This is an idea that got stuck and demanded I see it through. This will most likely be a two-shot. Non-mass.

I don't own anything. But please, enjoy and provide feedback. I'm not used to much fluff/one-shot type stories.

A pink eyebrow rose in question. "What?" Sakura asked, prompting her teammate to clarify. He never invited her out for tea and dango.

"Itachi is sick." He repeated instead.

"I don't see how that is any of my concern." She commented. It wasn't a mean spirited sentiment as she only knew Itachi from a few missions and in passing. She would characterize their relationship as easy acquaintances, though they'd never interacted in a one-on-one setting.

Sasuke took a long sigh before finally getting to the point. "My mother has been tending to him but she has errands to run this afternoon. She wants me to ask you to look after Itachi for a few hours." She was going to ask him why he couldn't look after his own brother when she realized he probably had training with Naruto and Kakashi. The latter was helping the two knuckleheads get into ANBU. It was a feat she'd accomplished nearly 5 months ago. Granted it wasn't a permanent position as she still had duties at the hospital. Still, as Tsunade's apprentice and the best damn medic nin in Konoha, she had been assigned to team ANBU missions from time to time at the Hokage's discretion. It felt good to have the two boys scramble to catch up to her for once and she had no doubt they would make it before the year was up. According to Kakashi, they were coming along nicely.

Sakura took a sip of her tea then took a bite of dango, considering the proposition. "Fine. You owe me though. There's a bug going around and Shishou doesn't want to overprescribe drugs." Bad news for the constantly busy Itachi as it meant he would have to suffer for a few days of bedrest. As captain of ANBU team 4 and adept at solo missions, he was running quite ragged from what Sakura heard. It would do him and his team some good.

"Thanks Sakura." Sasuke looked visibly relieved. Stress from the task his mother had given him and some concern for his beloved older brother. Her teammate had a hero brother complex.

"No problem." She said as she polished off her tea.

"I've never seen aniki have the sniffles let alone a cold."

"It's the medication we've been giving out. Over medicating for common colds cause superbugs. Which is why Tsunade is reluctant to prescribe something for what's been going around." Sasuke nodded and gave his usual monosyllable 'hn.' "I'm sure your brother will feel better in a few days."

True to Sakura's word, she showed up at the Uchiha main house with her medical kit. She was greeted by the matriarch herself who looked to be ready to leave the house.

"Thank you for coming Sakura-san." The pink haired medic smiled, hoping to ease the anxiety the older woman showed.

"I'm happy to help Mikoto-san. Itachi-san is in good hands so please take your time." Sakura followed the older woman into the house, taking off her shoes at the front door and walking quietly along the wooden floors. She'd been a guest of the house for dinners but had never gone towards the living area.

"His fever is still quite high so I've been giving him cold compresses. I think it's been helping." Sakura nodded, mapping out the house so she wouldn't get lost. "I just fed him lunch so he should be sleeping right now."

"How is his appetite?"

"Not good but he had some porridge." Sakura gave Mikoto a sympathetic look. "Here we are." The dark haired woman opened what Sakura presumed was Itachi's bedroom door. Sakura took out a surgical mask and put it on her face, hooking it on her ears. Tsunade would have her head if she caught a cold from Itachi. It also wouldn't look good on her as a medic.

Itachi was sleeping on a futon, a white folded towel on his forehead. Sakura entered the room fully and kneeled next to her patient, placing her kit next to her. Behind her was a bowl of ice water for the compress. "I'll leave him in your care." Mikoto whispered as she exited the room. Itachi was breathing deeply and evenly, which was a good sign.

The blanket was raised up to Itachi's chin, making one of the most dangerous shinobi in all five nations appear small. Sakura smiled wryly at that thought before she took out her thermometer and stethoscope. She didn't want to wake him but she also needed to know the severity of whatever he caught.

With a gentle hand, Sakura took the wet towel off his forehead and placed it into the bowl behind her. His wet bangs stuck to the sides of his face and his brows drew together as he slowly started waking up.

"Mother?" His voice was husky from sleep and a bit dazed but his eyes were clear.

"Hello, Itachi-san." He turned to her voice, focusing on her masked face. "Your mother asked me to look after you this afternoon." She said, adding, "Haruno Sakura," in case he was confused in his fever. He nodded in understanding and let out a silent grimace.

"Um. I'm going to need you to sit up and take your temperature." He rose up to his elbows and she helped him to a sitting position which caused the blanket to pool at his waist. When she was met with a bare chest, Sakura could only gape in surprise. A blush quickly reached her cheeks and she mentally berated herself for thinking of how she wanted to touch his hard pectorals.

Thankfully the surgical mask hid her reaction and she had to force herself to look away from the slight sheen of perspiration on his body. She swept his long, tied hair over his shoulder to hide half his chest from her view. Handing him the thermometer, she brought her stethoscope up and placed it on his back. An image of a shirtless and glistening Itachi wouldn't leave her brain for some time. He took a deep breath, left lung clear. She moved the scope to his right side and tried to focus on the task at hand and not how she could clearly see the defined muscles of his bare arms. Damned Uchiha genes, right lung clear. She brought the scope lower to check his diaphragm when she caught a whiff of his natural scent through her mask.

Holy Hells. No man who was obviously sick and sweaty should smell so enticing. Maybe it was because she suddenly found his body very attractive but her blush deepened and she had to pull away for her own sanity. Putting her stethoscope away, Sakura took the thermometer from him and frowned at how high his fever was. He wasn't in any immediate danger but it would get quite worrisome if she didn't bring it down at least two or three degrees. His body was valiantly trying to burn through what was ailing him but too long at this temperature would do more harm than good.

After helping him gingerly lay down, she didn't notice Itachi raise his hand to her hair while she put her tools away. He was staring at her, fingering a few strands of her shoulder length pink locks. Instantly flustered, she looked to his features for any sign of what he was thinking but even in his sickly state, he gave nothing away. With a sigh, he lowered his arm and allowed her to pull the blanket up to his shoulders. Not even half an hour in and he was driving her mad. Uchiha weren't known to be overly affectionate or touchy.

Sakura had the pleasure of working with ANBU team 4 on a few occasions and Itachi was a no nonsense, mission completing machine. The only levity or lightheartedness came in the form of Uchiha Shiui who was a known flirt. She'd never known Itachi to do something frivolous or unnecessary. She concluded he must be sick and confused.

"Rest Itachi-san. We have to bring your fever down." His face was still turned towards her and she was once again thankful for the mask that hid her warm cheeks. Bringing the bowl closer to her knees, she began wringing the towel. The only sounds were of the ice clinking and water dripping but to Sakura, her heart was still thumping in her ears. Itachi's eyes were closed, giving her enough time to compose herself before she brushed some of his damp bangs away from his forehead and placed the cold compress. She didn't quite know when he fell asleep but eventually he did.

She took out a small medical book she had brought with her and started where she'd left off. Sakura checked on his compress every few minutes but tried to leave Itachi largely undisturbed. Almost an hour passed when Itachi stirred a little. Sakura had patted his cheeks with the towel before placing it back on his forehead. But even with the cold compress, she could see him sweating.

Itachi was once again dazed when he woke, his dark, onyx eyes glassy and unclear from his fever. When he tried to rise, Sakura pushed at his shoulders, calming him back down. She realized it must be hard for him to keep still and confined to bedrest. He was a lot like her in a way. Driven, independent, and a workaholic. The ordeal had to be humbling for him and she realized just how human Itachi was.

As an ANBU captain and the clan heir to one of the most influential families in Konoha, it had to be difficult for him to be taken out by a cold. His eyes suddenly became sharp as he fixated on her masked face. Sakura's emerald eyes widened at the sudden change and concluded he must have forgotten she had been there.

"Mikoto-san hasn't returned yet, Itachi-san." She offered as an explanation.

He rose to his elbows again, intending to sit up. "Water." He rasped, "Sakura….san, please." She helped him up, setting the damp towel in the bowl before getting up to fetch a glass of water. Once out the door, she took off the mask and placed a chilled hand on her flaming cheeks. When he was covered by a blanket, she was safe. How was she going to go on a mission with him now without constantly undressing him. Knocking her knuckles on the top of her head she shook those thoughts away and walked to the kitchen.

If she told Sasuke she'd ogled his older brother while tending to him, she'd never hear the end of it. The pinkette only hoped her patient hadn't caught on to her semi-lewd thoughts. It was no wonder Itachi was one of the most sought after bachelors in Konoha and it certainly explained why there was always a fight amongst the nurses over who got to give Itachi a check up. She easily found a glass and filled it with room temperature water and grabbed another cup full of ice before returning to Itachi's room. Placing the surgical mask back on, she entered and silently handed him the drink. With a sigh, Itachi finished the contents.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." She smiled, though he couldn't see it and set the empty glass down.

He sounded and looked a bit better.

"You're welcome, Itachi-san. Let me know if you experience any discomfort."

Taking the thermometer out again, she checked his temperature, busying herself with wringing out the compress again. One and a half degrees down. At least it was something. Helping him back down, she brushed the towel against both sides of his neck, providing some cooling relief before placing it on his forehead.

"Hn." Sakura smiled again, reminded of her teammate, she wondered if Sasuke had gotten the habit from his older brother.

"We should try to get your temperature down another 2 degrees before I leave." He made another soft sound of agreement before closing his eyes again to rest. Sakura took her book back out and kept vigil. She finished the small book an hour later and was getting bored. She wanted to look around his room a bit but decided it would be an invasion of his privacy. So, she let her mind wander to random, inconsequential things. Mikoto would probably be back within the next two hours anyway. Too bad she was indoors and couldn't watch the clouds pass by like Shikamaru often did.

Not ten minutes later, Sakura saw Itachi toss a bit, clearly uncomfortable. He turned to the side, facing her and causing the wet towel to plop down onto the futon. She quickly picked it up before the water could seep into the dark colored fabric. Itachi woke and sat up, he was now moving better than before. Hopefully that meant his fever broke. The stupid and also blessed dark navy blanket pooled at his waist again, giving her yet another view of Itachi's sculpted chest.

'You're a medic. You've seen hundreds of shirtless men. Pull yourself together'.

"The sweat is uncomfortable." He said, looking at her expectantly. What did he want her to do about it? When it clicked into place, she bemoaned the thought of washing Itachi. Just looking at him was difficult and he wanted her to touch him? Her face burning, Sakura soundlessly nodded, not trusting her voice. She found a new towel close by and wetted it in the bowl.

Wringing it out, she inched a bit closer so she could pat him down. He closed his eyes and Sakura had to fight her natural instinct to flee. Suddenly Sakura didn't know if Sasuke owed her or if she owed Sasuke. There were probably a dozen women who would kill to be in her place right now.

This close to Uchiha Itachi and focused solely on his chest, Sakura saw faint scars here and there. When she was about to draw away, he grabbed her hand faster than she thought him possible in his current state.

"My back." Sakura gulped audibly and berated herself for it. Her pulse skyrocketed when he leaned forward and rested his heated forehead on her shoulder.

Officially the closest she'd ever been to Itachi, Sakura was flustered and unsteady. He was sick and still had a high fever. There was no way Sasuke's brother of all people would try something on her. Worried he might be able to hear the rapid beating of her heart, she willed herself to calm down and act professional.

A few agonizing minutes ticked by and Sakura was done. Unfortunately, Itachi didn't appear ready to move. Fully aware of his body and their proximity, Sakura was at a loss. She cleared her throat, thinking he was asleep. Still no movement.

"Itachi-san?" Nothing. "I'm...um, done." Finally, Itachi lifted his head, placing their faces inches apart. Good lord, she could count his eyelashes if she wanted to. Her cheeks now aflame, Sakura held her breath, waiting for him to lay back down.

"Sakura." Her name without an honorific caught her off guard.

"Itachi-san?" He raised his hand to her hair, lightly caressing the ends of a few strands that were framing her face. Her breath hitched and her mind went utterly blank. What was he doing?

His eyes were on his fingers and her pink hair. Then she felt the backs of his fingers caress the mask where her cheek was. She froze when he inched forward slowly and kissed her through the mask. Her thoughts were nothing more than unintelligible words and sounds of disbelief. He just. Itachi just. What? What just happened?

He drew back, a frown on his aristocratic features. "Tch." He tsked in annoyance and after a quick flick from the hand still by her face, her mask fell off one ear and dangled down her cheek on the opposite side.

Her cheeks pink, mouth agape in confusion, Sakura made a sound of protest that fell on deaf ears as he took her lips with his. His tongue slipped into her mouth with ease as the last barrier had been done away with and she offered up no resistance.

He swept her away with his unusual actions and her eyes fluttered closed at the new sensation he was subjecting her to. When he nipped at her bottom lip, Sakura's lips moved of their own accord and she began kissing him back. Needing to breathe, Itachi drew away from her now swollen lips and peppered light kisses on on her cheeks and jaw. He trailed kisses to her neck and a small moan escaped her lips. Horrified, she instantly realized that this was wrong on multiple levels.

She jerked back but was prevented from retreat. One of his hands was in her hair and the other was on her hip. She had no idea when he had done either of those things. When she felt his tongue trace her pulse, Sakura shivered. Then let out a louder moan when he unexpectedly bit the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

Her hands flew to his bare shoulders and pushed him away, sending some chakra to ensure he wouldn't be able to stop her from fleeing this time. He fell back onto the futon and she righted her mask with one hand while the other covered the place his lips had last been. Needing some time to process, she dashed out of the room.

Sakura blindly made her way to kitchen, her blush still high on her cheeks on spreading to her neck as her mind lingered on the kiss. Her lips still tingled and she could still taste him on her tongue. He was sick, surely he'd thought it was a dream or maybe it was some sort of delirium. Maybe he knew some other Sakura, she rationalized. But he'd purposely touched her pink hair and no one else in Konoha sported such a vibrant color. When she arrived in the kitchen, she caught sight of a few plastic bags filled with groceries. Noticing the other person in the room, her gaze fell on Mikoto.

"Ah, Sakura-san. How was everything while I was gone?" The older woman appeared to have just gotten back from running her errands and was just settling in.

"E-everything went well, Mikoto-san. His fever went down slightly so I think he should be completely healed in two or three days." The black haired woman smiled kindly and thanked her.

"Won't you stay for dinner? I want to thank you for your time."

"It was nothing." Sakura tried to come up with an excuse." I actually have dinner plans so I won't be able to stay." She still had her tools in Itachi's room. But she didn't want to go into his room alone. She'll have Sasuke pick it up. "I'm um, actually late so I'll take my leave." Sakura bowed then hastened out of the compound, leaving behind a confused Uchiha Mikoto.

Let me know what you think! I know it's a bit out of character but I had fun thinking it up and writing it down.