Ch. 12: Comfort

Akamaru is conflicted to say the least.

Kiba had ordered him to stay with Hinata-chan to help her find the smelly ink ninja, and he had stayed out of obligation to protect his pack mate.

On principle though, he couldn't like the root ninja for hurting his partner and Shino-kun. All the same, he had learned to respect Sai in this afternoon. The Ink ninja wasn't weak or careless, he obviously felt something for his own pack mates beneath all the traded barbed insults. Nor did he waste breath on truly unkind things with them, indeed some of the ink nin's antics were even amusing.

What Akamaru could not bring himself to respect was the other side of Sai's personality. Seeing the sharp flip flop of his temperament up close guaranteed that. The ink ninja could go from stone calm to thunder storm furious at the drop of a hat, without any warning or signs of provocation. Not one the dog understood anyways.

Despite this, Hinata-chan seemed to trust him, and there in lies the dog's dilemma, because he can not. Leaving Hinata-chan alone with the fellow just feels unsafe. If the nin dog could say anything, it is that despite the connection between his pack mate and the stranger, Sai had caused more tears and fretfulness then good. For that Akamaru worries.

"So is there a reason your dog's still following us?" The nin dog growled unpleasantly behind them, and Hinata sighed, wondering where the good atmosphere at Kakashi-san's house went.

"Sai, you know his name is Akamaru, and he's not mine, he's a member of my team."

"Your point being?"

Hinata looked at him spent, "just that, can we stop being confrontational for the rest of tonight?"

Sai frowned, "I'm not trying to, if anyone here is- it's that mutt." Which Akamaru responded to by snapping at his ankles. He dodged easily, sparing the canine a passing look of annoyance, "you already told him to go back to his kennel at-"

More snaps, Sai ignored them as he evaded. "-at their Inuzuka den, he's not going though- he's following us." Or rather me.

Hinata watched her two companions in tired vexation, "I know, but is it really an issue? He'll only follow to the compound, not further. I think he's just little worried is all, so please, let's not bicker."

Sai deadpanned, "your confidence in my tenacity is flattering Hyuga-chan, but no- I'm not looking for a fight."

Hinata sent an appraising look back, "you sure? Most don't like disrespectful names."

Sai considered the point before he shrugged, "I call them as I see fit, and this is just an observation , but your teammates can be real-"

He had to jump higher this time, avoiding the heavy snap that would have torn off his calve muscles, "-pains in the ass."

"Akamaru stop doing that!" Hinata ground to a halt, not at all happy with how close the last one was to heavily injuring the ink ninja again.

The nin dog however didn't listen, he simply stopped snarling and prowled around the two ninjas before sitting staunchly by Hinata's side.

She deflated, hand going to her team nin-animal's head, "what's wrong with you? Why are you so snappy at Sai at now of all times? I don't want to chase you off to Kiba-kun - but if your going behave like this, I'll have to. Sai is my guest right now Akamaru, please understand?"

The nin dog simply stared back at her then turned to Sai with a not so imperceptible glare. The ink shinobi made no indication of being aware of it, yawning widely instead. Hinata rubbed her eyes in exasperation, the day had gone on long enough as is- she really wasn't in the mood to deal with it.

She blinked when she felt a gentle grasp to her wrist and Akamaru's growling returned. Sai had bridged the distance between them and lifted her hand, his other gently skimming her fallen locks behind her ear.

"There, you look better when you aren't covering your face." She blushed in the dark, and Akamaru growled an octive lower, no longer crouched but ready to attack. Sai looked back to the dog, his hands retracting.

"Aliright you, if I'm understanding right fluff mutt, you have a problem with me alone with your team princess. Correct?"

Hinata's brow wrinkled at 'princess' and Akamaru didn't stop growling, possibly more at the addition of fluff. Sai continued without worry.

"However, Hyuga-chan isn't a princess, she's a ninja with solid defense. You need not worry about me doing something to her, because right now she can beat me without issue. It'll probably be like that for the next week at least. I'll be gone in just another day."

The white nin dog stopped growling but paced back and forth instead glaring occasionally at the ink ninja, and Sai breathed out weary boned.

"Still not convinced hmm?"

Akamaru didn't stop pacing.

"-Have it your way then." He looked back at Hinata neutrally, "Hyuga-chan please close half my tanketsu points through a juken attack."

Her eyes widened, lips bobbing trout like, "Wha- No Sai! Why would I do that? I can't-I won't; w-we just stressed your chakra system a few hours ago."

Sai shrugged the thought, "ok then. He might keep following us though, probably for the duration of my stay. Maybe that's not a big deal; that I'm not trusted. Still, I'd prefer to be, hence the suggestion."

Sai then looked at Akamaru who had stopped pacing, "you want to too, right fluffers?" The nin-dog growled again, not at all liking the nickname. Sai of course, just smiled and Hinata was struck still by genity of the gesture, which made his next words so stark, "You can't exactly go back and report to your mangy mutt master without being sure neh?"

Sai didn't flinch as Akamaru roared again, diving up and knocking him down in a vicious chomp at the root-nin's neck. Before Hinata could let out a shrill yell for the nin-dog to stop, Sai laughed lightly. Akamaru had growled mere inches from him, claws on his shoulder and drool splayed.

"Heheh, alright, alright. I understand. No more nicknames. It's a bit late to play an intimidation game now though, isn't it? We both know that's not going to work." Sai even scratched Akamaru affectionately behind the ears, not that the nin dog enjoyed it exactly- trying to bite his hand instead, before pushing off with a growl.

The dog then primly turned away from him, turning to Hinata and nudging her hand with his wet nose, looking pointedly at the ink nin, who was still in a bemused sort.

Hinata glared down the canine's intention, "no Akamaru-kun, I'm not going with Sai's suggestion."

The nin dog gave her puppy eyes, whining and licking the back of her hand. She drew her hand away staunchly, "I mean it." He whined even further, paw nudging at her ninja pants and Hinata shook her head with a sigh. "Please Akamaru, I think it's time for you to go home now, don't you want to see Kiba, Hana and all the rest of the pack? You've been with me all day." He whimpered in response, and Hinata mussed with the fur around his neck kindly, "It will be fine, Nothing's going to happen okay? Sai's my guest tonight, we won't fight."

The nin dog growl grumbled once more, and Hinata scratched the back of his head, speaking softly, "now go on. I'll see you, everyone else tomorrow, Alright?"

Akamaru whined one last time, licked Hinata on the cheek a couple more before growling lastly at the ink nin. He then jumped off the roof with swish of the tail, swallowed by the gloom.

Hinata exhaled wearily, finally they could get going again. Sai couldn't help but smirk at it all as he grunted and stretched himself upright.

She frowned, not seeing the source of his amusement, "... Is there something funny Sai?"

The root nin toned down his smile, cracking his neck relaxed, "Not really, I guess I just find it entertaining how protective even fluffers is of you, it's actually quite cute." His expression turned mischievous, "you really must build a better reputation though Hyuga-chan, it's not really fair is it- to make even your teammate's dog worry about you?"

Hinata looked scandalized,"t-it's still better than your's. At-at least I haven't done anything to scare nin-animals, thank you very much."

Sai raised his eyebrows at her sass, Hinata seemed to realize that too, jerking away in mortified embarrassment. He stopped her train of thought from nosediving by smoothly replying, "alright then... Would you like to race the rest of the way?"

She glanced furtively back, and lifted into a small smile, "-K-keep up if you can," then bolted, flushing internally at her suggestive tease streak. If the split second lip curl she saw meant anything, she's fairly sure Sai didn't mind it.

The ink ninja sighed appreciatively as he slid into the hot water, soaking himself up to his ears. It felt like it had been ages since he took a bath, even though only two days had passed. Given today was very long and busy one, feeling more like week's worth of craziness then one day. Sai sat contendedly as he soaked, turning the events of the day in his head. Particularly, the chase.

He and Hinata had run themselves through, into each other and onto the compound walls spiritedly. Sai reveled in the short stint of Hinata's warmth as it felt like she was relaxing around him for once, and it had gone both ways. He enjoyed that, the night air had been refreshing and the race freeing. He hoped to spend more time like that with her in the future. Today though he had admit was over. After they caught their breath, he promised Hinata to be polite as they talked to branch member's standing guard. They entered the sprawling complex on the tail of two servants, and Hinata arranged so he could have a bath and a room to sleep in somewhere in the maze of halls. His drowsy thoughts shifted when a query rose over the ceiling.

"Hey, Sai-kun are you there?"

"...Hyuga-chan?" He sloshed into surprised wakefulness, turning to the left wall, "what is it?"

"Oh, good, just wanted to make sure you didn't fall asleep in there."

Sai's laid his head against the square tub's edge, "ah, I see ...thanks... though it wouldn't be so bad if I did."

Her semi-alarmed voice sailed back,"wh-why's that?"

"Well. I'm sure you'd have rescued me if I did fall asleep."

A pitched cough,"S-Sai, please," his lips quirked, feeling her blush tangible in the air. "And I'd like to avoid that." He was about to remark back, when the sound of running water in the next bathroom radiated to his ear.

He shifted in blinking curiosity, "you-you're going to take your bath there?"

This evidently embarrassed her, "um- uah yeah, you- you don't mind do you? I-I just thought it'd be easier to show you the way back to your room, after, instead of troubling Kohane-san further tonight." She could have the help of any and all branch member servants she wanted- but not tonight, drawing a bath by herself was actually the best way to avoid attention. Hinata was brought out of her thoughts then my Sai's amused voice

"Mmhmm, and here I thought you'd come for an opportunity to peek on me."

There was an indignant splash as she slipped and squealed "Sai!" The root-nin was pleased by the stock redness in Hinata's voice, he didn't miss the muttered comment after, "I should be the one worried about being peeked on by you."

The ink nin grinned, dunking his head in then stepping out of the water, figuring he should actually start washing before he turned to a complete prune, "but you came anyways Hyuga-san, doesn't that imply you've already conquered that fear?"

He heard her scoff, yet it was also lark like, "...conquering fear is different then having none." Sai's lips curved kindly, squeezing shampoo into his hand and began to scrub, "that sounds like you have a healthy perception of risks then. That's a good quality."

More sploshing from the other side as the water stopped running, and Sai guessed from the light shifting sounds that Hinata was getting in her bath. They carried on in an odd comfortable silence. He turned on the shower and relished the beat of it against his scalp.

"Ano Sai-kun?"

"Yes?" He had reduced the shower water pressure when Hinata's voice floated over tentatively, "Can- can I ask you a question?"

Sai briefly wondered why, when shy, people often say that, but he let the thread pass, "okay."

There was a gap of silence, the ink nin looked towards the wall,"..um... Actually never mind- Sorry I lost my line of thought, silly me heh."

Sai frowned, easily seeing the anxiety through her nervous tittering, "Hinata-chan- what is it?"

"It's nothing."

"...you wanted to ask me something."

Sai was met with silence.

The ink nin watched the wall for that moment before sending, "Hinata it's alright to, you know?..."

Sai mushed the wet scrubber soaping it to wring out his own trepidation, "I admit I'm probably not the ideal conversation partner, but...you can talk to me when you like...I enjoy talking with you."

There was a pause and a humorless exhale, "...Sai- oh Sai-kun- how could your enjoy that? T-Talking with me."

He frowned, "why wouldn't I?"

"Well I-I spent a lot of today interrogating you."

A beat as the Anbu ruminated, before pondering out loud, "perhaps I enjoy being the 'bottom' in a relationship?" At the sharp intake from the other side, he clucked his tongue and gave her a break, "Hinata-chan, that was a joke."

She unraveled into a keening exhale, "tha-Sai! That was not funny. Oh Kami-," his lips twitched otherwise and she continued flustered.

"Sai, please forget that I asked neh? I- I've made you uncomfortable enough today with unsettling topics. Gomen."

He glanced at the wall contemplatively and started scrubbing again, voice torque like, "I'm not so sure about that. It feels somewhat close to even so far."

An incredulous, "S-somewhat close to even?" Was his answer, and he scratched his nose abashed. "Well...I distressed you with my nickname and comments towards Akamaru didn't I?- and as well as before that-at Kakashi-san's-"

Before the kiss. Here Hinata squirmed and Sai swallowed what went unsaid, coughing lightly and fiddling with the taps.

"...Anyways, if we were keeping track. that-how they say, 'evens the playing field' somewhat?"

He heard pips of sploshing as Hinata's voice floated over, "b-but Sai-kun, tha-that's not..."A deflated sigh, he stopped. "Earlier, when you- proposed to me to close your tanketsu points- and before that- when you came back. You said ... those things for me- not - Not just to."

Sai stared unseeing and Hinata continued, voice like crushed little cinnamon hearts, "I- I don't know what it was- but I- I did something wrong at Kakashi-san's, and it- it made you run. You still came back though, c-cause I chased after you. And, with A-akamaru, he was behaving badly to you because he was scared, so you offered-yourself, a surrender, for me, just so that he wouldn't. And-"

His hands twitched under the shower fall, water running between fingers, neither knowing how to respond to her words or the struggling in his chest.

"..augh- I don't know what I'm getting at anymore. I'm sorry Sai-kun," a depreciate titter, "I've gone and done it again, dragged us back into an uncomfortable subject, Sorry."

His hand curled into a fist, "Hinata-chan-" he thumped it into the slippery tile wall surprisingly upset. "no more apologies, please. When..."

He grimaced, " When I left at Kakashi's place, that wasn't your fault, not really- just.."

A Retched swallow, Fu€k. He still couldn't beat it out; too much there and no right words or place to start. He chuckled morosely, ribs twinging, Hinata looked to the other side worried as Sai tried not to swallow his own tongue, "- I really am poor at explaining myself."

Her voice ran nervous in response at the other side, "hey-that's okay- I am too. Bad at talking about myself, sometimes, that is. So- don't worry about it. No pressure- Kami- I still think I should be the one Appo-"

"-NO. Hinata." He fingers twisted out and into clenches, "-Hinata-chan, it's reasonable to feel confused about today. I just... A lot happened, something nasty, before this... A long time ago-" Stary skies and twilight laughter flashed, cold shackles and brother's naked breathing rattled in his throat. Rat skulls scattered on concrete, staring to the void.

He coughed ineffectually, focusing on the torrents of drops falling away from his face, defaulting into deep breaths, incisors avoiding tongue.

"..It's...it's difficult to talk about." He blinked heavily, hanging onto the sting of the liquid falling in and out of his eyes. "...it makes me a difficult person to be around, and-" shit his voice sounded like a death.

Sai took a creaking breath, "But this here? Talking to you?-it is worth having. Despite my short comings, it means something to me. So please don't say sorry, don't treat your own thoughts as disposable or unnecessary. You are necessary." To me, and that, that made him keenly aware of the water drops past his eyes.

Hinata's stared at her own hands against the tub edge, eyes cloudless and center floored. Her insides felt like a vortex of unsorted feelings, yet she couldn't block the pained clatter that surfaced. How? Of all the people to ever stay in this house?

It's you who tells me that?

Slowly aware of the lack of response, Sai's voice rang over, "...Hinata?"

She adjusted, coughing exhale and nicking the shower head to blast away the unexpected burn behind her eyes. Sai didn't mean it like that silly, and at the same time he did, for that, she smiled despite her throat constricting. "Yeah! I'm here."

"-Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, heh, just got a little shampoo in my eyes is all- don't worry."

"Hinata-"

"I'm good, really...thank you, Sai-kun," she scrubbed her face under the spray, like she was polishing kindness dropped from the sky, "thank you for telling me that- for talking with me like this."

If she could tell he was blushing, he wouldn't know, but he tried his best to keep the embarrassment from colouring his voice. "...You're welcome Hinata-chan."

A murmured sound between joy and pain he couldn't make out, a pause and the Hyuga heir dropped her head against cool tile walls."Sai?"

"Mmhmn?" The shower at the other room shut off, "-Can I give you a hug?"

He whipped his head so fast his neck snapped, cringing, he fought the sudden spots in his sights, "Wa-What?"

"A hug."

He stared a little disoriented, "...right now?"

"Hai," the breathy way she said it made his blood go to unfortunate place, "But Hinata we're-"Naked, utterly.

She exhaled and sploshing sounds reached him, like she was standing up. "Put on something ok? I'm... I'm coming over-"

He nearly fell on his face, blood flushing to his ears dizzyingly fast, "No wait, Hyuga-san this isn't- You shouldn't-" there was the distinct sound of the neighbouring door sliding open. Sai scrambled to get a towel, anything, he stubbed his toe hard against the low stool he was showering. Half hopping, half slipping over to the wooden bench, he roughly pulled a towel around his waist as Hinata knocked against the misted door.

"-may I come in?"

Tieing the towel tighter, he grabbed the handle, pulling with words on the tips of his tongue to tell her how improper this all is, to go back-

"Ah"

Too late, lithe arms were already around him, pliant hands woven to the small of his back, tingling breath fluttering on his neck as she buried her face against him.

She had put on the thin hadajuban haphazardly without drying, her breast rising and falling, pressed to his. He stared frozen, mesmerized by the flow of her river black locks spilling down her back, sinews of the smoothest hardwood.

Her words, murmured to his jumping pulse, "I.. I just needed this for a bit." She exhaled deeply, drawing a semi circle on his back in a long squeeze. Pulling away, eyes shimmering like snowfall, "I-I know you said no more sorrys. But forgive this bit of selfishness neh?"

And Sai's pupils dilated, from her wet lips, the scent of her skin, hair, everything.

"-Selfishness?"

The brick and mortar wall crumbled, so he breathed out and finally crushed her against him, eliciting a flighty-ah.

"Who's?"

He could feel her eyelashes fluttering, Hinata was catching air that he forced out, and he buried his nose against her cream nape, words laid on warm skin.

"Your's or Mine?"

She closed her eyes, lips lapsing into a small laugh at the truth between them. "...Both- I guess." His arms molded closer to her, like he's wanted to since the start.

Hinata turned her cheek slightly, reddening quickly. Sai's everything was spurringly warm, his breath moist against her collar bone, making the thinness of her wet hadajuban difficult to ignore. She licked her suddenly dry lips and swallowed, as his hot hands slid, through her wet locks, down her spine against the small of her back and stroked her sides.

"..Sai?"

He lifted his face away, lips barely brushing skin, fighting back the urge to capture stray water droplets. They looked at one another, black eyes dusky and lidded, opalescent ones luminous and glossy.

He breathed out a ocean's worth in pressure, "... Books I've read... say I should ask first."

She gulped slightly, felt her finger tips curling.

"...May I?"

Hinata closed her eyes and counted to three, stirring nervous voices arguing by her ears, then she opened up, hesitant and brave.

"Yes."

His lips felt distressingly good.

The first tentative and soft, the second lingering, by the third it was deliciously long and turning heated. She was forgetting how to breath and squeaking, and -oh, that's what tongue feels like.

And-can't believe this is -Ah -why weren't they stopping?

Hinata broke away for air, sometime in the- eighth? Sixteenth? Slippery kiss, and she breathed overwhelmed. Sai inhaled for the same, feeling light headed and high as a kite. He leaned his forehead against her's, and pinker then bubblegum, her word tumbled out like a gasp,"W-wow."

Sai couldn't help but grin shyly, "same."

She felt embarrassed enough to faint, and tucked her face against his neck to hide, eyes screwed shut, the full gravity of what her impulsive act initiated falling upon her.

"-C-can-can we slow down? P-please?" Now Sai could feel her shaking against him, and he didn't know if he wanted to celebrate or shudder with her. It felt good to just stay like this. He blinked rapidly, and reminded himself that the person of his affection was currently on her way to meltdown mode.

"Sure Hinata-chan."

Sai looked around absently, toeing the smooth lacquered hardwood beneath his foot rhythmically. It didn't exactly register before but now that he had a few moments to take it all in- the entire place oozed money. Polished sandalwood, maples and hemlock made the trims, floors and rafters. The finest papers painted delicately with watercolour cranes and other zen mishmash adorend scrolls and sliding doors. A subtle scent of incense pervaded everywhere, and the silence was tempered by soft steps of servants that seemed just outside of the range of notice.

Perhaps it would be normal to be intimidated by the aura of prestige the place presented, or annoyed by this rich old fashioned get up. Sai just kind of wanted to sneeze. This wasn't out of disdain or envy of anything, truthfully he just didn't care about it. The number of places he'd been to and plethora of scents he encountered on Root missions pretty much desensitized him to awe of new surroundings. The details were different in each, dyamo's palaces, passing fields or syndicate deal rooms and all that, but they always meant the same thing in the end. Find the target, note localized and available support, make the kill or obtain the objective to wrap up the job.

He cracked his knuckles and grimaced all the same; he felt guilty.

He shouldn't treat Hinata's home as just another mission environment after all.

Sai's eyes shifted then as the sliding door he was waiting on pulled open, and met bright white ones under long violet locks. She looked at him and then away in a damp blush.

"Hey"

She nodded then in shy acknowledgment and motioned with a free arm, "this way." They walked in a semi- silence, and Sai felt his attention tunneling to just the person beside him. They were both watching one another out of the corner's of their gaze. At the second time they caught each other looking, Hinata looked away again blushing. She then spoke to clear their awkward quiet.

"...H-how are your ribs?" He hadn't let her help re-wrap them earlier- shooing her off after they untangled from their embrace. Sai eyed her reassuringly, "they're fine," and they were, he really didn't need any more fussing or med-nin procedures. His inky gaze fell to her slim ankles and narrowed instead, "your feet? I didn't heal them fully back on that roof." Didn't help you mend what I broke.

She glanced down then back up, eyes holding an understanding, kicking back her soles for show as she walked.

"No worries, they were easy an easy fix while you were passed out." My injuries aren't your responsibilities- and that's ok.

Sai nodded reluctantly and subdued any lingering guilt. Passing by another forgettable tree and scenery piece, he settled for something familiar to keep conversation going.

"Your home is decorated with a lot of watercolour paintings with different inkan signatures. Does your family buy from a lot of local artists?" He was fairly sure decor wasn't all that stimulating of a topic, but he really didn't want to contemplate much at the moment.

Surprisingly the Hyuga smiled, speaking softly, "No, our family doesn't really buy paintings- everything on the walls are pieces done by clan members."

Sai's brows rose then questioningly, "all of them?"

Hinata nodded, pausing under one large scroll that showed a sweeping mist of Karst mountains. "This one's painted by my great-grandfather," then she pointed to a smaller piece picturing swallows perched among peach blossom's, "that one's by my aunty- Minori-san. The inkan markings are all different because they are based on our given names. Every branch and main member are required to invest in an area of activity that balance's our inner chakras. It helps in mastering and maintaining precision in our taijutsu." Sai absorbed this, unexpectedly interested by a curious notion, "then do you paint as well?"

Hinata flustered under his interest and waved her hand, "no, not at all, I... I have very little skill with brushes and paint wells." He tried not to be dissapointed by the fact, and continued asking instead, "then what 'activity' do you work on? If not with pictures, you must have applied your talents elsewhere."

The Hyuga twiddled her thumbs, embarrassed by the idea that Sai considered her to possess talents. At his interested gaze, she pitter pattered out her reply, "well... Umm, I play the Koto, not very well... but sufficiently I think..."

Sai's face became both animate and thoughtful, "the Koto hmm? You'll have to play it for me sometime."

Hinata shifted under the attention, "Ano- I-I really wouldn't want to bore you with it." She worried her lip sheepishly, "Hanabi always says I put people to sleep with my playing." A fact that proved mortifyingly true the last time she preformed, the clan elder literally fell asleep, much to the amusement of the rest of the household. Sai just shook his head blithely, coal eyes soft with encouragement, "I haven't heard you yet, so I'll judge when I do. Besides-" here his digits lifted hers, "fingers like these I think would coax something lovely out of Koto strings."

Hinata's first instinct was to blush, but then a memory of the last time she did anything 'interesting' with her hands and Sai flashed behind her eyes. She purse her lips. "..are you - you're trying to flatter me again Sai. J-just yesterday you were expressing how unimpressed you were by my Juken."

Sai, to his credit, managed to look mollified without losing any dignity, "I was complaining about your pre-battle planning and tactics Hyuga-chan, not your form. That was sufficient and well executed."

Hinata couldn't believe him, and evidently neither did the voice behind them. "Oh really? Nice save mister." This startled the lavendar-nin so much she literally jump away from him, turning to the new found audience.

"Hanabi! Wha-how long have you been there?" Sai frowned at the loss of closeness, and the younger Hyuga heir crossed her arms in the roll-your-eye's way 12 year old do.

"Long enough, sooo... When'd you get a boyfriend? gonna introduce him?"

Hinata floundered, "He's, he's-" she looked uncertainly at Sai, who glanced carefully back with a twinkle of amusement, while the elder Hyuga mentally panicked. What do I say? Comfirm it!?Deny it? Pretend I didn't hear that?! Wehaven't eventalkedaboutit-Idon'twant forceitlikethis!WhatdoiDO?

Apparently taking pity on his host's internal dilemma, Sai bowed politely to the younger of the Hyuga duo.

"Greetings, Hanabi-san, it's an honor to meet you. You can call me Sai, I'm a member of team seven, friends of your sister."

Being the one a little more open in attitude, the younger Hyuga touted appreciatively, "a smooth talker? Heh, It's very nice to meet you too Sai-san." She then lifted from her reciprocate bow and grinned impishly, a tad too cad for a genin, "you've actually snatched an interesting guy Nēsan. Otōsan's gonna love this when he gets back."

Hinata stifled her groan, red as a beet, "Hanabi, please, Sai's-"

"-Not your boyfriend?"Complete in sing-song mode, and now the little girls eyes just gleamed syrupy like, "Cause you know he is kind of hovering around you. And then there's the fact that you both look like you just came out of a bath. Together. Neeehh Onēsan? I'm really surprised, it's so out of-"

"HANABI!"

Said girl beamed, "yeeesss?"

Hinata brought herself to her full height and dismissed her little sister's gossip mongering, or at least tried to. "S-Sai-kun's A Guest, alright? He's been recently in-injured while his apartment was fumi-gated and he needed a place to stay for t-two days. I've offered our home-as gesture of good will. And right now is looong past your bed time. So. We are not discussing this further l-little sister."

The younger girl then started whining, "Aww Neēchan~ you're skimming on all the juicy details! Does Neji-Nēsan know about this? and dad- oh he is going to flip when he comes back! You gotta tell me more about how you two meeeet~"

"Good night Hanabi!" She'd grabbed Sai and pulled along jerkily, walking briskly away from her chittery sibling, who continued blanetly.

"Tomorrow then- got it! Sai-kun don't be too rough on my sister, else I'll have to beat you up!"

"GOOD NIGHT!"

The younger Hyuga fell out of sight giggling up a storm, and Hinata felt like she was going to blow a fuse, or several, or faint. Oh goodness.

Sai, the twit that he is, looked back at his host with a benign smile, "I like her."

Hinata rubbed her eyes with a groan, when was this night going to end?

Luckily for them, the ink shinobi was apparently paying some attention. As much as he enjoyed being tugged along by Hinata hand in hand, it was getting late and he actually wanted to sleep. "Am I staying in a guest room of the branch house then?"

His host nodded astutely, probably lost in her own plans for steering clear of conniving little sisters and questions for the next day. Sai of course was just guessing, based on the little furrow in her her brown and lingering fire in her cheeks. He almost regretted breaking her out of it, "alright. It's just we've been walking around the main branch building for a past while now, I trust we're not lost?"

Hinata turned on her heels, retort hot on her tongue at the implicated insult- her patience was really on it's last string. Whatever throwback she was going to unleash on him was lost then however, as Sai chose that moment to re-adjust their grip, so that his fingers entwined into hers. Hinata's gaze dropped to their joined hands with a sudden stop, stared a bit like she was seeing it the first time, then squeaked in obtuse embarrassment and shook it off vigorously. Taking a step back, she halted in sudden guilt, fearful of finding a wounded emotion on her guest's face at her obvious over reaction.

Sai in actuality, had brought a hand up to stifle his amusement. As he caught her deer-in- head-lights stare, he cracked up in stitches.

"Wha~ Sai?" Hinata was definitely lost now.

He continued to giggle nonetheless, arms around his side, oww, really laughing hurt injured ribs apparently. "It's -just hehehe, we've already kissed- at least twice. And you're O.k. with that- but hehehe, you completely freak out, because you forgot we were holding hands. Hehahaha- that's just hilarious."

The Hyuga's face turned rosey, parting and closing her lips several time to rebuke that. Sai just continued snicker brazenly, and eventually, her expression shifted into a whispery sheepish smile, "-it is a little silly isn't it?"

"Hehehe, You think?"

She shoved his shoulder good naturedly, and Sai's titters reignited, so that the Hyuga couldn't help but join in the last gaspy throes of laughter. The Anbu-nin finally straightened after his rib muscles were exhausted and the spasms subsided. He brushed tears from the corners of his eyes in an appreciative exhale. "Ah-that, is exactly what we need everyday."

She rubbed her forearm self-consciously, "Laughing at me?"

Sai seemed to actually think the notion for a bit before Hinata pinched him in annoyance. He brushed it off and grinned disarmingly, fighting off any return giggles easily, "no, no. Just: being silly. Taking our time to not think about anything."

She considered his notion, their long day, apart and together, starting from the moment they woke up respectively. She mentally ran all the moments in between, the fallout, the recovery, their arguments, the first kiss, the second plus more, till now in their tired gazes under her family's roof. Then Hyuga Hinata smiled purely, unblemished by nervousness, embarrassment, or any of the many other incurred injuries of life.

"Yeah- let's try to for that in the next days neh Sai-kun?"

"Laughing our heads off?" Because he wanted to be cheeky and he could be, Hinata elbowed him playfully.

"Living it, you nincompoop. And having some fun while we're at it too."

That sounded like a proposition he could take up on.

Name translations

Kohane- (小羽)- small feather

Hadajuban(肌襦袢)-literally means: skin undershirt. it's a base layer of a kimono, and in older times it's considered underwear- if you look it up though- it looks pj's

Minori-(里)- Truth

Koto-(箏)- Japanese stringed instrument- similar to Chinese guzheng- in the zither family.

Inkan- (印鑑)- Chop's in colloquialism- they're stamp seals- eastern equivalent to signatures

A/N: and so the longest effing day in a story i've ever written ends- baugh- i can't believe i spent 10+ chapters on this one day. anyways- thank you for everyone who's reviewed- and apologies for the shift in pacing/style character conversations in the past few chapters that have caused confusion. This chapter is particularly longer in comparison to others- but it didn't feel right to chop it up, i apologize if Sai's and Hinata's development have come off forced, especially in this chapter. heck Hinata's and Sai's behavior each go a bit OOC at different times, but hopefully it feels natural? idk haha.

(und yes- Neji and Hiashi's reactions are a coming- patience, plotty points are coming!)