Proximity Unlimited!

Written by: -Kristine X3-

Date: 6/09/08; 11:30 pm – 11:52 pm.

/What I Want; it's by my side/ - Ino is a struggling fashion designer with a stump. Sakura reminds her lover just want she wants and how to get it.

/What I Want; it's by my side/

Ino sipped her coffee continuously as her high heel, leather boots clicked against the cracked cement of New York City. The city was bustling with blaring noises of all sorts, from the honk of an impatient taxi cab driver to the small store owners yelling out their prices.

Over the years, Ino had become well-adapted to the city life, learning the streets, the unwritten rules, the best shopping and eatery places, and things of the like. Without even looking up from her shiny, metallic phone, she made a sharp turn up rusty iron stairs. Making a few quick turns as she navigated her way high above the ground, her boots continued to pound against the ground, making chaotic, uneven echoes despite her even steps.

Finally reaching the 8th level, she made a left, walking onto the neglected patio straight above a steaming generator, causing the white haze to surround the building. Fishing through her over-sized purse, she located her keys and absentmindedly inserted it into the keyhole, turning it until the sliding glass door unlocked. Upon entering, Ino immediately heard a yell from deep within the tiny apartment.

"Those boots of yours make a hella lot of noise. I could hear them all the way inside," Sakura commented, placing the last dish into the compact dish washer. "You really should get shoes that cause less noise."

Ino ignored the comment, shrugging off her black winter coat onto the nearby sofa, setting her keys and cell phone on the dirty beige colored counter.

"Hey, at least take off your shoes, Ino," complained Sakura, "I just vacuumed the carpet."

"Why don't we rent a bigger apartment?" Ino asked out of the blue, finally removing her shoes and throwing it besides the kitchen table. She ran a hand through her sandy blonde hair, leaving her high pony-tail in place.

Raising an eyebrow, Sakura replied, "You know why, Ino. We're saving up for the future. We don't need a larger apartment. There are only two of us."

Ino shrugged. "But this apartment is so small, and it's really far from my work. It's tiring to take the metro and then walk here." Ino made her way over to the sink where Sakura was currently busy cleaning the area with a damp sponge. Placing her head on top of Sakura's shoulder, she nestled between the base of her neck and the slight indent of her shoulder bone.

Sakura smiled lovingly, before letting her scowling expression return. "Oh don't complain. You're a New Yorker, you should be able to walk a few blocks. Che!"

"Easy for you to say," Ino retorted, kissing Sakura's cheek before walking into the bedroom. "You live less than 4 blocks from the hospital. It's easy for you to travel back and forth. I, on the other hand, work as a fashion designer on the other side of town." She crossed the narrow stretch of hallway to enter the bathroom, the narrow and slightly rundown tiles pounding down on Ino. Ino bent down, letting her hands fill with water before rinsing her face slightly, removing the majority of her makeup.

"Well, that's your fault. Why don't you move your office closer to here?"

"You know I can't do that, Sakura. I'm not independent yet."

"You could be," Sakura said, handing Ino a mug of steaming coffee, the smooth brown color soothing Ino's rattled nerves. "You have the talent."

"Sure, sure, yet every time I tried to go independent, I was shot down in 0 seconds flat. My designs are too contemporary, apparently," Ino jested bitterly. "So is it so weird to design my clothes around flowers?"

Sakura laughed, a soft and sweet laugh, before giving Ino a chaste kiss on the lips. Then, pulling Ino's hand ever so slightly, they made their way to the faded maroon couch. Sinking back into the soft cushions, Sakura rested her head against Ino's lap as Ino sipped on coffee. Sakura hadn't noticed before, but Ino had changed from her fashionable halter top and tight jeans into a loose white tank top and loose shorts. Running her hands along Ino's smooth skin, soft and supple to the touch, she appreciated Ino's queer habits.

"No, it'll take some time. But keep trying, pig, people will come to appreciate your designs. I think they're gorgeous, if you want my opinion."

Ino smiled slightly, but gave nothing else. "I know you like them, Sakura, but you're my girlfriend. If you didn't like them, you'd be denied sex all month, maybe longer."

Sakura gave a sharp laugh. "Oh please, you couldn't resist me for more than a week, Ino." Ino gave a single, delicately raised eyebrow, before giving a challenging grin.

"Is that a challenge?"

Suddenly, Sakura's face darkened, realizing the direction the conversation was turning. "No, no." Sakura reassured, sitting up. "Definitely not a challenge," she said, giving Ino a deep kiss as proof.

"Oh?" Ino said between kisses. "Usually you're eager for a challenge. What happened to the old, competitive Sakura I knew before?"

Softly, Sakura whispered into Ino's ear. "Because, I've been waiting for you all week."

/-- --/

Ino shifted slightly, legs rubbing the cool white sheets in attempt to lower what seemed like sweltering heat. "Sakura…did you leave the heater on again?" Ino moaned, sitting up. Immediately, she felt the blast of cold air hit her bare chest, quickly tucking herself back into the warm sheets, which she then realized was a direct result of Sakura's naked body heat.

"Hey…come here," Sakura grumbled, eyes still shut tightly, her lips forming a pink pucker. Her arms stretched out barely to motion Ino in. Ino, taking the bait, wrapped her arms around Sakura's slim body.

"You got thinner. Are you eating?" Ino asked, concerned as she ran her hands up and down Sakura's back, feeling the bumps of the vertebrae, ribs and shoulder bones.

"Yeah, Tsunade's a beast though. Working me nonstop," Sakura said without much thought, still trying to grasp bits of sleep even through the morning light still shone through. It was a bit later than Ino had returned, being only 10 am, 2 hours after Ino had returned.

"You should request less hours and better shifts. You're basically their most valuable medic."

"Yeah, I know. But our shifts change all the time. 48 hours here, and 38 hours break, a week on schedule to a month without work. So unpredictable, it's driving me insane." Sakura twirled her dark salmon colored hair.

"Aww, poor baby," teased Ino. "I should give Tsunade a piece of my mind! Making my girlfriend work that she's too tired to have proper sex!"

"Hey!" Sakura gasped, squeezing Ino in a warning manner. "I can too!"

"A huh, a huh," Ino teased again, and then laughed. Both let the matter fall shortly after.

"Well, at least you don't have Anko breathing fire down your neck every time. I was supposed to have design sketches submitted to her yesterday. You saw me hunched over my drawing table all night that Monday. I nearly ran out of markers," Ino whined, making a pout-like frown. "And of course, she thought they weren't provocative enough. It's not like I think that having your boobs hang out in see-through fishnets and nylons is sexy." She sighed. "No one understands my creativity!"

Sakura chuckled, finally sitting up. "Well, you know how Anko is. She's definitely a unique designer, successful as well."

"Yeah, yeah, don't have to remind me. It's not like I don't want to become as successful as her…having my designs in runways and high-fashion couture magazines, but I don't want to have to conform to what society finds scandalous and what companies find marketable. I want to do it my way. I want to see normal day people wearing my clothes yet still looking edgy and eye-catching, and not something that you just see in magazines, but I don't want to become a commercial fashion designer," Ino stressed, using both hands to grab her hair to emphasize her point.

"Aww, who needs my help now?" Sakura joked, before looking serious. "But don't get me wrong, Ino. Don't ever compromise your dreams to conform to what people believe is right. Follow your own path, OK? Look at Naruto. And we thought that he'd never make it at age 23, but there he is, gracing the cover of large bill-boards and scoring block-busters. I have faith in you. You're strong, and you're Ino Yamanaka, god damn it! You never listen to anybody but yourself!"

Ino contemplated the idea. Sitting up, she kissed Sakura on the forehead. "I know."

Sakura looked skeptical. "And how do you know that?" Ino smirked mischievously. Leaning into Sakura's ear, she gave a tentative lick.

"Because you're Sakura Haruno, and you never listen to anybody but me."

/-- --/

Word Count: 1,471!

Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto and all respective owners. No profit was made from this story.