She frowned heavily and tried to think of any logical explanations.
With her anger completely gone now, Sakura remembered how she had hit Ino hard to get her off her. She looked down at the ground, feeling shame well up in her chest again. She knew how extremely sensitive Ino's wounds were. If just poking her in the ribs was enough to make Ino cry out in pain, how much pain and agony feel when Sakura pushed her off?
I guess leaving Ino alone was not so smart…I'm not sure…but it sounded like she really had a hard time breathing...I did not like the way she was coughing.
Her mind thought again about Ino's half naked body, her wonderful perfume and nice warm skin, the same thing that had prevented Sakura from sleeping properly for two nights. The kiss that Ino had given her sprung up in her mind. While she didn't know if Ino did it on purpose or accidentally, either way it felt kind of good.
She blushed, causing her to smack herself in the forehead with a shake of her head.
But I have to admit, that Ino is a damn good kisser
Turning herself around with the full intention to go back to Ino, she stopped momentarily, hearing a clink at the ground by her feet, as if something metallic was falling to the ground. Glancing down she saw a small silver heart attached to a thin silver chain lying by her feet. Curiously she bent down and picked it up.
Hmm? What's this? This is not mine. No wait, this belongs to Ino…
She had first seen Ino wearing it when they sat around a camp fire during the night of the first day. Ino had said that it is a special medallion…you are supposed to keep a picture of your true love inside of it. She had also told Sakura that she did keep a picture inside of her true love, but she had never told Sakura who it was.
I wonder what's inside…
A thought hit Sakura. Should she open it and peek inside? What harm would that do? Besides, she could almost guess whose picture that would be inside. Most likely it would be Sasuke although it could be Shikamaru too. Sakura felt very sure that Ino and Shikamaru had at least some feelings for each other.
Just a peek. It won't hurt anyone since I already know who it is anyway…
Carefully Sakura unlocked the silver heart and slowly opened it up. Her eyes widened as they fixed on the small picture contained in the locket; she gasped and took a step back. Inside was indeed a picture of a person but none of the people Sakura had thought of. She kept staring at the picture as if her body was frozen with her mouth gaping.
My god…" She whispered to herself with a shaking lip. "I finally understand now… this explains everything."
Inside was not a picture of Sasuke or Shikamaru… it was a picture of Sakura…
End of chapter 9
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Looks like things are starting to clear up but not completely. In the next chapter, Ino will try to explain everything to Sakura? What will she say? What will Sakura say and think now that she knows what's inside the medallion? Oooh the suspense! The next chapter will be very good. I promise you that.
Like I said at the top of this chapter, I am not satisfied with this chapter. I wanted to write better about Sakura's growing feelings for Ino. Oh well, I do my best.
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