Step 24 - Illnesses
There are many different definitions and opinions for being sick. The most known terms are mental and physical illnesses. While depression and anxiety are known as mental illnesses, cold and flues are known as physical illnesses. People, who are suffering from either of it, don't feel well and are plagued by all sorts of symptoms. Just as some symptoms happen to be different for each person, since each of us responds differently to illnesses and it’s treatments. May it be due to a low immune system, self esteem, the amount of impact of trauma, or any other reason. Some people become terminally ill, with little chance of recovery, while others become children again, want to be pampered from top to bottom and some are just constantly morose and sleep all the time. However, there are also those who hide their problems, or aren’t being taken seriously by those around themselves, forcing the sick person to fight through this hard times all on their own, which unfortunately could eventually lead to worse.
A soft grumble comes from the young woman laying in the bed, as she runs one hand over her eye and lets out a long yawn. There is a deep hum sounding behind her, making her open her eyes and look around. "Oh God!" She then exclaims with a laugh and straightens up a bit, making her husband's arm falls off of her and release her from his grasp. “What?” The black haired man grumbles out in confusion, in a darker and barely audible voice. “I fell asleep and stayed in the hospital over night.” She then explains what she recently discovered herself. Slipping out from under the covers and into her shoes, Sakura adjusts her clothes a bit and then goes into the bathroom to straighten her hair and repair any blemishes on the makeup. After a moments she then returns from the bathroom and looks at her husband, who has passed out into slumber once again. She quietly stands by his bed and looks for her smartphone from her handbag, glances at it briefly, only to find out that it’s already shortly before 8am. Actually, she should soon be going to work. There is a knock on the door and shortly afterwards it is opened and a nurse comes in with a tray. "Good morning." The woman exclaims friendly towards the two. "Good Morning. I'm sorry for falling asleep here last night. The fact that I stayed here was definitely against the regulations!" Replies the Haruno, a little embarrassed. “It's okay, don't worry. It happens once in a while, so it’s nothing new to us. Here is breakfast and the medicines for Mr. Uchiha. Doctor Yazumi is about to come to the rounds in a bit as well.” Explains the young nurse and puts the tray down on the patient table.
Sakura looks after the nurse briefly before she turns back to her husband with a sigh. She gently caresses his hair, gently massaging his head. It doesn't take long before she can already notice the first movements in his face. He squints his eyes briefly and then squints at her. "Good morning." She whispers to him in a gentle voice, making sure not to hurt his head more like she did the day before. "How are you feeling?" "Shitty." He just mumbles in response and runs his hand over his face, feeling her hand touch his forehead. Tired, he rubs his eyes and then slowly sits up, already feeling her hand behind his back as she shakes his pillow fluffy again. When she’s done, he raises the headboard of his bed with the remote control and leans back into the pillow again. "Here. Eat your breakfast, you have to take medication." Sakura already pushes the table with the tray towards him while telling him what to do, while he just observes the plate critically. Bread, a small package of butter and two different jams. "Mmmm." He grumbles out, not really convinced of the choices. He never liked eating sweet stuff right in the morning. Cookies are different though. Cookies exist in different varieties, just like salty ones too. "Come on, you have to eat something before you take the medication." She reasons with a smile, when she notices her husbands criticizing look, and sits down on the mattress next to his legs, the table being the only thing separating the two from each other. The Uchiha just continues to look at the plate from which the pink haired woman takes the bread roll and cuts it open, careful not to let any crumbs fall down to the mattress. “Which jam?” She asks while spreading the butter on both halves of the bun. "Strawberry." He just grumbles out since he has no other choice and picks up his cup of tea to sip carefully on it. His wife puts the smeared bun halves back on his plate and then puts the knife down with a smile, watching him as he bites into the bun with a dissatisfied grumble. He better gets a lot of cookies for this when they’re back home. Is, what he thinks.
There is a knock on the door and the doctor enters the room with a friendly smile. "Good morning Mr. Uchiha." He greets his patient, before turning to said mans wife. "Ms. Uchiha." He then exclaims to include her in his greeting and looks at the file in his hand. The young Haruno gets up immediately from the bed, while Sasuke just continues to eat his breakfast unbothered and undisturbed, although swallowing still causes him slight pain. "How are you today?" The doctor asks after a moment of silence causing Sasuke to roll his eyes in response, just to repeat is answer from before. "Shitty." The doctor laughs slightly at his choice of words. "I can imagine that. So, the night was calm and without any abnormalities. We will refer you to your family doctor for further treatment and you will be discharged today at noon after a final examination.” Explains the doctor after another look at the file. He then closes the file and turns fully towards his patient. “You have already received the medication. You will also be given an antibiotic later, which you must take twice a day. Other than that I can just ask you to keep taking some rest and I'll see you later for the final examination." The doctor explains and then turns away again in order to go to his next patient.
The young Haruno sits down on the bed again and watches her husband as he lets the last piece of his bun disappear into his mouth. "Were you able to sleep?" She explores carefully, watching him nod as he’s still chewing in silence. "Without nightmares?" She then continues, seeing him swallow a little pained. "Without nightmares.” He then confirms with another nod and gets a relieved smile from him in response. "Well, uhm... I'll go home quickly and freshen up before I go to work. I'll pick you up at lunchtime and bring you comfortable clothes to wear instead of that suit." She briefly explains her plan for the next hours and immediately gets up to hang her handbag over her shoulder and take her jacket off her chairs armrest. Sasuke takes his medicine before Sakura pushes the table away again and runs her fingers through his dark hair. "Okay then, you should listen to the doctors advice and take some rest." She smiles at him and is about to leave, but his hand closes on hers tightly, preventing her from making another step. "What? I don't get a goodbye kiss?" He asks in disbelief, acting a little pouty at her. Somewhat surprised, she looks back at him before smiling and leaning forward, to give him a kiss on his head. "See you later." She exclaims with a smile and then disappears from the room. With a soft sigh, Sasuke looks after her and then picks up the television remote control. The next hours going to be boring.
The Haruno quickly runs out of the hospital and searches for her car. When she has found it, she quickly drives to her house to have breakfast herself, carry out the morning routine, just leaving out the shower this time, and dress freshly. When she’s done, she makes her way to work. Just this time, however, she decides to order a cab for herself instead, so that she can take Sasuke’s car later on to fetch him and get home. She sighs out loud after getting out of the cab and walks across the wide path towards the huge building. The last few hours just rushed past her so quickly. It was an hour before the end of work when Sasuke collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. She just left everything behind, her work, her handbag, her jacket. Even though she was angry, she still rushed over to him. In fear, that things could be repeating itself all over again. Only a few hours have passed and now she is no longer angry with him. Worry is still outweighing her other feelings, but still she feels so relieved that he’s more or less okay now. He told her what's wrong, what was bothering him all this time and now she has her lovely Sasuke back, who cuddles, wants kisses and is friendly to her.
"Good morning, Mrs. Haruno." Someone’s voice sounds from the side, making her look up with surprise. She turns her head to the right and looks at the doorman. "Hello." She then responds friendly and walks towards the elevators, pressing the call button and peeling herself out off her jacket. A light tone sounds, indicating that the elevator has reached the floor, allowing her to enter, as she’s already pressing the button for the top floor. Standing in the middle of the rear cabin wall, she takes a quick look at her outfit. In all the rush, she simply threw together some items of clothing and put them on without looking whether they even fit together or not. Burgundy trousers, a white blouse and a gray vest, plus a gray scarf with winered and white decorations. Looks pretty good, she muses and smiles slightly at herself. Fashion magazines really seem to love her style, feminine and a bit playful, that's how they keep describing her in the magazines. Sighing, she lets her fingers run over her hair, which she has tied into a loose bun, letting her plans for the next hours go through her head. First she will go to Ayame and get Sasuke's things from his office, then she will go to her own office and at 11am she will have to drive again and pick up Sasuke from the hospital and bring him home. After all that she will have to go back to the company. Suddenly, the bright tone of the elevator sounds and makes the young Haruno startle out of her deep thoughts. She takes a quick look at the floor indicator and then leaves the elevator. Her legs carry her past her colleagues, who greet her in a friendly manner as heads forward to reach Ayame's office. "Mrs. Haruno!" The voice of the Hatake sounds from behind her and makes her stop and looks around at him. “I just wanted to inform you that you are released until Mr. Uchiha is healthy and able to work again. Take good care of him.“ The grey haired man smiles encouragingly at her, to show her that everything is okay. She looks at him somewhat surprised before she too smiles thankfully towards him. “Thank you, Mr. Hatake. I'll make sure that he's healthy again as soon as possible." She then replies, with a bow of her head “He can take as much time as he needs. He doesn’t need to rush anything. I just wish you a nice day and Mr. Uchiha a speedy recovery.” He just waves off with a laugh and turns away after saying goodbye and leaves Sakura alone. Still a little confused, she turns back to her plans and continues her way down the hall.
With a brief knock, she immediately opens the door of Ayame's office, greeting her husbands secretary as she enters the room and closes the door behind her. "Mrs. Haruno!" The older woman exclaims happily at her sight. "How is your husband doing?" She immediately inquires about the well being of her boss. "The flu caught him pretty bad." The Haruno explains with a slight shrug of hier shoulders. Ayame nods in understanding. "Well, but i will make sure that he gets better. He'll be released from the hospital at lunchtime and I actually just wanted to fetch his things." Sakura then continues and smiles at the woman in front of her. "Of course. You can go in right away. Your brother in law is inside too.” It comes understanding from the brunette woman, indicating towards the door. "O-Okay. Thank you.“ Sakura utters rather a bit confused in response and walks towards the office door. Why is Itachi in Sasuke's office when he is not there?
She knocks briefly on the wooden door, waiting for Itachi to allow her to enter. Still a little confused, she opens the door and looks not only at her brother-, but also at her father in law, who is sitting on her husband's office chair. "Hello Sakura! It’s nice to see you again so quickly.” The oldest Uchiha greets her with a smile and gets up to go around the table and give her a hug. "Hello. What are you two doing here?“ She replies, the surprise obviously written into her face. “Now that Sasuke has fallen ill and is incapable of working, someone needs to take over his place and do his work, so that he can recover without having to worry that productions will be delayed. Besides, I don't think there is anyone better for this.“ Fugaku explains with a knowing wink at her, making the Haruno laugh in amusement. "No, there is definitely nobody who could assist him better!" She exclaims with a shake of her head. “And how is Sasuke? Surely you've already went to see him this morning, haven't you?“ The oldest Uchiha then ask, while sitting back down on the armchair and looking up at her expectantly. “In Sasuke's wording: Shitty. The flu is a real pain in his ass, but i can already take him home at lunch. And, well, about the visiting part... I didn’t visit, since i was already with him ... I accidentally fell asleep with him in the hospital last night and actually come from there, I only went home to change my clothes." She explains a little embarrassed and scratches the back of her head with a soft laugh. "I see." Her father in law smiles immediately, glad that thing seem to be alright between the two. "By the way, you are free until Sasuke is on his feet again. I won’t let you work, while he needs someone around." Itachi now says. "Yes, thank you. Mr. Hatake has already informed me about it." Replies the young woman and puts her bag on one of the armchairs and hangs her jacket over the armrest.
"I understand. Well, I just wanted to get Sasuke's things and since I am not needed here at the moment, I will probably just go again." She looks around briefly. "Of course, I already packed everything up, here." Fugaku quickly says and lifts the work bag and jacket up, holding it towards her over the desk. "Don’t forget to check if his tablet in inside, so that he has his games when he’s bored." Itachi suddenly exclaims with a grin. "Don’t be ridiculous. Sasuke doesn’t have any games on the tablet.” The Haruno laughs with a shake of her head and takes her husband's things from her father in law. "Oh yes, wanna bet?" Her brother in law replies with a grin. "No, I don't think so. Beside all that, Sasuke won’t have time to feel bored anyway, if he’s not home alone." Sakura explains to him with a grin of her own and puts his things to her bag. "Okay then. I should go now. I still have a lot to do at home anyway." "Sure, if you need anything just give me a call." Smiles Fugaku and watches her take her and Sasuke's things. “Tell Sasuke that he should be a good husband and do what you say and that he is not allowed to enter the office without your permission." She hears the voice of her father in law once more when she has reached the door and wants to open it. The pink haired woman laughs and nods in response. “Okay, I will. See you.” Opening the door, she then leaves the office and approaches Ayame's desk after closing it again.
The brunette woman looks up at her with a smile, but neither of them gets to say anything, as there is a knock on the office door and it opens. "Good morning." It comes happily from a female. "Good morning." Ayame replies back out of politeness, waiting for the woman to state her reason for coming. "I wanted to see Mr. Uchiha." Karin smiles in a good mood and only briefly throws Sakura a bitchy sideglance. "Sasuke is not here." The Haruno just replies for the secretary, wiping that stupid smile out of the red haired woman’s face. “And where is he then?” Asks the Kaseguchi, her good mood immediately subdued. "He is sick at home." The Haruno says calmly, while she is looking for the car keys from her husband's work bag. "Are you crazy?! What are you doing with Mr. Uchiha's workbag, rummaging through his personal belongings just like that?!" The woman screams out loud and wants to reach for her boss's work bag, not expecting Sakura to slap her hand away with an angry look. “The question is more, where do YOU get the nerve to touch your boss's work bag? You don’t have any permission to do so, while i will be the one to bring his belongings back home to him.“ The pink haired replies with a stern look, but calmly nonetheless, holding the work bag at a safe distance from her. "No. You will please go back to work!" The redhead hisses at her, seemingly displeased. "No, I'm free for the next week or so. depending on how long the recovery takes." Sakura simply says and pulls the car key out of his bag. "Give me the bag immediately! Mr. Uchiha will definitely come. He can't be sick! Who should replace him, please?” She tries to reach for the bag again, but gets her hands slapped away once again. “Are you even hearing yourself? He’s human too and just like every human he will get sick once in a while as well. But you out of all people should know it better, since it’s your fault in the first place that he’s in this state. Since you were so smart to push me down the ship and therefore made him jump after me.” Karin boils from anger at this point, starting to screech at her in more than just a loud tone. “Why would he ever jump after you!? You are so full of yourself, you-“ “Because she’s a part of our family, if you still haven’t understood that.” Suddenly a deep male voice interrupts the redhead and makes her stop trying to tug on Sasuke’s bag. Sakura also looks around at her father in law, a little surprised, as she hasn't even realized that the two men have come out of the office. “Sasuke just lost his Mother, who meant a lot to him, and to us all, and was fighting with the pain of her loss. You think he would have just watched another important person die and worsen his pain? And about your earlier question, i will happily replace him until he’s healthy again.” Sakura looks back at the redhead, who has been scolded throughoutly by Fugaku, enjoying how the woman averts her gaze at the harsh words. “Now let go of my son's bag. You don't have permission to touch it.” He continues coldly and the Haruno now understands where Sasuke got it from.
The redhead immediately lets go of the bag, watching Sakura close it properly. Itachi, who has stayed quietly next to his father, raises his voice too now, to give the woman a piece of his mind. “We all already know that it was you who ruined the company party. This occasion meant a lot to us, but you made everything into a nightmare. You should be rather grateful that Sasuke gave you only a warning for your irresponsibility, instead of just calling the cops on you. I heard that you have been testing his nerves a lot lately. If you don’t work on your manners and responsibilities in this company, he will fire you faster that you can look and we will all agree to it with out any questions.” Itachi tries to stop himself from laughing, clearing his throat to sound rather professional while he tells the Kaseguchi all this, making the woman go completely pale. "If you would tell me now why you are here." Fugaku’s demanding voice rises again, after his son has ended his own remarks at her and his voice seems like a cold wind that drives the clammy cold deep into your bones. "I... i wanted to bring my group's designs to your son." The Kaseguchi explains meekly. "Well, since he is not here, you can give me the drafts and then leave right away and let Sakura do her work." Fugaku holds out his hand demanding and intimidating, as Karin hands him the folder with the drafts. "Well, then I'll go home and look after my husband." The pink haired woman smiles and leaves the office with a short goodbye and a smile on her lips. She appreciates how they both backed her up like that. However, if that redhead has still not understood after all those indications, that she’s indeed Sasuke’s wife, then that woman must be really stupid. Humming, she makes her way to her own office with all her belongings. "Sakura!" She immediately hears her friend call out for her, as she steps through the door. "Hey Natsuki." The green eyed woman greets with a smile and closes the door behind her. “I saw what happened yesterday. Is everything okay? How is he?“ The brunette immediately asks worried about her boss, while Sakura walks to her own seat. “He's overworked, but he’ll be okay. I'm only here to clean up my mess from yesterday. Kakashi released me until Sasuke feels better.” Sakura then explains her plans briefly and immediately starts collecting the pens and distributing them to the storage places, a few in the holding box, some in the drawer and the rest in the original set box. The drawings and paper are quickly stowed away as well. "Of course." The blue eyed woman nods in understanding and watches as she puts everything away. "I shut down the computer yesterday." The Hondo explains her doings to her colleague, who nods with a smile. "Thanks for that. Well then, see you when Sasuke is better.” Sakura straightens up with a smile and waves her friend goodbye. "Sure." Smiles the Hondo. “Oh yeah! And have fun with Takumi on the date." Sakura grins and stops in front of the door with an amused laugh, when Natsuki blushes at her words. "Bye." She then says one last time and leaves the brunette alone in the office to go to the elevators.
Getting into the elevator, she pushes the button for the ground floor. Since she talked to Sasuke and cleared up the misunderstandings, she feels so much better and therefore is in a much better mood, or maybe it just seems to her to be that way. The elevator suddenly stops again, making her look up a little surprised. The doors open and a blond man looks at her. "Hey." With a broad smile, Naruto gets in as well and hugs her tight, startling her with his sudden action. "Hey." The pink haired woman then replies and watches him move a step back again. "Well, where are you going? In the early lunch break? Have a coffee?“ The blonde explores innocently as he stands next to her and the elevator keeps moving again. "Eh, no. Actually home, since I'm free.” Explains the young Haruno and checks which of the two black jackets is her own. "Why are you released?" The Uzumaki asks further. "Didn't you notice what happened yesterday?" Sakura now asks back a little surprised. "What?" Confused Naruto looks from the numbers above the doors and back at her. “Sasuke overworked himself and broke down. Now he's in hospital because of a huge flu.” Explains the pink haired woman, shocking the man next to her. “What?!” The Uzumaki almost screams. “Sasuke Uchiha and sick?? Something like that happens?” The blonde stares at her in disbelief. She in the other hand looks a little disturbed and dumbfounded at her husband's best friend. "Yeah... What? Has he never gotten sick before?” She explores. “Yes, yes, of course. But that is a rarity.” Explains the Uzumaki, sill a little baffled. “Besides, he always says that he isn’t sick. For example, he doesn't have a fever, it's just a little warm.” The Haruno laughs at his words. "Yes, I know that statement." She nods and slips into her jacket. "Well then, I have to go and get Sasuke from the hospital."
~> * <~
The black haired man sighs out bored and turns his gaze from the television to the window. Although the sun came out yesterday evening, fog and clouds are hanging over the city again today. It is only too clear that autumn and therefore winter is coming. A yawn comes over his lips. He's bored and wants cookies. In the hospital you only get jelly or regular pudding as desserts, but he wants cookies! He grumbles sullenly and keeps staring out of the window. Hospitals are terrible. Nothing good is happening on screen and there are no cookies. He just wants the damn cookies. He sighs again and then turns to the side, making a face because he still has a slight pain in the neck. Sakura should come already and finally pick him up! He wants to go home and he wants cookies!
Sasuke sighs in agony. He's so bored that it's annoying, just as it annoys him that he doesn't get any cookies. yes, he’s desperate for cookies. Desperately, he runs a hand through his hair. This boredom is torturing him. How is he supposed to survive alone at home when Sakura is working all day? There will be nobody to spend their time with him, or bring him cookies. His hand falls back on the bed with a sigh. His gaze is fixed out of the window and on the fog. He hates being sick. Besides, all his things are at work too, so he can't even play on the tablet or maybe on the smartphone when he’s alone at home. Desperate, he exhales and closes his eyes. Sakura could bring him his things, but he still has to get through the afternoon and the next day. When will she finally get him from the hospital? He just wants to go home and above all get out of that hospital nightgown already, which he thinks is scary.
A knock on the door makes him open his eyes again and slowly turn around as the door is opened. The doctor enters the room, indicating him that they’ll be doing the final examinations now. At least one good news for the bored out man. “So Mr. Uchiha, you are free to go home after this final examination.” Explains the man in the white coat as he comes up to the Uchiha. Sighing softly, the person addressed sits up in the bed, his legs hanging down from the mattress. The doctor comes up to him, first looks at the data on the heart monitor, partially writes it down and then switches off the screen. He goes around the bed again and stops in front of the black haired man, removing the electrodes from his chest. "So. Then let's get it over with” The doctor says and then begins the examination, feeling the lymph nodes, looking at his neck and ears and listening to his lungs. “Do you still have headaches and neck pain?” The doctor inquires, but he gets no respond, so he just continues to ask. “Stinging ears and burning eyes?” This time the Uchiha nods. “Yes, but it has lessened.” He says and then immediately hears the soft scratching of a ballpoint pen. There is another knock on the door, which opens only slowly. Sakura’s head cautiously pokes through the small crack and looks at him, before she steps into the room properly. "Hello, Mrs. Uchiha." The doctor greets her as he looks up from the file. "Hello." She replies with a smile and comes up to the bed, placing a bag with her handbag on the floor. She smiles as she looks at him and runs her fingers through his hair.
"Well then. Here are the prescriptions for the medication.” The man says and hands her a few equally sized pieces of paper. "Thank you." She just says in response and puts it in her handbag. Sasuke just watches them in silence while the doctor continues. "As already mentioned, you will be referred to your family doctor for further treatment, to whom you should also go for a check up. Other than that, you can go home now. Don’t do any sport activities and don’t exert yourself. Don’t forget to take lots of rest and water.” He then continues. "Of course." Nods the pink haired woman. "Well then, all you have to do is sign the discharge papers at the nurses' station before leaving.” The doctor ends, already turning around. "Many thanks. Doctor!“ Sakura exclaims and bows politely to the doctor, who just smiles and leaves the room.
Sasuke stretches out his arm and puts it around his wife's waist, pulling her closer and cuddles up to her. She squeaks in surprise, as he cuddles up to her with relish and closes his eyes, listening to her soft giggle as he can feel her fingers run through his hair. The black haired man hums happily at her soft touches. “Don't you want to change so that we can go home? I brought you more comfortable things to wear." He hears her ask and opens his eyes to look up into her emerald eyes. Sighing slightly, he lets go of her and watches her pick up one bag and place it next to him on the bed. "Here, a shirt, sweater and sweatpants." She pulls each item of clothing out of said paper bag and holds it out to him. He takes the things in silence and then loosens the bow on his neck that holds the hospital shirt together at the back. He carefully slips into the shirt, careful not to make any hasty movements that could cause him pain, doing the same with the sweater and the sweatpants. Meanwhile, Sakura folds his suit and puts it into the paper bag, as well as his work shoes. Finally, Sasuke slips into a pair of socks and the sneakers, which she put in front of his feet. The young Haruno looks around once more to see if she has forgotten anything and then smiles. "Okay, we can go. Come on.“ She hands him his coat and hangs her handbag over her shoulder, takes the other with her jacket in one hand and approaches the door immediately. He looks after her with a quiet grumble and gets up from his bed to catch up with her. They leave the room as his hand quickly finds hers, gently enclosing it. Smiling, she looks up at him as they approach the nurses station. There they are immediately given the discharge form, which Sasuke signs sullenly and then lets himself guided out by his wife.
After a few minutes of walking side by side in silence, they leave the hospital and enter its parking lot. Sasuke can feel how a warmth rises and spreads inside of him and it gets warmer with every step he takes. The Uchiha looks around for his wife's red car, while she leads him into a certain direction. She is heading straight for a black car. Surprised, the black haired man stops in front of it while Sakura unlocks the car and encircles it. “That's my car.” He notes surprised and looks at said vehicle for a moment. The pink haired woman smiles at him over its roof. "Yes. I took it, together with your bag, tablet and smartphone from the company.” She explains briefly and opens the door to the drivers seat. "Yay!" It escapes him and his lips twist into a pleased smile. It seems he will at least have something to play with at home, when he has to stay home all alone. Sakura looks back up at him in disbelief and raises one of her eyebrows, looking at him and his almost childish smile. "Did you just say Yay?" She asks and examines him carefully. As if he hadn't heard her question, he takes the missing step towards his car and opens the passenger door to sink into the passenger seat. Fastening his seat belt, he looks around like a child to all sides, since he only knows his car from the driver's side. Sakura gets in and closes the door behind her, her hands resting on his cheeks and turn his face towards her. Skeptical and worried, her eyes move over his features and study his face, while he just stares at her through his dark eyes. “Is everything okay?” She inquires doubtfully. "I'm so hot!" Sasuke says immediately and turns his head down to open his jacket. His wife's hand now rests on his forehead. "You have a fever." She then states his sudden uneasiness about the temperature, then turns to fasten her own belt.
She starts the engine and notices how he immediately opens his window. “Close your window, or you'll end up getting an ear infection!" Exclaims the Haruno and closes his window again. “But It’s so hot!” He whines out in protest and pushes the switch back down. "I know, but the airflow is not good for you at the moment." She explains calmly and immediately activates the window lock after she closed the window again. "Open the window. It’s hot! I’m burning!” Sasuke begs and repeatedly pushes the switch down, in hope that a miracle would happen and the window would open again. “We'll be home soon.” The pink haired woman replies, puts the car into gear and drives off. Sasuke's head is hammering in pain again and his neck hurts worse than half an hour ago. Leaning his hot forehead against the cold window, he closes his eyes with relish. “You're so mean.” Her husband complains with a dark hum. "I'm sorry." He hears his wife say and feels her hand on his thigh. Opening his eyes, he turns his gaze down to his thighs, where he finds her hand patting him right above his knee. Bored, he takes the zipper of his jacket in his hand and starts pulling it up and down over and over again. Fascinated, he repeats this a few times until the car stops and he looks up. A busy road and a red traffic light come into his view. He sighs in agony and looks around at his wife, who is staring at the street with concentration. His gaze returns to the interior paneling of his car door and to the windows switch, which he carefully pushes down, but to his dismay the window doesn’t go along with his wish. Pouting, he leans his head back against the cold window, only to close his eyes with relish. It seems that he is forced to be satisfied with that much. Unfair.
Sasuke can feel how the car slows down after a while and turns around a corner, before it comes to a stop completely. He looks up at the green lawn a little further ahead, bushes sprout from the ground and partially cover the fence. His gaze turns to the right as he makes out the villa. The car starts moving again, as his wife drives backwards onto their property. He is home. Maybe now, if he's lucky and there are still some left, he'll get his cookies! Finally Sakura brings the car to a stop, turns off the engine and moves the driver's seat back to its usual state, before unfastening her seatbelt. Sasuke also unfastens and immediately gets out of the car. He exhales with relief as he steps into the cool garage air. Finally the torture has found an end. Sakura goes around the car and walks towards the connecting door to the house to open it. "So. You should eat something first and then take a bath." He hears her explain as they enter the house and get out of their shoes, walking down the hall to the foyer. “I made you a soup. Do you want some?” She then asks, while putting down the handbag and the bag with his clothes and looks up at him questioningly. "No! I don't want soup, I want cookies!” He says defiantly, thinking that he has waited enough already and even deserves it for all the torture he had to go through over the last hours. "You have to eat real food Sasuke, no cookies!" She explains completely amused at the way he huffed out in annoyance. But he stays stubborn. “I want cookies.” He exclaims with another huff and crosses his arms over his chest. “No Sasuke. There are no cookies. You are going to eat some soup now. You need something warm in your stomach first before you can even think of something like that." The Haruno replies calmly and slips out of her coat, hangs it on the cloakroom and goes into the kitchen. "I don't want soup, I want cookies!" He repeats defiantly and follows her into the kitchen, where he can hear her sigh as she turns on the stove. He’s already feeling hot enough, he doesn’t need some soup to heat him up even more. "First soup, then cookies. This is my last word, otherwise you won't get any cookies at all.” Not really satisfied with her words, he sits down in his place at the table, waiting for her to bring him the soup. It doesn't take long before he feels the fever again and takes off his jacket. In the next moment his wife is already standing at his side with two plates and puts them down. Sasuke looks at his soup critically and checks the spoon around in it while she sits down across from him. Reluctantly, he lifts the spoon to his lips and tastes the soup. Well, at least it doesn’t taste shitty, he muses. As it would do normally in times of sicknesses. You get sick and everything suddenly tastes like shit. Everything, but somehow not cookies.
Shortly afterwards he has already emptied his plate. He has to admit that the warm liquid has done his throat good, but now he's sweating even more than before. Just like he expected. He looks expectantly at his wife, who lifts the last spoonful of soup to her lips. When she puts the empty spoon in the equally empty plate, she lifts her gaze and is immediately caught by the expectant gaze of her husband. She takes the two plates with an amused shake of her head to put them away into the dishwasher. He huffs out again, before a hand with a cookie appears in his field of vision. He immediately reaches for the biscuits in her hand and begins to bite into it, while a small plate with three more is placed in front of him. "Meanwhile I'll prepare the bath for you." He hears his wife and watches her leave the room. Quickly he throws the rest of the cookie into his mouth and then picks up the next one. Taking the other two as well, he quickly gets up and follows his wife up the stairs to the bedroom. He can almost feel the beads of sweat on his skin as he climbs up the stairs and enters the bedroom. Cool and fresh air greets him immediately and he breathes out with relief. He can’t believe how just that much already got him so exhausted.
The Haruno comes out of the bathroom and smiles at him while he eats the next cookie. “I ventilated the room and put on a new sheets, so that you can take a good rest after the bath." She explains while approaching the dresser. Eating on the last biscuit, he watches her doing as she takes a fresh boxer short of his from one of the drawers and brings it into the bathroom. "So. The bath is ready. Just make sure to call me when you're done and stay inside." She instructs and pushes him towards said rooms door.
Sasuke then disappears into the bathroom and, after undressing, gets into the greenish water that smells strongly out of eucalyptus, while the pink haired woman goes into the kitchen, puts away his coat, puts cookies into a bowl and prepares some tea for him. She has learned something new about him in the past one and a half hours. When he's sick, he acts like a child. A defiant toddler. Sighing, she puts the tea on a tray, together with a mug and the biscuits. Now she also understands why Itachi said that it’s important that she keeps an eye on him especially in such times. Smiling in amusement, Sakura puts the tray down on her husband's bedside table and then looks for dry, fresh clothes from his husband's closet to slip into. "Sakura." She then hears him call out for her from the bathroom. The only question is whether he behaves like this on purpose or doesn’t even takes notice of it. The black haired man is sitting bored on the edge of the tub, the steam having fogged up the mirror and window and keeps him warm too, while he's just sitting there and waiting for her in nothing but his boxershorts. The door opens and cold air rushes towards him, his fine hairs rising with the goose bumps which immediately show up on his body. "Here." She then exclaims with a smile and holds out a shirt and sweatpants. “Why should I wait in here anyway?” He explores and slips into the shirt. "It’s so that you won't collapse because of the temperature change between the bathroom and bedroom." She explains to him and starts to dry his hair with the hairdryer. Exhausted, he beds his head on her stomach, while she runs the warm stream of air through his hair.
"Okay, come on. Off to bed with you." It comes from her as she puts the hairdryer aside. Sasuke rises from the edge of the tub with a dark hum and slowly walks into the bedroom. The cold floor feels uncomfortable under his feet until he finally sits down on the bed and slips into the sweater lying right there. His wife gives him a pair of socks, which he puts on, only to crawl underneath his blanket and cuddles his head into the pillow. Smiling gently, she sinks down next to him on the edge of the bed and runs her fingers through his hair. “You should get some sleep, Sasuke. Meanwhile i will go to the pharmacy and get a few things. Do you want anything in particular?” She then explains to him and watches him lay there in silence, listening carefully to her words. "Cookies!" He then replies without thinking twice. She smiles at his response and shakes her head. "What about dinner?" She keeps exploring, but he just shrugs his shoulders calmly and turns on the television. “Don't you have to go back to work?” He then finally asks, as he thought that she would be long gone again. “No, I was released from work.” She explains briefly. Smiling, she leans over to him and presses a kiss onto his temple, before she gets up and leaves the room.
~> * <~
Sighing softly, the pink haired woman closes the front door behind herself and puts the shopping bags on the kitchen counter. Slipping out of her jacket, she returns to the foyer to hang it up there, clearing away the groceries, almost a whole bag full with different biscuits. Finished with all the unpacking, she takes the last small bag with Sasuke’s medication and goes up the stairs to look for her sick husband. She carefully opens the door and looks at the bed. Since he is laying there so calmly and doesn’t move, she thinks that he must have fallen asleep, but as she approaches him she realizes that he is just staring straight into the television and is watching a movie. Smiling, she kneels next to the side of his bed. "Here your medication, antibiotics, ear drops, eye ointment, vitamin C and all the other stuff." She utters briefly and then looks at the half empty bowl of biscuits next to the bed. Smiling, she sits up again and looks at her sweating husband before she looks at the television and stops in disbelief. Staring into the television, she discovers a Disney movie. For a moment she even doubts her own perception. "Am I just seeing stuff or are you really watching Oliver & co.?" She explores skeptically, while she encircles the bed and heads for her side of the bed. She stands at the window front made up of two panoramic windows and looks out into the garden. "These kind of things don't stress my head that much." She can hear his husband mumble, making her look back at him. "I see." Sakura then giggles and turns to take a picture with her smartphone.
Sasuke sighs softly and takes a sip from his mug. After putting it back, he grabs one of the cookies, only to make it disappear in his mouth and leans back on his pillow. The mattress next to him sinks in as well now, making him look briefly to his right, where he sees her sit down on the bed next to him and leans against the head end, looking at the television with a slight smile. He too turns his gaze back to the screen again, watching it in silence. "And what excuse do you have for watching the movie?" He raises his scratchy voice after a while with pure curiosity. “I don't need an excuse. It just feels good to watch a movie like that once in a while.” She says earnestly and looks relaxed at the colourful screen. He smiles slightly and leans on his right, laying his head on her shoulder and cuddling up to her. "Are you tired?" She explores quietly and runs her hand over his. "I'm too old to take an afternoon nap." He tells her like a brave little boy. "I don’t think so. I think that you can never be old enough for some power naps." She replies and he can hear a slight laugh in her voice. Silently, he just cuddles even closer to her shoulder, a strand of her hair tickling his ear. A smile suddenly pulling on the corner of his lips. “Get some sleep, Sasuke. Afterwards you will get something delicious to eat and a few cookies, then you will take your medicine and can go back to sleep." The Haruno speaks softly and soothingly to him. "Mmm." He just hums back in response. Fatigue slowly winning the fight and forcing his eyes to close. He turns on his right side, cuddling even closer to her and puts an arm around her stomach. Sasuke just didn’t want to tell her that he was waiting for her to come back home, so that he could fall asleep in peace.
~> * <~
Small drops fall quietly against the window panes. Due to the amount of drizzling water, it can also be heard inside the room. Two beeps sound, before music replaces the beeping and fills the room with soft tunes. Sighing, the pink haired woman stretches to press the button of the alarm clock and turn it off. Relaxing her muscles again afterwards, she caresses over the forearm of her husband, which is still wrapped around her stomach. She smiles tiredly but lovingly. She has her dear, friendly husband back with an addition, a flu, which is exactly why the alarm clock is ringging at this time. She gently takes her husband's arm off of her waist and places it down on the mattress instead, before she gets up and slips into her socks on the floor in front of her bedside table. After washing her face, she pulls on a vest and quietly walks towards the bedroom door, carrying her legs down the stairs to the ground floor and into the kitchen, where she puts on the water for some tea and looks for a pot and tea bags. Preparing two cups, she then pours the boiling water into the pot, carrying her legs back up the stairs and into the bathroom for the morning routine. On her way back to the kitchen, she immediately takes the tray from Sasuke's bedside table with her, while she thinks about which breakfast to prepare for him, before she starts working on it.
After she prepared everything, she goes back up to the bedroom to get him up. "Sasuke." She calls out for him while playing with his hair in circular movements. Grumbling, he cuddles deeper into his pillow. "Sasuke. Stand up. You have to take your medicine.” He hears his wife's soft voice, but he just lets out a negative tone. "Come on biscuit, get up." He can almost hear the smile in her words, making him grumble. “I'm not a cookie.” Tired, he opens his eyes and looks at the empty bed next to himself. "But you would like to have one." She laughs in amusement as his hand already reaches demanding into her direction. A yawn comes over his lips when he turns to look at her pretty face. “Go to the bathroom and freshen up. I made breakfast.” She instructs him and plays with his hair again. He just growls and slowly gets out of the covers. "I'll put fresh clothes out for you." He can hear her explain, when he's already halfway to the bathroom. He just takes some fresh boxer shorts from the drawer and then goes into the bathroom to wash his face, brush his teeth and change his underwear.
Still tired, he enters the bedroom again and walks to the bed, pulling his sweater and shirt over his head. Somewhat surprised, he suddenly realizes that his neck pain has disappeared and his headache has lessened as well, but he still doesn't feel any better. The trousers are also swapped with fresh ones before he climbs back under the blanket. At that very moment the door opens and Sakura stands in the room, giggling at the fact that he has already cuddled back into the sheets. ”Get up, biscuit, food is waiting for you.” With a disapproving grumble he gets back out of the bed, walking after his wife and into the kitchen where he immediately sits down at the table, looking at the plate in front of him. Pancakes. Looking back up at his wife, he watches her sit down. Humming softly, she begins to eat and after a short time he follows her example and eats his own pancakes. When the plate is empty, Sakura gets up again in order to give him his medicine. While he dutifully swallows the antibiotic, she decides to take the empty plates.
"Done. Now, durning the morning you should sit down on the couch so that we can ventilate the bedroom.” He hears her explain and looks up at her, watching how she puts away the dirty dishes. Sighing softly, he gets up and leaves the kitchen. While he goes to the living room, she prepares his tea mug and a bowl of fresh biscuits, before she places them on the coffee table and covers him with a throw blanket, only to leave the room and go up the stairs. Silently he reaches for the remote control and switches on the television, his thumb resting on the right arrow key. "Nope." He mumbles and switches to the next channel. "Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.“ He repeats with each channel and keeps zapping through. "Nope. Nope. Ouh! The Lion King!" He suddenly exclaims, puts the remote control aside and grabs a second pillow, which he encloses with his left arm and presses very close to him, bedding his cheek on it. His gaze is focused on the large screen, when his wife reenters the room and bends over the backrest of the couch. "You already know that this is not a stuffed animal?" She explores with amusement when she notices how he is cuddling onto the second pillow in his arms, making him look up at her. "Should I buy you a get-well-soon teddy bear?" She asks with a grin and he just turns back to the movie. "Okay, I'll go then. Be nice and drink a lot.” She smiles and straightens her scarf. "See you later, biscuit." He hears her say before she leaves the room and as if on cue, he then reaches into the bowl and pulls out a biscuit.
The Uchiha is following the movie in silence while he eats one cookie after the other as if in a trance. Chips, shortbread biscuits and a colorful mix of any other biscuits disappear from the bowl and into his stomach. The movie is drawing to a close when the front door suddenly opens and he can hear his wife's shoes hit the floor. Sighing softly, the Haruno puts the bags down in the foyer and goes out again to get the next ones out of her car. She carries her legs one last time out of the house and to the gate, where she picks up the mail from the post box and then takes the last bag out of the trunk of her Mazda. The trunk lid slams shut and the lights flash twice briefly. This time she bought more so that she doesn't have to go shopping the next days, she wants to use the time and concentrate on something else. She pushes the front door back into its lock with a gentle push of her foot, after finally getting out of her shoes, and then approaches the kitchen counter, puts the bags on the floor there and puts the mail on the worktop. Sighing, she peels herself out off her jacket and hangs it onto the cloakroom, before she returns to the kitchen and clears the groceries in the refrigerator and a few other cupboards. Smiling slightly, Sakura pulls the two fabric objects out of her bag and examines them again before she puts them to one side and puts the bottles out of the bag and in a drawer, as she no longer needs to cool them in autumn and winter.
Sasuke can hear his wife quietly entering the living room, but she doesn't seem to have stopped behind the couch this time. He looks around skeptically in the part of the living room that he can see without moving, as suddenly a white teddy bear appears above the backrest, wearing a blue shirt with a brown, sleeveless, suit jacket. A bow adorning its shirts collar. He looks at it skeptically, while the head of his wife appears next to it with a wide smile. "Here." Sakura exclaims happily and puts the teddy bear on his stomach. "I don't need a plush bear." He mumbles into the pillow, which he is still cuddling against. "Why not? It's cute.” She responds with a slight pout. "I don't care." He continues to grumble and looks back at the colourful screen. Disappointed, his wife sighs and gets up, standing at the other end of the couch. "Then I bought mine for nothing." As she says this dejectedly, she pulls out another plush bear from behind her back, making Sasuke raise an eyebrow and turn his attention back to her. She looks sadly at the little bear in her hands and he can see a pink bow on it’s ear, wearing a pink dress with a brown and sleeveless vest. She turns the bear into his direction and waves with one paw. A slight bemused smile pulls on his lips, making him take the other plush bear into hand, in order to wave back with his bear's paw, which makes her smile. It’s not like he could say no after seeing her smile like that anyway.
“Do you want him here or should I bring him upstairs?" She explores and takes the bear from him, holding it together with hers and only now does Sasuke realize that the two plush bears can sit down together and hold each others paws. "I don't need him here." He shakes his head, watching her nod in response. "I thought you drove to work." He then remarks and makes her look at him. "I already told you that Kakashi gave me time off." She then replies with a shrug. "For how long?" He inquires in a slightly scratchy voice. "Until you are healthy again. He also said that you shouldn't rush anything and take a good rest." She then says and turns around. Smiling, she leaves the room and goes upstairs to the bedroom. The cold air from outside hits her and gives her goose bumps. The fresh air fills her lungs as she steps over to the panorama window, which can be pushed open like a door, and closes it again, since the room has ventilated enough for the day. She places the two bears on the narrow headboard and then devotes herself to making her bed. She also shakes up Sasuke's pillow, but doesn't bother to make his part of the bed because he will definitely lay down in it soon again anyway. She just slips out of her jeans and instead gets into cozy trousers, while swapping her blouse and vest for a simple tank top and a sweater with a shoulder neckline.
Quietly humming, she goes back down the stairs, enters the kitchen and approaches the kettle to fill it with water and turn it on. Her legs carry her further into the living room, resting her forearms on the back of the couch and briefly observing her husband. Her gaze then moves on the empty teapot on the coffee table and the equally empty bowl. She snorts in amusement and shakes her head. Sasuke looks away from the sequel of the previous movie and turns to his wife to find out what amuses her so much. "You can now go back to bed." She just explains to him, while playing with his hair. He just nods and turns off the TV before straightening up and getting up from the couch. He walks slowly to the living room door and leaves the room, back up the stairs. The pink haired woman, like a good wife, goes around the couch and takes the bowl, teapot and mug to bring them into the kitchen, immediately brewing him some fresh tea and putting the bowl aside for later. Until the tea for Sasuke has finished, she brews a cup for herself and immediately adds two teaspoons of sugar to her mug.
Sasuke in the other hand cudles deeply into the cold bed sheets as if it would be much warmer there. His attention is back on the movie. A little tired he looks at the door, which opens and sees his wife enter the room with a tray. He sighs silently, as the tray finds its place once again on his bedside table. "I don't want any tea. I’ve enough." He grumbles annoyed and presses himself into the pillow as if he could escape from it like that. "But it's best for your throat." She reasons and reaches for something else on his bedside table. His gaze falls on the ear drops, only for him to hiss out in defence. "No. I don't wanna!" He whines immediately and presses his hands over his ears and deeper into the mattress. “These are just ear drops!” She says with a slight smile. “No!” He exclaims, really sounding like a small child. "Sasuke." The Haruno sighs and grabs one of the Uchiha's hands. "No. I don't want to!” He hisses out again and this time he sounds like a cat in defence mode, shaking his head from left to right so as not to give her the opportunity to even get near his ears. It’s funny now that she things about it, how he turned from a territorial doggie, into a cute kid and from that to a cautious cat. "It'll be over very quickly." Sakura tries again and strokes through his hair. She gently turns his head and then drips two drops of the liquid into his ear, which makes him whine. The pink haired woman laughs inwardly.
Sasuke lets his head turn unwillingly into the other direction. He really hates it when someone blows in his ear or even lets something drip into it, especially something cold. He hates ear drops! Even if they are warm, it feels so uncomfortable. He's just incredibly sensitive there. When the liquid touches his skin, he squints his eyes, while goosebumps start forming on his arms and on the back of his neck.
The Haruno then clears away the ear drops and picks up one of the mugs. Sipping on it, she walks around the bed and sits down on her side of the bed. She also makes herself comfortable in the pillows and turns her attention to the movie. Sighing softly, he stretches his hand towards the nightstand and feel up the bowl of biscuits. When he doesn't find it, however, he turns his gaze to the tray and looks for the cookies. "Cookies. Cookies. Where are the cookies?” He asks, alarmed and looks around the nightstand and back to his wife. "You won't get any more cookies now, otherwise you won't have lunch." She explains calmly, making him growl with a pout. "You are so mean. First the ear drops and then no cookies. You torture me!" He accuses her offended and crosses his arms in front of his chest. "You poor biscuit." She pities him and pats his hair and although she is obviously the bad one, he takes refuge in her arms as if she were a protective mother. Laying his head on her side, he makes himself small and hides himself underneath the covers, while she just keeps patting his head. "You poor baby." She whispers flatly and thinks to herself, how the only thing missing is that he would suddenly start sucking on his thumb, biting her lower lip to keep herself from laughing aloud at those ridiculous thoughts. She doen’t mean to make fun of him. It’s just that, experiencing Sasuke being so childish and pouty is something that she still cannot fully grasp.
The second movie also ends a little later, while Sasuke is still cuddling onto Sakura's side, who now turns her gaze to the clock on her bedside. It’s lunch time. "Attention." She mumbles softly and then carefully moves away from Sasuke, whose head immediately slumps down on the mattress and remains there. He looks offended as she disappears into the bathroom. Shortly afterwards he can hear the water running into the bathtub and he already knows what’s going to come next. His wife comes back after a few minutes and looks at him with a slight smile. "Time for a bath." She announces and approaches his drawe to pick out a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. He already predicted after all. "But I don't want to." He just protests with a soft grumble and cuddles more into the mattress. "You're going." He hears her reply calmly and looks for a pair of boxers from him. So their relationship has actually reached a new level. She realizes only now that she’s doing something new, that she has never picked out his underwear before. a little in thoughts, she just looks with her emerald eyes at the fabric. “No!” He protests stubbornly, pulling her back out of her thoughts. “Yes!” She continues to say calmly. "Who gives you the right to tell me what to do?" He asks with a growl and glares at her, making her laugh. "I reserve this right." She exclaims bemused and puts fresh socks onto the prepared clothes. "Oh yeah?" He now growls dangerously. "Yes. Quite simply because I'm not the one who collapsed and is now in bed with the flu.” After these words, she enters the bathroom again, even if only for a moment. Sasuke puffs up his cheeks and crosses his arms, while he is still lying in the embryo position in the middle of the bed. "Apart from that, your father said you should be good and do what I say." She then adds. Annoyed at the fact that she’s taking full advantage of his fathers words, makes him grumble again. "But now the third part of The Lion King will start!" He throws in offended and suddenly sits up. “It's exactly like the first part, only with Timon and Pumba as commentators and part of their story. And now, up you go into the bathroom! Otherwise you won't get any more cookies!” She threatens to be angry. "Yes." Sasuke utters in a sad, intimidated voice, climbs out of bed and slurps into the bathroom. This woman really has some nerves threatening him. “And make sure to wait just like yesterday and let the air in the room cool down a bit.” She then calls after him through the closed door.
She ends up laughing while she goes into the kitchen to cook something small for the both. Sasuke can be adorable too! In the kitchen she immediately turns to cooking. A soup, rice, meat, some vegetables. After all, Sasuke not only has to regain strength but also needs to put on some weight that he has lost through his little-to-no-eat-while-working. Sighing, Sakura shakes her head, how can you neglect yourself so much for work? She covers the meat and vegetables to keep them warm while she fills the soup into two plates and places it all on the tray, adding the cutlery next to it and pulls out an iced tea bottle from the drawer. She can understand that Sasuke doesn't just want to drink herbal tea, so she puts two more glasses on the tray, the tray onto two mini bed tables and then goes back up the stairs to the bedroom. As expected, Sasuke has already bathed and got into the tracksuit she had put out for him and cuddled himself back into bed and stares at the TV. "Here. Some soup.“ She announces, watching him sit up with a sigh. Soup again. She puts the tray aside to put the mini tables which she’s still holding, one over his legs and the other on her side of the bed, before walking up to her half of the bed and puts the serving plate there on the mattress. Carefully, she sits down next to him and hands her husband one of the plates, which he immediately puts down onto the bed table in front of himself. Normally they would eat at the table, but she guesses that she can allow it this once after all and all of a sudden Sakura wonders whether Sasuke would take care of her in the same way when she happens to get sick. Although, she can't really say how she behaves in such times either, since that's probably rather something you do subconsciously.
Sakura lowers her spoon into the empty plate with a smile and the Uchiha watches her in silence as he wonders what has been going through her head, since she seems so absent. His gaze is directed back to the television and the movie, which seems to be about halfway through. After a short moment he can hear the clattering of empty dishes and shortly afterwards his wife is already walking through his field of vision with the tray in hand. Tired he just runs his fingers through his hair, his focus back on the movie while he waits for Sakura to come back with the next course. After all, the doctor said he has lost a lot of weight. Whereby one question arises in his mind. Why is he sick and Sakura not? Although she was longer in the cold than him, had equally soaked clothes as him and he even kissed her when he had a fever. He doesn't understand. The pink haired woman comes back into the room with another tray. Sighing softly, he sits up and watches her as she puts the tray on the bed and hands him the necessary cutlery. It rustles and two glasses come into view, which in the next moment are already filled with a brown liquid. Surprised, Sasuke looks up at his wife, who is smiling and screwing the cap back onto the iced tea bottle. "But only while eating." She then says and places the bottle on the floor next to her feet. He just nods in silence, since he hasn’t expected it in the first place and then turns to his plate, as does she.
The meal goes on in silence as the two of them concentrate more on the television. When he's finished, he puts everything together and the mini table next to the bed and onto the floor, only to lean back against his pillow. His stomach is full to the top, he can't eat any more. Except, of course, cookies! Sakura in the other hand immediately clears away the dishes and hides the bed tables behind one of the drawers, before she leaves him alone in the room. A little tired he leans his back more against the pillow, the movie ending shortly afterwards, as already a new one begins. A slight smile pulls on his lips when he recognizes the movie, he used to enjoy watching as a kid. Tarzan. He also always enjoyed watching the series “The Land Before Time”. Sakura quietly comes back into the room and he can immediately discover the most important things. A bowl of cookies and his tablet too. She puts both items on the bedside table, before she already turns away again. "What are you doing?" He explores when he notices that she is heading for the door again, making her look back into his dark grey eyes. "I wanted to use the time when I don't need to concentrate on you and do something for work." A soft hum escapes his lips at her words. “Do you already have an idea? I mean, for the project.” He then asks, looking at her with curiosity. "It would be unfair if I tell you that." She tells him with a wink. He nods slightly in response and studies her for a moment. "Say, why am I sick and you not? I even kissed you when I had a fever." He asks the question that has occupied his mind for quite some time now. “That's because I have a stronger immune system than you. On one hand because I eat regularly, healthy, well and balanced and take in many necessary vitamins and on the other hand because I do sport regularly, which you don't, because you work so much." She just explains and makes her way to her office.
Sasuke growls out of tune, laying down on the bed parallel to the wall and pulls his pillow under his head, which he wraps around his head and cuddles up his cheek, before he concentrates on his movie again. It doesn’t make sense. Anyone would have gotten at least a runny nose, a cold, from something like that. Immune system, or not, she still passed out. She was weak and freezing. Compared to him she had barely any strength to fight through the ocean. She’s scary, he then just muses. Super scary. Going through that and still staying unfazed, it’s just way too scary. Meanwhile, while he’s thinking about all that, his wife goes into her own office, looks at a few of her designs and drawings hanging on the wall and examines her models before she stands at the window and looks at the nature.
A few hours pass before it gets dark again. Darker than the previously rainy day. The day turns into night. A sign for the Haruno to stop working and take care of the food again. Sighing, she puts her pen on the table and puts away her draft. After all Sasuke shouldn't see it before she has handed it in. As she leaves her office, she takes a look through the slightly open bedroom door, opposite from her office, but from there she can’t really see him either. She just approaches the stairs and goes down to cook in the kitchen. Tired, Sasuke stretches out on the bed and only closes his eyes for a moment. Although he doesn't do anything, his lungs scratch all day, his throat burns and scratches as the mood takes it. His voice can't decide between rasping and scratchy, his head is still throbbing and his eyes are burning slightly, while the stinging in his ears has only eased slightly. He can even feel the congestion in his sinuses whenever he lightly runs over them.
When he opens his eyes again, he sees Sakura approaching him with a tray. He sits up nicely and makes room for her to get out the bed tables again and serve the dinner. Soup, like always and then croquettes with the meat from lunch. After she has cleared away the dishes and sits next to him on the bed again, he suddenly feels a heat rise in him and Sakura seems to have noticed this too, because she disappears into the bathroom and comes back with a clinical thermometer to measure his temperature immediately. "Poor biscuit." She whispers and pats his head when she sees the temperature. He also takes a look at it and sees something at 38.2 degrees. But that doesn't really bother him. His gaze falls on his wife instead and in the next moment he is suddenly overcome by lust and desire. He throws himself on her, making her squint and squeal out in surprise. The clinical thermometer flies to the floor and slides up to the window front. He stares into her emerald eyes, before he comes closer, feeling her breath on his skin, but two hands press against his chest, preventing him from getting any closer. “No, Sasuke. Only again when you are healthy. Who should take care of us if I get sick too?” She exclaims with a giggle, making him pout and lower his head in disappointment. “Oh, so suddenly it’s a problem if we kiss... what happened to your scary immune system?” He asks a little pouty, getting a giggle in response. She pulls him closer and into a hug, giving him a chaste kiss onto his cheek.
"You look tired. Haven't you taken a nap at noon? ”She then explores instead, making him fall to one side. "How? You were busy.” He just mumbles and curls up again. He’s still scared that the nightmares will come back. Sighing, she tries to get up when his hand wraps around her wrist, making her sit back down and look at him questioningly. “Will you watch this with me?” He asks pleadingly, nodding towards the screen. "Why?" She explores a little surprised at his wish. "It's my favorite movie from my childhood." He mumbles, a little embarrassed, seeing her smile in response. She understands, as childhood memories are still the best. "Okay, just give me a moment.” She then agrees and disappears briefly from the room. Waiting, Sasuke stares at the door, not letting it out of sight even for a moment and it seems like a long time until she finally comes back. Leaning back on the pillows, she puts her smartphone on the top edge of the head end, while he looks at her like a shy deer and watches how her lips curl up into an amused smile. "Come here." She then invites him and pats the mattress next to her, watching how he gets up and crawls towards her. Sitting down next to her he puts his arms around her stomach, his head on her left shoulder and cuddles up to her. She looks a little surprised at his black hair before gently stroking his head.
Her attention is now on the television and she immediately recognizes which Sasuke's favorite movie was. Wall-E. A really cute movie. She’s a little surprised that this should be his favorite movie. “Do you see anything at all?” She asks, slightly amused, and turns a little sideways. "Yes." Sasuke nods in response on her chest. Suddenly her smartphone vibrates and she looks up, feeling up the headend for the device. As soon as she holds it in her hand, she unlocks the screen and taps the messenger icon. A group chat opens as she looks at the contact list, which consists of her female friends.
Ino Yamanaka: Hey. Naruto said that Sasuke got sick. How is he?
Said blonde asks and sends an innocent smiley right underneath.
An amused snort reaches the ears of the black haired man. "How are you, biscuit?" She then asks, making him grumble and cuddle closer to her chest. "Shitty." He gives a status update, although its just the same answer as the previous day, and continues to look at the screen. He can hear her typing something in on her smartphone, before another vibration sound close to him. "Get well soon, from our friends." She then mumbles and runs her hand through his hair. "Mmm." He growls as his eyes start fighting against fatigue. His eyelids are slowly getting heavier and heavier, which makes it difficult for him to stop them, but he really wants to watch the movie through to the end.
Tenten Ama: Is he behaving though?
Sakura Haruno: Yes, just like a small child.
Ino Yamanaka: Really?
Sakura Haruno: I mean it as I write it.
The chat falls silent afterwards. Sighing softly, she then looks at the ends of her hair. "Maybe I should straighten my curls again.” She then whispers and talks to herself. The Uchiha's eyes have lost the fight against fatigue and so he concentrates on listening to the movie instead and at the same time on the regular heartbeat of his wife, which he hears and feels right under his ear. “I like your curls. They are pretty." He mumbles already half asleep, feeling her fingers keep playing with his hair. "Thank you.” Smiling, she reaches out her hand to her left to pull his blanket closer and spread it over the both of them. The black haired man sighs with relish on her chest. Suddenly she thinks back at his words from two days ago. The nightmares he had, the struggles and fears he went through on his own, making him stay away from her, and she never dared to ask. Instead she just followed his example and ignored him as well, even went as far as telling Ayame that she wasn’t in the mood to come to his office, even though it could have also been the case that he maybe wanted to clear things. Even if the. Possibility was quite low, i still existed. Besides, the wounds of his mothers death were still fresh as well. There were many reasons as why she should have gone and just asked him. She worried about him all the time, but still she didn’t ask him even once. Instead she just hoped that he would tell her himself, when she hasn’t told him everything about herself either. Instead she waited until he broke down from all the heavy loads of work and fighting his problems all on his own. And now she feels bad, for not at least trying to ask him, even if she wouldn’t have gotten an answer. The green eyed woman smiles lovingly and bends her head slightly towards him. "I will never leave you alone, Sasuke." She then whispers to him and presses a kiss on his forehead, in hope that it would sooth his fears. "Hmmmm." Is his only reaction, which gets quieter and finally falls silent. Shortly afterwards, her cell phone vibrates again and she looks up, alarmed, quickly pressing the lock button to stop the vibration. She waits a moment to see if the sound made him reacted to it, but now he seems to be finally asleep.
Ino Yamanaka: I don't believe you!
Sakura Haruno: Shush! Little Sasuke has finally been able to fall asleep.
With a slight smile, Sakura decides to take a selfie of herself and Sasuke and places it into the group chat, knowing that it would stay there and won’t go around, like it did with their first date. When she looks at the picture, she has to realize that he really is lying on her chest like a small child. Silently she turns off her smartphone and puts it onto the nightstand, so that it wont fall on their heads the next time it vibrates. With one arm around her husband and her gaze back on the movie, which he failed to watch through to the end, she rests her cheek on his head.
