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"Ino."
No answer. She tried again.
"Ino. Ino!"
The woman kept her head down, eyes staring at the tatami like it held the secrets of the universe.
"Ino, seriously. Look at me."
She finally raised her chin, hesitantly meeting Sakura's eye. Singular.
"Are you ashamed of me?" She asked in a breath. The horrified look on the Yamanaka's face was enough of an answer, so she nodded when Ino talked.
"Of course I'm not."
"Then why won't you look at me?"
The unshed tears in her eyes shone in the morning sun. They were sitting on top of the Hokage moutain, an unusal spot for them. Yet it was close enough to the hospital that they could sneak out and come back before anyone noticed Sakura's absence.
"You know why."
"Ino, please."
The tears finally rolled down her cheeks, an angry scowl taking place on Ino's beautiful face.
"Because it's my fucking fault, alright? That what you wanted to hear, uh?"
She jumped to her feet and started pacing, sobbing and yelling her next words.
"I ruined you, Sakura! Your face— your face..."
"Yeah, what about my face? Let's talk about it, since it's apparently such a big deal to you," Sakura spat in a bitter tone.
Ino stopped and looked down at her, a panicked look taking over the angry disgust tainting her features.
"No, I didn't mean—"
"I know," she sighed, suddenly tired.
"I'm so sorry."
Ino dropped to her knees and took Sakura's hand in her own. He skin was hidden away by layers upon layers of bandages but she still stroked her knuckles softly.
"I'm not regretting anything, Ino."
"I know that, I do."
"They would have killed you."
"And they took your eye, Sakura."
"They did. Doesn't mean it's going to stop me from doing anything. Transplants are a thing, you know."
"But your skin..."
"So what? I'm burned, I'm missing a bit of meat, no big deal. Don't tell me you were only in it for my good looks, Pig?"
Ino stopped breathing and with a pained whimper, she broke down. She muffled her sobs against Sakura's neck as they hugged each other. Sakura started rocking her, pressing gentle kisses on her cheek and forehead.
"You didn't deserve this," Ino cried.
"No, I didn't. And it doesn't matter. We're both alive and that's more than they expected from us. Wait until I get better and we'll kick their asses."
"You bet," she hiccuped, her eyes never leaving the smile on Sakura's face.