Chapter One
"Are you coming out tonight?"
"Was that tonight.."
"Don't tell me you forgot already?"
"I've been busy lately, I really shouldn't.."
"Don't try and get out of this mister. Naruto and I have been waiting for this all week! And you're coming alright?"
"Sure."
"Great! We'll have a good time, you'll see- Naruto get off me, yes he's coming!"
"I'll see you later Sakura-chan."
...
Sai stood in front of a mirror. A massive one, tall as the ceiling and fit snugly on the bathroom wall. He studied his reflection with uncertainty. He didn't usually care about his appearance. Although he hadn't been out for some time now and his work attire, nor his usual sweats or pajamas that he wore around the house would do for an occasion, even if it wasn't formal. He had decided on a a tight black shirt that cut off at his midriff, and jeans that hugged his lithe form. Then again... He rethought this.
"He probably wouldn't approve," he said in the silence of his apartment, and smiled. He changed in the end, into a regular black T-shirt that was neither too tight or too loose. He would be dressing warm, for cold weather anyways. Oh that's right, it was snowing.
"Oh, jacket..." he mumbled, then set off in search for one. He pulled the long, black winter coat over his body, fixing up the many buttons. It was somewhat big on him, but he wore it anyways. He sniffed the familiar scent from the collar of the jacket, smiling once again before wrapping a dark gray scarf around his pale neck.
He shivered as he met the outside air. Sai turned to lock the door and began his walk down the streets blanketed in pure white snow. They were always lively during the winter, regardless of the cold. Sai recognized some people, such as the regular couples holding hands or linking arms. Then there were the group of friends talking animatedly, probably just coming from a bar themselves. Laughter rang out over the quiet, yet comfortable atmosphere. Sai was glad he had brought that scarf, although mittens would have been nice as well. He curled his frozen fingers in the deep pockets of the jacket when he felt his phone vibrate against them.
1 new message
Sai pressed the view now option on his touch phone and read the text.
Where are you
He chuckled as he replied quickly as his fingers were becoming stiff. He must have called the house phone, he mused.
Dickless and Ugly invited me out to the bar
The phone wasn't put away, because he was sure he would get a reply any second n- Ah, right as he expected.
That's a surprise
Don't drink
Sai wrote,
you mean I can't even drink water? am i to die of thirst
He knew that would agitate the other person, and did so just because of that very reason. Sai's walk was coming to an end- he could see the bar that Sakura and Naruto often inhabited from here. The windows were glowing with bright yellow lights, people could be seen inside, all of the lights lively and beautiful.
"If I could paint that..."
His phone buzzed once more, thus shaking him out of his reverie. He had temporarily stopped to watch the bar across the street. Once he opened the message waiting for him he set about walking again.
You know what i mean
Before Sai could respond to that, another text came in from the same recipient.
Have fun
Sai didn't bother answering anymore. As soon as he entered the bar/restaurant he was greeted by a shouting, exuberant blond who had a glass in his hands. "Sai!" Popular music played in the back ground that Sai had never heard before. He rarely listened to the radio.
Sai nodded and smiled at both Naruto, Sakura and a few others who smiled at him. "Hello Naruto, Sakura."
"Ah you finally made it out of the house," Sakura teased, a sly, knowing smile crept onto her face.
Naruto's eyes widened as he gasped, "ohh that's right! Sai-chan where 'ave you been eh? The only time I see you is when I go down to the school-"
"Naruto!" Sakura cut off her boyfriend's rambling, shake of her head as she scolded him. She smiled anyways, "let Sai sit down. This is his first time out in a while, he should relax and have a good time."
"That's right, let us all have a good time in our youthful lives!"
"Eh? Fuzzy brows when did you get here!"
Sai spoke for him, "I saw him when I walked in. You must be officially succumbing to your inner blond."
"No way!"
"It's good to see you though Sai-kun," Sakura told him, and nudged his shoulder gently when he sat down in between her and Naruto.
"Well I was invited," he said.
"So, Sai-kun~" He turned his attention to Ino, who had a smile that if anyone watching noticed would think she were trying to seduce him. Of course Sai knew her for so long that she was merely being nosy and trying to get the 'juicy details' as she and Sakura had called it so many times in the past. "How's life?" With Ino, this question could mean literally anything. If Sai said it were alright, she would assume something horrible had happened, just as well if he said things were great; she would then ask why they were so great.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Ino? I heard you were seen with the prime minister a few days ago." Perfect. A swift, evasive counter attack and Ino was sure to be struck down. Of course, as he thought, she blushed and was suddenly barraged with questions.
"Eh? Were you really Ino?" Chouji asked, appalled. His long time crush on her had been noticeable even as he said this.
"Wow so Ino's got pretty big connections huh..." Naruto said. He grinned and said to her, "so have you sucked his-"
"Naruto!" He really should have seen that coming, clutching his head he looked at Sakura with big eyes.
"Oww oww Sakura-chan I was only joking!"
"Only joking huh? I'll show you only joking!" Ino-chan cracked her knuckles as she bore down on the poor blond, who in all honestly, deserved it.
Sai turned away, whilst everybody laughed. He noticed one red-headed man sitting a seat over from him, observing them quietly. "Garra," sai said. "Didn't think you were the drinking type." He said this with a faint smile.
Garra watched him silently, before opening his mouth to speak. "Naruto requested I come. That being said, he had to drag me down here, unwillingly."
Sai chuckled, "he does that a lot doesn't he..."
"And what about you.. I hear you've been quite the hermit these days."
Sai normally enjoyed his conversations with Garra. The redhead was always a pleasure to talk to. He actually held a decent, intelligent conversation and despite his kill kill kill attitude and demeanor, he was actually quite innocent. At first whenever Sai made a dirty joke Garra had been confused. Now... he would become quite flustered, seing as Sai made it a point to explain to him the crude comments he made.
"Ah well, no point moping around by lonesome when I have comrades I can bond with."
"Very true."
"Oi- what're you two going on about huh? Sakura-chan and Ino have been beating my hide- where was my backup? I thought we were friends, ne Sai?"
"Naruto stop whinin' will ya? People are startin' to stare!" Kiba shouted at him. "Well, should we start the first round everybody?" he said, a feral grin on his face.
Naruto, quickly forgetting his pain once the alcohol was mentioned, shot his first in the air and hollered. "Bring it on!" Lee also shared his enthusiasm.
Sakura giggled, she then said to Sai, "you know your boyfriend called me some time ago."
Of course he did. "Did he now.." Sai smiled.
"He told me not to let you drink. 'Sai's a bad drunk!', he says." She imitated him with a stern expression on her face, and laughed at his reaction.
"So are you going to stop me if I do?"
"What kind of a friend would I be if I did! Anyways, Naruto and Lee aren't much better drunks either."
"Wahoo!"
"Ah that would be the dickless blond now.." Sai said and they both looked over.
"Oh Sai you don't know how wrong you are."
"Uh, I really don't want to know.."
"What's that now?" she grinned.
"Ganpai!" Everyone said in unison, although Sai had disregarded this tradition and gone ahead and drank his a second earlier. The liquid felt hot down his throat, but he welcomed the unfamiliarity of it. It had been a long time since he'd gone drinking.
"Wow I didn't think sake could be so delicious!"
"I told you- they have the best in all of Konoha!" Naruto shouted.
"The best? Tch, yeah right..."
"Oi Shikamaru it's true!"
"Who's up for another round?"
Lee and Naruto shouted excitedly. They were always the first ones to fill their glasses each time. While everyone started chatting around him, Sai sipped his sake.
The group started off their first shot, which then led to another, and another after that and it goes on. Most were plastered by the fourth or fifth round, whilst others like, Garra- who had blatantly refused to drink more than one shot (and this was because Naruto forced him) and Shikamaru who was had a pretty high alcohol tolerance. Ino of course never passed up the chance to get plastered on any occasion, and Kiba was the absolute same. Of course, Lee had gone overboard, even though Ten-Ten told him not to. The first few shots he was already half naked and dancing around the place singing in an American accent. Sai himself was even a little tipsy, surprisingly for him.
"I loove this song!" Lee exclaimed. He dragged a flustered looking Ten-Ten onto the dance floor as the song played.
I won't run, I won't fly~ I will never make it by without you, without you.
In a drunken haze, Sai checked his messages.
1 New Message
still at the bar?
Sai pouted. He replied with something that only made sense in his drunken state of mind.
iiii1 gno ssshhh m thinkn
Beside him, Naruto had taken off his shirt and he and Kiba were about to wrestle, while Ino and Chouji cheered them on, and Sakura and Ten-Ten shook their heads as they discouraged them. Shikamaru was saying something but Sai couldn't comprehend at that point. He felt woozy, and returned to his cell phone when the screen lit up, glowing on his face.
"Ah!"
He was getting a call, and smiled after seeing who it was. "Hellllooo!" he answered with a new found sense of happiness.
"You're drunk." Came the husky voice on the other line.
"Mmhmm!" Sai nodded, which the other person couldn't see but he did so anyways.
The person sighed. "Don't you ever listen to a thing I tell you..."
Sai furrowed his brows. He tried to make out what the person was saying but it wasn't happening. Music was blaring in his ears, combined with the shouts from everyone in the bar as well wasn't making it any better.
I can't take it take it take no more. Never felt like felt like this before.
C'mon get me get me on the flooor. DJ what you what you waitin for.
Sai started to sing the chorus with a stupid grin on his, "Woooah ohh oh oh oh ooaah wooooah ohh oh oh oh oaaahh!"
"It's pretty loud in there. Do you think you can go outside?"
He was about to respond, but Naruto took the phone from his hands and started shouting into it. "I'd like a stir fried noodle with pork and bean shoots and some red-"
"Who the hell do you think this is!"
Sai heard the yell from the other end and doubled over in laughter.
"Eh? Isn't this Ichiraku ramen's..." Naruto looked dumbfounded, looking from Sai to the phone.
"Put Sai on the phone, idiot."
Sai was still laughing when Naruto gave it to him and left to go bother some random person who'd just walked in.
"Sai, go outside so we can talk."
"Ah? you here?" Sai gaped.
"No. Are you outside?"
Sai felt funny. He tried to move but couldn't very well do so. "Can't move..." he mumbled into the phone and gasped when he nearly fell backwards.
"Just use those two stick like things attached to your body. Put one in front of the other, I know you can do it Sai."
Sai did as he was told and cheered in excitement when he was lifted off the chair. "Ah did it! Goin outside lalala~" He stumbled pretty badly towards the door, waving to Sakura when she cocked her head at him leaving. Once he was outside, he leaned against the brick wall, dizzy from his long walk. "M outside."
"I thought I told Sakura not to let you drink that much. Now you're acting like a mental-case and I'm not there to watch you," a sigh and then he said, "can't say I like not being there for you Sai."
"Talk too much," Sai told him, eyebrows furrowing at all the words he didn't understand. Then his eyes light up and he smiled, "you coming to see me?"
"No, I'm here on business remember? I won't be back for another week."
"Why not?" he pouted, his sudden happiness drained instantly.
"Sai..."
"S'not fair, i wanna see you." Tears prickled in the corner of his dark eyes. He couldn't control anything as they spilled down his face.
"Wish I could see you right now too babe."
"I miss you. M lonely wi-withouut you."
"Hey don't cry. We're going on a date when I get back remember? I'm taking you to that museum in Paris. You've been dying to go there, you know the one?"
Sai did remember, and frowned as he failed to pronounce the name that seemed to slip off his tongue. "Looo-" He heard laughter from the other end, "lowerrr- louvv."
"Louvre," in a perfect french accent, Sai heard, "mon amour, je veux vous gâter."
Sai was excellent at french, but in his drunken state he couldn't understand what was said to him at all. But he liked the sounds and it made him smile. "More!" he giggled.
"Je veux embrasser votre nez, votre bouche, vos paupières. Ah, vous belle sonorité. vous êtes belle, et le mien."
"Belle! My belle. Los pantalones." Sai gasped and laughed into the chilly air.
"That was Spanish for pants. You do have those on right? Cuz if you didn't I'd have to come down there and take you away."
"Noooo, don' take me! Hahaha!"
"Ah, si la dame pense que je plaisante."
"Si si!"
"Hmm... we shall see."
"Oh! M goin back now. Kay?"
"Don't forget about me. Have fun."
"Luv uuuu tooo mwuuahh." He blew kisses into the phone and ended the call. Back inside, the bar was quite lively. Even louder then it had been before, now that Chougi had the guys in belching contest. Sai could see Sakura and Ino reeling in disgust and let out a grand laugh that caused him to topple over onto his rear end. That made him laugh harder, then being accompanied by Naruto who thought it was just hilarious.
The night continued to be great fun for everyone. Sai hadn't enjoyed himself like that in a while, or let loose really. In between the drinking and dancing, and other weird antics, he had been texting a certain someone all night. He sent several messages before actually receiving a response.
Sent at 12:45 am
i loooove uuu honeypooo xxxoooxxoxoxoo
Sent at 12:47 am
why don u luv me
Sent at 12:52 am
roftllolgg narto jus barfd all ovr kiba
Sent at 1:03 am
srry i burnt ur tie tht 1 time i tryed IRONING u stil lov m3 right?
Sent at 1:05 am
did you get my text
Sent at 1:07 am
don ignore meee
1 new message:
Recieved at 1:09 am
I hope you know I'm in a meeting
Sai smiled at his phone as he read the message. "Gonna call my boyfriend," he sang, dancing around in place. He wriggled in place for a bit, twisting and turning before finally clicking the call button on the touch phone.
"Yes, Sai?"
"Make a wish!"
"Hmm?"
"Elleven leven, make a wish!" he exclaimed.
"I'll let you do the wishing for the both of us. What do you wish for?"
"See youuuu of course! Wish I could kiss you righ now."
"That you shall."
"Wah?"
"Goodbye Sai."
"Byeee!"
Sakura came up to the dancing ravenette and swooped him off the floor. "Let's dance Sai!" she shouted over the loud music. He giggled, forgetting about his phone that was placed into his pocket. The music made his dancing seem a whole better to him. As Sai was not used to dancing, he moved around any which way his drunken mind felt it should.
Heavy metal lover~
"Oh! I like this one," he mumbled to his pink haired friend who laughed. She was a pretty good dancer, Sai thought. He tried to copy her movements but gave up and just went back to doing whatever. He was having fun though.
Whip me, slap me, punk funk. New York clubbers, bump drunk. Budlight liquors, bar slam. Move it, this is your jam. Wash the night, with St. Jameson. Like, a baptism. Heavy metal lovers play, baby we were born this way~
A/N: Anyone want to guess who Sai's mystery lover is? It will be revealed in the next chapter~ Until then, review please! :3