Worth Fighting For
Summary: An attempt to force a political marriage threatens to break apart Sai and Ino's relationship but things take an unexpected turn, revealing hidden motives and buried connections to Sai's forgotten past.
A/N: All of my stories are connected but they do not have to be read in any particular order. Thank you for your feedback!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto but I do really love these characters, especially Sai and Ino.
Chapter One: An Unexpected Assignment
His last mission hadn't been easy, but Sai had successfully completed it, alone, and returned to the mission desk at midday, exhausted. He only had a short break to see Ino before having to report back for his next assignment, and he wondered for a moment why he would be called back so quickly. Lately, he and Ino's "dating" had been reduced to a few stolen moments in between the never-ending demands of their work.
He stepped out of the shadowy trees into the fading afternoon sun. The darkness of the forest broke into a small, open stretch of grass and a scattering of wildflowers. Sai settled down on the ground and pulled out his art supplies to wait for Ino's arrival. As he leaned over his drawing his ink black hair fell in jagged waves across his pale face. The charcoal in his hand followed the path of his memory until a lifelike sketch of Ino's face appeared, eyeing him with that slight half-smile she saved only for him.
Suddenly, he felt Ino's arms encircle him, her breath warm on his neck, and he leaned into her embrace. Fifty-eight minutes before he had to report back to get back to his next mysterious assignment. She would be gone to the hospital then. They had briefly slipped away to the edges of their world but remained close enough to still know its incessant tug-relentless and clawing. Fifty-seven and a half minutes. Ino glanced at Sai's new drawing and offered a matching half smile to her charcoal sketch counterpart.
"Is this how you see me?" She was always amazed at how talented he was-a museum worthy piece casually drawn while he was waiting.
Sai traced the loose strands of her sunshine hair tumbling over her purple sleeveless shirt. "Yes," he smiled-a real smile, "...Beautiful." The inside joke of that nickname never got old. His own small smile was answered with a feathery brush of her lips against his. He tangled his fingers into her hair and leaned into her kiss. A tangle of words whispered through his mind as he subconsciously stumbled through word choices, phrases, and descriptions from his many books on relationships. He paused to look at her, his dark eyes confident. Fifty-six minutes left.
Koharu sat comfortably in the Hokage's office. The long-time Konoha council member was quietly savoring her position as temporary leader of the village while the Rokudaime was away. Her ancient face stared at Sai as he stood before her, tall and silent, his blunt tipped sword swung behind his right shoulder. Behind his back were his large shinobi scrolls, carefully rolled up with his brushes and chakra ink tucked inside, the weight held effortlessly against his back. Koharu leaned back in her seat evaluating him but the "mission briefing" was not what Sai expected. She explained, with a tone that seemed indifferent, that the Rain Village has sent a proposal for a shinobi union, a marriage. "So, it's time for this—relationship with Yamanaka Ino to end," she continued, "The union has been requested and we intend to agree." Sai struggled to process his sudden influx of unfamiliar emotions as Koharu's words fell over him like a rainstorm. The lean muscles of his back were suddenly tense. Lately his normally sharp intellect was often derailed by his fledgling emotions. He struggled, as he was now, with the balance of coaxing them out versus reigning them in.
"The union that has been offered is going to be quite valuable and we will need your cooperation to make this work." Sai continued to feel a tide of unfamiliar feelings well up in his chest, anger, jealousy, sadness, irritation? Instead, of his usual labeling exercise, he let them brush past him as he answered calmly. "That's not going to happen."
"Well, I can certainly understand why you find her appealing." Koharu said, attempting to sound consoling, "And I'm sure she enjoys your attention." She paused, "But everyone who sees you two together understands that this adolescent flirtation can't last."
He chose to ignore the condescension in her tone. He was nineteen years old and had never been allowed to have a childhood. He had killed people for the protection of the village since he was six years old. It was absurd to refer to him as adolescent. But, despite the growing tension within him, Sai's dark eyes remained impassive, his voice was firm.
"Her family will not allow her to be sent away," he paused, "Nor would she be willing..." Koharu's expression softened for the briefest moment before returning to steel. She suddenly realized that Sai had completely misunderstood her. Pushing back in her chair, she sighed, "The request wasn't for Ino," she paused again, "it was for you." Sai's face flushed with the new confusion he suddenly felt. Koharu waited again to allow him to digest his new reality. "I know it's sudden, but you will need to depart tomorrow, once the paperwork is completed."