Pairing: Itachi/Naruto. Sasuke/Sakura, past-Naruto/Hinata
Complete lies when I said I'd finish by the new year, but my computer decided to die on me so I have a valid excuse. Hopefully I'll be back soon with a quick update!
Thank you for all the support so far though it means so much! I meant to say as well this incorporates elements from everything we've seen after the actual series (so the novels, movies, etc.) but doesn't follow a fixed timeline age wise (because I have no idea how old they were in 700 or in Boruto the movie so yeah!)
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Before he properly woke, Itachi wondered where he was. The energy around him felt strange, and there was someone in the room with him. They seemed familiar, but he didn't recognise them fully. Itachi longed to reach for a weapon, but he had no idea where his weapons were and so had to trust in his ability to capture the person in genjutsu before they could harm him.
Sharingan blazing, Itachi sat up, only to meet the embarrassed flush of Sarada.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking down and practically squirming. "I didn't mean to wake you up."
Of course she had, Itachi thought, but he simply deactivated his sharingan and pulled the covers up. He'd taken off the shirt and trousers before he slept, and felt slightly awkward in front of his niece.
"Okaa-san doesn't know I'm here," she said, and a quick look out of the window showed Itachi that it was still dark outside. "I just…" Sarada trailed off, biting her lip uncertainly.
And oh how easy she was to read. She reminded Itachi so painfully of Sasuke, how he'd wear his doubts and fears on his face for all to see. It was so clear to Itachi what she wanted, and he reached for his shirt, asking Sarada to leave the room while he changed.
When he was fully clothed and hair tied back, Itachi walked out of the room and gestured for Sarada to follow. She did so, both of them slipping shoes on and exiting out onto the small garden behind the house. It was so quiet outside, as if the entire world had just paused for them, and Itachi turned to Sarada.
"As an Uchiha, you should be able to easily use fire jutsu," Itachi said, and Sarada's eyes widened before she nodded. "This is hardly the most impressive or powerful technique, but it will help you develop your stamina."
Sarada nodded furiously, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"You don't need much for the foundation," Itachi began explaining, cupping his hands over one another in a circle, making sure there was enough room between his palms to fit a small object. "You just need to visualise what you want and make sure you channel the right chakra. A lot of technique is all about the visualisation and control – in theory you could perform hand signals and perform jutsu without ever speaking as long as your visualisation is strong."
Sarada nodded, mimicking his pose and looking back to him.
"The main reason words are spoken is because a lot of people lack that control during battles. Your mother always had impeccable control, however, and I wonder if it's a skill that passed onto you," Itachi pondered, noticing the slight flush on Sarada's cheeks. "I hardly ever rely on silent techniques as my control isn't quite up to that level all the time, but perhaps it's something we could both work on."
Sarada smiled. "Just you and me," she said happily, and Itachi's chest tightened. He was giving Sarada something he'd always hoped he would be able to share with Sasuke. He was giving her something that she had probably hoped her father would teach her, but Itachi couldn't bring himself to feel regretful. Sasuke had chosen not to, and Sarada had made it clear she wanted to learn.
"I want you to visualise your chakra, fire nature, in your hand. You can gather it, shape it, make it do whatever you want to," Itachi said, and Sarada blinked at him.
"And that's it?" she said, and Itachi nodded, focusing on his hands and letting fire nature chakra gather there. He changed its shape, sending a small bird to flitter once around Sarada's shoulders and back to him. Instantly her demeanour changed, and she set to work, taking a deep breath in and focusing her chakra.
As he'd expected, fire gathered in a tight circle between her palms. Sarada gasped and her concentration broke, the fire disappearing. Instead of letting her confidence wane, however, she cupped her hands together again, bringing the fire back.
"It won't change shape," Sarada said a moment later, and Itachi hummed.
"It's fire that you created, you're in charge of its shape," he commented, and Sarada nodded, peering at the fire. Slowly, flicker by flicker, the fire morphed into their clan symbol, and Sarada beamed up at Itachi.
"I did it!" she said, shoving her hands at Itachi, as if he couldn't have seen the fire any other way. "I did it!" She was so elated with her progress, though it was little more than a child's trick. What it could grow into was the important thing, but Itachi had made Sarada happy.
It was a strange feeling and he felt a rush of warmth flow through him. She turned to him and he moved his hand, beckoning her forward. She took a step closer, and Itachi pressed his fingers gently to her forehead.
"Well done," he said softly, and her fingers rose to touch the point where Itachi had poked her. "We can learn the rest another day, I think it's time we went back to sleep."
"You won't leave, will you?" Sarada asked suddenly, and she looked away as soon as she'd said it, as if she was expecting Itachi to sit her down and gently break it to her that he'd be gone by the morning. Something fierce rose in Itachi's chest, and he knelt down.
"If I leave, it won't be because I want to. I was brought back to life by a jutsu, and the only reason I'd leave my home is because I have no other choice. Konoha is my home, always has been, and I promise to stay here." Itachi's words were strong, and Sarada's face crumpled as she threw her arms around Itachi, sniffing in his ear.
"Thank you, Oji-san," she said, and Itachi slowly hugged her back. It had been so long since he'd had a proper family, and he could feel something sliding back into place, Itachi becoming a little less lost as he began to pick up his life.
"Let's get you to bed," Itachi said gently, lifting Sarada up and carrying her inside. He dropped her off at the door to her room, and she wiped her cheeks, smiling gently.
"I won't let you down, Oji-san," she said passionately, and a tiny bird of fire formed in her hand, hopping over her palm. She was a quick study, that was for sure, and Itachi wanted to shake Sasuke by the shoulders and tell him he was missing so much.
Sarada's door closed, and Itachi rubbed his cheek, feeling the scratch of stubble growing in already. He was about to make his way back to his room when he saw Sakura standing in the hallway, leaning against her door. Itachi was wordless as he moved closer, expecting a reprimand for taking Sarada out in the middle of the night.
"She needs you," Sakura said instead, smiling. "Ever since Sasuke-kun left the last time and started training Boruto, she's just been drifting. You're doing so much for her, and for yourself too."
Itachi nodded, still wordless.
"Naruto-kun wants to see you tomorrow," Sakura said, pulling a little box (her phone, Itachi's mind supplied) out of her dressing gown pocket and showing Itachi the screen. It indeed did say that Naruto wanted to meet with Itachi tomorrow. "I suspect he's going to ask you to move in with him instead of staying here, though it took him long enough." She rolled her eyes, giving Itachi a look that suggested he should understand her frustration exactly.
"You are welcome to stay here, but I'd take the chance to move in with Naruto. The spare room at his is actually big enough that you can breathe, plus Sarada won't be bothering you in the middle of the night." Itachi gave a huff of laughter, Sakura's look growing serious. "This isn't a veiled attempt of me trying to kick you out, I want you to know that. You are welcome to stay here, but I think Naruto has much more to offer than here."
Itachi raised an eyebrow, not sure he was understanding correctly. If he was, then this was everything and more he could have hoped for. Sakura sensed his confusion, and she checked her phone.
"It's not long before I'd be waking up anyway, do you want to go downstairs and have a drink? I probably owe you an explanation about this," she offered, and Itachi nodded. He was unlikely to get back to sleep now anyway, so he might as well start the day. It wasn't as if he had a reason to be fully aware in the day anyway, so he could take a nap at any time.
Sakura busied herself with making tea, gesturing for Itachi to take the comfortable sofa. She came in soon after, bearing tea and some buns. Itachi thanked her, already excited to have something so delicious.
"Naruto-kun hasn't been doing so well after his divorce," Sakura said calmly, tucking her legs underneath her on the sofa, facing Itachi. "He puts on a brave face and is, for all intents and purposes, the same strong Hokage he's always been, but he's changed. He's become sadder, lonelier." Sakura bit her lip, looking down.
"He doesn't have anyone, not really," Sakura said, sipping her drink and closing her eyes, painful expression on her face. "We're not close enough for him to lean on us. Maybe Sasuke-kun could be, but he's… off."
She sighed, looking at Itachi with tired eyes. "I love Sasuke-kun with all my heart, but I wish, at least for Sarada, that he was here more. He's missed so much, his friends, his family… sometimes I wonder if he's been away for so long that some connections will always be weak."
She was talking about Sarada, of course. There was no doubt Sarada loved her father, but Itachi had to agree that Sasuke might have damaged his relationship with her before he'd ever really tried. It had been over a decade before he'd seen Sarada for the first time, Sakura had mentioned before, and that was unfathomable to Itachi.
"And when Sasuke is back, he's training Boruto?" Itachi couldn't help but ask, and Sakura hummed softly.
"It's good for them all. Naruto-kun hasn't had much time to spend with his children, but… Sarada needs him. She needs someone to teach her how to deal with the sharingan, and with Kakashi-sensei away, she was left with nothing." Sakura nodded slowly. "Which is why it means a lot to us that you're helping her."
Itachi nodded, and Sakura fell silent. Itachi wasn't sure what to say, or whether what he had in mind was appropriate, but he was never one to bite his tongue when things needed to be said.
"I thought it would be enough for him," Itachi said carefully, looking down when Sakura's eyes flitted to him. "All of this, even just being here one night, I thought it would be more than enough."
There was a soft sigh that escaped Sakura, and she smiled softly, a sad, shallow thing.
"I don't mind that I'm not enough. I don't think I've ever been enough for Sasuke-kun," Sakura admitted, and Itachi felt horror creep into his stomach. Konoha was facing some problems, and Itachi was somehow becoming the one who had to fix them. "But Sarada? I thought… well."
Itachi understood, of course. He felt it too, though he'd only lived with the confusion for a day. Sakura had been living with it for years now, wondering when her husband would be home. Sasuke hadn't even been there for his child all those years, and it made Itachi feel sick.
"I don't understand him," Itachi admitted quietly, something he knew he hadn't fully accepted. All he'd done was to try and protect Sasuke, but in the end Itachi had just pushed and pushed, in too many directions. Now, Sasuke was a wandering ninja, one who might love his family but ignored their needs.
"I even offered to go with him, you know," Sakura said, meeting Itachi's gaze. She had tried so many times, the gaze told him, and she had been rejected each and every time. He guessed she had simply stopped asking in time, both for Sasuke to stay and for him to take them with him.
"You're a blessing, Itachi-san," Sakura continued, words firm as she stared at him. "The village doesn't need saving this time, but the people do. You being here is going to trigger a change, even if you do nothing at all," she said, smiling and closing her eyes.
"Somehow, no matter what I do, things seem to change around me," Itachi commented, and he closed his eyes, letting himself lull into a light doze.
He woke a little later, when the sun was bleeding through the clouds. Sakura was up, though she looked as though she had just woken, and Sarada was thumping down the stairs, humming to herself.
"Okaa-san! Oji-san!" she called. "Good morning!"
Her smile was bright and Sakura gave her a hug and a kiss, Sarada skipping past to sit beside Itachi. She looked as though she was ready to badger him to teach her, and Itachi was about to offer to take her outside for a while when Sakura tapped the bowl she was holding in the kitchen.
"Breakfast and then you can drag Itachi-san off. I'm not going to heal you if you collapse during training." Sarada scoffed at that, rolling her eyes dramatically.
"Oji-san wouldn't train me until I collapse," she said, rolling her eyes again and pulling a face. Sakura barked a laugh from the kitchen, poking her head out once more.
"With a proper sharingan user training you, you'll be lucky not to be exhausted by midday. Besides, Itachi-san is an exceptional ninja. I'd wager he could go toe-to-toe with Naruto-kun," Sakura added, winking.
Sarada turned wide eyes to Itachi, eyeing him curiously.
"Your mother does me too much justice," Itachi hastened to add – because he really would be nowhere near Naruto's level anymore. Naruto had been amazing in their last fight together, and that was fifteen years ago. Itachi had always been praised for having the mind and skills suited to become Hokage, but Naruto had been the Hokage for a while now. There was a leap of difference between them, and while Itachi was certainly strong, he knew Naruto would win between them.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Sakura said lightly. "Naruto-kun doesn't get too much exercise these days with his Hokage job. You might be pretty well matched, even with your ridiculous techniques the two of you."
Itachi opened his mouth when the door sounded, someone announcing themselves a moment later. Clearly they were close to Sakura to be able to enter like that, and Itachi was really not surprised when Naruto joined them moments later. Sakura, the sly devil, slid an extra place setting onto the table, opposite Itachi.
Itachi hadn't even been able to wash or brush his teeth, and he was suddenly very aware his hair was knotty and clothes unkempt. He shifted uneasily, looking at Sarada as she came to sit next to him, giving him a pointed look. She was smart, too smart, and Itachi knew exactly what she was thinking. Clearly having the Hokage around for breakfast was a very special occasion indeed.
"As Okaa-san was saying," Sarada said loudly, and Itachi promised that he'd teach her the most chakra-eating technique he knew so she'd be exhausted in no time the next time they trained, "the only way to find out who is stronger, Oji-san or Hokage-sama, is for you two to actually fight."
She looked so hopeful, and Itachi knew that Sakura would be mirroring the pose too, both intrigued at the prospect that they might see a fight. Itachi looked over to Naruto, hoping to see the same odd disbelief on his face, but Itachi was surprised to see contemplation on Naruto's face, as if he actually thought a fight between them was a good idea.
"It's been a while since I've had a strong opponent to fight," Naruto said quietly, meeting Itachi's eyes with a smile. It was tight, though, and Itachi wondered how Naruto had grown so closed in on himself. "And I'm used to all the tricks Sasuke plays, so really it's been even longer since I've had someone worth fighting."
There was a flash in Naruto's eyes, a challenge, and Itachi felt his blood rise, sharingan demanding to be used to return the call. He finished his mouthful instead, inclining his head.
"Very well then," he agreed, and he saw Sarada pump her fist, smiling widely, clearly excited.
They took their time walking to the training grounds they were going to used – deep underground at the base of the Hokage mountain, fortified and massive. Itachi reckoned his Susanoo could easily fly around this in its full form, along with Naruto's largest bijū form. Sarada and Sakura had joined them, as had a handful of others they'd had to inform they were using the grounds.
"I trust them," Naruto had said quietly as they'd walked, just for Itachi's ears. His worried didn't dissipate, but his shoulder relaxed a little, and Itachi stopped glancing towards the unknown figures. Most likely they were also here to keep an eye on him, assess his abilities and make sure he had no plans to kill their Hokage.
Itachi was wearing Sasuke's clothes again, armed with weapons Sakura had provided, and he strode ahead of Naruto, to the centre of the battleground. He turned, watching as Naruto slipped his cloak off, leaving it with Sakura with a smile. He then walked slowly to join Itachi, and Itachi watched him, sharingan sharpening his view.
His arm was completely prosthetic, Itachi could see, but that didn't mean it was useless. In fact, he could see that it was potentially stronger than an ordinary arm, and Naruto had had years to get used to it. He was powerful too, with broad shoulders and muscled arms. He carried himself with ease, and while the cock grin was gone, there was a slight tilt to Naruto's lips that showed he was ready for this.
Strangely, Itachi felt as if his entire life had been waiting for this, growing dusty until this moment. Even dying (twice) hadn't brought the feeling Itachi had bubbling in his stomach. That was necessity, he supposed, part of a meticulous plan he'd clung to. This was something new, something different and something he had to puzzle out. The rules had changed, everything had changed, and Itachi had to figure everything out all over again.
"I think anything goes as long as we don't actually kill each other?" Naruto said, so calmly and easily. He was so, so powerful, and this was a fight he was looking forward to just as much as Itachi was.
"I don't expect you to hold back," Itachi said, and Naruto's smile widened. He spread his feet a little, grounding himself, and Itachi straightened, both prepared to fight.
There was a moment where neither of them moved, and then they were rushing at each other, weapons clashing in a test blow, the first movement of them getting to know each other. They continued testing the waters, dancing around each other, reacquainting themselves.
In a blur of hand signals, Itachi sent fire-laced projectiles towards Naruto, preparing a water technique for the moment he dodged them. The water hit Naruto square on the chest, but not before a smooth gust of wind spun Itachi around, leaving his back to Naruto. He moved quickly, heart pounding, and Naruto was quick to follow, the chase beginning. If it was a chase, Naruto would undoubtedly win. What Itachi needed to do was corner him, get him still enough to watch, and trap him with genjutsu.
Even now, Itachi knew that Sasuke was not a genjutsu master in the same way he was. He might possess the rinnegan, but Itachi knew he wouldn't have the same control over genjutsu Itachi had. Itachi had needed his genjutsu, needed it like armour to protect his real interests and desires. Sasuke didn't need to hide layers like Itachi had. He probably couldn't drag someone into a dream world with the twitch of a finger, but Itachi could. His eyes were powerful, true, but Itachi's eyes were just one part of him.
Naruto was clever, Itachi knew. He had sage training as well as Kurama's chakra, but Itachi too had powers. Naruto had never seen him in peak strength (had Itachi ever been in peak condition really?) for any real length of time, and Itachi let his sharingan bleed into mangekyō, though only for an instant.
Itachi had been planning this for a long while. He'd always hoped to be able to use techniques the mangekyō opened without the particular eyesight-diminishing factor, and the trials he'd pushed himself through before when he was alive had been fairly successful. The only drawback had been his body, a body ravaged already by the mangekyō. Now, though, Itachi was healthy, reborn even, and with just a spark of the mangekyō, Itachi could feel his powers swelling, answering his call already. He wasn't going to push for Susanoo, not unless Naruto shifted to a tailed beast form, but he knew it was there.
He did, however, send black flames dancing across their battleground, plotting a route. If he could, Itachi wanted to catch Naruto in a genjustu and lure him towards Amaterasu, though he doubted he would get that far. More than anything, though, Itachi wanted to use what techniques he could simply just because he could.
Naruto, of course, simply sidestepped his Amaterasu, grinning manically as he allowed Kurama's chakra to engulf him. They'd simply been playing before, but now they were fighting for real. They'd tested the waters, now was the main event.
Almost simultaneously, Naruto unleashed his beast form as Itachi felt Susanoo erupt from him, bones clanking together, muscle and flesh forming soon after. His Susanoo was fully fledged, half-kneeling, and Itachi willed the sword of Totsuka to stay hidden. It wouldn't do to accidentally trap Naruto, after all.
As Naruto sprang forward, a clawed hand reaching out, Itachi moved upwards, Susanoo blocking Naruto. They pushed against each other for a moment, a test of wills, before they sprang apart, pausing for a long moment.
Itachi narrowed his eyes, trying to track the hand seals Naruto was making across the battlefield. Even with his sharingan, Kurama's shroud blocked most of Itachi's vision, and he prepared himself, closing his eyes to gather his strength. Itachi heard Naruto's technique before he saw it, and he drew his hands to his sides, Susanoo replying to Naruto's Rasenshuriken with his Yasaka Magatama.
Their attacks met each other with blunt force, exploding around them. Itachi let Susanoo fall, and he saw Naruto drop his shroud, both of them hurtling through the debris and dust-smoke to continue their fight. If either of them paused, they would lose, and Itachi didn't want to lose.
Naruto was avoiding his eyes, focusing on Itachi's feet and chakra. His eyes were circled with his sage markings, and Itachi smiled to himself, mind whirring through possible traps.
He ducked down as Naruto aimed a kick, hand following as if to catch Naruto's ankle. He flicked his index finger, and Naruto stilled. Epheremal was a success, and while it wouldn't last long (Naruto was a pair, after all, and Itachi had no doubt that Kurama would snap him out of his genjutsu in no time), it gave Itachi time to move directly before Naruto.
When he came back to himself, Naruto rocked forward slightly, his chest tapping against the finger Itachi held over his heart. He paused, eyes darting to Itachi's, and a wide smile crept across his face.
"Short but well worth it," Naruto said, eyes bright and searching Itachi's for something. His hand moved to catch Itachi's finger, two fingers wrapping around Itachi, and his gaze drifted down just for a second.
"I wanted to invite you to stay at mine," Naruto said, eyes lifting back up. "It's a big enough house."
Naruto let go of his finger slowly, turning away as the people watching joined them. Naruto instantly stepped away, head bowed low as he talked to the others, and Itachi made his way over to Sakura and Sarada.
"You were amazing," Sarada gushed out, eyes wide. Her glasses were sliding off of her nose as she leaned over the side of the battleground, hands grabbing for Itachi's arm. "Amazing! You beat Hokage-sama. Everyone knows that he never gets trapped in genjutsu because of Kurama-sama, but you actually did it!"
Glancing to Sakura, Itachi noticed that even she seemed taken with him, her mouth opened slightly and eyes wide.
"It's been a long while since anyone has competed with Naruto-kun like that," she said softly, rising from her chair. "And even longer still since he's enjoyed a fight like that."
Itachi looked back to where Naruto was shaking his head, arms crossed over his chest. He blinked when he felt something soft against his chest, and he turned to Sakura. She was pressing Naruto's cloak against him, shooting him a meaningful look.
"He invited me to stay at his home," Itachi found himself saying, and Sakura smiled, raising an eyebrow.
"I told you," she said lightly, placing an arm around Sarada's shoulders and pulling her close. "If you come back to ours, we'll pack up some stuff for you. I'm sure Sarada will be happy to help you take it over," Sakura said, pushing her daughter slightly with a smile. Itachi knew it was important, for she'd just seen a monumental display of strength, and seen her Hokage bested in this particular fight. She needed to know Itachi was still just Itachi.
"Plus I have no idea where Naruto's home is," Itachi offered, and Sarada brightened a little.
"I've been there with Boruto before," she offered, glancing up at Itachi. "But I'll only help if you teach me something. What about the genjutsu you used on Hokage-sama?"
Itachi smiled. "Genjutsu is a tricky one, but I'll teach you a useful technique, how about that?"
Sarada nodded, and they slowly left, listening to Sarada as she recounted how cool and amazing the fight was. Itachi looked over his shoulder as they left, and though he was knee-deep in conversation, Naruto's gaze was firmly on him, and he offered a tiny smile, just a hint for Itachi's eyes alone.
It sent Itachi's blood on fire in a way even a battle couldn't.
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Naruto was used to the prattle of various members of the council. The people around him all had various interests – one was trying to drag Itachi into ANBU, another was saying he should be taken to the blood prison, one more was simply nodding to everything everyone else said – and Naruto, quite frankly, wasn't interested.
"He's going to fill a genjutsu teaching post. He's not going to enter ANBU, he's not going to be banished or imprisoned, and he's not going to destroy us all." Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and not for the first time wished Shikamaru was here to act as a buffer. What a time to go to Suna on holiday.
"But!" one of them protested, and Naruto had had enough. Itachi had left now, and Naruto was very aware of the state his home was in. He needed to tidy up before Itachi came, and he'd vowed to use less clones lately. He had to keep that promise to Boruto (and plus, with Shikamaru absent, Naruto could skip a few days of full work – Kakashi and Tsunade had done it every now and then, why shouldn't Naruto?).
"Uchiha Itachi was as pivotal as me in the last war. Without him, we would all have perished. Now he has been given a second chance, and I will not let him waste it in misery and an untimely death. He will be allowed a choice – a true choice – but he will undoubtedly train Uchiha Sarada at the very least." The council all seemed to have held their breaths when Naruto spoke, and they all deflated a little, clearly knowing that they weren't going to get their own way.
Itachi was far too precious to let these grubby hands smear him. He'd lived a life of sacrifice before, this time around Naruto had to protect him from those who would push and pull him. That wasn't the Konoha Naruto had made for others, and it wouldn't be the Konoha he made for Itachi.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to get on with," he said, and Naruto marched from the battle grounds, leaving the maintenance groups to clean up. He'd slip them a tip in their next paycheck; Kurama and Itachi's Susanoo were hardly easy to clean up after.
Thinking back on the fight as he walked a familiar path home, Naruto couldn't help but remember the ease Itachi had pulled off his genjutsu. Naruto wouldn't have known he'd been trapped if not for Kurama, and even Kurama had taken a while to realise they'd been caught. He'd been surprised, laughter bubbling in his throat and an excited gleam in his eye when he'd told Naruto they were in a genjutsu.
"I like this one," Kurama had offered as he'd broken Naruto free, teeth glinting as he grinned. It had been a long while since Kurama had been this riled up, and Naruto knew he could feel Naruto's own emotions bubbling through.
Naruto had always respected Itachi as a fighter. He'd always been calm, well thought out, and flawless. Actually fighting him without any misgivings, though, was another world entirely. Itachi had been alive, free, and unafraid. He'd wielded his powers with ease and mastery, such mastery that even Naruto had felt a little envious.
And then there was his sharingan. Naruto hadn't missed the split second it shifted into mangekyō, but Itachi hadn't kept it up. He'd used his techniques with his regular sharingan, something that not even Sasuke had ever done. Maybe he'd be able to, Naruto had no idea, but it was clear that Itachi had thought about it, realised the problem of the mangekyō, and was determined to overcome it.
"He excites you," Kurama's deep voice said, low in the back of Naruto's mind. Naruto couldn't deny it, in fact the words made him smile, excitement coiling like a snake in his stomach. Itachi was nothing like he'd experienced before. No one, not even Hinata when they were young or Sasuke when he was around, made Naruto feel like that, and it was exhilarating.
Naruto was walking down the road to his house when he saw his family ahead. For a moment, Naruto wondered if his feet had taken him back to his old house, or even to Hinata's new place. He almost froze right there in the middle of the road, but he forced himself to keep moving, butterflies dissipating as he realised that he'd promised to look after the children while Hinata tended to some sacred clan rituals. Or something. Naruto hadn't been listening too much after she'd let slip she was undertaking the rituals with her new partner.
Still, a slight notch of dread sunk into Naruto's stomach as he realised he had at least three days ahead with his kids and Itachi. He hoped they'd understand, that maybe he could finally begin to heal all the damage he'd done, but Naruto wasn't holding out hope.
He remained behind his family until they reached his house – a small, three bedroom place that was everything Naruto needed as well as having rooms for the kids – and Hinata turned to him. She must have known he was there, and her lips thinned, eyes flicking up and down. He was probably a bit of a mess, Naruto realised, but he simply straightened, moving past them to unlock the door.
The kids ran inside instantly, ignoring Naruto completely. He liked to imagine Himawari paused just behind him, as if she wanted to give him a hug, but Boruto was calling for her then, and she ran off.
"I'll be gone for about four or five days," Hinata said, pushing strand of hair behind her ear. It was a gesture that had once sent chills through Naruto, the way her arm moved and the way the line of her neck fell, but it just left a bitter taste in his mouth now. "Boruto didn't want to come, but Himawari managed to convince him. She's a good girl," Hinata said firmly, the unspoken 'though you don't deserve it' falling between them.
Naruto simply nodded. He hadn't been a good father in a long while, maybe today he could begin to make things up to them.
"If you can't cope," Hinata said, in a way that made it seem that was inevitable, "then Hanabi said you can call her and she'll collect them."
It was offensive, really, that Hinata should have such little faith in him, and Naruto really did wonder where it had gone wrong. When had he stopped fighting? When had he stopped caring?
"I'll be fine," Naruto said stiffly, shoulders tensed. And then, because he had loved her once, and they were her children, Naruto told her quietly about Itachi.
Hinata's eyes were blazing when he was done, and she looked ready to crack Naruto apart.
"If anything, and I mean anything, happens to my children," she said, emphasising the 'my' and narrowing her eyes, "then I will kill you, Hokage or not. Do you understand?"
Pushing down the annoyance – because Naruto understood, he really did – he nodded. Hinata cast one more look at him before she turned away, stronger in ways Naruto never could have made her. Their split had done her a world of good, Naruto thought, even if she didn't think fondly of him anymore. She was her own person, free to live her own life, and he couldn't hate her for that.
Heading inside, Naruto resisted the urge to sigh. Boruto was in his room, blasting music loudly, and Himawari was sprawled across the sofa, flicking through TV channels at a ridiculous pace.
"I'm bored," she said as Naruto sat beside her, patting her foot.
"We have someone coming to stay with us soon," Naruto said, and Himawari peered at him curiously, some odd children's ninja programme settling on the TV.
"Someone?" she asked, and she sat up, edging closer to Naruto. "Who?"
"Sarada's uncle," Naruto replied, and Himawari's nose wrinkled, clearly trying to think of the connection and whether she knew who Sarada's uncle was. "My friend Sasuke's brother."
"Oh," Himawari said, turning her attention back to the TV and picking up where she'd left off. "Cool," she offered, and Naruto knew he wouldn't get anything else out of her. Instead he stood, kissing the top of her head, and moved to at least tidy the kitchen before the children could mess everything up again. He'd tackle Boruto in a bit.
Boruto would be much harder to convince, Naruto knew. There was a moment where they had been doing so well, so well that Naruto had thought he'd finally repaired his relationship with his son. And then he and Hinata had split, and Boruto had blamed him completely. He'd accused Naruto of going back on his word, of giving up on promises. And who could blame him, really? Naruto had tried, but he hadn't tried enough, not really.
He knew that. Naruto knew he hadn't tried hard enough, he really did, and yet… it was so hard. It had been so hard the first time around, and now it was even harder. Still, Naruto knew he needed to try and be a better father, and he could do it. He would do it.
Boruto still wouldn't be impressed though. Himawari warmed to everyone eventually, so she would undoubtedly like Itachi, but Naruto had no idea how Boruto would take it.
Sighing, Naruto put the last plate in the dishwasher, moving out of the kitchen to look up the stairs. He called out to Boruto, the music shutting off after his third shout, the stomp of an annoyed Boruto following shortly after.
"Coming!" Boruto shouted down the stairs, and Naruto was about to reply when the doorbell rang.
Oh. Well. That would solve telling Boruto, Naruto supposed, and he opened the door, looking wearily down at Sarada.
"I helped bring things over," she said cheerily, looking behind Naruto with a curious gaze. "Hi Boruto," Sarada greeted, spinning on the spot as Itachi stepped into the house.
There was silence for a moment, aside from Sarada and Itachi taking their shoes off, and Naruto saw Boruto watching Itachi with curiosity, clearly trying to decipher who he was. Himawari made an appearance too, running to Sarada and hugging her tightly.
"Who's this?" Himawari asked, looking at Itachi as she let go of Sarada. "Are you Tou-chan's friend Sasuke's brother?"
Itachi bent down, and Naruto almost envied how easily he smiled at Himawari.
"I am," he agreed, glancing to Naruto before focusing back on Himawari. "I'm Uchiha Itachi, and I'm Sarada's uncle. Your father let me stay here, as I have no home at the moment."
Himawari seemed devastated to hear this, and she rushed off, muttering that she would sort that out. Naruto had no doubt that Itachi would enter the living room to find a small house constructed out of whatever Himawari could find, and he wanted to smile at her antics.
First, though, he had Boruto to contend with, and he almost flinched at the accusatory look Boruto had fixed on him.
"I didn't know sensei had a brother," he said, voice low. He glared at Itachi, and Sarada crossed her arms over her chest, clearly irritated.
"Well," Itachi began amicably, standing up fully. "I was dead, so I'm not surprised you hadn't heard much about me. Sasuke and I had a turbulent relationship anyway, but no matter our faults and the hatred involved, deep down we always loved each other."
Naruto didn't miss the hard look Itachi shot Boruto, nor the jerk of Boruto's head. Itachi's words were firm, and they seemed to be understood.
"You'll have to tell me all about Sasuke and his skills. You must be something if he's decided to take you on as his student," Itachi commented, and Naruto noticed that he placed a hand on Sarada's shoulder, as if to reassure her.
He was pretty great at this parenting thing, Naruto thought. Much better than Naruto was, at any rate, for he could see Boruto opening up with interest, opening parts of himself he'd cut off from Naruto entirely. It was almost sad to see, but Naruto vowed he would rekindle his relationship now, in these few days.
He was going to show them all that he hadn't changed from his younger self. Itachi seemed to think he had, but deep down, Naruto knew he was still the same, loving person he'd always been. It was time to prove it to the ones he loved more than anything else.
It had taken him a long while, far too long really, to do something about his problem, but Naruto was going to do it now. Itachi had inspired him to fix the problems he'd created, and Naruto planned to prove to his children just how much they meant to him.
He'd won Boruto over before, Naruto was sure he could do it again.
And perhaps, he thought as he watched Boruto lead Itachi to the kitchen, Sarada laughing as she ran after them, perhaps he might just prove to Itachi that he hadn't closed himself off. Perhaps he'd even be able to start again.
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