Bound
Deprivation

"Yes, that's it." He whispers softly into her ear as he guides her through the first of the katas. It is the most basic of the moves of self defense, something that a well trained warrior learns from the time they are first able to walk. Because she is his wife, because she is his, he can not help but be aware of the way her feeble muscles move through the soft material of the tunic and breeches that he has decided that she will wear for these sessions. He swallows thickly when her bound breasts brush against his arm and wonders if, perhaps, it wouldn't be better to have Tsunade teach her after all…

There is a twinge in his gut as a forbidden thought enters his mind and it occurs to him how very much like her twin she is. It is strange, although he very much doubts that he will be able to banish the image of her headless corpse, he finds it much harder to remember that woman's name. He grits his teeth as he corrects her stance, his fingers splayed on the curve of her hip.

Yes, it would be much less painful.

Today, he decides, he will only guide her through the basic stances because he does not think that there is much more he can do today.

Sakura has a natural grace, he notes as he tries not to let his fingers linger on her warmth. He supposes that if she had grown as her twin did, then maybe she would have been as resilient, but she is his Sakura. Even as she moves through the stances, he can sense the weakness in her movement. He can sense it in the way that she hesitates, even as she flows into the next stance. Even as he grips her arms to help her perform the next kata, Sasuke can not help but wonder if perhaps he is being a bit rash. He is hardly even sure of how he should teach her.

As he guides her hands into the proper placement he whispers instruction into her ear, and curses himself when she shudders.

Just a little longer, he tells himself. He just needs to hold out for a little bit longer.

This time, she flows into the next stance without his guidance, and there is hardly any hesitation this time. Sasuke finds himself wondering if she keeps up this training what she will be like in a few months.

Although…if he does decide to have Tsunade teach her how to defend herself then there will be less time that she will have with him.

Sasuke really doesn't like the thought of that. It is hard enough with the summit coming up. He doesn't quite know how his father managed it—and he rather suspects that Itachi had a hand to play in it—but somehow a simple alliance meeting with the Hyuugas to fortify their defenses against their Harunos has expanded into a grand meeting with the heads of all of the major clans in the region and some of the most honored swords masters. There is less time than he would like to spend with his wife.

He is thankful, at least, that Pansuke has suddenly been made rather busy with arranging the security of the dignitaries that will be staying at the numerous Uchiha Estates for the summit. Sasuke would just rather not think on what exactly it is that he owes Itachi for that particular favor.

"Sasuke?"

Her voice, hesitant and strangely sounding a bit embarrassed jar him from his thoughts. Then he realizes that instead of guiding her through the next stance as he has been for the past hour, his hands have been carefully running up and down her hips. Her breathing is slightly heavy, fast, but he doesn't feel embarrassed. After all, this is all her fault. She can be too impossibly distracting, and the breeches she wears are old and very thin.

He rests his head on her shoulder, his mouth curling into a smirk when she shudders as his breath caresses the shell of her ear.

"Sasuke?" This time her voice is shaky, and her hands fall to her sides, clenching into tight fists.

"We should go back," he whispers, nipping on her ear and relishing at her sudden intake of breath. "Are you hungry?"

"I need to wash up first." He relishes in the hesitation of her voice and is feeling absolutely wicked.

"Yes," he agrees, "we should wash up." He covers her protest with a kiss before pulling her close. He has never shown her just why the Harunos still have such difficulty when any of his clan are fighting on the front lines. He wraps his arms tightly around her as he forms the hand signs for the transportation jutsu.

XXX

Even he must admit that the steaming water feels like bliss he sinks into the deep pool. He can see the shadows of exhaustion creeping at the corners of her eyes, and for a moment he feels a twinge of guilt. He had, after all, spent the better part of the day showing her the most basic forms of self defense. Physical activity, most likely, is not something that she is used to, and when he hadn't been distracted he had been relentless in guiding her through the steps.

He does give her credit for hiding her exhaustion from him until now.

Sasuke decides that he rather likes the way she leans against him so heavily, a soft sigh escaping her mouth as he lowers her carefully into their expansive bathing pool. Wait above it seems like they were in a shower, now a bath, clarify?

"Are you tired?" He idly plays with the damp ends of her hair as he whispers the words against the lobe of her ear. Her pale skin suddenly looks flushed and he rather deviously wonders how red he can make her.

"A bit. It's been a while."

Sasuke doesn't particularly think that it has been that long. After all, it has only been less than a fortnight since that afternoon in the hidden garden. He knows that that is not what she is thinking of, at least not immediately. He pulls her closer, fascinated at the way her cheeks pinken. He does not think that it is entirely because of the heat.

"Wash." She mumbles, and Sakura presses her hand against his chest. Her movements are more lethargic and feeble then usual and that in of itself is enough to give him cause to scowl.

"Later." He nips at the soft skin of her lobe, his hand abandoning the idle play of her hair to splay along the curve of her hip. A sound that is less like a moan and more like another exhausted sigh escapes her as she turns her head and rests her cheek against his bare chest.

"Wash." Her body is leaning more heavily against him and this time he can hardly hear her. Sasuke has a feeling that he knows were this is going and he scowls. The feel of her wet, smooth skin is so delicious that he really doesn't want to wait for it.

Reaching up to cup her cheek he kisses her in an almost desperate attempt to coax something out of her. A part of him wilts when, instead of giving him some of her passions, her eyes flutter shut and she only weekly returns the kiss.

Sakura tries to repeat that faint, one word command of wash, but it comes out as an unintelligible mumble. Completely oblivious to his frustration she drifts off and he has to brutally push aside any of his plans for the evening, and give into her request to wash before tucking her into bed for the night.

It is a long time before he is able to join his wife in bed.

That I was able to post today goes completely to my beta who is just pure awesomeness. That and arch-nsha and her awesome fanart to help me get back to writing.

This chapter was actually most written a month or so ago. I just had some trouble writing the ending. I will attempt to go back to my previous writing schedule so that I can get to the next story arc and then wrap this piece up.