It was Saturday today, which means no classes. It is on this day that most people relax and lay back. But not these shinobi. They have a very busy day today and all have missions to fulfill, objectives to achieve and people to protect. This is the shinobi way of life. They must prepare for certain death everytime they breath. Enemies could and will attack them anytime. That is why they always seem restless. At the house of the konoha and suna Nins, an atmosphere of tension filled the air. The ramblings on the second floor got worse. It was worse than ever. The two somersaulted and punched and kicked, each wanting to beat the other to pulp.

Meanwhile, the girls were cooking breakfast wholeheartedly. Temari now knew it was hopeless to try to get the boys to stop fighting with each other for a day, even for the sake of the ninja world, although they do hope it would happen one day. A loud thud was heard, then silence.

'The two must have stopped fighting.' Temari thought "I'll just go get the boys."

Sakura nodded. "Please get them to change. I don't want semi-nude people dining in this household. " she said in a tone more commanding than requesting.

Temari smiled and muttered a yes. She walked upstairs, her skimpy jean shorts, white sando and rubber flip-flops doing wonders on her mood today. It was the most refreshing feeling that she feels she could not get upset today. Not a single nerve would be irritated. She faced the door and breathed in and out. She held up her hand to knock but then she couldn't get herself to knock. Ear placed on the door, she started to listen in. The two seemed to be engaged in a serious conversation. 'Was it about the fight with the Akatsuki two days ago? Wasn't that fight an easy one? Why would they worry so much about having a weak opponent?' She thought. It was simply outrageous but then...

"Dobe, I still don't understand why he let us off so easily. It should have been harder." Sasuke said, heaving.

"Yeah, but we were just too strong for him, ne?" Naruto smiled, his exposed chest rising and falling from tiredness. Bits of clothes were found everywhere. Naruto dreamily looked at Sasuke.

"Stop staring dobe. You're very irritating." He said, cheeks red with irritation. He looked at Naruto. The blonde was still staring at him, those eyes slowly closing in a kind of way lovers look at each other. 'Lover kind of way? It's impossible. Unless...'

"Oi dobe, are you alright? You're weird today." He said, looking at the blonde in a suspicious way.

"I'm fine. Doshite?" the blonde wearily said

"Nothing" the Uchiha said, not believing the blonde. He's known the blonde from on end of the stupidity spectrum to the other.

Naruto stood up, tearing off the remains of his torn clothes. Their fights really are starting to get serious. His body hurts so much and he feels kinda dizzy. 'must be lack of sleep or something.' He thought, shrugging off the weakness he feels in his knees. He feels like his knees would give way anytime soon. He turned around and found the raven-haired boy already dressed up. Sasuke looked at him worriedly. 'Why does he look at me like that? Is something wrong?'

"Doshite?" he asked again.

"Nothing. Just go on. I'll be downstairs, if anything." The Uchiha opened the door, then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I said I'm fine. Don't worry, I'm strong as a stool!" he said, flexing his muscles.

The Uchiha shook his head. "Its bull, usuratonkatchi, strong as a bull."

"I am! I'm fine. Believe me, ok?" he said, though he felt he was not but he did not want other people to worry about him too much so he kept it to himself. However, his best friend is hard to fool.

"Mada, mada." he said. 'Wonder what's wrong with him.'

Sasuke closed the door as Uzumaki opened the closet to rummage for untorn clothes. 'I'm running out of good shirts, ne kyuubi-san?' The intended conversant did not answer. 'Oi Kyuubi-san, d'you hear me? Must be sleeping.' It was fairly odd for the kyuubi not to answer, it mostly answers along with a few insults and evil laugh. Why is it quiet now?

"This day sure is odd. First Sasuke, then kyuubi? I see no connection." He shrugged his shoulders and changed clothes. He placed his hand on the knob and turned it. He pulled the door open, got dizzy and fell back, good thing his right foot swung itself backward to support himself. What was wrong with him? He never does that? 'Oh well.' He walked on, head hanging down. He was having such a headache today or is it a migraine? He never understood the difference anyway so he just called it a headache. He bumped unto something soft.

"Nani?" he looked up and saw a blonde girl with angry eyes.

"Naruto!" she lifted her almighty hands to give justice to this perpetual abuse of her chest.

Whapaack!

"Hmmph!" she said, her slap making a deep red mark on Naruto's face. 'Was it too hard?' she thought as the mark never seemed to subside. 'Maybe later.'

"Naruto!" she shouted in fear as the blonde collapsed on the floor. Sasuke and Sakura quickly flew to the second floor to see what had happened. They hoped it was nothing serious. There, lying in Temari's arms, was Naruto. He had a deep red mark on his face. The two looked at Temari.

"HewentoutofhisroomandhebumpedintomybreastsandIslappedhimand..."(He went out of his room and bumped into my breasts and I slapped him and...) she said, her words coming out as a bunch of gibberish.

Sasuke quickly stepped in and carried the blonde into the room and laid him on the bed, the girls following behind him. Seconds later, Naruto woke and smiled. "Why're ya'll staring at me like that? And why am I in bed?"

"You're not ok dobe. What is it?"

"What? I'm fine." He said, confused at the sudden worry of his friends. He struggled to sit up, arms shaking as he did so. He rested his head on the headboard. "I'm just a little dizzy that's all."

"You sure?" Sasuke said. The blonde nodded in reply.

"Uhmm, Sakura?"

"Yes Naruto?" she said, her voice shaking, almost faltering.

"Could I have my food in here?" he said, looking at those worried eyes of hers.

"Sure. Right away." She said, walking as fast as she can.

"I'll help you." Temari quickly followed.

The door closed, leaving the two alone in the room. Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, looking straight into those blue eyes of Naruto's. He inspected the blonde's face. 'What the?' His whiskers were disappearing. Sasuke looked closer and ran his hands through Naruto's face, searching for telltale signs of the lost whiskers but to no avail. His hands softly trailed away in retreat, in exasperation. As his hands ran over the blondes arm, he felt little wounds on it. He looked again. 'What the? His wounds aren't healing, they're getting a little bigger. What's happening? Sakura must know something.' Naruto never got sick, ever. Why now? Something is not right.

Meanwhile, Naruto was observing how Sasuke was inspecting him, the Uchiha was obviously worried about him. He looked at Sasuke straight in the eye, the Uchiha looked back. Blue eyes bored into those dark, black eyes, Naruto sensing his best friend's uneasiness and worry. He smiled for the Uchiha, one hand grasping Sasuke's, squeezing it. A gesture that comforted and confused Sasuke. For as Naruto grabbed hold of his hand, something inside him stirred and he felt himself heating up. On the outside he seemed to be blushing. He was red all over.

"Sasuke, are you sick too?" Naruto inquired, noticing his best friend's redness. "You should lie in here too. There's still space beside me."

Naruto smiled, squeezing Sasuke's hand once again, and the Uchiha let out a deep breath. The smell of cooking noodles filled the air, however, it still smelt uncooked for Naruto. What do you know, he knows his noodles.

"Damn it Naruto I'm fine. You should be worried about yourself. It's the first time you got sick. It's very disturbing. I mean, you never got sick before, why now? Aren't you the least bit suspicious? You should be, I am." Sasuke said. 'Knowing Naruto, he'd probably say he wasn't suspicious and that we shouldn't worry about him for he's strong and he wants to be a hokage.' He thought, looking worriedly at the blonde.

Naruto was only half-listening at what the raven-haired boy said. It was like a speech to him and he never understood, nor paid attention to speeches, no matter how important it was. Speeches always bored him. He yawned, letting go of Sasuke's hand, and stretched out his hand. He closed his eyes and prepared to sleep. A knock was heard on the door.

"Sakura, Naruto's sleeping already. Just heat it up later when he wakes. I'll stay here and watch over him." He said, not wanting to let his eyes off of Naruto.

"Okay but you eat this instead, I'll cook something up for Naruto, heat it up later ok? I'm going to Konoha for Master Tsunade. I'm afraid I can't heal Naruto's sickness. A strong poison is in him. I promise to go back tomorrow. Bye." Sakura replied, placing the tray of food on the door step and walking down as fast as she could.

Sasuke paced towards the door and swung it open, the food tray was there. He picked it up, closed the door and ate, eyes wandering off to Naruto every now and then. He was leaning on the door, still watching over the blonde. As Sasuke was finishing his meal, Naruto stirred in his sleep and muttered something.

"Sasuke. Where are you? Come back here."

Sasuke just smiled and placed the tray on the floor, not wanting to leave even for a single second. A knock was heard. It was Temari saying that she'll stay watch and would just be downstairs if they needed her. A simple 'sure' was his answer and creaking of the stairs was heard. 'I should really start fixing the stairs. They're too noisy.' He thought, planning to fix it as soon as Naruto was alright. He was not that worried about Naruto anymore for Master Tsunade is sure to cure every poison and sickness and Naruto's would be no exception. Then a loud 'Sasukeeeeeeeeeee!' disturbed his thoughts. He looked over the blonde and saw that Naruto was fully awake and smiling. It seemed he had been faking sleep but he's still sick so he still can't stand up. Sasuke paced towards the bed and sat beside the lying down blonde.

"Can't you keep it down? I was trying to think." He snapped

"You think too much." Naruto said. The blonde tried to sit, Sasuke quickly came to his aid. Sasuke supported Naruto's back as the blonde tried to sit. "Sasuke, I'm hungry."

"Fine." He immediately stood up and walked to the door.

"Sasuke, don't leave me here. I'm sick remember?" Naruto pleaded, eyes asking him to stay.

"I won't be long." He smiled as he went out. Naruto actually wanted him to stay. He doesn't know why he was happy but it was okay. He walked downstairs and was about to go the kitchen when the door was opened up. Itachi and Kisame showed up. This was trouble, big trouble. 'Damn it. I have to protect MY Naruto. My Naruto? What am I thinking? Damn it, they couldn't have come at worse a time than now.'

-Hokage Tower, Konoha-

Tsunade was breathing heavily as she listened to Sakura. Heavy breathing, irregular heartbeat, rising temperature, cold skin and red blotches, all of these were worrying the household team. The number one most surprising ninja of konoha is at risk of death and Sakura proved unskilled enough to save her friend. Tears quickly fell on from both eyes. Tsunade stood up.

"I'll go. Shizune, get ready. We're going to Masaki City." The hokage commanded. Shizune nodded and quickly followed.

What's going to happen next? Let's see next chap. Till then. Ja!