Hello my sweets! I've hit writers block for both my stories so the next few updates may be slow ;_; I'm sorry. I'm trying my best everyday! Stress is making my mind fogged
I've seen a few reviews and I want to reiterate: this is a ShikaIno story! The "close to canon" part is for the time slip coming later ;p but they do end up together! I promise!
anyway, enjoy Sai being...Sai ;)
the next chapter will be from Shika's POV just bc I feel like it'll be interesting!
enjoy! :3 and thank you all for your kind words. every review makes my day!!
"Careful. That's Salon le Mensil Blanc de Blancs. It travels to the head very quickly," he winked. "At least taste your food first, silly."
The waiter was immediately to her right now, without making a sound, pouring her more to drink. Another small sip was taken.
"Ino, are you okay? You're almost as pale as I am, are you cold?" His voice was soaked with concern, his calm demeanor taken by the light breeze.
"Yes," she whispered almost as a reflex, keeping her eyes ahead, just to the right of his face. The cold she felt wasn't from the temperature; it was still fairly warm out. It was from lack of a heartbeat.
Sai rose to his feet and began unbuttoning his shirt. Underneath, he had worn a regular black shirt, having no shame in shedding his formal outer layer for her in a place like this. As he moved towards her, she finally got a full look behind him.
Shikamaru sat at one of the picnic tables for another eatery a few yards or so away, facing them, staring intensely at her. She couldn't quite make out his expression, but by the way he was sitting, she knew his brows were touching. He was sitting with his arms crossed, a book to the side, as if he brought that as a cover. It wasn't unusual for him to stop and read at random places, but she knew it wasn't just coincidence he happened to appear within her line of sight. She could almost hear the grit of his teeth as Sai placed his shirt around her shoulders, never turning backwards as he seated himself again.
What was once a magical atmosphere now felt like an interrogation. Any move she made, Shikamaru would see. There was no way to know if he could also hear them, so she needed to watch her words. This also meant there was no way to warn Sai—not that she could, anyway.
Feeling trapped, she shoved down the negative emotions trying to escape through her throat with a hard swallow. She sat down her glass to keep from downing it again, not wanting to lose her head. That last gulp had brought a rush of warmth up to her cheeks from her stomach that burned in the heat. "Sai…"
"Better now?" He was smiling. There sat this sweet boy, only trying to show her a nice evening, and behind him was her lover, who no doubt was envisioning his head exploding. Sai was being a total gentleman, not even aware that she was basically using him.
He's being so sweet…I feel horrible for ever agreeing to this. She nodded, staring at her food now. How does Shika do this with Temari?
Her head snapped back up, looking as discreetly as possible between Sai and Shikamaru.
That's right, she told herself. I can't let myself forget that he does this all the time. And I don't ever go spying on their dates! I have no idea what they even do! Ino frowned at herself. I can't let myself forget why I did this: because he gets to do it, too. It's possible he's brought her here before, for all I know…
Feeling her former resolve return, she popped a scallop in her mouth. It exploded with flavor, melting like heated butter. It was almost too soft to chew, so bouncy on her tongue she wanted to refuse to swallow it. Not wanting the flavor to end, she cut another in half and ate it as well, savoring the delectable taste as much as possible. Her eyes rolled back and she closed them, her shoulders slouching. "Mmm," she half-moaned.
"That good?" Sai beamed brightly, delighted at her response. "I'm glad you like it."
She returned his smile, just as genuine this time. Ino saw his eyes flicker from her lips back to her eyes, making her feel desirable. Along with the food, she was going to eat this power trip up. "How could I not? Everything is wonderful. How come you picked this for a first date? I mean…usually people go simple at first, right?"
"Well…" Sai chewed on her question, enjoying his own food. The sun was settling down at last, the area and street behind them were almost glowing. The fairy lights were her main source to continue to watch Shika, and him her. As he spoke up again, she forced herself to be present, not watching the man fuming behind them. "I thought this was more your taste. I'm aware your father spoils you quite a bit, so why shouldn't the man you date? Besides, the moon looks lovely against your skin." His eyes trailed lower now, to her bare chest.
She dropped the scallop she had between her chopsticks, amazed by his response. It was true, she was indulged every bit by her father, who had set a very high standard for her. But Shikamaru always did his best…he was just never able to do stuff like this. Actually, she didn't know if there was even a way he could take her here if he wanted to.
That brought back up her earlier question: how was Sai able to do this in the first place? Shikamaru wasn't rich, he didn't have connections, so she never expected anything like this. But she sure as hell would never have pegged someone like Sai as being able to, either. Similar questions began to form a line in her mind, applying pressure behind her eye to be asked. Picking her scallop back up, she tasted it slowly, sorting through what she wanted to know first.
Swallowing, she forced herself to ask the question she'd been sitting on since yesterday. "Sai, why did you ask me out?"
A crooked smile spread on his lips and he reached for his glass, finishing it. He held it up, someone appearing beside him to refill it. These people seemed to come and go at his whim. She never even saw them in her peripheral as they moved. Taking another sip, he challenged her. "Why did you say yes?"
Dumbfounded, she stared at him. She couldn't answer that, she didn't even have a lie prepared to cover for herself. Her gaze broke from his to the side, now seeing Shikamaru sitting with his book open in his hands, his eyes still glued on them. There's no way he can hear us, she told herself. Looking back, she cleared her throat, grabbing her glass to take another drink. "I asked you first."
Setting down his utensils, he resumed his earlier position, locking his fingers in front of his face, his elbows on the table. He peered over his hands at her with watchful eyes under heavy lids. Although their color was similar to Shika's, his were bigger, more rounded, somehow looking both soft and intimidating depending on his angle.
As if two separate people lived inside him.
"I know about Shikamaru," his voice was flat, matter-of-factly. He said the words as if it was nothing, like he was stating something menial about the weather or the temperature of his food and not her best kept secret.
The champagne she'd taken in flew down her throat with abruptness, causing her esophagus to spasm violently. Not wanting to cause a scene, she suppressed a cough, balling her fist in her lap with one hand, while another rest on her chest. She was absolutely floored, unable to think, to move, to speak. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shikamaru shift at her actions, readying himself to jump up.
She wanted to stand and shout at him, yell question after question about what he meant, how he knew, what he had seen, who told him. But if she was too afraid to even cough, there was no way she could act insane. Doing so would cause Shika to be over here before she got the first question out, ready to put the light out of Sai's eyes.
Her lower half felt cold, her top still toasty warm from the alcohol. It felt like a bomb had gone off inside her, her hollowness now engorged.
"W-What do you mean?" She made a split decision to take the route of attempting to deny everything. After years of hiding and lying about it, there was still a chance she could do so here. She had to try, try and keep the anxiety in her core from spilling over.
"I know you two are lovers in secret," he said, his tone bored. "You have been for years. Lying to everyone, trying your best to hide it, pretending to be just teammates during daylight, only being together at night." Those deep eyes were watching her, gauging her reaction.
The world around her started to melt into a swirling mess. She couldn't lie, she couldn't confirm it either. She was more trapped now than she'd ever felt before. An animal in a corner… All she could think to do was drink more champagne.
Sai went on. "I also know your fathers disapprove, severely. You've been vying for their blessing to finally go public to no avail. All the while, Shikamaru is dating Temari, with no idea what they do together when alone."
The name caused her hand that was already in a ball to tighten, the feeling in that hand beginning to fade away as the knuckle turned white. Another silent sip.
"And all you can do is watch. Tell me," he said, joining her for a drink, slouching back in his chair a bit. "Are you content with this arrangement, Ino?"
This side of Sai, whoever this version of him was that picked her up was not one she had ever met. From the moment they left her doorstep, she felt she was hanging onto a stranger. The man sitting across from her emitted a vibe that was nothing similar to the stoic boy she'd flirted with before, or the sweet boy she thought had draped his shirt over her. Even in the flower shop, he seemed to have crawled outside of his shell and wore a new skin. It seems her theory of there being two men behind those eyes may have more weight to it than she thought.
And he somehow knew everything she was trying to keep secret.
And he knew she wasn't happy.
She looked behind him, at Shikamaru who hadn't moved an inch, glaring in their direction. He didn't hear, she thought, breathing a sigh of relief.
Finally, Ino responded, keeping her body as stiff as her voice. "I don't have a choice."
"Ah, you're wrong." He mused, bringing his hands to his lap, watching her intently. "You made the choice to be here with me, did you not?"
"Yes. But not for the reasons you think."
"Do you know what I think?" He shifted in his seat, laying his leg across his knee, popping a piece of sushi in his mouth. "I think you agreed to get back at him, because he gets to go out and have fun during the day, leaving you to wait alone for the sun to fall. You wanted a fake partner for your own, to be able to have the dates you daydream of."
Her heart wretched in her chest, squeezing in on itself. The anxious feeling had spread its tendrils into her limbs, to the very tips of her fingers, wanting to make her shake. All she wanted to do was stand up, to release the energy in her that was steadily building. She longed to be able to now warn Shikamaru that they'd been found out, to have him help her get out of here. Her body ached to have him hold her, to tell her it was okay. To save her.
She stared at Sai, feeling cornered all over again. The familiar hollow feeling had fully welcomed itself back, nesting itself in her stomach. The appetite she'd brought with her, which had just been eager to devour the meal on the table, vanished into thin air. The weight sitting in her stomach made her feel bloated and full, sick almost. Stress from not knowing what to do made her nausea worse. The napkin she had laid in her lap was now brought to her mouth to keep her stomach contents down.
"But that's okay. I don't mind playing the part," he offered her a smile with his words. "And I don't mean to spread your secret. It's safe with me."
"Then what do you want?" Her words were muffled behind the fabric, but still harsh.
Closing his eyes, Sai let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. The music from inside the restaurant had changed now, the tempo slowing down, as did the movement of the wait staff. The air around them seemed to still as well, as if waiting for his response along with her. "You."
Her heart wanted to slow, but it only sped up, wanting to break out of her chest. All the alcohol she'd downed earlier was mixing in her stomach with her raw anxiety, like it was being shaken and stirred into a new feeling of it's own, worsening the queasy feeling that threatened her. She was so warm now, especially under his over shirt, that she felt sweat beads form around the base of her hairline, one trickling down her neck.
Ino's eyes unfocused again, allowing her to see Shika behind him without drawing his attention there. He had moved to a closer table, now dangerously close to being able to hear their words. His face was contorted into a grimace that frightened her; his angelic face wasn't meant to look so evil. Shika, she thought, I'm so sorry. She noticed the hand not holding his book was holding onto the wooden table, and after Sai spoke, she heard a loud creak—one that anyone not watching him could mistake as a building shifting and settling.
"Why? What do you mean? Why me?" Ino racked her brain, trying to think of any interaction between them that could have possibly led him to single her out but there was only one. Their first meeting where he called her beautiful. Aside from that, there was nothing. It was all just casual chit chat in passing, the usual exchanging of kind words. Ino finished her drink, feeling more dizzy, though it could have been from any number of things she was feeling.
Sai waved his finger for the waiter, who appeared with his check. The finger then did a pointed sweep towards the table, signaling he wanted the remains boxed up and their drinks topped off. "I like you. You're different than most women. There's a fire in you that can't be put out, even if you feel you may crumble under stress, all it needs is a light wind and you're set ablaze—an unstoppable force."
She blinked. As nice a compliment as it was, it didn't really answer her question. She watched the waiter box up their food in matte black containers, slipping them into a carrying bag that looked expensive, despite its fate to end up in the garbage. Whatever fire he was talking about was definitely faltering at this moment. "But if you know I'm with Shika…"
Sai pulled out his wallet, setting more money than she'd ever seen at one time on the table. "For now, you are." She frowned at his response and he continued. "How much longer do you think you can tolerate this? Eventually, you know our class of comrades will begin marrying and starting families. Will you sit by and watch them have what you cannot? Or…"
Moving forward in his seat, he slid his hand across the table to touch hers, causing a jolt of fever to run through her. He met her eyes, the abyss in them calling out to her.
"…will you have those things with me?"
Panicking, she moved her hand from his and he sat back in place as she grabbed her drink, sipping more champagne. The bubbles she once admired now exploded in her throat, feeling as if it was closing in on her. Air seemed to be escaping her, her head feeling light enough to take flight on its own. This is…unbelievable.He's insane! The idea of marrying anyone else never occurred to her; her plan was always Shika, those thoughts of them not being together were always kept at arms length by a shred of hope.
But that nagging feeling that sat in the core of the hollowness reached up, hanging onto his words, not allowing her to spiral. "Why would I do that?"
He chuckled, taking a drink as the waiter took his money from the table. He waved at him, causing the man to bow. Apparently he refused any change, whatever overpayment he gave him going into the man's pocket as the table was slowly cleared. "Look around you, Ino. I can give you a life full of this—full of everything you want and deserve. A lavish wedding, many vacations, fine clothes, the best food, beautiful and talented children. I mean, your father already seems to approve of me."
Words escaped her. It was true she wanted those things, but not with Sai. He was almost scaring her with how he was acting, she no longer knew what he was capable of. Where had that sweet boy gone? She chugged her drink, slamming it to the back of her throat, then down on the table.
He used her silence to go on, his drink now empty too. "You don't have to decide right now. In fact, I'd prefer you didn't. Keep seeing us both, just as he's doing with her. Your father will be pleased, you'll get the experiences you want, I'll get to be with you and everyone wins." He squinted at her for a moment. "Everyone but him."
Him, she thought.
He rose to his feet, grabbing their bag and placing the rest of the champagne bottle in it. "Come, let me walk you home." He offered her his hand, and after sparing Shikamaru a glance, she took it, standing with him, using his hand to balance herself. Shikamaru was on his feet with them, backing away into the shadows slowly, disappearing. The sight made her feel unsettled. Had he heard any of this…?
They exited the restaurant and stepped back into the normalcy of the market street, back to reality. It was like entering another dimension. It all seemed so plain and boring compared to the world inside of Umi. The only way she was sure she hadn't dreamt it was Sai's shirt still around her shoulders and the feeling that raged inside her belly. As they began to walk, he offered her his arm again. Unsure of what to do, she took it to ensure she wouldn't fall over.
It was quiet out now, most shops closed and people retired to their homes. Each step they took echoed off the buildings and the hum of the Umi band trailed off in the distance, leaving them utterly alone in the streets. The air was crisp, cool and a slight breeze went through them occasionally. She felt grateful for Sai's shirt. The moon soon became their only light, and she wished she could whisper to it to find Shikamaru and tell him that she needed him.
"What do you have against Shika?" She broke the long silence first. The question had burned in her mind for long enough. She wanted answers before the night was over, trying to shake the shock from herself as they neared her house. If she didn't ask now, she may not get another chance.
He kept his eyes ahead. "Do you know what tipped me off about you two? I had my suspicions you were dating someone after I'd spoken to Kiba and especially Shino. Why had you gone that far with him, seemingly liking him, then abruptly ending it? It was odd, so I looked into it." He grinned at himself, skipping a few details, unbeknownst to her. "Then yesterday in the store, his reaction set me off."
"His reaction?" She thought back, only remembering him showing concern for a teammate, as Sai had noted. He had made sure to not pry too much to avoid alerting his date.
"You two don't hide it as well as you think. The both of you could benefit from studying body language a little more," he said with a smile. "He held the hand of another woman in front of you, while looking at me as if he'd love nothing more than to decapitate me for even sharing the same space as you. The sight of them caused you to drop a vase, I mean—I'm surprised Temari didn't pick up on it."
Ino cursed at herself. He was right, to anyone looking deeply enough, they had all but spelled it out in plain letters. It was truly a blessing that Temari wasn't the brightest bulb around. She began to worry that Sai may not be the only one who had found them out, that they were continuing this façade for nothing now.
They'd entered the Yamanaka district now and she finally saw the finish line for this ordeal, she was almost free. Ino wanted nothing more than to be in the safe confines of her home, counting the seconds until Shikamaru would inevitably arrive and she could pour her soul out to him about all this.
He's going to kill Sai. The thought sounded off alarms throughout her mind.
"I wanted to confirm my suspicions before our date, so I followed you two," he said flatly. "You should really close your window more often."
The wind was knocked out of her, and she inhaled sharply again, turning to face him. Not once had either of them sensed any kind of presence the past few nights they'd been together. Disgust rang through her voice as she near shouted at him. "You watched?!"
Sai shook his head, as if she'd just insulted him. "No, of course not. I left when I was sure about you two. But…" His voice trailed off, though his eyes met hers again, the black pools seeming endless behind his lids. "One day you will make those sounds for me."
Ino scoffed at the idea. The only one she'd been with was Shika, he was the only one that knew what to do to make her knees weak. "What makes you think I'll agree to see you again after this?" Her words were almost spat at him.
"I just told you I know your secret. But I also know something else, something even Shikamaru doesn't know."
Her body tensed. If their arms weren't interlocked, causing her to carry on, she would have frozen solid in the street. However, her feet dragged beneath her. She could feel her stomach heave at the mention of it. The alcohol was becoming a bit much, the lines of the world slowly blurring. No one else was supposed to know—there was no way. "The…?" Her voice was a whisper.
They slowed as they approached her doorstep. "Yes. Your absence."
Her breath quickened now, her heart going out of control. Memories flashed in her mind unwillingly—the blood, so much blood, the screaming, the pain, and then the crying—she shook her head, willing the memories away. They had been buried all this time. Ino was sure she'd blocked them out completely. She used all her mental energy to shove them down deep enough that they couldn't escape again.
He was blackmailing her with everything she had.
Her hands were tied.
A cornered animal, with no limbs to gnaw off.
"So," she breathed out, trying to even her nerves as they came to a stop. "You just want to anger him."
"Partially," he shrugged. "But I also want you to choose me. Plus, it seems he wants to do the same thing." He reached out for her and Shikamaru's words ran through her mind: Think of it like a game. Sai's hand brushed the side of her blazing cheek, softly running down to her neck. He stopped there, hovering right above where she'd doctored her skin earlier. With his thumb, he pressed down, using pressure as he swept it from front to back. "He sent me a warning."
The hickey, she yelled at herself. But I covered those! How did he see them?! This wasn't a game to her anymore. The information he had could not be spread by any means. Her life was in danger if so, even her relationship wasn't safe.
When he pulled his hand back, he showed her the foundation smudge on his thumb and gave her a bright smile. "A game," he echoed Shika's words. Leaning down, he let his mouth hover next to her ear, his breath warm on her chilled skin. The intoxicating smell of him almost put her in a daze. "Then allow me to make the next move."
His mouth was on her neck, suctioned softly as his teeth gently grazed her. His tongue moved rhythmically in circles, swirling the blood beneath it. He wasn't sloppy, but he didn't take his time either. The area was quickly sore, and his mouth moved up her neck to her jaw, leaving small kisses in his wake. His lips were soft, smooth, badly warmer than her skin. Warmth hit her like a ton of bricks, from her toes to her scalp. Every nerve screamed out at her.
Finally, he brought his face to hers, his eyes watching her lips. Her heartbeat could be felt everywhere, thumping so loudly it drowned out any thought she tried to have.
"Ino…" His words were a whisper the wind could have stolen away. Eagerly, his lips slammed into hers, moving against them like waves during a storm. Her heart leapt out of her chest, wanting to seize on itself to prevent her from fainting. Heat and pressure shoved itself to the front of her face, her mind fogged. She wanted to move away, push him away, sink down and escape. But her body softened under his mouth, like putty.
Feeling her relax, Sai gently dropped their dinner bag and wrapped both arms around her, bringing her close enough to feel his body heat. His tongue searched for hers, and with her mind now numb she allowed them to dance on their own, a familiar throb growing in her core. She melted completely, the alcohol making the warmth she felt overtake her. Any judgement she had was clouded.
He tasted like the champagne, causing her to feel tipsy all over again. Against her leg she felt a growth, hot and hard. He moved against her, allowing her to fully feel him. The friction caused a low moan to exchange in their mouths, another loud thump erupting from her. She lapped up this feeling, wanting to fall to the street and let it envelop her. His hands explored her and she found herself wanting more. In the next instant, he sucked on her tongue and she returned a similar sound, feeling heat claw it's way up her stomach—
He pulled away, staring into her eyes, licking his lips. "See? I can make you melt just as well as he can. You'll choose me."
Ino's head was not only silent now, but spinning. Her footing almost caused her to fall over as her heart tried to slow itself, the throbbing fading. "No—" She tried to protest, but she didn't know if it was because he stopped or to answer him. His kiss had caused her mental walls to come slamming down, making her officially drunk.
Sai put a finger to her mouth to silence her, picking up the bag and handing it to her. "No more tonight. I want you to savor the feeling I've left you with. Why don't we bank on seeing each other again whenever Shikamaru has a date next, hmm? I'm sure you'll be wanting more." He ran a hand down her hair, pulling her to him to kiss her forehead. That hand then pulled his shirt off of her and he slung it over his shoulder. "Goodnight, gorgeous. Tell Shikamaru it's his move."
She was left dumbfounded, utterly confused and overtaken by alcohol. "Sai…" Ino tried to call out for him, but her voice went nowhere. She was now a pawn in a game she didn't want to play between two men that seemed to be itching to take out the other. Grabbing her bag, the other hand touched her sore neck, which was now apparently their battlefield.
ehheheheheh Sai is being odd don't you think ;)))
next we'll see what Shika thinks of this mess!
thank you for reading and ilysm! ;3
