Chapter Six; Sick Day
A few hours later Sakura came back into the living room where Naruto now lay fast asleep in Sasuke's arms. "He hasn't moved at all since after he ate." He told her as Sakura smiled at them while Naruto breathed a sigh inside his sleep and Sasuke softly kissed the top of his head. "I'll go ahead and carry him to bed and then I'll call his wife and let her know that he's alright." He told her before he slowly got to his feet. "I remember when Itachi used to do this for me. The only difference is that I didn't weight over a hundred and ten pounds when he did." He told her as Sakura giggled.
"Oh I'm sure you can handle it, you're pretty strong after all." She told him.
"Well that may be true but there's no doubt in my mind that my shoulder is going to suffer for it in the morning. Come on you knucklehead, let's get you to bed." He said softly before gently kissing his head again and then carrying him down the hallway. "Thank goodness I decided to add a guest room because there's no way in hell that he's sleeping with us tonight. Not only would that be extremely wrong in my mind, but can you imagine three of us in a bed together?" he questioned her while adjusting his grip on Naruto at the same time.
"Uh,.. I would prefer not too thanks." She said.
"I know. That idiot would be taking up the whole entire bed and snoring and climbing overtop of us. The reason why I know this is because Naruto and I used to have sleepovers all the time when we were kids, and trust me,.. it wasn't a very pleasant experience and it's one that I actually want to forget." He told her with a shake of his head while he continued carrying Naruto into the bedroom.
…
Sakura finished changing into her nightgown before Sasuke entered the room. "Well, I just got off the phone with Hinata and I told her what happened and that Naruto is alright and with us." He explained. "Well,.. safe anyway." He told her as Sakura giggled and smiled at him warmly.
"Well that's good, at least she won't be worried about him." She told him before he brushed strands of hair out of her face and then tucked them around her hair before tilting her chin back with his finger and giving her a slow and passionate kiss on the lips. Sakura deepened the kiss before a few moments later he broke it and slowly pulled away.
"Now,.. it's time we both got to bed. With Naruto in our house I'm sure that we'll be waking up bright and early." He told her.
"You scared me today Sasuke. You both did. I was really worried that Naruto wasn't going to make it." She finally admitted while slowly hanging her head and glancing down at the carpet.
"I know. Me too." He told her.
"I mean I wasn't at first, but when I saw how upset you got I knew it had to be serious." She began before she took a deep breath and then glanced back up at him. "All I know is that Naruto is very lucky to have you as a brother." She told him.
"No." Sasuke began while slowly turning around. "He's not. There was a time when I was a cold and heartless evil bastard. Naruto never deserved to have somebody like that as a friend let alone a brother, but he still wanted to be a friend to me anyway no matter how many times I rejected him. He's not the lucky one. Not by a longshot. He's suffered more than any other person I know. I didn't find him, he found me. I'm the lucky one because he loved me enough to change my heart." He said before he turned around and walked over towards the right side of the bed as Sakura smiled at him while she climbed in on the other side.
"You really love him don't you Sasuke?" Sakura questioned him while she pulled back the covers.
"Yes I do." He began. "Probably as much as I love you but it's just in a different way. Just don't ever tell him that I said that."
"Why not? If you love him that much don't think that you ought to let him know?" she wondered.
"Nah, I don't want to get all gushy about it. It's sort of a guy thing you know? And he still doesn't know that I named Hiro after him for the fact that I consider him to be mine even though he's always seemed to be the one that was looking up to me. I still think that he's wrong about that and it's really the other way around. He deserves to be called a hero, I'm definitely not a person to be admired." He told her.
"Guys are strange. You've been admired practically your whole entire life." Sakura pointed out.
"Yeah,.. by girls." He began. "But other than my looks, name one thing that I managed to be successful at." He told her while they rolled over and turned to face one another.
"Well, you're not an evil rogue ninja anymore and you came back to Konohagakure." She began. "And you have a wife and two children that are crazy about you,.. and a little brother that thinks the world of you. Wouldn't you call that success?" she asked him.
"Damn it Sakura, you're so annoying." He began while he smiled at her warmly and affectionately. "Why do you always have to be right?" he questioned her back while gently tracing her jawline with his finger before the two of them shared a passionate kiss and then Sasuke leaned over to the nightstand to turn off the light while Sakura snuggled her body inside his chest.
"I love you Sasuke." She whispered softly while he wrapped his arm around her.
"I love you too." He told her before he planted a soft and tender kiss on the top of her head and then rested his chin on top of it before they both closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep together. Sasuke smiled in his sleep while he thought about what a lucky man he truly was to have such a wonderful and undeserving family. He brought his lips to the back of her head and kissed her again before falling asleep.
The next morning when Sakura woke up she realized that Sasuke had already gotten up and had left her alone in bed. Giving a few sniffs of the air she could tell that he had already cooked breakfast. After she had gone and used the bathroom she quickly hurried down the hallway and greeted him with a morning kiss. "Good morning." She began. "It smells good out here what did you make?" she wondered.
"Toast, bacon, and eggs for us and chocolate chip pancakes for the children. I'm including Naruto in that category. Speaking of Naruto I'm surprised he isn't already up. Usually whenever he smells me making pancakes he's out here before I have a chance to tell him that they're ready." He said before he turned his head and called down the hallway. "Hey Naruto, pancakes!" he called and stretched his neck while he waited and watched for the door to fly open but nothing happened. "Naruto!" he called again.
"That's funny." Sakura said.
"I'm going to go check on him. Sakura you can be first and get yours and Hiro's food, and then I'll get Sasame up so that she can get hers." He told her before he turned and walked down the hallway and then slowly rapped his knuckles on the bedroom door. "Naruto, it's Sasuke. Why don't you set a good example for your niece and get your ass out of bed so she'll get up as well." He said and waited for a few moments before groaning and rolling his eyes and then opening the door and entering the room.
Before Sasuke could say anything Naruto started coughing and then moaned and started to sniff. "Hey," Sasuke began while raising his eyebrows at him. "are you alright? You don't sound good." He said before Naruto curled up and clutched his stomach.
"And I don't feel good either." He began hoarsely before starting to cough again inside his fist while Sasuke sat down beside him and started gently rubbing his back. "What am I doing here anyway?" he wondered.
"You fell asleep so I carried you in here." He explained.
"Oh." Naruto began. "But what about Hinata Boruto Hokori and Himawari?" he wondered.
"Don't worry, I called them last night before I went to bed. and let them know you were here. I told them the whole entire story. Here, let me feel your forehead." He said before he reached over him and placed his hand on top of it. "You're burning up. I'm going to have to make you an appointment to see the doctor. And since you're in absolutely no condition whatsoever to drive and your car has already been towed away anyway, I'll take you there myself." He said.
"What are you my mother?" Naruto inquired while turning over to look at him with a scowl.
"No. But I am somebody who loves and cares about you very much. Is that a crime?" Sasuke questioned him back.
"No,.. I guess not." Naruto replied before he started coughing again and Sasuke patted his back.
"Shh,.. you just stay here and relax now." He told him.
"But Sasuke, I can't be sick. You and I were supposed to go to the mall together today to play Santa for all of the children." Naruto protested.
"The only place you're going today is the doctor's office. We can do that some other time once you feel better. Now stay here. I'm going to go call the doctor." He told him before he pulled the covers up over him tightly. "Are you warm enough?" he questioned him.
"Are you kidding me? I'm fuckin freezing in here." Naruto replied with a shudder.
"Alright then, I'll take you out and put you by the fire while I talk to the doctor." Sasuke said before he leaned over and lifted Naruto inside of his arms.
"Hey! I can walk you know!" he snapped as Sasuke stifled a laugh. "Besides if I'm so sick aren't you afraid that you're going to catch it!?" he exclaimed.
"No." Sasuke began. "You can't be that sick if you still feel well enough to argue with me." He told him as he started carrying him out of the room.
"Hey! Put me down right now! This isn't funny Sasuke I'm not joking!" Naruto hollered angrily while beating his fists upon his shoulder as Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. "I don't know why all of a sudden you're treating me like I'm a little kid or something!" he cried.
"Fine. I give up. All I'm trying to do is act like the brother I should have been to you in the first place, but if you want down so badly here." He said before he bent over and sat him gently down on the ground. "There, are you happy now?" he questioned him.
"Extremely!" Naruto exclaimed. "Thank you!" he cried with a groan before he turned around and raced down the hallway. Sasuke just simply heaved another heavy sigh, shook his head, and rolled his eyes again before walking into the living room just as Naruto had been starting to set the fire in the fireplace.
"What happened?" Sakura wondered.
"Naruto was having a fit because I tried to carry him and take care of him." Sasuke told her.
"Really? Why would he do a thing like that for? I think that's really rather sweet of you actually." She said.
"I don't know. Don't ask me. Ask him. Right now I have to make a phone call. Naruto's sick and I'm taking him to the doctor whether he likes it or not." He said before he dug out his cellphone and then turned around and walked back down the hallway.