Bound by Love (a SasuSaku Fanfic)

Chapter Thirteen: Too Stubborn for Bed Rest

(A/N: Y'all are the best readers ever, thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Though this is somewhat just a short filler chapter! That is all. )

Chapter Thirteen: Too Stubborn for Bed Rest

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." -Leo Buscaglia

Drip, drip, drip heard the Avenger, consciousness finally arriving. He tried to sit up- but the pain from his shoulder just hit him so hard he found he'd be content on the ground. The raven gripped his wound, only to find something strange.. 'Someone tended my wounds..?' He could see just fine by now.. So the Uchiha took a moment to truly observe his surroundings.

Dense walls, dripping ceilings, and rock hard earth beneath him. "Your awake." Immediately, fighting instincts kicking in, Sasuke quickly shot his head in direction to the voice, guard up. Though the man just melted at the sight. Emerald orbs, bubble gum locks, and pale bruised skin; with the world's most beautiful smile. How had her presence remained so unnoticed? Well, they were stuck together, so he supposed she couldn't have been anywhere else.

"After I knocked out Rock Lee, I thought grabbing some of that bandage for your shoulder wouldn't be a bad idea, even though none of your injuries were external-- and I found some herbs Tsunade taught me of, which led us here.. That's the ointment applied under your bandages-- be careful, I have you wrapped in a certain way to ensure your arm stays in socket." The angel explained, eyes closed and grin wider. Though Sasuke was mystified in this simple moment. He called her names, yelled, attempted to murder and abandoned this woman.. And here she is ensuring his health? Was she off her basket? Looney? Why.. Why had she been so kind to someone who had done her such wrong? Why hadn't she ever looked so perfect, so heavenly standing over him as she had now...? 'Thank you' is something most people had been lucky to hear come from Sasuke Uchiha once, if at all, and He wasn't about to say it twice to the same woman. The man simply nodded, silent as adapting to that stunned feeling.

"Sakura.. Where are we?" She looked down and lightly laughed, before sitting at his side. "We're in a cave, less than a mile from where you fought." Sasuke scowled and looked away after recalling what had taken place hours before. "I was just getting started, you should have stayed out of it." He then turned away from the medic, who held a look of annoyance. "Sorry, you were getting the shit beaten out of you. I thought I was doing the right thing at the moment, jerk." The raven soon turned his head back to his cherry blossom, eyebrows furrowed. Their face's inches away, the same angry expression mirroring one another's. A flame burned in onyx and jade, "well you shouldn't have, I can take care of myself! I was just letting the weirdo get a few hits in before I broke every bone in his body!" Every word knotting his eyebrows closer together. "Oh really? Because it looked like he was about to turn your duck-ass into a drill he'd use to dig you six feet down!"

"Don't yell at me Sakura!"

"You started it!"

Defiantly, Sasuke was the first to turn away, "whatever." Their familiar silence was minutes from creeping on the duet, when the kunoichi just thought it'd be best to change the subject entirely. "Sasuke, are you hungry..? You'll need all the energy and bed rest you can get... We will be fighting Madara in the next few days to come.." Her tone had been gentle and caring, which somehow only brought very brief memories of his mother.. "As long as your not trying to poison me. As for the bed rest, I'm going to have to pass."

"...What are we going to do after this cuff jutsu is broken?" The question caught Sasuke off guard. He hadn't actually thought about it. He had already grown accustom to the pinkette's company, and although he'd never admit it, enjoyed it sometimes. His expression stoic and hard; "what do you expect Sakura? Your going home, and I'm going on with my way." The pink haired medic stared off into space, once again quiet. Somehow that statement burned her Heart. What else had she expected? Isn't that what had originally been planned? She had been silly for thinking any different.. "Come on, we're leaving." The raven said, using every bit of strength he had to pull himself to his feet, and coolly leaned against the curved rocky walls.

Mood having all changed, Sakura rebelliously placed her hands on her hip's. "Oh, and where exactly are we going??" " To find a certain masked relative." She sighed. "You do realize I could very easily out you to sleep for the next decade with a single flick of my wrist, and you're in no position to be giving me orders?" The Uchiha only smirked, his cocky attitude radiating off his very being. "Just because you can, doesn't mean you will."

The woman then pulled a risky move. Slowly, she closed in the gap between herself and the handsome criminal. She draped her free left arm around his neck, fingertips dancing on his exposed collar bone. Although three inches shorter, she seemed slightly intimidating after making the statement: "is that a challenge?" Sasuke couldn't help but notice that the kunoichi's eyes were fixed on his, as if trying to play the demanding heroine role.

Then he moved. He moved swift and abruptly, and before Sakura knew it, she had been lifted off the ground, pelvis to Sasuke's hips, her legs on both sides if his. The avenger had both arms wrapped around the smallest point of her waist. The female gasped. "Sasuke, what are you doing..?" His face had twisted to something almost sadistic. "I'm leaving. If your going to gripe, or act as if your the one in charge, I'm going to put you in your place. Either we can walk together, or I can carry you against your will."

Sakura made a indescribable face before doing something she had never done to Sasuke, something that put him in pure shock and extinguished the flame of his cocky superior attitude. "Baka!!!" And cold cocked him upside his head. Immediately dropping her, as well as himself, Sasuke rubbed the top of noggin, unsure of what to say. Did she just...? But this was Sasuke Uchiha! Not Naruto, nor Sai.. What the fuck?!?!

"We can start traveling. At a reasonable pace I find suited for your condition. If you have a problem with that, then I'll make sure you'll be on bed rest for a loonng time. Got it?" Looking up at the fierce lady ninja, he hadn't argued nor protested. Sasuke pulled himself to his feet, and Sakura took his arm without her permission, and wrapped it around her shoulder. "Your legs aren't exactly the most stable thing, as well as the right arm as yours, I can't have you falling wasting my time. Got it?"

Although the Haruno just demolished Sasuke's ego, he only stared off in a different direction, silent, and that was enough of a 'yes' for Sakura. With that, they set off once more. Only a few more days together... And they were both savoring every painful minute of it.