Chapter One –
"Naruto! Hurry up already!" the pink-haired kunoichi beside him shouted, shattering the quiet of the early Konoha morning.
Sai blinked at the girl then turned his head to their other team mate as he scrambled down the steps of his apartment building. It was almost comical the way Naruto whined and argued with Sakura as he descended, intentionally taking his time to rile the girl up further. Sai allowed a small smirk to emerge on his lips, it was never boring working with those two.
Sai found his mind slipping into thoughts of the past several months as he fell into step slightly behind his teammates. So much had changed in his life in such a small amount of time; only a scant six months had passing since the day he and Naruto had clashed on the rooftops above Konoha. Through the ensuing months the three youngest members of Team Kakashi had carved out a tenuous friendship, one that continued to strengthen with time.
The thought brought a small smile to Sai's lips. Social interaction was slowly becoming easier for the reticent teen, awkward trial and error proving painful at times but likewise educational. He knew that often his peers still didn't know what to think of him or his odd questions but he was warmed by the knowledge that they had accepted him as one of their own. He may not hold the same place in their world and their hearts as him but there was now a place for him none the less.
Niisan would've liked Naruto-kun and Sakura-san very much….
And indeed that was the core of it. After the loss of the boy Sai had come to see as his brother he had thrown himself into the rigid, ruthless training structure of Root. He quickly became Danzou-sama's prodigy, excelling at taijutsu and showing an intelligence and aptitude for deception that rivaled shinobi many years older. Intrigue, espionage, and assassination became the sole purpose of his life. He was no one, merely a Root that supported the great tree of Konoha. Then he met Naruto.
Naruto challenged everything that Sai knew of shinobi and the world in general. The blond youth let his heart guide him, his emotions always at the forefront proving to be his greatest weakness and his greatest strength. Naruto pushed the boundaries of convention at every turn, making believers out of naysayers, refusing to give up or back away from his ideals. Even if you disagreed with the exuberant shinobi you had to admire him. Sai had recognized all this but it was something so much simpler that had won him over in the end….Naruto's smile. That bright, dauntless grin that made his eyes crinkle at the edges and cerulean irises sparkle like gems had sent Sai's world spiraling out of control; all because it had reminded him of his brother. His brother who had been the only bright light in his life of darkness, the brother who had all but begged Sai to never forget that he could be so much more than a nameless, faceless killer, the brother that he loved, and missed, and ohmygodneededsomuch still to this day. And in an instant he had felt something within him crack and some of Naruto's warmth had trickled in, changing him forever.
Sai was always equal parts pleased and surprised that he did not regret that split second decision to turn his back on the only life he'd known. Godaime Hokage's continued support for the retrieval of the nuke-nin Uchiha Sasuke and Sasuke's own elimination of the Sannin Oorochimaru had forced Danzou and his supporters to step back and bide their time. This is turn allowed Sai to subsequently bide his time without coming to confrontation with Root and it's founder…though he knew that time would, eventually, come. When it did he knew, now, that his two teammates would be by his side.
A sudden shout of welcome broke the silent teen from his thoughts forcing his eyes up to spot the cause. Naruto had broken into a jog and was calling and waving enthusiastically to a group of their fellows just a few stalls ahead. Pausing in their perusal Team 8 responded in kind; Kiba with an equally loud shout quickly followed by a welcoming bark from the massive Akamaru, Shino with a slight nod of his cloaked head, and Hinata with her customary blush and down-turned eyes. Sai glanced to his left and shared a look of doting exasperation with Sakura before the pair joined Naruto and the others.
Sai, as was his way, lingered on the edge of the conversation. He often preferred to listen to his friends rather than participate in the exchange, sharp mind picking out important details or items of intrigue for examination later. Often he found himself approaching Sakura with these ruminations having learned the pink-haired medic-nin was the most patient of his compatriots with his seemingly naïve questions. As he listened he let his eyes wander the ever growing crowd of shoppers, a mix of civilians and shinobi alike, taking in the daily activities of life that never failed to enthrall and delight the teen who had spent most of his life in an underground training facility.
His eyes spotted a familiar form lingering near a fruit vendor a few meters away and quickly found his attention diverting away from the conversation buzzing beside him. Sai raked his dark gaze over the taller, broader shinobi as he leant down to examine the wares, dark mahogany tresses trailing across his shoulder with the movement. For Sai, Hyuuga Neji was a fascinating object of study. The quiet, deadly grace of a warrior, the refined features of a noble, and the reserved air of an intelligent and private man intrigued Sai to no end. He had found in recent weeks that attempting to provoke the other was almost as amusing as provoking Naruto but in a myriad of unique ways.
Naruto was quick to temper…a certain inflection or choice insult could set his anger aflame almost instantly. Sai delighted almost ruthlessly in riling Naruto up only to perplex him and watch his anger deflate into confusion. Neji on the other hand, required patience and cunning, forcing Sai to watch the other closely, reading him like an exotic text, to judge when and what the next barb should be. He angered in degrees, the first sign of annoyance a slight tightening of the skin around his lips until it built to rigid shoulders and smoldering lavender eyes. Sai 'hmmed' to himself with a glance at his teammates and slid through the crowd towards the other shinobi.
"Ohayo, Neji-san," Sai purred into the taller shinobi's ear, having to stand on the balls of his feet to do so. He felt more than saw Neji tense at the sudden intrusion into his personal space. A scowl twisted the otherwise refined line of his lips as lavender eyes darted towards Sai. Sai knew he was well trained in masking his chakra signature and he also knew it annoyed the young Hyuuga to no end that Sai could slip so close without notice, hence his insistence on doing so as often as possible.
Neji 'hn'ed in response and continued inspecting the fruit without pause. Sai frowned and shifted so he was standing shoulder to shoulder with the long-haired Jonin. He watched as Neji carefully chose a round, red fruit and gave it a tiny squeeze before lifting it to his nose and giving a tiny sniff. Sai recognized the fruit as pomegranate and shuddered as his mind flashed him a vision of Neji's mouth stained crimson by the blood colored fruit, a tiny trail of juice dribbling down to be captured by a deft flick of tongue. He blinked, startled by the warmth that flooded through him on the heels of that visage. Suddenly uncomfortable he stepped left, opening the space between them and earning a raised brow from Neji.
Sai swallowed against the sudden dryness of his mouth and licked at his own chapped lips, "Don't you have servants for this Neji-san?"
Neji's scowl darkened, "I dislike relying on servants for my every need."
Sai nods slightly and watches as Neji selects a few more ripened fruits before settling his purchase with the vendor. The Hyuuga teen then silently stepped to the next stall intent on finishing his shopping but Sai merely fell into step with him. Neji sent him a dark look and Sai was positive he heard the slightest of growls just under the hustle of the busy street, causing the Root member to smirk.
"I never would've imagined you as one who enjoyed shopping."
Lavender eyes look for a sign of mockery and finding none Neji grudgingly offers, "It's not necessarily the shopping I enjoy."
When it seemed the other shinobi would offer no more Sai inquired with genuine interest, "Then, what is it?"
"The normalcy I suppose."
Neji paid for another parcel of produce and turned to Sai, motioning with his free arm towards the bustle of the market. "Just take a look. This is a simple part of life. Everyone, no matter who they are or what they do needs the goods this market provides. No matter how many wars we fight and wounds we return with from our missions this stays the same. I suppose I take comfort in that. Sometimes I just need to see and feel that life will go on, that Konoha and her people will continue to endure and grow…so I come here."
Sai absorbed the other teen's words, his agile mind turning each thought over and coming a quick understanding of Neji's intent. He felt similarly to Neji when he watched life in the streets of Konoha but had thought he was alone in assigning deeper meaning to what most found menial and easy to overlook. Again he felt a strange warmth flooding him but much more muted and less alarming than before and he offered Neji a small, genuine smile.
Another question was about to tumble from his lips when he heard the disgruntled shout of his teammate form his name. He blinked and turned towards Sakura's voice, somehow having completely forgotten both his teammates in his conversation with Neji. He spotted the kunoichi pushing through the crowd her forehead creased with annoyance.
"Sheesh!," Sakura exclaimed as she latched onto Sai's arm and yanked him against her.
"Why am I always chasing after one of you? Really, Sai, I expect Naruto to go running off when we're supposed to be meeting Kakashi-sensei. But you?"
Sai offered her a puzzled look that had Neji fighting the urge to snort in amusement. "But Sakura-san…you were just as busy talking as Naruto-kun or I…"
Green eyes narrow and Sai finds his mouth snapping shut of its own volition. With a 'humph' of satisfaction Sakura hauled him towards Naruto and by assumption towards their waiting sensei. Sai managed to twist in Sakura's grip enough to offer a wave to a Neji, who appeared delightfully perplexed by the offering.
Sai chuckled softly to himself as he turned back and carefully shook off Sakura's grip. The girl sent him a questioning look but he simply shook his head. He hoped Kakashi was indeed waiting for them so they could get training over with quickly today. He felt an incredible urge to have a pomegranate himself while he painted tonight.