Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying the summer, wherever you are. I´m getting use to the "new normal" and it´s hard at times to adapt to the new limitations… especially for a free traveler like me, but at least the death rate is decreasing and it seems we are getting the upper hard to the virus, at least for now.

Here it´s the new chapter. My most deep appreciation to my amazing beta, Jjpdn, who, like always, made sure everything made sense and the chapter flowed easily enough. Your comments and suggestions are fantastic. Thank you so much for your help!

I hope you enjoy it. It´s a very long one. The last scene is one of the first I imagine when I began thinking about this fic in my head, four or five years ago, so I hope I´ve done it justice!

Chapter 30

The first thing Naruto noticed when he climbed down the stairs to the basement was Kakashi's conspicuous absence from his corner on the floor, just a few inches from the door of Obito's cell. Given that the past few days his sensei had stuck to that door like a dog to a bone, refusing leave even at night or for mealtimes, it was a startling discovery to find him gone. Naruto's first reaction was to worry. Second was to look for him.

He turned around and rushed to the third floor, trying to remember what of the guestrooms had been offered to Kakashi. His sensei had barely stepped in it voluntarily, but Naruto felt he should at least check his room before raising the alarm. He was just turning the corner of the west wing when he came across Itachi, who was walking down the opposite corridor.

Itachi took a look at him and deduced what he was about. "You are looking for Kakashi, aren't you?"

Naruto nodded. "He is not outside Obitot's cell. I don't know what could've happened to him."

"I just left him in his room. He's sleeping."

Naruto's eyes opened wide at this confesion, his curiosity overtaking his worry. What would Itachi be checking on Kakashi? They weren't friends. Itachi didn't share his brother's hostility towards their former sensei, but as far as Naruto had seen, they hadn't interacted at all except for that first day in the library.

"Did something happen to him?"

Itachi shook his head. Slowly. Lacking his usual finisse. "We stayed up late," he explained. "I think he just needed someone to talk to."

"I've been asking him to talk to me since he got here," Naruto stated, unable to keep the hurt tone from his voice. It was hard not to feel dejected when he remembered all the time and effort he had put to take care of his sensei.

"Don't take it personally. You are just a kid in his eyes, Naruto. Most adult men would find it hard to expose their vulnerabilities in front of a teenager, especially a teenager they are supposed to look after."

Naruto frowned. He couldn't refute Itachi's argument, but it didn't mean he was happy about it. Independent of what his body looked like, he was a twenty-something-year-old man. Itachi and Sasuke knew the truth and Nagato and Konan had never judged him for his age, so perhaps he had grown spoiled and had forgotten how most adults viewed teenagers.

Before he could say anything in regards to this, Itachi interrupted him, "I need to talk to Sasuke. Do you know where my brother is?"

Even distracted as Naruto was in his own thoughts, he could hear the undertone of impatience in his voice, so uncharacteristic of Itachi. It made Naruto gaze at the man, taking notice of the way he looked. Itachi's hair was in tidy a pony-tail; his expression was placid, radiating calm and the slightest trace of determination, and his posture relaxed. And yet, something stood out from that image, even though Naruto could not pinpoint what.

"He's in a conference at the university," Naruto explained. "We skipped training this morning because he had to arrive early to prepare for it." Itachi seemed to take in this information. "Is it because of this afternoon's meeting?"

"What?" Itachi blinked, confused.

"At the library," Naruto clarified. "To talk about the next step now that Deidara and Sasori had found proof to link Danzo to the Hyuga Incident…"

"I see." Itachi's features lit up with understanding. "It's better if we talk later, then."

Just like that, Itachi began to walk away. He was definitely acting strange, but Naruto supposed it was not every day that you finally gathered the required proof to bury the man who destroyed your life and basically forced you to aniquilate your family. Itachi probably needed some time to make sense of it all.

"Are you sure Kakashi is alright?" Naruto shouted after him, just before Itachi turned a corner and disappeared from view.

"He was having nightmares so I put him under a genjutsu," Itachi answered, turning his back slightly to look at him. "He will wake up after his body has had enough sleep."

That didn't explain many things like what Itachi was doing in the guestwing of the house, when his room was on the second floor. Or why Kakashi had decided to take a nap in his own bed after days sleeping on the cold floor outside Obito's cell. Or how Itachi had become aware of Kakashi having nightmares.

However, it was crystal clear that Itachi was not in the mood for explanation today, for he had already disappeared from his sight, and as much as Naruto wanted answers to satiate his curiosity, the opportunity to talk to Obito without Kakashi overhearing them was too good to pass.

Naruto knew that the situation of last week could not go on forever. He was an eternal optimist, or at least he tried to be, but he was not blind to the damning effect Obito's hatred and constant rejection had on Kakashi's health. Obito too was a step away from a nervous breakdown. Everyone's mood around the house seemed to have taken a toll with the arrival of his sensei.

If before they had been behaving like a happy family, gossiping and teasing each other in a warm and relaxing environment, now everybody seemed to be walking on eggshells, unsure how to act in front of this stranger who was lodging under their roof but refused to join its inhabitants. Naruto himself was feeling the pressure, forced to act as a bridge at all times, and worse, he knew his relationship with Sasuke was suffering because of it.

Sasuke had actually been a great support for Naruto; he had shown more patience towards Kakashi in the last fews than Naruto would have thought possible a week ago. He did not pretend to worry about their sensei or to empathise with him overly much, but he always listened to Naruto when he had to let off steam and put a lot of effort on cheering Naruto up many times a day.

Naruto's heart swelled when he thought about his best friend. If the last week had been good for something, it was to show him how much Sasuke cared for him. They were happy together. They were perfect.

But it wasn't enough.

Selfishly, Naruto wanted to go back to the honeymoon period of the last couple of months. The nine weeks without worries to enjoy each other and discover the new aspects of their relationship were not enough, especially taking into account that Naruto had been in love with Sasuke for years and had given up them being together as an impossibility.

He and Sasuke deserved a chance to fully enjoy each other without dark thoughts distracting Naruto, but as long as Kakashi and Obito were suffering so badly, Naruto could not stop himself from worrying. Someone had to give, and since it seemed fairly obvious Kakashi was too stubborn to make the first move, it would have to be Obito.

Even if Naruto had to beat some sense into him to make it happen.

"We need to talk," Naruto demanded the second he stepped into the cell. He did not miss the way Obito's eyes turned towards the back of the door, checking that no one else was coming after him, nor the way his shoulders relaxed right after.

It incensed Naruto even more.

"You've got to stop that!" he demanded angrily. "You're behaving like a kid, throwing tantrums to get your way and making everyone miserable and sad. You need to grow a pair and stop being such an ass. Blaming others for the things that hurt you will not help you any. Sometimes bad things just happen. We all have to accept that; it's part of being human. And for fuck's sake, you've got to forgive Kakashi once and for all!"

Obito, who was sitting in front of his small desk, stared calmly at Naruto while Naruto shouted all these things at him, letting off the steam that had been building for a week. Then he calmly answered, "Make me."

It wasn't even a challenge.

It was mocking.

If they still had access to Shisui's genjutsu Naruto would be tempted to do as he asked; unfortunately, the eye was useless for the next ten years and Obito was well aware of that.

' You forced me to five up my revenge against Konoha, ' his eyes seemed to say, ruthlessly, ' but you'll never earn my forgiveness in regards to that man. '

Naruto was not in the mood to be belittled.

"Fuck you," he spat, taking a step closer towards the desk "Why is it so hard for you? He was your friend. You died to save his life. How can that stop meaning something?"

Obito put down the book he had been holding and stood up, taking its time for each action. He was at least two heads taller than Naruto and seemed to relish in that fact.

"You, of all people, ask me that," he responded. Even though he sounded calm, Naruto detected an undertone of hurt and anger in his voice . "You know what he did. I told you what he did, what I saw him do! You know what she meant to me. How I felt for her."

"I know that." Obito had shared some memories about his childhood; his stories usually included Rin, and his feelings for her were blatantly obvious. "But I also know Kakashi. I know that he only did what he did because he did not have any other choice. And I know that deep down you know that too."

Obito scowled, lifting his chin in a contemptuous gesture. "Whether he had a choice or not doesn't matter to me. There is always another way. Kakashi should have looked harder," he stated as a matter of fact. "But he didn't. Instead he killed her and I watched her die. How could I possibly forgive him for that?"

"I've forgiven you," Naruto answered in a low voice.

This seemed to startle Obito because for the first time since their conversation started, he failed to come up with an answer; he just stood there, taken by surprise, looking at Naruto as if he were a baffling puzzle to decipher.

"That's different," he said at last.

"How?" Naruto challenged him, demanding an explanation. "Kakashi killed the girl you loved. You killed my parents. The two of you were manipulated by things beyond your control. How is it different?

Obito seemed to think about it for some time. "I knew Rin," he sighed heavily as he sat down again, leant forward in his chair, elbows on its wooden arms, and clasped both sides of his forehead with his hands. "I knew what I lost. You-. You never knew your parents. You don't remember them, which means that you can't mourn them the way I do her."

Keeping his gaze on the floor, Naruto walked to the narrow bed and sat down on the mattress.

"You are right. Growing up, I didn't know anything about my parents, not even their names, so I never got a chance to mourn them the way you do for her," he admitted. "But they were still my parents. People said moms were supposed to love you no matter what, but I grew up wondering if that would be true for me too, or if the reason I didn't have a mother was because she hated me too and had chosen to abandon me. And then I met her."

Obito lifted his head at that, trying to meet Naruto's gaze. Naruto was too lost in his memories to take notice. "For five, glorious minutes… I talked to her. I saw what she looked like. I learned that she loved me, that she had always loved me."

"How…? When?"

"It was just a shadow," Naruto explained softly, eyes firmly placed on the mattress. "An echo made of chakra. But… just for five minutes, I had mom. And she was the best mom in the world."

Naruto wiped away the wetness stinging his face as a lonely tear rolled down his cheek. It was not a memory he liked to dwell on, perhaps because the sense of loss was always so sharp when he did, but his mom deserved to be remembered, even if it was painful.

"I may not mourn for her the way you do, Rin," he added after a minute, finally meeting Obito's gaze. "But I mourn her all the same. I mourn her because I'll never know what her favorite color was. Or who his friends were. I'll never know why she fell in love with my dad or the dreams she had about the future. Her death robbed me of that."

Obito lowered his gaze. His hands were clenched into fists. "I never meant for her to die," he confessed after a few seconds of silence; voice hoarse, barely stronger than a whisper. "It was regretful that she did, but as terrible as her loss was, it would have been worthy at the end."

"Because of the Eternal Tsukuyomi?"

The man nodded.

Naruto had calmed down enough from the beginning of the conversation that he was no longer moved by anger; he was simply trying to understand Obito's reasoning. "You killed my parents because of an illusion," he pointed out, "and I forgave you for it. Kakashi killed Rin to save hundreds of people's lives, lives that would have been lost if the Three-Tails was lost, and yet you won't even try to forgive him."

Obito seemed to give serious consideration to this dilemma. "The two things are polar opposites," he indicated. Then he proceeded to explain, "Rin's death made me realize something that I should have recognized far before then. The ninja system is rotten. It's all a big lie." Naruto's blue eyes widened. It was not the answer he had expected. "No matter where, each village sells the same lie to its citizens. It tells its people that they are fighting for freedom, that they are fighting to protect the innocent. They teach children how to kill and then brainwash them so that they think they are justified in doing so. In truth, all they care about is money and power. These children grow to become greedy and merciless, and at the heart of it, every mission they undertake is meant to safeguard the system that corrupted them in the first place."

While Obito had never tried to hide his festering resentment towards Konoha, or what their long-term goal had been, Naruto had always believed he had been motivated by his desire to see Rin again. Hearing him speak so honestly now, his hatred against the ninja system so obvious, was shocking, although perhaps it should not be.

As much as Naruto wished he could dismiss his words about the ninja system, or at least argue against them, he couldn't do so while remaining true to himself. Because these thoughts were not strange to Naruto. He had come to similar conclusions during the Great War. He had also been reasonably certain at the time that the system could be changed, that it could be improved for the better. He had even fought Sasuke for the privilege to lead that change.

However, if the three years living in Konoha after the war had taught him anything at all, was that even if the system could be changed, most people wanted it to remain the same. They were comfortably settled in their lives, knowing little and caring even less of the sacrifices others paid to preserve their resemblance of peace, and would steadily but surely oppose anyone who threatened the status quo .

Even if that person was the man they had acclaimed as their hero.

Coming to terms with that reality had been heartbreaking, making Naruto doubt for the first time in his life if becoming Hokage was something he really wanted. It had also played a big role in his decision to leave their previous universe and travel to this one.

"I… understand why you feel the way you do," Naruto conceded, not without some effort. Some things were still difficult to admit out aloud, which was perhaps the reason he generally avoided addressing this subject. Even with Sasuke, who undoubtedly had strong opinions about it.

"Then you understand why I can never forgive Kakashi," the man stated as a matter of fact.

"What?" Naruto was taken by surprise. "No!"

Obito narrowed his eyes, his displeasure evident in the cruel frown of his lips. "Rin' death made me question everything I had believed to that moment. Everything!" he remarked, hitting his fist into the palm of his hand for emphasis. "Eventually, it led me to realize the truth about this world. Kakashi-. Kakashi was the one who killed her, but he could not be bothered to do the same. He never wondered why she had had to die. He didn't ask himself what the real motives were for the people who kidnapped her, or why Konoha allowed such things to happen. He never questioned anything at all!"

Naruto could hear the anger and bitterness leaking from his voice. What was worse. For the first time, he could understand where those feelings were coming from.

"That's how little her life meant to him…" Obito continued after a moment, breathing deeply to steady his voice. "He was made to kill her and he saw her die and it didn't change anything at all. He went back to his village and continued fighting and killing in the name of the system that had stolen her life. That's why I can't forgive him."

It was a legitimate reason. Naruto still thought that Obito was being uncharitable, because even though everything he had said about Kakashi was true, it was also true that his sensei had mourned the death of his teammates for close to two decades. Losing Rin hadn't led Kakashi to question the system that killed her, but witnessing Obito's death had made him question everything he was a person, including his most fundamental beliefs, and surely Obito should take that into consideration before passing judgment.

However Naruto kept this opinion to himself. He had asked Obito to give him a valid reason for which he refused to forgive Kakashi, something other than petiness, and the man had complied with his request. Naruto knew better than to try to invalidate those feelings; past experiences with Sasuke had taught him that.

"You should talk to Sasuke," he said instead.

Obito blinked a couple of times, taken aback by the change of subject. His shoulders relaxed, curiosity written all over his face. "We both know your loverboy doesn't hold me in high esteem."

"Yeah. Guess that's true..." Sasuke had always been quite indifferent towards his cousin. If not for Naruto, Sasuke would have preferred to have him executed instead of captured, not because he hated him, but because execution was the most effective method to prevent him from summoning Madara in the future.

However, Sasuke had also stopped them from using Shisui's genjutsu to implant a fake loyalty to Konoha in Obito's mind. On that occasion, he had not allowed his personal feelings to interfere with his morality. "But I think he'd be surprised by how much alike you both think."

"Really?" Obito did not bother to conceal his curiosity.

Naruto nodded. "He despises you for putting your hopes in a world of illusions but," he bit his lip for a moment, unsure how much information he should reveal on this subject, "if tearing down the system was your ambition all along-. If you persuade him of this, perhaps he'd come to trust you."

Naruto could reveal anything else. First of all, because he himself did not know much more than that. Sasuke had only shared small details here and there of the work he did with Konan. Naruto had read between the lines enough to understand what their long-term ambitions were, but they had never discussed it openly. Second, because even though he truly believed Obito could become an asset for them, the choice to include him or not in their machinations belong to Sasuke and Konan. Naruto would not betray either of them.

Judging by Obito's pensive expression, perhaps what Naruto had said was enough.

The silence between them was peaceful, resembling the ones they used to share before Kakashi's arrival, when Naruto would visit Obito early in the evening and they would talk and share recollections of the past while Obito ate his dinner. It relieved Naruto that the easy camaraderie they had built during those evenings had not been lost in the madness of the last few days. Even though the situation with Kakashi was far from solved, it seemed that confronting Obito today had been a step in the right direction.

"You know," the Uchiha spoke after a few minutes of silence, "I never learned what your mother's favorite color was, but I remember Mikoto Uchiha was her best friend."

"You mean…?"

"Sasuke's mother, yes. She and Kushina were in the same genin team. It was rare for two kunoichi to be placed together, but your mom was an Uzumaki and Mikoto the only Uchiha of that generation." Naruto read between the lines. They had wanted to keep the jinjuriki and the sharingan together. "I remember I would often see them shopping together. It baffled me, because Kushina was nothing like my aunt, but…" Obito shrugged. "Well, I guess you and Sasuke don't have much in common in terms of personality either."

Naruto was speechless. There was a knot in his throat and he was not sure he could say anything at all. Memories from the alternative universe he had visited while unconscious came to the forefront of his mind. Their mother had also been friends in that reality.

"Do you think she'd be happy for me?" The question left his lips before he could stop it. He hadn't meant to ask him that, had never questioned it before, at least not consciously.

"Why?" Obito scanned his expression. "Because Sasuke is a boy, you mean?" Naruto nodded. "She'd probably say Sasuke's prettier than any girl, so you were left with no choice but to fall for him."

Naruto let out a little laugh. That sounded like something his mom would say.

"She'd be ecstatic you found love so young," Obito declared after a moment, wearing a serious expression upon his face. "And even happier that she and Mikoto could become family. I gather my aunt would be quite pleased about that too, although her husband might have put up a protest."

"Was he a traditional man?"

"The whole clan was tradicional and they took their duty of passing down bloodline extremely seriously. I remember I had two middle-aged aunts that lived together. They were quite respected figures because of their battle skills, but each of them had taken a male lover and gave birth to a child in their youth."

"What about my dad?"

"Sensei was a people pleaser. I remember he wanted to make everyone happy at all times… which was a hard feat, with Kakashi and I in the same team." The corner of his lip curled in an ironic smile. "But you were sensei's son. Your happiness would come before anybody else."

For what little Naruto knew of the man, the description seemed to fit. Then again, Minato had locked the Nine Tail Beast inside of newborn son, turning him into an object of fear and knowing full well how alone and hated Naruto would grow up. The knowledge didn't hurt as much as it used to, because Naruto kept the image of his mom close to his heart. She would have been happy for him, not giving a damn about all those tradicional asses and threatening whoever dared to criticize his son or whom his son chose to love.

"I wish I had more time with her," he whispered, and it sounded like a prayer. Obito watched him curl himself into a tighter ball in the mattress, eyes wistful and grieving, he watched and wondered if it was remorse that he felt in his heart, remorse for the loss of this person who meant so much to both of them, whose beautiful laugh they would never hear again.

It was late in the afternoon when Sasuke and Konan left Amegakure university. The meeting had run longer than expected, so much so that they had been forced to take a break for lunch, but Sasuke was very pleased with the results.

On the one hand, his team had voted to expand the dishwasher factories to other countries - which would alleviate the issue of lack of materials and workers to meet the higher than expected demand. They had drawn a treaty to present to the Feudal Lords of Rock Country, Sand Country and Lightning country. In exchange from building Ame factories there and exploiting their natural resources, Ame would employ natives from those countries, pay them fairly, and send a percentage of the profit to the Feudal Lord.

This would help the economy of those countries to flourish, and it would also show the Feudal Lords that there were avenues far more profitable than the Ninja Villages.

On the other hand, Konan's research team had taken tips from the dishwasher marketing strategy and designed a similar plan of action for the next items in the list: the Movie Player and the Game Boy. Sasuke had tried those items himself and he had no doubt they would be a hit among the children and teenagers. The Movie Player in particular could reach even the older generations… although they needed to film more movies to target that audience.

Later in the afternoon, Konan and he had visited the labs and been briefed on the most promising invention and research subjects.

Sasuke felt it had been a very fruitful day. However, after dismissing their teams, he and Konan had to hurry to make it in time for the next meeting in the manor's library. Everyone was waiting sitting around the round time waiting for them. Nagato, Gaara and Naruto seemed to be discussing the last steps of their remodelling project, while Tsunade, Itachi and Kakashi waited in silence.

Sasuke frowned. He hadn't thought that Kakashi would join the meeting and he wasn't sure how he felt about that development. He and Konan took the two empty seats near the head of the table, where Nagato sat.

"Everything okay?" Sasuke heard Nagato asking Konan in a low whisper. She nodded slightly at him.

Naruto caught Sasuke's gaze and Sasuke read the same silent question written on his eyes, so he smiled at him reassuringly. Satisfied, Sasuke shifted his head to the left seeking to meet his brother's. However, Itachi was distracted by something Kakashi was saying in a low voice and didn't notice. Sasuke was even less sure of how he felt about that .

Fortunately, Nagato chose that moment to begin the meeting and all the voices around the table became quiet.

"We all know why we are here. I have a copy of the documents Deidara and Sasori have found by infiltering Kumogakure," Nagato announced in a strong voice. "They will bring the original couple in three days. This map will prove that Danzo offered the Raikage inside information about Konoha's secret exits, which in turn made it possible for him to kidnap Hinata Hyuga in what is known nowadays as the Hyuga Affair."

Sasuke remembered the event distantly. The fact that a foreign enemy dared to attack Konoha's second most powerful clan had shaken the village, causing many to question the leadership of the Hokage. He remembered his parents discussing the affair in quiet voices late at night, while Sasuke was supposed to be asleep. He had not been allowed to leave the clan's residence for several weeks after that, unless Itachi or an adult accompanied him.

"We have also found a copy of an old contract where Danzo lent his men to Hanzo to fight in Amegakure Civil War in exchange for a ten thousands handcraft, high quality shurikens." They hadn't found the original copy, and Sasuke suspected Danzo had demanded something more than weapons in return for his help, but at least it was something. "Lastly, we have Gaara's testimony."

Everybody's attention turned towards the redhead Jinchiriki.

"Danzo abducted me while I was trying to leave Konoha during the invasion. He kept me prisoner inside of a genjutsu until he managed to lock my chakra away," he recollected. "I also heard him comand two of his ANBU to shadow Kakashi while he searched for Naruto Uzumako and Sasuke Uchiha. They were to kill Sasuke and retrieve the Jinchuriki at any cost; including killing Kakashi if he interfered."

Sasuke watched as Kakashi's shoulders stiffed at this statement. He could see his sensei clenching his hands into fists under the table.

"Unfortunately, as a jinchuuriki, your word will not be taken into account by most people," Itachi pointed out. "Naruto will face the same problem."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to grind his teeth. It infuriated him that people only ever saw Naruto for what he was, or what he could do for them, unable or uncaring to see his strength, his passion for what was right, and his kindness.

"My word still carries some weight," Tsunade spoke up for the first time. "As will Nagato's, since he'll be speaking as the head of a small, independent nation." Everybody's attention had turned to her. "As soon as Deidara and Sassori deliver the original documents, I'll take all we have, plus a signed statement of Nagato, Sasuke and Kakashi, to the Daimyō." She turned to Kakashi. "Yours will simply state how two of Konoha ANBUs tried to kill you."

The man nodded, not lifting his eyes on the table.

"The journey might become dangerous," Itachi warned her. "We don't know what information the ANBU sent Danzo before they died, but if he suspects we have met, he might have you follow. You should take Shizune with you, at least. She is the only one who won't raise any suspicions."

Tsunade rejected this idea with a shake of her head. "I haven't told Shizune of our plan and I don't want her involved. The girl is finally having some luck in her life. I won't take it from her."

"Then perhaps—"

"I'm not afraid of Danzo, Itachi," she interrupted him. "Let him try something if he dares. I shall remind him why the name Senju was feared across the land, and one of the many reasons why he wasn't chosen by my uncle to become his successor."

Sasuke felt his lips stretched into a crooked smile. He and Tsunade had never been close in the other universe. Here, however, Sasuke had come to admire her, and not only because Tsunade had been the only adult ever to apologize to Itachi and mean it. He had come to enjoy Tsunade's dry humor, the easy companionship she had developed with his brother, the way she hadn't judge them, even after the whole house discovered he and Naruto were fucking. And she was a badass speaking about Danzo. The fucker.

His reign would end soon and everyone he ever cared about would come to know him as the lying, murdering rat that he was. Sasuke's gut twisted with pleasure as he imagined the moment.

"We still have to decide what to do if the Daymo refuses to act against Danzo?" Konan's voice brought Sasuke's attention back to the meeting.

"How high are the chances of that happening?" Nagato asked everyone at the table.

"We can't discard the possibility, but Danzo has had only one year to establish himself as Kage." Itachi offered his opinion. "That is not much time to earn the Daymo's loyalty. And Tsunade is right. Without the Sentju there wouldn't be a Fire Country. Their name still means something."

Tsunade nodded in agreement and didn't add anything else. Konan stared at Kakashi, silently demanding his opinion on the matter. He was the only one in the group to have been present in Konoha during the Kage Election.

"He is respected," their former sensei answered reticently. "He is not loved like the Third was. I don't think people really like him. But he gets the job done, and everybody is willing to follow him for that."

"Respect is easier to destroy than love," Naruto spoke up. "When they see Danzo for whom he truly truly is, they will turn against him. Let's follow the plan and speak to the Daymo. We can think of an alternative if this fails."

The meeting ended soon after that. Sasuke could see that Konan wasn't completely convinced by Naruto's argument, but when they put the proposal to a vote, she raised her hand in favor as well. Everyone did. If the plan failed, if the people in Konoha still chose to side with that murderer, even knowing what he did, Sasuke would sneak into the village and butcher him publicly, along with the elders, for the part they played in his family's massacre.

Sasuke knew Naruto abhorred that back-up plan, but he also knew that his boyfriend would support him if the situation escalated that way. He knew that Naruto would stand by him while he dealt with Danzo, and he and Kurama would prevent any villagers from interfering or getting hurt. Even if the fuckers deserved it.

It was the compromise they had reached months ago, even before Tsunade and Gaara had arrived at the capital.

Speaking of his boyfriend…

Sasuke realized that most people had left the meeting already, and Naruto had walked up to his chair and was smiling down at him.

"Do you wanna go back to your room? There's still some time till dinner..." Naruto's smile was brash, and his eyes were sparkling in a familiar way.

Sasuke had a very clear idea of the things Naruto wanted to do before dinner. He felt a small, now familiar wave of desire in the pit of his stomach. If his boyfriend was to be believed, they had yet to try many different ways in which they could do to bring each other to orgasm, but Kakashi's arrival had put a dent to the time they spent in such endeavour.

"Lead the way, Usuratonkachi ."

Naruto's smile became even wider, if that was possible, and Sasuke followed after him, nodding at Itachi as they walked past him. Itachi was still standing near the table with Tsunade, probably waiting to discuss the details of her journey. Sasuke was pleased to notice that Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. He didn't want the man to become friends with his brother.

Only, when they had already reached the stairs, Sasuke realized something. "Shit! I forgot my briefcase." They had been so late that he hadn't wanted to delay further by stopping in his office, so he took it to the meeting instead. "It has all the details for our current project. Konan will kill me if she finds it out I left it under the table."

Sasuke took a step forward, leaned up, and planted a short kiss on his boyfriend's lips, who was standing just a step above him in the staircase. "Go ahead and I'll join in a minute."

"Sure!" Naruto agreed good-naturally. "I'll hit the shower while I wait for you. That way we can get straight to business when you make it back," he teased, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

Sasuke gave him another quick kiss before turning back towards the library.

Naruto loved to tease what he called, 'Sasuke's obsession with soap', but he accepted that Sasuke would not come anywhere close to certain parts of his anatomy unless he had scrubbed himself clean beforehand. The fact that he was so eager to do so today meanth he had something specific in mind.

Oddly, Naruto didn't seem to share Sasuke's opinion. In fact, Naruto enjoyed Sasuke's sweaty body while they were jerking each other off, or even while he was sucking his dick, going as far as to sniff him out a couple of times in the middle of a blowjob.

It had baffled Sasuke, at first. Truthfully, it still baffled him... but whatever. He had nothing against it as long as Naruto didn't expect him to do the same. Still, sometimes he wondered which one of two was the more normal one.

Sasuke was just turning the corner, about to enter the library, when some voices stopped him.

It was his brother's voice, and Tsunade.

Strangely, it sounded as if they were fighting. "—pretending it's not happening won't make it go away!" It had been years since Sasuke had heard Tsunade's voice unlaced with such anger.

"I assure you, that is not what I'm doing. However, they are other priorities that take precedent." His brother sounded equally upset.

Frozen at the doorstep, Sasuke knew he should turn around and allowed them their privacy, but—

"Nothing should ever be more important than your life!" Sasuke's blood turned cold. His heart frozen in his chest. "I'm your friend, Itachi. You can't ask me to stay silence and do nothing when you—"

"Stop. Please, stop."

Silence.

"At least speak to Sasuke before making a decision. He has the right to know."

"Know what?" Sasuke could barely recognize his voice when he spoke. It was weak and hoarse, and it seemed to belong to a completely different man.

Sasuke's whole body seemed to belong to someone else.

He felt his legs moving forward, but it was not him who commanded them. He walked through the door into the library and his eyes found his brother's, but it didn't mean anything, because it was not Itachi, because Sasuke was not really here. It was just like watching a nightmare played on from above.

Sasuke felt completely disconnected from what was happening.

"Know what?" he repeated when nobody answered.

"Sasuke…"

Itachi's voice.

Something inside of him snapped. Suddenly, he was himself again. "What the fuck is what you are hiding from me?"

Itachi didn't respond to him straight away. He exchanged a look with Tsuande, nodded at her, and watched her leave the room before turning to Sasuke. There was a long moment when they looked each other in the eye.

Sasuke knew what his next words were going to be before Itachi spoke. "I'm sick." It didn't make it any easier to hear it. "The same sickness that I had in your universe, I suspect."

The air was punched from his lungs; his mind clouded by a white noise that momentarily tore him from the world. Memories from a reality he had left behind assaulted his mind: an abandoned building, Sasuke's sword piercing through his brother's guts, an apologetic smile, Itachi's body falling to the ground, a story, a revelation, a hug, a promise.

Sasuke had to force himself to breathe in and out, as another memory hit him. This time it was a flash only, from less than a year ago: They had been fighting Pein. Itachi had one knee on the ground. He was holding one hand in front of his face and he stared at it with an unreadable expression upon his face.

Sasuke was finally able to formulate some words. "How long have you known?"

"Not very long," his brother answered, staring at the ground. "But I suspected," he confessed after a moment, meeting Sasuke's eyes.

"When?"

Itachi signed, walking to one of the armchairs and sitting down. "It was just… a slight suspicion at first. I tired more than I should have while I was giving Gaara my chakra to keep him alive. Sometimes, our training left me… drained. Then, we fought Pein together and I used more energy that I should have."

"You spat blood." Sasuke finished for him. He wanted to kill himself for believing Itachi's excuse, but perhaps he had wanted to believe it. Their relationship was flourishing, they were closer than they had ever been, so Sasuke had shut his eyes to any sign that could endanger that.

Itachi didn't deny it. "That was when I realized that something was really wrong."

"And you didn't tell me."

"It was still a suspicion. I know it broke your heart when your brother-." Itach signed, cutting himself off. "I didn't want to worry you if my suspicion turned out to be nothing. I waited until Tsuande arrived at Amegakure and I asked her to run some tests on me, to be sure."

Sasuke closed his eyes, processing this information. He could understand his brother's reasoning, Sasuke might have acted the same way in his situation. But there was something that was missing in that explanation.

"Tsunade arrived here six months ago," he pointed out, his voice accusatory and full of pain.

"It took her some weeks to come out with a certain answer. My illness is rare, and it's still in the first steps. She had to run a lot of tests before she felt could give me a diagnosis."

Or perhaps she had not wanted to believe it either, Sasuke thought silently, and had kept testing Itachi until she could not deny the truth any longer. Itachi was dying. In a year, maybe two or three, he would be gone from this world.

Sasuke blinked away the abundant tears that flooded his eyes. He just couldn't face that loss again, not after everything he and Naruto had done to prevent it, and the fact that his brother had known it was happening anyway, and had chosen to keep it from him for months…

Clarity hit him like a bolt from a Rasengan. "That's why you told me, isn't it?" He glared at his brother. "About Naruto, and his feelings for me. You promised him that you'd keep it to yourself, but you told me anyway because you knew you were dying."

Itachi lowered his head and stared at the ring in his finger. "I knew he could make you happy," he admitted, which was as good as a confession. "If I couldn't be there for you, I didn't want you to be alone."

His brother's words caused a lump to form in his throat, but Sasuke swallowed it. "I won't forgive you," he promised weakly. "I won't forgive you for not telling me."

This made his brother look up. "Sasuke, I wasn't planning to keep it from you," he stressed, his voice sounded like a plea. "I was going to tell you, but Tsunade-. She begged me to wait. To give her time to find a cure. She was so sure she could do it. I couldn't deny her the chance."

"A cure?" A cure. A cure. A cure. A cure. A cure. The word echoed in Sasuke's mind and he could not hear anything after that. He fell to his knees, legs unable to support his own weight. A cure. "Is there- Has she-"

It hurt to speak. Just to think about it.

A cure.

Sasuke did not dare to believe it.

"It's complicated." It was a cure. How could that be complicated? "But she has found something she believes might work. A treatment of sorts." A treatment. A cure.

It was as if the world turned in slow motion, and even Sasuke's vision was blurry. If there was a cure, he would not have to watch his brother die again. The weight of his arms disappearing around Sasuke, as Itachi's body fell apart and turned into ashes. His last words ringing in his ears… I will love you, always.

Sasuke blinked those memories away, and tried to think rationally. Tsunade had asked Itachi not to say anything, to give her a chance to find a cure, but… "Why was she angry, then?"

It didn't make sense.

Itachi took a deep breath and didn't answer. Instead, he rose from the armchair, took some steps towards Sasuke, stopp for a second, then closed the distance between them. He put his hands on his shoulders and helped him stand up.

Sasuke accepted his help but then stepped back.

"Tell me," he demanded.

"She discovered the possible treatment a week ago and was insistent that I told you."

A week ago.

Seven days.

Seven days ago Itachi was dying. Now, maybe he was not.

"Why didn't you?" Itachi didn't respond. Sasuke raised his head to meet his eyes and what he saw there turned his blood into ice.

"Because you don't want it." Sasuke's voice, barely a whisper, answered his own question. "You want to die." This realization got into his head, into his heart, into his blood, clogging and benumbing his faculties entirely, and making a coward of him.

"Sasuke, it's not like that." Itachi spoke but Sasuke could no longer hear him. There was a ringing in his ears and his vision was clouding. "Sasuke, please, listen." Sasuke stepped back, towards the door. He could not stand the sight of his brother, the brother who was choosing his own grave over Sasuke once again.

Sasuke turned on his heels and ran away.

It was close to midnight when Sasuke returned to the mansion, sneaking through one of his bedroom's windows to avoid any chance of bumping into his brother. He had spent hours walking aimlessly around the city, but the reality of what he had uncovered was just as painful now that hours ago. Sasuke wished he had died during the war. That Naruto had killed him.

Surely, the numbness of death would be preferable to the knowledge that he was not enough, he was never enough for his family. For Itachi.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's voice startled him. The room was so dark, that Sasuke had to narrow his eyes to find him, a figure lying on his bed. "I was worried, but Itachi said that-."

"Don't," Sasuke interrupted him. Sasuke could not hear his brother's name. It felt like needles pinching his heart.

The bed-springs loudly protested softly as Naruto moved towards the edge of the mattress. He snapped a bedside lamp on and Sasuke blinked against the sudden light.

Naruto turned towards him, his expression quickly morphin into one of shock. "What happened?"

Sasuke had no idea how he looked, but he knew it would not be a pretty sight. He opened his mouth to respond, but there was a lump in his throat. No words came. Naruto frowned, worried tinting his features, and dashed towards him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a tight hug.

Sasuke felt his breath on his neck, Naruto's heart beating madly against his. He closed his eyes, resting his head against Naruto's forehead, and focused on breathing in and out. In response, Naruto tightened his arms around him even more.

Far from feeling pain, the hug grounded Sasuke.

It was a long time until he felt like he could speak again. Or perhaps there were just seconds, stretching forever in his mind.

Sasuke grabbed hold of Naruto's arms and pushed him away a little, just enough to look at him in the eyes. "Itachi is sick. He doesn't want the treatment."

Naruto's expression changed gradually from shock, to comprehension, to anger. "Fuck! Fucker. I'm gonna kill him. Shit!"

Itachi and Naruto had become close as brothers, which was why Naruto's rage on Sasuke's behalf almost made Sasuke smile.

Sasuke had been wrong in his earlier assumption; he was enough. He had always been enough for Naruto. This reminder eased the pain in his heart the same way a few drops of water would relieve a man dying of thirst. The anguish was still there, very much present in every inch of himself… but for the first time, Sasuke felt as if he might survive it.

Maimed and broken, but alive.

Suddenly, Sasuke felt exhausted, a tiredness that crept through his muscles and sat in his bones and refused to go away. "I'm going to sleep," he told Naruto, who immediately stepped away.

"Of course."

However, Naruto did not leave; he followed Sasuke to bed and seemed ready to remain there, with him. Sasuke's earlier sense of reprieve vanished like smoke in the wind.

He couldn't. No matter how much he cared for Naruto, how safe his presence made him feel, he just couldn't right now. "I can't."

Confusion marred Naruto's handsome features. "What?"

"I can't have sex right now."

Sasuke did not expect to see Naruto's confusion turning into anger. His boyfriend made a visible effort to push this emotion down. Naruto breathed deeply, exhaling slowly. "I was not suggested that we had sex."

He blinked, taking in this information. They did not have sex every night, especially since Kakashi's arrival. Sometimes one of them was busy, or they stayed out late with their friends, or they took training too far and needed to give their exhausted bodies a break. Sometimes, not always, they were so worn after having sex that they fell asleep next to each other in bed. He had never given it much thought.

However, they had never slept in the same bed in the night when they had no sex.

Why would it be the point?

Naruto snored when he slept on his back and he also had a habit of kicking the blankets at several points of the night. More than once, Sasuke had woken up frozen to the bone, stiff back and aching hip, and had literally kicked Naruto out of the room… happy to have the bed all to himself.

"Please," Naruto begged him. "Just let me hold you."

Sasuke didn't have the strength to turn him away. And he couldn't deny how comforting Naruto's arms were around his body. He nodded softly, turning his head towards the bed.

It was odd and made Sasuke feel strangely vulnerable, but he allowed Naruto to maneuver their bodies in the mattress until he was satisfied. Sasuke's body rested almost on top of him, Sasuke's head laying on his chest while Naruto's arms were wrapped tightly around his back and shoulders.

Naruto's skin was very warm, like always, and after a while, Sasuke realized he could hear Naruto's heartbeat. It was comforting. Slowly, he relaxed.

They didn't speak. Naruto fell asleep after some time; Sasuke noticed the change in his breathing, it became regular as his body grew heavy with sleep. Sasuke didn't fall asleep. At first, it was fear for his brother's fate that kept him awake. Anger. Disappointment. Dread.

Gradually, however, other emotions made their way into his heart. Contentment. Safety. Warmth. In the darkness of his room, Sasuke felt something wet trickling down his cheek. He realized he was crying. He brought up his fingers to touch his tears. It wasn't just sorrowed that created them.

Sasuke felt like gelatine, weak and feeble. The world around him was a windstorm, one that threatened to break him, touring him in a thousand different directions, and among that chaos, among the wind and the rain and the lightning, Naruto was the only thing that grounded him.

Was this how Itachi had felt about Shisui? If it was, Sasuke could understand how his death had pushed him over the edge, turning his heart and mind to pieces.

Naruto breathing had turned shallow, but he let out a long exhale that ended in the start of a snore. Sasuke's lips curled up in a tiny smile, and he hugged Naruto's bare thorax, not moving his head from where it rested on his chest.

His mind flew back to a story Itachi had once told him about the girl he had once loved. The daughter of the Lord in the Land of Lightning.

His father had made some aggressive moves to limit the autonomy of the Hidden Village and to enforce a heavy oversight upon them, and the Raikage was ready to retaliate by kidnapping his daughter. Itachi had been hired to save her… but in time he realized that she would not be safe until he dealt with the threat.

Except that Itachi had not killed the Raikage. Instead Itachi had found something the Raikage wanted to protect at all costs: the identity of his lover and the daughter he had sired with her. The proud man had sunk to his knees after that, and the Feudal Lord had been allowed to continue his plan to establish a close oversight on the Hidden Village and all ninja activities, unharmed.

Had the Raikage felt like Sasuke felt at this moment?

Careful of not waking up Naruto, Sasuke lifted his head until he was able to study his lover's face. He looked so peaceful asleep. His expression light, his blonde hair spilling over the pillow like corn silk.

Naruto was beautiful.

He was also the man that had chased him tirelessly for years, even when Sasuke had given him no reason to hope, even as Sasuke tried to kill him. This was the man who had defended him against all odds; the man who bled, suffered and humiliated himself on Sasuke's behalf. He was the man who had walked away from everything he knew, everything he held dear, just because he knew that it would make Sasuke happy.

Naruto's unshakable faith in him, how far he was willing to go for his sake, had always baffled Sasuke.

Naruto had tried to explain it to him once, after Sasuke had asked him about his reasons, and Sasuke had listened, he had, but he had not really understood. Not the way he understood it now. Now. In bed together. With their hearts beating as one and their bodies touching each other. Naruto sleeping soundly and Sasuke entranced by the image of him.

The truth was so simple.

How had it escaped him before?

The answer was love.

Naruto had done what he did because he loved Sasuke, and love was the force that moved the universe.

Konan thought it was money, but she was wrong; money only came a close second. It was love that pitted the Uchiha against the Senju in the first place, love for their fallen brothers and sisters and a desire to avenge them. It was love for his clan that led his own father to rise against the corrupted village. It was love for his village that made Hiruzen turn a blind eye as dozens of families were slaughtered.

It was love that drove Obito to Madara's arms. Love that turned Madara against Hashirama. Love that broke Kakashi. Love and a misguided need to protect him which made his brother lie to him and tore his heart to ashes, driving Sasuke into madness.

It was love which moved Naruto.

Always love.

Sasuke's mind ran ahead of him for a moment, awake with excitement, because this revelation had so many ramifications. It could change everything. He would speak to Konan and they would need to adjust their strategy to account for this. If they could persuade The Lightning Lord to join them - seeing as he was already against the ninja system-, he would become an important ally in their plans, and the Raikage would be unable to stop them.

Then Naruto snored again, and Sasuke's thoughts came crashing down.

Sasuke remembered why he was here, what Itachi had done, what Itachi had failed to do… and his energy vanished. He deflated like a chakra-exhausted Chidori.

And yet, despite everything, despite how hollow Sasuke felt, despite the desperation branded into his skin, despite the knowledge that he would have to learn to live without his brother once more, despite this nightmare come again, Sasuke wasn't alone. And that meant something.

"I love you," he whispered to Naruto, resting his head next to his lover's and tracing the edge of his face with his fingertips. One day, when the world felt right again and Sasuke was able to smile, he would tell Naruto and Naruto would hear it.

There are so many things so talk about in this chapter. First, Naruto and Obito talk. I personally admire Naruto a lot for his kindness and his capacity for forgiveness. Obito is the one responsible for his parents, and his awful early years as an orphan. I don´t think I could forgive the person who killed my parents, even if I never got to know them. The thing here is that Obito not only knew them, but he was kind of an adoptive son/nephew to Minato and Kushina. He killed them… but I think he also mourned them.

I wanted to give a deeper insight to what´s going on in Obito´s head. Many said that he was behaving like a brat, which he was, and of course Sasuke couldn´t stand his hysterics and even Naruto was getting tired of his antics. However, the guy has a solid reason to dislike Kakashi. Of course, we see the contrast between Naruto… who is willing to forgive even the worse offence, and Obito, who is definitely not.

I also think the conversation about Naruto´s mom was very sweet. Naruto is super in love with Sasuke so of course he is wondering what his mom would feel about it. I´m glad that in this way Obito could help him a little, telling that his mom would be happy he has found love no matter what. It´s like he got a small piece of her back.

Now. Tsuande is ready to make her journey to Konoha… and is gonna be dangerous, we already know that. Let´s wish her luck. I think the plan is solid, so let´s see how it goes.
And of course, the cat is out of the bag. Itachi is sick. I think all of you knew it at this point… I´ve been dropping hints since chapter 13 or 14. But don´t judge the guy too harshly. Sasuke was reasonably upset and didn´t listen to his brother´s explanation… I think the shock brought back his PTSD, to be honest. But maybe everything is not white or black. We´ll have to wait to the next chapter to see what else is going on in Itachi´s mind.

Lastly. The final part of the chapter. This is one of the scene I first imagine when I had the idea for this fic. I think Sasuke is someone who doesn´t feel emotions like most people do, due to trauma, so of course discovering that he is in love with Naruto was a long, difficult journey. But he is finally there. This was such a crucial moment. I hope I wrote it properly to make it justice. And course his discovery is going to influence the way he sees the world, and the way he plans to "conquer" it together with Konan… but we´ll see more of that later on.

Honestly, I´m super nervous to read your thoughts and reactions about this chapter. We are approaching the climax of the story, and we can say the emotional climax is here, what is happening now, so I hope you have enjoyed it… and please let me know what you think.

On a completely different note, I have mentioned a few times that I am writing an original novel. It´s a mix of romance and fantasy, and it´s halfway done at this point. I can´t publish it here because I would like to submit it to some editorial when it´s done, and they have told me I should not share it online.

However, I´m looking for people willing to read it and give me their opinion, so that I know if it´s interesting or boring, or if the plot is too convoluted or simple, if it´s hard to keep reading or if it keeps you in your toes til the end. As I said, I´ve only written half of it til this point.

If any of you is interested and would be willing to give a chance, and then tell what you think about it, I would appreciate it very much. You can let me know in the comments or contact me by email: rebeca16. zgz "at" gmail"."com

Of course, don´t feel obligated. We are all so busy and I completely understand if you don´t have the time or the inclination or if original works are not your thing (honestly, I prefer to read fanfictions most of the time). But if you think it´s something you might enjoy, then please contact me..