warning: malexmale, mentions of dub-con.

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Suddenly the Hokage understood everything.

He.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Itachi had a brother who was just a few months older than Naruto.

Kushina had been friends with his mother, Mikoto, he remembered having spotted her in the hospital with her sons, just after the attack, with a sad look.

After the Uchiha were moved in their compound, with their own shops and hangouts, many people, especially women, never ventured outside.

It was insensitive to have forgotten about that woman, but how could he ever forget about Sasuke? He was the youngest of the clan, the only Uchiha kid at the Academy.

He was his son's rival. Naruto always talked about this Sasuke who did everything better than him, but he failed to listen to his stories, too busy polishing his encouraging persona while keeping his inner darkness at bay.

Itachi was supposed to hate and distrust him, and yet he had spoken about what was most important to him.

Not his name, not his power, not his position in Anbu.

His little brother, whose name he didn't even pronounce imagining it was obvious, maybe not to the Hokage –who used his authority against him –but surely to the father of the other half in a childish rivalry.

Itachi paid attention to every word Sasuke told him, supporting him like Minato never did to Naruto, both openly and in a more subtle way.

If he were to fail, he had said, everything would have fallen on his shoulders. He would be turned into someone he was not, someone like him.

Minato realized the pressure Itachi had to endure.

The boy had finished the Academy in a year, soon becoming a real shinobi. No time for playing pranks, no time for childish rivalities, only a sequel of goals to achieve for the clan, until he had become a soulless doll. He had endured the hard trainings, the lack of freedom, the assassination missions, only to let Sasuke not have to live the same kind of life.

On the contrary he, the Fourth Hokage, had betrayed his village, his comrades, and all those who trusted him. He had played with his guard's life, repeatedly humiliating him instead of respecting him like the soldier he was.

He wanted to apologize but he couldn't even find the right words. Sorry If I used my authority over you, repeatedly abusing your body and mind you to appease my demons was just an admittance of guilt, not a declaration of repentance.

Maybe, such a thing wasn't even necessary.

All of the Hokage's previous attempts to make the boy talk had miserably failed because he had always asked about him. Now he understood that Itachi never thought of himself, because all the good things in his world were Sasuke.

"I'm sorry for Naruto's behavior, he's a pest. Besides, he's clumsy, and he's jealous of your brother who's better than him in everything. Judging by the way he always talks about him though, I know he really likes Sasuke."

Sasuke is better than Naruto in everything just like you are much better than I am, Minato would have liked to add, but he kept it to himself because even if Itachi looked fatigued and not yet healed he seemed almost at ease.

He smiled faintly, before closing his eyes.

Minato started to feel his chakra increasing again. Soon they'd return to Konoha, to the office where inactivity and darkness were consuming his soul, but he decided that he wouldn't let the beast take over anymore.

He had lost the woman he loved; he couldn't risk losing his son and the village that entrusted him with the protection of its people.

Itachi's selflessness and dedication had moved him.

Looking at the sleeping figure besides him, not daring to touch his delicate face in fear of waking him up, and making him think he was still the brute he had been, the blond thought about his past actions, and pondered the future ones.

He felt that together with the Uchiha heir they could find a way to settle the animosity between his clan and Konoha.

If only he hadn't acted so shamefully towards him.

Apologizing wasn't enough. He would offer the young man a choice: either to keep being his personal Anbu, under the solemn oath that he would not disrespect him anymore, or to be appointed Anbu captain, like no one had been at his age. From what he had witnessed during the previous night's events, the young shinobi deserved that seat anyway.

He hoped that Itachi would forgive him, and choose not to leave him, despite everything that had happened.

The attraction he felt for Itachi was still there, as burning as ever, but now that he caught a glimpse of his real self, there was something more.

Maybe it was love, and it scared the Hokage –there were things that not even his power could grant him –that it might never blossom because of what he had done.

He didn't want to let any more darkness enter his heart though. He had to work on himself and be a better father, ruler, and man.

Thus, maybe, he could deserve someone like Itachi, said Minato to himself while he shielded the young man's eyes from the rising sun, to let him sleep a little longer.

Thanks to all my readers. If you liked this story please read its sequel, Accord, written by Meadie.