My Lover's Keeper

Iruka was in Kurama's room, he never liked going in there but since Naruto got in, he needed to make sure everything was in place.

Everything Kurama had left was in prestine condition and Iruka had always put them back right where everything belonged. It was an obsessive behaviour, but the only way he knew how to cope with the sudden loss of his eldest.

Sasuke had walked out his room and saw the one next to Naruto's was semi open, the lights on. The colour of the walls was a dark red.

He knew it was just him and Iruka in the whole house. He slowly pushed the door open, getting full view of it. It reminded him of the bedroom his adoptive parents made for him. It was almost exactly like it, not in terms of colours but in terms of how everything was too clean, too studied in place.

Iruka was holding an old fox plush toy which he put on the bed and then moved at least thirty times before he was content with its place.
He froze in place when he saw the raven right outside.
"Go to your room", Iruka ordered as his heart raced. He didn't want to be scene in a vulnerable mental state.

Sasuke, hearing the threatening tonal change, just rushed to his bedroom and locked it behind him even. He was scared.

The next following days, he was extremely careful and went to school just to avoid confronting his guardian.

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He thought Naruto would be his worst nightmare but so far he had barely seen Naruto at all. He'd only see him on dinner and that was it.

But that morning, he wasn't feeling well. He had a session a couple of days ago and he was yet again just facing the after effects.

Naruto was having breakfast in his Pj's when he overheard Iruka on the phone.
"Iruka, you need a nurse?" He asked.

"Yeah, can't find anyone so last minute. I might just stay home" he sighed putting the phone down.

"I can call Raiku-san. She'll find someone for sure and you know, I can look after Sasuke until then, dattebayo?" he innocently smiled.

"And who's going to look after you?" Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"But I'm fine. Besides Raiku is so amazing, she'll find a nurse in like 30 minutes max. And I'll be fine for thirty minutes." Naruto downplayed it.

Iruka knew he should have just called work to let them know. But he went against all logic and trusted Naruto.
"Okay...okay but...you let me know when the nurse comes okay? And I want a picture."

"Haai" Naruto smiled triumphantly.

Then just like that, he and Sasuke were alone at home. He had called Raiku just like he said he would.

He went to Sasuke's room and sat there looking after him. The silence of the house was mesmerising and soon, Naruto found himself falling asleep.

Sasuke's sudden rush to the bathroom was what woke him up. Naruto found Sasuke was not in bed and he heard his wretching in the bathroom.

He walked calling for him but the door was shut in his face.
"Teme-.."

"I'm fine..." Sasuke said from behind the door but soon went back to throwing up.

He freshened up and gotten out of the bathroom, he sighed in relief when he didn't see Naruto there.
But that didn't last long as soon the blond was in view with a tray.

"Cold ginger tea to help with the nausea and some light snacks." He sat the tray down. "I put a plastic bag on the bin so if you feel sick suddenly, you can just use it"

"Can you leave my room? I don't need or want anything from you"

"But there's no one else home. I promised Iruka I'd look after you until the nurse gets here." Naruto knew Raiku texted him the nurse would be there in an hour but that was two hours ago.

"Look after me from your own bedroom. I'll call if I need anything. I don't want you anywhere near me." Sasuke turned the other way.

"Ha..." Naruto went to his own bedroom and sat on the floor looking across as he left Sasuke's door open. Why did it hurt?

He saw Sasuke rush to the bathroom again and again quite a few times. He eventually used the bin next to him. That's when Naruto walked back into his room and changed the plastic bag without saying a word to him.

When Naruto went downstairs, the raven drunk the tea and nibbled a bit at the salty crackers and a couple almonds.

He heard some commotion downstairs and Sasuke ushered himself out of bed.
"Naruto? Ya okay?" He leaned on the walls for support to get out of the room. "Naruto?" Sasuke called out again, he wasn't even sure his voice was heard downstairs.

He looked at the stairs and didn't trust himself to take a step as the ground moved underneath him. But he was worried about his housemate. His legs felt empty, he gulped trying to gather his remaining strength to call for Naruto again.

But he leaned forward losing his balance and he felt arms around him.
"What are you doing out of bed?"

"You asshole..." Sasuke subconsciously relaxed knowing he was in the arms of Naruto. "I called you. I thought you were hurt, you fucking asshole," he held on weakly to Naruto's black shirt.

"I didn't hear you. I'm sorry" the blond helped him stand and back to his bedroom.

Thunder rolled ominously in the back. Sasuke tensed up as the sound of rain filled the quiet house.

Naruto tucked him in bed and was about to leave him when the latter held his hand tight.
"You-you..you can stay" the raven stuttered as thunder was singing a tune of a heavy storm.

Sunshine complied, sitting back in the chair. The Uchiha would have fallen asleep if it weren't for the continuous sound of thunder.

His pride couldn't allow him to ask Naruto to cuddle with him.

Naruto switched his attention to his phone momentarily as Raiku texted him. "Nurse cancelled due to bad weather. Do you need me to come over?"

But before he could answer the text, he lost the signal and lights went out.
It was dark in the bedroom and Sasuke's rapid breathing was all that could be heard.
"Sasuke, it's fine."

"Can you... Can you get in bed with me?" He couldn't control his fear one bit. Screw his pride, he'd die from fear otherwise.

"What?" Naruto asked and he could just ever so slightly see Sasuke's body jolt as the sound of thunder echoed far and wide. "Scoot over" the blond demands and heard movements before he got in bed.

But not even a moment later, Sasuke was pressed against him as thunder roared once again. Naruto froze for a second before regaining his composure.

Sasuke heard Naruto's loud and calm heartbeats. Strong and comforting just like those of his own brother, then Naruto's hand stroke his black strands like Itachi did. And before he knew it, Naruto's angelic voice sang him a lalluby.

The light rising above the tower,
Thoughts boil and run high,
Dragon path to be protected,
Pierce with shining blade look at the sky.

Sand, wind may rage proud blossoming,
Bright sun dance in flowers and never will it die.

The light flowing in spirals,
To the garden where the dragon's claws ends,
Shadows of the olden days.

Naruto hummed it a couple more times until he noticed Sasuke was deep asleep. Even in his sleep he shuddered at the sound of thunder.

Then he found himself drifting to sleep too. It was past afternoon when his phone started ringing. Naruto answered half asleep.
"Hello?"

"Naruto, Thank god! I finally got through. I shouldn't have left this morning.. are you two okay?"

"Ha, we're fine. The nurse couldn't come cause of the weather. But we're both okay, Sasuke's sleeping."

"Baby, I'm stuck here until this storm passes. If your father isn't home then so is he. Please be careful okay? Take your meds and look after Sasuke. I'll call you every once in a while if reception is good enough"

"Haai" Naruto replied "you be careful too, I love you"

"I love you too sweetie and Naruto-..." Iruka started but the call dropped.

The blond looked at his phone. 30% battery life, electricity was gone so he needed to make the battery last as much as possible.

But then most importantly, this explained why the house had gotten colder, the central heating was down.
"Sasuke?"

"Mhm" the raven replied sleepily.

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When Sasuke started waking up, he heard fire cracking and felt its warmth. Naruto was sitting by his side, wiping away the sweat on his forehead with a cool moist towel.

He doesn't recall coming downstairs. But Naruto was pretty much an angel right now.

In his sick state, Sasuke didn't know if this was all just a fever dream.
"I made you some soup. You have to eat something " He helped the raven sit up gently.

His touch was loving and caring unlike Sakura's that definitely left a couple bruises. "I-...can try"

Naruto fed him. Sasuke couldn't help but stare at those bright blue eyes the whole time. They reflected the redness of the fire and Sasuke felt his heart ache.

He subconsciously reached his hand to his heart as he winced. The blond noticed.
"Your heart hurts....that can't be good" Naruto put the empty bowl down as he tried to see if this was a sign for a heart attack.

"It has passed." Sasuke reassured him. "Doesn't hurt anymore."

"But if it comes back...you tell me okay?" Naruto held his hand and the raven felt it again. But Sasuke didn't let it show.

He tried to pry himself away from the idiot. He tried to deny his feelings but the telltale signs were all there. All the cliché's from all the romantic movies he had no option but watch in his lonely hospital room. He was in love, or at least falling in love, with Sunshine.

Naruto tended to his friend's every need, which the blond came to know were a lot. By the end of the second day, Sasuke had felt better enough but he didn't stop his demands.

At night of the third day, they both laid down in their sleeping bags on the wooden floor next to one another.

He eyed the sleeping body of the blond. The more he stared, the more he wanted to just act on impulse and kiss the blond. But he couldn't allow himself to fall in love with someone like Naruto.

Although, what was so wrong with dating someone like Naruto?

He was a good person. As far as Sasuke knows...but then again...all the rumours could be true and Naruto was only nice to him because of his parents.

Sasuke nudged Naruto to fetch him a cup of water.
"What's the point of telling me to wake you if you're a heavy sleeper?" He rolled his eyes at the sleeping body of the blond.

"I'm up...I'm up" Naruto tiredly replied. He barely got any sleep, Sasuke sure had a lot of demands. "What do you need?"

"Water," he looked at the blond who did not move a muscle "today, please."

"Okay just a second," Naruto got up, struggling for a moment to stand straight. Keeping his eyes open was difficult.

Looking after Sasuke was a nightmare. Food was too hot, too cold, too salty, too spicy...whatever he made was not good. The pillow was too fluffy or not fluffed enough. The scent lingering in the living room disturbed him.

Sasuke somehow found the ability to complain about everything even oxygen. So Naruto's energy was pretty much depleted.

He stood in the kitchen for a good minute before he remembered what he was there for.

He filled the glass from the faucet and just as he made it halfway back. Sasuke complained "I don't drink tap water"

"Fridge is empty. No extra bottles left-..." Naruto remembered the mini fridge in his bedroom.

"There are some?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as the teen stopped, reading his body language.

"Maybe one in my mini fridge upstairs. Maybe," Naruto stressed the word.

"Okay well go check." The raven sat up.

"Can't you take this for now? I'll go check tomorrow morning. I'm really tired, Sasuke" Naruto compromised but sadly his classmate wasn't having any of it.

"I don't drink tap water." He repeated himself in a monotone.

"Okay...fine fine...I'll go check" Naruto surrendered knowing that otherwise he wasn't going to hear the end of it.

Five minutes later, Sasuke heard a thump preceded by a different unique sound that the raven couldn't point out.
He reached for the flashlight and turned it on calling for Naruto thinking he was still upstairs.

But then he heard that noise again and then lights were on.

The door was open and the grey haired English Teacher walked in, soaked from head to toe. It was not safe to walk but he took the risk. Knowing both the teens were alone at home; he strategized his walk back home.

Although, it took him a good hour to reach the house when under normal circumstances it wasn't even ten minutes away.
"Naruto? Sasu-.." he stopped as he saw the raven in front of him. "Where's Naruto?"

"...Upstairs" Sasuke heard something roll and then fall down the stairs. It was the bottle of water he asked his housemate to bring him.

"Naruto?" Kakashi rushed not even removing his shoes as he saw him at the top.

He found his son on his knees, struggling to remain awake. His head was burning up.
"Tou-san" he mumbled as he saw his father then soon felt cold wet arms around him. He gently held him back "I looked after Sasuke"

"You did a good job. I'll take it from here."

"Haai" Naruto stated, letting go of his father and succumbing to the feverish tiredness at last.

The adult took him back downstairs. Sasuke was back in the living room not at all concerned. He drank the water from the bottle. He saw Naruto carried, and thought the blond had done this just for the attention of his adoptive parent.

"Sasuke, do you mind keeping an eye on him just while I go change? Call me if anything happens."

The raven nodded getting his hair tousled by his sensei. He heard the footsteps sound further away and he turned to Naruto "he's gone, you can stop pretending."

When the blond didn't respond he opted to use water to wake him up. Spraying Naruto's face. His calm features changed as he started waking up. In his field of view, Sasuke was holding the cup of water. So he thought he fell back to sleep when Sasuke asked for bottled water.
"Sorry, I fell asleep. I'll get you your water" Naruto willed himself in a sitting position but his body swayed and fell against the couch behind him.

"Are you actually sick?" Sasuke reached for Naruto's head feeling its hotness. He used the thermometer and sat up in front of the semi-unconscious blond. He supported his body so Naruto wouldn't plop sideways.
He took the reading 3 times and it was all in the dangerous zone.

"Kurama" Naruto called for his brother but it was Kakashi standing behind Sasuke.

"We'll go see him soon, okay?" Kakashi helped his son lay down. Placing a wet towel on Naruto's forehead.

"Sensei it's at 40°C" Sasuke looked at the thermometer in his hand.

"Did he take his meds?"

"I don't know"

"Eat?"

"I don't know" the raven replied again.

"Did he check-..."

"I don't know...I was sleeping most of the time."

"Right. Sorry..." Kakashi removed the towel and wetted it again before putting it on his forehead.

"Tou-san" Naruto opened his eyes looking past his father.

"I'm right here, honey. I'm right here" Kakashi caressed his cheek with another moist towel. "Can I get you anything?"

"Dango-san" he mumbled.

"Okay, I'll get you Dango-san" Kakashi kissed his head before going back upstairs to Naruto's bedroom and getting his favourite plushie. The pastel pink giant Dango that Naruto's grandmother had gifted him. "Here you go"

Naruto held it in his arms as he laid on his side, then drifted back to sleep.

"Sensei, will he be okay?" He asked looking at his classmate. But his sensei didn't answer the question, he didn't really know if Naruto would be alright.

"Get some rest, Sasuke." He tousled his hair reassuringly.

The raven did get under his covers. He got on his side so he was facing Naruto. He watched his sensei look after the teen, until his eyes tired and he fell asleep.

Kakashi couldn't bring himself to rest at all. He moved the books from the coffee table and a paper fell off. He found Naruto's scribbles on it. Numbers that took a second to make sense. This was him noting his and Sasuke's thermometer readings.

The blond had also taken note of when he and Sasuke took their meds as a way of keeping track of things.

It was evident that as the Uchiha's temperature got lower, Naruto's got higher. Naruto's unique condition was mysterious, it would spark suddenly and inexplicably but they learned that stress played a big part into it.

As thunder shuddered in the distance, Sasuke woke up only to see Naruto's eyes tiredly looking at him as if waking up only because he knew Sasuke wanted to cuddle. The frail teen had purposely laid both their sleeping bags next to one another.

He uncovered himself in a silent invitation for Sasuke to come to his arms. The raven debated himself whether to take the invitation specially that their sensei was there. But when he heard that thunder again, he scooted next to Naruto.

Then before Kakashi even asked, the teen started humming the lullaby Kurama, and subsequently Iruka, used to when Naruto was a toddler. 

Kakashi opted not to say a word to avoid awkwardness.

Sasuke, until the weather cleared had seen Kakashi look after Naruto, who was not even awake more than a few minutes at a time.

He felt bad for not looking after Naruto equally the same way the blond had done for him.

But he quickly pushed the thought away deeming it unworthy of his attention.

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He looked at the unconscious Naruto that had done nothing but sleep the past couple of days.
Kakashi had brought Naruto some clothes and turned to Sasuke.

The raven was in the bathroom and obviously had missed something since Kakashi was even more alert.

"We're going to the hospital. I can't leave you alone, do you need help getting ready?" The man asmed

"No, I can manage" Sasuke said, walking away and only side glancing as Kakashi helped a semi-conscious Naruto get dressed.

When he got downstairs, he saw Naruto sitting at the Genkan, his rosy cheeks on the verge of exploding. He was barely holding his shoelaces.
Sasuke sat down next to him. He wore his own shoes before he stood up and waited for Kakashi.

"Do you need help?" He finally asked after ten agonizing minutes of watching Naruto failing to firmly grasp the laces.

"Mhm" the blond shortly replied. Sasuke kneeled in front of Naruto and tied the laces with relative ease. 

Seizures always left Naruto with sore and weak muscles.

When Sasuke looked up to make a mean remark, he saw Naruto was looking at him with a ghost of a smile on his face. "Thank you"

"Hn..." Sasuke cleared his throat trying to get a hang on his emotions before they spiraled out of control. "Do you need anything else?" He looked away avoiding looking at those mesmerising blue eyes.

"No" he leaned on the wall as he attempted to stand up. Naruto really wanted water as he was parched but he didn't want to trouble his crush more. The blond felt himself helplessly fall forward, Sasuke caught him. "Byoki de Gomen'nasai",

Those were the last words to come out of Naruto's lips before he lost consciousness.
Sasuke held his body and slowly eased him down.

There was a huge difference between him and Naruto. The latter was selfless even when he was sick whereas Sasuke was selfish. 

But hearing those words tugged at him, they made his heart ache.

Why should anyone feel sorry for being sick?