"Foolish Hearts"

'Chapter Fifteen'

It was the third and final day.

Shikamaru would be here soon.

Sasuke had felt himself on edge, his cool attitude lost as the anticipation bit along his spine. Currently the Uchiha was settled on Naruto's bed -- sitting cross-legged, running a towel over his wet hair.

Naruto had been in his office all morning.

Doing whatever the hell Naruto did in there.

Sasuke didn't know what to expect when Shikamaru came, didn't know how he should be responding at all. He had tried to take a shower to calm his nerves, but it was difficult. He tossed the damp towel on the chair -- running his fingers through his thick hair in an attempt at putting some order to the chaos.

Sasuke's eyes were pure black, a lethargic almost sedated grace to his movements -- the Uzumaki had convinced him to take a pill; wanting to make sure the man didn't go psycho when Shikamaru arrived. His darker mind having plotted the days and Naruto had gotten a bit too nervous -- almost forcing the pill down Sasuke's throat to force out a normal attitude out of the man.

He was sleepy...

He paced down the hall, his hips swaying with a sleepy swagger as he finally pushed the door to Naruto's office open. He didn't care that Naruto told him not to go in, apparently doing some secret paperwork of something.

...whatever.

The Uchiha was nervous, sleepy, and he wanted to see his Hokage-sama. "…what're you doing?" Despite his want to just barge in, Sasuke had found himself at the doorway, just peeking his damp head in.

Naruto had just finished up with the second to last file and had one more to go. He looked up when the door was opened, his pen between his teeth.

Sasuke looked liked he had just woken up.

Naruto took the pen out of his mouth, "Hey." He smiled gently. He moved the papers down and closed the file and set the pen down. "You look like you could crash at any moment."

"Mhm…" Sasuke was having trouble focusing, the pleasant fuzz from the medication descended on his brain. It had only been one pill -- Naruto was regulating them now, but it was definitely enough, it had enough time to course through his system.

Since Naruto didn't tell him leave Sasuke thought it would be safe to enter. He moved towards the chair in front of Naruto's desk, setting himself down on the chair his arms coming to fold over Naruto's desk. He tilted his head on his folded arms, his half-lidded obsidian eyes peering up at the fox noticing the chewed pen. "Shikamaru will be here soon." Like Naruto didn't know, but Sasuke said it anyway in his sleepy drawl.

Naruto smirked and continued to go through the papers. "I know." He started, he caught the sleepy looked in Sasuke's eyes. He moved the papers together in a pile before he rested on his elbows on his desks and leaned forward to look at Sasuke. "He'll be fashionably late, as usual, because he thinks that it's troublesome." He joked slightly, mimicking Shikamaru's voice.

He liked this...

The sleepy fog.

He could really see the detail in Naruto's eyes as he leaned forward, could really enjoy the fox when his mind wasn't constantly on edge.

Killing.

Murder.

Pain.

Sasuke didn't want any of those things right now; all he wanted was to go to sleep, wanting Naruto to take him back to their room so they could sleep.

He would like that…

Sasuke's smirk almost tilted into a fragile smile, he lifted his hand and ran his fingers across Naruto's cheek -- pulling the fox just a little closer as he pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss.

The Fox smiled into the quick kiss and pulled away slowly. They had time before Shikamaru actually arrived. Pulling away from the Uchiha, Naruto stood up and moved over towards the sleepy man, before he gently ran his fingers through the dark, wet hair. "C'mon, sleepy." He smiled gently, before he moved to lift Sasuke from the chair, "Let's get you into bed."

Sasuke glanced up to the fox the moment he was swept into the kitsune's arms, his body falling limp against the man's chest as the blonde moved him out of the room and down the hall. He let his dark eyes slide shut as he felt himself maneuvered onto the mattress, feeling the bed give when Naruto climbed in after him. The Uchiha didn't have the strength to open his eyes; the drugs pulling at his mind as well as the relaxing sensation the previous shower had given his muscles. He felt when Naruto laid next to him and the Uchiha ended up twisting his body towards his kitsune, letting himself almost seem to hide in his chest.

"...sleep?" Sasuke wasn't able to form a complete sentence, but he was trying to request the fox nap with him, his breathing already starting to even and the firm hold he had on Naruto's robes were starting to loosen.

Naruto smiled gently, his own eyes closing. "Umhm..." He let his fingers trail down Sasuke's body. Shikamaru would come and find him when they were ready to go. He could spare some time with Sasuke.

Sasuke let himself be pulled off to sleep as Naruto's fingers gently trailed across his body -- easing any tension he had previously felt.

He had wanted to say something...

But the thought had left, and the fatigue pulling at his mind was just so much more inviting as he finally let himself drift to unconsciousness.

--

Shikamaru had come upon the little 'safe-house' -- no place was safe in his opinion if Sasuke was there; but hell, what did he know right? The lazy ninja had made his way into the home, locks were forbidden while the Uchiha was captive so he didn't care much to ring the bell. He peered into Naruto's office -- noticing it empty he continued down the hall, hoping the blonde wasn't far because he seriously didn't want to search all day.

The brunette opened the door to the bedroom, poking his head inside and noticing the two men on the mattress. Shikamaru let out a quiet sigh -- how stupid, Naruto should know better than to be getting that close to Sasuke.

...whatever.

"Yo." He called into the silence, hoping to gain the blonde's attention.

Naruto's eyes fluttered open at the simple call and he lifted his head and looked over his shoulder. "Hey." He called out, lifting a sleepy hand so he could lazily wave back at him. He looked back over to Sasuke; he carefully moved to untangle himself from the light hold. "I'll be there in a minute."

Shikamaru dismissed himself from the room, walking back towards Naruto's office -- his expression giving away nothing but a bored frown before he shut the door. He had replaced himself in the seat before the Hokage-sama's desk. He took notice of the neat stack of files and the chewed pen -- Naruto must be nervous over something.

...well if Naruto let Sasuke get as close as the lazy ninja thought, then he had a whole lot to be worried over.

He tapped his foot impatiently looking towards the window, it had started raining; damn, and he hadn't even brought his umbrella.

Naruto easily slipped from the bed and moved his pillow into the sleeping ninja's arms. Sasuke wasn't as dangerous as they said, he could get through the Sharingan mind, he just needed the time.

Time which was being taken away from him.

Easily threading his fingers through the dark hair he pressed a soft kiss to the man's temple before he left the room.

Catching up to Shikamaru he gathered the files. "Ready?"

Shikamaru got out of the seat as Naruto entered the room -- files to his chest. "...yeah." He drawled lazily, tucking his hands in his pockets as they continued out of the home and into the fresh air. Shikamaru turned his gaze to the Hokage as they walked down the street, noticing the smile on his lips but it didn't reach his eyes. The man sighed, dragging his feet a bit, "What if you can't save him?" He knew he shouldn't bring it up, shouldn't be so concerned, but despite it Shikamaru was one of Naruto's good friends -- and he felt a little obligated, no matter how troublesome it seemed.

The forced smile dropped as the two walked down the street, the rain a light mist. "I have to…" Naruto murmured quietly, his hands gripping the file tightly. His chest felt tight at the thought of Sasuke being taken away from him. He had fought so hard already to keep him, for it all to be for not...he didn't know if he could handle it. "I have to positive about it." He looked up to Shikamaru, "I can't think like that."

Shikamaru frowned a little as they continued walking the rain an annoyance as it clung to his skin. "I'm just saying..." The brunette shrugged, moving at a slow pace towards the tower where they were going to meet with the council. "You never know..." Shikamaru murmured, "Especially when you're not the final word anymore."

Naruto sighed heavily and scratched the back of his head. "That's what scares me." He murmured quietly. There was something going on with the council. "Just keep your eyes open today; we can't afford to be blind sided."

"Mm." Shikamaru made a noise in the back of his throat, opening the doors to the tower and walking just a pace or so ahead of the blonde as they walked up the spiral stairs.

"You'll get through it." Naruto was strong, Shikamaru knew that, but even he wasn't entirely sure if Naruto would be able to get through this.

Sasuke always weighed a bit too heavily on the kit's heart.

Naruto nodded as they started up the stairs. He couldn't shake the feeling in his gut. "Let's get this over with." Naruto sighed heavily as they started towards the meeting hall.

A/N:

Another short chapter. Next one is longer; The council gives Naruto the final word regarding the "fight" with Sasuke and the Anbu. Leave a review if you want to find out what happens next!