The sun was getting low on the horizon and the sky was turning a light shade of pink.
They had entered the Fire Country's border an hour ago and were well on their way back to Konoha.

"Do you think we should stop and set up camp for the night Sorami?! It's starting to get dark!" Sakura shouted from the back of the cart.

"No, we still have some light and there is a town a little while up ahead that I know has messenger hawks, so I think we should press on!" Sorami shouted back.

They had been periodically stopping in towns to try to find a messaging station but were having little luck; it seemed they were a lot less popular in non-shinobi villages. Go figure.

They traveled for about two more miles and though the sky had darkened significantly, the lights of a town were coming into view.

"I see the town Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted excitedly.
The pink haired kunoichi leaned over the side of the cart to take a look in front, and indeed a cluster of buildings were slowly closing in.

Sorami pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road a few meters away from the village entrance.

She hopped down and stretched then went around to the back to help her passengers down and to help unload.

"I'm going to go in and try to send word while you set up camp." Kakashi said as they took out their equipment.
They all nodded and he walked towards the town.

"Hey Sakura, you want to come help me collect some firewood?" Sorami asked.
"Sure, no problem!" she said airily as they started to walk towards the more heavily wooded area.

"Sooo I've been kinda curious…" Sorami began strangely.

"About?" Sakura answered, a little skeptical about where this was headed.

"You and Naruto seem very close, and it seems you've known him for a quite some time. He's an awfully attractive young man in my opinion and, well, at one point today he described you as "the love of his young life." So what's the deal? Is there anything going on between you two?" She said suggestively.

Sakura laughed. "Okay yes, Naruto and I are extremely close and I've been friends with him since I was twelve. I'll admit that in a weird boyish way he is pretty handsome. And I guess you could say I was "the love of his young life." He had a huge crush on me ever since we were young. But there is nothing like that going on between us."

"Not to sound rude but: why the heck not? I had the unique pleasure of spending the entire day with him today and he's really dreadfully sweet, incredibly funny in his own way, and an overall amazing person!
And I don't know what it is, but you two just seem to fit so well together when I see you." Sorami said gathering more wood into her arms.

"I know! I know. And I do love Naruto, so much! But… it's just not in that way.
It's actually funny that you should mention it.
Just a few weeks ago he tried asking me out again for the millionth time, and this time I actually thought about it before giving my answer.

I thought about why I should say no, I thought of all the things you've just said, and thought about everything we had been through together. I decided that I should just go for it because he really is a good guy and he deserved a chance.

So we went out a few times and it was great! We had so much fun together, we could talk about anything and it was so natural. But the thing was: it wasn't much different than how we always were: he's my best friend; of course I have fun with him and can share anything with him.

So, on our maybe fourth dinner date, he walks me home and we're at my doorstep and he kisses me. I kissed him back and we stayed that way for a little while. It was actually my first kiss and it was… nice, really nice: he wasn't a bad kisser at all.

But when we pulled back, we looked at each other, and we both… knew.
It wasn't what a kiss was supposed to feel like: there were no fireworks, nothing special behind it. It was just a friend kissing another friend.

I sort of felt bad: him waiting so long just to find out it wasn't what he had expected it to be. I felt like I disappointed him." She laughed and picked up a few logs.

"And I guess you would assume finding out something like that to be awkward or uncomfortable, but we both started laughing because it was us. Then we basically just said what we had been thinking and came to the agreement that we weren't right for each other.

But after that he kissed me on the cheek and said "Know that I will always love you though" and I hugged him tight and whispered "Right back atcha."

It was sweet and I will never regret giving him my first kiss. So yes: I love him and he loves me, but it's more in a brother-sister-best friends sort of way."

"I see. Well I think we have enough wood to last us the night, we should head back."

They trekked back to their resting spot and set up the fire. Sorami pulled out a kettle from her pile of possessions and also, much to Naruto's delight, a pack of instant ramen.

"Sorami-chan I've said it once and I'll say it again: YOU ARE MY SAVIOR!" He said tackling her in a grateful hug.

She laughed.
"I thought you might appreciate it."

Just as the noodles had soaked Kakashi came waltzing back into there camp and sat down.

"Yo."

"Did you find a messenger?" Sai inquired.

"I did. I wrote that we were slightly delayed and that we were planning on returning around midday tomorrow. Ah ramen? I wonder whose idea that was…" Kakashi drawled sarcastically.

"HA! For once it wasn't me Kakashi sensei! Sorami-chan kindly offered some of her ramen to share, and who would I be to refuse such a wonderful lady?" Naruto said dramatically.

"And who could deny such a wonderful boy his beloved food?" Sorami mimicked his tone and pinched him on the cheek.

"Oh you say that now Sorami, but just hang around him for a little while longer and you won't even be able to stand the sight of the stuff!" Sakura said exaggeratedly.

"It would be wise to eat healthier food dickless." Sai said casually.

Sorami choked a little on her ramen.
"Excuse me??" She coughed out.

"RAHHH! SAI!!!" Naruto screeched attempting to pummel the boy.

Sorami was fidgeting in her seat a little uncomfortable hearing this disturbing secret that Naruto so obviously was trying to keep hidden.
Kakashi noticed her discomfort.

"He's not really a eunuch." Kakashi said lightly, turning to her, slightly amused.

Naruto paused in his scuffle with his teammate.
"WHAT?! SORAMI-CHAN YOU COULDN'T HAVE ACTUALLY BELIEVED WHAT HE SAID ABOUT ME!!"

Sorami had successfully turned a bright shade of pink from embarrassment.
"I... uh… it was … he said it so casually… then you reacted so…umm…"

Kakashi decided to save the poor girl from her situation.
"Sai gives people… unusual playful nicknames when he meets them. Naruto's nickname was "dickless" and Sakura "hag" or "ugly." He doesn't really intend any harm by them but I believe he does it just to get a rise out of his teammates every once in a while."

"Hmm… that's strange… well okay! Give me one Sai!" Sorami said enthusiastically.
Naruto blinked at her.

"Sorami-chan! You don't want an insulting nickname from this baka!"

"Well sure I do! Nicknames are a sign of friendship and it's healthy to get a good jibe at yourself every once and a while, so bring it on! Hit me with your best shot!" She said challengingly.

Sai stared at her with a blank face.
"No one has ever actually asked for one before. 'A good nickname incorporates the subject's characteristics'…"

"Come on I don't have all day!" Sorami said with a glint in her eye.

"…Spaz."

Sorami looked at him for a moment and then started to laugh.
"You hit the nail right on the head kid! Although it isn't as insulting as I thought it would be, actually… I'm kind of disappointed in a weird way." She finished, collecting herself.

"Sai! Sorami-chan is not a spaz! I'm more of a spaz than she is!" Naruto shouted in an attempt to defend her, only to end up insulting himself.

Sakura and Sorami laughed, Sai smiled, Kakashi crinkled his eye, Naruto then joined in realizing what he had just said.

Sorami was wiping a tear from her eye from laughter when she caught sight of the object in Sai's hand.

It was a pad of paper and he was painting on it.

"Eh? What have you got there?" She directed at Sai.

"It is a painting I worked on today as we traveled." He stated.

"Do you paint often?" He gave a small nod.

"Oooh so you're an artist!" Sorami cooed.
"May I take a look?" She asked scooting closer to him.
He shrugged.

"Oh my, it's lovely. Really, you've got great talent and I can tell you put a lot into it: you really are a true artist." She said while roaming her eyes over the page.

It was an impressionist styled landscape: a depiction of the countryside they had traveled by in a colorful mass of swirls, shapes, and strokes.
Even when she was through talking she stayed, taking in the artwork.

"I'm not finished. If you're done, you should leave: I will need room to continue." He said flatly.

"Oh right sorry." She said backing away.

"Don't be so rude to Sorami-chan! She even complimented your work! And you didn't even say thank you!" Naruto rounded on him.

Sai opened his mouth to retort but Sorami cut him off.
"Naruto he's right! I know how artists can get when they are working, I'm thankful he was courteous enough to even let me view it before its completion! I was in the wrong staying for so long, but I just really thought it was beautiful that's all." She directed the last part at Sai with a smile.
He smiled back, as was custom.

It was getting late and they all set up their sleeping arrangements.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sai and Sorami settled down into their spots: it was Sakura's turn for first watch so she was sitting quietly on a log by the fire.

"Sleep well everyone." Sorami said to the sky.
"Sweet dreams Sorami-chan." Naruto got the same feeling of warmth even the second time.
Kakashi nodded, Sai did not make any acknowledgement, and Sakura was a few feet away transfixed by the fire.

The men fell asleep after a few minutes; Naruto began to snore a bit loudly.

Sorami however was staring up into the infinite darkness deep in thought.
She glanced over to the fire where Sakura too seemed lost in the recesses of her mind.

Sorami suddenly didn't feel much like sleeping anymore; she got up and walked over to Sakura's log.
"Mind if I sit?" She asked in a subdued tone as to not wake the others.

"No, it's fine, but aren't you tired?" Sakura asked in a similarly hushed voice.

"Not especially, my head was just sort of cluttered with thoughts so I think I'll try again later."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing in particular: the past, the present, and the future: how it's all tangled and jumbled and that's how we end up where we are. Haha it's hard to explain. What about you? I noticed you seem to have a lot going on up there too at the moment. What are you thinking about?"

"Sai." She whispered absently.

"Ooh! So that's the member of your team that catches your eye! He is very handsome no doubt…" Sorami started to ramble excitedly.

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" She whispered in an affronted tone.

"Well what do you mean then?"

"I was thinking about his nickname for me… I wonder if he really sees me that way. And if what he says is so, maybe that's why I've... had it so rough on the relationships front."

"What?! No way! A girl like you? Having troubles with boys? Sakura trust me: you have got it going on. No homo." Sorami joked raising a hand.

Sakura laughed.

"Seriously though! How could you possibly believe that? I mean even if you can't see it, you already know someone who did. Naruto! I mean, be honest, I'm sure his old fixation with you wasn't just about your killer personality."
Sakura blushed a little.
"Hahaha You need to be more confident! It's true! I have no reason to lie to you about this Sakura. And also, I don't think Sai really means it: I think he just has trouble expressing himself correctly. Like a preschooler! He tells the girl he likes that she's yucky and has cooties!"
Sakura restrained her laughter.

"First off let me just say that it is practically impossible for Sai to have any feelings for me what so ever because the truth is… he doesn't really have any." She got a bit serious and gloomy at the conclusion of her sentence.

But Sorami started to laugh!

"It's not funny! It's really upsetting that he lacks something so basic, so human." Sakura said sadly.

"I'm sorry Sakura but what you're saying is ridiculous not to mention impossible!"
Sakura understood how a civilian would find this impossible and was about to explain about Sai and his desensitization in ROOT but Sorami wasn't done yet.

"You see he must have emotions. He is an artist. True art is all about emotion and expression of the soul. You see now? I saw his soul and all the emotions he felt today on that canvas he showed me."

"Sorami I know you thought the picture he showed you was beautiful but you don't know him like we know him: he really doesn't even know what feelings are and he doesn't feel." She said despairingly.

"Okay maybe he isn't aware of them, maybe he can't understand them, and maybe to everyone around they don't exist! But they are there: somewhere deep down they rest and then they find release in the only way he knows: to create. That's what makes his art so wonderful: it's pure and untarnished by conscious thought." Sorami said dreamily.

"Maybe he just needs people around him to make him more aware of those feelings.…Maybe one of those people is you Sakura." She said in a mysterious and knowing way.

Sakura stared at her.
"I-uh if that were true I'd want to help Sai realize his feelings but I… I just don't think it would work out between us… that way." She said awkwardly.

"Aye-yaaa! You and "that way!" Sorami said throwing her hands up jokingly exasperated.
"Why not this time? I mean I get the whole best friend thing with Naruto but it doesn't seem to be the case with Sai, so what's holding you back? Sure he's quiet and when he does speak he's a little socially inept, from what I've seen, but I kind of like his bluntness actually: there's no bullshit there, he's just being real. He's an artist, and that's always a turn on, and I can tell he cares about you. And we must not forget, most importantly: he is very nice to look at! All dark and troubled, gotta love that look." She said suggestively nudging Sakura in the ribs.

Sakura noted how Sorami could go from being deep and thoughtful one moment to girly and flippant the next.

"He is really handsome, that is so true… painfully true."

Sorami looked Sakura in the eyes noting her dark tone.

"How so sweety?"

"He just… the way he looks… his hair… his eyes… even parts of his face... he reminds me of someone from my past…"

A/N: I didn't want to end it there but the chapter was getting a little longer than most.
But I'll be sure to write the next one in a jiffy so we can finish Sorami and Sakura's little heart to heart.