This is only part 1 of Act 10... i'll post part 2 next time... enjoy
Act 10-part1: Trouble at the tea house: Deal!
"Well done you guys!" Tsunande said to the four returning shinobi. They just bowed in appreciation of her acknowledgement.
After receiving their pay, Naruto bid goodbye and went off to see Hinata who was now teaching at the academy, and left the 3 to their lonesome. Jin turned to Sakura.
"Sakura"
"Yes?" She said looking at him.
"Do you mind if I have a few words with Sasuke alone?"
"Eh?" She was puzzled by this no doubt. She looked at Sasuke who should only an ounce of interest, he nodded at Sakura.
"I don't mind." Sasuke replied.
Sakura looked down then nodded as well. "Umm hum, it's not my decision anyway. I see that I'm not wanted at the moment."
"I didn't mean it like that! Sakura I—"
"I know." She smiled. "Its ok, I understand I have things to do anyway." She skipped a few feet away from where they had stopped. "See you guys later." She waved and trotted off.
Jin waved goodbye to her as she disappeared into the early morning mist.
"So what did you want to say to me?" Sasuke asked expressionless taking a sip of his tea.
"Can't you at least pretend you're minutely interested?" Jin snapped.
"I am." Sasuke replied coldly.
"I don't understand why she loves you."
"Huh?" Sasuke looked at him now "Where is this coming from?" He thought.
"Sakura. Why does she like you?" Jin demanded.
"She doesn't."
"Yes she does. And you're an idiot for not seeing that!" Jin was becoming rather impatient with the Uchiha.
"You sound jealous." Sasuke smirked. "Are you going to ask me to stay away?"
"No."
"Oh? Most men would."
"I'm not most men."
"I see, then, what are you getting at?"
"I want the opposite."
"Huh?" Now he was actually interested in what Jin had to say. "You have my attention now Jin."
"I need to know."
"What?"
"Do you love her?"
"Huh? Where are you getting off asking me such a question!" Sasuke roared defensively.
"I'm guessing from your reaction you do."
Sasuke fell silent.
"I don't know" He whispered.
"What?"
"I said, I don't know!"
"How can you not know!"
"It's been a while… things haven't exactly been 'la-ti-da' between her and me" Sasuke was cringing at his painful memory.
Jin looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. "Humm…?"
"We didn't part on good terms. Since then I've been actually trying to forget about her."
"Have you?"
"No."
"Did you ever?"
"NO! How can I? She haunts me! Just the memory of her, her voice, seeing her face in my head! It's driving me insane!"
"Do you want to forget?
Silence.
"I asked you a question!" Jin snapped.
"Yes…" Sasuke mumbled.
"So you want nothing to do with her?"
"No… it's not that."
"Then what the hell do you want!" Jin said angrily. He wanted a direct answer and Sasuke wasn't giving him one.
"I want to start over!"
"Huh?" There was a moment of silence and Jin sat back down.
"Our past isn't pretty… but I miss her. For some reason I feel incomplete without her… I… I…"
"You love her you idiot!"
Sasuke was silent again. He didn't understand why he was opening up so much. And to a stranger. A stranger that was in love with his Sakura.
Jin glared at him. And got up. "I asked to talk to you today to say this…"
"What?" Sasuke looked up at Jin.
"If you don't make a move on her… I will make her my own!"
Sasuke walked down the street. He wasn't sure if he should go home because she might be there. It was hard for him to admit what he was feeling… to admit that he was actually feeling and finding it difficult to grasp the deal he had just made with some random nin who was driven by pure emotion for someone he never thought would leave his grasp.
"I always thought she'd be there… maybe not physically but… there…" He wondered around for more than an hour or two. It started to rain. He looked up and realized that he had wondered onto the bridge that used to serve as a meeting spot for team 7 all those years ago. He leaned over the rail. He missed those days, life seemed a lot simpler. And of course, Sakura was always a few feet away. He lost himself in his thoughts. "Why do I act like this? Why can't I just say what I want to? What I feel? DAMNIT!" He cursed at himself as he envisioned Jin and Sakura on her wedding day. He could hear her voice saying "Neh Sasuke-kun, I'm getting married!" with a big smiled on her face. He gripped his fingers tightly, balling it into a tight fist. "Damn him! Why did I agree to it!"
-FLASHBACK-
"If you don't make a move, I'll make her my own!"
Sasuke just stared at the tea in front of him.
"That could take a while Jin, you'll be waiting for a while."
"No I won't."
"Huh?" Sasuke was surprised. "What are you going to give me a time limit?"
Jin took out the velvet box from his pocket and placed it on the table. Sasuke opened it and found the most beautiful engagement ring he's ever seen. It was white gold with 3 diamonds embedded in the band.
"Sakura doesn't like yellow gold…" Jin said taking the box back. "I'm going to ask her to marry me the night of the festival."
Silence again.
"You have until then… if you really do love her."
"Is that a challenge?"
"Hell yeah!" Jin smirked. "Do we have a deal?"
Sasuke thought for a second. Sakura's face popped into his mind….
"Deal."
-END FLASHBACK-
"The festival… damn festival I don't even know when the fucking festival is!" Sasuke smacked his fists against the cold metal railing of the bridge. "FUCK DAMNT!"
"Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke whipped around to find Sakura standing there with an umbrella. "What are you doing here in the rain?"
"What are you doing out in the rain?" He shot back at her. She rattled the bag of groceries in her arm.
"I did some shopping." She smiled somewhat. "You didn't answer my question, why are you out in the rain Sasuke-kun?"
He looked at her for a moment then out at the river below the bridge, his hair was getting really wet now. "Was she worried? Did she go out to find me? I guess not, she went shopping..." He looked at her again. She looked worried. He smirked. "I was just taking a walk…" He pushed off the railing "Might as well try…" and walked towards her, smiling. "It's raining Sakura… let's go home."
She blinked "What happened?" She wondered, but she didn't protest. It was nice, "Maybe he cares." She smiled at the thought. Sakura nodded her head "Ok, let's go then."
Sasuke took the groceries from her and the umbrella holding it up high for the both of them. They walked silently in the rainfall.
They passed the bridge, Sasuke turned to look at her, and she at him.
Their eyes met.
Neither one of them could help but smile.
And the rain stopped.
