The Real Me

47

Naruto woke up to brilliant sunlight straight in his eyes. With a small yelp he covered his eyes and reached out for whatever curtain there was and pulled it back. He lay there for a few moments and had almost drifted off to sleep once more, but the realisation struck him. He sat up in bed, eyes wide.

He looked around. He was back in the hospital. The same room, and the same window. The sunlight still cascaded down at him and it annoyed Naruto. He glared at the white translucent curtains and cursed at them. Futile.

He then jumped off the bed and stood there, deciding how to proceed. He was in the hospital, meaning he had passed out. It was too sunny. This wasn't the weather when he was fighting Gaara. So it was probably the next day. Naruto felt uneasy at the prospect of having missed the entirety of the Sand Village's attack on Konoha. But time can't be reversed, so he had to palan his next moves carefully.

There was a sound from the door and Naruto scrambled onto the bed and pretended to sleep.
He could sense Sasuke's chakra, and slowly opened an eye, just a bit, to see Sasuke walking and sitting on his own bed.

He didn't look as banged up as he did that day. He just had a few bandages around his head, neck and arms.

He made no sound and Naruto followed suite, making the room being illuminated only by nature.

This was the scene for a few minutes, with an unmoving Sasuke sitting on his bed, staring at the floor and Naruto staring at him with a half open eye. The room's silent symphony was suddenly interrupted rudely by a rush of genins.

"Oye!" Shikamaru greeted.
"Sasuke-kun!! ...Naruto..." Sakura exclaimed after seeing Sasuke alive and well, and then somewhat forced herself to acknowledge the "sleeping" blond.
The other genins came as well and surrounded Sasuke. Naruto couldn't make out any useful information except trivial matters like whether he was feeling fine, did he want anything to eat yadda yadda.

Then, they were all ushered put by a nurse who was accompanied by Kakashi sensei. The nurse seemed very aware of her proximity to Kakashi and Naruto could make out the red flush of her cheeks.
Oh for god's sake...

After everyone departed except Sakura, Kakashi decided to "wake up" Naruto.

He slowly did rise. And then even proceeded to tuck right back in (for extra effects) but was stopped by Kakashi.

"You were unconscious for a day." Kakashi informed him, grabbing Naruto's attention.
Well, he had guessed so...
But judging from the tone of his voice, Naruto detected an urgent matter. Naruto frowned, what exactly could have gone wrong?

"Really? " He asked his sensei, who nodded slowly.
Was he trying to understand whether the matter could be disclosed to Naruto?

"So...what happened? Where did those Sand shinobis go? How's the old man?" He asked in that sick optimistic tone, as if nothing could away his brightness.

Sasuke turned and stared at him, Sakura sighed, and Kakashi pinched his forehead, a long sigh escaping his mouth.

"Lord Hokage is dead." Kakashi finally said.

For a while Naruto didn't register anything. Huh?.
"Excuse me?"

"He's dead. Today's the funeral."

The anger which had been building up in him for the last couple if days overflowed once more. The shock made him unable to speak.
What could be say?
Good riddance?
How?
Why?
Was there even an answer??

The only thing Naruto knew for sure was that he wasn't able to take his revenge. Atleast not on the old man.
The person who decided to go along the Civilian Council and imposed several rules against him.
The person who smiled at him and plotted behind his back.
The man, who told him that if anyone got hurt because of him, even if he was defending, then it could lead to a death sentence.