Naruto barely looks up from his papers when the door opens. He scans and scans the documents laid before him, as if reading them faster could give him some type of edge against his enemies. He knows it doesn't work that way, but-

He follows the hand that leaves a cup of tea at the edge of his desk and his dad's blue eyes are so full of emotion he knows immediately he's in for a lecture.

A lecture he knows by heart now, but that at this time will only make him feel worse.

His father also knows that. So he only clears his throat, "Are you feeling better?"

Naruto doesn't respond right away, because for a lie to look convincing he has to put effort into it and because if he answers hurriedly his desperation will only be more evident. He sips the tea and the liquid warms his throat. He scoffs, his dad always knows best when he needs a break. And it's the many teas he has been given over the years that remind him that he shouldn't have to put up a front.

Especially not in front of his dad. Especially not now. Not when he needs his dad the most.

"I'm feeling better," he says. And he feels his father's stare still. "I'll feel better when we're done with this whole bullshit, to be honest."

He doesn't look at his father, because he knows the look he has on his face already. Worried and pained and distraught. So Naruto does what he does best. "How are you feeling?"

His father huffs, of course he knows why Naruto is changing the subject. He lets him. "I'm all right, son, doing my best to support you."

"And I'm-" Naruto is quick to add, he finally looks at his father, "I'm thankful."

Blue eyes on blue eyes and Naruto begins to feel his chest tighten, just like when he came back. "I-"

"It's okay, son." His eyes are so full of understanding it makes Naruto feel guilty. "You're under a lot of stress."

"Fuck," Naruto scoffs, "fuck, yeah, yeah I am. I-" he puts his tea down, seeing as his body is beginning to tremble and he can't control it. "I-" he can't find the words and he hates he's feeling this way again. He had been fine when he got back to the compound. He had given orders and put himself to work and he had focused and the thoughts in his head got quiet. But now… now in front of his father. "I have no idea what to do, dad."

His head falls to his hand and thoughts of Hinata and Boruto fill his mind. Thoughts he knows will only frustrate him, infuriate him, and those thoughts, those feelings- as a Beast Tamer he shouldn't linger on them, fuck-

"Naruto," his father's voice echoes through and Naruto focuses. He slowly gets out of it and he breathes out, he's fine.

"You didn't see him, dad."

It takes a second for Minato to understand, but then he sits on the chair on the other side of the table and he smiles, "Your son, you mean?"

Naruto closes his eyes and he lets his body rest on his chair. He lets himself swim through the few memories he got to share with his child. "He's perfect," he whispers.

And Minato can't help but remember Naruto when he was a child, too, "I'm sure."

"What if- what if something happens to them, dad?"

"Don't think about it."

But he does. He can't help but do it. And then his mind jumps to the only other people he knows went through the same shit. "How did mom do this? Shit, how did Grandma Mito do this?"

"Son…"

Grandma Mito he can somewhat understand, Hashirama Senju was strong enough to protect his wife and his daughter and not worry about any other fucker around. Naruto laughs. Not even Madara Uchiha was a problem to him. Not like Naruto.

His mother… she had his father, acclaimed Minato Namikaze. And even with his protection she-

Alone and with a child to care for. Naruto had of course thought about it, he knew his father's hardships regarding his own upbringing. The way the man went far and beyond to give him a somewhat happy childhood, the pressure of being in charge of the next Beast Tamer, the next head of the clan.

They bonded over the loss of his mother. An emptiness that never left, that they both carefully protected and cared for. And emptiness they embraced. Naruto thought his pain over the loss of his mother had been the same as his father.

But he had always been the child and the one who received the pats and the coos and the warm teas deep into the night when the pain was too great to bury. His father-

He had cried, sure, and Naruto had given the man the alone time he needed, had sat near his father when emotion overcame him and Naruto was still in the room. But Naruto hadn't-

He hadn't understood-

Naruto's eyes are glossy and he looks at his father with a new-found respect and admiration that overwhelms him. "How did you do it?"

Minato holds his son's gaze just for a second. The question nestles itself too deep, leaving him without air for a while. The pain of her absence flares like always and this time he can't keep the pain out of his voice, he can't quite cover the cracks that come out and he can't- he can't look at Naruto again. "I had you."

Kushina's body laid bloody and cold and mangled and he gave himself a moment to let his screams tear through his body. To let the rage burn through him, the pain crushing his chest and leaving him gasping for air. A second. Only a second, before he had to take control of their clan and protect what was left of them.

"I had to protect you."

Naruto stands and walks to his father in reverent silence. This man had overcome the loss of his loved one and lived to tell the tale. Fuck, he had survived it while raising a child and without losing his smile nor his patience nor his kindness nor-

Naruto brings his father in for a hug, like his father has done so many, many times for him before. He grabs his father's clothes a little too hard, and maybe he presses his father's head to his body a little too harshly. But his father brings a trembling hand to him and although with no sound, he knows the man is crying by the shakes of his shoulders.

Naruto doubles over and covers his father with his body.

Unfair, everything is unfair. But what's more unfair in all of this is the fact that Naruto can't help but think that this man, this man who has gone through hell and come back with a smile still in place will be able to overcome everything.

Everything thrown at him.

As long as he has something to protect, something he feels responsible for.

And Naruto doesn't share his thoughts, he only hugs his dad tighter, but deep inside him there is the slightest relief, the most innocuous of joys.

This man right here would be capable of moving forward even with the loss of his son. And Naruto can only cling to his dad and cry over the man's hardships.

He is so, so, "Thank you," so infinitely grateful.

•····························•····························•

Itachi feels himself walking almost with familiarity down the hallways. Ino at his back, she makes small talk with him he can't reject. Her casualness is a gift he had almost forgotten. How many years had he kept quiet and almost afraid of how his words would be used against him?

What did it mean that only here has he found himself relaxed enough to relish idle talk? He can't help the soft smile that overcomes him as Ino shares tidbits of information. Nothing important, but things that make her giggle and that make Itachi smirk. A trained ninja in the art of charisma, he's sure. He doesn't mind, he lets himself be deluded.

Nothing matters anyway.

Lord Naruto welcomes him with the soft smile he usually wears and his face remains stoic as always. And though Itachi shares with him news about Madara's advance troops already on the move, of spies being sent and surrounding or already inside their posts, Lord Naruto's face stays fixated on his, blue eyes unwavering. Prepared maybe? Or already distanced from this whole affair?

When Itachi finishes talking Lord Naruto keeps his stance, his hand on his chin, he's the definition of contemplative. When Lord Naruto brushes his hand in the air, letting Itachi know he's free to go, he stands still. He can feel Ino's frown.

"Can I see my brother?"

Lord Naruto's eyebrows rise but he's more surprised than suspicious. "If you bring Ino with you, you can, yes."

"Thank you, my lord."

Their walk towards the infirmary is silent and though Itachi misses Ino's voice he makes no attempts at conversation. He knows how this must look to others. He's no outsider to how he's viewed by those around him. Doesn't matter where he's at, because he himself destroyed his own very place.

"You know," Ino says abruptly, "you remind me of someone I know."

"Do I?"

"Yes, though with one big difference." Itachi doesn't turn, in fear of upsetting her further by not following the rules. "He also has trouble communicating with others, you know." And Itachi can't even argue in his defense. "But at least he tries. He's bad at it though," she snickers. "He sucks at it," she continues, "but you couldn't blame him for trying, whereas you…"

She walks to his side, then in front of him, she's looking at him directly and it's him who evades her gaze. "I don't know what you did for you to feel this way, you know, but whatever it is you're trying to do…" she remembers the way Sasuke spat his words at his brother, the way he would react whenever Itachi's name was pronounced, "I don't really think it's going to work the way you want it."

Itachi winces without meaning to and he has to keep the hurt out of his face. "I know," he whispers. Because he does, he has always known. But that doesn't keep him from trying, it can't keep him from trying. "I know what I did can't be forgiven."

"I don't mean only that, the way you just… suck it up, Itachi, whatever it is you did, you can't keep your feelings just bottling up, and- jeez, just don't let your brother shit all over you. That's it."

She scoffs and turns around, starts walking without him. He has to catch up and the turmoil of things he wants to share, to say, and knowing that he can't is enough to leave him speechless. Ino glares back a few times, but he keeps his head down, all the way into Sasuke's room.

"Can't fucking believe you're back here, get the fuck out."

Sasuke snarls and tries his best to pierce through Itachi and make him nervous enough, ashamed enough, to leave him alone. The man keeps his head down and his arms on his legs, looking like a sappy fuck on the chair, and Sasuke is set to keep on lashing out at him, but then he feels a stare and he's surprised to see the blonde woman sending daggers his way.

"What, you feeling sorry for this fuck?"

"He's your brother."

Sasuke guffaws. He coughs a couple of times from the surprise and he has to sit upright until he breathes normally again. "Oh, gods, just tell them, please, this is infuriating." Sasuke points at his brother, and he can't let the words out immediately, memories flooding his brain. "He-" his voice will break if he keeps on talking, so he stops. "Tell her, you coward," he grunts. He can't help but feel pure rage at the thought that these people -any people, really- can feel a speck of sympathy for this man. Not him. Not him, "Tell her."

Itachi keeps his head down and even Sasuke can feel shame coming from the man. Good. "He killed people from our clan, right, that you know, but who did he kill, that is the question, ask him, who did you kill, ask him, go ahead." His voice trembles with rage or pain or whatever the hell, and he doesn't care, he wants to see this man wallow in misery. His jaw is shut tight and his words come out barely audible, but audible enough for this prodigy he had for a brother, "tell her."

"Our parents," Itachi relents after a short silence. Soft and barely audible, a man admitting to a crime he feels ashamed of. "Our mother and father," he breathes, astonishment on his voice, as if he himself can't believe the words that are coming out of his mouth.

Ino keeps silent and stands still as a rock. Itachi turns to her and his face is full of guilt and shame, "I'm sorry." For hearing this or for his crime, she doesn't know, but then Itachi stands, his head still turned down.

"What are your plans after Madara is gone?"

Sasuke roars in laughter, "He's gonna kill all of you, you dumb fuck, he's gonna obliterate every little one of yo-"

"What are you going to do after Madara is gone?"

And Sasuke breathes out a little too hard, surprised at this stance, at this self-assurance. "Kill your ass," he snaps. He expected some hurt or surprise, wanted to see it, but Itachi wears the same resigned face he always has.

"And what are you going to do after both Madara and I are gone?"

It takes Sasuke a second to answer this question, "what?" and he doesn't have an answer.

"After Madara is dead, and then after you kill me, what are you going to do?"

Sasuke shakes his head, rationalizes this as a trick from Itachi to confuse him, "Shut up."

"Sasuke, I-" Itachi stops mid sentence and takes a breath, "Father and mother would have liked for you to have a happy life, Sasuke, I'm sure."

"Shut up."

"You should think about it."

"Shut up!"

"What comes after."

Sasuke reaches for the IV on his arms and Ino jumps to keep him in place. Itachi leaves the room immediately after. Leaving a screaming Sasuke behind, thrashing about, thinking about things he would rather not.

Sasuke howls and the sound follows Itachi until he's out of the infirmary.

Hello, everybody!
Sometimes I think I jump too quickly into things, and then I think "but we gotta move OOOON" and then I just go back and forth. In the end I just always go with my gut-feeling, so far it seems you've been liking the pacing so I'm (*￣3￣)╭ grateful.
Anyways, have a good one, see you!

Ramona! Thank you for the kind words and, as always, I am honored to know how much you enjoy this story (*/ω＼*)
Also, dad-Naruto is indeed *chef's kiss* lol

New guest, Fooloofafa! Welcome and thanks for leaving a comment! Sadly, we will have to wait for more Naruto-Boruto goodness, but it'll come!

New guest, Here be me! Welcome too and thanks for leaving a comment! Thank you so much for the kind words!

New guest, 444! Welcome, welcome! I couldn't help but snicker as you read through the chapters and suffered along. Thanks for leaving your thoughts! Also, Hinata is moving away from the Hyuga compound and yes, she's not coming back to the Uzumaki's either. Poor baby is kind of on the run. As for Sasuke and Itachi, we're gonna see a little of them now!