Collection of one-shots (both my own ideas and requests). If you want to request a one-shot (or multi-chapter story), please check out my Ko-Fi. Commissions are currently open!

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That's My Girl
By: Rise of the Blossom

Story 1
Rating: T

Things were weird and awkward between them. How or why or even when it happened wasn't known to Sakura – all she did know was that sometimes, it was unbearably uncomfortable and other times, so excruciating with the tension that threatened to choke them to death, forcing them to part ways hurriedly.

They'd been best friend going on ten years, so why? Did it mean they weren't friends anymore?

No. It didn't. And Sakura knew that from the simple fact that she couldn't stand to see her best friend in any kind of pain or upset. Seeing those negative emotions created a deep ache within her and their fights left Sakura hollow and devastated, because in their line of work, would they even have a next time to make up? Would they be granted the time to apologise?

Their current missions was one of those times.

She could feel it in her gut.

Reluctantly standing on the side-lines as the medic laws ordered them to, all they could do was wait for a member of their platoon to be injured so that they would be put to use. And the entire time, Sakura was unable to settle the rampant beating of her heart that made her feel sick to her stomach, the sweating of her palms making it impossible to keep a firm grip of her kunai.

Just one look at her best friend alerted Sakura that she was not alone in experiencing the paralysing fear, for the blonde was also shaking no matter how hard they both fought to stay strong, their grim expressions that screamed they were ready and able to defend themselves ruined by the momentary winces whenever a teammate was bested and had to quickly counter an attack to save their own lives.

Their enemies were powerful, but more importantly, they were intelligent and proving to be a great opponent for Shikamaru as his mind was forced to race through different strategies to beat them. He remained stood in front of the two medics, body tensed and ready to defend them.

"Be prepared for an attack," he ordered of them, glancing over his shoulder briefly before returning his gaze to the battlefield. "They're going to target you."

Common strategy and while Sakura knew she could defend herself and raise hell, she…

"Don't get involved unless you have to," he continued but was cut off from saying anything else as he was forced to rush forward and intercept one of the enemies, his shadow paralysis jutsu stretching out while mid attack to catch them off guard.

Being a medic was the greatest accomplishment of her life, but sometimes, sometimes Sakura truly believed from the bottom of her heart that it fucking sucked, especially as she was forced to watch her teammates counter attacks that she would have been perfect at neutralising.

"Forehead."

The nickname had her quickly gazing over at her best friend, heart lurching at the reluctant acceptance in those stunningly blue eyes.

"You're the better medic of us–"

No. Like hell she was listening to that bullshit. "Shut up, Ino."

"No, you need to listen to me for once–"

"I said shut up!"

Fear made itself known in the show of her shirt sticking to her back in addition to tendrils of her hair plastering themselves against the skin of her forehead and neck. When the enemy had first ambushed them, she'd gotten coated in debris from an explosion – probably had a few scrapes, too – and Sakura knew that the combination was an ugly look, the superficial side of her demanding that she visited a hot spring the moment the battle was over.

Somehow, however, as she always did, Ino made it work. She looked otherworldly beautiful as she stood amongst the battlefield covered in dirt and sweat, blonde locks of hair swaying and tangling in the breeze. It should have looked ridiculous, should have been a total turn off, but Sakura couldn't look away from her, the sight of Ino making her heart clench.

How couldn't she have seen it before?

"Look out!"

Fear would have immobilised her. It would have rooted her in her place and left her staring at the attack soaring towards them with wide, terrified eyes.

But she couldn't let it, because it wasn't aiming for her.

It was hurtling towards Ino.

And in a split second decision (that wasn't really a decision because her body was moving before she even realised it was) that had her teammates yelling at her to get out of the way, to stay put, Sakura launched herself at the blonde, tackling her out of the way and the pain that suddenly overcame her was unbearable, leaving her to collapse immediately, body overcome with the spasming of her muscles.

No!

Get up!

Gritting her teeth and ignoring the shaking of her limbs, ignoring the shout of the blonde behind her demanding to know what the hell was going through her mind, Sakura shot forward, fist drawing back and flying without restraint, defeating the man who'd tried to harm Ino without a second thought.

Another was on her immediately when they sensed her abilities, however and Sakura cursed her luck as a kunai swiped at her chest, the cut deep but not fatal. Leaping backwards, she granted herself enough time to grab and launch several kunai with explosive tags attached, one embedding itself so deeply into the bone of her enemy's leg that he had no hopes in pulling it free in time.

There were so many of them, Sakura belatedly realised. Standing on the side-lines allowed her to see the battle sure, but being involved was a completely different story and she found herself overwhelmed by the chaos.

Fortunately for her, Team Seven was always in tune with one another and the second she felt something sharp grazing her throat, terrifying her when she heard Ino screaming her name, a hand was yanking at her shirt and throwing her backwards just in time to avoid her throat being slit.

"Get the hell back," snarled Sasuke, coming to stand in front of her in a defensive stance. Holding out his katana as it was suddenly engulfed in lightning, he snapped over his shoulder, "We're all dead without medics – remember that!"

He was right. She knew he was. But…

"Go, Sakura-chan," ordered Naruto seriously. "Don't worry! We've got this!"

Would there ever come a day when she wasn't such a liability? When she was able to stand by their sides and fight with them? To defend the ones she loved without making the situation worse?

She didn't even have the strength to hang her head in shame as she returned to her previous spot, never mind enough to deal with the fuming blonde.

"Are you fucking stupid?" Ino demanded shrilly.

The moment they were within arm's reach of one another, shaking hands ran through her short, choppy hair, brushing it back and allowing watery blue eyes to assess the wounds seriously, so desperately hoping that it wasn't as bad as it had all appeared.

Behind them, she could hear the thunderous booms of explosions that were accompanied by their teammates' battle cries and warnings, all of them risking their lives to try and successfully complete their seemingly impossible mission.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she continued to demand answers of her, voice wavering with the weight of her fear and panic. "You could have died, Sakura!"

What was worse? Her possibly dying, or the woman holding her so close definitely dying?

The woman she was possibly…?

"I was scared," Sakura whispered weakly in response. She didn't care about their teammate coming to stand close by to protect them (as medics, they weren't supposed to be on the front lines, so their protection was imperative and when on Shikamaru's team, non-negotiable). "They were targeting you a-and I got scared!"

Where would she be without her? Without the one person who could make her continue fighting even when she felt like giving up, who was forever driving her insane and making her feel so at peace and happy and loved – all with a single look?

"You were scared?" she shot back heatedly. It wasn't until that moment that the tears started to fall, mixing with the dirt and blood that marred her beautiful features. "What about me? You think you could just die like that and leave something like that on my conscience? Knowing that you died for me?"

"Ino, please–"

The grip on her hair tightened. "No! Shut the hell up, you selfish, stupid–"

It stunned her when Ino suddenly yanked her forward, closing the already small distance between them to capture her lips intensely, the hands that had once been brushing back pink locks soon becoming entangled in them, keeping their faces together.

Gone was the catastrophic battle behind them and all the destruction that accompanied it. Sakura could no longer notice any of them, too enraptured by the fiery kiss that threatened to consume her whole – one she returned with equal strength and vigour, drowning out the noise surrounding them.

"–fucking idiot."

There was no holding back her emotions, not when Ino's were so bare for them all to see, her heart on the line and so at risk of being trampled on. For the blonde to do such a thing wasn't just huge – it was ground-breaking for her. For them.

"Don't ever," she warned in a breathless whisper, pausing only to place another kiss to her lips, "ever risk your life like that again."

"I-Ino…"

Her expression was undeniably fierce as she snarled, "We're getting out of this alive – together – got it?"

A/N - This is my first attempt of writing InoSaku, so please be kind!

Hope you enjoyed!