Disclaimer: all of the characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto
English translation mainly done by asian lady bird/veeganburger. Thank you so much ^^
ONE CALL AWAY
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Amegakure was welcoming sorrow at that time. The sky slowly but surely began to darken. Dark, as deep as drowning in a black soot.
A man with whose hair shared a similar color with the dark sky outside was sitting comfortably against the window frame. His hand held a brush, while the other hand supported a canvas. He moved his brush in harmony, polishing the colors between and the line drawn on there.
Finished coloring the torso, Sai let his brush get soaked in the cup of a water to clean the paint away. He twirled his brush seamlessly, neutralizing the color that remained between the fine strands of the brush. It only takes a split second for him to removed it from there, and then he decided to tap the brush on the edge of the palette in order to firm the texture faster.
His head turned, observing the row of paint colors available in the box, lined up to form a perfect gradation. Sai tried to consider it carefully. His sharp eyes observed the shades if yellow that lined up neatly. His stare seemed to be calculating, rocking in solemnity. He is looking for a color that is suitable for coloring the hair part
'Ah, no, no, the yellow isn't ike this', he thought as his eyes fell on the first shade. Bright yellow hair like this was more for Naruto.
Hers was different.
He then moved his head to stare out the window. His head automatically looked up and his eyes drawn automatically on the moon above. The moon shines — and its light instantly remind him of something-
Or someone - more precisely.
The soft yellow glow of the moonlight suited her better. If Naruto is the sun, then Sai thought she is more like the moon.
The moon looked shining brightly from there. So contrast and so out of the place. The moon seemed so different from the black clouds that surrounded its light.
Just like both of them.
Like him and her. Black and yellow. Dark and bright.
They were so different, like two opposing poles. The two sides that were not the same. Sai who was like the night sky above, meanwhile she is like the moon. She-
"Sai?"
The sound of her voice suddenly rang in the head. Without permission. Without preparation.
Sai could not tell if that was the result of his hallucination. Was it because Sai was just thinking about her? And suddenly he could hear her voice? Did his mind decide to play tricks on him now? Was he crazy?
"Hello, Sai? Can you hear me?"
The voice echoed again. A voice that of course was oh so familiar. Someone who had telepathic abilities in Konohagakure. Who else if it's not -
.
"Ino?"
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"Hi, it turns out you can hear me," she said, followed by a small melodic laugh, "What are you doing?"
Sai blinked several times, still trying to digest what was happening. Eh? Why so sudden? Did something bad happen so that's the reason why Ino suddenly contacted him via telepathy like this? What-
"Did something happen in the village?" He blurted out his thoughts before he could stop it. His heartbeat then began to move faster. He strangely felt uneasy and instantly nervous. A worry. "Are you okay?"
"Nothing happened," the answer was automatically delivered, bringing an extraordinary relief coursing through his body. Sai did not even realize he was holding his breath previously.
"Then what's up?" He immediately asked again.
Ino did not answer right away. She took her time to formulate a response. Long enough, until Sai had a thought that maybe their telepathic connection was disconnected. He wanted to confirm it, but Ino's voice dispelled his thought by saying,
.
"I just want to hear your voice,"
Both of them then got quiet after that.
They let silence engulfed them, allowing the peace from it consuming them. Warm sensation engulfed each of their conscience with only a series of accompanying words.
Still from his silence, Sai chose to look out the window once again. His eyes were fixed on the moon that had the same color as his lover's hair. Without realizing it, slowly by slowly, the tip of his lips curved themselves, almost involuntarily.
"Oh,"
"Oh?" Ino parroted, sounding perplexed. "I was trying to be romantic, and you just said oh?"
Sai's smile widened slightly from her words. Now it looked more like a cheeky smile-Sai had learned to do that lately-if only she could see it.
"... Oh,"
"How annoying," Ino began to mumble sulkily, probably already pouting by now. Sai relished it, trying to imagine her lips forming a pout from there. He remembered that it was something she usually did when things didn't go her way. He secretly enjoyed it.
"By the way, why haven't you slept yet?" Suddenly the subject of the conversation was changed by Ino.
Sai did not immediately reply. He preferred to pick up his brush again, dip it in yellow paint and lightly mix it with a light brown color to get the yellow shade he wanted — his favourite yellow shade.
The color of Ino's hair.
The tip of the brush then touched the surface of the canvas. Touching the fine lines on there, polishing space after space without a single faults.
"Why haven't you slept yourself?" Sai chose to turn back the question instead.
Sai could hear the Yamanaka heiress on the side of the connection sighing - maybe rather annoyed that her question hadn't been answered and it was thrown back at her, instead. "I can't sleep," the girl said bluntly. The dark-haired man muttered incoherently. His hands were still busy and transfixed on refining the Ino's sketch. Drowning her figure in pretty colours.
"Why can't you sleep?"
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"Because you're not here,"
The sentence made the movement of his hand stop immediately.
There was a swollen pause before the girl finally spoke again, and Sai felt his breath get taken away from split second. "Looks like I'm too accustomed to spending the night with you. And when there's no you by my side right now, it feels like something is missing."
Again Sai allowed himself to be engraved in silence, secretly enjoying the melody of Ino's voice that soothed his ear when she was busy narrating from the other side.
.
The whole situation reminded Sai of this reality that he was set in.
The reality that now they to be away for each other for a quite long time.
This was Sai's first long-term mission after a whole year. He and Kiba were entrusted by Kakashi on an important mission to watch over the Ame State Daimyo whose movements began to raise suspicion. Kakashi believed that the Daimyo still had a misguided ideology taught by the Akatsuki who ruled the village years ago. It's actually common accurance. There always this kind of extrimists and weird people who get 'brain washed' from those false ideologies.
It was also possible that the Daimyo was trying to build an army to start a new war. Sai and Kiba were tasked with spying, by merging and trying to blend in that targeted group, in order to obtain factual, accurate, and sensible data. The two of them had to stay there long enough and observe all their actions for about 2 to 3 months so they could figure out what this group was up to.
This was also Sai's first long-term mission since he began dating the Yamanaka heiress. Speaking of which, if Sai hadn't miscalculated, their relationship had now been going on for about 6 months.
Due to the situation of the five countries being relatively calm after post-war reparations, they usually got a mission with only a period of one or two days. A week at max. It was rare to get a long-term mission like this. If it was only for a day or two, Ino also did not need to bother contacting him telepathically just to ask for news. But Sai usually still took the time to write letters with his chouju giga if sometimes the mission must take longer than expected. He once read in a book that it was such a thoughful and romantic gesture, and the girl would be happy because of it.
Sai had figured that he liked to do anything that makes Ino happy.
Anyway, lately there were not many missions outside the village. The level of the mission was only in the D or C level. Sometimes it could be B, but the frequency was not as much as before. These level missions could usually be handled by a group of genin and chunin of Konoha Village. They are more than enough.
Konoha 11 were now more preoccupied with diplomacy and internal village assignments. Sai's time was mostly taken up by helping Kakashi, Naruto, and Shikamaru in making village regulations and arrangements. Occasionally he would also help teach the kids at the Academy if Iruka-sensei asked.
Meanwhile his girlfriend's schedule was more packed. Ino had to multitask several things at once. She had to divide her time to take care of the interrogation, Konoha Children Mental Hospital, and also Yamanaka Flower Shop.
Now, for the first time, Sai and Ino must be willing to undergo a long distance relationship for awhile. And this was a new experience for Ino and Sai as lovers.
Sai knew and was aware, since getting to know the people in the village of Konoha, especially Team 7 and Ino, he could always feel new experiences that he had never had in his entire life before.
In the past, especially when he was still in Root, Sai was actually used to carrying out long missions like this. But now the situation was different. Sai meant something for someone now.
And now, for some reason, it felt like there was something else nagging at the back of his mind and heart.
Something was greatly missing.
...and he know exactly what it was.
Sai got his attention back at the exact time Ino finished her blabbering. Ino could sulk and throw tantrums if he knew Sai wasn't listening to her story. In the next instant, the young man could hear Ino released an amused grunt, "Geez. It's embarrassing right? Why am I suddenly acting like a spoiled princess like this. I'm a ninja for a fuck sake—"
"I also,"
Ino suddenly fell silent when Sai said that. Stunned, more precisely. Sai then heard her try to respond. Her voice come out a bit choked, between shocked, confused-and in the end, it come out as a squeak.
.
"... What?"
"I can't sleep either, because you're not here." Sai admitted finally.
"...Really?" She sounded doubtful but also...hopeful at the same time?
"Yes. And because I can't sleep, I decided to draw"
There was a pause for some time, before Ino then asked, "What are you drawing?"
"You, of course," his anwer came in without missing a beat.
Ino responded with an amused laugh, between shy but also flattered. "You don't get bored drawing me?"
"No," Sai answered spontaneously. His hand reached for the brush again to complete its delayed task, "Why should I get bored of painting something beautiful?"
Sai said that in a neutral tone, so neutral and so easily — as easy as taking a breath or talking about weather. He did not realize those words made Ino almost wanted to squeal out loud.
As a result, he could only hear Ino coughing a little. He did not know that his girl's cheeks were now as red as a tomato, blushing shyly because of what he was saying seconds ago.
"Well," Ino cleared her throat, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "Eum ... so, Is Kiba sleeping there?"
"He is," Sai glanced at the tatami occupied by his teammate at the end of the room, along with his loyal dog Akamaru on the other side. They were fast asleep. It was expected and normal. It was already past late at night, anyway.
"You should also go to sleep, then, " she suggested with a calming lull that sounded so soft. As calm as water and as soft as velvet, " It's late. Isn't your surveillance mission going to start tomorrow? You have to prepare your physique well, Sai. Don't sleep too late, or the next day you will get tired easily and lose your focus— "
Sai smiled softly.
A nagging Ino was one of the things he missed when they were apart like this.
The woman did not change. And now, he missed her even more.
"Yes, I will sleep after I'm done with my painting,"
"Promise me?"
"Promise," Sai murmured, as he began to color Ino's irises with the blue shade he always admired and loved. "But you also have to take a rest too after this,"
"Okay, deal" Ino said in a final. "I'll cut off our telepathic contact after this and let you sleep,"
Deep in his heart, Sai wanted to protest. In fact he actually still wanted to hear Ino's voice accompanying him in this lonely night. But Sai kept the desire deep and chose to nod, even though Ino could not see it.
"Good night, Ino," he whispered to the into the night air, as if he was praying she could be there at the moment when he said it.
There was a long pause before Ino's familiar voice rang and soothed his ears like a lullaby. The same sound that usually always managed to drive his consciousness to the warm embrace of sweet dreams.
.
"Good night, Sai,"
He was on the seventh day of the mission when Ino suddenly contacted him again via telepathy.
Sai was actually quite surprised to get this sudden call, because Ino had said the last time they did it-like three days ago or something-that she was quite busy lately with his duties at T&I and the Hospital. Sai could of course imagine Ino being exhausted after a busy day. He also certainly did not want her to waste his chakra to make telepathic connections with him at this time of night. It was already late.
"Sai?"
"Yes, Miss Beautiful?"
Ino sounded just as shocked, "Wait. You haven't sleep yer?"
"Why do you sound surprised?" A smile crept into the lips of Sai who was currently lying down on his tatami, his dark eyes staring at the ceiling above. He intended to kept his voice in a low volume, remembering not far from him, Kiba was already fast asleep with small snores following. "You are the one who called me and hoped I was already sleeping?"
He could imagine Ino grinning broadly from the other side, "Hehe. I was actually not planning to do so. I didn't expect you to still be awake. It's already late at night,"
"You haven't slept either," Sai countered easliy, "Have you finished all of your tasks?"
"Yes, I have," Ino sighed, and then preceded to whine in a dramatic tone, "Fucking finally it's over! All the reports are done and I can enjoy my life again now!"
"Hmmm, good then," Sai murmured. He was also happy that Ino was able to complete her assignments. Strangely he always felt happy whenever she was happy too. "Aren't you tired by now? Why waste chakra like this by contacting me in the middle of the night like this?"
Sai imagined Ino must be pouting now, judging from the tone she used when she complained, "Am I not allowed to contact you now?"
Sai just sighed.
"What are you doing?"
"Just lying down," the young man answered plainly, "I can't sleep," he blutered out.
"Why can't you sleep?" There was anxious tone that accompanied the question for him.
"I do not know,"
Ino took a few moments, before she then offered, "How about I sing you a lullaby?"
Sai blinked, "Singing a lullaby?" he repeated like a parrot.
Ino sounded enthusiastic and excited - which should be impossible at this late hour - when she said, "Yeah, I've sung to you several times, right? You remember? The lullaby that was often sung by my late father. I've told you about it,"
Ah yes, he just remembered. Sai nodded, forgetting the fact that Ino could not see the response, so he voiced out his confirmation, "Yes,"
In the next instant, Sai automatically closed his eyes, getting ready to receive Ino's melodic hum, which would soon hug his ears.
Slowly but surely, Ino's voice began to overtake.
Her voice was not as melodic as the professional singer he once heard in his live. But Ino's voice was capable of arousing something in Sai. It created a subtle familiar warmth behind his ribs. It sounded so pleasant and soothing, at least for him.
Ino's voice was able to make him find a peace. It made him visualize the landscape of the forest, with the flow of river water flowing from upstream to downstream with ripples that sounded serene, in the middle of a spring that brought immeasurable warmth.
Either he had begun to lose his sanity or what, he also seemed to be able to feel the faintness of Ino's fingers running through his hair. He imagined her beside him. Brushing his hair and bangs with her dainty and long fingers, as Ino used to do when Sai could not sleep or woke up in the middle of the night due to the harsh nightmares.
Ino continued to sing the melody with her voice, that calmed his conscience — and Sai must admit that her lullaby had succeeded in pushing him to be lulled by sleepiness. Now his mind began to alternate between being conscious and unconscious. He knew that it would not take long for Morpheus to welcome him in his arms.
Once he could feel he was nearing the dream's gate, Sai involuntarily raised his hand. He brought two of his fingers and placed them on his forehead.
He vividly imagined that those two fingers were the lips of Ino, placing a kiss on his forehead. It was akin to a habit that Ino did for Sai before he was welcomed by his dreamland.
The melody finally reached its end and faintly dissipated.
Sai actually had wanted to protest, but he had no effort to do it since he was so sleepy now.
But he was still able to catch the voice of Ino's faintness from across, followed by the sentence that floated like a string of heaven,
.
"...Good night, Sai. I hope you have a good dream,"
"Hmm, good night ..."
.
.
Sai murmured, smiled unconsiously in the peace that she managed to brough on for him.
"... Ino,"
.
.
Sai groaned softly.
He shifted his position to a sitting position by leaning his back on the headboard of the hospital bed, hissing loudly as pain instantly hit the side of his stomach without mercy. His hand reached out around the bandages which were still wrapping his stomach.
He glanced down, seeing how the bandage began to reveal a reddish shade of color from the scratch wound behind it. He got the a rather serious wound from yesterday. He could still feel the pain clearlt. The wound was cause by an attack he did not anticipate. Sai was too careless that time. He didn't calculate the enemy's movements properly. Luckily, Kiba was quick to act and immediately help him right away. If only-
"SAI!"
Sai sighed a little, he could hear Inos's shrieking voice in his head. His eyebrows furrowed as dizziness began to hit his head. He would not have anticipated such such a loud call in this state. Moreover when he just woke up from his nap.
"Ino—"
"Why didn't you immediately notify me that you were injured? I know this news from Kiba after I forced him to tell me the truth, you know. I was so fucking worried yesterday because I couldn't contact you at all and it turned out you were injured. You even asked Kiba not to tell me anyhing. How could you? Who am I to you, huh?"
Sai closed his eyelids and massaged one side of his forehead in a circular motion, "I don't feel the need to—"
"WHAT-" She shrieked again and he flinced visibly.
"It wasnt serious-" he tried to reason, but she seemed not having any of it.
"Gosh Sai, really!" Her tone rose again, her intonation was dangerous, "Do you think I'm not important to you that you cant even tell me about this kind of information?"
"It is not like that-" She can be quite dramatic, he admitted
"Baka!" Ino scolded loudly. It followed right away with the sound of her trying to take a breath deeply, it seemed she was trying to maintain her patience. Ino's voice began to sound quieter than before. Her tone sounded softer for now, "On which part of your body did you get hurt?"
"In the abdomen—"
"What kind of wound?"
"A scratch from a kunai. A normal wound—"
Again, Ino interrupted right away, "There is no such thing as an ordinary wound. Even the slightest injury can become an infection if it's not treated properly,"
"Yes but-"
"Have you gotten a visit again from the medic nin?"
"I have, about 2 hours ago—"
"Then what did the Med Nin say?"
"He said the wound was starting to get better-"
"Good. Have you eaten?"
"No, I'm not hungry yet -"
"Did you get any herbs or medicine or maybe anything to help the pain?"
"Yes, it was delivered by medic nin—"
"Quickly eat and then drink it! It can speed up the healing process and lessen the pain—"
"Okay, but—"
"After drinking the potion, rest immediately. Don't move too much, or your wound will open again."
"Ino—"
"Pay attention to your nutrition. It's important. Eat three times a day and don't miss anything. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit."
"Ino—"
"Oh, and don't forget to consume vitamins-"
"Ino—"
"And if Kiba or Kakashi forced you to work before your wound properly healed, tell me and I will make them pay-"
"I—"
"Don't push yourself too hard. If you need help, just tell Kiba. If he doesn't want to—"
"... Ino, thank you,"
"..."
"Thank you for caring so much about me,"
Sai muttered, enjoying how the warm sensation invaded the chest, especially when he finally said—
.
"... I love you,"
.
Ino fell silent from the other side.
Her blabbering seemed to have been swallowed up by the earth in an instant.
Ino's silence was starting to make Sai regret what he said, the more it took longer for her to respond. Was the sentence worth saying in a time like this, seeing Ino's sudden response in silence. Was he wrong? Shouldn't he say that? Was Ino mad?
Sai actually just wanted to be honest and uttered his feeling. That was pure spontaneity.
He almost really thought their connection was indeed broken if he hadn't caught the sound of of her breath still echoing in his head. So she was still there? Why she didn't respond though?
Then about a minute later, the girl's voice finally resurfaced.
Her voice was just like a whisper that wasn't too audible, but Sai could hear it clearly when his girlfriend whispered back,
.
.
"... I love you too, Sai"
Sai smiled.
.
Kiba raised his eyebrows high to see Sai busy painting an object the canvas. What was he drawing now?
'Ah no. I won't bother asking' Kiba thought. Who else if it was not the noisy blonde girl who owned the Yamanaka flower shop? Sai and his obsession with that loud blonde, he swore.
"Sai, aren't you tired of drawing Ino all the time?"
"No," Sai answered spontaneously, without even looking up.
Kiba just snorted, sat next to Sai while drinking soda cans that were in his grasp, "So, are you sad that you have to do a long distance relationship like this?"
"Hm,"
"I miss Tamaki too,"
"Hm."
"It's been a month since we went on a mission,"
"Hm."
Kiba turned to Sai, observing in detail how he drew, painting detail after detail in the beauty of Ino Yamanaka. "Do you miss Ino too?"
"Of course," he again answered without even bother to look up. Still too focused on the picture in his hand.
Kiba then grabbed his chin, stroked the thin beard that had begun to grow there, "We're guys, right Sai? And even though you're weird, I know your hormones are still working,"
Sai still didn't answer, letting Kiba continue.
"This is a conversation between men, Sai," Kiba's voice gradually slowed, "but I'm just curious anyway. How do you vent your 'desires' to each other when you are away from each other like this?"
The question succeeded in making Sai stop his hand movements altogether which had been busy sketching. The dark-haired man blinked and now he was willing look directly at Kiba. He looks so innoncent in Kiba's eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Yes, I'm just curious. To be honest I'm feeling a bit sexually frustrated because Tamaki isn't here," Kiba whispered, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively, "But you and Ino can communicate with each other telepathically and - eh. wait a minute," Kiba raised his hand, looking at Sai seriously. "Have you and Ino ever-"
"I have. We did it several times already," if this was really what Kiba meant, then he could answer as fast as lightning, loud and sure. It made Kiba blush a little because of Sai's spontaneous answer. Too much information... well, he couldn't really blame the man since he was the one who brought it up in the first place, so-fuck it.
Kiba then moved his face closer to Sai's ear, intended to speak in a low volume, "Well, so you see... Ino has telepathic abilities—"
Sai's eyebrows rose as he listened to Kiba's words. Honestly, he still did not understand the direction of this conversation. "Yes, then?"
"Have you ... eum ... ever done it via telepathy? I mean you can hear Ino's voice right? You can visualize it. Have you ever been ... you know—"
"You mean sex?" Parroted Sai, "Sex via telepathy?"
"Hmm ... yeah," Kiba scratched his head, looking awkward himself.
"Is it posible?" Sai blinked, confused, amazed and curious, "How do you do that?"
Kiba stammered, not sure what to asnwer. He didnt want ro explain to Sai explicily. Why do I bother to ask him about this kind of question? Hah, this Sai really didn't understand either. Was he too clueless or what? Kiba then snorted loudly and patted the pale man's shoulder, "You try asking Ino yourself. I don't want to explain it to you," he then decided to stand up and wave his hand as he walked away from the room, "I want to get some air outside! Jaa ne!"
Sai did not reply to his words and just ignored Kiba. He just kept quiet, thinking silently all the words Kiba just said.
Hmm ... is there something like that?
.
.
That night...
"Ino ..."
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"About what?"
"Kiba said I should ask you,"
"Yes. Ask right away."
"Can we have sex through telepathy like this?"
"...what?"
"Sex," Sai repeated, "Kiba said we can do sex via telepathy,"
"..."
"..."
"Miss Beautiful?"
"..."
"Ino—"
The telepathic connection was immediately cut off.
.
Ahhh.
Should Sai be scared of him and Kiba's fate now?
.
.
"Sai?"
"... eum ... Ino?"
Sai woke up from his sleep as Ino's voice suddenly entered his head. Since she was trying to call him on his sleep. He rubbed his eyes and tried to get rid of the drowsiness from there, glancing at the clock that still showed two o'clock in the morning, "Ino, what's up?"
It was quiet at first, and eventually Ino finally answered. "Sai—" The voice was really faint and Sai realized that she sounded choked up, "Sai — s-sorry I contacted you suddenly like this but—"
Sai rose from his lying position, sat down beside the tatami with his legs crossed, "Ino, is everything fine?"
There was something from Sai's question that seemed so wrong until the girl on the other side finally broke the sobs that had been held back — getting louder and louder. Sai was stunned on the spot. His sleepiness disappeared in an instant.
"Everything is fine. I'm fine-" Ino replied, slowly amidt of her tears. Sai knew he wasn't as good as Ino and as sensitive as Ino about emotions, but Sai knew Ino was lying. The cries from the other side clearly prove that the girl was indeed not fine as she claimed to be. "Nothing, I'm just — oh my god, s-sorry it's already late and sorry I-I disturbed your sleep, but ..." it get interrupted again, then Ino began to cry silently. Sai began to imagine drops of water falling from her eyelids running down her smooth cheeks by now.
The girl's sobs sent a cold sensation to his skin, something that seemed to burden his heart and all of his as body, as if invisible hands were strangling Sai's throat. And at a time like this he began to hate the distance of hundreds of miles separating the two of them.
.
Sai knew that Ino was crying.
.
Sai knew that Ino was the type of person who was straightforward and open about her emotions.
But behind it all, Ino did not like to show her vulnerability since her father died. She wanted to be seen as strong. Ino wanted to be seen as capable and resilient as her late father.
But Sai also knew, from behind the strong persona she was trying to build, Ino was actually a sensitive person. She sometimes liked to keep her sadness alone. Eventhough Sai always told her, it was okay to share them. He didnt want her to mask it.
He didn't want her to become empthy shell like himself in the past, burried deep between his walls.
Let me bear your pain too.
Ino had done too many things for him, so Sai wanted to do the same for him.
He wanted to be a place for Ino to lean on too.
Honestly, Sai hated hearing Ino cry the most. Knowing the person he loved hurt, made his chest tighten. He did not understand how, but it hurt in there.
Although it hurt, he didn't like it if Ino keeps her feelings by herself and proceded to get hurt alone. So even though his heart felt heavy hearing sobs after sobs came from her lips, Sai preferred this way. it meant Ino was sharing her burden. Ino trusted him.
But now, what he hated the most was the fact that Sai couldn't be there when the girl needed him. He couldn't be by her side — holding Ino when she needed it the most.
"Ino ..."
.
"-I miss you so much,"
The sentence struck Sai more than anything else, and instead of speaking again, he was silent. One hand unconsciously gnawed, sweating a little, and the blanket began to feel hot.
"I know I sound like a real crybaby, I also don't understand why I have to cry like this, but somehow—" Taking her breath, before sobbing again, making Sai bow his head deeply in reflection, "... tonight I miss you so much."
They were on different places now. Where Sai could not reach her as much as he wished he could. Where they were only contacted through letters and telepathic communication to release the longing in their chests. They talked to each other without seeing face to face, and everything felt so real when the void of vulnerability in their hearts gradually growing.
"I miss you, Sai," the girl whimpered again, "I miss you,"
"...I know."
"This is ridiculous, huh? Maybe I'm too dramatic ... but right now I want you by my side. I ... I miss you so much,"
The sentence of the young woman was able to make Sai close his eyelids. The two lovers then let a long pause drown them. Ten seconds filled only with sobs and heavy breathing from the other side.
.
"Me too..."
Sai murmured finally. His could feel his hands trembled slightly,
"Me too, Ino ..."
.
He whispered-like a prayer, and he let out his deepest confession with a shaky breath,
"…I miss you too."
.
.
.
The loud chirping from the birds swarmed on the blue sky above felt like a lullaby to his ears. The morning air felt fresh and warm. The distinctive aroma of morning dew that still remains wafts through. Today's weather indeed seemed strangely bright. It really brought pleasant feeling to anyone who passed by. It was so different from Amekagure that constaly rain heavily there.
"... Sai. OI SAI!"
Sai turned to Kiba, who surprisingly tried to catch up to him. Kiba looked mildly annoyed though, and it was visible from the wrinkles that adorned his forehead.
"Don't leave me behind like that, you punk" he protested, arms crossed over his chest, "We're a team, after all!"
Sai tilted his head, feeling confused, while he was still trying to be mindful and control the chakra on his legs that stepped from branch to branch of the tree.
Kiba who was now jumping next to him rolled his eyes, "Do you realize that you are in a hurry and have been going at extra speed?" he said, "you run like you are being chased by an enemy,"
"Really?" Sai replied, seemed genuinely surprised. He didnt realized he was doing that.
"Yes. Your steps are very fast. I was left quite far behind," continued Kiba with a snort.
"Oh sorry," Sai finally slowed down, albeit reluctantly, "Sorry, I didn't realize,"
Kiba only sighed, but then he grined teasingly-altough Sai didn't know for what reason. "It's okay. I understand. I also feel that. Impatient much, huh?" He wriggled his eyebrows at Sai.
"Impatient?"
Kiba just smiled without answering his question. The two of them continued on with a slightly slower pace. The two Konoha shinobi stepped from branch to branch, passing through the wilderness of the forest to the village of Konoha.
Suddenly, finally they could see the Konoha gate which began to appear in fromt of them. A strong sense of urgency regained control of Sai's body again, and he accelerated his steps-which this time did not receive any protests or complaints from Kiba. Kiba just let Sai get ahead of him and Sai was thankful for that.
Sai felt... I don't know.. something like giddy?
Itwas so bright and pleasant in his chest. He felt like could explode. He felt like he couldn't contain his joy anymore — especially when he saw the figure standing by the gate.
It was her.
She was there.
She waited for him there.
With her golden's hair swayed by the wind, with her warm eyes and a soothing smile.
Ino Yamanaka stood there with all of her beauty and glory
"Ino ..." That was the first thing to slide from the edge of his lips when he marched towards the woman. Ino stood in front of him.
There was a face and a body- it was real. Sai could see her clearly, not just a voice in his head like in the past three months.
She was really here.
The woman then smiled broadly, holding out a flower that he still remembered its meaning. Gladious Flowers, which meant "Welcome".
.
"Hello, Sai"
.
It wqs only simple greeting but it brought so much joy to him by hearing her voice. From his standpoint of view, Ino's voice did not change much from what he usually heard in between their days when they had to be away from each other.
But whether it was just his mind playing tricks on him again, her voice actually sounded slighty different. For some reason now her voice felt more melodious to the ear. It was sweeter too.
Maybe it was the fact that he could finally hear the sound that came from her lips directly. he could not only hear, but could also witness and see her clearly. Rather than a mere voice echoing in his head from the other side.
The voice was so strong, like a siren that pulling him in and moved Sai to finally reach out and embrace the woman in his arms. He didn't even spare a thought for Kiba's whereabout-who was nowhere to be seen. She is more important than anything else.
Finally, Sai could hug the owner of the voice whose melody he could only hear from his head for the past months. Sai deeply realized how much he missed this.
Sai put the tip of his nose on her hair, breathing in her scent and its glory. Drowning in her sweet smell, inhaling it it as if to find his root and a solid proof that Ino was indeed here. Perfectly in his arms.
"... Tadaima," he muttered. Letting go of all the longing that had been holding his in his chest for these past few months away from her.
"I'm home, Ino."
Yes. This is home. Exactly like this.
He returned to where he was supposed to be. In Ino's arms.
Ino was a home.
A place for him to go to. A place for him to go back and rest.
Ino's presence was a constant reminder that there would be no more torment silence. There was no longer lonesome and dark like in the past. He had someone who would open their arms wide to embrace him, bring him closer and whispering—
.
"Okaeri ..."
.
In that instant, he could feel Ino's arm hugging him tighter. Tight as if she didn't want to let go-not that Sai would let her anyway. And then, she whispered those words- again, and again.
.
"... Okaeri, Sai."
This is perfect.
.
End.
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Again thank you for asianladybird/veeganburger. She is so helpful and I cant thank her enough for this. I apologize for taking so long to upload this.
Thank you for everything.