PURPOSE by Kiraya
Disclaimer: I just wish I'd thought of it all first… Le sigh.
Warnings: Oodles of spoilerific fun for those who haven't read the manga up to the end of part I; slightly AU (hey, I can't predict what Kishimoto-sensei's going to do with 'em when they're all grown up). Tangled-up incidences featuring various degrees of SasuNaru; whether they stay platonic or not remains to be seen.
For this installment specifically… Sasuke gets a bit out of character, but that's to be expected of sick people, right? Also, beware mentions of OMG teh Hyuugacest.
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That winter was a harsh one for the Fire Country. A fever swept through the village of Konohagakure, laying low most of the inhabitants. The only one who was entirely unaffected was the Rokudaime Hokage, which surprised no one. After all, time had shown that the Kyuubi's rapid-healing ability also heavily fortified the blond's immune system.
Shivering violently despite the layers and layers of blankets surrounding him, Uchiha Sasuke cursed silently, wishing he could make his former teammate suffer like this, the too-loud, too-cheerful bastard.
"…none of them are available, what about…?"
The Sharingan user snuffled pathetically as he listened to the murmurs at the door. What was Naruto doing?
"…shouldn't do it, for the baby's sake… How are they, by the way? I haven't seen Hinata since… well, since she became pregnant. I've been told Neji's treating her well…"
Bored, Sasuke closed his dark eyes and tuned out the rest of the conversation. Eventually the door closed, and he listened to Naruto's footsteps as he approached the great bed that was usually occupied by the Hokage. "What was that about?" he asked, the soreness in his throat making his voice rasp unpleasantly.
He felt the bed shift a little as the blond sat on the edge. "All the village's medical personnel are focusing their efforts on getting our working shinobi better, so…"
Sasuke nodded. It made sense – no healthy ninja meant no missions, and no missions meant no money for the village. "O' course. Why should they spare anyone for an S-class criminal?" he remarked dryly, his chuckle turning into a cough.
"Stop that," Naruto said sharply. There was a clink of glass, the sound of something pouring, and then a cup held to his lips. "Drink this."
"What is it?" the last Uchiha asked suspiciously.
"Sakura taught me some of the medical techniques she learned from Tsunade no 'baa-chan. I'm no expert, but I know what to do to help someone recover from an illness like this. Most of it's just a matter of your body working on its own to fight the sickness, but this should soothe your throat, perhaps bring down the fever a—"
"Don't have a fever," Sasuke insisted stubbornly.
"Right, and I'm Kakashi-sensei. Now drink, dammit."
The dark-haired man decided to shut his mouth and do as he was told. After all, he was in no condition to kick Naruto's ass today. Tomorrow, though…
--
Unfortunately for his plans, Uchiha Sasuke was wracked with alternating bouts of chills and fever for nearly a week, most of which he spent half-conscious.
Naruto remained by his side almost the entire time, catching snatches of sleep on a pallet on the floor, coaxing his former teammate to eat and take his medicine.
In his delirium, Sasuke was only really aware of gentle hands laying cool cloths on his brow, holding his hair back from his face while he retched, carefully sponging the fever-sweat from his unusually flushed skin, offering soothing touches when his delusions made him cry out.
"'Kaa-san?" he asked once in a small voice, making a face at the taste of the bitter medicine he'd been given to quiet his cough.
"…No," came the soft reply, definitely male.
"…Aniki?" he tried, the one word brimming with a peculiar mix of burning anger and desperate hope.
"Don't be stupid," the same voice retorted. "You killed him, remember?"
And Sasuke blinked fuzzily and try to think a little harder, but his head hurt and it was easier to just lie back and let those hands take care of him, and for once not have to worry about watching his back.
--
"…Naruto?"
The blond sat up in his makeshift bed and looked over at his patient. "You dreaming out loud again, Sasuke?"
Dark eyes, glassy with fever, stared at him. "Where's my… my hitai-ate? It's s'posed to be under my pillow, but I can't find it…"
The Rokudaime's hands guiltily twisted the sheet in his lap. "I'm afraid you lost it a while back," he said finally.
"Oh… that's no good." His former teammate looked disappointed. "They prob'ly won't give me another one, will they?"
"…No, Sasuke. I don't think they will."
--
"Thank you for doing this, Sakura," Naruto murmured as his teammate entered the room. "I apologise for the inconvenience—"
"Don't be ridiculous," the pink-haired woman interrupted. "Most of my patients are out of bed by now, and those who aren't don't need me anymore. Besides… I still owe you one." She grinned crookedly. "You did promise me you'd bring him back, and as I recall, I never really thanked you…"
"When I made that promise, I was hoping that 'thank you' would be another date at Ichiraku, just the two of us." He chuckled. "Times change, I suppose."
Green eyes softened a little, thoughtful. "They do indeed."
The Hokage's hand strayed to a pocket in his robes, where it paused for a moment — and then Naruto pulled out something that glinted once in the light as he laid it on the bed beside his dozing rival. "I shouldn't be too long."
Sakura nodded. "Congratulate Hinata for me?"
"Of course," the blond called over his shoulder. "For all of Team 7."
A sad half-smile appeared on her lips as she closed the door behind him. "All of Team 7…?" She sighed, crossing the room to examine her patient. "Let's take a look at our missing piece, then—"
Uchiha Sasuke stared up at her almost challengingly, seeming much more lucid than Naruto's description of his condition had led the medi-nin to expect. One white-knuckled hand clutched a scarred hitai-ate to his chest, and she was certain that if she'd been able to loosen his grip, the broken lines of the stylised Konoha leaf would be etched both upon the metal and in his palm.
Haruno Sakura lowered her gaze and began her work without comment.
"Hn," went the last Uchiha, and he closed his eyes and let healing sleep overtake him.
--
End Act IX. 29 January 2005.