There was a time,
A time where I was happy,
A time where I was loved,
A time where I loved.
Then there was a time
A time where none of those things, love and happiness,

Existed at all.

It's time I cared.

-

It was still late.

Naruto put the shirt Itachi gave him on and had arrived at the Hyūga compound. He saw Hinata staring up at the sky through her window. He quickly transformed into a fly, and flew in through the crack, transforming back into boy form before sitting on the bed.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata said to the stars, not knowing he was there.

"Oh did you notice me?" The boy whispered, getting a surprised yelp from Hinata. She turned quickly and hit Naruto with a gentle fist strike out of reflex.

He winced in pain and fell off the bed. Hinata followed up by stuttering over several different apologies. Naruto tried to lift up is right arm to say, 'my fault' but realized that it was completely numb.

-

Hiashi heard something fall in Hinata's room and bolted up to investigate.

He had been incredibly paranoid after the kidnapping incident, and rightfully so. He also noticed a chakra signature in the room. It felt familiar but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

That couldn't possibly be a good thing.

He marched off to Hinata's room to investigate, only to be stopped by Hitome, who whispered, "Naruto," before grabbing her husband by the hand and dragging him to their room.

Hinata's parents had secretly been hoping that Naruto would show up some time.

The day after Naruto stayed the night, not only was Hinata happier than ever, she was more confident and showed great progress in her gentle fist sparring, giving her father a difficult time keeping up. Clearly that boy had some sort of positive effect on Hinata. An effect that they wished would continue.

Naruto climbed up onto the bed, dismissing all of Hinata's worry and frantic apologies. He sat next to her and silently looked out at the stars with her.

He enjoyed being close to her. He didn't have to talk to her or look at her, even though he enjoyed doing those things, just being around Hinata made him feel happy and warm. The same was true for Hinata.

A shooting star flew by as both Naruto and Hinata wished:

'I wish I could be by him forever.'
'I wish I could be by her forever.'

Naruto moved closer to Hinata and leaned his head on her shoulder.

Yeah he was one of the greatest assassins in the history of Konoha, so what? Everybody has a soft side. Even Itachi. Even Naruto.

The boy had been through so much in his life, enough to harden a person inside and out for good. He retained emotion. He was still able to love and cherish those close to him. Kurama's assessment was right that day. This boy was truly special.

At some point during the night, the two fell asleep, naruto leaning on Hinata's shoulder, Hinata leaning her head on Naruto's. Naruto had noticed Itachi and Shisui watching from a far away tree, but he didn't care. He was lost in the comfort that he felt being by Hinata.

Shisui and Itachi felt concerned. Itachi only guessed that he was going to hang out with his 'girlfriend'. For all they knew, he could have tried to abandoned the village.

That was not an option for them.

At some point while watching his goofball brother admire the stars, Shisui fell asleep.

And at some point while watching with Shisui, Itachi began to feel sad.

He thought back to the day where he sat on the dock and Izumi sat down next to him. She had offered Itachi some dango before quickly reconsidering. She thought Itachi was above that. However, she noticed Itachi staring at the bag on her lap.

He missed being a child. He missed that girl.

The girl that gave him the mangekyō.

It wasn't Itachi's father who gave him the mangekyō. Their relationship had deteriorated over the years, causing them to grow farther and farther apart. On the day of the Uchiha coup, he barely even recognized his father, and only saw him after everything was finished.

When he clashed with Izumi, the girl who looked at him as Itachi Uchiha the normal boy, not Itachi Uchiha, the prodigy and last hope of the Uchiha, he grew weak. He whispered that he was sorry as he sliced through her.

He wished he could have granted her a less gruesome death. A ceremonious death even. The love he felt for her was different than what he felt for people like Sasuke and Shisui. When it was there, Itachi was never able to find an answer of the feeling's meaning. When it was gone, it caused a heart-wrenching pain deeper and more intense than anything he had ever felt.

Itachi let all of the tears that he had held for so long drop down. Itachi swore an oath on those tears. He would protect his family at all cost.

Itachi Uchiha.

He would become the Hokage.

-

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's pretty short but it definitely serves its purpose.
Have a good day/night (or else)!
Jerry out!