A/N: Hiz! Thanks for the reviews!
Once Sakura was used to the attention she was getting from Sasuke, she was able to retaliate.
He held her around her waist and she had her hand slightly tucked into his back pocket.
Instead of their usual arguments, they were having a contest between themselves. Neither had to propose this contest, it started the moment they left their room.
The contest: Try to be even more affectionate than the other!
So, he kissed her cheek and she stopped them and gave him a big hug. Then, before she could start walking again, he stopped her and stared at her, looking a bit embarrassed.
"I-I have something for you..."
She looked at him quizzically, waiting for him to show what he had.
He went into his pocket and produced an engagement ring set. They were made of white gold and the engagement ring had a stunning diamond.
"I-I..." She was speechless...
"They were my parents'," he told her, averting his gaze from her.
he put the diamond ring in her hand and she put it on her left ring finger. He put the other ring on his left finger and turned it so the Uchiha symbol was facing downward.
She didn't know whether to hug him, kiss him or just thank him...
"Thank you," she whispered, staring at the ring.
"Yeah, well, it doesn't mean anything," he replied. "It's just to, you know, show we're 'engaged'. I still don't like you very much."
She smiled softly and said, "It's mutual."
So, they went back to walking, Sakura leaning her head on Sasuke's shoulder and he wrapping his arm around her back and resting his hand just above her elbow.
They noticed people looking at them, admiring what a cute couple they made and others that just gave them a look that said, "Get a room, Sickos!"
She couldn't define the feeling in the pit of her stomach, nor could she justify it. She just felt happy. Honestly, she couldn't imagine hating him at the moment!
Sasuke blushed when he gave her the ring, averting his gaze from her.
He'd brought his parents' wedding rings on the mission, thinking that they might be of some use, considerring they had to pretend to be married, but he never thought he'd actually let her wear the ring...
He wasn't sure why he even did that, he just acted without thinking.
All he knew was that he loved the way Sakura's side fit with his so well, like they were made to meld so well.
He wasn't sure what to do after he gave her the ring and he could see in her face that she didn't know either...
So, they just walked along.
I hate her! I don't like her! I just really, really don't like her! he thought, the feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him otherwise. I...
He sighed and Sakura looked up at him.
"Anything wrong?"
"Uh... I think we should go in there," he told her, trying to avoid what was going on in his mind at the moment.
He'd pointed to a restaurant, which reminded both of them that they hadn't eaten yet...
They entered the restaurant and sat on a couple stools in front of the counter.
"What can I get you two?" asked the lady, smirking flirtatiously at Sasuke.
"A large bowl of ramen for the both of us, and some sweet dumplings for my lovely wife," he answered with a cocky smirk.
Oh, how he loved to shatter the dreams of fangirls...
The girl's smile fell and she scribbled the order on the notepad. She stomped out of the area and slammed the door to go to the kitchen shut.
He laughed heartily, causing Sakura to blush. She'd never heard him laugh before, it was nice. It was so smooth and she liked how his cheeks dimpled when he smiled.
Then, as if a cue to stop her before she fell too far from safe territory, her mind replayed the night Sasuke had betrayed the village.
Tears stung her eyes and she fought to keep them back.
"What's wrong?" asked the Uchiha, his smile long gone, a look of worry and confusion replacing it.
"I-I think my contacts are bothering my eyes," she lied. "I should go fix them."
"Let me do it, you can't do them, remember?"
"No, I can do it," she told him, walking into the bathroom.
She turned on the water in one sink and splashed water onto her face. After, she dabbed papertowel on her face.
She sniffed and stared into the mirror.
How she'd grown... Her features were more mature, she'd filled out more in certain areas and her face had finally matched the size of her forehead, making it not look so large.
Still, in the mirror, she could see the reflection of her twelve-year-old self in the mirror, that light of hope still in her eyes...
Then, Sasuke had left and that light left with him...
How long had that been? At least eight years ago. It didn't seem so, though...
Then, she was able to make sense of the last few years, feeling like she'd hated him... She'd thought those feelings of love and adoration she had for Sasuke had lost and the fire for him had finally been blown out, but that wasn't true.
Her feelings for him weren't dead, only dormant. The fire for him wasn't blown out, but only dimmer.
She sniffed one more time and tried to put on a smile.
At least he wasn't like that anymore...
Damn mood swings...
She applied some make up to make it look like she hadn't been crying and she left the room.
She sat down, seeing the ramen and dumplings already served.
She took a pair of chopsticks and dug in with Sasuke.
"Are you okay?"
"Yep."
And they ate in silence.
A/N: So... What do you think? I made this one a bit more agsty... Heh, that's just the way I am! Please review!