PURPOSE by Kiraya
Disclaimer: Is Naruto mine? Haha. I wish.
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. Hell, I still haven't figured it out myself).
For this installment specifically… warnings aren't necessary. Just keep in mind that a shinobigatana is… well, like its name implies, a katana-type sword used by shinobi.
Author's Notes: Inspired in part by a lovely cosplay picture posted some time back on the sasuxnaru community on LiveJournal. See it at http: -- img. photobucket. com - albums - v329 - kiraya - cosplay (underscore) snow.jpg, but remember to remove the spaces first and replace each - with a / and (underscore) with the corresponding symbol.
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"Look, Sasuke," the Rokudaime said suddenly from his place by the window of his office. "It's snowing."
The last Uchiha grunted noncommittally, not looking up from the shinobigatana he was cleaning despite the fact that snow was a rather rare occurrence in the Fire Country. A few moments later, however, he found himself standing outside with the Hokage, who had removed his hat and tilted his face upward so the white flakes landed gently on his cheeks.
After several minutes Naruto turned to look at him, his face red from the cold. "Do you remember that boy Haku?"
Sasuke blinked a little, dislodging a few snowflakes from his lashes. Boy? If he had lived, he'd be about our age now, his mind pointed out. "Hn," was all he said.
Naruto looked up again. "Every time it snows, I think of him," he remarked, shoving his hands into the sleeves of his voluminous robe to warm them.
They were both silent for a long moment, watching the grey sky.
"He was like me, you know," the blond said suddenly. "Alienated. Looked down upon. In his home country, the people were afraid of bloodline limits, and mistreated those who had them… people like him. But he left the Snow Country, and though the man with whom he associated himself made him even more of an outcast, he still had someone who cared about him, in his own strange way. That was more important to him than anything.
"I wish the people of his homeland could have seen what a good person he was despite his frightening power.
"I wish… As selfish as it is, I wish the same for some of the people of Konohagakure. I don't think most of the older ones will ever forgive me for the transgressions of the Kyuubi sealed within me, no matter what I do for the village… even if I give my life for them," Naruto remarked a little bitterly, turning to look at his pale companion, the wild mane of blond hair he'd let grow out making the Rokudaime resemble another Hokage who had sacrificed himself for his people.
"And you, Sasuke… Even though you left Konohagakure behind for power, you eliminated two of the greatest threats to the security of our village. And yet when we brought you back, most of the village wanted you killed like any other dangerous missing-nin. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that many still do.
"When it snows, it makes me wonder… why do we even bother? Everyone deserves a second chance. Why, then, won't they give us one?"
Uchiha Sasuke said nothing. After all, he had no answer, either.
--
Sasuke awoke late the next day. The Rokudaime had already started his bath, and so the last Uchiha was left to his own devices for the time being… something many would consider dangerous.
His eye was caught by a storage chest in one corner. Though usually locked, it was now partially open, and a scrap of dark cloth hung out. Curious, he ventured to lift the lid further.
The chest mostly contained old clothes — a couple of ANBU uniforms with a grinning fox mask laid on top, one of the green vests worn by chuunin and jounin, several sets of that hideous orange jumpsuit Naruto had worn as a genin, a rather silly-looking pair of goggles…
Sasuke's hand shook as he withdrew the object that had caught his eye.
The hitai-ate obviously had not seen much use – the cloth was unfaded and relatively clean, and the metal plate sewn onto it reflected the dark-haired man's face much better than the battle-burnished ones worn by most of the shinobi Naruto's age. This one, however, bore a deep scar across the metal plate, right through the middle of the stylised leaf that was the emblem of Konoha.
The last Uchiha sank down to sit on top of the chest's lid, running over the score with his thumb, remembering how it had gotten there and wondering what had possessed Naruto to keep it all these years…
"Good morning," Naruto said cheerfully as he reentered the room, toweling his hair briskly.
The Sharingan user started, and he quickly stuffed the hitai-ate into one of his pockets. "…I suppose so," he replied vaguely, avoiding the Hokage's gaze as he crossed the room to make use of the bath himself.
Blue eyes stared after him for a long moment before their owner shrugged and continued searching for his comb.
--
End Act VIII. 11 January 2005.