I'mmmm back! sorry for the delay i was trapped in my luggage overseas but thankfully im back in Australia.

And for some peculiar reason this chapter was very amusing to me :D hope it is to you too!

Enjoy and Review!

Chapter Seven

Sasuke was asleep but something itched at the back of his consciousness just enough for him to feel it and be irritated by it. There was this strange niggling sensation, like forgetting something drastically important like leaving the oven on and coming back to your apartment to find it ablaze and all that's left is an uncontrollable inferno.

Sasuke never forgot things like that. He was especially anal about being aware of everything in his surroundings to the point of obsessive compulsive but this feeling was especially new. He couldn't possibly have forgotten something and was alert enough to find this foreboding feeling intriguing and despite the drugs in his system he steadily slid back into consciousness.

The bed he was lying on was rock hard and to his extreme humiliation he was wearing the pathetic stretch of plastic that they called a hospital gown which left him quite unprotected in the lower departments. He resisted the urge to flee from the hospital because there seemed to be someone sitting in a chair blocking his only exit and he realised what had woken him.

Naruto. Sasuke exhaled the breath from his lungs in one surprised gush that he was suddenly clambering for air again trying not to choke on the sudden lack of oxygen. Naruto was sprawled across the chair somehow managing to look like he was modelling the furniture for a sales advertisement despite the fact that he was in a dead sleep and Sasuke could even see a little bit of his toned stomach which had exposed itself when his shirt had ridden up. And he continued to watch the rise and fall of the rippling muscle as Naruto breathed evenly.

He swallowed at the unbelievably tempting image but Naruto continued to sleep without the slightest sense of professionalism. Sasuke certainly didn't feel that he could be properly protected if the blonde dobe slept through his supposed guard duty like he did the watching of his unconscious charge.

Deciding that he was still angry at Naruto for running off without explaining anything, though he did of course like that the blonde had come to see him, it thrilled him even, Sasuke slowly and quietly removed himself from the blankets. Had Naruto stayed there all night?

He noticed the difference between the chair and his own bed. Why was Naruto sitting so far away? To guard the door better or was it because Sasuke had made a fool of himself pumped full of drugs? Flushing at the thought Sasuke focused on being quiet as he slid his bare feet across the tiled floor. He could easily squeeze past Naruto but the problem was not drawing his attention.

Lowering his breath so that he was hardly even breathing to make no sound Sasuke slowly, oh so slowly, shifted around Naruto toward the door. A warm hand seized his wrist so quickly that he flinched in a violent way and made a very undignified sound that he would later on vehemently deny.

Naruto didn't even open his eyes. "Are you sure you want to do that?" Naruto asked him. "Because it seems to me that you're in a very vulnerable position and I can't be held accountable for all those dirty old pervs out there" and the blonde cocked his head in the general direction of the hallway, eyes closed.

Sasuke flushed again but made no effort to retract his wrist; he liked the contact too much though he couldn't really understand what Naruto meant. Was he flirting with him or something? What happened to keeping things strictly professional?

"What dirty old pervs?" he asked despite wishing to remain indifferent to Naruto's easy grin. He opened his eyes and suddenly Sasuke was looking into the brightest depths of the ocean or the sky on a beautifully clear day. It startled him every time.

"You're right near the elderly ward" Naruto said with a grin. "And I'd better warn you a couple of them got a bit frisky when I went and got coffee"

Sasuke didn't smile like Naruto did. In fact, the comment only made him angry. He didn't have time for this he needed to go and get prepared for the function that he was attending that evening. He was required to entertain thirty influentially wealthy men into considering Uchiha industries for their next venture. It was to be a very significant night. Sasuke had failed to mention it to Naruto because he had hoped he would be free of a bodyguard by then but he was tougher to crack. And anyway there was little time to be thinking about how desired Naruto was by everybody else. Sasuke already knew that.

Scowling Sasuke pulled his wrist free of the blonde and searched for his clothes that he'd been wearing during the attack. At least they'd be better than the shower curtain he had on. But he couldn't see them anywhere. And Naruto was right, he was very vulnerable in this ridiculous outfit.

"Where are my clothes?" he demanded coldly shifting into the deadly Uchiha that everyone knew and feared. Naruto only grinned and rose to his feet in a fluid movement turning so that he could see the space behind him. Immediately realising what was going on and what Naruto was attempting to see Sasuke moved out of his view quickly backing against the protection of the wall feeling his temper rise dangerously as he felt the cold stone press against the naked flesh of his posterior. Here he was an adult running away to preserve some childish modesty when he was absolutely certain that Naruto was explicitly enjoying teasing him.

"Would you believe that I hid them so I could take a peek?" Naruto intoned cheekily with a mischevious wink. Sasuke damned him to hell for being so goddamn sexy otherwise he would have done something much worse then give him an orgasm when they'd first met and they wouldn't be in this mess. And not only that Naruto seemed to be invading his personal space.

"Get me my damn clothes" he demanded, scowling dangerously.

Naruto stepped closer. "Hmmm? Do I look like your housemaid to you, Uchiha bastard?" Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically. "Here I am coming to see you out of the goodness of my heart..."

"It's your job" Sasuke snapped. "And one I understand that Itachi shouldn't even be paying you for seeing as I'm in the hospital"

Naruto remained smiling but his eyes darkened just a little. "Well I suppose it would have been much easier if someone hadn't been trying to remove me at any possible moment convinced that there wasn't any real danger..."

"There wasn't" Sasuke began insistently.

"YOU ALMOST DIED BASTARD!" Naruto yelled with an intensity that astounded Sasuke. A nearby nurse stuck her head into the room as if to make sure she didn't have to stitch anybody up or inject anyone to calm them down. Sasuke took an imperceptible step back. There was no way that he was going back to crazy drug induced sleep land, thank you very much.

Naruto seemed to have recovered and was now busy observing every inch of Sasuke's gown as if searching, hoping for it to magically fall off or for him to develop x-ray vision. Sasuke wondered if there really had been perverts outside or if Naruto was merely warning him about himself. It would hardly be surprising given the intent look that he was giving him. He felt embarrassed again but he was already against the wall and there was nowhere to go. Naruto smirked at him.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Naruto seemed to be enjoying making him feel uncomfortable. Fine. Sasuke had had enough.

Two could play at that game. He stepped forward with a swiftness and lack of hesitation that seemed to surprise Naruto because he froze. Smirking now at this new reclaimed sense of victory Sasuke put his palm against Naruto's chest and slid it slowly upwards until his hand had reached around and cupped the back of his neck. He was unable to resist skimming his hand further into the golden tresses of the blonde's luscious hair.

He leaned closer and noted with satisfaction that Naruto swallowed heavily.

"Or" he murmured coaxing Naruto closer still so that his lips brushed softly across the shell of his ear and the blonde shivered. "You could just give me yours"

Sasuke was suddenly enjoying himself so much better than he had been before. He was pretty badly injured and wearing practically nothing but Naruto was always just so captivating and he loved to entertain him. The only problem though was that getting this close also excited him too. And nothing, not even thoughts of Ino and Sakura together- although he was quite certain they hated each other- could calm him down enough to remain indifferent. Ever since Naruto had bitten him…

The temptation to close the distance between them was so strong that Sasuke could actually feel what separated him from Naruto and his bodyguard seemed to be experiencing the same problem if the way he'd bitten his lip almost to the point of bleeding was any indication. Without realising Sasuke's hand came to the tender side of his neck again and suddenly he wanted more than anything for Naruto to touch it again. Naruto noticed the movement and exerted more effort in remaining perfectly still.

Eventually they seemed to get a hold of themselves though Sasuke could not for the life of him understand why he was supposed to. Wasn't it obvious that they wanted each other?

"Listen" Naruto began gruffly his voice taking on a deeper tone that warned Sasuke that perhaps he might have lost his cool a little bit more than anticipated. "I need to tell you something"

And suddenly Sasuke knew exactly what he was about to tell him and couldn't help feeling genuinely amused. Did he think that Sasuke was stupid or something? Sasuke continued to watch Naruto struggle to formulate the words to explain it all to him and he enjoyed it for a moment before deciding to put Naruto out of his misery.

"Are you referring to when you bit me, marking me as a potential mate?"

Naruto licked his lips almost at the memory but he was extremely surprised by what he'd revealed. Sasuke felt a little smug that he'd managed to get that one past him. "It seems my brother knew exactly who he was dealing with when he hired you. Only he neglected to mention it to me"

There was accusation in his tone which spiked Naruto's indignation. "Everybody knows who I am, Sasuke usually I don't even have to say and they know. I mean, dammit! If you hadn't…"

"If I hadn't thrown myself at you nothing would have happened?" he guessed realising the folly of his actions but still he could not regret it. Naruto only laughed and that surprised him but somehow it made it much more difficult to keep his face serious. He almost wanted to smile himself. Naruto went over to his seat and picked up a bag that had been underneath it that Sasuke hadn't noticed because Naruto had shielded it with his legs.

He was certain that a pressed suit was awaiting him in that bag but he was still distracted by Naruto's laugh. Why did he find that funny? The blonde in question moved closer to him again but in a lighthearted teasing manner that wasn't as intense as it had been before and placed his hand into Sasuke's to relinquish ownership of the bag and Sasuke felt the contact flush heatedly through his entire body from his head to his toes and felt for sure that Naruto was doing it on purpose to see his reaction.

He tried to keep his stoic expression but he was certain it slipped because Naruto smiled again.

"I doubt it" the blonde said as he made to exit the room so Sasuke could dress. "I was already drooling by the time you'd made it to Sakura's desk"

And with a wink he departed leaving Sasuke to wish that he'd revealed what was beneath his shower curtain after all.