Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…obviously.

I was really sick a few weeks ago – I blew through almost all of my sick days in one go – and had a lot of time to sit on my ass in my apartment. Tonsillitis is not a fun thing to have…just putting that out there. So I wrote this out…mostly because I am all alone in a foreign country where I don't speak the language and really kind of just wanted my mom around to take care of me.

I wavered back and forth on weather or not to post this up. I liked the story and were it went and everything, but still…I dunno. Anyway, it literally came down to a coin toss and posting it up won so I hope that you enjoy this little one shot.

Poor Little Tyke

Tsume Inuzuka was a fearsome ninja.

She was the only female clan head in Konoha, and one of only a few throughout the continent. Her clan was strong, dangerous and had keen senses. Their pact with their ninja hounds heightened their abilities to a fearsome level and Tsume was a prime example of the excellence that her clan could produce.

She was also a mother, but not one of those wishy-washy, kiss-it-and-make-it-better kinds. No, no. She didn't do that. She taught her kids to pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and give twice as bad as they got.

That was the kind of thing that was going to keep them alive on a battlefield in the end and Inuzuka's were warriors.

But that didn't mean that she didn't care. She loved her children fiercely and cared about their happiness just as much as she did their strength and endurance. She could be as gentle as she was tough – it had to change depending on the situation.

So, she winced as she heard the hacking cough that echoed through the still night. It sounded like someone's spleen was trying to make a break for freedom through their mouth. And as it kept going, she wasn't at all surprised by the retching noise that filled the air soon after.

"I smell something sick." Kuromaru growled from her side. "A pup…"

Tsume sighed. Some moron wasn't watching their sick kid who probably didn't think that they were as sick as they actually ended up being and thought to go on a little trip.

She thought momentarily of he own kids who were probably waiting for her to get home from her latest mission so she could tell them all about it. That was one place she was amazing as a mother and no one would deny her: she could spin a great tale. Embellished of course, as all ninjas do with their acts, just trying to help their own legend along a bit. If one of them was this sick she hoped someone would help them.

She drifted to the side of the road and glanced down an alley way where she heard heavy panting.

She froze at the blonde head that she saw crouched down next to the wall, one hand braced against the brick for support. She recognized that hair – everyone would. It wasn't the normal kind of blonde for Fire country that tended to be more pale similar to the Yamanakas than this. This was clearly the child.

The child heaved again and coughed and sputtered and Tsume didn't think it was right for something that BIG sounded to emerge from someone so so small.

She closed her eyes and took a breath, shaking off the aversion at the memory of the attack that had taken so many good people from their village.

"Hey kid!" She called out, sticking back a bit in case he decided to lash out in surprise as she would have as a child in his situation.

Naruto tried to turn quickly to the noise but clearly made himself dizzy as he swayed on his feet and groan, scraping his hand against the wall and shifting a foot forward and managing to stay up right.

Tsume held in her low whistle, but only just. The kid looked bad. His skin was pale and sweat covered his brow. He had the curiously pinched look of someone who had lost a lot of weight in a short period of time and she had to wonder just how long he had been sick.

"Kid," she started again, softer this time. "What are you doing out here like this?"

"Get," he rasped then paused as though it was too much effort, "medicine." He finally finished, pointing a shaky finger towards a 24 hour convenience store halfway down the block.

Her eyes followed his fingers and she wondered at the kind of medicine he thought that he would find there? Some fever reducer and cough syrup and that would be about it.

"Why don't you go to the hospital?" She asked, turning back to him.

He shook his head slowly, "Thursday night." He said, as though that explained everything.

"What's wrong with Thursdays kid?" Kuromaru asked.

It was testament to just how sick this child was that his only reaction to a massive talking dog was to blink twice before answering. "Thursday nurses won't help me."

Her eye drifted shut and she suppressed a growl that fought rather hard to get away from her.

"Wait here kid," she said when she finally gained control. "I'll go get you some medicine from the store. You stay here with Kuromaru until I get back alright?"

Naruto studied her for a moment through exhausted eyes. Finally he nodded and all but collapsed onto her partner when he moved to sit next to the tyke.

She nodded to Kuromaru who gave her a quick nod in return.

She darted to the store, grabbing up several boxes of Tylenol, a couple of bottles of cough syrup and some cough drops. She stood momentarily in front of a display of tissues before grabbing a box with lotion. She also grabbed a carton of orange juice and a half loaf of bread that was sitting forlornly on a mostly empty shelf, the last of the day. She thumped it all down on the counter and paid quickly before making her way back to the boy.

He was sleeping against Kuromaru's side, coughs shaking his thin frame on occasion.

She frowned, one lip catching under one of her elongated fangs. "Alright little tyke, let's get you home."

She picked up the child's small frame and held it to her chest and Kuromaru sniffed out the child's home without even needing to be asked. He was light, and small she knew comparing the blonde to her own boy who was only a few months older. The child's fever was strong as well, she could feel the abnormal temperature flowing into her mid-section as the boy unconsciously turned towards her and she walked onward.

He mumbled something into her shoulder, but even her keen ears couldn't pick it up. "What kid?"

Naruto pulled his head back and it seemed as though wrenching his eyes open took way too much effort. "Not 'kid.' 'M'name is Naruto."

There was a flicker of fight in his eyes as he said that, even with the fever and sickness wrecking his body. She wondered how many people actually said his name before nodding. "Right. Naruto."

Naruto slowly nodded once, before slipping back onto her shoulder.

Just ahead, Kuromaru was slipping into a staircase in a run down building that she could remember having seen better days.

She entered Naruto's apartment after fishing the key out from under the boy's shirt where it hung on an old shoestring tied around his neck. She smiled a bit taking in the mess around her. Just like Kiba she thought idly as she slipped the boy back into bed.

She sighed for a moment before going through the things in her bag. She shoved the orange juice and bread into a fridge that could use a bit of a wash down and thunked the bag full of medicines down on the scratched up old table. She fished out one box of pills and a bottle of cough syrup and poured a healthy dose of the cherry-red liquid into the little plastic measuring cup that came with the bottle, setting it down on the table next to Naruto's bed.

She fetched a clean glass from the cabinets and filled it with water, snapping two pills out of their casing and standing next to Naruto's bed again.

Reaching a hand out she shook the boy awake. "Naruto, you need to take some of the medicines I bought."

The blonde blinked owlishly at her, trying to place her and seemingly failing as he continued to stare.

She sighed and held out her hand with the two pills and the glass of water in the other. "Take medicine." She said simply.

Naruto grabbed the pills and studied them intently and Tsume forcefully shoved out of her mind just what it meant that even a sick and possibly delirious Naruto was still examining medications before he took them as though that was an instinct.

"Just Tylenol…" he muttered before popping them both into his mouth at the same time, coughing as he struggling to swallow them despite the soreness of his throat.

"Naruto!" Tsume exclaimed as the child hacked and tried to fight against his body's response to possible choking. "Take them one at a time!" She chided, patting him on the back and forcing the water into his hands. "Sips! Slow!" She said clearly and watched, eagle-eyed, as the boy indeed sipped the water rather than attempt to gulp it down.

She sighed again, taking the glass away before the boy could finish, glad to see the fight in him as he glared at her and tried to reach for the glass back.

"Cough syrup first!" She explained, holding up the small cup and smirking a bit at Naruto's grimace. "Swallow it all and then you get the water."

Naruto pouted as his fingers closed around the plastic and he made a 'cheers' gesture before downing the liquid and pulling a gagging face.

"So…gross…" he whispered hoarsely.

She flicked his ear lightly. "That's how you know it's working." She grumbled back, handing the half-filled glass of water back, which Naruto quickly drained.

It was only a few minutes later that Naruto curled up under his sheets and drifted off, body still occasionally shaking with coughs.

Tsume stood there for a moment wondering if she should leave the child. She watched him for a moment, noticing the sweat still beading on the child's forehead. She felt a little guilty leaving the boy all alone when he was sick, but there wasn't much more that she could do and she had children of her own to get back to.

Shaking her head silently, she went back to the kitchen and found a clean cloth in a drawer and ran it under the tap with cool water. Back at Naruto's side she gently wiped down his face, grinning slightly as the child relaxed further under the touch. She placed the folded cloth on Naruto's forehead and then whistled softly bringing Kuromaru to her side.

"Good night Naruto." She whispered, finally slipping out the door and head home to her own little boy who true to form badgered her with endless questions about her mission and how cool it was.

Naruto heard the weird thumping at his door and swallowed the rest of his glass of orange juice before slowly making his way towards the door. His fever had broken during the night but he still felt shaky and weak and like a nap would be a good idea.

He opened the door to find his dreams had come to life.

At least that's what it seemed like. The same eye-patch wearing dog that he remembered talking to him last night in his dreams was sitting in front of his door, a fabric bag held in his teeth and his one eye staring at him with something between curiosity and distain. The dog finally growled a bit and made a jerking gesture with his head and Naruto stood to the side letting it into his apartment.

The dog moved around the apartment like he knew where he was going and the confused Naruto followed behind it to the kitchen where it placed the bag on the floor.

"Boy!" The dog said gruffly, and Naruto backed into his cabinet in surprise. "The food in here should help you get better."

Naruto nodded, "Uh…thanks?" He rasped out.

The dog snorted at him slightly and rolled his head around on his neck. "Eat well. Good bye."

The dog ran out, somehow shutting the door behind him.

Naruto blinked a few times and thought that maybe he had dreamed waking up.

The smell of warm food wafted over from the basket and Naruto inched closer to take a look.

Containers holding chicken noodle soup, rice porridge, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese filled the bag. The macaroni had a note on it to put it in the fridge and only eat it after he had eaten the other food.

Naruto felt his mouth water as the scents all mingled in his nose. Pulling out the large container of soup he carefully poured some out into a bowl. The rest of the food was placed reverently into the fridge before he darted back to the awaiting dish. Naruto dipped his spoon in and carefully carried some to his mouth.

A peaceful smile filled his face as the smooth broth slide down his abused throat. No one had ever made him food before when he was sick! Being sick meant lots of water and instant ramen.

Okay, being well meant lots of water and instant ramen too…but he wanted it when he was healthy. When you're sick you just eat because you realize you haven't in a while and it would probably be a good idea…

But this was fantastic! It was the first time someone made food just for him that he didn't have to pay for!

Naruto thought back on what he thought had been a dream and realized that it must have really happened. He had gone out for medicine and ran into the weird looking lady with a talking dog and she had taken care of him.

She'd even put him to bed! And gave him medicine!

No one had ever done that before either.

A warm feeling started to spread out from Naruto's tummy. It started with the soup but kept going until even the tips of his toes were tingly. Was that what a mom felt like? He'd never had a mom and no one had ever wanted him from the orphanage, but maybe this was it? Is this why all the other kids wanted a mommy and daddy so bad?

It was nice.

He could understand why they wanted one so much if they did things like this!

Naruto placed the dish in the sleep and went back to bed, taking some of the medicine the lady had bought him before falling back asleep.

Naruto stood anxiously at the entrance to the Inuzuka clan grounds. You weren't supposed to go onto clan grounds without permission unless it's an emergency. Weird Mr. Shibi told him that after Naruto chased a dragonfly onto the Aburame land once. Naruto had called out a loud thank you to the bug for playing with him before waving goodbye to Weird Mr. Shibi and walking back home.

So he didn't just walk onto Inuzuka lands, especially because they have dogs. And Naruto had had more than enough dogs sent after him by the people in town to want to get ninja dogs after him.

That's why he was just standing there when Kiba came back from his walk with Akamaru.

"What are you doing here?!" The brunette shouted. When Naruto had pulled a prank, getting the entire classes attention on him when they had all been laughing at Kiba's joke moments before, the Inuzuka had decided that the blonde was his rival. He was a lot friendlier than other kids towards Naruto, but he still teased him in a way to try and egg him on.

But it was fair to say that Naruto and Kiba weren't exactly friends.

And Kiba had a dog.

Naruto darted his eyes between Kiba and the pooch before drawing up his courage. "Teuchi-jii-san said I could find the lady with the one-eyed dog here."

"One-eyed? You mean Kuromaru?"

Naruto shrugged. He didn't remember any names.

"Kuromaru is my mom's dog…why are you looking for my mom?" Kiba stepped forward a bit, territorial about why Naruto, his self-imposed rival, wanted to see his mom.

Usually Naruto would step up to the provocation, but today he took and step back and ducked his head into his shoulder as though preparing to be struck.

"I just wanted to give her something!" He cried out in self-defense. He had made the nice lady a thank-you card which he was holding protectively behind his back, hoping to spare it whatever damage Kiba was going to do.

Anyway, that's what you did when someone helped you right? He'd asked Ayame-nee-chan and she said you write them a nice thank you card.

Naruto wasn't very good at writing, but he had done his best and drawn a big smiley-face on the front so she would know she made him happy even if she couldn't read it.

Kiba had taken note of Naruto's action and took it as him submitting to Kiba's dominance. He smirked haughtily and jerked his wrist, "Cumon – mom should still be home."

That was permission right?!

Naruto followed Kiba up to the house and looked around from the doorway as Kiba called out to his mother.

"What are you yelling for?!" Tsume Inuzuka hollered as she walked towards the front door.

She looked startled when she saw Naruto standing there next to her son. "H-hello."

Naruto gave her his biggest real grin. Lots of times he smiled just so no one would see that he wanted to cry, but right now he was really happy, so his eyes were still open. He proudly held out the little homemade card to the woman who took it wordlessly and glanced down at the bright smiley face on the cover before looking back at the boy.

"I just wanted to give you that! Ayame-nee-chan helped me make it!" Seemingly done, Naruto through a cheery wave and ran back out the door and off of the grounds before any of the dogs lounging around got any big ideas.

"Mom what was that?" Kiba asked, playing tug with Akamaru who was determined to pull the toy out of Kiba's hand.

Tsume looked back down at the card and opened it up.

THANK YOU!

When sumone helps you you have to say thank you so I want to say thank you!

I neber had a mom but I think they muss be like you!

No one tack care me wen I was sick before. It was nice!

I will wassh all the dishs and breng them bak for you!

The food was good! It mack me fell better.

Thank you agen!

Naruto Uzumaki

The Next HOKAGE - Ayame helped me spell this right!

There was a little stick drawing of her and Kuromaru smiling at the bottom of the page.

"It's a thank you card." She said softly.

"For what?!" her boy scoffed, still focusing on Akamaru.

She bopped him on the back of the head, "Because he has decent manners! Now go do your chores before I have to leave for my mission!"

Kiba grumbled as he rubbed his head on the way out the door.

Tsume went to her room and pulled out a box buried in her bedside table. When opened you could see the mementos of her children that she held the closest. There were locks of hair from their first hair cut, candles from their first birthday cakes, first baby teeth lost, first outfits they ever wore, and pictures of them throughout their lives. To this she added Naruto's card.

The clans weren't allowed to adopt Naruto, many of them had tried. But power struggles among the clans and the perception of Naruto by the civilians made it an impossible feat according to the Hokage.

But that doesn't mean she wouldn't help were she could and dammit, taking care of a sick kid shouldn't become a village issue. She would do what she could when she could to help the little blonde pup.

The kid had saved the village along with his first breaths of life, this was literally the least she could do.

So comments? Reviews? Anything?

Let me know what you think!