Thimble

Sakura traced the dry ink with her fingertips, aware that it could spring to life at any moment. She followed the lines of the drawing that described Sasuke and Naruto wearing typical expressions; a grin and a tolerant smirk as they lean against each other in the Jounin uniform they had acquired a year after Sasuke had been brought back to Konoha. She sighed softly in a content way.

"You haven't named this one," she tells Sai, who was preparing tea in his own kitchen. Sakura had taken to popping over when they weren't off on missions in an attempt to socialise Sai as much as she could. Every time she was there she did more or less the same thing; get rid of any books Sai may have purchased on human interaction, chat, and point out any paintings which lacked a title.

"I couldn't think of one," he stated, the same phrase he used each time Sakura confronted him with the subject. He took the cups and tea to the low table in front of the sofa, a new addition to his furniture collections thanks to Ino. Like Sakura she had become aware of the need Sai had of company and bought him something to entertain people with. It was the only surface not covered in ordered writing or painting utensils apart from the floor.

"Why did you draw it?" Sakura questioned, serving the tea. The smell of it wafted up around them, a calming vapour of herbs infiltrating the air in the small, practical apartment. Sai shrugged and looked at the propped-up canvas.

"I don't know. Because they're bond finally made sense."

"Made sense how?" Sakura queried further, blowing and sipping her tea. Her pink hair was pushed back, for once in a pony-tail, as if she were at the hospital, working. Trying to heal something that seemed impossible to cure.

"You ask a lot of questions, Sakura," Sai interrupted, shifting in his crossed-legged position on the floor to look at her fully. Sakura smiled, saying nothing, prompting him to talk anyway. Sai returned the expression falsely. "It's very annoying."

Sakura shrugged and sipped her tea again, eyes still on him. Sai's gaze shifted back to the painting.

"I don't particularly understand it, but when I saw them together I could see the bonds. You said that people smile truly when they are around people they like. Sasuke was smiling with Naruto, and I have never seen him smile with anybody else except with you. And still with Naruto he does it a lot more. I guess that means he prefers him over you," he finished tactlessly. Sakura twitched.

"I guess you're right."

There was a stretch of contemplative silence, occupied by the consumption of their beverage.

"More?" Sai offered as Sakura finished her cup.

"Please," she replied, if only to keep the interaction going. Sakura eyed the other boy, so pale it looked unhealthy, his skin unabashedly exposed. His eyes were dark and unreadable.

"Also," Sai began unexpectedly and Sakura perked up, setting her cup down, "I did not expect Sasuke to interact with Naruto in such an unnecessary way."

"Unnecessary how?" Sakura frowned in confusion. Sai tilted his head slightly to the side.

"When we saw them kissing the other day," he started and Sakura blushed at once, "it didn't look like they were going to start fucking or anything. They weren't learning anything. They were just kissing and I wondered why. Was it because the bonds made them do it?" He asked, his expression truly curious. Sakura was taken aback. Why kiss? The answer seemed overall obvious, but Sai was right. The two of them, along with Shino and Ino, had toppled onto the scene of Naruto pressed against the office desk by none other than Sasuke, making out like there was no tomorrow. It didn't look frantic, however. There was no pulling of clothes or ragged calls of each-other's name. They were-more than anything- holding each other, pressing, joining mouth-to-mouth as if it were more of a symbol than anything else. Naruto's hand had been clutched in the slightly taller-man's black hair and Sasuke was keeping Naruto in place with body and arms. Sakura didn't know if they had let them see on purpose; she found it impossible that they hadn't sensed all of them nearing the room.

"Well...Sai, would you let a stranger kiss you?" Sakura asked, a slight blush on her cheeks. Discussing her partner's love life was still awkward for her, especially after their tremulous past. Sai leaned his head forward, considering.

"No. It would let down my guard."

"Exactly. So if someone were to kiss you, wouldn't that show that they trust you not to hurt them when they're unprepared?"

Sai hummed thoughtfully. "Couldn't that person just tell me?" he deduced. Sakura shook her head.

"You know how easily people lie," She pointed out.

"Actions can also lie," Sai rationalised, smiling. Sakura nodded sadly.

"But not as easily. Especially a kiss; no matter what, getting so close to someone can be dangerous, there is no faking that. And anyways, a kiss isn't only meant to show trust. It's affection also because it's giving pleasure. And possessive because it takes hold of both their bodies..." Sakura trailed off, blushing more deeply as a vivid image of Sasuke and Naruto kissing came to mind, the way their lips tilted over one-another, their hands wandering in look for touch. Sai looked at Sakura's reaction curiously but didn't ask.

"I see" he said simply, swallowing down his drink. "So Naruto and Sasuke have a type of bond that requires kissing? And that is meaningful?"

Sakura followed the curves of her friend's painted faces with her eyes and smiled.

"Yeah, it's meaningful."

The way Naruto and Sasuke interacted; touching and fighting and laughing and forgiving, had meaning, if only to each other. That Naruto was brave enough and Sasuke open enough to fix things...it signified their relationship was worth more than just a thimble. Worth more than just the representation of an unattached kiss.

They changed the subject swiftly and chatted until the tea was gone and the sun was beginning its downwards route. Sakura stretched as she got up, then bent down again to help with the cleaning up.

"Thanks for the tea, Sai," she said, gathering her things. Sai closed his eyes and smiled.

"No problem, Sakura."

Sakura looked at him and through pure impulse leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips, feeling the roughness of his against her own. She opened her mouth a little and then pulled back to see Sai staring at her rather impassively though, to her, it was obvious he was confused.

"Kissing is nice, Sai. It just is. You should give it a try. Ja ne!" and with that she closed the door behind her, leaving a rooted Sai behind.

"Hmm.." he intoned, feeling his lips. Slowly, he turned around and picked up a brush, dipping it in ink and writing a smooth title beneath his latest work. He too, then, gathered his things and leaped out the window to train and think.

The apartment was left quiet and alone with its paintings and memories.

And, underneath the black-and-white interpretation of a long-fought-for bond, a title read 'Love'.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A/N

Thanks to my wonderful Leta, DeadlyCrimson.

I'm in a writing mood, lately. If anybody is craving any kind of fic, please suggest it, the stranger the better. I won't promise anything but a challenge of any kind is welcome. Who cares about exams when I'm feeling inspired:3

Please please review! Was Sai in character? Hmm? Hm?

Edit: Oh! I removed the suffixes! Thank you, madnessinmymethod for pointing it out. Silly me...