The Replacement

Breakthrough

Tenten imagined that her excitement was palpable. She couldn't help it though, she had gotten Sai to come out with her. She knew what an accomplishment it was.

Granted, he didn't seem like he wanted to be there, but she was willing to overlook that.

Or maybe that was just how he always looked, like Neji.

She grinned as she pulled him inside the restaurant. They snagged a table for two and the weapon's mistress wasted no time before pouring over a menu.

"Everything sounds amazing. I don't know how I'll choose," she said, flipping back and forth between pages.

Sai was staring at her curiously. He had yet to pick up his own menu.

"What do you think?" She asked, meeting his gaze.

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly for the briefest of moments.

Tenten quirked an eyebrow, "What's so amusing, mister?"

"What makes you think I find something amusing?"

"Oh I know a tough guy smile when I see one. I've been around Neji long enough... Your mouth twitched. I saw it."

"No, it didn't."

"Yeah it did," she was smiling again, like an idiot. It amazed her how much the artist was willing to argue with her.

"No-"

"Yep, there it is again." She gestured toward him. She was lying this time, but to her surprise, it had the desired effect and Sai gave a tiny smile out the side of his mouth.

Tenten couldn't help the triumphant laugh that escaped her.

She wasn't sure whether the artist was perturbed or embarrassed, but he chose that moment to pick up his menu.

Tenten did the same and let the moment pass peacefully. She liked to think she knew when to push and when to back off.

After they had ordered their food, she leaned forward eagerly. "So what kind of mission were you on when you had this type of food?"

The artist shifted in his seat. "It was for root, I was... young. There was this man, I don't know what he did, wasn't told, but he liked kids... Boys." He let his meaning hang in the air, but Tenten got it.

"I was sent in to be his new..." He hesitated as if searching for a word, "toy." The way he said it made Tenten think he'd heard someone else put it that way, that it wasn't his own idea.

He shrugged then, like it was no big deal. "He wanted to show me off is what he said. We went somewhere like this." He looked around slowly and Tenten felt her joy fly away.

She felt bad, disappointed. It wasn't her intention to conjure memories like that. How could she have known?

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Sai looked at her funny, like he wasn't sure why she said that.

"Did you go on a lot of missions like that?"

The artist shook his head, "No. It was unusual for root to operate that way. Just a few times."

The silence was awkward but she didn't know what to say. Sai seemed unaffected, but wasn't that his way?

She was thankful for the interruption of their food arriving. She hoped it didn't taste like bad memories to her companion.

"I'm glad you came with me," she said, through a mouthful of food.

Sai looked up from chasing something around his plate, "You mean I had a choice?"

Tenten blinked in surprise, swallowed her food quickly. "Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke?"

"What?" he asked innocently, but she could see the slight tilting of his mouth.

"You did," she laughed. "I knew it. See, this is way better than holing up in that dreary apartment of yours."

Sai said nothing, simply resumed eating, but Tenten thought that maybe this time he agreed with her.

Thanks everyone for your comments and contributions. They're all helpful!

Hopefully Sai can be redeemed to each and every one of you.

Next update: Friday