A/N: I've only ever published one SasuSaku piece on here, and it was just a silly little drabble-ish thing several years ago, haha. I'd really love to explore the pairing more, so I wrote up this short oneshot as a start, made for fluff's sake and not much else.

So, let's just pretend that Sasuke has returned home, he's gotten some much needed therapy, the 4th shinobi world war is over, and life for Team 7 has regained a sense of normalcy. That being said, happy reading everyone!

Admitting Defeat

By S. Muffin

If Sasuke had to choose one thing that he hated above all else in the world (even more so than obligatory Team Seven game nights, the fact that he still hadn't passed the Chuunin Exam, and all things containing sugar), it was admitting defeat.

And, the way he saw it, being confined to a hospital bed while Naruto, of all people, had already been released half an hour ago counted as the ultimate form of defeat.

Honestly, the only reason why he was still stuck in this stupid hospital room and why Naruto wasn't was because Naruto was an abnormally and infuriatingly fast healer, thanks to the bottomless pit that was the Kyuubi's chakra. Otherwise, Sasuke convinced himself, that obnoxious little piece of shit that called himself his "best friend" would be stuck in here just as long, if not longer, than he was.

The second he was feeling better, Naruto was going to get it. Sasuke quickly vowed silently to himself that he would see this plan through.

In the meantime, he tried his best to look utterly displeased with the world in its entirety as he watched Sakura carefully yet skillfully bandage his forearm—as a professional medic, tending to the injuries of her contentious male teammates had become annoyingly second nature to her. However, Sasuke was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the scowl on his face when all he really wanted to do was close his eyes and sleep. His whole body felt limp and drained of energy. In all his nineteen years, he couldn't remember a time when he had felt as exhausted as he did right now.

Noticing the way his expression gradually changed from I hate the world to meh, Sakura paused in her handiwork and offered Sasuke a small, sympathetic smile. "Feeling any better yet, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke hn'd noncommittally.

Sakura laughed softly, not exactly surprised by his response (or lack thereof, she corrected). She then redirected her attention back to bandaging his arm, tying off the end once she was finished wrapping the thin white fabric around his wrist. "Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"No," he answered curtly.

Sakura eyed him skeptically.

"...What?" he asked, the look on his face still stuck somewhere between meh and somewhat neutral.

"Are you sure?"

"Should I not be?" he countered in such an utterly Sasuke-like fashion that Sakura had to bite her lip to keep from snorting. "Of course I'm sure."

Firmly maintaining her dubious gaze, Sakura swiftly poked the stubborn Uchiha directly in the shoulder.

With a strangled grunt, he recoiled under her touch.

...OW.

"Liar," Sakura muttered accusingly, before letting out a sigh and shaking her head at him. "We really need to do something about this superiority complex of yours, Sasuke-kun. It isn't healthy."

The glare Sasuke regarded her with at that moment was positively murderous.

"I mean," she went on, purposely ignoring his spiteful stare even though she could practically feel his eyes boring through her, "everyone at some point in their lives has to go to the hospital. There's nothing wrong with staying here for a few hours while you recover. And I can assure you that no one is going to think poorly of you because of it, either."

Sasuke's lips remained in a rigid frown.

"Not only that, but my job as your personal medic is to make you feel better," she explained to him, "and I can't make you feel better if you don't cooperate with me and tell me if you're in pain in the first place. Okay?"

A tense pause passed between the two of them, in which Sasuke continued to brood in silence while Sakura patiently waited for his response.

"...Whatever," Sasuke finally grumbled.

He really hated admitting defeat.

Sakura smiled in amusement at his tenacity. "Now, take your shirt off and lie down, please."

Begrudgingly, Sasuke did as he was told, making sure that his movements were slow and careful so that he wouldn't further agitate his aching muscles. Admittedly, he was still a bit sore (as Sakura had so graciously discovered via her index finger), but he hadn't wanted to bother her with such an insignificant detail when his overall condition wasn't critical. He was alive and in one piece—tired beyond belief and sore, but alive nevertheless. She'd already taken care of his cracked ribs, sprained ankle, and the various cuts scattered on his body, not to mention Naruto's excessive bruising and dislocated shoulder before allowing the Kyuubi chakra's healing properties to pick up where she left off. Her own chakra supply was more than likely beginning to run low and Sasuke didn't want her to push herself unnecessarily. Despite his tendency to be insensitive towards others, he still cared.

Especially when it came to Sakura.

(Not that he'd ever let her know that, of course.)

When he was finally settled comfortably against the mattress, Sakura leaned over him and gently pressed her hands against his chest, summoning forth her medicinal chakra and transferring it into his body.

Instantaneously, Sasuke sighed as his muscles relaxed all at once. As his eyes fluttered shut, Sakura smirked victoriously.

"From now on, I highly suggest you and Naruto stop trying to kill each other during training sessions," she lectured on, slowly guiding her hands up and down his torso. Sasuke sighed again. "I mean, really, there's absolutely no need for the two of you to be doing this to yourselves when you're just training, for crying out loud. Then again, I guess I can't be surprised considering you're Sasuke and he's Naruto, but I still thought you two would have grown out of this stupid rivalry stage by now."

Sasuke cracked one eye open. "Shut up, Sakura."

"Hey!" Sakura scowled down at him. "Is that any way to talk to your girlfriend, Sasuke-kun?"

"It is when you're being annoying."

"Annoying?" she echoed. "How am I being annoying!"

Both eyes were now open. "You just are."

"Well, geez!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you do a guy a favor, and all he does is bitch."

"I'm bitching?" he asked, barely concealing the incredulous tone in his voice.

Lifting one hand from his chest, Sakura jabbed her index finger into his shoulder a second time. Sasuke flinched.

"Stop that!"

Sakura suddenly threw her head back and laughed, abruptly cutting off the flow of chakra emitting from her hands into Sasuke's muscles. Sasuke watched her with a tight-lipped frown, reaching up to massage his abused shoulder. Now that he'd been back for nearly two years, had long since repaid his dues to Konoha, had rejoined Team Seven, and had asked her to be in a relationship with him, Sakura had slowly allowed him access to her heart again. However, he was starting to discover that being her boyfriend also meant that he was now subject to endure her teasing just as much as the rest of their teammates. He did receive some special treatment, but being Sakura's boyfriend now was definitely not how he would've pictured it years ago, when they were still academy students and she hung onto his every word no matter what.

Then again, even though she had such abusive tendencies...he supposed he didn't mind so much, when he looked at the bigger picture.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun!" she apologized several moments later, her laughter dying down until all that was left was a smile on her face. "I'll finish healing you now."

Sasuke felt his body involuntarily relax all over again as Sakura resumed her treatment, her chakra soothing and numbing his muscles within seconds. It always amazed him how drastically his body reacted under the influence of Sakura's medical ninjutsu, and it was one of the few times he'd actually allow himself to feel vulnerable.

He did, however, wait to make sure she wouldn't poke him a third time before closing his eyes once more. Just in case.

They were officially fighting, he decided.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked a minute later.

"What?"

He felt her hands move up to his shoulders. "Do you want me to make you dinner tonight?"

Sasuke paused in his angry train of thought. Dinner?

"Once I release you from here, I can go to the store and pick some food up, if you'd like," she continued, gradually increasing the flow of her chakra. "Then I can meet you back at your house?"

Sasuke considered this suggestion as his shoulders slumped even further beneath her fingers, momentarily forgetting that he'd decided to be angry with her. Obviously, she was trying her best to persuade him, and, as much as he really, really, really hated admitting defeat, more so now than ever before, she was doing a fairly good job.

Opening his eyes, he saw the small, hopeful smile on her face and the pleading look in her eyes to match, and that was that.

Sasuke sighed.

She made it extremely impossible for him to stay mad at her.

"I'll come with you."

A wide grin broke out onto her face and she beamed down at him. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Yay!"

Sasuke felt his lips twitch slightly, but he put all his effort into keeping the oncoming smile down. He'd already had to admit defeat multiple times today, and wasn't prepared to do it again so willingly.

He couldn't stop staring at her, though, as she continued smiling down at him, rambling on about what they could buy while at the grocery store before asking him if he wouldn't mind having soup as a side dish. She looked so ridiculously happy, like he'd just given her the best news of her life, and he felt a small portion of his stomach twist into knots in response.

"Hey, did you hear me, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, once again pulling him out of his thoughts. "I asked you if you wanted soup. Is that alright?"

Fuck it.

The barest hint of a smirk finally crossed his face. "Hn."