Faded (Naruto Fanfiction) [Sasuke/Naruto] *Possibly being revised in 2020*

Chapter I

The small blond lay on the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed, strapped up to machines and a plastic tube down his throat, helping him breathe. Tsunade was an excellent healer, but she wasn't a miracle worker. Naruto was moments, seconds, away from death when he was found and his heart stopped five times when Tsunade healed him. Someone had stuck a seal - proving that both ninja and civilians took part - on him, blocking the Kyuubi's healing abilities and cutting off some of Naruto's chakra so that his natural Uzumaki healing rate was useless.

Naruto was 15 and he was on the brink of death once again. This wasn't the first time he had been cornered and attacked at the same festival. It was almost common. He avoided the festival when possible, only being caught when he was young and slow, or when he was already injured and had lost track of time.

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Konoha Council had decided that the last Uchiha was too precious to cull or imprison, preferring to make him stay in the village and off any missions for two years. Said Uchiha had just awoken, fully healed and unknowingly so close to Naruto, who was only next door. The duck-haired boy sat upright in his bed, deftly swinging his legs over the side and stepping out of the room with only a little wobble.

His pink-haired teammate was standing at the end of the corridor, a bunch of flowers within her grasp. The vibrant flowers thudded to the ground as the girl gasped before sprinting towards Sasuke, arms outstretched and a wide smile on her face. The boy sidestepped, avoiding Sakura before turning around to question her.

"Where is Naruto?" he asked, stretching out his joints as he looked at the girl.

"I don't really know," Sakura replied, breaking eye contact with her crush as he seemed to stare into her soul.

"What do you mean?" he almost shouted, stomping towards her, "He was badly wounded, much more than me. He must be somewhere in this hospital!"

"W-what? That idiot was wounded? No. No! He was just covered in your blood." The pinkette exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration as her crush ignored what she was saying.

"Listen here," said Sasuke, glaring at her with eyes of steel. "I remember the battle, you weren't there, you don't know what happened."

The girl gasped, eyes watering, 'her' Sasuke-kun was being mean to her.

"When I was taken over by that curse seal-" he looked at his shoulder, where the mark lay sealed by Naruto, before facing the girl again.

"Naruto and I were fighting with Rasengan and Chidori. He made sure the Rasengan only grazed my side-" he gestured to his bandaged side, "I, on the other hand, was running on the hatred from the cursed seal and I... " Sasuke trailed off before shaking his head in regret.

"I shoved my Chidori through his stomach. I know I didn't hit any of his vital organs, but the Dobe seemed to be bleeding lots before I passed out. So, where is he?" The ravenette finished, stare falling back onto Sakura's face.

Sakura stepped back, hands over her mouth as she shook her head. "W-we haven't s-seen him since h-he brought you here."

The duo looked at each other, before running to the Hokage office, Sasuke first with Sakura minutes behind. Sasuke burst into the room where Tsunade sat at the desk, a bottle of Sake in her left hand and shaking her right hand as a fist at Shizune.

"Lady Tsunade, where does Naruto live?" asked Sasuke, striding up to the desk before the Hokage.

"Why do you want to know? If you need to see him, he is in hospital." The Hokage replied as Sakura gave her mentor a surprised look. "I'm surprised that you didn't see him on your way to find him as he is in the hospital room next to you to the left." With that final phrase from Tsunade, Sasuke instantly Shunshinned back to the hospital, leaving behind a confused trio.

"Is he really that worried about that idiot?" questioned Sakura, quite annoyed by Sasuke's attitude and him ignoring her, preferring to find the dobe. 'SHARANNARO! WHY DOES HE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HIM? I WAS THE REASON WHY THAT IDIOT WAS SEARCHING FOR SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUN SHOULD BE ASKING ME FOR MY HAND IN MARRIAGE. I LOVE HIM THE MOST!' Inner Sakura raged on as the pinkette angrily stomped out of the hospital.

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Sasuke stood outside the door - forehead pressed against it - breathing deeply. He had no idea in what state Naruto was to be, just that he would have a fist-sized hole straight through his stomach. The ravenette slowly eased the door open, inhaling sharply as he saw the blond lying between crisp white sheets, all visible parts of his body bandaged.

There was a clear breathing tube stuffed down his throat and his face was swollen. Layer upon layer of fabric lay across his body, the bandages stained with blood, showing clear signs of beatings. The boy took a few steps towards his rival/best friend/crush's bed before falling to his knees before it, a devastated look upon his face. A cough disrupted him, making him turn to face the door. Lady Tsunade stood there - apparently sobering up in a minute - with a technical look on her face.

"Naruto was found in a dead end on the other side of the village away from his home. When you were brought back here, I saw Naruto. He was exhausted and had a smile on his face, the only wound on him was on his stomach, and, presuming from what Sakura told me, the hole in his stomach was created by your Chidori. This means that somehow he was heavily wounded after he left once he turned in his mission report to me."

"Then when di-" Sasuke began before being cut off by Tsunade.

"He was found in an alley on the other side of the village from his home in an unfamiliar place where he should never be. I am now going to disclose to you some information which may make you hate this village more than you already do-" At this Sasuke huffed. "-but this is for the sake of Naruto. Just promise me that no matter what, you will not freely speak of this knowledge." Tsunade sat down in a chair, moving one across from her for Sasuke before settling down and preparing to talk once Sasuke nodded.

"On the 10th of October, 16 years ago, the Kyuubi escaped his confines as the Jinchuuriki holding him gave birth. A masked man controlled the Kyuubi and got him to attack our village instead of roaming the lands. The battle was long and tough, the lives of both Civilians and Ninja were lost. It ended with the fourth Hokage giving up his life and sealing the beast in a child. The very child who was birthed by his wife, Kushina Uzumaki. The two died, leaving their child orphaned and hated by all the older generations. Naruto is that child. You see? Yesterday was the Kyuubi festival and the 10th of October. Naruto was wounded and weakened so he was hunted and beaten within an inch of his life. A seal was slapped on him so that the Kyuubi was unable to heal him. We found in only just in time. This is why we have Konoha secrets. I don't know what Hiruzen was thinking by telling them but he made the biggest mistake." The information given by Tsunade slapped Sasuke in the face when he was told. His eyes zoned out as his thoughts raced through his mind.

Naruto was the holder of the Kyuubi.

Naruto was almost killed.

Naruto was the son of the fourth Hokage.

Naruto was in danger and it was all his fault.

Sasuke pulled at his hair, before dragging his chair over to Naruto's bedside and grasping at the pale, lifeless hand which was scarred and scratched.

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"Y'know the real reason I came here, to get you back? It wasn't really because of Sakura, dattebayo. It's because I love you Sasuke." Naruto smiled wide - wider and truer than Sasuke had seen before - as the ravenette's hand plunged through his stomach. A thin trail of blood slid from the corner of the blond's mouth as he coughed.

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"Wake up, Naru, I... I love you too."

Posted: 19/03/17

Edited: 14/07/18