Itachi is younger than canon in this story.

Naruto is slightly older than his normal age.

Naruto and Itachi are close friends.

Naruto is smart, a lot smarter than normal, because he fills his free time with reading ( fuinjutsu books, anatomy, biology, chakra control... anything) It's odd, isn't it ?

Prologue:

What is a family?

The first thing that comes to mind with the word family, is Love, care, eternal happiness. It has been said that Family, is where all the dreams begin and where people hearts lay. It's considered a gift, a blessing.

At least that's what naruto learned from stories.

The reality he was living in, however, was nowhere near. His parents were there, alive. Yet, he couldn't remember one single moment he laughed with them, nor could he remember one time they treated him like a child. Their child.

His mind could only recall the endless memories of neglect and disregard.

Despite the ignorance he was treated with, for some reason, naruto couldn't hate his family, his heart prevented him from that. He wanted to prove himself, to show them his worth. He'd make them care for him.

But, that couldn't mean he didn't carry some anger at his parents demeanor. He sometimes, couldn't even tolerate their presence.

He was staring out of his bedroom window, his golden hair glowing under the rays of the late evening sun that passed from his window's glass. His eyes which he inherited from his father shined like a gem, showing the charm of his deep blue eyes. Placing his hands on his cheeks, he looked down at the world as it ran it's course.

His father's face on the Hokage monument was visible from here. Looking at the fourth sculpture and how much resemblance he had for the man, he hated his looks. And, it was not a thoughtless hate for those looks. People of the village, also disregarded him, calling him a failure compared to his father, the yellow flash. Some even gone to the extent of calling him a disgrace, someone who isn't worth carrying the name, nor the looks of the legendary ninja.

How many times naruto came back home crying because of that, yet his parents didn't offer him any consolence, they seemed to have the same mind as the stupid people of the village.

There was only one person in the house that cared for him …

"Onii-chan, come on it's time for dinner." The door opened, and some small footsteps were heard from the doors. It was his little sister, the kyubi jinchuriki. She had blood red hair, and blue eyes. She looked exactly like her mother. She was beautiful, so young, yet so majestic, or so naruto always thought.

Despite that she was one of the two reasons his parents, didn't care about him, naruto couldn't hate his little sister. He was jealous. True, but he couldn't hate her, just like he couldn't hate his parents. His little sister was the only one that was concerned with his presence in the house, she was 3-year-old yet she noticed the distance between him and their parents, and she worked to fill the lack of kindness, naruto was feeling. She was trying and naruto appreciated that… a lot.

No, naruto didn't hate his sister, he absolutely adored her. He could remember several times when he was crying, when he was hurt by the villagers' words, his sister would enter his room and try to comfort him. She would bring some tissues with her and try to wipe the tears off his cheeks. 'Please don't cry, Onii-chan'. She would say. And naruto could notice every single time that her eyes would be moist too, as if she is holding back her own tears. And that alone would make him stop, all of his sadness in that day would drift away, and he could truly smile… genuinely, it was always enough to make him happy.

"Huh, it's dinner time, already?" As usual, his parents didn't even bother to 'invite' him for dinner, and Nao, his sister, had to. He'd bet that if he actually decided to have dinner with them, he'd find his plate empty, with no food left, if they remembered to put his plate on the table in the first place. And again, his sister would help him, she would literally feed him sometimes, or share half of her food with him, while his parents would continue on with their excuses.

They would find excuses for everything, from locking him outside, to forgetting to buy him new clothes that would fit him, to not having enough time to pass with him. Yet, they would find time to pass with Nao. Meanwhile, Naruto would pass time, reading books, that's what he'd do constantly. He read thousands of books, more than he could count. And he grew fond of reading. He felt as the book was his eternal friend. These books, this library was with him since he was four, since his sister's birth. He read stories about legendary ninjas, and others about imaginary tales. He learned a lot about chakra and chakra control. He even was successful in reading and mastering some of the early stages of seals.

Seals… The art of Fuinjutsu was hard and dangerous. He felt so happy when he was able to learn his first ever seal. He had no help, nor assistance. His parents didn't even know, and he was not going to tell them, it's not like they'd care.

"Onii-chan, Are you okay? You're not crying! Are you?" He was lost in thoughts, that he didn't notice his little sister sitting next to him. He flashed her a small smile, glancing away from the window and looking at his sister.

"No, don't worry, Hime, I'm not!" He felt his little sister grip on him, as she hugged him slightly. He hugged back, lovely.

She broke the hug, after several minutes and ran toward the door.

"Come on Onii-chan." She said looking back at him.

"Sorry, Nao, I'm not going to stay here tonight, I'm going to Jiji's house." He shook his head.

"But why onii-chan?"

"I missed him and I figured I could pass some time with him" He was talking about Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Hokage, he was one of the few people that cared about naruto. He knew everything about him, even his vaste knowledge in fuinjutsu.

"How's things going with asuma-nii, Jiji. You mentionned last time that you've had a disagrement." Naruto said, setting aside his empty plate and looking at the third hokage seriously.

"Things didn't get better, it only got worse. His anger just intensified after seeing his sister crying one night." Hiruzen replied with a sip of his hot cup of leaf tea, his face sporting a rueful expression as his eyes clenched shut, careful as to not show his raging emotions.

"I see." Naruto replied griefly."But you have to understand where he's coming from. He's just sad for his little sister. Poor her, losing her husband like that, and pregnant with his child no less."

Hiruzen sighed deeply-a hollow sound that sent a chill up the boy's spine-taking another sip of his tea."Takechi was so passionate about his job and protecting the village. He just recently got his promotion for the rank of jonin, he kept on bestering for an A-ranked mission, like a genin. 'I have to provide for my family' he said, he didn't want to live of the sarutobi fortune, his pride didn't allow him. He was an amazing man that one, I couldn't choose any better person for my daughter, but I wasted his life by giving him that mission. Your father was on vacation that time and I had to take care of his duties for him." He took another sip of his tea before releasing another sigh. Tea was like alcohol to him, as strange as that might sound, tea calmed his mind, and made him think straight. It made him forget his pain, even for a bit.

"It's not your fault, Jiji. You've done nothing wrong ! Takechi-nii-"

"Indeed, I didn't. As much as I regret sending him on that mission, and as much as I feel sorry for Ohana and konohamaru, Takechi died protecting the king, that's what Asuma doesn't understand. It's an honor, even if it should not be for people as young as him, certainly not for people as young as the old team 7 as well."

Naruto face saddened at the mention of the pretty girl and the nice boy of team 7, he only remember bits and pieces of, but it was quickly washed away when a question was raised in his mind.

"Protecting the king ? I thought Takechi-nii died taking out a threat to the safety of konoha ! This group of most powerful samurais or whatever." Naruto asked, confusedly.

"Naruto, who is the king, here in konoha ?" Asked the professor, mysteriously.

"Dad ? Since he's the hokage and all ?" Replied the blond hesitantly, not quite sure if that's the response the hokage wanted.

"That's not it, Naruto. Think about it." When Naruto tried to answer again, Hiruzen stopped him by holding up his hand in the air." Give it some thought and give me your response later." Naruto nodded.

After a few minutes of silence, Naruto decided to talk.

"So the baby's name is Konohamaru, huh ?"

Hiruzen hummed in confirmation.

"What a beautiful name."

"His father chose it, and we all agreed on it. He's gonna be named konohamaru. If it's a boy that is."

"Good choice, then."

"You wasted your chance at graduating for me, huh?" Said Naruto to the boy sitting next to him, glancing at him through a sideway, somewhat angry gaze.

"So what ? I'm still young for graduation, anyway. Besides, It's not like I was sure to graduate one hundred percent."The black haired boy shrugged, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his eyes closed, as if he was mediating.

"Don't give me that bullshit !"Naruto snorted, throwing his head backward, resting it on his hands."If you took the exam, you would've made it your bitch along with any teammates you would've been paired with." He released a long sigh before shifting his gaze to the other boy. "Look, Itachi. If you're gonna wait for me, you're probably gonna regret it, later. You know that I can't even make a single clone. Hell, I can't even do henge." And it was true, for some reason that even Tsunade of the sanin, the world renowed medic couldn't grasp, Naruto's chakra coils has been damaged beyond repair.

He was allowed to enter the academy with difficulty because of his disability. He has always been the deadlast, yet he didn't give up. He'd find a way.

"So what ? You deserve that graduation more than anybody here, you're more skilled than everybody in this room, except me." He pointed out, giving the blonde a small smirk.

"W-What?"

"Don't give me that bullshit." Itachi mocked, opening one eye, showing the smallest glimmer of amusement."You would've made any student here your bitch if you're paired together in a fight."

"I don't know what to say to that." Asked Naruto.

"You give yourself way less credit than you deserve Naruto. I've known you for two years now and you've never dissapointed me in spars or in any other subject we talked about. It's good to have someone that thinks the same you do to share your thoughts."

"Thank you very much, Itachi, that means a lot." He smiled brightly.

"So what are you reading ? A book about seals ?" Itachi asked, his voice serene.

"Mhm..." Naruto let out a sound of approval, puling out a book about seals. He opened it and started reading as itachi examined the seals inscriped on the papers.

"That's pretty advanced stuff you're reading there" He remarked.

"What do you think I am ? A noob ?"

"Is that considered an insult ?" Itachi rolled his eyes, glaring at the genin aspirant.

"You can consider it whatever you want, big boy !" He teased.

"Me, the almighty and Elite Itachi Uchiha gets unsulted by a brat like you. the end is near."

"May I remind you that you're not that much older than me ?"

Itachi just grunted.

"Oh, be careful ! you're starting to sound a lot like your clan." Naruto warmed.

"That's a bad thing ?"

"Definetly."

.

.

.

"Hey Itachi."

"Hn ?"

"You remember Takechi-nii, the one I talked to you about ? He died on a mission. Ohana-nee is pregnant with his child. I don't know why I'm saying this but... it made me so sad, he's such a good man. He didn't have to die."

Itachi looked at Naruto, his expression grim. He remembered something his mother said to him after shishui's parents died.

"Naruto, when you're in a garden, which flowers do you pick ?"

"The most beautiful ones." He replied, unstantly understanding what Itachi meant.

'A life passed away, a new one is going to be born.' The uchiha thought.

Omake : Siblings love

The attraction park was enormous and so full of people, Naruto and Nao looked around in awe, as their eyes drifted from side to side as they gawked at the sheer sise of the numerous buildings and platforms. They walked hand in hand, their parents walking right behind them smiling at the pair.

They were in the capital of the land of fire, the place most inhabited and the biggest city in the country

"Nao, do you like the park ?" Minato asked lovingly, as he lifted Nao in his hand.

Naruto scowled at losing the feeling of warmth in his hand while Nao giggled excitedly as her father lifted her in his arms.

"It's amazwing, daddy." She said cutely.

Kushina squealed in delight at her daughter tone.

"You're so cute Nao-chan." She said happily, taking her into her hands.

Nao continued giggling happily.

The day at the park was amusing and awesome, even naruto passed an amazing day with his sister playing at the different chakra-powered-games, laughing and joking with each others.

"Hey kids, It's time to get home, let's go !" Called Kushina.

"But mommy, I wan tha toy." Complained Nao, pointing to a booth of very advanced kunai-throwing game with a price of a biig Bear plush toy.

"We have no time for that, dear, It's getting late. We can't wait for our turn to play, there's a lot of people playing."

"But, mooom."

"No buts ! Maybe another time Nao-chan. Now let's go !" Kushina said as she picked Nao up.

"Alright, kushina ! I'm gonna use the flying raijin now." Warned Minato.

"Waiit, where Oni-chan ? He's not here." Said Nao.

"Where's Naruto ? Have you seen him Minato ?" Asked Kushina.

"No, where might he be ? Did he get lost ? Anyway, we'll return home, I'll send someone to get him, or maybe I'll return for him myself later."

"Noooo, we're not leaving withou Oni-chan. Let me down ! I'll go look for him. You go home, we'll get home together later." Her eyes were moist, and she was barely holding her tears as she started to walk on her own despite how tired she was, kushina and minato following after her.

The park was huge, so for a 4 year old to go in and walk around everywhere looking for someone sounded like a marathon, and despite how tired she felt, along with the fear of getting lost herself, Nao still didn't go back in her decision to find her brother.

She didn't have to look for long as the figure of her brother welcomed her after a few steps forward.

"Onii-chan ! where have you been ?" She asked, hugging him immediately when she saw him.

"Calm down, Hime, Calm down !" He consoled."Sorry for taking so much. I just got you a souvenir to keep from our journey here." He grinned.

When she looked at him expectantly, Naruto pulled a red bear plush toy from behind his back.

"This is the toy you wanted, right ? Don't worry, I didn't steal it, I won it."