PURPOSE by Kiraya
Disclaimer: …Nope, Naruto's still not mine. Sigh.
Warnings: Oodles of spoilerific fun for those who aren't up-to-date on the manga; slightly AU (hey, I can't predict what Kishimoto-sensei's going to do with 'em when they're all grown up). Some blink-and-you'll-miss-it SasuNaru here and there (take it platonically or not… it's up to you).
For this installment specifically, some Sasuke and Naruto personality switching (that is, out-of-character stuff).
--
"Criminal he may be, Tsunade-'baa-chan, but he did do Konoha a service by killing Orochimaru and Itachi, both of whom we've unsuccessfully hunted for years. Isn't death a bit harsh for him?"
"A criminal is a criminal, boy—"
"I'm not a—!"
"—and a ninja who betrays Konoha—"
Whispers. If he weren't hanging on the edge of consciousness, he might have been able to hear them…
A long pause, followed by a dark chuckle. "Every time I question the wisdom of choosing you to train as my successor, you surprise me with things like this. Very well, then. He's your responsibility."
He heard no more.
--
Flex your arms. No, they still had him tied down.
He glared balefully at the room's other occupant.
Haruno Sakura rolled her eyes and turned back to her unwilling patient. "I distinctly recall asking you not to do that, Sasuke," she said sternly, placing her hands on her hips.
The corner of his mouth twitched. Looked like she'd outgrown the silly -kun thing… finally. "Release me."
"You know I can't do that." You're lucky to be getting treatment at all, being an S-class missing-nin, she added silently. Oh, Sasuke…
The last Uchiha grunted. "Where's the moron?"
His former teammate blinked, surprised at the change of subject. "What?"
"Where's Naruto?"
Green eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"
Flex your arms. He was recovering quickly; Sakura had apparently become quite skilled with medical jutsu over the years. All the better for what he had to do. "I need to… speak with him."
The pink-haired woman snorted. "I'm sure."
That was the last word on the subject, until Sakura left. "I'll tell him you asked about him," she said as the door closed behind her.
Flex your arms. Sasuke doubted he could break these bonds even at full strength.
He waited.
--
Naruto came to Sasuke's room midafternoon the next day, looking as fresh as a spring morning.
Sasuke strained against his bonds, glaring death at his former teammate.
Naruto said nothing, but simply stood there, looking down at the last Uchiha impassively.
The dark-eyed man, both annoyed and unnerved by the blond's unusual composure, screamed and thrashed and hollered incoherently, hurling his rage and frustration at the vessel of the kyuubi.
An hour later, Naruto left without having said a single word.
Sore-throated Sasuke would never admit it to anyone, but after his uncharacteristic outburst he almost felt better.
Almost.
--
Uchiha Sasuke was discharged from the hospital two days later.
Eight hours after his release, he was back in the emergency room, tied to the bed again, kicking and screaming at the eerily silent man who'd subdued him after he'd incapacitated his guards.
Nine hours after his release, Uzumaki Naruto left the room without having spoken.
It was another two hours before anyone, even Sakura, could be persuaded to come and attend to his new injuries.
--
Uchiha Sasuke was discharged from the hospital eighteen hours later.
Four hours after that, a team of medi-nin brought him and his single guard back to the emergency room.
Ignoring the blood dripping down into his eyes and the doctors applying salve to the worse of his wounds, Uzumaki Naruto grinned somewhat idiotically at his dark-haired rival in the next bed.
The scowl worn by the battered Uchiha somehow turned itself into a selfish little smirk.
Game on.
--
End Act II. 1 December 2004.