AN: Wow, it's been a while, huh? o.o Damn, I'm so sorry about that T.T I just was… doing God knows what XD. Busy with work, I guess and I was just reading a lot of Yu-Gi-Oh fanfics. Yes, you read that right. Yu-Gi-Oh. I know, I know, don't kill me T.T I just LOVE the Seto/Katsuya pairing, even though I'm not THAT familiar with the show. Hell, I've never even seen the ending… I think I've only seen the first episodes, like… maybe until episode fifty or something? And not even all of THOSE, but I just think they're so cute! Same goes for Yami Yuugi and Yuugi—just adorable x3!
Anyway, also working on a small ItaNaru drabble and 'Ninja for Hire' will probably get updated tomorrow If I have the time… I probably have it x3! So you can expect an update.
I'm also thinking about writing a Seto/Katsuya fic… Gha, not sure though. But not until I finish one of my other fics, of course. I've got a small plot-thingie in my head so nyah o.o…
Ah, and Tralala (it was you right? Can't remember o.o If I'm mistaken, my apologies xD) asked me whether or not I had another plot… yeah, it'll be answered in this chapter n.n And I really should get this fic going, unless I want this one to turn a fifty-chapter fic… which I do NOT want. I don't have the patience for that XD. But I don't wanna rush it either –sigh-. Anyway, from here on time will pass a little faster n.n.
Okay, I think that was all? Enjoy!
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The Prince And The Fox
By SmexLemur
Chapter 8: The Old Hag and the Fox
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"Sasuke, are you feeling alright?" Sakura asked, concern evident in her voice. Sasuke shot her a glare, before he continued to cough heavily. Perhaps he should've listened to Kakashi, but it was the only time he would be able to have dinner with her… not that he really cared about Sakura that way, but his parents would've liked to see him getting married to her. She wasn't terrible, per se, since he could've gotten a lot worse, but he just didn't feel anything for her.
"I'm fine, Sakura," he said, when his coughing fit finally ended. Naruto, who was standing behind his chair, patted his back gently and awkwardly. He abruptly stopped when Sasuke smacked his hand away, frowning. Sasuke flushed—it wasn't that he didn't appreciate the gesture but… memories of the perverted dream he had been having earlier that day flooded his mind and he was unable to even look at his blonde servant without feeling embarrassed. Even though he had no idea why.
Dreams didn't mean anything, right?
Right.
Dinner went on with Sakura chattering endlessly about one thing or another—dinner parties, dresses, the wedding, were some of her favourite subjects—while Sasuke half listened and half eyed his food, thinking about more important matters.
Well, he tried.
All he could think of was that damn blonde boy standing behind him.
Speaking of the blonde… Sasuke had a bad feeling about him. Naruto had been grinning ever since dinner had started and he hadn't stopped ever since—it was slightly unnerving and annoying. Just what was he up to? The Prince sighed and shrugged—he'd figure it out eventually, probably. As long as it wasn't anything bad…
"Eek!" a high-pitched shriek emitted from Sakura when something slimy and squishy was sitting against her leg. Naruto's grin visibly widened when Sakura jumped up from her chair and ran to the other side of the dining room, leaving a confused Sasuke. He became even more confused, when her eyes widened and she screamed some more while running around the room now. "Monster!" she shrieked as she ran to Sasuke for comfort.
"What did you do?" he hissed to Naruto, who gave him a small grin and pointed at something green on Sakura's pink dress. The Prince quirked an eyebrow. "A frog?" Before he could hear (or see) Naruto's reply, Sakura launched herself at him and firmly sat herself on his lap.
"Save me!" she pleaded dramatically. Sasuke couldn't help but feel amused at the girl's screams and curses and any other unlady-like thing she was doing that very moment and threw Naruto a grin, who eagerly returned it. The blonde decided the fun was over and walked over to them, prying the frog off Sakura's dress and actually putting it on top of his head. The frog croaked happily and stayed where he was: a comfortable blonde mop of hair.
Sasuke blinked once and shoved Sakura off his lap, the grinning gone and it instead made way for another coughing fit.
"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, taking a couple of quick steps so he was by the Prince's side—Sakura worriedly shot her fiancé a glance, before she called out for Kakashi when she saw Sasuke coughing up blood. "Sasuke, are you alright? Wh—what?" Naruto's eyes widened when the Prince lost consciousness in his arms, his right hand, which he had been using to cover his mouth, covered in blood. Kakashi was there not two seconds later and took Sasuke in his arms.
"Naruto, let's take him to his room. Lady Sakura, why don't you go to your room to get some rest?" The two younger ones both nodded and complied—Sakura went to her room and Naruto followed Kakashi.
He felt guilt. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. It was his fault that Sasuke was feeling bad, because he had been the cause of all that commotion… he smacked himself over the head for it as he entered Sasuke's bedroom. While Kakashi placed the Prince on his bed, Naruto hurried to the bathroom, grabbed a towel and soaked it in cold water for the Prince also had a fever. He scurried back over to Sasuke's bed and gently wiped the small beads of sweat away, before placing it on his forehead.
"Kakashi-san, the doctor has arrived," a servant called from the other side of the door.
"Good, send her in!" Kakashi replied hurriedly. Not a second later, the door slammed open. Naruto blinked and his eyes rested on a pretty blonde-haired woman—she seemed to be in her twenties and her hair was tied in two pony-tails. She looked rather irritated.
"Alright, where's the brat?" she barked angrily. "I swear, an old woman can't even get her beauty sleep around here anymore." Kakashi chuckled lightly.
"Tsunade-sama," he gave a small bow. The woman—Tsunade—nodded and walked over to the bed, her eyes briefly focusing on the blonde boy sitting besides him. A hint of recognition flashed through her eyes, not going unnoticed by Kakashi, before she sat down next to the bed and checking up on Sasuke. Naruto stayed quiet all through the examination and frowned on a couple of occasions—he had never really seen a doctor or anything, so when Tsunade took out a weird thingie and placed it where Sasuke's heart was, he really had no idea what she was doing.
Finally, after perhaps thirty long minutes of watching coughing and sweating Sasuke, Tsunade sighed and stood up, motioning Kakashi to follow him. Naruto wanted to hear it too and walked right behind them, only to be shoved back by Kakashi.
"No, no, you go and stay with Sasuke. Watch over him for me, okay?" The blonde blinked once at him and slowly nodded. Tche, not as if I'm not going to find out anyway, he though, narrowing his eyes at them.
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Ten minutes later, Kakashi stepped back in the room. Naruto immediately perked up a bit.
"So? What the old hag say? Huh? Is something wrong with Sasuke?" he asked eagerly, running towards Kakashi and tugging at his shirt. The older man merely patted his head, before heading over to the Prince.
"Don't worry about it, Naru-chan," he replied cheerfully. "The nice Doctor gave him some good medicine and he'll be fine! He's going to have to stay in bed for a long time though, but I'm sure you'll… entertain him." Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows, while Naruto just cocked his head in confusion.
"Eeh? Whatever. But what does he have then? A fever or something?" Naruto pressed on.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it. He'll be fine!" At least, that's what I want to believe, Kakashi mentally added, sighing as he placed the bottle of pills on the small table next to Sasuke's bed. "Well, I've got to take care of some things. You stay here Naruto, in case he wakes up." The blonde gave some weak protests ('Hey! You still didn't tell me!'), but it was useless since Kakashi just didn't pay any attention to him.
"Well, guess it's just you and me Sasuke-bastard," Naruto muttered fondly, crossing his arms as he sat on the wooden chair next to the Prince's bed again. "So, Kakashi won't tell me what ha— WHOA!" Naruto let out a yelp when Sasuke's arm shot out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him into bed with him. "S—Sasuke? What are you doing?" Naruto muttered nervously when the Prince started to nuzzle his neck and when said boy's arms wrapped themselves around his waist.
"No idea, must be the fever," Sasuke muttered in return, his warm breath tickling the blonde's neck. Naruto didn't find this position entirely… uncomfortable. Ah, who was he kidding? He loved it! "Naruto?"
"Hmm?" the blonde muttered tiredly. He was pressed against Sasuke's chest and when he felt it slowly rising up and down and when he heard the Prince's heartbeat, it was oddly relaxing him. Sasuke was silent for a long time and Naruto wondered for a moment whether or not he had fallen asleep again and he himself drifted off. Right before his eyes closed fully and he was lost to the world of dreams, he was sure he heard the Prince say something.
"You'll stay with me forever… right?"
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"Kakashi? What's wrong? Is Sasuke alright?" Kakashi gave him a 'hmhm' as he wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist and pulled him closer.
"I'm not worried about him… Sasuke is a strong kid, he'll be fine. I'm worried about Naruto… this kid, he just keeps on raising questions." Iruka raised an eyebrow. "After Tsunade checked up on Sasuke, she talked to me about the kid too…"
---Flashback---
"Who's that brat?" The blonde doctor asked once they stood outside Sasuke's quarters.
"You know him?" Tsunade bit her lip hesitantly.
"I might… he looks familiar," she replied. Kakashi shrugged.
"His name is Naruto, Sasuke just showed up with him over a week ago and decided to keep him," Kakashi chuckled. "He was completely naked at the time and had passed out—Sasuke's grown quite fond of him. He's started to laugh and open up more when he's around… it's really amazing."
"You said his name is Naruto? Uzumaki?"
"Yes, how'd you know?"
"…I might've known his father."
---End Flashback—
Kakashi sighed worriedly. If it was true what Tsunade said after that… well, it certainly was interesting. That was certain.
"Kakashi? You alright?" Iruka cast him a worried glance, making the slightly taller man sigh.
"Yup, koi," he replied cheerfully, throwing him on the bed. Ah well… everything will unfold itself in time. No point in thinking about it now!
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An: Eeeeeeh, Tsunade-baa-chan knows his father? But how can that be! Confused? I hope so. I live for that x3. Review please!