A/N: I think because we spend most of our lives in everyday living it's important to find beauty where ever we can.
You taught me what it means to be beautiful.
One weekend, Sakura and Ino met at a restaurant which brought back nostalgia, as It was one that Ino often frequented with her friends. The pair found themselves here as life had become busy, and their responsibilities had started to wear on the women, so they wanted to seek solace in each others company. However, as they were shown to their seats, the pair suddenly spotted Naruto and Sai nearby. Immediately Ino called out to the former root member, who looked up with the faintest of smiles that paled in comparison to Naruto's ever-present grin. So it was to be that the four of them settled in for an impromptu lunch instead.
Sai instinctively shifted to allow Ino to sit by his side.
She joined him with a soft smile. "So this is where you were disappearing to today," she stated without accusation.
There was a simple nod of Sai's head then. "Yes. Naruto wanted to escape the Hokage's residence."
With an understanding smile, Ino turned to face Naruto. "Ah, the price you pay for learning from Kakashi-sensei," She said before adding, "You should prepare all you can."
The brief look of exhaustion, which was present in Naruto's eyes, disappeared then. "I will," he acknowledged while forming two fists and adopting a look of determination, "I can't wait to become Hokage."
With this, Sakura and Ino both beamed.
"You will be great a leader," Ino encouraged, knowing it to be true. Though the enormity of imaging her school friend as the next Hokage was too much to fathom for Ino, she surmised that she would never truly understand the implications until it came to fruition.
In light of being adults now, Ino, Naruto and Sakura all indirectly agreed to keep the conversation light over lunch; therefore, before long, there was laughter and loud conversation as the group began to reminisce on the jovial moments of their childhood. When the meat that the group had ordered arrived, the stories continued as they grilled it. However, amongst all this chatter, Sai mutely watched on as he could not join in due to the nature of his past and because he had arrived in Konoha as a teenager.
Noticing Sai's silence, though, Sakura quickly attempted to include him.
"I remember my impression of Sai when I started to get to know him," She began while giving her former teammate a mock insulted look.
Sai bowed his head ever so slightly at her in the act of seeking forgiveness, "Yes, I wasn't socially aware."
Sakura snorted. "You called me ugly, Sai!"
Although it had been a long time ago, Sakura wouldn't admit that his comment had cut her regardless of its intention and that she still thought about it from time to time.
It was then that Naruto tried to speak past his amused but strained smile at the memory. "Oh yes, I had to save Sai from getting punched," he added, "It was then that I knew I had to teach him how to interact with people."
Sai nodded. "I received helpful training," he informed while looking around, "Even at this very restaurant when we joined Sakura and Ino here."
Ino quickly came on the defensive as she moved to loop her arm around Sai's then. "Well, I don't think there was anything wrong with the way you spoke to me that time," she offered.
Sakura snorted at Ino's opposition. "You only think that because he called you beautiful," she highlighted her friends' bias.
Ino gravitated towards leaning into Sai's side, and he did not dissuade her proximity.
"He was only stating a fact," Ino teased.
The response earned her a pretend glare from Sakura. "That's likely because you were always flaunting your assets back then."
Ino gasped at her snipping remark and nearly threw the pillow she sat on; however, Ino controlled herself and instead settled for retorting, "Don't be jealous."
It was then that Sakura relented, "I guess I can't be bitter about it since you two did end up together."
Naruto was so caught up in the fun of reminiscing, and in the absence of responsibility, his mouth ran away with him.
"You have me to thank for that, Ino," Naruto said before explaining, "I was the one who taught Sai to say the opposite of what he means so that he could survive any social interaction."
There was resounding laughter then, and even Sai smiled. As it continued, though, Ino's mind couldn't help but linger on Naruto's comment as something was starting to not sit well with her. Ino couldn't put her finger on it, but Naruto's words were altering how she remembered the moment she had long treasured. It was slowly poisoning her account. Casting her mind back then, Ino relived when Sai had nearly insulted Choji by calling him fat. She was only now noting in her memory how Naruto had clasped his hands to Sai's mouth and muttered something urgently to him, and it was only after that moment did Sai address her.
Sakura clocked Ino's searching and distant gaze while Sai recognised that something was amiss as he caught her crestfallen look and, unfortunately, Naruto, brought the rear.
As Ino returned to the present, she tried to maintain her composure. "Wait..." she started.
Her voice trailed off, though, and Naruto began to frantically gesture in a way to distract her from the impending realisation. It was no use for Ino immediately pulled away from Sai then while he remained externally calm and still despite the sudden tension in his muscles. Unbeknownst to the group, Sai's mind began to whirl in an attempt to form an appropriate response as he had developed a sense for Ino's signs that warned him of an impending fight.
"That's what you did to me," Ino finally figured out, "Isn't it?"
All Naruto could do was gape as Sakura tried to appease the situation while Sai remained stuck as if he was caught at knifepoint where one wrong would cause permanent damage.
Undeterred and growing angry, Ino spelt it out.
"You thought I was ugly too," She stated while unable to keep the sharp edge from her voice, "That was your true impression of me."
Sai shifted on the spot as he tried to will the right words onto his tongue, but his silence told Ino everything she needed to know.
Immediately Ino covered her face with her hands as her elbows rudely leaned on the table then.
"Urgh!" She let out, "This is just so humiliating."
Sai leaned forward then and was about to touch her in a soothing gesture, but he couldn't because Ino resurfaced at that point.
"I can't believe this," she declared, "All this time, I thought I was an exception. But I wasn't."
Ino's gaze had hardened into jade, and she displayed such disdain that you would have thought Sai had purposefully given her a false belief so he could later crush it maliciously. Sakura tried to reach for Ino's hand then, but the quiet pity in her eyes sent Ino to her feet, and without ceremony or care, if she made the situation awkward, Ino moved towards the restaurants' front door. All the while, she ignored Sai's nickname as he called out to her because the mere sound grated on her ears, for she now understood its origin- It wasn't a form of adoration at all but a lie.
There was an answering sigh that escaped Sai's lips then as he thought of all the work that would be required to undo a simple statement from the past. But despite this, he had learned that timing was everything when it came to fights with Ino, so he was urgently on his feet. Naruto was quick to apologise as Sai passed, but he merely waved it off before following in the aftermath of Ino's blustery exit.
Sakura and Naruto were left staring at the vacant seats opposite them in the resulting quiet. The next Hokage was left dumbfounded, and although usually quick to anger herself, Sakura couldn't even be mad at Naruto, for he hadn't meant to be so callous. All the pink-haired kunoichi could hope for was that this slip up didn't permanently damage Ino and Sai's relationship, as she would be forced to unleash her wrath onto her closest friend. Naruto appeared to understand Sakura's look, for he visibly gulped when she turned to face him.
~ooOOoo~
Days went by, and regardless of Sai's efforts, Ino stubbornly refused to talk to him and she had even gone as far as to stay at her home instead. Ino made her distance known, and though Sai felt it was a little spiteful to bar him from Yamanaka flowers where he liked to draw, he respected her wishes. It appeared she wouldn't even look at him these days. As such, Sai racked his brains for a solution though he struggled like he always did when they fought because Ino was usually reasonable and would give in because she knew it was difficult for him to form solutions. In this way, their arguments would eventually resolve; however, this time, it was different. Sai had taken the first step and tried to reason with her; he gave the traditional apology gifts, and even now, he was using Shikamaru as a peacemaker.
Just then, Shikamaru emerged from the flower shop after being gestured out. Sai knew then that he had failed once more.
"You're in trouble. I would say," Shikamaru affirmed while approaching.
Sai heaved a sigh, and he didn't even bother to linger near the shop, so instead, he departed with Shikamaru. The two men walked in companionable silence, and though the shadow-nin was empathetic towards Sai's cause, he was also forlorn.
Sai shoved his hands into his pockets then and tipped his face up to the cloudy sky. "I heard telling a woman she is ugly is certain death for a relationship."
Shikamaru internally shivered then as he imagined what awful repercussions would arise if he were ever careless enough to say that to Temari even in a teasing manner.
It was then that Shikamaru tried to offer hope in the situation.
"I know Ino is highly emotional," he said, "But she is mature, so she will likely get over it soon enough."
This suggestion made Sai's brow furrow unexpectedly, and it didn't offer him the resolution he sought. For some reason, the former root member didn't want her to resolve it because instead, he wanted to try and make it right.
As if following Sai's train of thought, Shikamaru went on to ask, "Have you any other bright ideas?"
To which Sai merely shook his head.
"You were my last play," he informed now at a loss, "She's usually appeased by anything you say because you seem to have a way with her."
There was quiet satisfaction then behind Shikamaru's eyes and a subtle grin at Sai's observation as Shikamaru liked to be reminded of their close relationship. After all, he loved Ino like a sibling. However, this reaction caused a spark of jealousy to awaken in Sai's gut that he worked to curb as he knew it to be unreasonable. Trying to ease the situation, Shikamaru clapped Sai's back and quickly offered words of encouragement and jests that he couldn't handle Ino alone.
Meanwhile, from the front window of Yamanaka flowers, Ino watched on as the two most important men in her life walked away. She experienced a warmth at their bonding and a rush when Sai had side-smiled at something Shikamaru had said before they disappeared from her view. Since when did they get on so well?
Ino sighed then before returning to watering her flowers while wondering if she was being childish. It had been an opportune moment to forgive Sai as she knew he had been trying very hard to find ways to make peace, and utilising Shikamaru had demonstrated that he had come to know her well. But she continued to internally crucify Sai for a past mistake even though she knew it to be unfair. How could he even take it back? Or make it right?
By now, Ino's anger had fizzled into tired hurt as Ino wanted just to let it go like she always did and put her feelings to bed for the sake of their relationship. Despite all logic though this particular fight seemed insurmountable for some reason. The humiliation had not stopped searing through her veins at the reality that she had been unknowingly romanticising Sai's first impression of her all this time was too much to bear.
After pining over Sasuke for so long, Ino thought she was not good enough for any man. Then Sai came along, and though mildly interested in him on their first introduction due to his looks, she had formed an attachment to the emotionless man when he announced that she was beautiful. She had received validation from finally having this kind of attention, mainly because it came from a unique type of man as well. Ino was sure that Sai wasn't aware that every time he had called her by that nickname from that moment on, it gave her strength and made her believe they shared a special connection. It had formed the bedrock memory for Ino to eventually think that they were meant to be together.
Now that was utterly shaken…
~ooOOoo~
One evening Ino sat on an embankment taking stock of her life while watching a gentle river opposite her. Despite it being a cold day, there were a few people nearby, and Ino was thankful because she didn't honestly want to be alone. She had been isolating herself, and it was altogether unpleasant. Now watching the strangers, Ino's mind pondered as she took to watching an older man fishing at the far end. Was he contemplating on his life or merely thinking about fishing? Then, there was a slight shriek, and Ino found her attention drawn to a family sitting some distance from the older man. It was a young family with two children, and they were having a picnic. However, the children were busy running circles around their parents and shrieking in happiness rather than settling down to eat. Studying their bright faces, Ino wished to be that purely happy.
As if life heard, there was a gentle sound of her name being called, and it caused Ino's hand to come to her chest as she sharply turned because she could recognise that voice anywhere. Sai was approaching with tentative steps, and when their eyes met, he offered a meek wave when he finally reached her. Despite Ino's mood, she couldn't help but smile at the careful gesture that she found resoundingly sweet. At the same time, Ino found her name on his lips to be altogether foreign because once Sai had stopped using her nickname, she realised how used to hearing it she had become.
Sai brought his clasped hands in front of him in a polite gesture then. "Can I join you?" he asked.
The evident hope in his voice caused Ino to relent and nod in tired acquiescence, so Sai quickly joined her before she had a chance to change her mind as he knew Ino to be temperamental. Sai made sure not to sit as close to her though as he would ordinarily do because he couldn't decide what kind of mood Ino was in at this moment.
The pair were hyper-aware of each other as they sat on the grass so awkwardness grew between them. Ino and Sai both fidgeted as they straightened their clothes while settling for keeping their eyes trained on the river. The impending conversation hung heavy in the air. For Sai, it was tricky to find the right words considering the standard phrases he had read about didn't work in his situation, such as 'I didn't mean it' or 'It was a mistake'. Concerned, though with how long Ino would let him be here for, he jumped straight into the crux of the problem
"I can do nothing but admit it," Sai explained then as there was no use denying anything as it would possibly make matters worse, "Though are first impressions so important?"
Ino understood what Sai was trying to get at.
"I guess not," Ino admitted, "And If I'm being honest, at the time I didn't expect us to become anything more than perhaps friends."
There was a nod then as Sai agreed; however, he internally admitted that he hadn't foreseen any type of relationship developing between himself and Ino. Likely it had come to him as much as a surprise as it did to the rest of Konoha. He had not expected to find a friend in her, let alone a lover.
"I was just trying to integrate into society and ensure that people started to like me," Sai honestly admitted.
There was a sad short laugh then that Ino let out as she turned her head slightly to blink away, raising tears, "Well…it worked on me," she admitted, "I guess I was fooled then."
Sai's fingers flexed in reaction at Ino's implication, and he instinctively wanted to reach out to her. He held back, though, as Ino, who had felt his eyes on her, turned then and faced him with a light expression.
In spite of it, Sai saw past the forced smile. "I wasn't trying to fool anyone," he clarified.
There was a soft nod from Ino as her shoulders sagged, then from the weight of Sai's words. He had been a lot of things as a root member, which she knew as brutality and being devoid of heart and consciousness due to his trained detachment. But the teenager who had arrived at Konoha with this past despite everything was not a liar. The reminder caused Ino to ponder on what Sai had endured all that time ago as she reflected on his childhood as essentially an orphaned assassin. As a result, Ino experienced a rush of humiliation once more and a sharp feeling of self-disgust compelled Ino to her feet.
Sai looked up then with raised eyebrows at her sudden change in position.
"I'm sorry, Sai," Ino suddenly announced while shaking her head, "I'm being ridiculous. You've had such a challenging past, and here I am whining and upset about a comment you once made."
Ino seemed beside herself and looked about her surroundings at a loss, for how could she be so self-involved. Meanwhile, Sai watched the turmoil behind her green eyes from his seat on the grass and couldn't help but softly smile at it. Ino was always too harsh on herself and too caring for others. He wondered if she didn't crucify herself above all others.
"Ino," he said then.
It brought Ino back from her racing thoughts as her gaze came to land on him.
"My past may have shaped me, "Sai continued, "But that doesn't mean that I can't try to evolve."
In her readiness to excuse Sai, Ino was about to rebuff his words. However, there was no time because Sai got onto his hands and knees before pressing his forehead to the grass.
"Forgive me," Sai asked earnestly, then from his deep bow that he had planned.
Immediately Ino's face was alight as she looked around, for Sai's formal bow was too strong a gesture amongst the mundane of everyday life.
"I know it was not intentional," Sai continued, "But I hurt you, and I cannot undo it, so forgive me instead."
Quickly Ino sank to her knees while her urgent hands worked to push up Sai's shoulders.
"Sai stop," she whispered, wanting to save his face in front of passers-by who were gawking at the dramatic scene, "It's fine. I was over-reacting. Let's forget about it."
Sai shook his head and instead continued. "I'm sorry," he said while internally deciding that he would not raise his forehead until he was forgiven. Sai had decided that he would embarrass himself in return as she had been embarrassed. Therefore, he would forgo his pride to gain her pardon, so when Ino said nothing, he decided to increase his response.
" I now think you are beautiful," he said earnestly.
Utterly overcome, Ino had to fan her face as her skin was heated to the very tips of her ears.
"It should be obvious," Sai continued, "I wouldn't draw you otherwise."
Ino, in her swell of emotion, channelled it into trying to get Sai to sit up.
"Also, what makes you beautiful is that you didn't start off being an exception, but with all your effort, you became one," he added while fighting against her attempts, "I only care to improve for you. I can say that I still feel like a root member when faced with most people. I'm almost dead to their feelings."
Though Sai managed to explain partially, he couldn't voice his whole truth as there was so much to say. During their separation, Sai had experienced an epiphany about why he called Ino beautiful. Yes, he had acknowledged that the compliment had started as a lie, but he came to realise that he had truly meant it from the moment he had opened his eyes after being saved in the land of silence. It had been only then that Sai understood what it was to find someone beautiful. It was as if he had seen Ino for the first time, not only her features but her depth of humanity that was so resoundingly beautiful that it touched some part within him he had never known existed.
"I-"Sai was about to begin again.
Ino was stuck as she was so caught up in wanting to hear more but knew she could likely not take such honesty. The simple declarations were the epitome of the essence of Sai that Ino could barely breathe past the flow of coursing adrenaline and love through her blood. It made her heart thump wildly.
"It's okay!" Ino declared, cutting Sai off then, "I forgive you. I forgive you. Okay."
And with one final burst of energy, she tried to haul Sai to sit on his knees with all her might. So it was to be that Sai finally allowed himself to be lifted, and he was met with an entirely flushed face. Ino's sea-green eyes were utterly wide and filled with adoration that Sai overcame. He was caught in a trance by her overbright expression that displayed pure happiness. Yet her body language expressed such crushingly shy embarrassment that it made him take her into his arms. Ino reciprocated in a fierce hug, and Sai finally felt all his muscles relax. It only dawned on him then that he had been carrying the tension within him since the day of the lunch.
Ino, too, was able to relax as the ability to have her feelings acknowledged genuinely and to let them go altogether was overwhelming.
"Thank you," she faintly whispered against his chest.
Sai was finding himself experiencing a great sense of achievement at comforting Ino. Reaching their first resolution, which he had instigated, was genuinely liberating, and all Sai could do was hold her tightly against him.
"Thank you," Sai said for many reasons but one came straight to mind.
'For teaching me what it means to find beauty.'
~ooOOoo~
In the coming days, despite the positive outcome for the couple, their little scene had ignited a fire of gossip that had spread across Konoha. Even now, as Naruto walked through the streets, he caught snippets of the tale and coloured at any version he heard, whether it be recounted in a positive or negative light. Mainly because the fight had resulted from his words, and all Naruto was glad for was that things were now resolved. At the same time, across the city at Konana hospital, Sakura was experiencing a similar situation. She was busy purposefully overhearing a romanticised version of Ino and Sai's reconciliation as her colleagues discussed the event over their break. Regardless of which versions they heard, both Sakura and Naruto couldn't help but smile at the unusual but complementary pair of the bush clover and the former root member.
Meanwhile, the couple in question were currently making their way to the intelligence division as Sai had decided to take a detour before going to the academy.
"This is why I was trying so hard for you to get up, Sai," Ino informed him then, "I knew this would happen."
Sai continued to walk past the disguised whispers that followed him and Ino as they passed various shops on their way.
"It is done now," he stated.
However, once they reached the front steps of Ino's workplace, Sai started to act strangely. He caught Ino's wrist before she had an opportunity to enter the building. She halted at the sudden inability to move and turned to Sai. His eyes were now shifting in glances, and he seemed to be drawing in a breath as if preparing to speak.
"Is something wrong?" Ino asked then while suddenly wondering if Sai was in fact affected by what people said.
Sai shook his head to quickly dismiss her suggestion before coming right out to ask despite his initial hesitation. "Can I call you beautiful again?" he proposed straightforwardly.
Despite receiving her forgiveness, Sai hadn't managed to decide whether calling Ino by her nickname again would undo this understanding. However, the past few days had taught Sai that he disliked calling her by name though he couldn't quite put his finger on why - Maybe because everyone else called her by name or that It felt distant to him somehow, regardless of the reason Sai wanted to revert to the old way.
Ino, who had been watching Sai's innocent confusion and desire, could not help but jut out her lower lip as she found him to be so adorable. Beautiful. How strange was it that one word could encompass so much? Now it held a mixture of memories altogether bittersweet that Ino now came to understand that she loved the nickname 10-fold.
Ino shook Sai's hand, which brought him out of his thoughts.
There was a beaming smile then as Ino truly felt beautiful in his eyes.
"Of course!" she made sure to exclaim, and all that was left was for Ino to throw her arms around Sai's neck and kiss him soundly.
He taught me what it means to be beautiful.
A/N: Gosh I must have been feeling sentimental when I wrote this one-shot.
