The Center of the Road
Author: raquel9e
Pairing: Temari/Ino
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Two kunoichi on a mission to an unnamed village, some prickly bushes, and lots of dialog.
Warnings: yuri, the slightest bit of swearing
Author's Notes: Here was my assignment:
Requested pairings: Ino/Sakura, Sakura/Tsunade, Temari/Ino
Up to three things you want: Messy emotions, tension, romance
Up to three things you don't want: Crack, pwp, ungodly amounts of fluff
Preferred ratings: I'd prefer something in the PG-13 to R range
Author's Notes (2): Inspired by the beauty that is Temari's thighs.
“Isn’t there some way to get rid of all these fucking brambles?!” Ino shouted as she kicked one of the big prickly bushes that lined the path, only to incur more scratches on her toes. She had never been more grateful for her leg bandages and than now, although she wished she had wrapped them higher. Those thighs that she worked so hard to keep thin were getting scratched! As she continued up the path, her eyes caught sight of Temari far ahead. Cursing loudly she hurried up the path to catch up, but she seemed to never get closer, “Te Ma Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!” she shouted, holding her fists to her chest. Temari stopped and turned back, shaking her head when she saw how far behind Ino was. Ino stomped up the path toward the silhouette of her mission partner at the top of the hill, “Stupid Temari,” she muttered, “How can she go so fast with that ridiculous fan on her back anyway?” Temari seemed to never be tired, and as Ino got closer she noticed that those legs that were only sparsely covered by fishnets hadn’t gotten a single scratch from the brambles.
“You know, if you hadn’t spent so much time on your hair this morning we wouldn’t have to move so fast. I had really wanted to get to the village by sunset, but it looks like we’re going to have to hike half the night if we want to sleep in a proper bed tonight.”
Ino stared up at Temari’s perfectly styled hair and cute mini-dress, remembering how it had only taken fifteen minutes for the sand kunoichi to get ready that morning. She’s the cool, feminine, strong kunoichi that I’m always trying to be, Ino thought to herself as she tried to avoid getting any more scratches, I bet she never goes crazy over a boy or acts like she’s on her period just to have an excuse to bitch. She stopped when she got to the top of the hill and readjusted her knapsack, “Hey, I’m sorry Temari. I’ll try to keep up. It’s just those fucking bushes along the path keep catching on my clothes and scratching up my skin,” she looked down at her own toes where her pedicure had been a waste of time, “They don’t seem to even touch you.”
Temari smirked, “You just have to learn to walk down the center of the path. If you stray too much to either side you’ll get hurt. Life is all about staying in the middle.”
Ino looked at her to see if she would explain that train of thought, but Temari just turned and set off down the path again. Ino sighed and continued after her.
“Can you pour some of that water in here?” Ino asked Temari, holding her cup of instant ramen out in front of her. Temari frowned as she poured the boiling water before going back to cleaning the rabbit she had caught to make a stew. They had decided the village was to far to try to make that night so they made camp under an overhang they had spotted a little ways off of the path. After the three minutes were up, Ino slurped happily on her noodles and watched Temari slice the rabbit meat into chunks, “So, how do you think the hokage and kazekage decide who will go on what mission?” Ino asked as she tried to grab a piece of shrimp with her chopsticks.
Temari dumped the meat into the boiling water and began chopping some wild onion with a kunai, “They just look at the difficulty and danger of the mission and what type of specialties might be needed. If a ninja needed to spy on people in a village in the Water Country by pretending to be a ninja of the Hidden Rain Village, they would need to send someone who had some powerful water jutsus to be convincing.”
“What about information gathering missions like this one though? Anyone could check out the buildings in a little village and find out about their government and what kind of shrines they keep. How did they choose us?”
Temari looked over the fire at Ino as if she was searching for something on Ino’s face, “I suppose it’s just random. Perhaps the hokage recommends one of her own and the kazekage does the same. Maybe ninja’s whose usual teammates are already of on other missions,” she paused to taste the broth before continuing, “You should just be glad that you’re not the one who has to make the decision. If a mission fails, the blame ultimately falls on the leader for sending out incapable people.”
She thinks so differently, Ino thought as she sipped the soup from her ramen, I guess she’s seen a lot more than I have. My childhood picking flowers for the shop is nothing like growing up as the daughter of the kazekage and having to control and care for a little brother who is a demon. I wonder if she’s cruel deep down like her father and brother.
Temari ate her dinner in silence and drank a cup of tea before covering herself with a blanket and falling right off to sleep. Ino lay for a while staring at the trees and the way the darkness made the flapping leaves look like bats’ wings. She rolled over and saw Temari’s back. The straw-colored blonde hair that was usually pulled back was instead draped over the blanket and the fan that was still strapped to her back. Ino silently picked up her own blanket and crept over to the other side of her partner. She lay down so that she was facing the other kunoichi and gazed at her face which was just barely lit up by the embers of their fire. Even in her sleep Temari looked a little fierce. One hand was at her waist on the handle of kunai while the other was tucked under her head. Looking closer, Ino noticed something wet on the dirt by Temari’s face. She bent her head close and studied the area around the damp dirt.
Temari was drooling. Ino shut her eyes tight bit her lip hard to keep from laughing out loud. When she looked up again she saw just how close her face was to Temari’s. If she leaned forward just a little her own lips would be against those sand-chapped, saliva-dampened ones…
Ino drew back quickly. Why would she be thinking of such a thing? She shook her head to clear it and tucked her bangs behind one ear before laying back down, facing away from Temari.
“Wake up.”
“Nuh uh,” Ino moaned as she covered her head with a blanket.
“Come now, it’s almost sunrise. I found some eggs to eat and I picked a bunch of berries for breakfast. Will you be having tea?”
Ino opened one eye and saw Temari standing over her, clothes on and hair done with her hands on her hips, “Do we have some sugar?” Temari shook her head, “No tea then. But I’ll take some of the food!” she sat up and grinned.
Temari stared at her, “Hurry up and get ready to go. We’ll eat while we walk. I want to sleep in bed tonight if that’s alright with you.”
Ino frowned and she brushed her hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. Her bangs hung limp and lifeless in front of her eyes, but Temari had almost finished packing up and putting their food in small bowls, so she just clipped them back and quickly got dressed. Temari handed her their breakfast and they set off.
They arrived in a small village around noon, and Ino was surprised when Temari walked right past the inn, “I thought you said we were going to stay in an inn tonight!”
Temari laughed, “It’s a little early to be stopping don’t you think? There’s another village down the road that we can make it to if we hurry. We can stop and get something to eat if you’d like though.”
Ino’s eyes brightened, “Sounds great!”
After paying for their food they headed down the road, eating their rice and meat from a paper cone as they went. On the edge of town a woman was selling confections fresh out of the oven and Temari stopped to buy one, “Which do you want, Ino?” she asked motioning toward the array of brightly colored sugary treats.
“No thanks, I’m on a diet,” Ino said, waving her hands in front of herself.
Temari’s face fell, “Ino, you ate cup ramen for dinner last. That’s about the worst thing a person on a diet can eat.”
“It was low calorie cup ramen, thank you very much,” Ino said as she crossed her arms.
Temari shrugged, “Suit yourself,” she paid the old woman and they left the village.
Ino hiked behind Temari, watching as she ate the cake bite by bite, Doesn’t she care at all about the size of her thighs? Ino thought, Mom always said that’s wear sweets go to. I don’t want to have big ugly tree trunk thighs that I have to hide under baggy pants like Ten Ten, she examined Temari’s legs as they ascended a small hill, Her thighs aren’t tiny, but they aren’t jiggly either. Actually, they aren’t too bad. No wonder she wears such a short skirt. Her butt is cute too. Wait, why am I looking at her butt? Ino averted her eyes and ended up looking at her cheek. Suddenly she remembered the night before when she had seen the drool and started laughing.
“What’s going on?” Temari asked, obviously alarmed.
Ino swallowed, “I… I saw a… I saw a rabbit. And it had a twitchy nose.”
Temari gave her a look that clearly said, “what the fuck?” and turned back around.
Ino closed her eyes and mentally screamed with embarrassment.
“Temari, can’t we just make camp here?” Ino complained, dragging her feet as they trudged through the ankle deep mud that the path had turned into.
“Just a little further, Ino. It will be worth it, I promise.”
Ino breathed deep and walked as fast as she could over the rise that Temari had disappeared behind, “Oh, awesome!” she shouted when she saw the village splayed below them. There in the little valley was a gigantic hot spring with clusters buildings amongst the gushing fountains. Ino ran forward, passing Temari in her rush to get down. Temari laughed and followed her.
Ino squealed with delight as she slipped into the steaming pool of mineral water. Temari had said she would join her after paying for their room and scrounging up some dinner.
She heard the sound of a door being slid open and then closed, the rustle of a towel being dropped, and finally the plopping sound of someone entering the pool. When she looked over Temari was right next to her, holding two sticks, “I hope you like squid,” she said, extending one of them forward. Ino tore hungrily into the spiced flesh of the squid.
“Did you bring anything to drink?” Ino asked, throat burning from the hot seasoning.
“Just drink the water. It’s good for your health anyway.”
Ino took a big gulp, “Ugg! It tastes awful!” Temari laughed at her and took a swig of the ice cold water she had brought out in a flask. Ino’s eyes flared and she sent a wave of the water at Temari. She heard bubbling right below the surface and knew she had hit her target off guard. When Temari’s head appeared above the surface it was shining with laughter. The sand kunoichi flung the water from her hair and wiped her eyes before retaliating with a wave of her own, Oh no, now it’s on! Ino thought to herself before she brought her arms down hard into the water to create springing jets that sprayed all over her partner. Temari was still gleefully chortling as they splashed each other again and again.
“I surrender!” Temari shouted finally, raising her hands above her head. Ino could see the top of her breasts emerging from the water with that motion and she could feel a blush rise in her own ckeeks. She nodded and brought her hands away from her attack stance. Temari laughed again and backed up toward the wall of the pool. Using her hands behind her for leverage, she pushed her body up onto the rim of the pool, thighs crossed elegantly.
Ino stared at her body, barely visible in the dim lamp light. Temari patted the space next to her, so Ino went to the wall and hopped up next to her. They sat for a while looking up at the stars and listening to the sound of other patrons in the pools. Some children were playing, another was complaining as his mother washed his hair. They could also hear the quiet talking of a man and woman in the pool on the opposite side of the bamboo wall of their own, “Temari…” Ino said, looking at the reflection of the moon in the water, “Did you ever go crazy over a boy?”
Temari gave a small “ha!” of laughter, “Ino, the only boys I was around growing up were my brothers and other ninjas like them. I didn’t know for a long time that I was any different from them, really. I was always training as a kid. I didn’t have time for boys. I daydreamed about being kazekage. I had it in my head that I would be the first kunoichi kazekage and show Kankuro and Gaara that I was better than them,” she snorted at that thought, “It seems now though that I’m not. Gaara is kazekage and I’m just a jounin doing stupid spy missions with the fire country.”
Ino felt a little hurt by what she said. She looked at her own hands clasped in her lap, “Did you ever get a chance to talk to Sasuke, or did you just see him fight?” she asked, looking up into Temari’s eyes.
“The Uchiha? I just watched him. Everyone was so excited to watch him fight my brother. No one cared about my match.”
“I think I’m still in love with him,” Ino said, “Even after all he’s done. He wasn’t always so cold, you know. Before his parents died he would sometimes come into the shop to by flowers for his mom. I remember one time he bought one for his brother, and his dad scolded him and told him not to give flowers to boys,” Ino laughed, “Sakura ended up on his team and they went through life-threatening missions and all that stuff, but I knew him before. I guess the boy I love doesn’t exist any more,” she wrapped her arms around her chest. They were covered in goose bumps, as were her legs.
Temari glanced over at her, “Let’s go inside,” she said, handing Ino a towel. Temari stood up with her own towel and Ino got a look at her body for the first time that evening. Ino knew she shouldn’t stare, but Temari really was beautiful. Everything about her was so feminine, and she carried herself like she knew it was. Ino wrapped her towel around her own skinny chest and followed through the sliding door. There were robes hanging to warm by the fire, and Ino put one on before sitting on a pillow in front of the hearth. Temari joined her a moment later with a tea pot, “I’ve got sugar this time,” she said as she set the kettle amongst the coals.
Ino looked over at Temari whose eyes were on the ruby embers, Those lips again. They’re so close, if she just turned her head, as if she’d been hearing Ino’s thoughts, Temari turned her head and Ino brought her face in so that their lips were crushed together. She felt Temari pause for a moment after Ino initiated the kiss before reaching around place her hand gently on the nape of Ino’s neck. The kiss was dry, dryer than Ino expected kisses to be until Temari opened her mouth a little and used her tongue to wet their lips. Ino put her hands on either side of Temari’s neck and tilted her head so that Temari could get closer with crushing her nose.
Suddenly the kettle was whistling and the two kunoichi broke apart quickly. Temari grabbed the kettle and waited for it to cool to just boiling before pouring it over the tea leaves. Ino closed her eyes and attempted to force the blush from her cheeks.
They drank their tea in silence and Temari washed the cups out while Ino changed into a pair of pajamas and slipped under the covers of one of the soft, clean beds, What’s wrong with me? Ino thought as she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, she woke up with the sun, just as Temari did. They both went through their morning routines without speaking a word and Ino fixed her hair in record time, without even clipping her bangs back.
When Temari returned from turning in the key to the room, Ino handed her one of the knapsacks, “Hey Temari, about last night…”
“Ino, remember what I told you about staying in the middle? I don’t lean too much to either side, so don’t worry about it. Girls and boys are all the same to me,” she smiled warmly, “and I don’t mind comforting a friend.”
Ino smirked and flipped her hair back a little, “Alright, let’s get back on the road!” she shouted as she sauntered out the door of the hotel.
Pairing: Temari/Ino
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Two kunoichi on a mission to an unnamed village, some prickly bushes, and lots of dialog.
Warnings: yuri, the slightest bit of swearing
Author's Notes: Here was my assignment:
Requested pairings: Ino/Sakura, Sakura/Tsunade, Temari/Ino
Up to three things you want: Messy emotions, tension, romance
Up to three things you don't want: Crack, pwp, ungodly amounts of fluff
Preferred ratings: I'd prefer something in the PG-13 to R range
Author's Notes (2): Inspired by the beauty that is Temari's thighs.
“Isn’t there some way to get rid of all these fucking brambles?!” Ino shouted as she kicked one of the big prickly bushes that lined the path, only to incur more scratches on her toes. She had never been more grateful for her leg bandages and than now, although she wished she had wrapped them higher. Those thighs that she worked so hard to keep thin were getting scratched! As she continued up the path, her eyes caught sight of Temari far ahead. Cursing loudly she hurried up the path to catch up, but she seemed to never get closer, “Te Ma Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!” she shouted, holding her fists to her chest. Temari stopped and turned back, shaking her head when she saw how far behind Ino was. Ino stomped up the path toward the silhouette of her mission partner at the top of the hill, “Stupid Temari,” she muttered, “How can she go so fast with that ridiculous fan on her back anyway?” Temari seemed to never be tired, and as Ino got closer she noticed that those legs that were only sparsely covered by fishnets hadn’t gotten a single scratch from the brambles.
“You know, if you hadn’t spent so much time on your hair this morning we wouldn’t have to move so fast. I had really wanted to get to the village by sunset, but it looks like we’re going to have to hike half the night if we want to sleep in a proper bed tonight.”
Ino stared up at Temari’s perfectly styled hair and cute mini-dress, remembering how it had only taken fifteen minutes for the sand kunoichi to get ready that morning. She’s the cool, feminine, strong kunoichi that I’m always trying to be, Ino thought to herself as she tried to avoid getting any more scratches, I bet she never goes crazy over a boy or acts like she’s on her period just to have an excuse to bitch. She stopped when she got to the top of the hill and readjusted her knapsack, “Hey, I’m sorry Temari. I’ll try to keep up. It’s just those fucking bushes along the path keep catching on my clothes and scratching up my skin,” she looked down at her own toes where her pedicure had been a waste of time, “They don’t seem to even touch you.”
Temari smirked, “You just have to learn to walk down the center of the path. If you stray too much to either side you’ll get hurt. Life is all about staying in the middle.”
Ino looked at her to see if she would explain that train of thought, but Temari just turned and set off down the path again. Ino sighed and continued after her.
“Can you pour some of that water in here?” Ino asked Temari, holding her cup of instant ramen out in front of her. Temari frowned as she poured the boiling water before going back to cleaning the rabbit she had caught to make a stew. They had decided the village was to far to try to make that night so they made camp under an overhang they had spotted a little ways off of the path. After the three minutes were up, Ino slurped happily on her noodles and watched Temari slice the rabbit meat into chunks, “So, how do you think the hokage and kazekage decide who will go on what mission?” Ino asked as she tried to grab a piece of shrimp with her chopsticks.
Temari dumped the meat into the boiling water and began chopping some wild onion with a kunai, “They just look at the difficulty and danger of the mission and what type of specialties might be needed. If a ninja needed to spy on people in a village in the Water Country by pretending to be a ninja of the Hidden Rain Village, they would need to send someone who had some powerful water jutsus to be convincing.”
“What about information gathering missions like this one though? Anyone could check out the buildings in a little village and find out about their government and what kind of shrines they keep. How did they choose us?”
Temari looked over the fire at Ino as if she was searching for something on Ino’s face, “I suppose it’s just random. Perhaps the hokage recommends one of her own and the kazekage does the same. Maybe ninja’s whose usual teammates are already of on other missions,” she paused to taste the broth before continuing, “You should just be glad that you’re not the one who has to make the decision. If a mission fails, the blame ultimately falls on the leader for sending out incapable people.”
She thinks so differently, Ino thought as she sipped the soup from her ramen, I guess she’s seen a lot more than I have. My childhood picking flowers for the shop is nothing like growing up as the daughter of the kazekage and having to control and care for a little brother who is a demon. I wonder if she’s cruel deep down like her father and brother.
Temari ate her dinner in silence and drank a cup of tea before covering herself with a blanket and falling right off to sleep. Ino lay for a while staring at the trees and the way the darkness made the flapping leaves look like bats’ wings. She rolled over and saw Temari’s back. The straw-colored blonde hair that was usually pulled back was instead draped over the blanket and the fan that was still strapped to her back. Ino silently picked up her own blanket and crept over to the other side of her partner. She lay down so that she was facing the other kunoichi and gazed at her face which was just barely lit up by the embers of their fire. Even in her sleep Temari looked a little fierce. One hand was at her waist on the handle of kunai while the other was tucked under her head. Looking closer, Ino noticed something wet on the dirt by Temari’s face. She bent her head close and studied the area around the damp dirt.
Temari was drooling. Ino shut her eyes tight bit her lip hard to keep from laughing out loud. When she looked up again she saw just how close her face was to Temari’s. If she leaned forward just a little her own lips would be against those sand-chapped, saliva-dampened ones…
Ino drew back quickly. Why would she be thinking of such a thing? She shook her head to clear it and tucked her bangs behind one ear before laying back down, facing away from Temari.
“Wake up.”
“Nuh uh,” Ino moaned as she covered her head with a blanket.
“Come now, it’s almost sunrise. I found some eggs to eat and I picked a bunch of berries for breakfast. Will you be having tea?”
Ino opened one eye and saw Temari standing over her, clothes on and hair done with her hands on her hips, “Do we have some sugar?” Temari shook her head, “No tea then. But I’ll take some of the food!” she sat up and grinned.
Temari stared at her, “Hurry up and get ready to go. We’ll eat while we walk. I want to sleep in bed tonight if that’s alright with you.”
Ino frowned and she brushed her hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. Her bangs hung limp and lifeless in front of her eyes, but Temari had almost finished packing up and putting their food in small bowls, so she just clipped them back and quickly got dressed. Temari handed her their breakfast and they set off.
They arrived in a small village around noon, and Ino was surprised when Temari walked right past the inn, “I thought you said we were going to stay in an inn tonight!”
Temari laughed, “It’s a little early to be stopping don’t you think? There’s another village down the road that we can make it to if we hurry. We can stop and get something to eat if you’d like though.”
Ino’s eyes brightened, “Sounds great!”
After paying for their food they headed down the road, eating their rice and meat from a paper cone as they went. On the edge of town a woman was selling confections fresh out of the oven and Temari stopped to buy one, “Which do you want, Ino?” she asked motioning toward the array of brightly colored sugary treats.
“No thanks, I’m on a diet,” Ino said, waving her hands in front of herself.
Temari’s face fell, “Ino, you ate cup ramen for dinner last. That’s about the worst thing a person on a diet can eat.”
“It was low calorie cup ramen, thank you very much,” Ino said as she crossed her arms.
Temari shrugged, “Suit yourself,” she paid the old woman and they left the village.
Ino hiked behind Temari, watching as she ate the cake bite by bite, Doesn’t she care at all about the size of her thighs? Ino thought, Mom always said that’s wear sweets go to. I don’t want to have big ugly tree trunk thighs that I have to hide under baggy pants like Ten Ten, she examined Temari’s legs as they ascended a small hill, Her thighs aren’t tiny, but they aren’t jiggly either. Actually, they aren’t too bad. No wonder she wears such a short skirt. Her butt is cute too. Wait, why am I looking at her butt? Ino averted her eyes and ended up looking at her cheek. Suddenly she remembered the night before when she had seen the drool and started laughing.
“What’s going on?” Temari asked, obviously alarmed.
Ino swallowed, “I… I saw a… I saw a rabbit. And it had a twitchy nose.”
Temari gave her a look that clearly said, “what the fuck?” and turned back around.
Ino closed her eyes and mentally screamed with embarrassment.
“Temari, can’t we just make camp here?” Ino complained, dragging her feet as they trudged through the ankle deep mud that the path had turned into.
“Just a little further, Ino. It will be worth it, I promise.”
Ino breathed deep and walked as fast as she could over the rise that Temari had disappeared behind, “Oh, awesome!” she shouted when she saw the village splayed below them. There in the little valley was a gigantic hot spring with clusters buildings amongst the gushing fountains. Ino ran forward, passing Temari in her rush to get down. Temari laughed and followed her.
Ino squealed with delight as she slipped into the steaming pool of mineral water. Temari had said she would join her after paying for their room and scrounging up some dinner.
She heard the sound of a door being slid open and then closed, the rustle of a towel being dropped, and finally the plopping sound of someone entering the pool. When she looked over Temari was right next to her, holding two sticks, “I hope you like squid,” she said, extending one of them forward. Ino tore hungrily into the spiced flesh of the squid.
“Did you bring anything to drink?” Ino asked, throat burning from the hot seasoning.
“Just drink the water. It’s good for your health anyway.”
Ino took a big gulp, “Ugg! It tastes awful!” Temari laughed at her and took a swig of the ice cold water she had brought out in a flask. Ino’s eyes flared and she sent a wave of the water at Temari. She heard bubbling right below the surface and knew she had hit her target off guard. When Temari’s head appeared above the surface it was shining with laughter. The sand kunoichi flung the water from her hair and wiped her eyes before retaliating with a wave of her own, Oh no, now it’s on! Ino thought to herself before she brought her arms down hard into the water to create springing jets that sprayed all over her partner. Temari was still gleefully chortling as they splashed each other again and again.
“I surrender!” Temari shouted finally, raising her hands above her head. Ino could see the top of her breasts emerging from the water with that motion and she could feel a blush rise in her own ckeeks. She nodded and brought her hands away from her attack stance. Temari laughed again and backed up toward the wall of the pool. Using her hands behind her for leverage, she pushed her body up onto the rim of the pool, thighs crossed elegantly.
Ino stared at her body, barely visible in the dim lamp light. Temari patted the space next to her, so Ino went to the wall and hopped up next to her. They sat for a while looking up at the stars and listening to the sound of other patrons in the pools. Some children were playing, another was complaining as his mother washed his hair. They could also hear the quiet talking of a man and woman in the pool on the opposite side of the bamboo wall of their own, “Temari…” Ino said, looking at the reflection of the moon in the water, “Did you ever go crazy over a boy?”
Temari gave a small “ha!” of laughter, “Ino, the only boys I was around growing up were my brothers and other ninjas like them. I didn’t know for a long time that I was any different from them, really. I was always training as a kid. I didn’t have time for boys. I daydreamed about being kazekage. I had it in my head that I would be the first kunoichi kazekage and show Kankuro and Gaara that I was better than them,” she snorted at that thought, “It seems now though that I’m not. Gaara is kazekage and I’m just a jounin doing stupid spy missions with the fire country.”
Ino felt a little hurt by what she said. She looked at her own hands clasped in her lap, “Did you ever get a chance to talk to Sasuke, or did you just see him fight?” she asked, looking up into Temari’s eyes.
“The Uchiha? I just watched him. Everyone was so excited to watch him fight my brother. No one cared about my match.”
“I think I’m still in love with him,” Ino said, “Even after all he’s done. He wasn’t always so cold, you know. Before his parents died he would sometimes come into the shop to by flowers for his mom. I remember one time he bought one for his brother, and his dad scolded him and told him not to give flowers to boys,” Ino laughed, “Sakura ended up on his team and they went through life-threatening missions and all that stuff, but I knew him before. I guess the boy I love doesn’t exist any more,” she wrapped her arms around her chest. They were covered in goose bumps, as were her legs.
Temari glanced over at her, “Let’s go inside,” she said, handing Ino a towel. Temari stood up with her own towel and Ino got a look at her body for the first time that evening. Ino knew she shouldn’t stare, but Temari really was beautiful. Everything about her was so feminine, and she carried herself like she knew it was. Ino wrapped her towel around her own skinny chest and followed through the sliding door. There were robes hanging to warm by the fire, and Ino put one on before sitting on a pillow in front of the hearth. Temari joined her a moment later with a tea pot, “I’ve got sugar this time,” she said as she set the kettle amongst the coals.
Ino looked over at Temari whose eyes were on the ruby embers, Those lips again. They’re so close, if she just turned her head, as if she’d been hearing Ino’s thoughts, Temari turned her head and Ino brought her face in so that their lips were crushed together. She felt Temari pause for a moment after Ino initiated the kiss before reaching around place her hand gently on the nape of Ino’s neck. The kiss was dry, dryer than Ino expected kisses to be until Temari opened her mouth a little and used her tongue to wet their lips. Ino put her hands on either side of Temari’s neck and tilted her head so that Temari could get closer with crushing her nose.
Suddenly the kettle was whistling and the two kunoichi broke apart quickly. Temari grabbed the kettle and waited for it to cool to just boiling before pouring it over the tea leaves. Ino closed her eyes and attempted to force the blush from her cheeks.
They drank their tea in silence and Temari washed the cups out while Ino changed into a pair of pajamas and slipped under the covers of one of the soft, clean beds, What’s wrong with me? Ino thought as she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, she woke up with the sun, just as Temari did. They both went through their morning routines without speaking a word and Ino fixed her hair in record time, without even clipping her bangs back.
When Temari returned from turning in the key to the room, Ino handed her one of the knapsacks, “Hey Temari, about last night…”
“Ino, remember what I told you about staying in the middle? I don’t lean too much to either side, so don’t worry about it. Girls and boys are all the same to me,” she smiled warmly, “and I don’t mind comforting a friend.”
Ino smirked and flipped her hair back a little, “Alright, let’s get back on the road!” she shouted as she sauntered out the door of the hotel.