I don't own Naruto. Pairing: Yamanaka Ino X Sai; Timeline: Moments after Kakuzu and Hidan were defeated and the Konoha ninja head back home.
Apathy and Sympathy
By:
CrazyGirlOfManyNames
"Sai, you carry Ino," said Kakashi, blankly. Yamato and Naruto were supporting Chouji, and Sakura was attending to Shikamaru who was emotionally drained from before. Sai simply went over to Ino and picked her up bridal style. Ino blushed red and her heart skipped a few beats; no one there really expected Sai to understand why she was blushing red. All was relatively normal; Naruto complaining, Sakura telling him to relax and Kakashi reading Icha Icha which is probably the reason why he did not carry Ino himself.
"Are you alright, Ino-san," asked Sai. Ino pouted a little and wonder what happened to 'Beautiful' even though Sakura told her that he really thinks she's not so pretty.
"Yeah," said Ino. "Am I heavy?"
Sai knew the answer to this type of question, "No."
"Ah good, because I'm sure if you had carried Forehead, you'd be on the ground," said Ino.
"I HEARD THAT INO-PIG," snapped Sakura, twitching. Ino laughed. Sai did not understand Ino and Sakura's relationship, girls were complicated and it seemed not even males who have understanding of emotions understand a female. Sai made sure that Ino was firmly in his grasp, so she could rest more. He thought back to the battle. He knew that her sensei was killed and Team 10 wanted revenge. He did not understand his feelings towards the members of Team 10, especially Ino. He thinks its sympathy (pity), but he can not be too sure.
"Thanks, Sai-san," said Ino. "But I think I can walk now."
"Kakashi-sensei did not say for me to let you walk," said Sai. They were already approaching the entrance of Konoha where he spotted a guy that looked like Shikamaru, a guy like Chouji and a guy that looked like Ino. They were probably their fathers. Suddenly a very shrill woman ran over to Shikamaru.
"YOU STUPID BOY," yelled Yoshino, Shikamaru's mother. As she yelled at him, Sai glanced at Ino who was looking nervously at her father, who seem to suspiciously glaring at Sai. It was then Sai remembered something he read about overprotective fathers of their daughters.
"I think you really better put me down," said Ino, giggling. Sai gently stood her up, when he felt the dark aura of killer intent from Ino-san's father. Sai backed away slowly from Ino and tried to hide behind Naruto. He had no idea why he did so but Sai thought that a crazy papa was not someone to mess with. Ino sighed as Sai looked scared of her father; Ino felt bad for Sai, he had no idea why either. 'Heh, Sai's cute I'm definitely going to get him to be my boyfriend someday.'