Author's Note:

Hi guys! Hope you're all well. I have another story for you guys, well one-shot really. Atleast for now.

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I gain profit from this. All rights are reserved to Masashi Kishimoto.

"..." - speech

'...' - thoughts

cursiv - flashback/emphazising words

BIU - Quotes

"Man, this mission was so boring! I usually don't complain but seriously I expected more from a B-classed mission."

Looking to her left and right she noticed that both of her teammates were rather quite. While it's a normal occurence with Sasuke, Naruto is never this silent.

Usually he would have been the one going on about how the mission was boring and not big enough of a challenge for him.

Now that she thinks about it, Naruto has been rather quite the whole duration of the mission. He talked and laughed and acted the same as usual, but it just seemed that since yesterday, he forced himself to put up the front of being happy and carefree.

Frowning, Sakura slowed down so that she would be walking next to Naruto.
"Naruto, are you okay? You have been unusally quite.."

Startled, Naruto looked up to see that both of his teammates were looking at him now, both focusing their attention on him. Though Sasuke was trying to be nonchalant about it, staring at him out of the corners of his eyes only, Naruto knew that that was Sasuke's way of showing concern. 'Hah, that bastard may try to appear unbothered, but I know better.'

Snapping out of his thoughts, Naruto turned his focus back on Sakura and put a small smile on his face. 5 years ago the concept of Sakura being concerned over his well-being was a completely foreign thought. She was so focused on Sasuke and Sasuke only and how he was the love of her life and that they should get married.

Luckily, she realized that her love towards Sasuke wasn't really what she thought it was. More like a deep feeling of adoration and fond. She viewed the two of them more like the two brothers she never had and the feeling was mutual.

Just like Naruto realized early on that he didn't really love Sakura that way, and saw her more like a sister.

Now that he thought about it, he remembers her saying awhile ago that she had a few dates with Rock Lee. He wonders if they were dating now.. He would have to ask her later about it.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I'm fine. Just have a bit of a headache, nothing to worry about. Seriously, I will be ju- Hey! What are you doing!?"

While he was busy answering her question, she already had reached up to pull off his forehead protector. Ignoring his outburst she placed her palm on his forehead, measuring his temperauture.

Gasping she exclaimed, "Naruto, you're burning up! Why didn't you say that you were feeling sick?"

"You worry too much, Sakura-chan. I will be as good as new after I had a goodnights sleep. And you know I never get sick. Kyuubi always heals me." Giving her his trade mark grin, he can't help but think about how lucky he is to have friends like them who care about his welfare, going out of their way to make sure he is okay.

As a little boy the mere concept of just having friends was a far away dream for him. Mostly because the parents wouldn't let their child associate with him. Claiming he's a monster. Telling them to stay away from him.

But now look at him. He's 17 years old and has friends, people he can call his family, people he cares deeply about and would do anything for them.

He couldn't keep the small smile off of his face even if he wanted to as these particular thoughts flooded his head.

"You seem to forget that the Kyuubi isn't a friend, dobe. Why should he heal you if it's not perilous for your condition."

"Why you! Teme! Just so you know I-"

"Guys break it up, will you? Look, we arrived back at Konoha so behave yourselves. I will report back to Tsunade-sama about the mission, while you Naruto", she instructed while wiggling her finger in his face, "will go home and sleep. You look way too pale for your own good."

"But Sakura-chan, I'm fine." Ok, if he's honest he doesn't feel all that fine. He feels horrible. His head aches, his throat aches, his body hurts and it seems as if he has a fever. Just great.

Looking at him sternly, she looked him in the eyes and said, "Naruto, you will do as I say or I will alert Tsunade-sama about your condition. I'm sure that you don't want that, do you know?"

Naruto feels a shiver ran down his spine. Sometimes Sakura-chan is almost as scary as that old hag of Hokage. He doesn't know how she manages to look so nice while blackmailing him into obeying here. Seriously, that power will be the death of him.

Sighing a bit, he agrees. Really what else is he supposed to do?

Grinning at him, she now turned her attention towards her other teammate. Now that she got over her crush on him, she has no qualms or reluctance about ordering him around too.

"Sasuke-kun, please be so kind as to accompany Naruto home and make sure that he gets rest. Okay? Great! Bye guys, see you later!" With that she walks away from them in the direction of the Hokage tower.

Looking at her leaving, Sasuke grunted "Hn. Let's go dobe." and started walking in the direction of Naruto's apartment complex.

Caught off guard, Naruto could only exclaim "Wait what? You.. will do as she says? Wow, the world must be coming to an end!"

Glaring at him, he explained "I'm doing this just because it would be too much of a hassle to argue with her."

"Hmm, sure, whatever you say Sasuke." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke smirked. "Another reason is of course that I don't trust you to find your flat without getting lost so."

"Teme!"

Casting a glance at Naruto, he frowned. The dobe looks like dead on his feet. The whole way from Konoha's gates till his apartment, Naruto has been disturbingly quite except of his rather harsh coughs. Not to mention that his face is pale except the flush caused due to his fever.

Arriving at the front door of Naruto's apartment, he waited till Naruto unlocked it and stept in after him. Upon inspecting the place, he is pleasantly surprised that it isn't as messy as he expected it to be. He can clearly remember the times he spent in here as a genin. The floor was basically invisible due to all the trash lying around. He remembers all the pointless arguments they had about it. With him demanding that Naruto cleans up after himself and Naruto pointing out that he just didn't have enough time for it.

He is glad that Naruto decided to follow his advice.

"What are you standing around for, dobe? Get in bed." Seeing that Naruto was about to talk, probably to protest, he said "Don't even think about arguing with me."

Pouting, Naruto reluctantly agreed and made his way into his bedroom, Sasuke one step behind.

Turning his face towards Sasuke, he said "Wait here and I'll go get changed for bed, okay?"

"It's not like I haven't seen it all before." Smirking, he enjoyed himself with watching the blush take over Naruto's face.

Seeing that Sasuke wouldn't listen to him regardless, he turned around and muttered "Bastard.", making sure that Sasuke heard.

Having finished changing, Naruto crawled beneath his blanket and settled down.

He feels worse and worse with each passing second.

'Damn fox, why doesn't he heal me! I never got sick before!"

Coughing a bit, he turned his gaze towards the bathroom door where Sasuke emerged from, holding a cloth and a bowl of cold water.

Setting the bowl down on the nightstand, he wetted the cloth and then putted it down onto Naruto's forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit.", exclaimed Naruto. Looking up at him, he wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe you should lay down next to me?"

"No thanks."

Put out of being brushed of, Naruto whined "But Sasukeee, I'm sick and so you have to do everything I want to make me feel better and- Hey asshole! I was talking to you!"

While Naruto was talking, Sasuke has managed to retreat back into the bathroom to fetch a few pain killers for Naruto, get a cup of water from the kitchen and then arrived back beside Naruto.

Setting everything down, he helped Naruto into a sitting position long enough for him to drink his medicine.

Sighing, Naruto laid back down. He hates being sick, regardless of the fact that this is the first time he ever felt like this. He feels pity towards the people who get sick a lot and sends a quick prayer towards them.

"Ne Sasuke?"

Lost in thoughts, he replied with "Hn?"

Letting a grin take over his face, he asked "How about you give me a kiss? You know, cause I'm sick and all."

Staring blankly down at him, he answered with "No."

Jutting out his bottom lip, he exclaimed "But why not?!"

"Easy. I don't want to get sick. And now sleep."

Well, that didn't work out like he hoped it would. "You're mean. I'm your boyfriend, you should be nice to me, bastard.", crossing his arms infront of him for emphasize.

Giving out a sigh, Sasuke whispered "The things I do for you, usurantonkachi. Seriously."

Leaning down he placed a quick peck on his boyfriend stunned lips, and then he proceeded to kiss his right cheek till he arrived at his neck. Biting lightly down he started sucking the skin a bit, wanting to make sure that he leaves a hickey there.

Pulling back, he looks into Naruto's crystal blue eyes with a little smile on his face. "Happy now?"

Naruto just smiled back.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.
— Pablo Neruda

- End -