: The Mad are Sane :

by ShadowofIllusion

Summary: An experiment in writing without dialogue that morphed into a SakuraxSai story.

Disclaimer: Don't own, sadly. I can only lay claim to a couple of dvd's and manga.

WARNING!: Umm.... violence? Yep, violence. Nothing graphic.

Brief A/N: As I stated, this is an experiment, so please tell me if you liked it or not, or if you found it a total waste of time reading this. Constructive criticism, as always, is much appreciated.

In a mad world, only the mad are sane. --Akira Kurosawa


Something in her snapped. Perhaps it was because he had called her "ugly" one too many times that day, or maybe she was tired of that placid look on his face, or maybe she had just wanted to vent that day's frustration on his falsely smiling face.

Either way, Sakura Haruno's gloved fist met Sai's jaw, crushing the bones lying beneath his pale skin in a single motion. Stormy eyes flickered in twin emerald fires of undiluted wrath. Right now, she could care less that her team-mate's body had been sent careening, by her own blow, into the furthest side of the room; nor did she care that he now sported a livid purple-brown bruise, made all the more prominent by his porcelain skin.

She turned and stalked out of the small apartment, leaving behind a rather confused young man.

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The second time Sakura saw him that day, her anger had cooled, and a small trickle of guilt pooled in the girl's stomach as she finally took in his damaged condition. Rising from her seat at the small table, she had decided to remedy the situation until he turned around and saw her. He managed to smile, it seemed too painful to be anything but fake, and nodded his head stiffly. Somehow, Sai just couldn't manage to keep any "niceties" to himself, and rambled on, seemingly oblivious to the annoyed look on the kunoichi's face.

Red filled her vision as the youth continued to blithely dig himself deeper into his grave. The ninja around him had laughed at first before they noticed the sheer rage coming off the pink-haired woman in menacing waves. Slowly, and not, they backed away to leave the fool to his fate.

That was the second time that day that she had had to re-introduce Sai to her monstrous strength.

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The third time she saw him was more than enough for her. No remorse could be seen in her jade green orbs, despite the pitiful way his cheeks had puffed to nearly hide the jet black eyes that still, somehow, managed to squint in a mockery of a smile at her appearance. She turned on her heel sharply, intending to leave before he said something that would force her to further apply her "corrective measures." Not like he would be a favorite to see during her rounds in the hospital tomorrow.

He called her name, and, despite her good intentions, she stopped to listen. He asked her about a trivial matter, something to deal with manners during a certain situation, and she rambled off a reply without thinking. Her mind suddenly whirled with what he had asked and she had responded with.

Before she knew it, his lips had covered her own. It was awkward and definitely not the best experience she had had, but her heart refused to acknowledge that sort of thought and fluttered madly all the same. She lifted a hand to caress his face and paused when he flinched at her touch. Cheeks reddening, recalling just why it was so painful to him, she infused his wounds with her chakra and apologized softly.

For once, Sai carefully made sure to not open his mouth to spoil the mood, and Sakura was more than grateful to not have to deck him for a third time that day.