I stirred in bed until I was lying on my side comfortably. Normally, I'd feel the warm sun on my face, but I didn't feel it this time. Maybe it was still dark out. I didn't feel like opening my eyes though. I stirred once again, trying to lay my head more on the pillow, but instead, I felt sudden warmth on my shoulder and a small shake. They were trying to wake me up, but I was still too tired to open my eyes. I let out a small groan.

"Wake up, sleepy head." I heard a low voice say.

I scooted over and pat the side beside me, sleepily. "I'm…tired… just sleep with me, Kiba."

"Do you do that a lot with Kiba?" He questioned.

I sighed. "Kiba, I-" My eyes shot open and I looked up towards the source of the voice, finding Kiba's opposite. Instead of messy brown hair and a tanned skin tone, he had calm black hair with the palest skin ever. "S-Sai? Wh-what're you, what're you doing here? In my room… How'd you-how'd you get in? W-who let you in?" I was just inches away from the pale boy.

"The window." He pointed nonchalantly.

I knew I had a confused look on my face, but I couldn't form any words.

"Do you always sleep with Kiba?" He asked me.

Heat rose to my face. "N-no… I mean, sometimes, but not really o-often… he comes by some mornings…" I waved my hands in front of my face. "I mean, Sh-Shino comes by too!" I covered my eyes, a bit uncomfortable.

He just stared at me blankly. "Can I sleep with you?"

I gasped, my face was burning up; I was almost dizzy from embarrassment! "You…I…u-umm…"

He climbed into the spot I had given "Kiba" before I could even answer and looked like he was thinking of what to say.

After a few seconds, "Don't worry. See." He stopped to think once again and then rested his hand on mine. "This isn't so bad." He smiled; yet it all sounded rehearsed. Like, he was trying to remember the lines from a movie.

If there was one word for this situation, it would be awkward.

"I…uh…" I took my hand out from under his. "Why're yo-"

"You said you were tired." He cut me off. "So, go to sleep." He closed his eyes briefly, and then peeked up at me with one eye. "Hey, sleep."

I, dumbly, lay my head back on my pillow and stared at him as he closed his eyes again. I trusted him enough not to do anything, but what the heck was he doing here? I cocked an eyebrow and continued to stare at him. I was still tired, but I've never really been close to Sai, and now, he's here, in my bed telling me to go to sleep. What was his deal?

I suddenly felt his hand move to rest right over my eyes. "Sleep."

Weirdly, I found myself nuzzle comfortably into his hand and dozed off.

Today was a really weird morning. I'm used to Kiba and Shino coming over and taking naps with me, but Sai? No. He said he had come in through the window, but for what purpose? He was yet to answer that question. I dried my face off with a towel and stared at the mirror. I still looked a bit tired and I would have gone back to sleep, but Sai said to get ready because he had brought me something.

We were recently paired up to go on mission together. I was really disappointed that Kiba and Shino weren't going to be accompanying me, but I guess, I have to get used to being teamed up with other people.

I walked to the kitchen and sat on a chair next to the counter. Where the heck is he? I thought as I scanned my living room.

"Here."

I jumped as his breath brushed against the back of my neck. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He sounded sincere at least.

"It's o-ok." I tried to smile at him, but just looked down at my feet.

"Hey," He said softly. "I got you something."

I looked up and came face to face with a pretty red bag. "I read in a book that people like to be surprised with their favorite treat."

I gently took the bag from his hand, curious to what was inside, and proceeded to open it.

"I wasn't sure what you liked…" He scratched the back of his head.

There were about 10 or 15 mini donuts inside of the bag. All were different flavors. I couldn't help but let a smile creep onto my face.

"That's why I got all of them." He seemed to be waiting for me to say something; he looked almost fidgety.

"Thank you, Sai." I smiled, feeling the heat rush to my face.

When I found out I was going to be partnered with Sai, I was kind of unsure about how things would turn out, but he doesn't seem like a bad partner after all. I remember Ino and Sakura telling me how he's a pompous arrogant jerk, but so far at least; he was very well-behaved and sweet. I mean, yeah, he did come in uninvited and through my window nonetheless, but he did let me sleep in and he even brought me donuts.

"We can share them." I handed him a donut and picked one for myself. "These all look good, thank you."

He nodded.

"Why'd you decide to come by this morning?" I asked him after a while. We were finally headed to the Hokage's mansion to get the details of our mission. "I don't mind, it's just, I don't think I've ever seen you do something like that." And that was the truth.

"I was very unsociable growing up, but after being with everyone here for so long," He began. "I opened up a bit more, I guess. I'm trying to be friendlier and I read in a book that it's nice to walk a girl to and from home and she'll like you more." He smiled. "I guess I just want you to like me."

I blushed and averted my gaze. I didn't know a lot about Sai, but I did know that sometimes he said things out of context since he's educating himself with books about human emotions, but still, what girl wouldn't blush at those words?

"It was really nice, thank you." I had finally summed up the courage to say.

"There are still a lot of things I have to study though." He glanced at me, then back up ahead.

"If you need help understanding something, you could always ask me if you want to." I suggested.

He looked at me. "Really?"

"Yeah." I answered him. "I'll help you. Books can only get you so far." My lip quivered a bit; I don't know why I was so nervous.

He nodded, seeming to be absorbing the information. After a while, I felt his fingers intertwine with my own.

"Uh, S-S-Sai, I-I…" I gaped at our intertwined hands, not really sure what to do.

"I read in a book that girls like when you hold their hand." He smiled at me. "Especially when they're nervous."

I wiggled my fingers from his hand. "Ah, yeah, thank you… but…" I looked up at him. "That's usually when two people are…dating…or when they like each other…"

He stopped walking and I stopped to look at him.

"You don't like me?" He asked.

I felt a blush creep to my cheeks. "Yes. I mean no! I mean, yes! No!... I…" He was saying everything out of context!

He looked a bit confused.

I took a few deep breaths. "Sai, I do like you." I said in a calmer tone. "You're being a nice friend."

He held the same blank stare for a while longer, and then he walked up to me and hugged me. "I like you too, Hinata."

Yep. I was going to faint.

"Hinata? Sai?" An all-too familiar voice said from behind us.

Sai let go of me gently and turned around. "Hi Ino." He said with a smile.

A smirk grazed her lips as I shook off my petrified state and looked over at her. "H-hi Ino."

"Are you guys…on a date?!" She asked in a high-pitched voice, catching the attention of her pink-haired friend.

Sai turned to look at me. "Define a date?"

"It's when…" I bit my lip; how do you define a date? "It's when… two people go out because…they like each other…and they want to get to know each other…something like that."

He smiled, then turned his head back to the now-gushing girls.

I grabbed his arm, courage seeping through. "Sai, we're not on a date." I tried to correct the information I had just given him. "When two people go on a date, it's because they want to be more than friends." Knowing Sai, he'd probably misunderstand what I meant by my earlier definition.

"They look cute together but super weird at the same time!" I heard Ino's voice yell.

I narrowed my eyebrows. Why weird?

"Hinata would never go for a jerk like him though; Sai is just wasting his time!" Sakura chimed in. "Sai's an emotionless wreck; he could never understand what it is to feel love."

Sai turned his attention back to me. If he was hurt, he didn't show it, but my gut told me I had to do something to defend him. He had a hard past…but he's trying to change now. People do change.

"We ARE on a date." I emphasized; the two girls seemingly shocked. "And he's actually really nice, Sakura." I added. "You'd know that if you actually tried to understand where he's coming from."

I turned to leave, hoping Sai would follow, but he just grabbed my hand.

"Actually Hinata," He said my name, but was looking at Sakura with a smile. "She did try to get to know me, but I told her the truth. I told her how she's not very pretty and so she doesn't like me much."

I gasped slightly. Did he really say that to her? I could see Sakura already boiling with anger.

"I'm very honest, see." He turned to me. "Wanna know the truth about you?"

I nodded my head, a little afraid of what he'd say.

He smiled again. "You're the most beautiful girl in Konoha."

The … most beautiful … in Konoha … ?

My felt light headed and I knew the blush on my face was evident from miles away. My eyes didn't leave his.

"Probably the whole world, but I haven't been everywhere." He continued. "You're kind and sweet and I was really happy that we slept together this morning. We should do it again." Again, that smile grazed his lips.

My mouth dropped, and from my peripheral, I noticed Ino's and Sakura's did as well. Why did he have to bring that up? Anyone could take that out of context. My heart was going a million beats per minute. I felt numb and I could barely think straight. I guess I was a little embarrassed. "Oh Sai, you're -"

Everything went black.