"Foolish Hearts"

'Chapter Twenty-Five'

It had been a few days now.

Naruto was smiling more, and Sasuke was having trouble figuring out if they were real smiles or not. Sasuke was currently in the bathroom, sitting cross-legged on the counter and just staring at himself in the mirror. He was wearing his single red shirt and grey shorts, his black eyes almost intense in a childish way as he stared at himself. The way the light caught the shirt, it almost hit his irises in such a way they looked crimson.

...crimson?

Sasuke frowned, his nose pressed against the surface, staring at his eyes and wondering what he was looking for.

Why was he so obsessed..?

Sasuke was breathing evenly, just staring, when he heard the front door slide open.

Naruto!

Sasuke turned, forgetting how big he was -- forgetting how small the counter was, and ended up falling on the floor. He let out a strained yelp as he hit the tile in a useless heap.

Naruto blinked when he heard a thump and a small yelp. Raising and eyebrow he slide the door closed and slipped his shoes off, keeping the small bag closed in his hands. "Sasuke?" He called out almost cautiously. He moved down the hall, still not hearing a reply.

That was odd...usually Sasuke made himself known when Naruto came back from his short errands.

He saw the bathroom door open and stepped closer, before the caught sight of Sasuke on the floor. Concern flooded him as he moved to kneel down next to the man, his eyes searching for Sasuke's, "You okay?" He asked softly, setting the small bag to the side, his attention totally focused on Sasuke.

Sasuke frowned, feeling stupid as Naruto helped him up. "...yes." He said, almost in a dejected manner as he forced himself to a sitting position absently rubbing the back of his head. "Where did you go?" The Uchiha asked quickly, changing the subject.

The fox reached out and rested his hand on Sasuke's, his eyes still worried. "You sure?" He asked his eyes still concerned.

Sasuke didn't look to Naruto's concerned gaze, feeling strange but he couldn't place why.

Hm...

It wasn't important.

He lifted his bright black eyes up to the kitsune, offering a little frown, "…I'm fine, quit asking me." Sasuke waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Naruto slowly drew his hand away from Sasuke's head. "Okay, okay." He smiled gently, "Tough guy." He smirked. He started to stand up, grabbing the small bag. "What were you doing?"

Sasuke slowly got up from the bathroom floor, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothing in an absent gesture. "Nothing." Sasuke said, not lying well but it didn't matter what he was doing really. Sasuke turned his attention to Naruto, "You didn't tell me where you went." Sasuke looked curiously at the bag, "What's that?"

The fox smirked and pulled the bag to himself, "Nothing." He wrapped his arms around it, holding and protecting it. "You'll find out later tonight." He reassured moving towards his room, setting the bag on the bed. He gazed out the window towards the garden; the clouds had been building all day.

It would be one hell of a thunder storm.

"Wanna play in the garden?" Naruto asked as he closed his door.

Sasuke had followed the blonde out to the garden, trying to ignore the curiosity to that bag.

...what was it?

Why couldn't he see?

Sasuke stepped down the steps of the porch and set his feet on the dirt path. He gazed up at the sky, he could smell the scent of rain, could see the dark clouds as they moved above them.

Hm.

He was intrigued, watching the clouds move, swirling above them in an almost angry manner.

The fox smiled in a carefree manner as he gazed up at the sky.

He loved Konoha thunderstorms.

The dirt was soft under his feet, but it would be mud within hours. He smelt the rich smell of rain and acidic smell of ozone far off in the distance. The fox stepped onto the moss and look back over his shoulder towards Sasuke. Smirking he reached out and slapped at Sasuke's arm, "You're it." He teased, before he started running, jumping over the circle of flowers.

Sasuke had immediately reacted to the tag -- not really aware he could move so fast when the kitsune sped off -- the Uchiha was close after. He sprang easily over the rocks, shrubs, and plants in his way -- intent on the running man before him.

Naruto let out a small laugh as he ducked under some of the larger trees in the back, weaving his way through. He knew that Sasuke was close behind him, he was still fast.

Sasuke was compelled to gain speed, watching the fox and for some reason this felt familiar -- like he had done it a million times.

...watching that kitsune's back.

He was caught in a memory, his body moving on it's own in it's fluid pattern. Sasuke's black eyes almost were haunted, seeing the flash of blonde as the kit ducked under a tree, a fluttering of his shirt.

...weird.

Snap!

Sasuke gasped, nearly tripping as he gripped his heart, slamming to a stop against the ground -- skidding through the dirt and grass and all but smashing into a tree.

What was that?!

Sasuke's wide black eyes looked up through the treetops, trying to pick through the muffled grey of the sky above them.

Snap! Snap!

Sasuke put his hands over his ears, clenching his eyes shut; not understanding what was making him so scared.

That noise...

It was like a white noise in his head.

He wanted it to go away.

Sasuke limply slid down the tree, his forehead to the ground in an awkward crouch as he smashed his palms into his ears.

Naruto heard the small gasp and stopped, he looked back over his shoulder towards Sasuke. The thunder rolled across the tree tops and rattled in his ears. The whip like sound of thunder echoing around them. The fox ran back over to Sasuke, and jumped over the log, and landed next to Sasuke. He rested his hands on the man's back and gently eased him up. "Hey...it's just thunder." Naruto started, puling Sasuke up into his chest. "You're okay."

Thunder..?

Sasuke could barely hear the fox, barely aware when the blonde tugged him into his arms and Sasuke wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders and clung on for dear life. He buried his head in Naruto's neck, quivering as the thunder roared overhead.

It had to be something else...

It was scaring him.

His head was pulsing, echoing and he just didn't understand why.

Naruto smiled gently and brushed the man's hair back from his face. He felt the droplets of water falling. He smiled gently and moved to easily pick Sasuke up, cradling him to his chest. "Want to stay in my room tonight?" Naruto asked gently as he started out of the forest half of the garden.

Sasuke allowed himself to be cradled; still clinging to the kitsune, feeling the cold pricks of water on his exposed skin. "Yeah." Sasuke didn't look up from his shoulder, trying to hide from the thunder claps.

Naruto easily walked through the garden and onto the steps of the porch. He moved across the wooden deck towards his own room. "Why are you scared?" He asked quietly, wanting to help the man feel better.

"...loud." Sasuke was glad to be inside; letting himself be guided to Naruto's room, still not letting the fox go. "Just...loud.."

It was a half-lie.

It had startled him.

But even though the thunder was muffled now, it was still affecting him. Like a slap directly to his brain, he didn't understand why it felt like that. He felt the bed sag under their weight, the Uchiha still hiding his face from view as Naruto untangled himself.

Naruto moved around the room quietly, taking his belt off and finding two different shirts for Sasuke and himself to wear. He easily changed out of his shirt before he moved over to the bed. "Is it better in here?" The kitsune asked as he moved back over to the bed, sitting at Sasuke's hip, the shirt in his hands. "C'mon, change your shirt."

Sasuke was sitting on the bed, away from the window, closest to the headboard as the kitsune sat on the edge of the mattress. His fingers brushed over the hem of the dark red shirt, caught in a weird state of mind as he stared down at the fabric.

Ink...

He blinked, staring down at the fabric almost having been certain it was smoother, richer, like…

...blood?

Sasuke pulled the garment off him in one foul swoop, throwing the garment to the floor and reaching for the shirt Naruto held out to him. His expression was pained almost, tugging the new shirt over his head as he pulled his knees up and locked himself in the corner of the bed -- trying to hide in his hair.

Naruto sighed gently as Sasuke changed his shirt and moved to hide further on the bed. He moved so he was sitting on the bed next to the man, and easily pulled him close. The fox reached down towards the middle of the bed and grabbed the bag that was still resting there. "Here..." He smiled gently, trying to drag Sasuke out of his protective ball, "I got this for you."

Sasuke blinked, looking to the fox through his hair, slowly unwinding himself as the blonde held out the mysterious bag for him.

A present..?

Sasuke slowly reached out for the object, opening the bag and peering inside.

Naruto watched fondly as Sasuke slowly uncurled himself and reached for the bag. His hand was on the back of Sasuke's neck, his finger gently threading through the hair there. He had been walking back from a quick trip to the tower when he caught sight of the small stuffed animal sitting in one of the shop windows. He had been surprised at the sight of it. The fox, specifically the nine tails, was more of a symbol of fear with children, and to see it with a cute, soft face.

He couldn't help buying it for Sasuke. "I saw it on the way back from work." Naruto explained, "I figured, since you seemed interested in the fox the other day, that you might like it."

Sasuke had reached for the doll, holding it gently in his hands, letting all of his worries and fear leave him in that moment. He turned his bright dark eyes on the blonde, a smile on his lips before he hugged Naruto roughly -- falling on top of the blonde. "Thank you." He said in a happy purr, nuzzling into Naruto's neck before his black eyes looked to the doll smashed between them.

Naruto chuckled deeply and lay back on the bed, shifting so they were resting comfortably on the blankets and mattress. "You're welcome." He answered, his hand resting on the man's back.

Sasuke tilted his head on Naruto's collar, his black eyes looking to the window, watching as the rain slithered down the pane.

Sasuke didn't like the rain…

The Uchiha didn't like the thunder; something about the whole dreary atmosphere outside bothered him. It was like…like a bad dream, a nightmare maybe, something bad pulling at his mind every time he looked outside at the rain. He frowned a little, holding the kitsune plushie under his chin, his forehead resting against Naruto's scarred cheek.

Naruto let out a small sigh and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's body as if he were a child. "It's fine..." He murmured gently, "It can't get you in here." The thunder continued though, not caring that it terrified the children of the village. Finding the blanket, the fox drew it up and over Sasuke and himself, before he started humming softly, the same melody that Iruka hummed to him -- it had aided him in the past, and hoped that it would help again.

Sasuke continued to watch the window, Naruto's gentle humming slowly starting to force him to unwind -- force him into sleep. Sasuke's hand was fisted in Naruto's shirt, the stuffed animal tucked under his chin while Sasuke's skull was under Naruto's. The Uchiha focused on the warmth of Naruto, on the safety of the blanket and his new protector -- the kyuubi plush toy.

Naruto gazed out towards the rain pelted window. With Sasuke asleep against him, the fox could finally let down his shields. This was harder on him than what he had thought. He cursed the council every time he saw the man; Sasuke would never be the same again. Sasuke's mind would be trapped in this child like state for the rest of his life. Closing his own eyes, he tried to relax into his own fitful sleep; trying to ignore his emotions and trying thoughts.

--

A/N:

OMG! This took forever, way too long to update. I'm sorry. It's even a short chapter, how lame is that? I hope you guys don't attack us or anything, I'm sorry it was so lame!

In others news, check my profile for some new links. A reader of ours made us a fan club, how awesome is that? We also have a blog that will tell of updates before they happen and little blurbs of stories before they appear. Sooo, please check those two things out.

Thank you!