I dedicate this chapter to my Grandpa who passed away on 18th October 2011 after a yearlong fight with lung cancer.

He never much enjoyed fantasy, what he really enjoyed was watching us having fun and doing the things that we love.

It wasn't until five days of travelling that they finally reached Sound.

It wasn't the same as it had been when Orochimaru had been there, in fact there really wasn't much of a Sound Village anymore, the country was filled with rogue nin and other criminals. The Sound Daimyō had been assassinated earlier that year taking away the last bit of stability.

It was a treacherous place to travel. It was likely that they would be stopped many times by many different factions, but that was preferable to being attacked by followers of Jashin.

As they approached the border they reinforced their disguise using a transformation jutsu, so that even if someone did look twice at them, they would still only see a pair of meagre civilians.

They were stopped by a group of what looked like officials, who asked for their papers and identification, claiming that they didn't want to allow any foreign shinobi into their land.

Aside from that they passed into the Land of Sound with little incident.

They walked quietly, conscious that they were now in more dangerous territory. When they spoke it was in a rough kind of code they'd developed during their travel time. Unfortunately most of it involved some serious guess work for both parties.

"My love, I don't think all our financial troubles are behind us."

They had stopped for a short break, to eat their lunch when Sai sidled over to Sakura's side and spoke.

It really was an effort not to frown. Some of the things Sai had said to her in code came from seriously ridiculous logic, so she was on the lookout for it.

She feigned a great sigh. "I know, hard times are ahead, but it's nothing we can't handle together."

"Should I get some scrolls and paper, do you think?" he pondered. "I could do some paintings to put out there, you know, to sell."

"Can't hurt." She replied with a shrug. "Shall we get back on the road? I wouldn't mind sleeping in an actual bed tonight." She could sense the lurking presence of some shinobi who had been tailing them for a few hours, it was best to find a town so that they could blend into the crowd.

Sai was already on his feet, offering her his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet.

Before he could turn away, Sakura caught his arm and held him in place, a near devilish smile spreading across her features. "I'm so looking forward to it. It'll be the first time since the wedding. You had better be ready to perform." She purred.

Now with a normal guy, this would probably have sent them into hot flushes, and gained either a cheeky, cocky response or turned them into a nervous wreck.

Sai simply looked like he was trying to figure out her code.

There was a pause in which he cocked his head to the side slightly and his lips twitched into a fake smile.

"You know that I'm always ready my dear, I'm ready right now if that's what you want."

"R-right here in the woods?" He had definitely misunderstood her joke so she would have to make it painfully obvious. "I think I'd prefer to do it in a bed, dear, we wouldn't want anyone to see would we?"

There was a long pause as they simply looked at each other then Sakura shook her head.

"Oh Sai, you still need to work on that sense of humour of yours." She heard him chuckle softly as she walked over to her bag.

"Maybe it's yours that needs work." He retorted. She allowed a short burst of laughter at that; seriously doubting that it was her that needed to work on it.

She moved to hoist her bag onto her back but jerked up suddenly when she felt Sai's hand touch the small of her back. He seemingly took advantage of her surprise by pulling her back toward his torso, so his chin could rest on her shoulder.

"Now what were you saying." He whispered into her ear.

Needless to say, Sakura was slightly taken aback by Sai's move. She understood it of course; they were being closely observed and were having a communication difficulty, so this was the best way to talk.

Didn't stop the surprise from momentarily wiping her brain of all intelligent thought.

"Uh, I was making a joke Sai. Also now anyone listening will think that we're going to be, well you know, getting a little randy tonight."

"Hm," She could feel a short puff of breath on her shoulder. His tone was as it always was; bright and mostly emotionless. "Good thinking Sakura."

She rolled her eyes as he released her. Sai was such an atypical male sometimes... but she wondered if he had intentionally held her in such an intimate manner for the act, or if it had just been complete chance.

She found herself shaking her head once again as she pulled her bag up onto her shoulder.

They didn't reach a village until after just after sunset.

It looked like a poor area, the buildings were fairly run down but people still milled around the main street.

Sai observed as they walked toward what looked like an inn. The waning daylight cast a cold blue hue over the woman who hurried down the street with a small loaf of bread in her arms. A few men staggered out of the warm glow of a small bar and dispersed into the encroaching twilight.

There seemed to be an aura of fear about the place.

He could see Sakura was scrutinizing the area as well.

"Couldn't have picked a nicer town if we'd tried."

"Well it was you that suggested we find a town for the night." He pointed out mildly.

"Yes, Sai, I know that," she began through gritted teeth. "I was merely saying that it's not the nicest place I've been to."

She reached for the door of the inn, thankfully not punching him for whatever he'd said to irritate her.

"Maybe I should go in first my dear." He suggested before she could open the door, "I read in a book that for some reason men are more likely to be dominant in a civilian marriage."

"You have a point there." She conceded stepping away from the door. "And the reason is that in a civilian relationship it's more likely that a man will beat the crap out of his partner for not being submissive enough." She flashed him a grin. "And a Kunoichi is less likely to accept that."

"I see," he intoned in his typical cheery yet insincere voice as he pushed the door to the inn open, holding the door for her. "That does make sense." Sakura grabbed Sai's hand as they stepped inside, trying, and probably failing to make them look more like a newly married couple.

The inn appeared to be much like the rest of the little town; run down and dark, but the little old lady at the bar greeted them warmly enough.

She had probably caught the scent of the money they had on them.

"Good evening my dears!" She addressed Sai, of course, because the man always carries the money. "What can I do for you tonight?"

"My new wife and I need a room for the night, and a hot meal if it's possible." Sakura could have kissed him for asking for a hot meal, it was almost as if he'd read her mind. Then again, he had been eating the same cold rations that she had.

The woman looked crestfallen. "The meal I can do, but the only room I have at the moment only has a single bed."

"That will do, we've haven't slept in a proper bed for over a week."

"Oh I see, on your honeymoon are you?" she asked, winking at Sakura, who was currently standing just behind Sai's right shoulder, trying to make herself seem as meek as possible.

She forced a blush and a small giggle as she leaned into his arm a little.

She could see that Sai was about to refute that, so she squeezed his hand, hard.

"Well in that case I'll make you something extra special for your meal." She grinned at Sakura, who was frankly quite surprised her coy act had worked so well. "You just take a seat and I'll whip something up." She pottered off to the kitchen, looking back once to see that the two of them had sat down at the table in the corner.

"So ugly are you going to tell my why you nearly crushed the bones in my hand? I wasn't aware that was customary in marriage." He asked putting his arm around her shoulders so he could speak into her ear.

"You clearly still need to learn how to score the good food when you're undercover." She said sticking her tongue out. "A nice old lady like that is often more willing to pull out the stops for the honeymooning couple."

"I see, so she's fetching better food to get our strength for the consummation of our marriage?"

Sakura choked on the air she was breathing in. "Well I don't think that's quite what she's thinking of." She managed between coughs. "It's more of a congratulatory thing."

The lady came back into the room carrying a bottle, saving Sakura from more questions.

"Please, take this sake on the house." She popped the bottle and two cups on the table before bowing and leaving the room.

"See we even got free Sake." She filled the two little cups before lifting her own.

Sai caught her arm. "Don't forget we're on a mission."

"Sai, one bottle of this is not enough to get me drunk, let alone both of us." One corner of her mouth tugged up in amusement. "Plus you can smell that it's been watered down. So in my medical opinion all this will do is wet our throats and maybe help us get a good night of sleep." She gestured to his drink. "So bottoms up."

Sure enough, when he drank his own Sake he found that it was really quite watered down, but he actually found that it tasted nicer that way anyway.

The lady returned a few minutes later with two steaming bowls of food.

"Eat up now," she said with a wide smile. "I'm afraid I won't be able to show you to your room, I'm not as young as I used to be, but it's the only room on the third floor, you should find it easy enough. The bathroom is on the floor below." She pottered back off to the kitchen leaving them to examine their food.

Sakura knocked back her second cup of Sake in one go, sincerely wishing it was the good stuff. She noted Sai had observed her action with some curiosity.

"Sai, you'd better hurry up and eat your bowl of aphrodisiac so we can go to bed and not consummate our marriage."

The instant they reached their little room, after awkwardly thanking their host for their meal, Sai whipped out a scroll and drew two mice and a moth. He surreptitiously released the mice and they scampered away to scout the enemies. The moth also twitched and fluttered up from the page drifting around the room silently searching for any listening devices.

Meanwhile, Sakura scanned the room.

It was small and dimly lit, and the walls looked like they had been effected by damp and the moss green wall paper was faded and peeling away to reveal the wooden walls beneath. The one lamp cast a weak glow over the narrow bed, blue light filtered in through the little window casting a dreary light across the room.

But it was clean, and when the curtains were drawn, they were safe from prying eyes.

"No bugs. Not that I would expect any." Sai muttered putting his scroll away. "No one could have known we'd stop here."

"Better safe than sorry." She stripped the bed off, inspecting the mattress and the bed clothes carefully. "The bed's clean."

"I already said I'd checked for bugs."

"Different kind of bug Sai, I'd rather not have little insects feasting on my blood during the night."

"Who said you get the bed?" Sai asked casually.

"My fist will when I punch you in the face for trying to take the bed."

"If you take the bed I'll draw on your face." Sai's smile was surprisingly genuine as he said that.

"Real mature Sai." She didn't doubt that he would do it, and she knew that his ink was a nightmare to get out. She might as well get 'UGLY' tattooed across her forehead. "You know this raises an interesting question."

"Wondering what I was going to draw?"

"No." She could guess. "Who's in charge on this mission?"

There was a long pause as they sized each other up in that dank little room.

Naruto hadn't specified who would be mission leader; the Daimyo didn't assign mission leaders when he set missions. And neither of them could pull rank.

A few years ago Sai might have won on experience but now they were evenly matched.

Sai's eyes flickered down for the briefest of moments and she realised that they were both coming to the same conclusion.

"Whoever gets the bed!" They both exclaimed at the same time as they leapt onto the bed so they both stood facing each other.

"Whoever hits the floor first sleeps there, last ninja standing gets the bed and mission leadership." The game was on, and Sakura didn't want Sai to sneak his way around the rules. "Got it?" He nodded solemnly. "And no ninjutsu; we don't want to wreck the prize."

"Taijutsu only then." He agreed. He looked so serious that Sakura laughed, but then she had to catch his arm because he'd used her moment of distraction to try to sweep her off the bed.

A short grappling battle ensued in which they simply tried to push each other off the bed. Neither one of them could win that because they couldn't get proper leverage so Sakura ended it by aiming a swift jab to Sai's gut.

He parried by catching her wrist and knocking her off balance, flipping her off the bed.

Her feet hit the wall for half a second before she jumped back onto the bed forcing Sai to duck to avoid being tackled.

Before she could attack him from above, Sai swept her legs out from underneath her and hit her with a pillow, which left her flat on her back attempting to twist around so her feet wouldn't touch the floor. She managed to catch Sai in the side of his head with a wild kick and then latch her other foot behind his knees.

He fell into the tiny space beside her and another scuffle ensued as they both tried to gain the upper hand.

Normally Sakura wouldn't fight like a girl, she was a shinobi, and she had too much pride to fight as dirty as that. But there was a bed at stake so pride went out the window. Plus being a shinobi, she was expected to fight dirty.

Hair was pulled – by both parties – and Sakura pulled out the fact that thanks to the many times she had acted as Sai's doctor, she knew that he had a ticklish spot at the bottom of his ribs, and oddly enough, his knees caps.

After ten minutes they had to stop. They were both too weak from laughter to keep it up any longer. Sakura was actually crying from laughing too hard. So they lay with their heads at the foot of the bed recovering, Sai holding Sakura's wrists to stop her from tickling him again.

"Share?" She suggested after finally catching her breath.

"It would seem that would be our only option."

"And maybe this shouldn't go in our mission report, they might have us committed." She laughed again. "Plus I don't think it would say much for your manliness if I report that you will resort to hair pulling when you're in a tight spot."

"Hair pulling is a viable tactic, tickling is not."

"I was just utilising your weaknesses. Plus; I'm allowed to fight like a girl." Sai's grip on her wrists tightened as she tried to poke at his ribs again. She pouted. "I might have to advertise the fact that it's seriously hilarious to poke you in the ribs though."

"Doctor patient confidentiality." Was all he said to that.

"Aaah, kill joy." She whined, trying in vain to free her wrists.

"If you tell anyone, I'll tell Naruto your one weakness." He threatened, wearing one of those bright, fake smiles of his. Interestingly it didn't look so fake when his cheeks were still a little flushed from their wrestling match.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're bluffing, you don't… I don't have any weaknesses." It had been well known since the early days of Team Seven, even before Sasuke had left, that Sakura Haruno wasn't ticklish.

"Oh really?" He gathered her wrists into one hand and pinned them against the mattress, then, before she could even make a sound of protest, his fingers had found their way to the back of her neck.

So he definitely hadn't been bluffing

It wasn't long before she was desperately pleading for mercy between bursts of laughter. He'd freed her hands but all she could do was cling for dear life.

"OK, OK, I won't tell anyone." She shrieked finally. He stopped, although his fingers remained at the back of her neck.

"Are you sure you're not just telling me what I want to hear?" He was torturing her, with ticking. And he even had the cheek to double check her answer.

"I promise. I think I'll have an aneurism if you keep that up." He slapped another bright smile on his face and removed his hand from the back of her neck.

"I'm glad we understand each other."

They rolled in opposite directions, both touching the floor at the same time.

"I suppose we should just go to bed, so we can make an early start tomorrow." Sakura suggested, poking Sai's ribs on her way to the door, earning a satisfying spasm out of him. She grabbed some clothes from the top of her bag before opening the door. "I'm going to the bathroom to change." She uttered, before stepping out and closing the door behind her, leaving Sai alone to change his own clothes.

He picked the pillows off the floor before slipping into a plain t-shirt and some loose shorts.

He was glad for that little tussle with Sakura, it had released some of that pent up energy he would usually have used up training. Plus it had been fun.

If there was one thing he could count on Sakura for, it was endless entertainment.

When she came back he was already sprawled across the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He glanced over to see that she had changed into attire similar to his own, although her clothes appeared to be several sizes too large for her.

The effect made her look smaller and more fragile. He wondered if the clothes had belonged to Leo, or Ryan or whatever his name was.

Before could ask she had made her way around the bed and was looking down at him, one eyebrow arched.

"Move it or lose it, my dearest." She said sweetly, aiming her finger to poke at his ribs again.

He caught her hand again and pulled her down onto the bed. "Stop trying to seduce me and go to sleep." He threw the covers over her while she huffed indignantly then he leaned over her to turn the light off.

She tugged her wrist out his grip and turned to lay with her back to him before muttering petulantly.

"Pfft, you wish." He settled down with his back against hers and felt a small smile pulling at his lips.

"You wish that I wished." He told her.

"Yeah well you wish that I wish that you wished."

"You wish that I wished that you wished that I wi-"

"Sai, don't make me knock you out." She cut across him.

There was a long pause in which both of them stared at their respective walls.

"Sakura."

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever said a word so many times that you become convinced it's not a real word?"

She half laughed, half giggled. He could feel the tremors of her laughter against his back and he smiled into the darkness again.

Then they lapsed into a comfortable silence as they drifted off to sleep.

I'm very sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but there have been extenuating circumstances, and I haven't really felt like writing much lately.

The good news is, I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it gave me many giggles along the way. And also I have written several scenes for a lot further into the story so I have something to write towards.

Thanks for waiting and let me know what you think as always.

Per

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