"Foolish Hearts"

'Chapter Ten'

Sasuke turned in Naruto's arms, containing himself -- a headache behind his eyes, but he was stable. The smell of blood was a faint feeling in the front of his brain. He slowly drew his hand up the kit's arm, close to the wound. "It's bleeding bad..." He whispered, his breathing a little uneven, but his eyes were still pitch black -- just a shadow of red bled over them. "Are you…okay?" His dark eyes flashed to the fox's face, noticing the start of a cold sweat on his brow, "Naruto?"

Naruto nodded slowly, and let his eyes close for a moment as he let out a slow deep breath, trying to regulate himself. He felt light on his feet, almost like a small burst of wind would knock him over. "I'll...be okay." He didn't know if the words came out, they felt slurred to him.

"Naruto?" Concern was in the Uchiha's voice -- thick under the tone of the dark voice.

...god that smell.

He gently laid Naruto on the floor as the weakened man almost fell against him. "You'll be okay." He silently promised, licking his lips and forcing the blood lust to go away.

Naruto needed him!

He needed to stop ... stop being so fucking crazy. He growled in his throat, Naruto safe against the tiles he went to fetch the first aid kit. Returning he knelt near the male, his dark eyes drinking in the whole situation, his fingers quick as he pinpointed what he needed to help the wounded fox.

"...it's okay...it'll be okay..." Sasuke's voice was low, his dark eyes distant, almost like he was talking to himself -- reassuring himself, trying to soothe away a demon. "…it'll be fine..."

The needle and thread in his hand, gauze and cleaning solution on the ground by the kit's shoulder.

...he could do this.

He had to do this.

Naruto eyed the cleaning solution next to him and then turned his gaze back up to Sasuke. The situation should have unnerved him, but for some reason it didn't. Catching the flickering eyes he gave the man as much of an encouraging of a smile as he could.

Feeling his eyelids get heavy, the fox slowly let them close…

He was so tired...

Naruto!

Sasuke screamed in his head as the fox's eyes shut.

So...trusting.

Naruto trusted him with his life, he didn't say to call Sakura or an Anbu -- Sasuke held the kit's life in his hands. He swallowed thickly, a sweat on his brow as he started to clean the wound before he started stitching up the broken flesh.

He ignored the smell of blood.

Focusing his efforts, his black eyes glancing to Naruto's serene profile, hoping beyond hope the kit was just passed out and not dead.

Dead?

From an arm wound?

Get a grip Sasuke!

He growled to himself, forcing himself to finish the stitches, then wrapping them in a clean cloth, tightly to avoid the stitching to come un-done or the bleeding to start again. The stitches were crude, uneven, but they'd do their job.

----

Naruto felt himself coming to.

He was still lying on the ground.

His shoulder felt tighter; constricted even.

Slowly opening his eyes, the kit let his head slowly fall to the side, white bandages covered his arm.

...Sasuke did this?

He smirked weakly, he felt proud of the man, it was a small step in the right direction...

...Now where was he?

Sasuke slowly rounded the corner to the kitchen, his dark eyes falling on the man still on his back. The first aid kit was scattered all over the tiles -- Sasuke had trouble after he had fixed Naruto. Mildly crazy from the ordeal he had kicked the first aid box and secluded himself to the backyard for a good few hours while Naruto slept off his wound.

Coming in on the kitchen he noticed the bright blue eyes blinking blurrily around the room. "Awake?" Sasuke said, his tone quiet, his mind under control for the time being.

"...yeah..." The kit's voice was heavy with sleep; he rubbed his eyes with his good arm, before slowly sitting up. He looked around the destroyed kitchen, the bandages everywhere. Glancing up at Sasuke he smiled gently, "Thanks for helping me." He kept his eyes on the black orbs, "This is a good thing, ya know?" He teased slightly, his voice still sleepy, "You didn't kill me."

"Mm." Sasuke crossed his arms, walking further into the kitchen towards the kitsune.

"Almost." The Uchiha murmured quietly, "Almost."

He kneeled next to the fox, keeping a little distance, watching the kit like he was a fragile piece of porcelain -- afraid to touch him.

His face remained impassive despite his scattered thoughts.

Naruto laughed and drew his knees up slightly so he could rest his good elbow on them, "Almost doesn't cut it." He tilted his head slightly, and rested it against his good hand, "Good job, Sasuke."

Sasuke's cheeks tinted pink from the praise, he tried to remain impassive, but his lips twitched a little.

...he was proud of himself too.

He controlled his eyes, even if for a few brief moments and had saved Naruto.

His dark eyes looked at a spot on the wall, away from Naruto's bright eyes, feeling a little awkward as they sat in the middle of the kitchen -- silence descending.

Naruto rolled his eyes in a playful manner as Sasuke started to get nervous under his stare. He laughed slightly, "Ok, help me up." Naruto held his hand out for Sasuke, a smile on his lips.

Sasuke got to his full height, taking the kit's hand and easily pulling him up with him.

He shoved his hands back in his pockets, looking casual, his mind under control.

He didn't tell Naruto he took a few more pills as he sat outside ... he should only take one, but he took two and a half -- because they just wouldn't work fast enough. He was under control, almost a little too sedated, but his eyes wouldn't bug him until tomorrow…probably.

The fox looked around the room, he knew he should try and clean up, but he couldn't find the energy. "We'll clean up tomorrow." He blinked hard a couple times to clear his vision as a small dizzy spell took him over. "Let's go sleep, dopey."

Sasuke frowned a little but continued to help the kit move around the house. His weight was a pleasant burden on his shoulder, guiding the kit to the bedroom. Upon entering Sasuke led the fox to the bed before he crawled in himself. He went right under the blankets, the coolness of the sheets and the warmth of the comforter immediately appealing to his doped-up brain.

His eyes half-lidded, he lazily reached for the fox, minding his shoulder. A rare display of affection -- but Sasuke tended to get cuddly when half-asleep, and that was what he quickly was becoming.

Naruto way only lying under the comforter; He tended to get too hot during the nights, and if he got too cold, he some how ended up under all the blankets anyways. Closing his eyes as he started to settle down, he paused when Sasuke's hands reached for him. Looking down at the pale hands he smiled slightly...

Sasuke was a cuddler...

Smirking, the kit closed his eyes and wrapped his good arm around Sasuke slightly.

Sasuke tilted his head on the man's shoulder, closing his eyes as the pleasant numbness took over his brain. As if demanding some attention his head found it's way under the kit's chin in a gentle nudge -- before the Uchiha's breathing began to settle and his body loosened.

-----

Naruto sighed as he laid on the outside porch. He had a closed book next to him; he was starting to get a little cabin fever. Looking around the garden, the kit spotted the pond.

He'd have to get a new koi sometime soon; 'Naruto' would be lonely.

Maybe he would do that when Sasuke slipped into his doped sleep that afternoon.

Sasuke had made his way to the garden having woken up noticing the bed empty and cold when he had opened his eyes. His hair a mess, his face slack from sleep he stood in the door way of the garden -- his dark eyes falling on the kit lounging on the floor. "...what're you doing?" He ran a hand through his hair, fighting a yawn.

Naruto looked up and over at Sasuke who stood in the door way. "Just thinking about koi." He said turning his vision back to the pond.

"Chibi-Naru's sad because chibi-Sasu died the other day." He explained, "I need to find a new one...one that chibi-Naru won't eat at first sight." He smirked, it was him and Sasuke. Naruto would eat anything almost, but what had been funny was, the small chibi-Sasu had fought back against chibi-Naru when they were smaller, determined not to be eaten or bullied by the slightly larger koi.

"How was your sleep?"

"…fine." Sasuke walked out on the porch, taking a seat next to the fox, hands in his lap as his dark eyes surveyed the garden. It had to be early still…he could almost smell the dew still on the grass, seeing it glisten in the early light.

Everything still smelled fresh.

"Koi." Sasuke said softly, "You're strange." Naruto was getting so attached to fish, and he named the after them?

Sasuke smirked a little -- mainly from the thought… that Naruto had been thinking of him, all the time he had been gone, even so by continuing his emotions into the fish he so named.

...it was comforting.

To know someone missed him.

The fox smiled gently and closed his eyes once more. "I need to go find another one today." He started, wiggling slightly on the ground to get comfortable. "I'll try and find a black one…goes with the bright orange one I have already." He felt something within the barrier move, and opened his eye.

Sitting up he looked towards the door.

...He wasn't supposed to have company…

Making a face he stood up, "Hold on..."

Walking into the kitchen he spotted a young Anbu messenger, "You're not suppose to be here-"

"I have orders from the council. They demand a meeting with you Hokage-sama." The boy bowed slightly before handing the fox a file.

"Dismissed."

The boy turned and quickly left the way he came.

Opening the scowl, he sighed in a frustrated manner, "Sasuke!" He called walking back to his bedroom, "I have a meeting I have to go to, I should be back in a couple hours and then we can pick koi!"

--

A/N:

Hey, decided to update again. This chapter was kind of short, but the next one is rather exciting! Please leave a review and the next chapter will be up soon, and it should be longer. Thanks!