Sai isn't sure he's doing this right.

His trip to the Yamanaka's had been oddly pleasant. Apparently Ino's parents were hopeless romantics, and upon hearing his request, were more than willing to help him out with his (rather large) purchase. They even went so far as to offer him delivery assistance, which he had politely, but hastily declined. He wasn't sure how Ino's parents might react to knowing that this great, romantic gesture was for their one and only daughter.

Now, however, as he stands in Ino's apartment, alone in the dark, he wonders if perhaps this is what Sakura would refer to as 'creepy' or 'too much'.

He often couldn't quite grasp when his actions weren't altogether socially acceptable. Sakura kept trying to help him with this particular problem, but sometimes she didn't explain it in clear terms.

Narutos birthday had been his first real taste of his... inadequacies, especially when it came to gifts. His present had seemed like a good idea and yet... He shudders slightly at the memory. There had been a lot of blushing on Hinatas part, that was for sure.

Just as he's beginning to regret his decision, the option of cleaning up and turning tail again is taken away from him by the turning of a key in the door.

Ino.

His heart starts thundering in his chest and his stomach feels like it's plummeted to his feet. It's an altogether unpleasant sensation and he dimly wonders if this is what he's supposed to feel like, clammy and slightly buzzy, like bees are flying around furiously inside of him. He briefly entertains the idea of puking. But as soon as the lights turn on and he sees Ino, sees her face scrunched up in curiosity, hears her tiny gasp of delight, sees her eyes find him, all the previous feelings melt, running like ink on a page that's been dipped in water.

He can't remember ever wanting something to work out so much as he wants this to work out.

He opens his mouth, trips on the 'hello' and stutters through about half of his pre-planned apology speech, before he realizes he's both mumbling and speaking too quickly. To avoid further embarrassment he simply stops.

Ino's staring.

A heat quickly spreads along his face and starts to creep down his neck. 'I'm blushing' he realizes, which of course, he doesn't quite know how to deal with. Inwardly he cringes, but a lingering instinct to keep his emotions in check flickers dimly, and he finds himself schooling his facial features into something more like control then whatever emotion it truly is that he's experiencing.

"I'm sorry...," he begins calmly, his tone even.

"Stop," Ino interrupts suddenly, and he experiences a brief moment of panic. His plan didn't work! He's going to lose his shot with this beautiful, strong, independent girl...

"Don't do that!" She says, with a startling vehemence. "I like it better the other way..."

Sai is confused, and he must look it, because Ino doesn't give him a chance to even stutter out a 'what?'

She closes her eyes, inhales a deep breath, and lets it out in a long whoosh.

"I like it when you let me see what you're feeling. I like it when you smile, and when you blush, when you look confused or surprised or...whatever!" Ino's words spill out in a liquid gush, like someone suddenly turned a tap onto full blast. She blushes a little herself and a small silence settles itself in between them, as they both try to let everything sink in.

"I uh...I..." Sai tries to respond, but he suddenly finds he can't grasp the words he wants. His eyes slide down towards his feet, as if breaking their gaze will help him gather himself, but they just end up back on her face again. He can't seem to help it, staring at her that is. She's just so beautiful he can't imagine wanting to look anywhere else.

Ino squirms under the penetrating, dark stare, and for some reason this pleases Sai in a way he can't explain. It makes his heart patter, and it hits him that he should say something, anything, to the stunning young blonde before it gets uncomfortable.

His tongue feels like it's tied itself into a knot and he abruptly decides to just say what comes to him first.

"I...I think that I may be experiencing...something new..," he trails, looking away, and then back to her again, not sure he wants to admit to anything he's not 100% sure of.

Ino's head quirks a bit to one side, and her gaze softens visibly, blue eyes half lidded, the faintest trace of a smile lifting the corners of her lips. He feels trapped by those eyes, but it isn't uncomfortable. She waits expectantly for a moment.

"And what would that be Sai?" She almost whispers, and Sai gets the uncanny feeling that she already expects the answer that's lingering like a kiss on his lips.

"...Love. I think I'm falling in love...with you," he all but sighs, his eyes sliding closed. His heart may just leap out of his chest he's so scared. He doubts he's ever been this scared before in his entire life, not even when he had to kill his brother. That had been a horrible moment, but somehow, opening himself up, letting Ino see inside him is so much more frightening.

He can feel himself shaking in the silence that follows his confession. Nothing moves, no sound is made and he begins to worry that he's being rejected. The quiet of the room starts fraying on his already raw nerves, and a freezing desolation starts to creep over him, in direct opposition to the heat that he feels in his cheeks and eyes and throat. He keeps his eyes shut tightly, afraid to open them and see her disdain, or laughter or worse yet, her sympathy.

Just as he's about to consider his options, knowing the window is open and would be his fastest escape route from the apartment and his growing despair, he senses a faint movement. Before he can even open his eyes, he's caught completely off guard as Ino presses her lips to his, warm and unrestrained.