Work Text:
Being painted wasn't what she expected.
She'd thought it would be embarrassing, to have Sai's eyes on her so intensely and know that he was looking at her. That he was seeing every flaw of hers, every faded scar and split end and bruises from her training spars.
Instead, as Sakura poses on a fallen log in Training Ground 47, the sunlight falling through the leaves and warming her bones, she feels held.
She can't quite help the blush that arises every time her eyes flick to Sai's and she sees the little furrow between his brow and better yet, a smile just tugging at his lips.
A real one too, nothing like those strained half-smiles he's so fond of. Something warm and indescribable wells up inside of her as she thinks of how far she comes, how far they've come and she has to bite her lip to keep her own smile from breaking out.
Being painted wasn't what she expected.