Pairing: Itachi/Naruto. Sasuke/Sakura, past-Naruto/Hinata
This will contain past Hinata/Naruto, but this story is written after they have divorced. There will be no character bashing and I'm hopefully going to be fixing some of the dreadful ending we were given! All the children exist, Sasuke and Sakura are still together (though less worshipy in Sakura's case and she realises that her family isn't perfect, as well as there being actual consequences of Sasuke never being there), and yes.
This will try to pick apart what we've been given and explain things, all the while giving us a perfect Itachi/Naruto ending. I'm surprise it took me this long to write a fix-it fic really, but here we go! I'm aiming to get this completed by the end of the year, so hopefully the next chapter will be up soon.
Enjoy!
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Konohamaru would never say that his job was easy. Interesting, definitely, fun, sometimes, rewarding all the time, but easy? Not at all. His team were never going to be easy, though Boruto had calmed down a lot recently, and Konohamaru always had to prepare himself for the longer missions.
Reasonably, he was surprised and unprepared when Boruto shouted out that he needed some help. There was a weird man, he called, and Sarada shot him a put-upon look. Mitsuki was already running over, and Konohamaru prayed this wasn't another hostage incident like the last mission they'd been on. They didn't need to stumble into any kidnappings this mission, thank you very much.
When he got to where Boruto was – standing on the edge of the Suna-Konoha plains, Konohamaru started to think that a kidnapping would be better than this. His stomach tightened as Boruto pointed lazily to a slumped figure, a young man who looked as if he'd been ravaged by bandits. Something was telling Konohamaru otherwise, though, and he held a hand up to keep his team back. If this man was as dangerous as his gut was telling him, Konohamaru might even need someone to run back and get help.
"Excuse me, are you okay?" Konohamaru tried, hoping that the man would respond. He didn't, however, and Konohamaru took a smooth breath in, approaching the man and crouching down.
"Hey," he said softly, reaching to touch the man's shoulder. He shook him once, and the man stirred, hair moving back from his face.
Ice ran through Konohamaru's body as the man blinked slowly, adjusting to his surroundings. It was odd to see him without a Konoha plate on his head, but there was no mistaking this man. Konohamaru had no idea what was going on, or how it had happened, but this was way over his head.
"Can you remember anything?" Konohamaru asked, voice low. He didn't want his team to clock onto who this man was, and the man seemed to understand that. His gaze was clear as he met Konohamaru's gaze.
"Everything. Including the war," he added quietly, shaking his head. "I don't know how this has happened, however."
Konohamaru's lips thinned as he pulled his phone from his pocket. The information was too sensitive to send through the usual communication channels, so Konohamaru typed his message to a private number Naruto had given him. It was, technically, a number Konohamaru should only use if Boruto or their team was in grave danger, but this situation was something that needed utmost secrecy.
"We're going to head back to Konoha," Konohamaru announced, and his team frowned up at him. "We're going to accompany our guest back to Konoha. He needs medical assistance," Konohamaru said, though he knew their guest needed much more than just plain medical assistance.
Sarada peered past him, and for a moment, Konohamaru wondered if she recognised him. She shrugged, turning and starting to head back the way they had come, dragging Boruto with her. Mitsuki nodded curtly and began walking, eyes scanning the area for threats as he always did. That left Konohamaru with one of the world's legendary ninja, a man who had helped turn the tide of war and saved them all; Uchiha Itachi.
Who, for some inexplicable reason, had returned to life fifteen years after his death.
.
Really, the story started a while before Uchiha Itachi was ever found. It started after Uchiha Sasuke raised an alarm and the Hokage responded. It began with the last fight against a grizzly man hell-bent on revenge for one reason or another, and Naruto was fighting the urge to pool all of Kurama's chakra into a bijūdama just to blow the idiot up and be done with it.
"You'll all suffer!" the man was shouting, just like a lot of them did, and Naruto shot Sasuke a bored look. He returned it tenfold (no one did a bored look like Sasuke after all), and then they were attacking. Not that they really needed the two of them to take care of this guy, but better to get it over and done with.
"You will face the thing you hate the most!" the man gargled, still spitting his words despite the fact he was flat on the ground and in chains. They'd take him back to Konoha and get him locked up, but he wasn't going quietly.
"It's already in motion! He'll tear you apart and you'll be ruined, even if you put me in chains!" the man began laughing, and Naruto rolled his eyes. These supervillain fancying types were all the same, and whatever plan he had in motion, they'd combat it easily.
So when Naruto received Konohamaru's text, his first thought was of one prisoner in the cells, one he knew was undoubtedly behind this. A grin was all he received when he went to visit, and Naruto could feel a headache coming on.
"So you finally found him then," the man said, and Naruto frowned. "He ruined your lives once, he'll do it again! There's nothing you can do to undo what I did!"
Naruto stared at the man, eyes narrowed, before he realised that Itachi's innocence and his role in the war – shockingly – wasn't all that common knowledge. This man had thought that, by bringing Itachi back, he'd ruin them all.
"You do realise you've done us all a favour?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, and the man's grin finally slid off of his face. "Uchiha Itachi is a loyal shinobi, a powerful one at that, and he finally has time to properly mend his family ties. Whatever you did – whatever jutsu you used or blood technique – you've given a man back to his family. You've given him back to his village. Itachi won't be tearing us apart at all."
Naruto looked down at the man, uncaring how he managed it. He knew now that it wasn't something that could just be undone – Itachi was real and alive once more.
"You failed and you stay here. You tried to gamble, but it was all wasted." Naruto turned his back, not giving the prisoner any more of his time.
Something small fluttered in Naruto's chest, a feeling he hadn't felt for years, and he bit the inside of his cheek. Surprises were few and far between, and Naruto was strangely looking forward to seeing Itachi after all these years.
.
If you were to ask, Itachi would say that he had no idea how any of it had happened. One moment he was just… there, and the next he was… well. Here. He knew time had passed – a lot of time at that – but he hadn't felt it dragging. It just had happened and that was that. He knew he had died years ago (something like fifteen he'd been told), but it felt like he'd just overslept.
"Your team seem familiar somehow," Itachi commented as they walked slowly back to Konoha. He would be up to running – there was nothing wrong with him, Itachi knew he'd be in just as good form as he was when he'd been resurrected last – but Konohamaru insisted they take it slow. Itachi was still finding it hard to equate the tiny brat he remembered as the man next to him now, and he suspected that he'd find this off displaced feeling a lot over the coming days.
"They should be," Konohamaru said, looking at Itachi with a sigh. "You're familiar with all of their fathers."
There was a beat of silence and a questioning, "Mothers? Maybe for one of them. No one really knows with Mitsuki.
Itachi knew better than to question that, so he nodded, trying to place who the children could belong to. Two were obvious, if Itachi was right, but he wanted to hear it from someone else.
"Mitsuki is Orochimaru's son," Konohamaru said, nodding to the white-haired child. Itachi's eyebrows rose, completely understanding Konohamaru's previous comment now. That was… unexpected, but the world had changed a lot, Itachi supposed.
"The others are Uzumaki Boruto and Uchiha Sarada," Konohamaru said in a rush, and while Itachi had been expecting as much, it was still a strange thing to hear. The next generation of the Uzumaki and Uchiha clan, a fresh slate that would never know the horrors Itachi had left in his wake.
"Their mothers?" Itachi dared to ask, for he had to know. He was walking into his hometown blind, practically, a hint of knowledge would be appreciated.
"Hyūga Hinata and Uchiha Sakura," Konohamaru supplied, and Itachi nodded curtly. Two amazingly competent women who were formidable ninjas. It explained a lot about the team and why they Konohamaru was comfortable with the younger members scouting ahead.
"I presume Naruto-kun is the Hokage?" Itachi said, and Konohamaru gave a bark of laughter.
"Of course, he's succeeded Kakashi-san." Itachi nodded; Kakashi had been a wise choice of Hokage, one he'd always suspected who would take up the seat. "He'll be meeting us at the gates," Konohamaru added, and Itachi hummed to himself. He'd been hoping he could smarten up a little before he met the Hokage, but he supposed he wasn't in a place to complain. If Naruto was willing to let him into the village without much fuss, let him home, then anything was fine by Itachi.
"Sarada doesn't know about me, does she?" Itachi asked, and Konohamaru shook his head instantly.
"Well, maybe she does. Sasuke hasn't been around much to teach her much of anything, and when he is he tends to train Boruto more than anything." Konohamaru's lips thinned, and Itachi stored that piece of information away for later.
"I don't think she knows what you look like though," Konohamaru confided, and Itachi nodded, having come to that conclusion already. He looked a little battered and scruffy, but he was still recognisable. Even Konohamaru had taken less than a moment to place him, and Itachi couldn't even remember if they'd met properly in person before.
Konoha loomed before them not before too long, and Itachi was too lost in amazement at what his village had blossomed into to pay much attention to anything else. Everything looked so alien and yet so familiar, and the Hokage Mountain had two more faces carved in. Cables ran around overhead, and Itachi had a suspicion they were to do with the black thing Konohamaru had been tapping against earlier, a phone or something.
The world really had changed.
And then Itachi's eyes drifted towards the lone figure at the gate. He wore a cloak reminiscent of the Yondaime, and Itachi's breath caught in his chest. Naruto was broader, taller, and clearly a grown man who had lived a life and achieved his dream. His gaze was steady when Itachi locked eyes with him, and it was so strange to think of this man as the same one Itachi had entrusted his village to in the end.
"Welcome back Team Konohamaru," he greeted warmly, though Itachi saw the way that Boruto held himself back with a frown. There was clearly some tension there, though Itachi could hardly comment on smoothing over family troubles. "Thank you for bringing back our guest, even if that wasn't your original mission. Your original mission has been given to another team, and you're free to go on leave for the next few days."
There was a sound of outrage from all three genin, and Itachi felt a pang of sympathy for them. They'd need these few days when they discovered the truth, but it would seem like a punishment to them now.
"I will need you for a more important mission," Naruto said sternly, and Itachi knew this was a man who was confident in his ability to crush whatever rose to hurt his home. Naruto was a Hokage (perhaps the most powerful Hokage in history) who would be ruthless if need be, and Itachi wondered how else he had changed in all these years. Gone was the carefree child, and Itachi was surprised to see how little of the old Naruto shone through.
He just hoped it wasn't something to be worried about.
"I'll take over from here," Naruto said quietly, and Itachi knew he was being summoned forward. He went without question, and could feel the children's eyes on him, wondering just who he was to get a private audience with their Hokage.
"Even some random beggar guy gets more time with my dad than me," Itachi heard Boruto mutter, and his stomach jittered with unease. His image of Naruto had shifted so much in the few minutes he'd been here, and not all for the better.
They moved quietly through the village, Itachi taking everything in. Despite all the changes and advances, his eyes always returned to Naruto, noticing the way he smiled warmly at everyone they passed. He still held himself tightly, as if he was holding himself back, and Itachi wondered exactly what was going on with him.
It wasn't his place to ask, however, and Itachi remained silent until Naruto ushered them into the Hokage's office.
"Some idiot thought you would ruin Sasuke and myself so he brought you back using a blood jutsu," he said without preamble, taking at seat at his desk and gesturing for Itachi to sit opposite with a bandaged hand. "You're here to stay, as far as we know, and while I'd like you to see Sakura-chan for a full medical, you look exactly the same as you did when you were alive the first time."
Itachi snorted humourlessly. "I wonder how many people can say they've come back to life more than once," he commented, and a small stab of fear shot through him.
"What do I do, Naruto-kun?" he asked, sinking lower into his chair. "This isn't my world. I've been dead for over a decade, what use am I to anyone?"
Naruto leant forward, eyes brighter and warmer than Itachi had seen them since his return. He looked passionate, open, and Itachi wondered why this Naruto was kept shut away.
"First of all, I think it's time you call me just Naruto. You did so much for Konoha and for me during the war. We wouldn't have won without you, you know." Itachi looked down. At least he'd had meaning back then.
"Secondly, you're going to do what we all do, and that's keep going. You're a valued member of Konoha, whether you want to continue as a ninja or not. You're young! You have an entire life to live free of the Akatsuki and people who want to kill you." Naruto looked at him earnestly, eyes softening.
"Sasuke doesn't spend much time in Konoha. He sometimes goes years without setting foot near here, and Sarada-chan's just woken her sharingan. If you were to stay, you could help guide her." Naruto leant back in his chair, smirking cheekily, a smirk Itachi could remember well. "Don't let Sasuke know, but I've always thought you were better with the sharingan than he ever will be."
The words warmed Itachi and the fear subsided a little. He still had a place here, a meaning, and he'd never be able to thank Naruto enough for that, he knew.
"I've missed so much," Itachi said gently, and Naruto nodded.
"You have. But you're here now, and you can make up for lost time." There was a pause. "Is there… anyone you'd like to visit? Anyone you'd like to track down – I'm not sure what your state of affairs was in the Akatsuki but if there is someone who you, um-"
"There was no one," Itachi said smoothly, cutting over Naruto's words before he fumbled through them. "Anyone I was involved with, as you say, is either dead or understood things there and then. There is no one outside of this village for me," Itachi finished, and Naruto cleared his throat with a nod.
"Good," he said, and there was a strange feeling tingling through Itachi with Naruto's words. "Good."
Slowly, Naruto began to fill Itachi in with what had happened over the past decade or so. His aid came in at some point, delivering ramen and tea, and Itachi dug in with fervour, pleased to see Naruto doing much the same. Ichiraku ramen hadn't changed a bit, and Itachi found himself sharing anecdotes.
"It wasn't hard to do, and I felt like it was a good way to measure my skills at first," Itachi admitted, reminiscing on the time he entered Konoha when he was with the Akatsuki just for ramen. It seemed childish, but he'd been ordered to see how well protected Naruto was following his entrance into his final year at the academy, and instead he'd gone for ramen.
"I'd still do anything for ramen," Naruto sighed happily, slurping down a noodle. "Gaara understands me when the Kages meet. He always makes sure there's ramen."
Itachi raised an eyebrow. While they had hardly been in each other's company for a long time, not once had Naruto mentioned his wife. He'd spoken plenty about his other former classmates, but nothing on Hinata. There had to be something there, Itachi's gut was telling him, but there was no way he could just bring that up, no matter how well they appeared to be getting on now.
"You're going to have to ask whatever it is that's brewing in there," Naruto said suddenly, and Itachi looked up in surprise. Of course, he thought. Naruto wasn't the same oblivious teenager he'd been before. Itachi needed to stop underestimating him.
"It's forward of me," Itachi said instead, testing the waters. Naruto simply shrugged, placing his empty ramen bowl on the table.
"You married the heir of the Hyūga clan," Itachi said, and instantly Naruto stiffened. Itachi had been right about it being a sore subject. "It's only polite I pass my congratulations and wishes for a healthy family onto you, though they are a little late."
There was a ghost of a smile, and then Naruto was leaning on the table, covered hand over his mouth.
"Well. Thank you," he said, not meeting Itachi's eyes. "They are a little late, though. Our divorce was finalised a few months ago now."
That, above everything else, shocked Itachi. He'd suspected something was up, but he hadn't imagined that there would be a divorce involved. His surprise must have shown, for Naruto sighed, looking away sadly.
"I'm not one to talk about my personal life with just anyone," he began, and Itachi nodded. Being in a position of power was lonely and exhausting, even when one was a well-loved and respected Hokage. "But we've always clicked, haven't we?" Naruto added wistfully, and Itachi knew it to be true.
He thought back to the first time he'd looked at Naruto, staring down at a fearful genin. Naruto had been willing to follow him then, talk to him and reason with him, and that had never changed. And then there was the battle they had fought in, teaming up seamlessly, fitting together in the huge puzzle of war – and it had felt good, despite everything. They had a connection, a strange one that didn't make any sense or have much of a base, but it was there.
It had never faded, it seemed.
"I haven't been good to them since I've become Hokage," Naruto said, the words hurtful. "I know I've placed the needs of the village above the needs of my family, and when Hinata told me I needed to make a change, I ignored her." Naruto sighed, looking up and placing his hands in his lap.
"I didn't care enough about my family to keep it together, and I didn't realise I was hurting my children until it was too late. Now Boruto hates me and Himawari is completely indifferent. I let that happen." Naruto closed his eyes, and Itachi could understand a little of his pain. He understood what it was like to see your family slipping away before your eyes and being powerless to change it.
"When Hinata told me that we weren't working anymore, there was only one thing to do. We tried for the children, but… well. She's happier with whoever she's seeing right now and I'm not hurting her anymore." Naruto shrugged, pretending that he was okay, but Itachi knew he wasn't.
"The Naruto I knew wouldn't have backed down without a fight," Itachi said firmly, and he met Naruto's surprised gaze with ease. He was comfortable around powerful men, and Naruto was no exception. Compared to Nagato, Tobi and even Orochimaru, Naruto's intimidation was nothing.
"The Naruto you knew was sixteen years old," Naruto said, fingers tapping the wood of his desk. "When you grow up, you learn that not everything can be fought for."
"If it had mattered to you enough, you would have fought for it. You can't have changed that much," Itachi commented, and Naruto's look turned baleful.
"You will probably be taken to the hospital soon," Naruto said, turning to the box on his desk. It was a laptop, he'd informed Itachi, though he had no real idea what it did. "Until then, let's just stick to business."
"Has someone informed Sasuke?" Itachi asked. If Naruto wanted to play things this way, then who was Itachi to stop him.
"He's uncontactable right now," Naruto said, regret lacing his words. "He should be in a position to receive messages in a week, so we'll send a bird out then. The idiot refuses to get a phone so there's no easy way to get to him, so who knows when he'll return."
The answer unsettled Itachi, especially with the revelation that Naruto wished he would train Sasuke's child. They'd parted on good terms (as good as they ever could have been), but would Sasuke want him around his child?
"Sakura-chan will be happy for you to train Sarada-chan, if that's what you're worrying about," Naruto said, and Itachi looked at him sharply, raising an eyebrow.
"You seem to know exactly what I need to hear," Itachi said, and a small thought flittered through his mind. Could Naruto tell what he was thinking? As in he'd used some sort of jutsu and…
"I understand you," Naruto replied, offering a small smile. "I can read you so well now, I just…" Naruto trailed off, shaking his head. "It feels like we're old friends. I can't explain it."
They had been through a lot together, in a way, and Itachi understood perfectly what Naruto meant. No one had been involved quite how Itachi and Naruto had. No one else had understood Nagato like they had, no one had seen the Akatsuki how they had. With Itachi's return, part of Naruto's past had come back to life, and Itachi knew they needed to sit down and talk about it.
"Sakura-chan has always wanted someone to help Sarada with her Uchiha heritage. Sasuke… well, he spends most of his time travelling, you see. Sarada hadn't even met him until recently." Itachi pressed his teeth together, the sinking feeling in his gut growing with that information. After all that had happened, he'd never thought that Sasuke could leave his child behind. But then, he'd never have thought that Naruto would let his family pull apart so easily either. Something remarkable had happened while Itachi had been dead, and not in a good way.
"Does Sarada even want to learn from the man who destroyed her clan?" Itachi asked, and Naruto shrugged.
"I don't think she knows much about you, if anything. Besides, it's been years. The Uchiha clan have faded into the background for the most part. If anyone remembers anything about you, it's that you helped us win the war." Naruto sat back in his chair, eyes flicking to his laptop. "Sakura is on her way up, she'll be here in a few minutes."
They sat in silence after that, Naruto gently tapping at his laptop. Itachi watched him unabashedly, not caring if he was staring, and Naruto caught his eye a few times, offering a slight smile, though it faded quickly.
There was a knock at the door and, before anyone called out, someone walked in. She was much how Itachi remembered her, though the commanding air around her had multiplied, and it was easy to see that this was a woman who had trained under Senju Tsunade.
"I didn't believe it," Sakura said, closing the door and looking Itachi up and down. She frowned. "I still don't, if I'm honest, despite you sitting there, Itachi-san."
She was instantly respectful, and Itachi supposed she had no reason to like him. No doubt she had heard about him mostly from Sasuke, and a lot of that was never going to be good.
"It is a little unbelievable," Itachi agreed easily, and Sakura smiled tightly.
"I'll need to do a basic medical screening, including blood tests and all that. There's also the matter of your disease – Naruto-kun mentioned that you were already dying before Sasuke killed you." She was so matter of fact about it, and Itachi appreciated it.
"It was a blood disease," Itachi said easily. "Though considering I'm no longer blind, I'm allowing myself to hope that it's been eradicated from my body."
Sakura hummed to herself, taking a scroll from her hip and unsealing a huge bag of medical supplies. It looked to be well organised despite the size, for she was drawing blood minutes later, Naruto still tapping away at his laptop as if there wasn't a medical exam happening in his office.
"I'll do a full analysis," Sakura said as she began to inspect Itachi's general condition. "It'll take a few days – do you have somewhere to stay? If Naruto-kun hasn't invited you to his home, you're welcome to stay with Sarada and me," Sakura said pleasantly, and Itachi was almost overwhelmed by it. He remembered a frightened girl, not this confident woman.
"Naruto hasn't asked me, no," Itachi said, and Sakura's eyes flitted to his at the lack of an honorific. She didn't say anything else, though, merely raised an eyebrow and nodded.
"In that case, we have a small room you're welcome to use. It's not much, but until you can find your feet, you're welcome to stay there for as long as you want." She pulled back, biting her bottom lip. "I'd offer it to you permanently, but that's not the sort of decision I can make alone."
Itachi nodded, showing he understood, and Sakura let her hands drop to her sides, smiling brightly.
"You're very healthy, Itachi-san," she said. "You have a clean bill of health pending blood analysis. Unless you have something to do, would you like to come back to my house? Sarada would love to meet you," Sakura added, and Itachi shot Naruto a quick look, hoping that he'd come up with some reason for Itachi to stay with him.
He didn't even look up from his work, so Itachi nodded slowly.
"Thank you," he said, and Sakura smiled, eyes crinkling.
.
It was hard to believe, Naruto thought as he watched Itachi leave with Sakura, leaving a meaningful stare in his wake. As much as Naruto might like it to be, the hard questions were far from open. Itachi, unlike everyone else, wasn't content just to get his head down and let Naruto get on ignoring his problems.
He sighed, closing his laptop down. He'd only been staring at his emails and scrolling between them in an attempt to look busy, but nothing was happening. It was a lull day, everyone seemed to be behaving and all his tasks had been either completed or delegated. Which made it worse for Naruto, because he had nothing to think of except Itachi.
He was here to stay, that was for sure. Naruto couldn't change that, and he wouldn't want to. But it scared him, in truth, to let someone get close to him again. Sure he was still friends with his old team and loved them all, but he hardly saw them. Everyone had their own lives, and just because Naruto's was crumbling down to ruin didn't mean everyone should run to him. When was the last time he had had an honest conversation with a friend? Naruto had no idea.
Itachi, however, had already proved he didn't care how deep he dug. He wanted to know things about Naruto, wanted to connect with him. Naruto had always strongly believed they could have been great friends with Itachi, but now that there was the chance, Naruto was scared. So much had happened in fifteen years and there was no way Naruto could measure up to the person he'd been before.
So much had changed.
Naruto sat back in his chair with a sigh. He couldn't even vent to Sasuke, not that he ever really got to do that much. Or Hinata, though he'd always tried to keep work at work and home separate. It had made for a lot of stilted conversation and silence between them as the children chattered away.
Part of Naruto did still love Hinata, and it always would. She had been a huge part of his life for so long that Naruto still rolled over in bed and expected her to be there. There was no adjusting to life alone after so long, and Naruto often stayed late working just so he didn't have to go back to an empty house.
He could easily let Itachi stay. The place was far too big for him, even if it wasn't the family home he'd bought with Hinata. There was plenty of space for Itachi – Naruto knew what Sakura's spare room was like and no one could live properly out of that room for very long – but his own ridiculous fears were stopping him from asking.
Naruto sighed and let his head fall against his desk. He closed his eyes, memory replaying the subtle movements of Itachi's face. He could read him remarkably well now, though he wasn't sure if that was due to Itachi just having come back from the dead or Naruto getting better at reading him.
He'd go over tomorrow and ask Itachi to stay at his, Naruto promised himself, knowing that had to be the inevitable outcome. He'd do it, and do it quickly so he didn't need to fester even more than he already was.
Because, underneath it all, there was a strong possibility that he was attracted to Uchiha Itachi, and Naruto really didn't need things to get any more complicated than they already were.
.
No one looked at him. No one cared. The people walking beside them were too busy with their own world, and Itachi found it utterly puzzling. A few greeted Sakura politely, but that was that. They looked at Itachi, but nothing was there, no recognition or fear. It was this, more than anything, that convinced Itachi how much time had really passed.
"Itachi-san," Sakura said quietly, glancing at him through strands of hair. "Sarada… can be a handful. She hasn't gotten to spend much time with Sasuke and, well. I worry about her. She wants to be connected to her clan, but I can't offer her anything."
"Has she awaked her sharingan?" Itachi asked, and Sakura nodded.
"She has two tomoes now, though she's determined to get the final one as soon as she can. She's as stubborn as Sasuke was, though for better reasons." Sakura bit her lip and Itachi nodded.
"I don't mind talking about it," he admitted, shrugging. "It seems the entire world knows what the consequences could have been, and I'm not ashamed that I did what I had to to protect Konoha."
"I could never imagine putting Sarada through that amount of anguish," Sakura said, voice firm. "And regardless of Sasuke's decision, I still want you to be a part of Sarada's and my lives. You're family, and you've been through so much. You should know what it's like to have a family again."
The offer was so overwhelming that Itachi came to a halt. He had nothing but the clothes on his back, and Sakura was here offering him a permanent place in her home. She understood what was important, and Itachi felt gratitude well from deep inside of him.
"It can't have been easy," he said, falling back into step with Sakura. "I'm sorry Sasuke hasn't been around, but I'll do what I can to help Sarada-chan. She sounds like she'll be able to learn even some of the harder jutsus, even without the mangekyō."
Sakura turned cautious eyes to him, and Itachi nodded, understanding her question.
"I believe all the techniques I used my mangekyō for can be used with normal sharingan. It is possible they will be too costly, but I want to try and develop them further until I have no need for my mangekyō." Itachi followed Sakura as she turned down a quiet side road, walking up to a medium sized house. "I will never teach her anything that will be detrimental to her, nor will I encourage her to pursue the mangekyō. It is best that that particular technique dies with Sasuke and I."
Sakura nodded, visibly relieved.
"Sarada knows that her clan were involved in trying to start a war and that they were stopped. Sasuke-kun told her an edited history, though he didn't mention how it happened. I don't know if she has found out the full truth somewhere else, or even if she'd know who you are even when you tell her your name." Sakura paused outside a gate, and Itachi's eyes swept over the neat garden and proud looking house.
"But you have my permission to be as honest with her as you need to be. She is old enough to understand now, and if all our past mistakes are anything to go by, the truth is far more important than anything else." Sakura opened the door, and Itachi absorbed the words, nodding to himself. They were good words, wise ones, and he'd respect the freedom he'd been granted.
"Okaa-san!" Sarada called out, and Sakura answered, slipping her shoes off and moving through the house to greet her daughter. Itachi lingered in the hallway, looking at the photos around, and he raised an eyebrow as he laid eyes on a picture of Sasuke. He looked so solemn, so much like their father, though Itachi knew Sasuke wouldn't realise that.
"And then Hokage-sama tells us that we're done with the mission and to just rest for a few days! It's unbelievable," Sarada was saying, and Itachi smiled to himself, recognising that she was mid-complain about how Itachi had ruined their mission.
"It won't be so unbelievable soon," Sakura said, and Itachi knew that was his moment to appear. Slipping his shoes off, he followed where Sakura had moved to, entering a comfortable living room. Sarada was sitting cross-legged on the floor, back to a box of flickering pictures. Another technological thing he wouldn't fully understand then, Itachi thought.
"You!" Sarada said loudly, pointing at Itachi. He heard Sakura snort in laughter before she moved off, muttering something about dinner.
"What are you doing here? Don't think you can seduce my okaa-san, she's happily married!" Sarada was instantly on the offensive, and Itachi looked down at her, unsure how to start this conversation.
"Why don't you go and take a shower. I'll leave some clothes outside the bathroom door, and then we can all sit down quietly over dinner." Sakura's head popped out from the kitchen, and Itachi nodded thankfully, following her directions and slipping into the shower.
Sarada looked so much like Sasuke, Itachi thought. He remembered the wide innocence on Itachi's face, the passionate defence too, and he smiled to himself as he washed his hair. He'd been in Sarada's company for only a few moments and already he was hopelessly in love with her. He felt a pang that he'd missed her growing up, but he could make that time up to her now, especially as it seemed Sasuke wasn't willing to.
Itachi sighed, letting water run over him. He couldn't meddle any more in Sasuke's life, but he didn't understand how Sasuke had just walked away from Konoha and his family. He didn't understand how Sasuke hadn't come back even after Sarada had met him or how somehow Sasuke was training Naruto's child instead of his own. Before Itachi had come back, there was only one person who could have taught her to use her sharingan.
Turning the shower off, Itachi wrapped a towel around himself and poked his head out of the door. As promised, a neat pile of clothes lay there, and he changed into them quickly. They were clearly Sasuke's as they were printed with the Uchiha clan mark and fit Itachi almost perfectly. It felt odd to be wearing such comfortable clothes again, but Itachi pushed down the odd feeling in his chest and gathered his hair up into a bun, tying it with the hair band Sakura had left out, not wanting wet hair drying down his back all evening.
"Set the table, Sarada," Sakura was saying as Itachi returned to the living room, Sarada jumping up to help. He waited awkwardly by the kitchen door, wanting help but not wanting to overstep his boundaries, and when Sakura saw him she smiled.
"You can put the towel in the hamper over there," Sakura said, pointing to a little room off the kitchen, clearly some kind of laundry room. Itachi nodded and walked past Sarada, knowing exactly when she noticed the mark on his clothes for the little squeak she uttered.
"Okaa-san!" she called, and Itachi dropped his towel into a laundry hamper. "Why did you give him those clothes?"
Itachi couldn't blame her for being overprotective of her father's clothes. She hardly saw him, and it would be so easy for a child to worry their mother was going to find someone else, someone better.
"I don't believe we've been introduced," Itachi cut in, summoning the courage that had held him sturdy before some of the world's most feared ninja. Though he'd been prepared for that, somewhat, since he was younger. Dealing with young family members? That was something new, something more terrifying.
"My name is Uchiha Sarada," Sarada said politely, though her eyes were still narrowed with annoyance.
"I am Uchiha Itachi," Itachi said, and he watched Sarada's eyes widen before she turned to glance at her mother, gaze flicking between them. "I'm your father's older brother; your uncle."
There was silence, Sarada's eyes narrowing as she frowned. Itachi wasn't sure if she was aware of it, but her sharingan activated, as if seeking confirmation that someone from its clan really was there. Itachi answered in turn, elation flowing through him as he activated his sharingan, the world becoming sharper and clearer.
Sarada inhaled sharply, fists clenching as her mouth opened, silent questions clearly bubbling through her.
"I was killed in the Great War," Itachi said gently, looking to Sakura for a moment. She nodded, and he continued. "Someone brought me back though, and I'm here to stay."
"That's why you don't look like an old man," Sarada mumbled, and Itachi couldn't help the smile that beamed across his face.
"Your father looks a lot like your grandfather, you know," Itachi said, and he could see Sakura watching them with interest. He supposed she knew very little about the clan she'd married into too, and Itachi looked towards the cooker.
"Shall we get dinner on the table, and I can tell you everything you'd like to know," he offered, and the smiles he received warmed him from the inside out.
They fit together neatly, setting the food out and talking amicably. Sarada spent much of the time looking at Itachi with wide eyes. He could see the questions there, hidden behind adoration, and Itachi wanted to shake Sasuke, tell him what he was missing right now.
Perhaps Naruto and Sasuke had both taken protecting the village to another level, thinking that they could only protect the village without loving and being there for their families constantly. It was a grim thought, but Itachi could understand it a little better than if it wasn't the cause.
"How old should you be?" Sarada asked as they sat down, the first of undoubtedly many questions bubblind from her.
"About thirty six or so, I think," Itachi replied, and that was a strange thought. He'd never have imagined reaching thirty, had been lucky to reach twenty really, but here he was, handed a second chance. "I'm five years older than Sasuke."
"Itachi-san agreed to teach you, if you'd like him to," Sakura said, and Sarada turned to her, smiling widely.
"Really!?" she said enthusiastically, looking back to Itachi. "You'll teach me about the sharingan and how to use it?" she demanded, and Itachi nodded, taking a bite of dinner.
"Of course," Itachi agreed, and Sakura smiled across the table.
"Itachi-san taught your father a lot," she said, and Itachi looked at her in surprise. "Even Naruto-kun learnt a lot from Itachi-san."
Sarada looked at him again, and if it was possible for her eyes to be wider, they would have been. She seemed utterly amazed by Itachi, and it unsettled him. He wasn't used to people liking him, not in any capacity. He didn't deserve it, really, with everything he'd done.
"When did you get your sharingan? What was the first technique you used? What is your favourite technique? How many jutsus can you perform?" Sarada began her barrage, and Sakura put a hand on her shoulder gently.
"Sarada," she warned, but Itachi shook his head.
"I mastered the sharingan when I was 8. The first technique I used with the sharingan was a fire jutsu, one my father was fond of teaching us. Sasuke took to it better than I did, though." Itachi smiled, Sarada completely silent and listening intently. "My favourite technique is probably Susano'o, and I have no idea how many techniques I can perform."
There was silence, everyone focusing on their meals for a moment, and then Sarada began again.
"Who's stronger, Otō-san or you?" she demanded, and Sakura shushed her, shooting a worried look Itachi's way. She was clearly worried the question would offend him, but Itachi just shrugged, offering a small smile.
"Whenever we fought in the past, I wasn't at my full strength. Undoubtedly Sasuke has grown stronger now though, so we'd have to fight to answer that question." He paused. Fighting Sasuke could be a very real future, and it uneased Itachi. He was sick of fighting Sasuke, but if that was what it took then he would have to.
"If you really are my uncle, why has Oto-san never talked to me about you before?" Sarada asked quietly, and Itachi looked up at her slowly. "I don't get to spend much time with him anyway," she said, bitterness lacing her voice, and Sakura shifted uncomfortably at her words, "but he's never even suggested that he had a brother."
"Sarada, Itachi-san must be tired. You can quiz him later, but he needs his rest." Sakura's voice was firm, and there was no room for arguing. Sarada seemed to realise that, for she nodded meekly and sat down, focusing on her rice instead.
The conversation drifted generally then, and Sarada was largely quiet as Sakura filled Itachi in with various gossip and who had ended up with whom. It was interesting to know, even if he knew he would never remember it all.
"It is relatively peaceful right now," Sakura said, as Itachi began gathering empty dishes. "There are a few incidents every now and then, but most threats to us have been neutralised."
"It's an endless circle," Itachi commented, suddenly bone tired of how the ninja world fed upon itself. He glanced at Sarada, and while he knew she was proud to be a ninja, it filled Itachi with dread. She was still so young.
"Naruto-kun is trying," Sakura said earnestly, and Itachi turned to her. She almost sounded fearful, as if she was trying to convince Itachi that this world was good.
"I never said he wasn't," Itachi replied softly, running a hand over his mouth. "Just that he has changed a lot, and not just due to time passing."
Sakura looked away at that, a hand coming up to rub the back of her neck. He wasn't blaming anyone, but it was clear that Sakura had seen the distance between herself and Naruto and let it lay there. Naruto had too, this wasn't a blame game Itachi was trying to play, and he wanted to do something to help them all.
"I'll retire for the night," Itachi said softly, and Sakura nodded, directing him to his small room. It was nice enough, safer than anything Itachi had slept in for many years, and he found himself tucked in the futon quickly, overwhelming tiredness sweeping through him.
Tomorrow he would work on helping to fix the gaping hole at Konoha's heart. Tomorrow, Itachi would allow himself to let go of his past to work towards a better future. Tomorrow, Itachi would start his life again, and he had a proper future to look forward to.
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