Author's Note: Just binged watched Hikaru No Go, a series I had not seen in many years and I decided to write this Sai/Hikaru gen fic because there simply isn't enough of them out there. This takes place after Sai's match with Touya Kouyou, but before Sai disappears.

Warnings: None. Some implied Sai/Hikaru, but mostly gen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru No Go or its characters, those belong to Yume Hotta.

Sai's Hat

Pa-chi. The sounds of the Go stones hitting the wood of a Goban were all that could be heard in Hikaru's room, then a groan as Sai once again slaughtered Hikaru. The fourteen year old, now a brand spanking new Go Pro glared at Sai's glum face. Ever since the magnificent match between Sai and Touya Kouyou, the ghost had been, no pun intended, as silent as the grave. 'Geez, the dead would be more talkative than this guy... well the deader.' Hikaru silently corrected himself.

Sai sighed again, looking down at their finished game sadly. Hikaru stared on at Sai trying to figure out a way to cheer up the spirit. As he looked Sai up and down, his eyes paused at Sai's hat. Hikaru recalled the tall hat being called a tate-eboshi, something noble geezers in the emperor's court wore. Hikaru had not once seen Sai take that hat off.

Then a thought wiggled its way into his brain like a worm. What does the top of Sai's head look like? The question zoomed through Hikaru's head like a bullet train. Hikaru wondered what Sai was hiding under that hat. 'Is his head partially shaved like those old noble guys?' The ridiculous image of Sai being bald on top made him choke down his laughter. 'Or maybe he's hiding an enormous cowlick!' Hikaru pictured a single long strand of purple hair swaying on the top of Sai's head like bamboo. Hikaru was having trouble holding in his laughter. 'He could be hiding a pot of flowers up there for all I know!' Somehow to Hikaru's childish mind the image of Sai taking off his hat and flowers exploding from Sai's head made perfect sense.

Sai was pulled from his brooding at the sound of Hikaru choking, sputtering, and staring intently at him. The boy was turning a strange shade of red. Sai looked at Hikaru with a raised brow. "Hikaru?"

Hikaru's mind ran with more and more possibilities as to what Sai hid under his hat from fireworks to one of those lucky cat statues you see in shops. The hat seemed to stare down at Hikaru like a giant black monolith, seeming to dare the lowly mortal to comprehend its contents. Hikaru wondered if Sai could even take it off. 'I never really thought to ask how being a ghost worked. Can he even take off his hat or even that kariginu if he wanted too? What if his clothing is stuck to him with some kind of weird ectoplasmic crazy glue?!' Hikaru stared intently at Sai.

Sai was beginning to grow worried with the intense stare Hikaru was giving him. He was about to ask what was wrong when Hikaru spoke. "Sai? I want to ask you something, and I want you to take me seriously when I ask it."

Sai's worry grew. 'What does he want to ask me? This must be serious!' Sai felt more nervous then ever, and swallowed. He slowly nodded. "Of course, you can ask me anything, Hikaru. You know this."

Hikaru was silent for a moment, and stared at Sai with intense green eyes. The question that came out of the fourteen year old Go-Pro's lips took Sai by surprise to say the least. "Sai, can you take off your clothes?"

Sai stumbled backwards, and hid his beet red face behind his shaking fan. The question was completely unexpected. His mind reeled from the boys proposition. 'Is he at that age already?! He's fourteen, and it is quite common for boys his age to think of more carnal pursuits. But why me?! I'm the worst possible object for these sort of feelings!' Sai gasped, and wondered at one cause for this surprising development. 'Could it be that it is because that I am his teacher and therefore share much time in each other's company? In my era that sort of intimate relationship was common, and even accepted. I myself never experienced that sort of relationship with my teacher, but I have known a few women, and even a man in that sense.'

Sai suddenly felt regret for not having a body. Sex was another thing he had enjoyed in life. The Heian court was very open about it, and everyone could enjoy as many affairs as they wished so long as there was discretion. He found a large part of him flattered by Hikaru's attention, he used to get many such proposals from many men and women alike. It made him feel a little more alive again. He shook his head vigorously of the thought. 'Times and morals have changed! It may have been acceptable in my era to pursue Hikaru, but it is not right in this age. Not to mention physically impossible!'

Sai fanned himself vigorously, and tried to calmly refuse Hikaru's proposal, and without breaking his heart. Sai looked at Hikaru, he was a boy now, but already he was becoming a man. Sai knew he would grow into a fine and very handsome man. Sai felt sad that he would most likely not be there to see him become the man he was already starting to become. He tried to calmly give Hikaru his refusal, it came out as a nerve-wracking stutter instead. "H-hikaru! I can not in good conscious accept your feelings! For starters, I am dead and incapable of pursuing any carnal pleasures with you. But I am greatly flattered by your attraction to me!"

It was Hikaru's turn to fumble backwards. His face turned red and stared at Sai with wide eyes. "I didn't mean it like that you pervy ghost!"

Sai glared indignantly at Hikaru, and flailed his arms as he yelled at Hikaru. "What was I supposed to think from such an indecent and lewd question?!"

Hikaru's blush deepened and growled back. "I only meant if you are able to take off your clothes or if they're glued to you somehow!"

Sai stilled and blinked. "Oh. Yes, I can, but what may I ask brought on that question?"

Hikaru stopped glaring at Sai, and looked at him inquisitively. "I just wanted to know what you look like without your hat."

Sai smiled, and giggled behind his sleeve. "Is that all?"

Sai then dramatically swept his arms outward, his long sleeves fluttered, and pale graceful arms reached upwards. Hikaru swallowed and leaned forward with anticipation. He gulped as those pale graceful fingers, with nails worn down by Go stones, grasped either side of that tall, mysterious black hat. 'This is it! I'll finally see what secrets Sai is hiding under that hat!' Sai ever so slowly lifted the hat off his head. He gave Hikaru one of those faint secretive smiles. Sai was taking his time on purpose. Hikaru clenched his shirt with his fists. The hat lifted off his head and set into Sai's lap. The top of Sai's head was revealed at last!

It was hair. His purple hair laid somewhat flat against his head with a straight hairline. His bangs fell on either side of his face. Without the hat he was less tall, and less imposing. He looked normal. He looked different. He also looked rather pretty. Hikaru felt some unknown emotion flutter in his chest. Hikaru burned the sight of a hatless Sai into his heart. Sai smiled serenely at him. "Well, Hikaru? What do you think?"

A faint rosy color rushed to Hikaru's cheeks, and that same weird feeling in his chest squirmed. Hikaru turned away, and shrugged. "Nothing special. I was expecting some kind of explosion. Kind of a let down if you ask me."

Sai put his hat back on with a small giggle. "An explosion? You give this hat far too much credit. All it hides is the top of my head."

Hikaru couldn't say why, but he felt a little disappointed that Sai put his hat back on. Hikaru grinned and laughed that he actually thought Sai could hide explosive flowers under his hat. Hikaru hoped to see Sai again without his hat. He wanted to ask him to take his hat off again, but hesitated. He would ask some other time to see that normal, different, and kinda pretty Sai without a hat. "Hey, Sai. Let's play another game."

Sai nodded happily. "Alright!"

As Hikaru did Nigiri for both of them, Sai's smile slowly ebb away, but never did it leave. He felt his time drawing closer. He knew he would have to leave soon, it made him sad, but he wouldn't right now. In this moment he was with Hikaru, and he was happy. He prayed silently to God. 'Kami-sama, please grant me one last selfish wish. Let me be with Hikaru forever.'

-End-

Author's Notes: After watching the anime and reading the manga, I have to say that I love the series, and I love Sai. However, the ending could be a lot better. It wasn't the worst ending, but it wasn't that good either. I understand why Yume Hotta made Sai disappear, to make Hikaru grow up, but I still didn't like it. I think Sai deserved to be more than just a stepping stone. I may do another Sai/Hikaru fic in future with Sai being resurrected, and a story of the results of him being brought back to life if I have time and enough folk interested in it. After scouring the net, I can't find nearly enough Sai/Hikaru to satisfy me. I think I may be one of very few that like Sai/Hikaru more than Hikaru/Akira, and that makes me sad.