Subject: [FFML] [Naruto] Needlepoint
From: Pale Rider
Date: 7/3/2004, 10:28 AM
To: ffml@anifics.com


Title: Needlepoint
Author: Pale Rider
Fandom: Naruto
Notes: Set just after the battle on the bridge, so spoilers for that.
There's shounen-ai here, if you want to see it.
Disclaimer: Not mine.

_Thinking_
*Emphasis*
{{Dream sequences}}

NEEDLEPOINT

_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 peek!"

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 decaying in the
woods. Probably Iruka-san'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 you and me and Sakura were 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..." he 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."

END


		
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