A/N: Hey faster update than usual :) I love this pairing too much to let this story slide out of my fingers... Please enjoy!
Recap: While on Sasuke's trail, Team 7 encountered a small village where Sasuke had previously taken residence. News of Sasuke's murderous actions stir up new feelings within them. Meanwhile, Ino and Hinata stake out the Aburame Clan only to be captured. And where is Sasuke?
Sai is beautiful. His skin is as pale and lovely as the moon. His eyes are not sparkling blues, nor are they a fierce jade, but those two coal black orbs are enough to melt Sasuke down to the bone. His voice is soft and sultry, and he probably doesn't realize how seductive it can be to people. Sasuke knows all of this; Sai is the true definition of beauty. He is silent, but strong. His actions are graceful, and they match his never changing expression to perfection. It always bothered Sasuke how he could never feel like normal people. And every time he saw Sai, he was reminded of how much he wanted to make him feel those lacking emotions. He wanted to feel Sai shudder under him, like Naruto would, but better, sweeter. He wanted to kiss him and see his smile, not a fake one, but a real, honest smile.
He would dream about what it looked like, while he lay in bed next to Naruto. Would it be raw and toothy, or perhaps sweet and curve upwards more so than his fake one... Sasuke wondered what Sai would look like blushing, naked and wet. He didn't deny his desire for the fellow shinobi.
Sai was a much better prospect than Naruto.
Sasuke was reminded of all of this as he watched the man now, sitting at the rivers edge. Like the first time he believed they ever had a moment together. If he could just sit there and watch Sai forever he would be content. However he would be overjoyed to be able to do more than just watch. He wanted to be there with him; next to him, holding his hand.
That feeling... he imagined how it would be on more than one occasion. He had tried to pretend that Naruto's course hands were that of the artisan's, someone who was sure to have skin smooth as silk. Of course, Naruto was no Sai. Sai was something Sasuke could never have. So far off from where he was, the unobtainable beauty.
And yet he was so close. Right now, as Sasuke watched him from above a tree. Sai stood still. What was he doing? It appeared he was staring at himself in the water. The perfect time to sneak up on him. Surely Sai would understand that Sasuke was innocent. He had to. They always had this connection, he and Sai. It was an unspoken bond.
This is fate, Sasuke tells himself. That they meet again at a lake. Sai always did look beautiful illuminated by the moonlight. It was just too bad that he hadn't the time to appreciate that before.
"It's you, isn't it?"
"It depends who you mean by you," Sasuke said with a chuckle.
Sai didn't turn around. Even though he was aware that his back was to the enemy he was in control. When Sasuke appeared next to him so suddenly he grabbed his kunai and secured Sasuke by the arm with the weapon pointed at his throat. Sasuke looked amused though he let himself be subdued. Sai wasn't going to hurt him more or less kill him. His orders were unclear. Sasuke stared into his narrowed black eyes. He was so close.
"Sasuke Uchiha."
The words came out laced with malice, but Sai looked so beautiful saying his name. "Sai," he responded. Sasuke's lips upturned in a little smirk and it irked Sai very much.
"Why have you shown yourself? Shouldn't you be hiding like the coward you are?"
"You wound me," Sasuke winced playfully, and smiled again at Sai's irritated form. His eyes were narrowed so prettily. "I suppose that isn't the worst thing you can call me though..." he looked off to the side in thought.
Sai was deeply confused. Why wasn't Sasuke defending himself? Why had he shown himself? Sasuke seemed to know right away what he was thinking. "I'm not going to fight you," he said.
"You know that I can kill you at any time now..."
"You won't." Sasuke seemed too confidant in that statement. Sai wasn't good at reading emotions when it came to this person. Someone like Sakura who openly displayed hurt or stress was easy. But Sasuke Uchiha had always been a challenge.
"How do you know that?"
"If you wanted to kill me, Sai, you would have by now."
Was he right? It was quiet, then Sai shot back with, "I need to get a confession first don't I..."
Sasuke scoffed, "Pleeease, I know how Konoha treats criminals." His gaze darkened. "You know as well as I do that all those people want me dead."
"So why have you let yourself be captured?"
"Captured?" he cocked up one eyebrow, then suddenly he was gone. In that split-second he had escaped Sai's hold on him. Sai panicked, looked around and cursed. He thought he lost him until he felt someone press up against his back. Sasuke had him immobilized with the blunt of a sword pressed against his back. "I think you're the one who is captured," the Uchiha whispered against his neck.
"What did you do?" Sai demanded. He tried to struggle but couldn't move his body.
"I immobilized you, it's only temporary. Relax Sai. I won't hurt you."
"And why should I believe you? If you weren't going to hurt me then why did you do this to me?"
Sasuke chuckled. "This is for my protection," he said. "I can't be too sure that you won't wake your teammates."
"Sakura and Kakashi.." Sai mumbled. "Your friends." He didn't know if Sasuke heard him or not, because he didn't respond to that statement. He was sure it affected him one way or another. Unless he was incapable of feeling any emotion, such as guilt or empathy.
"The moon is beautiful tonight..."
Deja vu. Sai felt himself re-living that moment at the river with the fireflies as he and Sasuke sat and watched the sky.
"For such a sinful village, the moon is very beautiful tonight."
How much had changed since then was shocking. It was strange but in life when bad things happen everything goes downhill all too fast. Sai pushed those thoughts out of his head. He needed to find some way out of this hold.
"You like the night better don't you Sai? I can tell. I as well-"
"Did you kill Naruto?" he cut him off, feeling a little weird after hearing his name spoken by those sinful lips.
"I'm shocked Sai. Do you not believe in me? I thought we were friends and to think your judgement on me is poor," Sasuke mocked.
He wasn't taking this seriously. Why was he so carefree?
"So you didn't kill Naruto?"
Silence. Then, "I can't answer that."
"Why?"
Sasuke ignored him. "Sai... I want you to come with me."
Sai's face scrunched up in confusion."Why?" he asked the Uchiha. "I have no interest in being captured by the likes of you."
"No, not as a captive. I want you. Just you..."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Isn't it self-explanatory?" Sai didn't know what to say that to that. He truly had no idea why Sasuke wanted him at all if not to take him as a captive and escape. He was silent then, listening to the sound of the crickets and the peaceful whirring of the fireflies. "Sai..." Sasuke was leaning over him, and his hand came up to stroke Sai's neck as he pulled him against his chest. "Don't you know how much I..." he didn't finish his sentence, and Sai was left wondering what he meant to say. He didn't have much time to wonder however, before Sasuke was kissing him softly.
The moment was brief, light and then Sasuke was breathing upon his cold, pale lips. "Wha..." The last thing Sai remembered was seeing Sasuke's peaceful face as he was rendered unconscious with a blow to the back of his head.
...
"So we all agree to continue with Plan X?"
The meeting room was dark, the only light being one hanging bulb in the middle of the room. A long table took up most of the space, seated twelve of the Elder Council Members who sat quietly, focused on the matter at hand.
The leader had just proposed the very event they had been planning since the death of the Fourth Hokage. He looked around at his colleagues, who were muttering to each other under their breath.
"It's only a matter of time, my friends, until the ninja in this village are all forced into submission."
"But Leader," a man spoke up, "How can we be assured that the heads of the Clans will be taken down that easy?"
"I have a plan for that as well. We will assemble all Clan Leaders here tomorrow morning for a meeting. After that... well, you can say they will have a sudden change of heart."
...
Sai awoke to voices. He heard Kakashi and Sakura in the distance, probably putting up camp. He blinked a few times, rubbed the gunk out of his eyes and got up as his eyesight adjusted to his surroundings. His head hurt. And then he remembered.
Sasuke...
His eyes widened alarmingly.
"Sakura, Kakashi!" He took off in their direction quickly with news he knew would shock them both.
"Sai!" Sakura greeted him with a smile as she left her tent. "Good morning." Her face fell when she saw the look on his face. "What is it?" she asked, now alerting the attention of Kakashi who had been putting up his own tent.
"Sasuke-" Sai only had to say the name and the two ninja froze. "-He was here. I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei, I was unable to subdue him."
"When?" Kakashi responded quickly.
"While I was keeping watch. It was still quite dark, already morning."
Sakura looked horrified. "That was three hours ago. Sasuke was..."
"We have to leave, now!" Kakashi instructed them.
Sai nodded, and helped the frantic Sakura pack up everything in under five minutes.
"If we hurry we can catch up to him. However we're three hours behind him now, we have a lot of ground to cover. I'll use Pakkun to uncover his scent. For now, we don't stop until we make a breakthrough." He gave the team a signal and they were off.
