14Author's Note: Even the tiniest response fuels the fire, and now I've decided to turn this into a drabble series focusing on the friendship between the kunoichi of Naruto. Probably going to be a lot of Ino and Sakura, but will definitely include Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Tsunade, Shizune, Anko, and Kurenai.
Title: The Littlest Kunoichi
Characters: Ino and Sakura
Summary: Ino helps Sakura deliver her baby.
Disclaimer: Naruto, not mine since 1999.
"Stop trying to push, Forehead Girl, you're not fully dilated yet."
"NNNNG, WHERE IS THAT BASTARD, I'M GOING TO KILL HIM FOR DOING THIS TO ME."
Ino keeps a firm hand on Sakura's knees as she squirms against the hospital bed. The veteran medic-nin's pink hair is damp and stuck to her forehead and neck in tendrils, and her face is coated in a sheen of sweat from the effort of labor.
The two kunoichi have been in this room for the last six hours since Sakura's water broke earlier that morning. They'd been having a nice lunch at a cafe when Sakura's face had suddenly gone tense with surprise and her hands clutched at her pregnant belly.
Now, Sakura's hands are bending and contorting the metal bars on the side of the bed. The baby's not quite ready to come out, but the painful contractions have Sakura panting and screaming curses at her absent husband. Despite the obscenities coming out of her mouth, Ino thinks her best friend has never looked more beautiful.
Tsunade and Shizune are busy in surgery with a group of ANBU that came in completely wrecked, so Ino is on her own for the delivery. Neither one of them specializes in birthing, but Sakura is extremely well-versed in the human body and Ino is a competent medic, so if anything goes wrong Ino figures they have it covered.
It's another four hours before Sakura is finally dilated enough to begin pushing. The expectant mother lifts herself up onto the pillows, her mouth set in a grim line. Ino can't help but laugh; Sakura is wearing the same expression she had when they went to war.
After enduring a round of her friend's cursing, Ino checks her latex gloves and settles herself between Sakura's spread knees. Everything looks good so far, and the baby is starting to crown.
"Alright Forehead Girl, let's do this."
The next twenty minutes are the most intense of Ino's life. Her world is reduced to the sound of Sakura's pained yelling and the sight of a tiny head covered in jet black hair emerging into the world. Tears escape down Sakura's cheeks as the shoulders come through, then the rest of the baby slides out with ease. She slumps back onto the pillows panting, her eyes focused on the child that Ino is holding.
Ino takes one look at the baby in her arms and bursts into tears and laughter.
"She's got your forehead, Sakura."
She brings the baby girl around the side of the bed to her mother, who instantly glows with all the love in the world as she takes her in her arms. Ino sits on the side of the bed, watching the two with a large inerasable smile on her face. She brushes strands of pink away from Sakura's forehead as she coos at the baby.
"That's my daughter," Sakura whispers in wonder. Her emerald eyes are wide with astonishment that she could have created such a perfect little person.
Ino scoffs. "I believe you mean my god-daughter. This girl is going to be the most spoiled child alive, I swear." She's already thinking of all the insanely adorable dresses she's seen in the shops. Until Ino has one of her own, Sakura's daughter is going to have all of her shopping impulses heaped on her tiny black-fuzzed head.
Sakura laughs. "Of course, pig. She couldn't ask for a better god-mother." She scoots over to make room for Ino on the bed, and the blonde lays down next to her. The baby finally opens her inky black eyes to inspect them, and both women squeal with happiness.
They stay like that, oohing and aahing over the newest addition to the kunoichi family, until later when a very anxious Uchiha Sasuke comes crashing through the maternity ward.