Sick Days

AN: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters...and now on with the story:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


‘Why does everything…hurt so much?’ Naruto groaned as he tried to lift his arm to rub his aching head. It hurt to think, to breath, even groaning hurt. He groaned again when shivers wracked his body. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Oi, dobe? Are you awake?”

Naruto cracked his eyes and then quickly squeezed them shut again, “Damn…. why is it so bright?” His voice cracked and he coughed at the dryness of his throat. He heard a movement near him followed by a swishing sound and then something cool was pressed to his lips. Opening his mouth, he was relieved as ice-cold water trickled down his throat. He swallowed greedily and then his heaven was pulled away; he uttered a whimper and then opened his eyes very slowly.

“It’s dark now…damn it. What is wrong with me?” Naruto whined as he looked around; squinting his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

“There is nothing wrong with your eyes, dobe. I closed the curtains,” Sasuke answered curtly as he sat down in the chair that was next to the bed Naruto was lying in.

Naruto blinked, “Ne…why are you in my house?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, “This is not your house. It’s mine. You’ve been here for three days now.”

Nothing was adding up in Naruto’s mind. Naruto may be a little slow at times, but damn it…this was just ridiculous. He moved to sit up, but was immediately pressed back down into the bed by two strong hands, “Oi, teme, what are you doing? I want to get up.”

“Hokage’s orders. You are not to get out of bed and move around on your own until you are fully recovered. Get over it.”

Naruto frowned, completely blocking out what Sasuke had said about the 'Hokage's orders', “Ne…why am I at –your- house? How come I am not at home or at the Hokage’s?”

Sasuke shrugged, not easing his grip on the blond’s shoulders, “I’m the only one who was able to take…care of you right now.” He was glad that it was dark in the room now, because he knew he had a slight blush tinting his cheeks. He had been taking care of Naruto for three days now, and he was somewhat surprised to realize that he actually enjoyed taking care of the dobe…he liked having him around, even if he was unconscious. In fact, at night, when he wasn’t tired, he would sit and watch Naruto, which always led to thinking.

And his thoughts had all started to focus on one topic: Naruto. He had always known there had been something between himself and Naruto, but he had never actually analyzed that –something- for fear of wanting something that he knew he could never have. But since he was having such a hard time getting the blond out of his mind, he –had- analyzed that -something- and he had come to realize that he truly cared for the blond dobe. And it was not just a 'crush' like he had once thought it could possibly be; it was in a much deeper way. He wanted to be near the dobe twenty-four seven. He wanted to have the dobe in everyway possible...and he knew he would never be able to. The only thing he could possibly do to be near the blond ninja, would be to remain his best friend. He would have to be content with just that...right?

“Oi…teme…you there?” Naruto tapped a finger on Sasuke’s forehead. Sasuke’s thoughts were quickly interrupted and he glared at the owner of said finger.

“Geez, welcome back. Where’d you go? I called your name like six times…” Naruto trailed off as Sasuke’s grip on his shoulders tightened, “um…Sasuke?”

Sasuke’s brows furrowed in thought as he stared at Naruto, who was looking utterly confused, “Do you feel any better?” Naruto blinked, “Um…I’m still pretty…achy and my head hurts, but other than that…I don’t feel as bad as I had. I think…maybe…I can’t really remember anything since…Kakashi-sensei showed up to get me for a mission.”

Sasuke nodded and let go of Naruto’s shoulders, sitting back in his chair. Naruto looked at him in curiosity, “Ne Sasuke…what is wrong with me?”

Sasuke looked right at Naruto, “Tsunade doesn’t know yet, but whatever it is, Kyuubi can’t heal it.”

“Hn, that’s strange Kyu—wait. Y-you know?” Naruto’s face changed from thoughtful to slightly fearful in a split second. His eyes darted around the room, as if looking for a way out or perhaps making sure there was no one else listening. He knew this day would come, but damned if he thought it was going to happen when he wouldn’t be able to get out of harm’s way if it decided to pay a visit.

“Yes. Sakura knows too. Why? Does that bother you?” Sasuke asked in his usual monotone.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, “M-me? Bother me? What about you?? Does it bother you? I mean…the Kyuubi…”

“Is inside of you. So?” Sasuke shrugged as if this were an everyday conversation two people would have.

Naruto looked thoughtful and then smiled a brilliant smile, “I just thought…hell, who cares what I thought. This definitely didn’t happen like I had imagined it would.”

“How did you imagine it? Did you think we wouldn’t want to be near you anymore?” Sasuke whispered.

“No…it’s just…I don’t know really. I mean…I’ve lived with this for seventeen years…going on eighteen…I suppose that I was so used to it that I wasn’t really able to imagine a ‘good’ side to it, ya know?”

Sasuke nodded and then leaned back, tipping his chair slightly, “Is there anything you need? Until you are healed, I am supposed to help you out as much as possible…just don’t get any ideas. I’m not your manservant.”

Naruto laughed, “Manservant Sasuke. That has a good sound to it...ne, but really, I'm still a little tired.”

Sasuke thanked the darkness once again as a blush spread across his cheeks, “All right, I’ll let you sleep now. Call me if you need anything. I’ll be in the next room.” He stood and turned to leave.

“Thanks…Sasuke. For everything,” Naruto whispered as he closed his eyes and sleep took over.

Sasuke paused and then smiled a small smile; he headed out the door and into his own room. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as he had thought it would be.

--

Something clawed at his throat, just barely missing as he jumped back. His back slammed into a hard surface and he grunted from the force. He squinted his eyes, trying to see in the pitch black that surrounded him. Nothing. He couldn’t see anything; yet, he could hear. Hear it chuckling and breathing. He could smell it’s heavy breath as it ruffled his hair.

Naruto cursed again as he sensed something moving towards his throat, he tried to dodge, but only ended up slipping and falling to the ground. He heaved himself up onto his knees and forearms and then froze as a claw crept up his spine; it’s sharpness cutting through his jacket and biting into his flesh. He growled low in his throat and then kicked back with all his strength.

He hit nothing.

How the hell can you fight something you can’t see?

A chuckle whispered into his ear, dark and deep, “ I can smell the fear dripping from you. How pathetic. You are a ninja, are you not? And here I thought you were somewhat stronger than this…yet, you let me bring you to this place and toy with you. I have been ‘good’ for quite a while…I am getting bored.”

Naruto’s eyes widened as he recognized the voice, “W-what the hell? How are you out of the cage?”

Another chuckle, “Who says I am out of the cage? Perhaps…you are in here with me?”

At that a bright light filled the room and Naruto glanced up quickly; he –was- in side of the cage…and the Kyuubi was leaning over him, smirking that disgusting smile of his. The Kyuubi chuckled again and lifted a claw to trace Naruto’s face, “You are still so very young kit. Eventually…you will let me free. You really don’t want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life do you?”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed in anger, “Pht. I’ve had you inside of me for 17 years now. I think I’ll survive.”

Kyuubi let loose a loud laugh, somewhat like a bark, “Seventeen years is nothing, kit. You humans can live for a very long time. You will tire of me and of the way you are treated because you house me; you will find a way…and you will free me.”

“Naruto? Oi, dobe…”

Naruto heard a voice; it was pulling him from inside the cage. He had begun to resist, but then he decided that the voice made him feel safe and he eventually gave into it. Before he even realized it, he was on the other side of the cage bars, looking in at the Kyuubi. He smirked his characteristic cocky smirk, “As long as I have people who care about me and a village to protect, I will never give into you.”

Naruto blinked sleepily and looked up into dark onyx eyes, “Na?”

Sasuke almost slapped the blond idiot, “Na? You were having a nightmare. I’ve been shaking you for the past four minutes and you never even responded.”

Naruto blinked again and wiped the sleep from his eyes, “Ah…gomen. Thanks.”

Sasuke frowned and then sat down on the bed next to Naruto, “…you were muttering something about the Kyuubi…are you…all right?”

Pure shock was written on Naruto’s face as he stared, slack-jawed at Sasuke, “Y-yeah. It was nothin’…just him being annoying, that’s all,” he paused at this and looked at Sasuke in concern, “are you feeling all right?”

Sasuke looked up at this, “What? Yes. Why?”

Naruto chuckled, “Good…you had me worried. You've never really asked me if I was all right before. I thought you might be getting whatever I have.”

Sasuke let slip a smirk, “Hn…don’t get used to it dobe. And besides, I’m an Uchiha, we don’t get sick.”

Naruto rolled his eyes, “Oh, right. I forgot…stupid me.”

Smirking again, Sasuke stood up from the bed and held out a hand, “Come on. I’ll take you to the bathroom so you can clean up a bit. You stink. While you’re doing that I’ll get you something to eat.”

Naruto was about to launch into a verbal battle, but the promise of food quickly diverted his mind from the insult to his hygiene, “YOSH! Can it be ramen??”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, “Sure.”

Carefully taking hold of Sasuke’s hand, Naruto pushed off the blankets, wincing as the aching started to register. He slid his legs off the bed and then shakily stood only to fall face first into Sasuke’s chest. Sasuke wasn’t exactly prepared for this move and they both fell to the floor. Naruto landed flat on top of Sasuke, his face in the crook of Sasuke’s neck.

Sasuke looked up at the ceiling, willing his blush to disappear and praying that whatever god or demon was screwing with him would just die.'He is a friend, nothing more...a friend,' he thought as he nudged Naruto with his shoulder, “Dobe?”

A muffled, ‘Hn?’ was his reply.

He rolled his eyes, “Can you stand up?”

Naruto lifted his head and Sasuke was surprised to see a slight blush tinting the blue-eyed boy’s cheeks. ‘He has a fever, of course he’d be flushed,’ he thought as he looked at the blond splayed on top of him. Naruto smiled guiltily, “I…thought I could. Sorry, I think I can manage now.”

Sasuke nodded and slid out from under Naruto, then stood and offered his hands again. Naruto took them and slowly stood up, balancing himself on his aching legs and willing the ground to stop spinning.

He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself; it was one thing to be sick. It was another thing to be sick and fall on top of your best friend…and end up in a rather interesting position. How embarrassing. He just hoped Sasuke hadn’t seen him blushing. He really didn’t feel up to explaining –that- to the Uchiha. And he really didn’t feel like dying today.

--

Author's Note: Ok...so this chapter is up ^__^; Yay! I promise everyone I will explain everything bit by bit...and just to appease a few right now: Naruto is 17 going on 18...soon. >.> And I stop there for fear of ruining a future plot point.

Thanks go out to everyone who has reviewed! I appreciate it!! Also, this story is AU...Sasuke never left with Orochimaru...and I am pretending that Konoha is at peace. This is strictly a SasuNaru get together fic ^__^ YAY!