Fading Scars

This is an Alternate Universe fic set perhaps a day or two after Orochimaru’s retreat from Konoha. A lot of liberties were taken from that point on in terms of time-line. This is also a very angsty (especially Naruto) and sexually graphic fic—just the way we like it!

This was written as a one-on-one RP, so the point of view of the story will change, usually with every paragraph. Scenes will also change abruptly and large periods of time will pass with little notice, though I’ll try to give some warning at the beginning of the chapter.

I finally got the hang of italics and bold lettering! Hooray! All thoughts will now be in italics, and bold will be for emphasis.

***This new section of the story takes place several months later, about a year from the beginning of the story. That puts the crew around 13-14 years old, save Neji who’s about 15.***

Please read and enjoy!

Fading Scars
Chapter Seventeen:


Sasuke gasped quietly as he fell back, leaning against a thick rock as Koshaku and Neji continued to spar. There had been a dull pain in his neck and back all morning--like a hum flitting up and down his spine. He hadn't mentioned it to either of them and hoped he wouldn't have to, but...it was getting worse. He rubbed at the marks crossing his neck. Damnit, stop. Leave me alone.

Neji easily blocked the attack, pulling back before performing a perfect Stone-Clone. It was while he was circling his opponent that he noticed Sasuke's discomfort. "Wait," he called, pausing their battle. "Sasuke?"

Koshaku turned, breathing only slightly more heavily than usual. "What's wrong?"

Damn. Sasuke glanced up, and smirked slightly. "It's nothing," he assured, forcing himself to let go of his neck. "I'm fine--"

The pain intensified suddenly, shooting up and down his spine unlike anything he'd felt from his curse before. He couldn't even cry out as he dropped weakly to his knees. Orochimaru-- Gasping, he fell forward until his forehead was pressed into the dirt.

Neji practically flew across the small clearing, crouching beside Sasuke and trying to urge him onto his side. "Sasuke!"

"I'm getting sensei!" Koshaku decided before quickly vanishing.

When he saw Sasuke pulling at his shoulder, Neji's eyes widened. "Is it your scar?" he asked briskly. "What do you need?"

"Hurts--" Sasuke collapsed onto his side; finally finding his voice he cried out and kicked fitfully at the ground. Damnit, is this it? His nails bit into his shoulder but he didn't feel them. Am I dying…?

Neji peeled his hand away before he could break the skin, holding Sasuke tightly. Is Orochimaru doing this? Damnit, we didn't know he could do something like this! He cradled Sasuke against his lap. Don't die--don't you dare die, Sasuke!

Sasuke shuddered, and just when the pain became nearly unbearable--when he was sure he would pass out--it all abruptly drained away. He sagged with a whimper against Neji's legs. "Fuck…."

Pulling out his canteen, Neji quickly offered some water to Sasuke. "Here--try to drink some."

Koshaku reappeared then with Chidiwa, and both quickly joined the others. "He okay now?" Koshaku asked anxiously, watching them. "What happened?"

"It was his curse, I think," Neji admitted worriedly. "It seems to be over now…."

Chidiwa leaned over the boy, tugging the collar away from his neck. The scar was gleaming a dull crimson, and, very slowly, beginning to flutter off Sasuke's flesh like ash. "This is..." He touched Sasuke's forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Cold," Sasuke murmured, though he could tell he was sweating. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. Just hold still."

Neji held Sasuke tightly, holding his breath as he watched the scar gradually vanish. God, it's.... His finger curled tightly in Sasuke's shirt. It's leaving him?

"Drink the water," Chidiwa instructed, supporting Sasuke's head as he did so. He glanced to Neji. "This is Orochimaru's curse, right? Do you know if it was ever meant to dissolve?"

Sasuke's eyes flew open. Dissolve? It's…leaving me?

Neji's eyes widened. "Not that I know of. All we could do in Konoha was put another seal on it." He stared at Chidiwa in shocked disbelief. "Is it really lifting?"

Chidiwa's expression darkened grimly. "Yes." He urged Sasuke to continue drinking. But if it's as deep a curse as it seems, if it lifts, it could…. "How do you feel?" he asked again.

"Is it..." Sasuke struggled faintly, trying to push himself upright. "Chidiwa-sensei, is it killing me?"

"Be still--you'll make it worse."

Neji shuddered as he tried to hold Sasuke still, ignoring Koshaku hovering over them all anxiously. "He's not dying," he murmured, almost to himself. He's not going to die. Sasuke...god, he can't die.

It took another full minute of anxious watching, and though it had been painfully gradual Chidiwa was still startled when he realized the mark was gone. The last of the ash he washed away with what was left from the canteen. "That's it," he murmured, touching Sasuke's neck. The skin was still hot. "You feel feverish. Are you still with me?"

"Yeah…." Sasuke licked his lips and tasted salt. Slowly he sat up with the help of his comrades. His shoulder was stiff and he felt dizzy, but otherwise…. "I'm okay."

Neji closed his eyes, offering up several silent prayers. He couldn't help a relieved smile when he saw Sasuke sitting up on his own.

"Jeez, don't go scaring us like that," Koshaku admonished, crossing his arms. "Give me a heart attack here."

"Sorry," Sasuke muttered. He reached up to his neck, only to have Chidiwa urge his hand away. He couldn't twist enough to see for himself, either. "Is it really gone? What does that mean?"

"Yes, I think it really is gone," Chidiwa assured as he sat back. "But...I'm not sure what it means. I've never seen a curse like it before."

Neji knew what it meant, and the idea of his frightened him. His fingers curled. That kind of curse can only end when.... He lowered his head. "Orochimaru is dead," he murmured. The words made him shiver faintly. "He must be, for it to vanish like that."

Sasuke twisted to face him. "Dead?" He shuddered. He can't be dead. Not…that Orochimaru. Who? He tried to stand.

"Hey, hold on." Chidiwa tugged him back down. "You need to take it easy," he advised. "There could be another backlash."

Neji shook his head. "What else could it be? He wouldn't just let you go...." His forehead gave a brief throb, and he forcefully kept himself from reaching for it. "He must be dead. That's the only answer."

"By who?" Sasuke demanded, even though his lifted voice was making his head pound worse. "I've fought him--who in Konoha could have beaten that--"

Sasuke broke off abruptly as his face went pale. Could it have been…. He lowered his gaze. No, it couldn't. Not even for him….

"I don't know." Neji sat back, letting Koshaku support Sasuke for now. It was too much to think about. Though he hadn't seen Orochimaru himself, just listening to Sasuke's stories of him had been enough for his imagination. It didn't help that his own scar was itching.

Chidiwa glanced between them, and sighed. "We're going in," he told them, hooking an arm around Sasuke's to lift him up. "I want you to get some rest while I check with Tsuchikage-sama, and get a specialist to look you over. Just in case."

Sasuke nodded weakly, not sure what to make of all this. "Neji can help me," he murmured. "I don't want you carrying me back."

Standing as well, Neji easily accepted Sasuke's slightly weight against him. "I'll take care of him," he assured, wrapping an arm around his companion's waist.

Chidiwa frowned, but relented. "Take him back to your room," he instructed, "and make sure he lies down. Koshaku, report this to your uncle. I'll be there soon with one of our medics."

"I'm all right," Sasuke muttered, pulling a little closer to Neji. The thought of having all those people crowding over him was already making his head spin.

Neji pulled him away quickly. "We'll see you later then." He guided Sasuke back towards the village, his mind whirling. Someone had to have killed him. Maybe one of the other Legends? The new Hokage?

Sasuke didn't speak as they returned to the village and their room--by now the pain had dissipated but his felt more dizzy than ever, and was actually grateful when he found a soft mattress under him. He sighed as he leaned against the headboard. "It's still spinning," he murmured. "Is there water?"

"I'll get some." Neji quickly fetched a glass, sitting beside Sasuke on the bed. He looks pale. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"All right, I guess." Sasuke sipped the water gratefully. "Just weak. It doesn't hurt, but I feel fuzzy." At last he was able to rub at his neck, and winced--it was still tender. "Damnit. Who the hell could have beaten him?"

Neji lowered his head. "I don't know. Maybe...the new Hokage? Or that other Legendary ninja?" He shrugged. "I suppose I could try to write to Hinata. She might be able to tell us something...."

"No. If her father got a hold of it..." Sasuke gulped. "I'll write to Kakashi. He won't tell anyone where we are, I know it." He frowned. "But shit, knowing him he wouldn't give me a straight answer of what happened."

Neji remained quiet for a while, just considering. "What...." His fingers curled. "What about your old group?" he asked. "Sakura-san or Naruto? They would keep us a secret, right?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Naruto…. Another shiver went through him, made his neck tingle. For a moment, he had the strange impression that Naruto was in the room with him, maybe even...laughing at him. He sagged against the headboard. "Sakura would. I'll write to Sakura."

"All right...." Because...I couldn't write to Lee or Tenten. Sighing, Neji pushed to his feet, moving about the room as he peeled off his jacket--his clothes were dirty from a morning of training.

Sasuke watched him vaguely, sagging further in the bed. "Someone…." He shuddered. "I know someone who could have done it. But…." His expression hardened. "But…."

Neji paused, back turned and head lowered. "You mean Naruto," he murmured before pulling his shirt off. He sighed and released the tie from the end of his hair, shaking it out.

"No." Sasuke twisted onto his side away from him. His hands were shaking, and he curled them in the top blanket to try and make them stop. "No, someone else…."

Neji glanced back, confused, as he didn't know who else Sasuke could have been referring to. "Oh." He went back to changing, pulling on fresh shorts and a t-shirt. There was a knock at the door a moment later, and he allowed the jounin to enter and see to his comrade.

The specialist that Chidiwa brought, along with Tsuchikage, didn't stay for long. They checked Sasuke's neck a few times, performed a jutsu to release any remaining traces of the curse, and made sure he had plenty to eat and drink before finally leaving. Sasuke endured it all saying as little as he could get away with. The hardest part was convincing them that it wasn't the curse anymore that was making his hands tremble.

Once they were alone again, Neji returned to Sasuke's bedside. He still looks shaken. He finally sat down next to him. "What is it?" he asked lowly.

"I'm not strong enough." Sasuke gulped, staring fixedly up at the ceiling. "Whoever the hell it was who killed him...they're still much stronger than me. All this work hasn't been enough."

Neji frowned and looked away. "Yeah...." Neither of us are stronger. Sasuke has learned so much quicker than me with his Sharingan, but still.... He reached up, pulling off his headband--it was making his skull ache.

Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just...frustrating." He pressed his face into his pillow. "Will we ever be strong enough? Wherever we go?"

"How strong do you want to be?" he asked back. "What will be enough?" Neji pushed to his feet again, heading for the bathroom. "There are some weaknesses we have to accept."

"No there aren't," Sasuke muttered bitterly, tugging the blanket suddenly up and over him, clothes, shoes, and all. "I don't have to accept anything."

Neji paused, his fingers curling around the doorframe until his knuckles cracked. Good for you then, Sasuke. That you don't have those kinds of limits. He didn't say any of that, though. "You should rest," he said instead. "I'm taking a bath."

Sasuke frowned, but he couldn't reply if Neji wasn't going to argue with him. With a scowl he buried himself deeper in the blankets, determined to sleep.

Neji took his time in the bath, letting the hot water soothe his tense muscles. When he finally felt he would fall asleep in the tub he pulled himself out. Drying off, he pulled on his clean shorts from before, taking his shirt with him.

They had finally been given a room with two beds, and Neji moved to his as he toweled off his hair. Sasuke...looked asleep.

Sasuke opened his eyes when he heard Neji come out of the bathroom. He felt guilty for some reason, but when he turned Neji was already sitting on his bed, still working on getting the moisture from his hair. Sasuke watched him for a moment. It…must be harder for him, he realized dully. It's not like his curse will ever….

Sasuke slipped out of bed, moving to sit just behind Neji. He leaned in to kiss the side of his throat. "Are you all right?"

Neji had watched him approach, a bit surprised--Sasuke rarely initiated such contact between them. He shrugged, still rubbing idly at his hair. "I'm fine," he murmured. "What about you?"

"Okay, I guess." He kissed the back of Neji's neck again, maybe just trying to distract them both. His eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry it wasn't you." Because it's not like it's freed me of anything. But you….

Snorting quietly, Neji let his towel drop. "It doesn't work that way, though," he murmured. Reaching back, he ran a hand along the outside of Sasuke's thigh. "At least we don't have to worry about him following you here now."

"Yeah." Sasuke twisted his arms around Neji's shoulders. "I want to sleep together tonight," he said, as if Neji could not have protested. "I kind of miss it."

Neji's lips curled faintly, hiding the sudden clench in his chest. He tilted his head so their cheeks could lightly rub. "All right." I've missed it, too. I've wished...you would let us go further. He leaned back against Sasuke's chest, the room before them staining red from the gradually setting sun.

Sasuke grinned. "Okay." He twisted so that his thighs ran on either side of Neji's hips as he tugged him back, kissing his bare shoulder. "Your bed's fine."

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