Bound.


Disclaimer: Hmm. What do I own? I own this computer.. That cup.. Oh! And those rings. And I don't own NARUTO, a properly working cell phone, Max Theiriot, or any of these characters. Mou, I'm very sad.


Sun light was streaming through the previously ripped open curtains, sending a streak of hot, uncomfortable sun down the side of his face. Annoyed, he twitched and turned over onto his side. He was refreshed, but still intent on sleep. Truth that he would never tell, he had slept like a new born. He didn't remember his bed being this soft...ever. And these sheets? He'd have to remember to buy some more of these, oh yeah.

He was drowsy and he opened his eyes, catching the sight of something pink. His brow furrowed for a moment before he forgot what he was thinking about and decided to fall back into the gentle caress of sleep.

That is, until something beside him moved. He snapped awake, immediately looking in the corner for his katana. Which wasn't there. He frowned, remembering he was no longer in Sound, and realizing that he wasn't in his bedroom.

The walls were a light, mint green. He kind of liked it. The sheets he had been subconsciously thinking about were white, instead of the dark navy blue ones that covered his mattress. The lining on the walls was a light strawberry pink and there were white curtains flowing around the open window.

A cherry blossom desk was in the corner, small pink buds painted on it in random spots. A laptop sat on top of that, as well as several scrolls and what looked like some medical texts. And the floor was hard wood.

Something moved beside him again and he was immediately back to being alarmed, his eyes snapping over to where the movement was taking place. What he found, (despite the room) was not what he expected. There, lay Sakura, still peacefully asleep.

Which made him remember the night before.

His blank stare shifted to his wrist carefully, examining the chakra centered bracelet with annoyance. He had wanted it off, and it was still on. Now he was angry. He looked at her again and found her wrist, which had the same bracelet on it, holding it together on her with the same chakra signature. The dark eyed boy scowled.

Why did his life have to suck?

He sat up and stretched slowly, wanting Sakura to awake. He was eager to get to the Hokage's office and get the damn thing off his wrist. She took the hint and groaned, rolling over onto her side, away from him. He frowned.

"Sakura," He said in a low tone, "Sakura, wake up."

'I must be having the weirdest teenage flashback dream ever', Sakura thought sleepily, 'I haven't dreamt of Sasuke being in my bedroom since I was fourteen'.

"Sakura, get the fuck up," He growled. His impatience was getting to him. Thankfully, said girl sat straight up at the word 'fuck'.

"What the–" She began, a startled look on her porcelain face. He took it in. For some sick reason, it calmed him down.

"We need to go see the Hokage," He said blankly, gesturing to the bracelet. I want it off. Now."

"Right," Sakura said quietly, shifting her body and then sliding off the side of her bed. She stood, stretching. "I'm going to get dressed, okay?"

"Whatever," He said standing up and turning towards the open window. "I'll meet you there."

He didn't get far before a dead weight was thrown against his back and he hit the ground. But wait, the weight wasn't a dead weight! In fact, it was alive and moving and cursing! Sakura rolled over and found herself face to face with Sasuke again. She blinked, her eyes wide and stared at him for a minute.

"Uhm..."

He frowned at her lack of speech and sat up straight, glaring at everything and anything. "This is ridiculous."

"What's going on, again?"

"I can't seem to leave without you."

Her eyes narrowed at him and there was a low spark in them that sort of... frightened him.

She stood up abruptly and walked stiffly over to her closet, pulling out a pair of gym pants, which she slid up under her super large pajama shirt. Next, she pulled that off and watched out of the corner of her eye as Sasuke looked anywhere but at her. She smirked as the shirt went over her head and revealed a white tank top. She pulled on a t-shirt after that and turned to him.

"Let's go."


"They won't come off," The only sentence he'd said since they'd arrived.

"How did they end up on your wrists?"

"Well, I don't know. It was just sort of... on when the light dissipated, Tsunade-sama," Was Sakura's reply. She looked down at her wrist with a blank face, probably wondering what the hell was going on and why this metal was stuck on her arm.

"These bracelets are held on to you by a jutsu, one that only someone extremely skilled with chakra can perform."

"What's the jutsus purpose?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.

"I could tell you," She said quietly, "But you're not going to like it."

"Why?" Sakura asked, her eyes curious.

"This jutsu was created to encourage teamwork or when you're getting married. Way back when nothing was illegal, people used to bind others to them by way of gifts. They'd reinforce the gifts with chakra. Then things got more technical and people figured out how to bind people to other people. The only way you can be un-bound is if you find out who bound both of you together so they can release the chakra in your bracelets. Otherwise, you have to go up into the mountains and find the old man who's grandfather invented the jutsu. He can release it as well. You see, chakra is like a fingerprint. Everyone has their own unique chakra and we can match it to that person's chakra tunnels to prove they bound both of you together, if both of you think you know who did this, or recognize the chakra signature."

"No, Gomen,"Sakura sighed after Sasuke didn't reply.

"If you think of anyone, you need to tell me right away. There are side affects to this jutsu."

"Like what?" Sasuke asked absently, watching the bracelet on his wrist, as if he could burn if off his wrist with his glares.

"The jutsu has already bound you together, ne? You can't leave a room without Sakura, and Sakura can't leave a room without you?"

"Hai... But what does it mean?" The pink haired kunoichi bit her lip.

"It means... that if either of you two stray too far from one another..." Tsunade paused and looked over at her sake bottle, causing Sakura to pale. "That bracelet will rip your wrist from your body...or worse... it'll kill you."