I own nothing, except my OC.
"I'm sorry for coming over so suddenly."
"It's fine." Sai said shutting the door to his apartment as Ren settled the plastic bags that she had carried in onto the counter of his kitchenette. Ren was skimming through the bags and checking their contents when Sai saw his opening, he silently prayed that his studies were not inaccurate now more than ever. Sai went forward and slid his arms around her waist, planting a strategically placed kiss at her jaw line. Ren did not make what he was trying to attempt difficult for him, she was attractive, at least Sai found her to be, in her own way.
"Uh, Sai… What are you doing?" Her usually animated voice did not waver now in her confusion as she pulled a face and tried to look back at him over shoulder; her dreadlocks in their extremely high ponytail slid over the opposite shoulder.
"Strange," Sai removed himself. Ren turned completely to find him thumbing through a book; she sighed and rolled her eyes. "This is usually where the female stutters."
"Sai…" She said firmly, he looked up at her. "What are you doing?" She repeated.
"I was reading about relationships and several books told me about showing affection. So I began doing some reading on that as well and I read that sex is a good way to show affection and since we haven't done so yet—"
"Okay Sai, listen to me. Showing affection isn't just sex." She interrupted him from going on.
"Are there other ways?" He inquired curiously.
"Yes!" She answered quickly.
"What other things would be considered affectionate?"
"Like…" Ren began, the different examples taking a minute before coming to her, "holding hands when you walk down the street or cuddling on the couch but that's just the physical aspect. There's more to showing affection than just physical contact."
"Go on."
"For example," Ren mused excitedly as she rifled through the grocery bag again and brought out a package with a puffed out chest and a satisfied expression. "I came over with the intention of cooking you dinner tonight."
"Thank you, I would really like that." He replied with the innocence and an uncertainty of how to react that reminded Ren of a bashful child whom just received an extravagant gift. Though he lacked response Ren beamed at his approval.
"Great! I went to the store today and picked up some tofu," Ren rattled on. Sai took the package from her out held hand and examined it. "I remember you saying it was your favorite food once."
"It is, thank you I appreciate this."
"I couldn't remember what kind was your favorite so I just got momen."
"That is my favorite." She looked relieved. He suddenly remembered what his books said about modesty. "You did not have to do this."
"I wanted to." She quipped. "Being affectionate is never a hassle."
"Never?"
"No, you do it because you want to. Sometimes even when you do something for yourself it can be affectionate." Ren continued speaking upon seeing Sai's questioning expression. "Like framing or carrying around a photo or something along those lines. Expressing affection is about doing things that show the other person that you care and that they matter to you."
"… I see." He stared intently at her and she smiled in return.
"Good. Now that we have that cleared out I'll start dinner." She smiled and took the package back from him.
Whilst Ren floated around his kitchen area humming, Sai mulled over what she had said. Doing things for himself could be affectionate as long it just showed her that he cared and that she mattered. Doing things for himself, what had he done for himself lately? Sai sifted through all his thoughts until something struck him. He had forgotten about that.
Sai went over to his nightstand and opened the drawer. He reached inside and pulled out one of his sketchpads. He flipped though the pages as he walked back to Ren.
"It should be done in about half an hou—" She stopped before she could finish the sentence. She had turned round and was stopped short at the sight of Sai suddenly in front of her with a determined yet suspiciously rose tinted look on his face and an open sketchpad in hand held out to her. "What's this?"
"For you." He blurted. "I drew you."
Ren accepted the token smiling. At first she pictured a detailed pencil sketch but then quickly reminded herself that the artwork she imagined was completely different to Sai's style. The image came to her mind in a quick and insignificant flash before being forgotten. She remembered his previous works. Ren briefly wondered why she had even pictured the pencil sketch when she had Sai's style committed to memory and could recognize a work from him anywhere. Surely this would be his usual work of elegant swirls and black and white shapes.
What she saw gave her a sense of familiarity and a small surprise at the same time. Of course, she told herself, only his living works in battle were painted in simple black ink, everything else was drawn with more care like this. It was done in his oil based crayons.
Her head was drawn largely and took the center of the page and it was all that was drawn in a myriad of colors. Her face was both outlined and colored in through curved and curling lines and strokes giving it a smooth and flowing quality with a bright copper brown. Her eyes, beaming and open, were done in the striking bright teal that contrasted against all the warmness. And her hair in the candid was let loose and the dreadlocks, shaped out through Sai's swirls, floated out from her face and surrounded her, taking up the rest of the page and not allowing a single corner or crevice of space to be left blank. A lively and smiling face set against a sea of bright orange tendrils.
Ren passed an admiring hand over the face and then clutched the pad gently to her chest. She looked at Sai with joy brimming, tender eyes. "Thank you." She said in a small voice once she had found it again. "I love it."
"I am glad." Sai smiled back at his significant other's reaction, a genuine smile too.