Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto and its characters; I also don't own His Stand in Bride by Michelle Styles which is the inspiration for this story. Any events written in the story that is similar to real life events is purely coincidental. This is not Beta'd yet.
Chapter XII:
If Sasuke was a person hard to crack, Sai would be ten times harder to crack than Sasuke. Sai lived majority of his life as an emotionless Anbu bred to kill and follow orders from his superiors without questions asked. He doesn't remember much of his childhood, only that he was an orphan whose parents died when 9 tails unleashed fury in Konoha, since then he lived in the orphanage and coped with his loss through drawing. It was that talent of his and emotionless attitude that the late Danzo took interest of and adopted him to train as the ultimate anbu.
As expected Sai turned up to be the anbu Danzo hoped for, an assassin who doesn't feel any kind of emotions and doesn't ask any order he was given with. It wasn't until he was assigned as Sasuke's replacement for team 7 that he showed real emotions, being with Naruto who's joyful and strong love for his peers and friends rubbed on him added with Sakura's company that he finally smiled a real smile.
Being with Naruto and Sakura he also saw the Hyuuga heiress often who blushes and almost faints whenever they encounter her on the road, at first she didn't understand why she's acting such but thanks to his constant reading and some explanation from Sakura he understood that Hinata likes Naruto a lot. When Danzo died, root Anbu squad was now directly under the Hokage's control to prevent the mistakes encountered during Danzo's leadership their missions now mostly involve reconnaissance. After the war and due to lack of activity Sai decided to be deactivated as an Anbu member and focus on his real passion which is drawing.
Sai managed to save enough money to buy his own 2 story house in the busiest part of Konoha district and made the first floor into his own gallery where he draws and displays his drawings. It was ironic that his talent was used to kill people before but now his talent is used to entertain people and earned popularity among patrons of the arts.
He was currently finishing drawing the Hokage Mountain when he heard the bell ring at his door signaling a visitor came, Sai stopped what he was doing and checked who was it by his door and was surprised to see Hinata.
Hinata smiled and asked looking at his hands dirty with black ink, "Ohayo Sai san did I interrupt something you are doing?"
Sai followed her gaze and wiped his hands at his apron and moved his head sideways.
"Actually Sasuke san and I would like to look at your landscape or house drawings if any for Sasuke san is planning to rebuild the Uchiha compound."
"Sure Hinata san I think I have some drawings inside but where is Sasuke san?" He asked innocently looking for Sasuke and let Hinata inside his gallery.
"He dropped by Kakashi sensei's office first before coming here and asked me to wait for him while looking ahead at your drawings."
"Sure, here take a seat I'll look at my drawings to see if I have some of what you are asking for. Would you like to drink a tea while waiting?" He asked as he led Hinata to a table.
Since he opened his gallery Sai had been more accommodating and learning how to communicate and mingle effectively with people.
Hinata humbly declined, "No Sai san, you shouldn't worry yourself too much by making me a tea; I'll just wait for Sasuke san while looking at your drawings."
Sai nodded and looked at his collection of his drawings if he had some drawings Hinata asked and showed her, "Here are my landscape drawings I'm sorry but I can't show you my house and compound drawings for I infiltrated them before so out of Anbu secrecy they are classified."
She nodded, "I understand Sai san, I guess we'll just wait for Sasuke san then."
Sasuke had his hands stuffed inside his pockets as he walked through Konoha district, unlike before when he can't walk casually because his fan girls are sure to swarm over him but since he married Hinata they stopped stalking and worshipping his steps and can walk casually again. He's also glad that he married Hinata the Hyuuga heiress girl for his fan girls can't lay a finger on Hinata for fear of the Hyuuga clan. Walking to Sai's place he was called by an old lady.
"Excuse me young man."
He stopped walking and walked near the old lady asking, "Yes?"
"I'm selling rice cakes but I haven't sold any, will you be so kind and buy some?" The old lady asked and raised a tray of rice cakes for Sasuke to see.
Although he wasn't hungry and not planning to buy some he bought the whole tray to help the old lady and share them with Hinata later. The old lady was so delighted that he hugged Sasuke stunning him. After the old lady packed his rice cakes and gave them to him he resumed walking and reached Sai's place. He knocked before opening the door seeing Sai and Hinata laughing discussing something, that particular scene will not make him feel anything before but it was a different case now and this is Sai his wife is laughing with.
Grunting he nearly crushed the rice cakes he was carrying until Hinata heard his grunt and stood up looking at him.
"Sasuke san how long have you been there?"
Sasuke wasn't jealous but his words betrayed him, "Long enough to see Sai flirting with you."
He said Sai's name as if it was vile in his mouth and Hinata almost snorted at what she heard but held her laughter.
"He wasn't flirting with me Sasuke san, Sai san was just telling me stories behind some of his drawings. Why don't you come here so we can both talk to Sai san on how you want your compound to look?"
Sasuke sat beside Hinata continuing to glare at the emotionless Sai, "Our compound Hinata san you own it as much as I own it."
Hinata can feel Sasuke's chakra rising and held his hand to calm him, "O...of course Sasuke san, since Sai san doesn't have any drawings of houses or compounds we can both return after our..honeymoon."
Sasuke growled and raised from his seat, "Yes, but you can go to what was left of the Uchiha compound to survey and draw designs that Hinata san and I can look at after we return for modifications."
"Alright Sasuke san but can I ask what is flirting and do you seem mad at me?" Sai asked curiously for he doesn't really know what is flirting and why was Sasuke suddenly mad at him.
Right then Sasuke wanted to electrocute Sai with his chidori or burn him and his house with susanoo but Hinata held into his hand tightly.
"It's nothing Sai san, Sasuke san was just probably not in the mood right now with the warm weather outside that's why he's mad." Hinata said and pulled Sasuke towards the door, "I'm sorry but we really have to leave we'll just return after a month.
"Hai Sasuke san, Hinata san enjoy your honeymoon." He said smiling and waving his hands goodbye.
Hinata didn't know why Sasuke was acting like a jealous husband and did the most logical thing she can do before Sasuke and Sai cause havoc at Konoha district by pulling Sasuke away and leaving going towards the river and have a talk at him. Sasuke can easily snatch his hand away from Hinata but he let her pull him for he was sure that once Hinata let go of his hand he will be teaching Sai a lesson.
He wasn't sure why he was angry by Sai's presence beside Hinata but maybe it was his past as a root Anbu member under the damn Danzo that he also loathes Sai with a passion or the way he was faking a smile with Hinata, Sasuke just can't figure out what caused his anger. Hinata finally let Sasuke's hand go and wiped her forehead with sweat from dragging Sasuke to the river and slumped by the tree feeling the stress and tiredness, Sasuke also sat besides her looking at the river.
She breathed deeply to normalize her breathing before saying, "I don't know why you acted like a jealous husband back there but that is not good and you know it."
He was surprised at what she just said he couldn't be jealous or was he, pushing the though aside he spoke, "Jealous husband? I am not jealous I just hate the guy's fake smile and his past that's all."
Hinata sighed, "Sai san is not faking his smile I can see it in his eyes."
"How can you be sure when he was Danzo's prodigy who follows his orders blindly like assassination, Sai could be one of the Anbu who my brother are with when they murdered my family!"
Hinata saw the hurt and anger in Sasuke's eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned her head on the other shoulder, "I know…but that was in the past and if you are the second chance to start again and right your mistakes…Sai san also deserves it or anyone else who wants to start again."
Sasuke sighed deeply and calmed himself, "I didn't mean to be angry at him it's just that I don't like his reputation and I don't want you to be tainted by him you are just too good and kind."
Hinata smiled at him and said, "With you as my husband no one can taint me Sasuke san besides Sai doesn't mean any harm."
Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone, thanks for reviews, follows, favorites.