Chapter 1
There was something so chaotic about his artwork. Particularly, the way it made him feel unhinged.
Even as he walked down the streets of his new unfamiliar neighborhood, he craved the goosebumps his artworks broke out over his skin, and the feeling of disentangling the stress of his college and work life. Observing the city once more, his artistic tastes were pleased by the architecture and design of his neighborhood. He was positively ecstatic to walk through the park for some inspiration. Drawing loose sketches of figures among trees was his obsession at the moment.
Sometimes his art would be nothing at all, just flurries or gentle swatches of color. Sometimes Sai used colors so deep you could lose yourself in them. He thought of them now in the surrounding soft beige colors of walls, bronze adornments, and deep greens. Gold against green would be so nice.The possibilities were endless as he looked around, the assortment of colors bringing a flurry of color palettes to his mind, already causing him to look forward to arriving at the apartment. Perhaps the packing can wait.
Now that fall was beginning, his preference for colors and themes would be changing as well, in accordance with the inspiration he drew from the world around him. He reveled in the idea that this feeling was entirely his alone, as if his skin was dancing to a rhythm only he understood.
Painting, for him, was intimate in ways that were hard to explain. The sensation was euphoric and startling all at once, and so very private that he never did it outside of his room. Now that he had been ushered into independent living, he could dedicate a room to the hobby.
His parents insisted on graciously acquiring an "acceptable" living situation for him. Sai suspected they were attempting to stave off his "hermit-like qualities" as he had overheard once. Of course, no one ever likes a loner.
This morning they had suggested he join a study group, but what they didn't understand was his love for boundaries.
This was definitely the most sacred part of him, the part that he protected the most, meaning his space was essential for his work. While he did not dare admit the sensibilities in his firm demand for control, he knew his art flourished in his preferred circumstances. Shivering despite himself, he lengthened his strides wishing to rush as quickly as he could to his new apartment. There would be much to do, and getting a head start in unpacking was in his best interest.
Twisting his keys in his hands, he noticed the streets become steadily familiar until he saw the plaza. Despite being much more modest than the rest of the neighborhood, the apartment he chose was well-kept and welcoming enough to not become an eyesore anytime soon. Sai expected to only be in the area for a few years. Although his parents wouldn't mind the idea of having him back home.
Passing by a small sweets shop, he watched the bell attached to the door ting as a small woman walked out. His eyes stayed on her form, mostly the design of her coat. The air wafted before him as he walked past, catching the rich and warm smell of pastries. All the while, his eyes remained on her delicate frame and he noticed something he liked very much and often replicated in his artwork: abstract proportions. He specifically noted the way her hairstyle and features brought out her round eyes.
He averted his eyes before there could be any form of misunderstanding as there had definitely been before. He didn't think he could take another while of strange, yet disappointed looks from his parents.
Oh, shoot. Suddenly, he realized he had just been staring and looked away quickly in an action of guilt. Turning, he hoped to redeem himself with a polite "hello" at least. "Hello."
The girl's eyes flickered to his for a brief moment before she passed by, and he stared back at her face baldly unaware of how brazen or unwanted the gesture might be. Yet, the girl didn't seem particularly offended.
In contrast to her small smile, all her eyes held were a determination to finish whatever she was doing, and she was well on her way again. Phew, I'm not a creep. Again, Sai spared little glances over her vanishing form admiring how symmetrical she appeared, remembering her face reflexively. She'd be such a good reference. Maybe next time I can ask if she'd like to pose and have artwork for herself.
Sai had always considered painting live subjects, but he never had the privacy to before. He felt nervous and excited that he had the option to now. He'd have to practice polite conversion more frequently to control his anxiety if he ever had a live opportunity.
Soon he arrived at his apartment building.
The brass knob clicked, and slowly the door let itself swing open to his new abode. Immediately, he sought out the room he intended to make his own.
Upon first scoping out the apartment, he had been skeptical against having so much space, but at the time his parents insisted he had an extra room to keep not only his school materials inside, but his art studio as well. Sai was swiftly convinced, inwardly shedding a tear of happiness at the sudden support of his obsession. Also, apparently he couldn't just live in one room full of paper like a pampered rabbit anymore. He had chosen the fairly smaller room wishing to indulge his parents and maybe even himself with an actual study.
He paused his entry to the kitchen when he heard a soft noise. All senses were on high alert. Who could possibly be inside his apartment without him knowing?
A repairman? No one had given him such notice, yet he still approached the room quietly. It was illegal not to give a notice, and he hoped he hadn't actually chosen a problematic neighborhood.
He crept along the wall carefully making his way, semi-hoping to catch a person in the act and maybe ask what they were doing in his apartment. He entered the room quietly to wait for the person to hold themselves accountable for whatever inconvenience they had decided to spur on him.
"Yo." Behind?!
Were there two people inside? Neck craning to look behind him, he saw another older man covered head to toe in drab grey clothing. It matched his hair almost perfectly. Ok, he has to be the janitor. Except the cleaning was supposed to be done before the move in date.
Sai couldn't help but feel a mild tick of annoyance, but it certainly wasn't the custodian's fault. After all, he couldn't just move in and already have something to complain about. But why didn't anyone tell him? Sai thought back to the walk-through with the agency.
Try as Sai might, there was always something confusing or ridiculous worthy of causing enough trouble for him. It was this particular strain of luck that caused his parents to hover around him and further instill in him the desire to become independent. It only served to make him more determined to put on any airs necessary to not cause trouble for his parents or himself. He didn't want trouble for himself or else it could result in hourly calls from his mother or father.
After a terse moment of considering his position as a new tenant, he put a fake smile on his face and addressed the worker dully looking at him.
"Was there something you needed to resume your work?"
The older man closed his eyes in earnest, almost contemplating. "Well, actually I do. I'm doing a little bit of easy-renovating in the closet. Do you have any extra tools on hand I could use?"
Silence.
The janitor is asking… for tools. More silence filled the room. Only the birds tweeted in their trees outside the apartment windows. Sunlight slowly made its way through the doorway, spilling into the hall like warm honey.
"Sorry, I don't happen to have any on hand, I expected maintenance to have any required tools. Is there a problem with the apartment?" Now he was confused. What did the old man want? At least he wouldn't have to complain about it and the problem was already being solved.
"Well, you see there isn't a problem," he looked sideways, seemingly perplexed, "I'm simply renovating because the closet is a bit small. I-" His hand rose to clasp the back of his neck, "Now that I'm thinking, I was supposed to have a roommate. He might have some tools I could-"
That was all Sai needed to hear. He didn't have a roommate. Of course he has the wrong apartment. There's only one person on the lease.
Muttering despite himself, he pointed to the far left. Sai attempted to put an end to the conversation, "You have the wrong apartment. Management is across the complex if you need help."
Taking a moment to look properly, he noticed the man had a weak eye that hardly opened. Something had disfigured his eyelid and it had left a sharp mark cutting deeply into his eyebrow. Sai trailed the scar to his mid-forehead when the person abruptly left, leaving Sai perplexed.
Sai felt embarrassed for assuming his occupation, but then felt nothing at all. Whose fault is it? Maybe the man shouldn't be going around dressed in all gray like a modern depressed teen. He looked very similarly to a janitor, but what was it about Sai's own appearance that had driven the old man to believe that he was a maintenance worker?
Sure, Sai preferred dark colors…
He supposed he'd have to buy a scarf or hat of some sort to abstain from this assumption. He imagined the typical black beret and sunglass combo and shuddered.
Sai entered the room to find a small bed along with a nightstand tucked into the corner of the room. Stopping in surprise, he immediately stopped upon feeling the warmth of the sun.
What the fuck is this? Had he almost said that out loud? Oh no.
Where is he? Whirling around, Sai stepped out and remembered he was alone.
The room was small and warm, but what felt really out of touch was the set of belongings. A rich mahogany table centered the room, and on top laid a bento of heart-shaped snacks. But other than that, GREY! The humanity. Grey curtains hung from the window, grey sheets were rumpled, and even the nightstand was stained to grey! Another box lay in the corner with intricate carvings… in GREY. The only color in the room was a picture of a wave and a mountain looming in the background. He let out a calming sigh. His mind ached.
It looked like someone's out of touch attempt at modern decorating, but horrifically overdone.
Black had a purpose. It could be but even HE varied his wardrobe with a bit of color. Life in grey… he didn't want to imagine it.
Sai pried the disgust from his mind. Deciding to pass off some advice, he changed course. Maybe he had stepped outside to look for tools.
Stepping into the living room, Sai began to speak to the open door, "I can help you buy furniture sometime if-"
One by one, he removed the pieces of furniture out to his living room. This was obviously a mistake and one of his neighbors had just gotten confused. Now if he could just help him leave. He'd really rather not make a fuss about it, and even please his parents by making an acquaintance.
Sai paused to recline against the kitchen's bar. A glass of water stirred in his hand. After breaking a sweat from moving the majority of the furniture, his neighbor had not come back yet. Damnit. It was getting closer to noon. Lamenting over the free time he had lost, he found himself on his phone skimming over the list of things he had still to do. He regretted parking so far away at that moment, but he had not anticipated moving twice the amount of furniture.
Should I call mom or dad? They'll probably think I'm incapable and get me housing on campus… He wouldn't be the one to call them first.
All at once, the doorbell and his phone rang. As soon as he saw the call ID, he answered instinctually, wanting to make sure his parents knew absolutely everything was fine and they would never have to be overbearing again. Greeting his parents, he didn't have a chance to open the door before a gray pant leg suddenly stepped in.
And he is in my way again.
Hurriedly, Sai tried to exit onto the veranda to gain some privacy only to catch his name. Voices tried to reach his ears over the phone, apologizing about something, but he was distracted now. A sheet of paper before him was a copy of his apartment's lease, but something stood out.
"Yes, mom I'm moving everything in and it's going great. I've even met-," desperate for everything to be just fine, he attempted to glaze over the conversation. The paper in front of him made his throat immediately as he read through the contract. He looked for the words again. Yes. There. His name was listed in the apartment paperwork for number 6.
His mother exclaimed with joy, saying, "Ok, yay! I'll just leave you two to it then!" It wasn't a mistake? Why?
It was written in black and white.
Kakashi Hatake.
Finally looking upwards, his mouth parted slightly. He lowered his phone in defeat. His new roommate only smiled through closed eyes and spoke.
"Good morning, Sai. I'm your new roommate, Kakashi Hatake. Nice to meet you," his hand met the air.
Sai let a single word escape his lips, "Hatake…"
Hello all! This story is my love letter to Naruto (the anime that kept me the most company when I felt lonely), art (for providing me an outlet when I needed it most), and to Sakura (who deserved a lot better as a fictional supporting character, *sips tea*). I wanted to include many beloved characters in an angsty story. This will be one of my first stories ever written, so I will accept any and all criticism thrown at me. I'm ready! *insert me covered in pillow armor with a pot and ladle for a shield and weapon*
As for what you can expect from my kind of story: a tiny bit of common Naruto tropes and cheesy humor. I do, however, want a fresh take on these characters. I want them to remain true to their character, but become relatable as well. That's why I opted for a modern AU. Some of this will be personal to me as well, so keep an open mind for me. Thank you!