Of Curry, Fevers, and Kits

Title: Of Curry, Fevers, and Kits
Rating: NC17
Genres: Yaoi, M-Preg, slight AU?
Pairings: Naruto/Gaara/Sasuke/Sai and any combination they can possibly fit it!
Spoilers: Very slight Shippuden references, though it doesn't really follow that story line.

I just got the urge to write this, no other real reason behind it. XD I can't just see Naruto with one person. He'd so have a harem! XD!

~

Ugh, he felt like utter crap. His stomach was hurting so badly and he was starting to feel dizzy. Maybe the instant ramen he had found in the back of his cupboard this morning had gone bad. Did ramen ever go bad?! No Way!!! That sounded blasphemous! No, that couldn’t be it. Maybe it was the strange craving he had for lunch that made him ask for the extra spicy and hot curry rice that Lee was usually so fond of. Usually he wouldn’t touch that stuff with a ten foot pole, but Naruto had caught scent of it on his way to Ichiraku. He had no idea what came over him but the next thing he knew he was eating plate after plate after plate with it with Lee, much to the gagging chagrin of Neji and Tenten. It had actually tasted good and he hadn’t been able to get enough, and it had become a race between him and Lee over who could eat more. In the end the restaurant owner had to tell them that they didn’t have anymore, which had upset Naruto greatly because he was still wanted more.

Yeah, it was probably the curry that had caused this! What had he been thinking?! And just the day before Gaara was arriving for some sort of special meeting with Granny Tsunade. The godaime had left him in charge of showing Gaara officially around Konoha, generally just keep the Kazekage company and make sure his stay was a good and comfortable one. Probably because she felt that Gaara wouldn’t get along better with anyone else, seeing as they already had something very important in common, though Gaara technically wasn’t a Jinchuriki anymore, though how do you simply just completely get rid of something that you have been since birth? Naruto just didn’t understand that.

Ugh! It hurt to think too much. He better just get home soon and hope that sleeping it off would make it better. He couldn’t afford to really get sick. He couldn’t afford that. He’d never hear the end of it from Sasuke-teme! And Sakura would get after him for his poor diet habits. Sai… hell he had no idea how Sai would react! That boy was still unpredictable ever after all these years!

The sun was setting now, a good time to go to bed as any, right? Naruto half stumbled down the streets of Konoha. Just a few more blocks until he reached his apartment. Just a few more blocks. He could make it, he knew he could. His vision blurred a bit and he shook his head. No! No, this wasn’t that bad! It was just… a really, really, really bad case of indigestion, right? Nothing more? He sighed and leaned against the closest wall he could reach, taking a deep breath and resting his eyes for just a moment.

“N-naruto-kun?” Blue eyes opened and met silverly, almost pure white ones framed by gray/lue/black hair in a lovely rounded oval face that seemed to have a permanent lovely pink flush.

He smiled weakly, hoping that he didn’t look as bad as he felt. “Hey Hinata-chan.”

Hinata’s eyes only furrowed even more in worry. Damn. “N-naruto-kun,” she started again, “A-are you alright? You look pale and you’re sweating. Are you getting sick? Do you need help?”

“Nah,” he tried for another soothing smile, “I’m just fine, I just had a curry eating contest with Lee and my stomach is rebelling now for being so stupid. Don’t worry Hinata-chan!”

“A-are you sure, because I can- ah!” Hinata was cut off from where she had been reaching to cup her hand over Naruto’s forehead to take his temperature by Kiba’s hand. She blushed darker, wondering if her boyfriend could really be this jealous that she was worried about Naruto. It certainly seemed to be that way by the serious expression on his face. “K-kiba-kun?”

“He said he’s fine, Hinata. Don’t baby him. We’re not kids anymore. He can take care of himself.” Kiba’s nostrils flared a little and he snuffed and looked away. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

“Ah… h-hai..” Hinata couldn’t help but look back at Naruto in worry even as Kiba led her away. “T-take care Naruto-kun…”

Naruto waved a bit sheepishly as he watched them go, inwardly muttering about how Kiba didn’t have to be such a bastard. He knew that the two of them were dating. Gods, he really could be like a possessive alpha-dog when it came to keeping ‘his woman’ in line. He hoped Hinata gave him a good ass-kicking one day to put him back in his place!

Little did he know the real reason Kiba had been in such a hurry to get his girlfriend away. That scent, not to mention how he was acting. There was no denying it. The Inuzaku boy wanted to get Hinata as far away from Naruto as he could before the full force of it hit him. He’d have to tell the hokage about this. But from the weakness of the scent there was still plenty of time. He wouldn’t let this ruin his date.

“Get home, Naruto,” he said in an even tone then waved, not looking back as he turned down another street, him and Hinata disappearing from view.

“Hai, hai.” Naruto waved them off, took a deep breath then pushed off the wall to continue his trek back home.

~

After their date Kiba had said that he had a sudden urgent matter that he had to discuss with the hokage and left, telling Hinata simply that it would be best if she kept her distance from Naruto for a while.

Hinata thought it was silly and she couldn’t help but worry. Maybe she had gotten over her crush on Naruto and she was definitely in love with Kiba now, but for her boyfriend to be so possessive was just childish. And even with her romantic feelings gone, Naruto was still someone she admired and looked to for strength. If he was sick of course she couldn’t help but worry about him!

But she would respect Kiba’s wishes all the same. So instead she searched out Naruto’s team mates. She hadn’t been able to find Sakura, but she found Sasuke and Sai and told them both about, telling them both about the situation. Naruto was clearly coming down with a bad bug, and if it was bad enough to get Naruto sick then it had to be something serious, right? Sasuke-kun of course had seemed completely uninterested, and Sai… he looked curious about it, as if he wanted to study Naruto now.

Hinata sighed heavily. Poor Naruto-kun. He had such strange team mates. She hoped that they would at least check in on the blond to see if he was alright at least once. Maybe tomorrow she’d find Sakura and tell her, too. For now it was late and she had to get home before Neji pitched a fit. She was still trying to convince her cousin that who she dated was really none of his business.

She was surprised to spot an easily recognizable crop of red hair on her way home. That’s right! Naruto was going to be Gaara’s ‘host’ around Konoha for the week! She’d have to warn him, too! Even so she hesitated. She knew that Suna and Konoha were allies for years now, and Gaara was a strong and loyal kazekage, but in her mind she still couldn’t help but see the dangerous child he had been when he first came to Konoha.

She swallowed thickly. She had to do this. He was leaving now, towed by his brother and sister. She took a few steps forward. “K-kazekage-sama..?” her voice was soft and timid and she wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he hadn’t heard her.

Eerie eyes of aquamarine turned to look at her, furrowed as he thought for a moment who she could be. Hinata took another step forward. “Kazekage-sama. I… I am… H-hyuuga Hinata.” At the very least he’d know her surname. He knew Neji after all. He seemed to nod in understanding. “A-ano… I…” she took another deep breath and continued. “I… I know you are expecting N-naruto-kun to be host during your stay here.” She got another nod in answer, and his expression was now somewhere between curious and upset about the coming news, almost as if he could sense what it was. “I… I just wanted to… t-to let you know that Naruto-kun seems to be sick… I… I-it could be serious. S-so… umm… P-please don’t be upset if he cant show you around Konoha tomorrow or…o-or this week. I-it’s best for him to be able to rest so he can recover quickly.”

She almost squeaked at the anger in his expression, like he blamed her for Naruto’s illness, but still he didn’t say a word. Temari-san next to him bit him to any sort of answer. “Thank you for letting us now. It’s late now, we should get going.”

“H-hai… hai!” Hinata bowed her head low and turned, continuing on her way home.

~

Oh gods! He was dying! He just had to be dying! There was no other reason for this pain! It felt like his stomach was twisting itself apart in white hot pain. Naruto doubled over in bed, clutching his hands over his stomach and whimpering softly. He had had a very severe case of diarrhea earlier. It was so bad that he had to open all the windows to his apartment afterwards and his neighbors had actually complained about a sewer line breaking afterwards because of the stench. He had been so embarrassed, but that didn’t seem to matter now in the light of this new pain. He’d taken antacids, and any sort of stomach medicine he had at hand and nothing was helping! Never again! He’d never eat Lee’s special super hot curry again! No matter what he was craving at the time! He’d have to be insane to want to go through this again.

ARGH!! JUST LET ME DIE!!! He screamed in his mind even as a new stab of pain came over him.

~

Protocol said that he report his arrival with the Hokage before he turned in for the night, mostly because he had arrived early, not having been expected until tomorrow morning. He reached the Hokage’s office just as a familiar boy was leaving. Who was he..? Oh, right. He was the Inu-something boy… something to do with dogs. Their gazes met and they mutually nodded their heads to one another before continuing on their ways. He was announced before being let in.

The Godaime of Konoha seemed to be thoughtful and upset, worried maybe, about something. Whatever it was, it was distracting her because he had been standing there for nearly ten minutes before the blond woman had even thought to look up at him, almost looking surprised that he was even there.

“Kazekage-sama. You arrived earlier than we expected.” She motioned that he sit. He did.

He nodded. “Yes, we decided to arrive tonight so that I may be well rested and prepared for our meetings in the morning.”

“Yes of course,” Tsunade responded, but she still seemed distracted.

Gaara was annoyed, but he had learned proper manners in the last few years and he put them to use now. “Is something troubling you, Hokage-sama?”

“Hmm, what?” The older woman looked up at him again, and then sighed, “Yes… I was just informed of a rather serious matter. I don’t wish to trouble you with it.”

Gaara tilted his head a little to the side. “Does it have anything to do with naruto being sick?”

The Godaime’s head shot up, really looking at him for the first time. “You know about that?”

Gaara nodded. “Yes. A kunoichi by the name of Hyuuga Hinata told me about it when I first arrived. It is rare for Naruto to be sick,” meaning it was rare for a Jinchuriki to get sick, “Is it serious?”

Full, colored lips pursed into a thin line, seeming to think the best way to explain it. “Yes… I’m afraid it is a rather strange case. As it is we might have to quarantine Naruto until the matter is over. I’m sorry to say that he won’t be able to show you around this week. I am sorry.”

Gaara shook his head, “It’s alright. Temari is rather found of Nara Shikamaru. It seems that they have become very good friends in the past couple of years. If he is available he would make a suitable replacement.”

“Of course, I’ll set up the arrangements by tomorrow morning. Thank you for understanding Kazekage-sama” Tsunade bowed her head low.

“It’s no trouble at all. But it is getting late now. I will turn into my quarters now. I shall see you first thing in the morning” Gaara pulled out of his seat and bowed low.

“Until tomorrow morning then,” Tsunade got up as well, holding her hand out, which Gaara took and gave a firm shake.

“Until tomorrow morning,” he turned and left. So Naruto was really sick, and it was a matter serious enough that it had the hokage worried. Serious enough that they were going to quarantine the other boy. Gaara wondered what it could be that was so serious. He couldn’t ever remember being sick when he had been Shukaku’s jinchuriki. It was still very rare for him to ever get sick.

He had played down how much he had wanted Naruto to be the one to show him around Konoha. He didn’t want others to suspect, but he was deeply upset that more than likely he wouldn’t be able to see the sunny blond while he was here. He wanted to get to know him more, learn from him more what it meant to be a real ninja worth of admiration and respect. He wanted even more to become one of those important people that made the blond ninja so strong.

He was nearly pouting when he reached the room that had been set up for him for the week. He fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He couldn’t imagine Naruto sick. That blond was the epitome of life and energy, how does someone like that get sick? He just couldn’t believe it.

He tried to push those thoughts away and get some sleep. He’d find out more about it tomorrow. That’s what he tried to tell himself that quite a few times as he tossed this way and that for sleepless hours until he just couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to see for himself what was wrong with Naruto! He got up, got dressed, and tromped over to his window, opening it and with just one quick look back, jumped out to start jumping from roof to roof in search of the blond.

It only occurred to him afterwards that he had no idea where Naruto lived. And if he was sick, chances of seeking him out by his chakra would be difficult, too. But it was worth trying at least. And it had really been worth trying. He sensed Naruto easily, the jinchuriki’s strange chakra fluxuating from low to extremely high degrees. His brow furrowed. Now he really did start to worry. What could make his energies act that way? What was really wrong with Naruto?

He was determined to find out, rushing towards the spiking chakra source at full speed.

~
To be continued!

Okay, can you tell where this story is going already? I bet you can get at least one idea! X3