Disclaimer: This is fanfiction and therefore the characters in it do not belong to me.

Please note: if you are 15 you are in your 16th year. If you are 16 you are in your 17th year. And so on. Just thought I'd clear that up.

---------------------------

Summary:

The penalty for making an Uchiha bleed was death. And yet here he was, offering her a way out. The bargain was a hard one, but Sakura couldn't afford to die just yet. Not until she'd gotten her revenge...

SasuSaku AU

----------------------

From the moment he was born, Sasuke was carefully sheltered and cared for. Nothing was allowed to hurt him, not even himself. He wasn't allowed to run, for fear he'd trip and get a scar; he wasn't allowed out of the family compound in case an assassin hired by a rival clan killed him; and he was kept inside because he would get sunburn if he were to go outside. He was kept under careful watch by his family and was told he was a genius. He was taught that as an Uchiha, he was perfect, special, exempt from the petty laws and limitations that bound other people.

He was taught to hide his emotions, to never shed a tear, to never show anger, pain, sympathy. He was trained in the art of fighting and was educated by the best tutors the family could afford. Nothing was spared for the young Uchiha.

Finally, in his sixteenth year, he was allowed to venture outside the walls of his family home though he did so accompanied by his older brother. This grated on him. He was a man by rights and should not be accompanied as if he were a small child who'd cause trouble if left alone.

He found his opportunity to slip away when a peasant passing between him and his brother snatched his brother's coin pouch. Itachi, furious that the man had dared rob him, pursued the thief and Sasuke slipped quickly into an alley, laughing quietly to himself.

Elated that such a chance had come along, he whooped loudly and sprinted to the other end of the alley, away from the uproar his brother was raising.

Footsteps sounded from the rooftops of one of the houses surrounding him and he paused, curious about their source.

"Look out belooooww!!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as a barefoot girl his own age descended upon him from the rooftop but it was too late to dodge. Both he and the girl went down in a heap, his training keeping him from being too badly injured.

The girl climbed off his chest and dusted herself off vigorously then shook her head so that her bangs fell into place, framing her pale porcelain skinned face.

"Sorry about that." she extended an arm, "I didn't expect anyone to be down here, normally noone uses this alley."

Sasuke got up without her assistance and stood with his hands on his hips.

"What? I said I was sorry. What's the matter with you?" she scowled and crossed her arms.

Sasuke gave her an appraising look, taking in the green spaghetti strap shirt that perfectly matched her wide eyes, the black leggings that fit her slender but strong legs well, and her lack of shoes. Her long pink hair dangled down to her waist and was tightly braided, the end secured with a leather thong.

He raised a hand to a sore spot on his left cheekbone and it came away sticky with his own blood. He hissed with displeasure at the sight of the red fluid, but couldn't help but stare at it with avid curiosity. He'd never been injured before so pain and bleeding were quite unfamiliar to him. During his martial arts training, his sparring partners (mainly Itachi) had been forbidden to hit him with any sort of force and had only been allowed to block his attacks. Despite that, he was the best and strongest martial artist in the family.

Only one thought crossed his mind: this girl had caused him to bleed.

The penalty... Sasuke gritted his teeth. He'd always thought it to be a little too harsh.

"Hellooooo?" the girl waved a hand up and down in front of his face. Sasuke smacked her arm away and the girl glared at him. "What is your problem?" she snapped.

"Do you realize who I am, girl?" Sasuke asked her, voice low with a threatening undertone that did not escape the girl's notice.

She squinted at him, head slightly cocked. A moment later, a look of comprehension dawned on her face, followed by horror.

"Oh, shit." she breathed.

Sasuke could not keep the smug grin off his face.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. You know the penalty for causing a member of the Uchiha clan to bleed, do you not? And not just that, you've made the heir to the clan bleed."

Death.

How overdramatic. Really, what a waste. This girl- She could be useful... A plan formed in his mind right there and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"I'm so sorry. Really, but I can't die. I can't." She was on her knees before him, kissing the hem of his pants.

"I'll let this slide. But-" he let the word hang in the air. The now prostrate female raised her head barely, hopefully.

Best to crush her hope now.

A smirk slid onto his face as he gazed upon the girl whose life now lay in his hands. He could crush it out if he wanted but felt it more amusing to torture her.

"You have to be my slave. Permanently."

-----------------

A/N: So what do you think? R&R please.