summary: It's been a while since the Uchiha moved out of her apartment, and so far, living with his best friend has proved itself to be quite the challenge. The pandemic was still far from over, and though they were both following the orders and staying inside, their hearts ached for the one who had to stay out there.

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a/n: It's finally here! Chapter 2 of Duty Calls, as we were all expecting it, and I just gotta thank you all for the wonderful feedback I've received after posting chapter 1! Here in Brazil, things are still far from being controlled, and though my family is fine, It's still overwhelming to see all the numbers rising every day. I've tried to use a bit of my experience to continue this story and even if I know it was my way of coping, I understand that, for someone else, it might be too much, so take it easy, ok? Times are though, for sure, but we'll get through this! Again, I hope you enjoy this fic, and as always, I would love to know your opinion on it!

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And in a matter of 3 weeks, the city of Konoha was no longer the same.

Though safety measures had been taken and people had been careful, it all proved itself pointless once the first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed. The patient was a young man, around his thirties, who had just returned from a business trip to the Sand Country. The protocols were followed and he was isolated from the rest of the society, but by the time the sanitary agents had finished talking to his neighbours, the second case was confirmed, and eventually, the third, fourth, tenth and the hundredth. The numbers wouldn't stop as countless new cases were popping up every day, and it was possible to see the silent fear that had taken over the city.

At first, the infection was nothing but a faraway reality to most citizens. It was just something people were talking about on the news and no one really felt like it had anything to do with them. They thought it would never happen to them. However, the virus got closer, to the point where everyone knew of someone who tested positive. Most stories, sure, were about asymptomatic people who had nothing more than a headache, but whenever those stories escalated— whenever someone they knew ended up unconscious and with a tube down their throat— that was when people got really afraid.

In every district, rough metal doors now decorated the streets, and instead of colourful shop windows inviting the costumers to come inside, only closed signs and motivating messages could be seen. "It will pass", "we will get through this", "stay inside" and so many others that would only be seen by those who had a good reason to leave the safety of their houses. Those messages— and so many other entertaining initiatives suggested by digital influencers and famous artists—, for sure, were very uplifting at the beginning of the whole pandemic, when most people actually believed everything would be solved in a week or two.

Up until then, the COVID-19 was nothing but a global adventure for those who weren't sick— or at least didn't know they were—and it would be over before anyone got the chance to even become bored. It would be a chance to take a break from everything and sleep until noon for a couple of days before life returned to normal.

'Soon it would all be over', they said, and people were truly satisfied with just that.

'Soon'.

But as the days went by and the situation started to go south, people realized that their precious 'soon' would take longer than any of them had initially planned.

By the end of March, people weren't as excited as they used to be, and now, as everyone watched as Spring went by through closed windows, hope was no longer a familiar feeling and fear had invaded most of the residences around the city. The citizens had turned pessimistic regarding the uncertain future, and some of them were even going through the 7 stages of grief as they mourned their long-lost life.

Times were tough. For those who could stay at home and for those who couldn't but forced themselves to, times were really tough.

Even for those who don't usually go out that much, staying stuck inside 4 walls was proving itself to be quite the challenge. Staring at the same things and at the same people— if there even were people— was starting to take its toll on everyone, and there were days when it was just too much. Sure, every case was a case and people reacted differently to the current situation, but eventually, everyone was due to get sick of that life.

And Uchiha Sasuke was no exception.

After his girlfriend kicked him out in order to protect him, the raven haired boy ended up staying with his best friend. For they were always together, Naruto's guest-room was basically the Uchiha's spare room, and it's proven itself quite useful whenever he and the pinkette engaged in one of their lover's spat.

They didn't fight much, but when they did—well— it was better to stay out of it.

Still, even if he didn't have to spend two months sleeping on a couch, to say sharing the apartment with the blonde was easy would be a huge lie. They're too different, both of them. Though best friends since they were in their dippers, both Sasuke and Naruto have very strong personalities and it doesn't take much for them to start a fight. They're stubborn, hot-headed and neither of them would even dream about admitting to be mistaken. In other words, chances were that they would end up killing each other before the end of the quarantine.

The Uchiha needed space. He needed a full day without listening to that annoying 'dattebayo!' or seeing those ramen cups pilling up all over the sink. The blonde wouldn't move a finger to help with the chores, and if it depended on him, the trash would stay there until it decomposed itself. Naruto is a slob and living with him has made Sasuke reconsider his early life choices.

How could someone who leaves his unwashed clothes all around the place be his best friend?

Their friendship, as the Uchiha concluded, was not meant to be put to test like that. They should have never been forced to share the same roof for more than 7 days and the pandemic was nowhere near its end.

There was no way both of them would survive another month together. They had to do something. They had to talk things through and establish some rules in order to make that whole experience less traumatic. Sasuke was more than aware of that, but there was just no way he would be the first to suggest anything, no.

Naruto would have to grow up and admit to be a failure as a productive member of the society.

And until that happened, the only thing the raven haired boy could do was sulk. Sulk and take long showers so he could completely ignore Naruto's existence for a while.

Yes, those long showers were probably the one thing keeping the Uchiha from murdering his best friend, and right now, he was really glad to be taking one. The warm water running down his skin, soothing his muscles and taking his mind away from the messy apartment. During his showers, he could, for once, think clearly about what was happening in the world, and most importantly, what was probably happening to his girlfriend.

What could she be doing at that moment? Was the hospital already crowded? Was she okay?

Though they face-timed every day, it still wasn't enough for him to ask all the questions that haunted his dreams and to just talk about nothing in order to make up for the lost time. Day after day, whenever her pretty face showed up on his computer screen, Sasuke could feel a heavy weight being lifted from his chest. Normally, she would be smiling and her bright, emerald eyes would shine brighter whenever he said anything about wanting to kill Naruto in his sleep.

After talking about their respective days, he would ask her if she was eating and sleeping properly, and even if she would always try to change the subject at that point, he would glare at her until she talked so he could scold her for being irresponsible. He would, then, ask her if she needed anything and tell her to go get some rest before the call ended. They never parted with a 'goodbye', choosing, instead, to say 'I'll see you soon". Even though they had never really talked about the reason behind that choice of words, through the silent glances exchanged by their eyes, it was possible to tell they both knew it.

Oh, they knew it too well. For she is a front-liner and he is no fool, they knew better than to just believe things would be solved in a matter of days. It would be long until they could finally meet face to face again— until they could feel their hands brushing against one another and the scent of their bodies pressed tight— so they figured that, in the midst of the chaos that was now wiping the world, they could allow themselves to be fooled by a white lie.

Their soon would come. When, they didn't know, but it would come before either of them could say goodbye.

Though the hot water was doing wonders to both his body and soul, the Uchiha knew he couldn't stay there forever. After releasing a defeated sigh, he turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around himself. Water was still dripping from his hair as he dried his body, and the steam surrounding him clouded the mirror and every glassy object inside the bathroom. Apparently, he had spent too much time in there this time, he thought, but couldn't find it in himself to care. He ran his fingers through his soaking, dark locks, ruffling them a bit as to prevent them from sticking to his face. He took a deep breath, then, and finally decided to leave his private, sacred shrine.

With no rush or excitement, the door finally opened and all the steam came out with him. The towel was still wrapped around his hips, and silently, the Uchiha started to make his way towards the bedroom. The apartment was quiet, at first, and he wondered if the Uzumaki went to the convenience store in order to buy more of that industrialized ramen he loves so much. Even if both him and Sakura were always telling him that he shouldn't leave the house unless it was very important, Naruto apparently considered ramen a vital necessity.

He really is an idiot, Sasuke thought, as he was getting closer to his room. His hand was about to reach out for the doorknob, but before he could turn it—

"Ha! You look really funny like that-ttebayo! Have you ever worn so many clothes? And can't you take some of them off?"

The Uchiha stopped. It was Naruto's voice, and apparently, he was talking to someone. Dark eyes widened for an instance when he realized that it was coming from inside of his room, and before he could act on that, Sasuke allowed his best-friend the benefit of doubt regarding his reasons to be there.

Could the dobe be having a private conversation with someone? Was it work related or could he be chatting with a girl? That idiot should better not be doing anything disgusting or—

"Okay, I see that you have to go now. As soon as he leaves his beauty shower, I'll let Teme know you called. Bye-bye, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura, Sasuke thought, as his heart skipped a beat. Why was she calling at such hour? It hadn't even been 5 hours since her last shift had ended, so what was she doing awake at that moment? There was something wrong, he thought. He really should ask her and—

Shit.

His mouth went agape as soon as he remembered Naruto's 'bye-bye' and before he could even think, the door was already flying open.

"Oi, Naruto, don't hang up—"

"Ah!" Naruto screamed, blue eyes widening as he rolled over the bed and fell on the floor. Luckily, he was wearing wireless earphones, so the computer— Sasuke's computer— didn't share the blonde's fate.

"Tch." Sasuke scoffed, clearly not caring if Naruto was fine or not. He walked pass the blonde in order to reach his computer, but his efforts proved useless for the call had already ended. The Uchiha closed his eyes in annoyance, cursing himself— and Naruto— for not being able to talk to the pinkette. For a couple of seconds, he kept staring at his computer screen, wondering if he should call her back or not.

What if it was an emergency? No, Naruto wouldn't have been so calm if that had been the case. Maybe she just needed something from him? But that could wait until after she had slept. Thanks to his current state of overprotection towards her, his mind was playing tricks on him and nothing seemed logic.

What could she possibly want from him? And why wasn't she calling from her usual ID? Could it be that she had been robbed or—

"Ouch!" The blonde said, sitting with his legs crossed on the floor. "Why the hell did you scare me like that, teme!? That hurt-ttebayo!"

"Stop whining like a child, Naruto. Why the hell didn't you tell me Sakura was calling?"

"Because you were taking your precious shower."

"So what?"

"Last time I interrupted your you-time, you scolded me for hours and told me never to do that again!"

"But this was Sakura calling. It was important!"

"So was that documentary about koalas!"

"You are an idiot, Naruto!" The Uchiha sighed, walking towards the desk near his bed to reach out for his phone. He was clearly aware that trying to discuss that matter with the blonde would lead to nothing, so he decided to just skip all that nonsense. "I'm just gonna call Sakura and ask her myself."

"Don't sweat it. She won't answer you-ttebayo."

"And why not?"

"Because she's finally opened her eyes to see the big jerk you are."

"Naruto!"

He giggled. It was always too easy. "She's busy right now."

"Busy?" He lifted his brows in confusion, checking the hour on his phone just to make sure. "Why is she busy right now? She said she wasn't be going back to the hospital until later tonight."

"Yeah…about that" Naruto started, scratching his cheek with one finger. "She said there was a problem at the hospital and she had to go cover for someone who tested positive."

"What? Did she have to go now?"

"Yep." He nodded. "In fact, she even called from the hospital computer. I barely recognized her with all of those masks and glasses. I took a screen shot of her for future blackmail-ttebayo!"

"Fuck." He cursed, closing his eyes in pure annoyance and using his fingers to massage his temples. Apart from the dobe's stupid idea of fun, knowing his girlfriend was already back in the hospital made his heart feel heavier inside his chest.

If they were asking her to get back and cover for someone, Sasuke figured things were probably getting worse out there. It was expected for some health professionals— if not most of them— to be contaminated, but seeing a person who's always working so close to other various diseases being defeated by this virus was never really easy. In fact, whenever that happened, the entire world was silenced.

Another soldier was down. Another health worker, just like Sakura, who would be lucky enough if they were able to stay home and healthy for 14 days.

Knowing things like that were happening so close to his girlfriend and knowing she would be the one suffering the consequences left him even more worried. She was probably still tired from the previous night, and knowing her like he does, Sasuke was sure she wasn't even aware of that. Haruno Sakura is a workaholic, has always been. She loves her job and she's one hell of a good doctor, but all that love and dedication has taken its toll on her life many times before.

For working has become her coping mechanism, Sakura tended to forget about herself whenever the hospital demanded more from her, and now, during the pandemic, things were no different. In fact, they were getting worse and worse by the day, and even if Sasuke called her every day to guarantee she was doing well, it was not the same as when he could actually be there.

She was ignoring herself, he knew. On March 28th, when they called her in order to wish her a happy birthday, the pinkette didn't even know what day it was. He had scolded her for that, sure, but he knew it was useless. She was going to keep working herself to the bones, and the only thing he could do was face-time her during dinner time.

Really helpful, he thought, bitterly. Still, it was better than nothing. Every victory against workaholic Sakura was already a great victory, and considering the current scenario, it was all he could do.

Almost all.

"Did she say anything else, Dobe?" He asked, his voice filled with displeasure.

"Oh, right!" He nodded, eagerly. "She also asked you to order her some groceries online since she won't have time to go to the supermarket herself."

"Hn." The Uchiha started, sitting on his bed and getting his laptop in order to access the website of her usual grocery store. Since the beginning of the pandemic, that small shop near her apartment has developed a delivery service for usual customers, and they were even making a special offer for people who were still out there. It was really nice to see so many people looking out for each other, and on behalf of his girlfriend, he could only thank those kinds of initiatives.

"Oh! And she also said not to pay for her. She told you to use her credit-card or else she will be pissed like last time-ttebayo!"

"Tch. That audio she sent me was unnecessary."

"I thought it was very hilarious."

"Shut up." Sasuke pouted, his eyes staring at the screen and choosing the items.

"Heh" Naruto smirked, crawling so he could approach the Uchiha. "What are you gonna buy her, Teme?"

"The essential, of course."

"Essential?!" The blonde repeated, a bit exasperatedly. "Jeez, teme! Let me see it." The blonde stated, reaching for Sasuke's computer in order to see what he was adding to the cart.

"Oi, knock it off!"

"Onions, tomatoes, vegetables, raw meat… You really don't know how to buy food, bastard."

"What? I don't see what's the matter with these things. It's what I usually buy for us. It's enough to prepare good and healthy meals."

"Yeah, I'm sure they are, but you're forgetting something very important."

"Oh, really? And what is it?"

"We have time to cook. And when I say we, I mean you." He started, with a grin on his face. "She probably gets home exhausted most of the days and she definitely doesn't have enough energy to cook, so you have to buy something easy to prepare."

"Are you saying we should buy her a stock of frozen food and instant ramen; and ignore all the rest?" He said, sarcasm dripping from his tongue.

"Well, not a stock, but she definitely needs some frozen food and some bowls of instant ramen."

"She needs to eat properly, dumbass!"

"She needs to eat, bastard!" the blonde started, and even if the tone of his voice didn't change much, somehow, the Uchiha could see the concern hidden in his words. Though he knew he wasn't the only one worried about Sakura's safety, sometimes, he tended to forget Naruto could also be a decent person in times of need. "Once she has enough energy and time to prepare decent meals, then we will worry about the properly part."

"Hn." Sasuke closed his eyes for a second before giving the blonde his usual stoic face. "I'm gonna put on some clothes. Don't spend too much on this crap or else she will be mad and I will blame you."

"Yosh!" A smile showed up on the Uzumaki's face as he scrolled around the shop's website. After spending some time isolated and helping his older neighbours with the groceries, Naruto knew exactly what he should buy for his girl-best-friend and he knew she would be thankful for a bowl of ramen whenever she got home and didn't feel like cooking.

And so, even if leaving Naruto unsupervised around his things was quite a risky decision, Sasuke put on his clothes and left the room. He had his phone with him, and as soon as the blonde said he was finished, the Uchiha sent his girlfriend a message.

'Groceries Ordered. Call me when you get home.'

After sending it, his dark eyes kept staring at her picture, a longing feeling taking over his heart. Sasuke remembered when she took that picture of herself, and mostly, he remembered how happy they all were while having dinner at Naruto's favourite restaurant. It was just the three of them for the night, and even if he normally hates crowded places, for the first time, he hadn't been bothered by the people around them. They were all laughing and her smile that night was brighter than all the lights of Konoha.

Her smile…

At that moment, in the middle of that mess, he couldn't really recall when was the last time she truly smiled. In a matter of weeks, not only the pinkette, but all of them were deprived of reasons to be truly happy. They were worried, scared and too immersed in this pandemic to even think about happy.

Happy would happen after life got back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as it could get.

Without noticing, he took a deep breath, locking his phone screen and heading towards the kitchen so he could start preparing lunch. Waiting for a fast reply would be useless, he knew. Sakura barely had time to breath, let alone text someone; and using her phone at the hospital was yet another risk of taking the virus home. She would answer him when and if she could. And until then, he would do what he had to do.

As a normal citizen, he would continue to do his part.

Her reply didn't arrive until later that day.

The clock was already striking past 11pm and the blonde had long succumbed to his dreams. The midnight edition of the national news was about to start, and if the Uchiha had to be honest, he didn't even know why he had left the tv on the news channel in the first place. The stories were all the same, the cases were growing and people were being hospitalized. They were all the same— and he knew it— but he had decided to leave that on anyway, and right now, after his phone had buzzed inside his pocket, he realized he had probably drifted off at some point.

His eyes blinked slowly as they adjusted to the bright screen, and though he had just woken up from a nap, all of the sleepiness had disappeared as soon as he read the notification with her name.

At last, he thought.

He used his fingerprint to unlock his phone and slowly, he stood up from the couch. He turned off the tv, and as he had started his way towards his room, he read the message she had just sent him.

'I'm home. R u still up?'

'Yeah' He answered, shortly, opening the door.

'How about Naruto?'

'Fast asleep.'

'Ok. Is it too late for me to call you?'

Tch. Silly girl, he thought, clearly not even considering her concern. 'Turning on my computer. I'll call you in a minute.'

'Ok.'

While his computer loaded, the Uchiha made sure to connect his ear pods so they could have a private conversation. Though he was glad to know she was already home and answering his texts, he couldn't seem to ignore that odd feeling growing inside his guts. He tried to shake it off while clicking the face-time icon, but it was of no use.

Maybe, he thought, it had something to do with the fact that he had just woken up. Maybe he was still a bit sleepy or, maybe, it was just a side effect from the pandemic playing tricks on him.

Yes, he was definitely overreacting, he concluded, as his ears were filled with those continuous beeps. Sakura was fine. She was certainly—

Oh, fuck.

As her image finally showed up on his computer screen, his eyes widened in pure shock and he was sure his sudden reaction didn't go unnoticed by his girlfriend. His lips slightly parted and he could feel his heart sinking inside his chest. Her face was red— swollen, even— and her eyes were bloodshot, emptied of any glimpse of light. Red, prominent lines were drawn across her face, going from the bridge of her nose and down until her chin, as they perfectly delineated the marks of the masks she had to wear during the whole day. Her lips were pale, filled with cracks, and though there were no tears at that moment, he could tell they were brimming her eyes.

The girl with the prettiest of the smiles and the brightest of the eyes was, at that moment, in the brink of a breakdown. She was biting her lower lip as if to hold back more tears and he could see the way her eyes fidgeted from the screen.

It was as if she couldn't look him in the eyes, as if she was ashamed, guilty or even both. She looked so frail and uncharacteristic that, for a split of second, it felt as if that girl— that destroyed image that was meant to be Haruno Sakura— wasn't her at all. He had never seen her like that, not even on her worst days.

Sakura…What on earth had happened to her?

After a couple of seconds spent in a deafening silence, the Uchiha bit the insides of his cheeks, forcing himself to break that state of pure horror. He blinked a couple of times, and then— only then— he was able to let his voice out. "What happened?"

No reply. Her lips started to tremble as she looked away from the computer, trying her best to recompose herself.

"Sakura." He pressed. "What the hell happened?"

"Oh, my, I can't do this." She looked at the screen, her body language growing anxious by the second, her hands reaching for the mousepad. "I-I knew I shouldn't have called you, I'm sorry. Everything is fine. Go back to sleep."

"What!? No! You're clearly not fine. Don't hang up!"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun, I—"

"If you do, I'll take my car and drive to your place right now, Sakura! Don't hang up." He said, firmly, and thankfully, that made her stop.

"I-I don't wanna trouble you."

"Tch, don't be stupid. I told you to call me if anything happened." His voice held somewhat of a rough tone, and for a second, he could see that roughness had managed to make her listen to him. He took a deep breath, then, and after what felt like an eternal pause, Sasuke decided to be the one to start the conversation again. "First of all, just answer me this…Are you safe?"

She nodded, slowly, as if her head felt too heavy above her shoulders. "Yeah." Her voice came out as a whisper, and though it was too fast, it just felt too much. It felt troubled, and if he dared say, ashamed, as if her safety was something unfair. Condemnable, even.

"Talk to me, Sakura." His voice got lower, though anger still boiled inside his veins. Sasuke knew better than to let those emotions get the best of him, but he couldn't help but what to blame someone— the whole world, for all he cared— for the pinkette's current state. She was falling apart, and though he could see her in a screen less than 30 centimetres away from him, it pained him to know she was miles away from his reach.

Her eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened again, it was as if she had gathered some courage to finally put her feelings into audible words. She breathed in and out, but still not really looking into the webcam of her computer. "We've registered the first deaths today." She started, her voice was rough, and though she was trying to sound professional— one of her many coping techniques— her emotions were taking the best of her. "And though it's never easy to lose a patient, this time…Geez, It was so much worse."

His heart skipped a beat at her words, and though he had listened to many of her hospital stories before, this one felt different. It felt heavier, macabre. "How worse?"

"We were making the rounds around the ICU when this guy, around his 70s, started calling our names. He sounded breathless and his oxygen levels started to drop so fast…" She bit her lip, her hand reaching out to her chest, clinging to her shirt. "He had been stable for three days already. He was making jokes and we even helped him call his wife yesterday because we were going to send him to a normal room, Sasuke-kun…But then, he suddenly couldn't breath and—" She paused, trying to find the next words as a tear slipped from her right eye. "—and when I saw it, my colleague was already intubating him and I was doing compressions because his heart had stopped, just like that."

He could hear the sound of her exasperated breath, and for he knew she was still not done yet, Sasuke remained silent, giving her time to recollect her thoughts. There was still so much she had to let out. So much she had bottled up inside her chest and was now getting the best of her.

Such a strong woman. He wondered how much she had endured until it got that bad.

A muffled sob escaped her lips, and he knew she was ready— or anything remotely close to that— to continue her narrative. "He didn't make it…We attested his death after half an hour or so, and now I remember looking at the people around me and we were just so…so taken back, you know? We weren't expecting that outcome from that man, no. He was—" Another tear slipped, and her voice cracked. "He was fine. He was recovering and he told his wife he was gonna go home. God, she cried so much on the phone when I told her."

"Oh, Sakura…"

"But that was not all." She swallowed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Right after the impact of his death, a nurse called from the hallway, saying there was another patient in need of immediate assistance and… And we just left him there and it was as if we were relieving that whole thing, but with a woman around her 50s, instead."

"And what happened to her?" He asked, lowly, though he was already sure of what her answer would be.

"We lost her, too." She closed her eyes, dropping her head in mild despair. When she lifted it back, more tears were streaming down her face. "I knew we would not be able to save everyone from this virus and I knew there would be deaths, eventually, but…But I never thought we wouldn't have time to mourn each of them. I thought we would have had time to think and to pay our respects before we were summoned again." She gritted her teeth, anger now visibly spread across her exhausted featured. "Sasuke-kun, I thought things were going to be more humane even with those who died, but I was wrong! Now, they're just numbers and there will be more like them soon. And their deaths will be on us!"

"Don't even go there. It was not your fault and—"

"Yes, it was! We couldn't save them, Sasuke-kun! And worse, we're probably the ones spreading this crap out there! When we come home and when we go check other patients…This is on us."

"You're wrong!"

"No, I'm not! People are scared of us, Sasuke-kun!"

"What!? Who the hell would be stupid enough to be scared of you!?"

A smile filled with scorn and mockery took over her lips as she lifted her right hand. She was holding a white, small paper that looked like a post it, and as she turned it to the webcam, Sasuke just couldn't believe what he was reading.

'You're gonna kill us all! Get out!'

His lips went agape as his mind tried to find the right words to describe what he was feeling. Seriously, how could people be so low? How could they be so cruel and insensitive towards another human-being who was just going home? These people really are beyond any salvation, he thought.

"I've found this note on my door when I got home today… And even if I don't know whose handwriting is this, most of my neighbours are averting their eyes whenever I see them from afar… So, yeah, I guess I'm not imagining stuff."

"Sakura, you can't let it get to you. These people don't know what they're talking about."

"Yes, they do, Sasuke-kun." She spoke, a little louder now. "They're trying to protect themselves by staying at home and I'm the one bringing the virus to them! They will get sick, and then…And then they will be just number, too."

Bitter tears were now flowing down her face and he knew she had finally let go of the very last string that held back her emotions and her anxieties. She was sobbing furiously, now, and at that moment, he really hated himself for not being there with her. Though he understood everything and was even tired of hearing her voice lecturing him about staying away, fuck, he just wanted to stomp out of the apartment and go to her. There wasn't much he could do, for he couldn't really give her the answer she wanted, but watching from afar as she crumbled apart was just too painful.

It wasn't fair. That virus wasn't fair to its victims and it sure as hell wasn't fair to the front-liners who had to see such horrors repeating themselves day after day. The lack of a cure, the pressure to save lives and the uncertainty of the days that were to come. Just like her, many health workers were feeling powerless and lost in the middle of that chaos, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. In fact, even though people on Tv were showing their gratitude towards those who couldn't stop working, reality showed how fear corrupted the human heart to the point where they didn't think twice before being assholes in order to try to protect themselves.

Those were certainly rough times, where physical contact was banned, certainties were non-existent and there was no guarantee that anyone would find a solution before the next tragedy occurred.

The world was hurting. People were hurting.

But more importantly, for him, his girlfriend was hurting. And even if his heart was breaking for her, he knew he had to say something— anything— to help her get back on her feet. That was why she called, after all. She wanted his help since she was clearly not being able to manage it on her own. He had to help her. He had to be strong for both of them so she could once more be strong for those out there.

For she's a practical and strong-willed woman, the Uchiha knew better than anyone that simple and heart-warming words would be of no use in order to calm her down, no. He would have to appeal to her good sense and her logical side. He had to remind her that, even if she was losing the battle, she was also the only one between them who stood a chance to win.

"Sakura." He spoke, sounding firm so she could look at him. Her face had turned even redder due to the tears, and for an instance, he swore he saw her younger version who used to cry whenever the other kids were mean to her. He really had to bring her back. "What are you going to do now?"

"…What?"

"I've asked you, what are you going to do now?"

"I-I don't know, I—"

"Are you going to give up?"

"Give up? No, I—"

"No doctor is forced to work during a pandemic if they don't want to. You can quit, spend 14 days without leaving your apartment and then you can run back to your parents'. That's an option."

"Run back to my parents?" She asked, and the indignation behind her words gave him a certain hope that he was following the right direction.

"Yes. To be honest, I would feel quite better if you did it. Knowing you would be safe would spare me a lot of negative thoughts. We could even be together. That would be a good option, right?"

Through the cameras of their computers, they stared into each other's eyes, and he made sure not to let his serious expression melt into a soft one. Dark eyes clashed against emerald ones, taunting them and daring the girl to take a stand. He was offering her a way out of that whole thing. He was showing her that there was another option if she felt like she couldn't take it anymore.

Sakura could always give up and he had to make that option clear for her.

Clear enough so she could take the next step.

"Fuck you, Sasuke."

Bingo.

Her eyes, though still red and a bit lifeless, were looking at him with a condemning stare. Though she had been looking like a child for the past hour or so, now he could finally see the traces of the mature woman she is. And even if it was still not enough to consider his job done, Sasuke could now hold onto something in order to bring her back.

"What? I'm just giving you an option."

"No, you're not." She scoffed. "You know exactly what you're doing, you jerk. You're giving me a stupid option we both know I would never take just so you can make me feel less shitty."

"Well…is it working?"

"…Maybe." She said, softly, the tears now slowing down. "What will you do now?"

"Me? Hn, I should be the one saying this, don't you think?" He looked at her with warmth in his eyes and he hoped she could feel it. "What are you going to do now, doctor?"

At first, she just stared at the screen, but slowly, her head started to move until she was nodding it up and down. Tears were still coming and her lips were still trembling, but she didn't look that desperate or broken anymore, no. Sakura was slowly gathering her pieces, and he felt more relieved to see her like that. The pinkette took a deep breath, then, and he knew at that moment she had finally made up her mind.

"Probably something stupid." Her voice came out, softly and unsure.

'Now that's the Sakura I know.'

"I'm going back." She continued, lowly at first, as if to taste the sound of her words as they were thrown into the universe. "Shannarou, I'm going back to that hellhole because that's the only place in the middle of this mess that makes me feel slightly better with myself. I'm going back because that's my job." Her voice came out with all the confidence he knew she would be able to muster that night, and he figured that was their small victory of the day. She didn't look that scared anymore, and perhaps, she was getting ready to move on for the night.

"Tch, there's something definitely wrong with you, Sakura."

"Yeah…I guess there is." She said, softly, wiping the last tears that were falling from her eyes. "I guess not even a pandemic will keep me from working too much."

"You're probably right, but…" He offered her a comforting smile, looking away from the webcam for a second before returning his attention back to her eyes. "I'm proud of you."

Judging by the way her emerald eyes widened, it was possible to say his words caught her by surprise. Apparently, tears started to pool around her eyes once more, but she stopped them before they could fall. Her lips slightly curled up at that, as in a shy reaction, and even if he normally wouldn't have said that, well, he figured she was in need of those words.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun. I don't know what would've happened if it wasn't for you."

"Hn, that's easy, you would've been stubborn like always. And though I'm sure you would've figured out what to do on your own, it might have taken you a little longer to reach that conclusion."

"Maybe you're right." She started, tugging a strand of her pink hair behind her ear. "Damn it, maybe I really do need to start listening to you."

"Better late than ever."

Better late than ever, indeed. Slowly, she was coming to her senses and he knew there was nothing left for him to do. From that moment on, it was up to her, and more than anyone, he knew she would pull through it.

"Yeah…"

"Oh, and now that you've mentioned it, have you eaten anything already?"

"I guess not." She bit her lip, her demeanor clearly showing she hadn't even considered that until that moment.

"Tch, you're worse than Naruto. Go eat something, will you? You need to refill your energies."

"Fine." Sakura said, taking her laptop in hands as she started walking down her hallway and towards the kitchen.

"Do I want to know when was the last time you ate?"

"Probably not."

"Tch."

She placed the device on her kitchen island and turned around to open her cabinet to grab a pan. "Come on, you're the chef here…What can I do that is easy and good enough for your standards?"

At that moment, though he knew she was clearly teasing him, the Uchiha couldn't help but remember the Dobe's words earlier that day. And though he would normally not care about those things, he figured he could make an exception. It had been a rough night, after all.

"Do you have instant ramen?"

"Instant ramen?" She asked, confused. "Are you really suggesting that?"

"Aah." He nodded, as if that was the most normal thing in the world. "I'm getting hungry, too and I think there's still one bowl left. What do you say?"

Her face was a bit surprised, at first, but eventually, her expression changed and a soft, grateful smile took over her lips. In a swift move, she put back the pan and got herself a bowl of instant ramen. "Instant ramen it is, then."

"Hn, I'll go get one for me, too."

"Okay…" She began, and he watched as she started to prepare the noodles. He was making his way to the kitchen with his laptop in hands, and it didn't take much before they were both waiting for the water to boil. "Now we just wait, right?"

"I guess…Naruto is the expert here."

"He certainly is." She agreed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. Her eyes were half closed, her head tilting a bit to the side. "Sasuke-kun…?"

"Uh? What is it?"

"I know it's late and you must be tired, but…Can you talk to me for a bit longer? Just tell me about your day, I don't know."

Her voice was soft at that moment, and he noticed the way she was genuinely curious about his day. Though she was still far from normal, Sasuke figured that was the closest to normal she would get in a situation like that. For the first time during the quarantine, he saw her, not as a doctor working bravely on the front lines, but as a young woman who had the right to feel insecure and scared.

They were all scared, after all. Why couldn't she be, too, right? Just like everyone else, Sakura had the right to feel everything, and sometimes, feeling came with an overwhelming price. It hurt, it made her cry and doubt herself, but mostly, it made grow. As a woman and as a doctor, Haruno Sakura was growing and blooming like the flower she is.

For the better or the worse, that was how things were now.

And no matter what the future had in stock, they were going to face it together. Even if they were separated because of the virus, their hearts would be connected, always.

"Of course."

"Good." She smiled, weakly, and at that moment, they knew that, in the middle of that mess, they could finally allow themselves to enjoy some good, instant ramen for dinner.

a/n: Okay, so… was it too much? From the beginning, I had this angst prepared for this story, and believe it or not, most of Sakura's lines were based on real conversations shared by doctors. The note, too, was very real. It happened to a health worker here in my country and it just broke my heart when she told that to the press. Times are really weird right now, and it's ok to be scared, but we can't turn against each other! We need to spread love and empathy, not the other way around. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm always here! I'm a bit of a mess and I take a long time to answer, but believe me, I AM HERE! Anyway, thanks for reading it! Hope you've enjoyed it! Stay safe and stay inside!