This was ridiculous.

Itachi sniffed loudly and brought a hand to his forehead.

Definitely messed up.

“Nii-san, how are you feeling?”

He turned his head slowly and tried to make out the fuzzy outline of his little brother. He sniffed again and groaned loudly. He felt his brother’s cool hand on his warm forehead and savored it for a minute.

“Okaa-san told you not to train in the rain.”

Itachi glared at him as best he could. He then coughed suddenly and turned on his side. “Leave me alone,” he growled.

“No way,” Sasuke replied. “I was given the job of taking care of you, nii-san.”

Itachi groaned again and turned on his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. He had never been sick in his life and because he had stayed out a bit too long in the rain the other day, he now had a cold. And Sasuke was taking care of him. Not that he minded having his brother caring for him, but the kid was determined to do his job right and wouldn’t let him do anything.

He couldn’t breathe out of his nose, which irritated him. His head was warm, his throat hurt, and he had a constant cough. Sasuke took his temperature for the third time that day and then gave him some nasty tasting medicine. Whoever thought orange was a good flavor for cold medicine must have been severely brain dead. That, or incapable of taste. So Itachi ended up gagging and ordering Sasuke to bring him water when he had to down the disgusting orange liquid.

“It’ll make you feel better,” Sasuke would say.

Itachi wanted to punch him. He loved his brother very much, but he loved his taste buds more. He could hear them crying every time he took the medicine. Itachi hated having nothing to do except sleep in bed. He wasn’t the type of person that slept in. He was up at the crack of dawn most days. But he was under strict orders to sleep until he felt better.

Sasuke would sometimes come and tell stories to him about what he had done at school. At first it was annoying, because little brothers talking about stuff you don’t care about is annoying. But eventually Itachi began to listen to his brother and enjoy hearing his stories. And Sasuke had a habit of bringing in bundles of tomatoes whenever their mother had said they were ripe for eating.

Itachi was given a few slices to help his appetite along while Sasuke devoured most of them. Although tomatoes weren’t his favorite food, they tasted better than his medicine. He really wanted some dangos and once asked Sasuke if he could smuggle some in for him.

“I can’t!” he cried. “Okaa-san told me you can’t have any sweets, nii-san!”

The older Uchiha pouted slightly and sniffed (because of his stuffed nose). To Sasuke, however, it sounded like he was about to cry. “You can’t do this one thing for me, Sasuke?” Itachi was inwardly grinning. Sasuke couldn’t defy him; he loved him too much.

Sasuke’s cheeks turned pink. “I…well…just one stick!” With that, Sasuke ran off and came back with a stick of three dangos. Itachi’s face lit up and he happily took them from his brother. He savored their taste because he could already see Sasuke pouring the orange medicine of death.

***

Two days in bed with nothing to do except drink nasty medicine and listen to your brother talk will take it out of you, Itachi realized. His cough had escalated to the point where he was now hacking up phlegm. This, in turn, had his brother gagging and running from the room every time. His temperature was still pretty high and his nose was stuffier than ever. He was forced to eat chicken soup and to gargle with salt water to stop his throat from hurting.

“I hate dis,” he grumbled finally, his stuffy nose ruining his speech.

Sasuke gave him a sympathetic look. “It’s nearly done, nii-san. You’ll been fine soon.”

“I cand’t wait dat long.”

Sasuke giggled. “Don’t talk, nii-san.”

Itachi blinked. “Why dot?”

“You sound stupid.”

So Itachi kept his mouth shut so that he wouldn’t sound like a complete idiot every time he opened it. His mother came in to see him that afternoon and fawned over him the whole time. Sasuke had a fun time laughing at him.

“Itachi, you look so cute,” she cooed.

He glared at her. “I do dot.”

“Oh, and your voice!” she chuckled. She left after spoon-feeding him his medicine, which he felt like spitting back out at her. Sasuke continued to laugh.

“You’re so precious, nii-san,” he said with a grin.

“Shud up.”

***

By the fourth day, Itachi could breathe out of his nose again, his throat didn’t hurt, his cough had diminished, and his body temperature had gone down. In other words, he was better. He was able to leave his bed and walk around for the first time in four days. His legs ached from not walking. He hurried to the kitchen to get some breakfast. When he didn’t see Sasuke for about a half-hour, he went to check on him in his room.

His brother was still in bed. Itachi smiled slightly and was about to turn and leave when he heard a sniff and a cough. Oh no, he thought. He rushed inside and saw his brother’s cheeks bright red from a fever. Itachi sat down next to him and brushed Sasuke’s dark bangs from his eyes. Sasuke looked up at him and smiled.

“I guess it’s my turn to take care of you,” Itachi said with a sigh. “You need to be more careful, Sasuke. Colds are contagious.”

“I know. Sorry, nii-san,” he croaked out. He closed his eyes.

Itachi decided that training could wait. His brother needed him. He leaned down and kissed Sasuke’s forehead before leaving the room to get the medicine and thermometer. Sasuke was already fast asleep by the time he returned. His lips turned up slightly. He climbed in next to his brother on the bed and wrapped his arms around him. Sasuke mewled slightly as he was brought against his brother’s chest. Itachi held him close, stroking his spiky hair.

“I’m here for you, otouto.”

Sasuke smiled as he snuggled closer into his brother’s embrace.