Satomi was laying under a tree, her hands under her head. The light came down from the thick canopy in speckles. She started dozing off when she heard some light, almost non-existant, footsteps. She didn't open her eyes though, as she knew she was near a street in the afternoon. People would be walking home from the academy and the ramen shop. She then felt something poke between her ribs. Groaning, she opened her eyes to see a stick was poking her. Her eyes traveled up the stick to see who dared bother her nap. A boy was staring at her. He had black hair, which severely contrasted his snow-white skin. He tilted his head to the side.
"So you are alive." He mused. Satomi narrowed her eyes, the crystal blue color in them hardening into dark sapphires. Sai's emotional cluelessness usually ticked her off.
"Of course I am." Satomi growled. She wondered icily why he thought, or cared, that she was dead.
"What are you doing?" Sai asked. It seemed a genuine enough question.
"I'm sleeping," Satomi muttered, "or at least I was..."
"Why here?" Sai inquired. "Do you not have a bed?" Satomi giggled and Sai stared, a crease appearing between his eyebrows. "What do you find so funny?"
"You!" Satomi chuckled, "You're so clueless!"
"I will try not to be clueless then." Sai declared.
"Yeah. Ok. Anyways, haven't you ever just slept outside? To watch the clouds overhead, to lay in the soft grass, to feel the warm sunlight on your skin..." Satomi trailed off as she sighed, closing her eyes.
Sai looked at the sky, scrutinizing it. "Hmm...Interesting." Satomi heard the rustle of grass and the flipping of paper as Sai sat down and opened his sketchbook. Satomi barely opened her eyes to see Sai staring at the sky. Apparently he was drawing the clouds.
The two teens stayed like this for a good hour or so. Satomi had fallen asleep when two cold drops of something fell on her face, waking her up. She sat up and glanced at the sky. What had once been as pure a blue as her eyes had turned dark gray. More raindrops fell on Satomi as she stood up. Looking around, she noticed Sai had fallen asleep against the trunk of the tree. In his lap was his sketchbook.
On the opened page was a picture of a beautiful, sleeping maiden. Satomi stared at it as she realized Sai had drawn her. She wondered if she was actually that pretty. Maybe it was just his drawing skills. Satomi stepped closer and shook Sai's shoulder. He jolted awake as if he was electrocuted and glanced around. "What is it? What happened?"
"You fell asleep, dummy." Satomi gazed up at the sky, "and I think it's raining." As soon as she finished talking, rain started to speckle the road. Sai closed his sketchbook and stored it hastily in his pack. He jumped up and wiped rain off his forehead.
"We should go home." He stated.
"No duh." Satomi shivered and rubbed her arms. "It's turning into a flash flood." Heavy raindrops splattered down on the road and on the teens.
"Do you need an escort home?" He inquired. He smiled his fake smile, as always.
"What?" Satomi raised an eyebrow.
"My book says it's common courticy to escort a girl home." He pulled said book out of his pack and flipped to the middle; his eyes scanning it. He looked up as Satomi laughed.
"You don't need that nonsense. I know you have the emotional range of a doorknob, but why read about emotions in something that doesn't have any itself?" Satomi shivered again; staring at the sky.
"Well, I...Hmm...You present good logic." Sai tilted his head to the side as he watched Satomi shiver. He walked over to her and put his arms around her.
"Sai, what are you doing?" Satomi muttered. She stayed in his careful embrace though, as she thought his skin felt comfertably warm.
"Warming you up." He bluntly stated. "You seemed cold."
"Oh...Um...Thank you." Satomi tilted her head so her black hair hid her slight blush.
"Hey Sai! Satomi! What are you two doing standing in the middle of the rain? I have two seats here for 'ya!" A teen in a black and orange jumpsuit waved from the ramen shop. Satomi hurried over to get out of the rain; Sai was close behind. Lightning flashed as they ordered and ate. Naruto gushed about their B-rank mission tomorrow and how he would save us if we were in a pinch. Satomi sighed and glared at the sky outside.
"Stupid rain. Ruining my pretty clouds." She muttered. Sai and Naruto stared at her.
"You're a strange girl."
"Shut it, Sai." Naruto warned. Satomi smiled. She thought it was funny to watch them argue.
The waiter came over and handed Satomi a tea.
"Uh, sir? I didn't order this." Satomi tilted her head to the side.
"It's already paid for by that gentleman over there." The waiter pointed to a man in the corner. He flashed Satomi a dazzling smile. Satomi gave a embarrassed smile back and drank the tea.
After a while, Satomi paid for her food and walked outside. It was drizzling now. Naruto paid for his and followed. "Where are you going Sato-"
"Home. To rest for our mission; I suggest the same to you both." Satomi yawned to emphasise her meaning.
Sai appeared silently. "May I walk you home, Satomi?"
Naruto snikered; that mischivious grin appeared on his face.
"What?" Satomi and Sai asked at the same time.
"You two are dating!" Naruto declared. Satomi jumped as if someone put ice down her shirt. She facepalmed to hide the heat rising to her face. "I see that blush!" Naruto teased. Satomi's stomach flipped. So he did see after all. "Don't try to hide it, Sai!" Satomi twiched. So Sai was blushing? She snook a peak, to see if it was true, and there it was. A small pool of pink, barely noticeable on his white skin. "Oh this is so cute!"
"Shut up, Naruto, or I swear to god and back..." Satomi threatened.
"I'll have to inform Yamato-sensai about our newest couple!" Naruto gushed.
"Naruto." Satomi growled.
"And Sakura, and Kakashi-"
"Er, Naruto?" Sai muttered.
"What?" Naruto basically yelled. Sai just pointed to Satomi. She was growling; chakra pooling around her.
"NARUTO!" Satomi dashed at Naruto, grabbing his wrist, flipping him over her shoulder, and slamming him into the ground. "We are not dating nor would I ever want to date him! He's...He's...Emotionally clueless!" With a huff, Satomi stomped off to her house. After a few minutes, Sai and Naruto heard a door slam.
"Ouch, Sai. She just rejected you; big time." Naruto stood and rubbed his cheek, then patted Sai's shoulder. "Better luck next time."
"But...What she doesn't like...I can't change..." Sai muttered. He rubbed the back of his head.
"There's plenty of fish in the sea, man." Naruto grinned.
"What?" Sai never heard that before. Clueless.
Naruto sighed. "You'll meet another girl. Hopefully one who likes you for you." He walked off whistling. Sai stood there for a bit, Satomi's words echoing in his head.
We are not dating nor would I ever want to date him! He's...He's...Emotionally clueless!
Emotionally clueless...Emotionally clueless...Emotionally clueless...
The next morning, Sai was walking down the street to the training ground when he saw Satomi asleep in the grass, fresh dew clung to her hair like glitter. He stepped closer and saw her breath rising in small clouds in the chilly morning. 'She must be freezing cold...' He looked around and saw no footsteps in the dew but his own. 'She must've slept here overnight...That was dumb.' As Sai was in thought about why she was here, Her eyes blinked open.
"Oh!" She jumped, covering her eyes.
"Something wrong?" Sai inquired
"You startled me." Satomi said bluntly.
"Oh sorry. Did I wake you?"
"No, I was already awake. I just didn't hear you walk up to me, twinkle-toes." Satomi giggled. She started coughing, so she sat up.
"You're sick." Sai stated more than asked.
"I'm fine." Satomi replied.
"You should stay home." Sai insisted.
"No, I need this mission. I've been getting too much like Shika-" Satomi sneezed, cutting her sentance off.
"You should stay home." Sai repeated.
"I'm going and that's final." Satomi stood and walked to the training grounds. Sai followed, keeping a close eye on her.
Eventually, Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura arrived. Yamato gave them a review on their mission: To get a scroll from an abandoned building. Problem: The building is only 2 miles from a suspected rouge ninja hideout. Solution: Get in. Get the scroll. Get out. Quickly.
"Alright, I'm almost to the checkpoint. Sai, map?" Naruto murmured into his raideo.
"Keep going south-east and you should be there with no problems." Sai replied.
"Satomi, radar?"
"All clear, no unidentified chakras." A muffled cough could be heard over the raideo. Satomi had been coughing all morning.
"Yamato, everything clear up ahead?"
"No traps detected." Yamato answered.
"Sakura, um, supplies alright?"
"Yes, as I am your protective pack mule." Sakura said sarcasticly.
"Well, I can think of a couple other things to call you..." Sai murmured.
"Focus, all of you!" Yamato scolded. A loud series of coughs was heard on the raideo.
"Guys, slow down a bit...I can't keep up." Satomi whined.
"Told you, you should've stayed home." Sai stated.
Satomi coughed again. "I'm...I'm not feeling so great..." She whimpered.
"No wonder. Sounds like you have pneumonia." Yamato grumbled.
"What now?" You could hear Satomi's confusion.
"Lung infection." Sakura declared. "An inflammatory condition or when the lungs fill with fluid."
Satomi sighed. "Ew." She had another coughing fit.
"Yo. Sato-chan. You sure you don't want to turn back?" Naruto inquired.
"NO!" She screeched into the microphone.
"OW!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Ok, ok, forget I asked..." Naruto growled.
"It's getting dark. We sould camp for the night and continue at dawn." Sai suggested.
Yamato grunted."Good Idea." Yamatao stopped in a clearing, using his wood jutsu to make some tents. First Sai caught up, then Naruto and Sakura. Last was Satomi, out of breath and sweating.
"You look horrible." Sakura muttered.
"Gee...You...Thi..nk?" Satomi swayed, her eyes closing. As she fell, Sai was there in an instant to catch her.
Sai looked up at his team. "She's passed out." He gingerly laid his hand on her forehead. "And she's burning up."
Sakura walked forwards, placing a thermometer in Satomi's mouth. After a few seconds, Sakura looked at it and her expression turned worried. "104..." She murmered grimly. "This is strange..."
"How so?"
"I've never seen this type of illness before, it makes no sense."
Just then, a bush rustled behind them, and a shuriken flew into the clearing...