Author's Note- I have been planning to do this sotry for quite some time but only recently did I start it. So i hope this goes well and I hope you all enjoy this story! I like Sai!
Dedication- To one of my all times favorite couples in Naruto, SaiSakura! Yes i do like this pairing! AND also to the wonderful Phil Collins! He is awesome!
Disclaimer- Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and the song WHICH IS AWESOME, "Strangers Like Me" belongs to my main man Phil Collins! WOO
Strangers Like Me
The sun was just starting to rise above the village when a young shinobi came out of his home. In the young man's hands was a canvas, and in the other was a small bag filled with paint brushes and ink. It was a beautiful morning and yet no one was out. Which made it the perfect time to draw. It was the perfect day for the ninja to paint. Yes, today was a painting day.
After wondering around for what seemed like forever, the shinobi quickly found a good open spot that was just screaming his name. It was deserted yes, which made it all the better, but it was still open that if anyone wanted to go into the park they could...Without disturbing him of course. It was always hard to paint or draw when someone was hovering over your shoulder. It was like they are waiting for you to mess up. That wasn't really nice thought but it was true. Their eyes staring you down awaiting the one moment in which your hand slips or accidently goes over your wet ink, smudging the canvas.
The man shook the thought out of his head, no he couldn't think like that. Sure, the eyes thing did bother him, but he was able to use the power if 'ignoring' when that happened. It was actually almost a habit somewhat when somone watched him paint. They watched, he'd ignore them and finish what he was doing. Still, the fact they were there watching him was a bit creepy to say the least.
The male sat down in a spot that looked comfy enough and set down all his things. After getting all settled he grabbed his canvas and readied his mind for an idea to come up. Once that was done he started to get his ink and brushes ready.
A small smile appeared onto his lips. Whether it was 'fake' or 'real' smile he didn't know but it was there. He remembered how his brother would always paint in his free time. He'd always have these sketch books with him that were completely, or almost completely, filled with drawings, sketches, and paintings. He had said that it was his hobby and that it calmed him. He also said that he wanted to create things that could say what he felt without physically saying it. Sometimes a picture was easier to listen to than a person actually saying their words and you trying to listen. After all a picture is worth a thousand words.
The man also remembered how he'd always watch his brother paint. He'd watch how his brother would sketch out this beautiful picture on this paper and then take a brush and transform it into something even more beautiful...if it were possible. The pictures were always breath-taking. How a simple drawing could be tranformed into something that left him speechless. How all these colours just popped out at him! The blues, reds, greens, yellows, pinks, oranges, purples, and every other colour in between scattered around the pages forming this...picture. It was...gorgeous to say the least.
It was at those moments that the shinobi had promised both himself and his brother that he would become an artist. He would piant, draw, sketch, shade, and all the other forms of art. He vowed that he would be the best artist. Watching his brother made him realize what he wanted to be. Everything his brother did, he was going to do too. And even better!
Whatever you do, I'll do it too
Show me everything and tell me how
Each day, he remembered, he'd always draw. He'd be locked up in his room for hours on end just drawing. It was funny how sometimes his brother would have to break his door trying to get him out for whatever reason. But it usually wasn't enough. He wanted to paint. He wasnted to draw. He wanted to be an artist. He wanted to be the best! He wanted to...he wanted to express himself. To show everyone what he felt! He wanted to be an artist!
Every time he finished a drawing, he'd jump up and down all the way to where his brother was. He'd have the picture in his hands and a huge smile plastered on his face. And he'd always cry out, "Brother! Borther! I'm done, I'm done! Want to see it?"
And each time his brother would hear those words, a smile would appear on his lips and he'd say, "Of course. I'd love to see what you came up with this time."
He would show his brother his painting each time with wide eyes. His brother, each time, would take that picture and hold it above his head looking at it from all angles. A smile even brighter than before would light up his entire face.
"This is amazing! Great job!" His brother would cry out patting his younger brother's head.
"You think so?" He'd ask.
"I know so! So, tell me, what inspired you to make this beautiful painting? I want to know!"
He'd shrug still smiling. "I don't know."
"Okay. So what does this painting mean to you?"
"I don't know. It means something, and yet nothing." That was always his answer to every painting he did. He didn't know what it meant.
His brother would always stare at him in shock, but then quickly compose himself. "I see." Would always be his answer.
It all means something
And yet nothing to me
It was kind of funny, he figured. Each painting he did, he had no response as to why he did it or what it meant. That was to every single paiting he did. There was always no title, no inspiration, no meaning. But it was okay right? Do you need a title? Do you need inspiration to paint? Did you need a reason as to why you painted it? No.
And after a couple years of painting, he had thought he'd done it all. He'd had painted himself out. There was nothing really new anymore to paint. He had painted all the emotions, every scene he could think of, and every person's face he could remember. Now, there was nothing to paint anymore. It was that one thing, that had him upset for what seemed like forever.
His brother would come into his room asking if he was alright or if he needed anything. He'd say that he was fine and that there was nothing he needed. At all. It was always that one response that made his brother worry about him though.
It was until one day when his brother told him something, did he change his mind about not finding something to paint. He came into his room one day completely out of breath.
"Sai!" He called out.
"Brother what's wrong?"
"You need to see this! Please come outside!"
"Why?"
"You say you've learned everything there is to painting and that you've done it all. Well you're wrong."
So he came outside, and there he learned that he was wrong. How wrong he was! There were still new things! It wasn't a waste anymore! Oh happy days!
I can see there's so much to learn
"But brother," he had started after looking around at all the paintings scattered around along with ink, brushes, and other things too. "How can I learn all this? There's too much..."
"Nonesense! There may be a lot of stuff to learn about, but we'll be able to do it! It'll just take time!"
It's all so close and yet so far
Throughout the rest of their years, that's what they did. They learned all these new things. They learned new techniques, new colours, new ways of making a picture with other pictures! They learned together! And as they learned more, they grew more. Both on the outside and inside. It wasn't that long until they were teenagers, until they were young adults, until they were young men. But even so, the fact still remained that there were still more things to learn. Bigger things!
I see myself as people see me
Oh, I just know there's something
bigger out there
Sai didn't realize how long he had been in his little memory of himself and his brother but as soon as he came back into reality he noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. Not too far away stood another shinobi who was looking at him in what looked like surprise. They stood there, just staring at him. Their bright green eyes wide and their pale complextion even more paler.
Sai blinked. They blinked. Sai titled his head, the kunoichi titled their head. Then out of complete instinct, Sai waved. And guess what? She waved too.
"Aa. Hello Sakura." Sai greeted as the girl came closer and closer to him.
A smile grew on her face. "Hey there Sai." She greeted back.
Sai watched as she came right up to him. It was rather awkward since he was sitting down looking right up at her...Yeah, weird.
Sakura backed up and knelt down in front of him. Well at least now they were at eye level.
"What're you doing out here Sai? Isn't it rather early?"
He shrugged. "What can I say? I'm an early riser."
Sakura huffed. "You got that right."
He slowly sat down his brushes. "Well today is my day off. I was thinking I could get caught up with my painting today, what about you?"
"Lady Tsunade isn't sending me on any missions till I fully heal from our last one." Sakura pointed to her stomach. "She said she can't heal me since it's a rather difficult process, so I have to do it the natural way."
He nodded remembering how the fight went. The three of them, Naruto, Sakura and himself, were seperated from each other and Yamato. The enemy probably knew that they would have a little more difficulty by themselves then with each other, or at least maybe. His battle was easy, and so was Naruto's. But what about Sakura's? All he remembered was finding her in a pile of blood, her stomach practically ripped to shreds... Along with other things.
Sai flinched at the thought. The journey home wasn't exaclty enjoyable since Sakura was bleeding to death and Naruto swearing his mouth off. Come to think of it, when they entered the village and seeing the medical team awaiting for them along with Tsunade... Anger flew, and other stuff flew as well to say the least.
"I see." Sai mumbled trying to get the image out of his head. To say he was worried about Sakura was an under statement.
"Are you," He coughed, "Okay?"
Sakura laughed slightly before clutching her torso. "Mostly. She got the poison out as well any debris from the fight too. Shizune healed most of it, well I should say she healed it until she was the point to where you can't. Now I'm just in and out of the hospital..."
"Aa. Have you seen Kakashi then?"
"The odd time yes."
Sai nodded. How long has it been since he knew Sakura and Naruto? A couple weeks? Months? They were starting to become pretty good friends. Or at least that's what he thought. Still, it was different around them. Sai wasn't used to communicating with people like this. It wasn't exactly a skill he was 100% good at. And the books didn't give everything you need to know either. Why can't socializing and friends be taught in school?
I wanna know, can you show me
I wanna know about these
strangers like me
Tell me more, please show me
Something's familliar about these stransgers like me The two shinobi sat there for quite some time. As they talked to each other, more and more people came out of their homes getting ready for the day. Even though the park they both were in was extrememly busy now, neither noticed as they chatted. Who knows how long they were talking for? Or even what they were talking about?
Once again Sakura shifted in her seat. The first time, she just sat down instead of kneeling. Then she sat Indian style, then she crossed her legs, now she sat upon her knees twirling hair between her fingers and thumb.
Everytime Sakura moved, whether to get more comfortable, or just her chest rising and falling from her breathing, Sai felt...Well actually he didn't know what he felt. Since he meet Sakura, there has been this...weird air around them. Or at least that's what Sai thought. Sakura felt like a sister to Sai. Sometimes she felt a little different too. She acted as a friend, sister, and even mother around him. Still, Sakura made Sai feel something he has never ever felt... And Sai felt as if, like, he wanted to be by Sakura...
Every gesture, every move that she makes
Makes me feel like never before
Why do I have
This growing need to be beside her
"Sakura?" Sai suddenly asked while sketching something, but he didn't know what.
"Hm? Yes?" She asked looking at his drawing. Was that a couple?
"Do you...Do you think I'm weird?"
"Um...Yeah. Yeah I do."
"Ooh. Okay."
Suddenly she burst out laughing. "But it's a good weird Sai. Your version of weird is cool."
"Cool?" He asked looking at her.
"Well yeah. I mean no one in this entire world is normal. I'm not, you're not, Narutpo, Kakshi, Yamato...No one is normal. As human beings, we each are unique. We're weird. But you're are probably one of the...weirdest?"
"Okay?"
"Yeah! You're like really strange and awkward!"
"..." Whatever this new emotion was...was it hurt? Sai didn't like this emotion... It felt like a mix of disappointment as well as anger and sadness.
"But," Sakura began putting her hand on Sai's shoulder.
"But?" Sai asked looking at her hand. His whole body was so warm now...
"I like weird."
"Oh...kay?" Sai laughed. Emotions are weird...
More importantly, what were these emotions?
Ooo, these emotions I never knew
Of some other world far beyond this place
After that, the two departed each other. Sakura went back to the hospital while Sai went back to his apartment. It was when he set everything away he got a good look at his painting that he did without even fully realizing it. It was of a couple, he thought. A girl and a boy. The boy has his hand stretched out to the girl.
Sai raised a dark eyebrow. "I drew this?" He questioned to no one in particular.
The picture wasn't done though. It was just the outline of bodies right now. Eh, he'd finish it tommorrow...
Beyond the trees, above the clouds
I see before me a new horizon For the next couple days, mission or no mission, Sai found time to go into the park and draw. He didn't get very far in it. Each day he finished just a bit more. The first, he got the faces done, the next day were the bodies, and then clothing, then background, and then minor and major details. And each day, whether it was morning, afternoon, or night, someone would find him drawing.
It was Sakura for the first few days, and then others started to see him. Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato, even the other shinobi like Hinata or Neji, and even Shikamaru came too. Apparently they were all interested in what he was drawing now.
They'd always ask, "What're you drawing Sai? It's really good."
"I...don't...know." Would be his answer.
The faces of the people looked familiar enough in the drawing he figured but...
I wanna know, can you show me
I wanna know about these strangers like me
"Not done yet?"
Sai looked up to see the one and only Knuckle-Headed ninja in the entire village of Konoha.
"Oh, Naruto. Hello." Sai smiled. "Uh, no. I'm not quite done yet."
"Really?" He asked. "You've been working on it for about a week. You usually don't take this long to finish a picture..."
"I know. It is rather odd. But this picture is different..."
Naruto took a look at the picture. "Heh. The faces of the two people look like you and Sakura."
"Really?" Sai asked taking a look for himself. He hadn't really noticed what they looked like. He drew them differently then most of his drawings. No one else had even commented on them yet.
"Yeah. I mean, it's kind of hard to see since you drew them differently then your usual way but..." Naruto slowly pointed out each individual way the picture resembled Sakura and himself. Slowly, Sai started to see that yes, he did draw Sakura and himself.
"Why did you draw them like that any how Sai?"
"I'm not sure. The idea just came to me when I was talking to Sakura not too long ago..."
"Do you have a title?"
"No."
"Oh okay."
Silence.
"Naruto, may I have that back now?"
Naruto looked at his dark-haired teammate who had a strange resemblance to Sasuke... He then took one last look at the drawing. The Sai in the picture had a real smile on his face. And his hand was outstretched to Sakura who also had a real smile on her face. To say the drawing looked beautiful wasn't worth the trouble. It looked far more than just beautiful...It was...Naruto was at a lost for words for once.
"Um, yeah. Sure Sai. Here." He handed back the painting.
"Thank you."
"...So when do you think you'll finish it?"
"I'm not sure. Soon."
"Okay."
Picture Sai had his hand out for picture Sakura to take... Why did that pose look really familiar? Hand...smiles...Couple... It looked so familiar. Why did it though? These questions plaqued Naruto for what seemed like forever.
Naruto scratched his head for a few moments. While he did so, he watched Sai draw on the canvas more. He was really into that drawing... He looked so...happy. He looked calm and collected. Yet so excited and joyful...
"I got it!" He suddenly exclaimed making a fist in his left and hitting it to his flat right hand.
"What?" Sai questioned lookig at the blonde.
"That drawing, and you and Sakura..."
"What're you talking about Naruto?"
"You like Sakura! I knew it! You like her!"
"I... what?"
"Sai likes Sakura!" Naruto sang. "Sai likes Sakura!"
"No I don't."
"How do you know that Sai? You're not an expert on love you know."
"I..." Ah touché. Naruto played a mean game. He was right. Sai had no clue on what love was.
"You're blushing!"
"Am not!"
"Sai likes Sakura! I knew it!"
"..."
Has Sai ever mentioned how much he hates emotions?
Tell me more, please show me
Something's familiar about these strangers like me Sai wasn't sure what day it was when he saw Sakura again. The drawing of his now only needed a bit more colour until it was complete. And that process was almost finished too.
"Hey Sai!" Sakura waved coming near him.
He looked up to see the pinkette walking over to him. "Aa. Hello." He greeted.
"How're you?"
"Fine." Why was his face all warm all of a sudden?
"Oh that's good."
"I heard you had surgery the other day..." he mentioned trying to get his attention away to something else.
"Well yes and no. I was booked for it, but cancled. I actually have it in a couple days."
"Oh. Pleasentful."
She giggled. "It's no big deal really."
Now his whole body was warm! Oh man what were these feelings!
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. Surgery's not a big deal."
Was Naruto actually right? Could he, *gulp* could he like Sakura? I mean she was pretty and all but...She was his teammate!
"Sai?"
"Y-Yes?"
"How's your drawing? May I take a look?"
"Sure."
Sakura took the painting and eyed it. It was...Wow. The colours were amazing! And the detail! It was...It was just...Wow. It was beautiful... The way the colours swirled around the two people was gorgeous. And the guy was...well he was very pretty. The girl was too. The shading was...amazing! It almost looked real! Sakura was actually afraid of holding the painting...She didn't want to wreck all the hard work Sai put into this...but it was... It brought tears to her eyes. It was so beautiful.
"This is really good Sai." She sniffed feeling tears coming.
"You think? It's not done quite yet..."
"Really? It looks done..."
"Well it is, but I have yet to name it."
She looked at him, not caring if he could see her tears. "You don't usually name your paintings..."
"I don't normally but this one...This one needs a name."
"Oh. Okay. What are you going to name it?"
"I have no idea..."
"Hm. You know Sai...I wish I could draw like you."
"Why?"
"You're amazing. I don't really have any talent in art at all... I wish I did though. Art is like a whole new world! And how I wish to see it..."
"If that's the case then," Sai started while taking out a scroll and quickly painting on it before muttering 'super beast scroll' under his breath.
Sakura watched as a giant ink bird came out of the scroll Sai had in his hand and flew up into the air. It was one of Sai's jutsu's right? Sai ran towards it as it came down and he jumped onto its back. It then flew up into the air again swirling around causing 'ooh's' and 'ah's' around the entire park. It came back down slowly towards Sakura and stayed hovering there while Sai found a more comfortable position on it.
Sai slowly extended out his left hand watching as Sakura's eyes widened. "Come with me now to see my world. Where there's beauty beyond your dreams."
"What?" Sakura gasped. This thing was causing a scene and everyone was watching right now. "What do you mean?" She clutched the picture tighter to her. For some reason, Sakura was excited and all the same, she was afraid. She was, Sai was...She just had to wake up today didn't she?
"Sakura!" Sai shouted as the wind from the bird and the natural wind picked up. "I need to tell you something!"
She blinked. This situation was getting weirder and weirder. Sai was acting really strange and why was everyone watching this? It felt like a movie... And... Sakura kind of liked it too.
"I want to know..." Sai started. "Can you feel the things I feel? Right now, with you...?"
Sakura blinked again. Was he-
"Sakura!" Sai called out again as again the wind picked up more causing papers to fly everywhere. It was a good thing he put everything away before he did this stunt. Except Sakura was still holding the picture... Oh well.
"What are you trying to say Sai?" Sakura called out. Was she angry? Eh, she wouldn't be in a couple of seconds, still, he should be a little more careful now.
"Take my hand." Sai offered to her.
"W-Why?"
"Because," He smiled lifting her up onto the back of the bird. "There's a world I need to know."
Before she had time to protest, or even grab the picture that fell out of her hands, both her and Sai were high up into the air soaring all around Konoha. And as they did so, there were loud cheers, and some angry curses too. To say this felt amazing was, well it was more than that. Far more. It was...breath-taking.
"Sai!" Sakura squealed. "What about the-"
"Don't worry," he chuckled moving so Sakura was in the front while he was right behind her. "Naruto has it."
"Are you sure?" She asked a little afraid. What was he trying to pull just now?
"Positive."
"So what is all this anyway!"
"Sakura," Sai began. "Do you trust me?"
"Do I what?" She turned around to face him.
"Do you trust me?"
"Why?"
"Because you need to hold on right now."
"Wha-"
He grabbed her hips pulling her towards him as the bird started to do loops and fly all around the village at an even greater speed than beofre. Sai's laughter and Sakura's screams were heard through-out Konoha.
I wanna know, can you show me
I wanna know about these strangers like me
Tell me more, please show me
Something's familiar about these strangers like me
For hours Sai and Sakura stayed up in the air just soaring around. The went all around the Fire country and some others too. It was almost like a fairy tale, Sakura figured. A fairy tale that is really, really, scary. But a fairy tale nontheless.
"What're you trying to pull anyway Sai? Scaring me half to death?" She growled as they went over the mountains.
"Nothing really. I was just testing something."
"And what pre-tell were you trying to test?"
"To show you what I feel like. Everyday."
"Oh." Well that didn't sound too bad.
"When I'm with you."
Sakura turned to him. "What?" Oh...this was...
"You can thank our team for this. Naruto gave me an extra push while Kakahsi and Yamato told me what to do. And this is what we came up with."
"You-"
"Do you have butterflies Sakura?"
She blushed. "Yes?"
"Good. Because that's how I feel whenever I'm with you."
"Sai..." Sakura blushed more. She could feel more tears. But were they from the speed or height? Or were they from Sai's stunt?
"Sai if this is your way of telling me something..." Sakura laughed wiping her eyes.
"Hm?"
"Then you're absolutely crazy."
"That's what I was going for."
"Sai, you're strange."
"Thank you. You're strange too."
I wanna know
Back down in Konoha stood a young blonde shinobi with two taller males. One with silver hair, the other with brown.
"Well," began the brunette. "I think that went rather well."
The silver nodded. "Yes considering how risky this was."
"So," the blonde smiled. "What do you suppose I should do with Sai's painting Kakshi? Yamato? It is done."
Kakashi shrugged. "Dunno. Leave it at his apartment I guess."
"I thought Sai said he still needed to name it..." Yamato interrupted.
"He does." Naruto chuckled.
"Oh, then we'll leave it for him to name then." Yamato smiled.
"Good plan." Kakashi agreed.
"Nah." Naruto shook his head. "I'm sure Sai won't mind if I name it."
Both older males looked at him. "WHAT?"
"Sai won't mind. I have the perfect title anyway."
"And?" Kakashi questioned.
" I think I'll call it, 'Strangers Like Me.' It's a good name." Naruto smiled.
Yamato and Kakashi smiled as they both patted Naruto's shoulders.
"That it is Naruto. That it is." Yamato agreed.
"'Strangers Like Me...'" Kakashi repeated. "What a fine name."
To think that Naruto had actually came up with something worth while? Hm. Surpirses always come at random moments. Still, neither male could guess what Sai or Sakura would think of it. But no matter what happened after, they were all sure that it was going to be okay. However what would the Hokage say...?
Author's Note- I LOVE how this came out. Seriously. I'm really happy how it turned out. It was so much fun writing this! Did you guys know that I love Sai? I LUV him. Seriously. I also love drawing too! YEAH! I based this story on a drawing I saw by Annria2002. But I alos drew something to go along with this stroy too, but alas I cannot show you.
Is it sad, that this is the first time Naruto actually makes an appearance? Eh, I love how he came out. He's just so...HAPPY! YAY for skittles! And music from Naruto, Ouran, FMA, and Vocaloid to help me through this. AND FOR PHIL COLLINS!
Please review?