{{Dream sequences}}
It's hard to believe, Sasuke thought, suppressing a wince, but they hurt more coming out than they did going in. It made sense, he supposed; Haku had thrown the needles with extreme velocity, so there had been little time to feel the damage being done. Extraction, however, required slow, precise movements in order to prevent the wounds from widening, so Sasuke felt every excruciating inch of steel as it slid out of him.
"This will be the last," Kakashi said, crouching down next to the raven-haired boy, who was kneeling naked on one of Tazuna's old, expendable sheets. "The needle is close to your femoral," the jounin continued, inspecting the thin sliver of metal sticking out of Sasuke's groin, "So you must practice the jutsu for perfect stillness as I pull it out, or the vessel may rupture and you will bleed to death."
"I understand," Sasuke replied, looking down so he could see what Kakashi was about to do. He tried to ignore the thin film of blood covering his body, still seeping sluggishly from dozens of tiny wounds. The narrow profile of the needles meant he'd have no scars, but that was faint consolation for the pain and incredible weakness he was feeling. As he was, even Sakura could give him a good thrashing, were she capable of attacking anything. Stillness was simple taijutsu, however, especially if it would be for such a short time; his muscles almost automatically fell into the elastic state required for motionless waiting, despite his incredible fatigue.
A moment later, satisfied that his student's jutsu was enacted, Kakashi picked up the willow tweezers. The tool was simple — nothing more than a supple twig split halfway down the center — but it served its purpose admirably. With very slight pressure on the split end, Kakashi gently seized the thin needle and started to draw it out. The process took almost a minute, at the end of which Kakashi tossed the needle into the corner with a sigh of relief.
"Relax your arms and legs," Kakashi ordered, and Sasuke obeyed, almost immediately toppling forward into his sensei's arms. He felt himself being lowered onto the sheet, already wet with his own blood, and laid on his back. Kakashi stood and dusted off his hands. "Your orders are not to move on your own," he announced.
"Yes," Sasuke replied, internally adding, I doubt I could move without some emergency.
Kakashi nodded, then turned and left the room. Sasuke heard the door open, then groaned mentally as Sakura all but screamed, "How is he? Is he all right?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied in his normal voice, "but he still needs to be cleaned and treated with a salve."
"Oh! I..." Sakura started, and Sasuke's eyes widened in horror and embarassment at the thought of having Sakura see him naked and weak.
"You are too skilled at healing to take such a small task," their sensei replied evenly, and Sasuke sighed quietly in relief. "You must go help with the injured villagers, while I rest to recover from all the Chakra I used today. I believe Naruto-kun is equal to the job here."
"But sensei," Sakura wheedled, "Naruto is so bad at everything! Surely I..."
"You are very bad at following orders," Kakashi commented lightly, and Sakura made a little choking noise. Sasuke heard the soft sound of her footsteps echoing down the hall, then the clumping sound of Naruto entering the room and sliding the door shut behind him. Sasuke spared a glance at his teammate, wondering again why Naruto didn't seem to be injured from the afternoon's events. I saw needles pierce him right through, Sasuke thought, Yet there's not a mark on him, save those stupid whisker-lines. Could it have been an illusion? Did Haku trick me?
Naruto said nothing, simply setting two bowls down on the floor next to Sasuke's sheet. A little bit of water sloshed out of one, and the other seemed to hold two cloths and a jar of salve. Naruto opened the jar and set it on the floor, then dipped one cloth in the water and started dabbing away the blood that was on Sasuke's cheek, blotting the area dry with the other cloth. Once the blood was cleared away, he quickly, but surprisingly gently, rubbed salve onto the wound.
The process continued wordlessly for several minutes as Naruto worked his way down Sasuke's body to his feet. Though he'd often complained about the other boy's mouth, Sasuke found the blonde's silence very disconcerting. It was almost a relief when he tersely commanded Sasuke to "Roll over."
"I will require your assistance," Sasuke admitted, mentally bracing himself for the annoyance of hearing Naruto's juvenile teasing. To his surprise, however, the blonde's face twisted with an unreadable emotion before settling into a more stoic expression. With a grunt, Naruto lifted Sasuke and resettled him, then began working on the remaining puncture wounds, going from ankles to neck. Sasuke began breathing through his mouth; the scent of drying blood in the sheet, and the knowledge that it was his, was beginning to make him feel nauseous. It did not help that Naruto had returned to the unnatural silence — that alone was setting Sasuke's exhausted mind on edge, as he tried to unravel the reasons for Naruto's failure to speak.
"There," Naruto finally announced, his voice unusually subdued. He lifted Sasuke again, this time depositing him on his bed, as he blotted off what little blood had oozed out since the application of the salve or had gotten on Sasuke from the sheet. Naruto then turned and started digging through Sasuke's backpack. Wordlessly he fished out a pair of boxers and an undershirt. He helped Sasuke sit up to put on the shirt, then lifted the pale boy's hips to slide on the shorts. Then Naruto turned around to start gathering up the blood-soaked sheet and cloths.
The alien silence finally got to be too much for Sasuke. Better to deal with a familiar irritant than unfamiliarity and paranoia, he told himself, then turned his head so he was fully facing Naruto and said, "You are most ungrateful, dunce."
"Eh?" Naruto said, turning around.
"I saved your life, and yet you've said no word of thanks. You could at least pull the covers up."
Naruto turned red, and for a moment Sasuke hoped he'd see one of the usual eruptions, but instead the blonde seemed to master himself. "Sorry, Sasuke," he said, reaching over to tug a blanket up from the end of the bed so that it partially covered the taller boy, "thank you."
The response was reasonable, coming from anyone except Naruto, yet it pushed Sasuke over the edge. "What's wrong with you?" Sasuke demanded in frustration. "Why are you being so damn quiet?"
"Just thinkin' about that boy," Naruto said, "How lucky he was."
"Haku? Lucky?" Sasuke asked. "He is dead, and we are alive. That makes us the lucky ones."
Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, he died, but he had someone," he replied. "That made him happy."
Sasuke blinked, a retort dying in his throat. He wanted to say that Naruto's words were ridiculous, but... But my own happiness is so far in the past that I can barely remember it, Sasuke thought. He was faced with the hideous possibility that Naruto had been right about something, something important.
Before any of this could sink in, however, the serious expression on Naruto's face dissolved, replaced with a more familiar mischievous look. "Hey, Sasuke," he said, "I can't believe you wear boxers under your shorts."
"Huh?"
"Don't you know anybody could see right up there?" Naruto asked, grinning wickedly. "If the girls knew, they'd all learn underground hiding techniques so they could catch a glimpse!"
Despite the blood loss, Sasuke felt himself blushing slightly. He hadn't thought of that... he'd have to start wearing briefs. Or pants.
"Well, seeya later, jerk," Naruto said, and Sasuke realized the other boy was almost out the door, his arms full of blood-soaked linen. "Get some sleep," the blonde added as he departed, sliding the door shut with his foot.
In the suddenly empty room, Sasuke closed his eyes. That idiot is really too annoying, he thought, as he drifted off.
Then his eyes opened again as he remembered something he'd seen as Naruto left the room — several holes in the bright orange jacket, hastily stitched closed. So he did get injured, Sasuke mused. But how is it that he's all right?
{{Itachi was defenseless now, bound in place by chakra-strengthened wires. The kunai in Sasuke's hand was cold, thirsty... he lunged at his brother and brought the blade down...
...into Naruto's chest. The blonde smiled dreamily as blood spilled from his mouth, saying, "I can't let you harm someone precious to me. Even if Itachi doesn't care for me, I can die happy knowing I've saved him." Then he slumped forward, drooling blood onto Sasuke's chest.
Itachi grinned at Sasuke over Naruto's shoulder, and then the pale boy felt a searing pain in his stomach. He looked down to see a blade erupting from Naruto's belly and entering his own, and realized that Itachi had stabbed him through the blonde's body...
}}Sasuke bolted upright in bed, nearly hyperventilating from the stress of the nightmare. Hands shaking as he clenched them in the sheets, Sasuke glanced over to the small mattress on the other side of the room. Naruto looked the same as he had every night they'd spent in the house — sprawled awkwardly on the mattress, with that ridiculous nightcap clinging desperately to his unruly hair.
I can't believe it's actually a relief to see him there, Sasuke thought, shaking his head as he tried to calm his breathing. Knowing it would be useless to try to get back to sleep for a while, Sasuke pushed off the covers and swung his legs over the side of his bed, grinning tightly as he remembered the fuss Naruto had made about having to settle for the mattress.
To Sasuke's surprise, his legs didn't buckle underneath him when he put a little weight on them, so he pushed himself up using the bedframe until he was standing. His legs wobbled beneath him, but Sasuke felt secure enough to start walking, keeping one hand on the wall for stability. Barefoot and moving slowly, he made no sound on the mats that covered the floor as he circled the room towards the door. Sasuke slid it open and stepped out into the dimly-lit hall.
Seeing the door to the bathroom open, Sasuke suddenly realized he needed to use it. He staggered across the hall and into the tiled room, sliding the door shut behind him. Deciding it wouldn't harm his pride, Sasuke sat down, even though he only needed to pee. A few minutes later, his business done, Sasuke awkwardly pulled his boxers back up and stood, using the toilet for support. He stumbled back into the hall, and paused. His legs were beginning to complain, but Sasuke didn't feel sleepy at all. Rather than go back to his room, he made his way to the small balcony at the far end of the pasage.
Sasuke wasn't much surprised to see Kakashi sitting on the balcony, reading his favorite pornographic novel by moonlight. "Yo," Kakashi said, waving absently as Sasuke slumped into a seated position.
"For how long did I sleep?" Sasuke asked.
"54 hours," Kakashi replied, flipping a page. "I was beginning to get a bit concerned."
"Ah," Sasuke said, a little surprised that he'd slept so long. He glanced down at his arms and was pleased to see that the wounds from the senbon had closed, and many had almost vanished. "I hope your worries over my well-being are not to blame for your sleeplessness."
"Not at all," Kakashi said. "I'm awake because of nightmares."
"Nightmares?"
"Yes, nightmares," Kakashi repeated, "I have them all the time."
"I find that hard to believe."
"It's because of responsibility," Kakashi explained. "When I didn't have three children to look after, I slept peacefully. Nowadays, I have bad dreams all the time. I dream that you will push yourself too hard in your quest for vengeance and end up dead or crippled. I dream that Sakura will be indecisive at the wrong moment and get killed. And I dream that an evil person will manipulate Naruto and use him as a tool against us."
Sasuke stifled a gasp at hearing his own nightmare partially echoed in Kakashi's. To cover it, he snorted and said, "What use could that dunce be to anyone?"
"Whose quick thinking and action freed me from Zabuza's water prison?" Kakashi asked, turning another page in his book. Sasuke didn't bother pretending to be abashed. His jaw dropped, however, when Kakashi continued, "And who broke Haku's ice-mirror jutsu?"
"I thought you..."
Kakashi shook his head, saying, "Naruto did that on his own, after you fell. Your 'death' enraged him, and somehow, he shattered that boy's trap. At the same time, his injuries healed, so that he looked almost untouched."
"It's strange that he should have such power."
"Really?" Kakashi asked. "Is it any stranger than your Sharingan, or the Aburame family's insects? Naruto has a special power within him, just as you do."
Sasuke turned and looked out over the sea. "Still," he said, "Naruto would never betray Konoha."
"You think so?" Kakashi said, turning another page. He paused for a moment, turned back, and muttered, "What a fantastic turn of phrase." Then he lowered the book and said, "Do you remember the second examiner at the academy's graduation test?"
"Mizuki-sensei?"
"Yes, him. Naruto failed the exam that day, you know, and afterwards Mizuki-sensei went to speak with him. He pretended to be Naruto's friend and convinced him to steal a forbidden scroll from the Hokage."
"How did Naruto get to be a genin if he was caught stealing from the Hokage?"
"Caught?" Kakashi asked, raising his book once again. "He succeeded."
Sasuke blinked. Naruto infiltrated the Hokage's tower and escaped with a forbidden scroll? he mused, Maybe he is a skilled ninja. "I guess that such a feat would warrant a genin's position," he admitted, "though he was gullible to believe Mizuki-sensei."
"Perhaps he knew that Mizuki offered friendhip falsely," Kakashi said. "Naruto has been treated harshly all his life; even insincere kindness must have seemed a blessing to him."
Something twisted in Sasuke's stomach, but he ignored it and asked, "So who caught Mizuki-sensei?"
"Naruto," Kakashi replied, and Sasuke found himself gaping again. "Because Iruka-san interfered, Mizuki revealed his plan a moment too soon, and Naruto escaped him," Kakashi explained, "Then Naruto used the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to defend Iruka and badly beat Mizuki. But if Iruka had not showed true affection for Naruto, then Mizuki would probably have the scroll now, and Naruto's body would be rotting in the woods. Probably Iruka-sensei's, too."
Sasuke turned back to the sea again, barely noticing as Kakashi flipped another page. It was unsettling to think how possible his nightmare was. Then again, if he had Iruka's affection now, Naruto probably wouldn't turn against Konoha... or Sasuke, for that matter. Unless Iruka was used against him... the potential scenarios were too numerous to properly consider. "I still do not believe that Naruto would turn on Konoha," he ventured. "He desires the town's recognition, and to be Hokage..."
"Unless Naruto changes, he will not be Hokage," Kakashi said.
"Well, certainly he would have to become much stronger..."
"That's not what I mean," Kakashi interjected. "The Hokage must love Konoha — the town and the people. Naruto does not; his desire to be Hokage doesn't come from a desire to serve the people, but from a desire to show them up, to punish them for the cruelty they showed him. Having a Hokage like that would be a disaster. Naruto has enough potential to become Hokage, that's quite clear. But if he tries to claim that role, I will kill him myself, or die trying."
"Do you mean to say... that Naruto hates Konoha?"
"Not in the way you hate your brother," Kakashi said. "The emotion is more subtle, but in its own way it's more poisonous."
Sasuke nodded, then asked, "Why then has he not been killed already?"
"Because if Naruto can change, if he can grow to love Konoha and desire to protect it, then he has the potential to be the greatest of the Hokages, the greatest of all the Kages throughout history. We cannot miss that kind of opportunity."
"So... what would change him?"
"Honest affection would accomplish the change," Kakashi said, "All Naruto truly needs is to feel loved. It is very simple." He turned a page in his book. "But I think Naruto will probably have to be killed."
"Why?"
"Nobody does love him," Kakashi said. "Iruka-san has some affection, but there are limits on him because of his position as a teacher. The same goes for me. He has no friends his own age, and he doesn't get along with his teammates, so his hidden hatred will fester. Perhaps he will become a hard man, with no love for anyone. Perhaps he will find someone who cares for him, and follow that person blindly. Either way, he will not be a fitting Hokage... but he will be very dangerous. So I — or someone like me — will have to kill him."
Kakashi nonchalantly turned a page in his book, as if he had not just been frankly discussing the inevitable murder of his subordinate. "It is possible that a special person could change him," the jounin continued, "but I doubt there is anyone who has the will, or the affection. After all, if the emotions are insincere, it will all be worthless."
Sasuke sat silently for a few moments, then pushed himself back onto his feet. Talking with Kakashi was doing nothing to settle his mind. Meditating in his room might be less interesting, but at least he wouldn't have to consider any new aspects of Naruto's fate. "Good night," he said, leaning heavily on the doorframe.
Kakashi just waved and turned another page.
The trip along the hall was slower this time, despite the rest Sasuke had given his weakened legs. He almost fell when he entered the room, just barely catching himself on the door. Struggling back upright, he closed it, then glanced over towards Naruto's mattress. The blonde had worked himself to the edge, and probably would have fallen off if not for the wall holding him in place. This position, though, meant that he was buried in the shadow under the window.
Feeling a strange need to see the other boy's face, Sasuke staggered along the wall until he reached the Naruto. His legs now shaking dangerously, Sasuke gingerly lowered himself so he was sitting on the mattress. Naruto moaned something inarticulate in his sleep, but didn't move. Sasuke smirked — it was pretty hard to believe that the innocent-looking kid wearing a doggie nightcap had the potential to be Konoha's greatest asset or its greatest enemy. And yet... Sasuke sighed. With Naruto, there were always too many possibilities to fully consider them all.
The noise seemed to wake Naruto momentarily; the blonde stretched, and rolled over, and somehow Sasuke ended up underneath the warm, compact body. Naruto's left arm and leg were draped over Sasuke's chest and thighs, and the tanned boy's face was buried against Sasuke's shoulder.
If he'd had any strength at all, Sasuke would have just shoved Naruto off, but just the effort of his conversation with Kakashi had exhausted him. That's what you get for checking on Naruto, Sasuke thought, the chance to share a bed with the dunce. He sighed again, but Naruto seemed to have slipped into an even deeper sleep than before. Still, the heat of Naruto's body was helping Sasuke's muscles relax, and even the weight wasn't unpleasant. Sasuke closed his eyes and resolved to tolerate it.
Within moments, he was asleep.
A loud moan in his ear woke Sasuke abruptly, and he would have shot upright if there hadn't been a rather heavy blonde ninja on top of him. A quick glance told Sasuke that Naruto was still asleep, but a second moan suggested that wouldn't last long. Naruto's arms and legs were flexing, gently squeezing the body they'd coincidentally encircled. It was pleasant, in a way Sasuke couldn't quite identify, and he would have been content to let things go on as they were if he hadn't felt something very rigid poking into his hip.
Oh god, Sasuke thought, feeling his skin heat up from a full-body blush. He did not need for Naruto to have that kind of dream right now.
A third moan, softer and longer than the other two, suggested that was exactly the kind of dream Naruto was having.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, trying to free an arm so he could shake the blonde, "Naruto!"
"Wha..?" Naruto mumbled, blinking. He went totally still, then slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes. He sat for a moment, staring almost blindly into the sunlit room, then asked, "Sasuke?"
"Yes?"
"Why're you in my bed?"
"I... er... I woke up last night and walked for a bit, but I couldn't make it back to mine."
"Oh," Naruto said, apparently satisfied. Without any prompting, he bent down and scooped Sasuke up into his arms, tucking his shoulder up into the larger boy's armpit. Hoisting Sasuke up a little, the blonde stood and carried him across the room, gingerly depositing him on his bed. "There ya go!" he said.
"Thanks," Sasuke said, trying not to smirk at Naruto's solicitous behavior.
"What woke ya up last night anyway?" Naruto asked. "It wasn't me, was it?"
"Not really," Sasuke said. "Why? Do you snore?"
"Dunno," Naruto replied, shrugging. "Never checked."
"Well, it was just some dream."
"Oh? I had a dream just now!" Naruto chattered. "We were all swimming in the ocean, and then it turned into a giant bowl of ramen and I got to eat it all! And then, we were all at the Ichiraku for more ramen, but we were all naked..." He paused for a moment, then said, "Well, that part was weird... but then I dreamed that you were yelling at me and then I woke up."
A laugh started building up in Sasuke's chest — a sensation he'd almost forgotten — and for a moment, he was afraid it might actually escape.
Fortunately, Kakashi interrupted by saying, "I had a dream almost exactly like that, except that due to a traffic jam on the elephant highway I was forced to miss the swimming and the naked ramen."
"LIAR!" Naruto shouted, pointing at the jounin who had just poked his head in the door, and Sasuke released the breath he hadn't known he was holding. The sigh disguised the quiet chuckle that refused to remain inside him.
"Well, perhaps, but I'm not lying when I say that breakfast is ready downstairs. Come down and make a plate for Sasuke before Sakura insists on feeding him by hand."
Sasuke paled at the thought of this possibility, and glanced desperately at the jounin to see if he was joking, but Kakashi had already disappeared.
Naruto took off his nightcap and tossed it over to his mattress. "Bet she wouldn't feed me," he muttered, apparently already forgetting what had happened at their genin exam. He turned towards the door, then glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Sasuke..." the blonde said, smiling uncertainly.
"Yeah?"
"I... I'm kinda glad you're not dead."
Then Naruto was gone, and a shout of "Yay! Breakfast!" echoed from downstairs a moment later.
Sasuke stared at the door for a moment, then whispered, "And I think, perhaps, that I don't hate you after all."