Summary: When dying doesn't quite mean dying and Uchiha Itachi learns that he can plan for everything and Uzumaki Naruto will still surprise him. ItaNaru. Spoilers for current canon – i.e. manga chapter 515+

Pairing: Itachi/Naruto

Warnings: manga spoilers (not with wtf-maddy business though), mention of character death/character wanting to be/remain dead, uhm...think that's it?

If you're reading this Kishi (you dirty, secret ItaNaru lover you) and you make ItaNaru canon, I'll write you an epic 300k+ fic.

If it becomes canon, I'm calling it in and we can all have a party.

Hell it's not gonna happen, let's just all have a party anyway to warble on about out ItaNaruIta love. Also, thank you to dcelest for looking this over!

A Little Left Behind

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Itachi shifted where he sat and Nagato looked at him, eyes sliding over in amusement.

"You know," he said, conversationally, "That you're absolutely insane, right?" With a slight dip of his head, Itachi offered a small smile, not once turning to look directly at Nagato.

"Perhaps," he muttered quietly, taking a glance upwards and looking at the moon. It was bright, full, but not quite perfect yet; perfection was what Madara would be waiting for. "But it's something that has to be done. You know as well as I do-"

Nagato snorted. "I know nothing as well as you do." he interjected, jostling Itachi lightly. "Well, there you have it then." Itachi swallowed and Nagato looked over at him.
"Are you scared?" he asked, voice quiet. Itachi didn't reply so Nagato continued. "I think it would be okay this time. We're going to be used as puppets. I think that's enough reason to be scared."

Itachi ran a hand over his eyes, shaking his head a little. "There are plenty of reasons to be scared," he said. "But I'm not."

Nagato hummed lightly. "I suppose I'll see you on the other side?" he asked, slowly climbing to the ground to lean against the lion statue for support. Itachi joined him a moment later. "The sword can seal you," he said, touching Nagato's shoulder lightly. "If it comes to it, I can use the sword."

Smiling, Nagato gripped Itachi's forearm. "You can," he acknowledged, "but is it worth it? You have bigger things to do now, don't waste them on me." Itachi nodded, a secretive smile dimpling his cheeks again. Nagato's heart warmed a little. In the end, you could at least count on Itachi having a plan, if nothing else.

There was a rumble across the battlefield and Itachi looped his arm around Nagato, pushing off and running to meet it. The end was in the air, Itachi could feel it, and it had taken him years of planning to get to this. Never once in his life had he thought he'd need to use this plan and he was glad he'd placed it there just in case.

Whatever else happened, Madara would not win.

.

"Shit," was the general consensus around the tent as Itachi woke up. He could hear someone to the left cursing as though they'd been brought up by a fishwife and another poor sod grunting through his teeth, swearing to every god imaginable.

Itachi shifted in his bed, not bothering to open his eyes. It was true then; his sins were too great for heaven. Not that he'd expected anything less, because what he'd done was terrible. However, Itachi might have wished, long ago, for a peaceful life.

But he'd done what he could for Konoha. He'd helped to save Konoha – that much he could remember. Naruto had been by his side at the end, as had the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki, B, and they'd made for a killer team that not even Madara had been able to defeat in the end.

And Sasuke?

Itachi didn't know what to think about Sasuke. He'd faded away (for he couldn't have died, not when he was already dead) looking into Sasuke's shocked eyes, letting Naruto do the last job. He'd bowed out gracefully as Madara had died, with a smile on his lips and a weight lifted that he'd carried for years.

Itachi didn't mind being dead. He'd done what he'd been brought up to and helped Naruto achieve peace. That was good enough and he could accept that he'd died.

"Ah, he's a tough one," a voice said. "Defies all logic that we know, but we're taking direct orders from Tsunade-sama to keep him safe so…" The voice trailed off. The man, who had been speaking, sighed.

"She'll have to review him herself." His companion made a sound of agreement. "It's both out of our hands, unlike anything we've ever seen and he's...well, Uchiha Itachi."

There was another sound of agreement and Itachi frowned slightly. Tsunade couldn't have joined him so what the hell was going on? "I'll get her now then?" a hesitant voice asked – that of the companion – before footsteps moved away.

Seizing the opportunity, Itachi opened his eyes, wincing as soon as light hit his retina. It was bright in the huge tent, a medical tent, and as Itachi looked around, his frown deepened. Unless his afterlife was forever to live in a war medical tent, Itachi realised that he wasn't quite gone yet.

Pushing down the panic that made its way up into his throat, Itachi pushed himself up slowly. He sat reclining, able to get a proper look around the tent as a cold bolt of fear settled in his stomach.

He was alive.

Never, in any of his plans, had Itachi factored in defeating Madara and living. He'd never thought he could live, not when he'd fought Sasuke, not when he'd given Naruto Shisui's eye and certainly not when he'd sealed Nagato away with the sword of Totsuka. This was the one thing Itachi had never factored in for and he gripped the covers of his bed, trying to calm himself down.

"I have no idea what you were thinking," a familiar voice came to Itachi's attention and he looked up to see Tsunade making her way through to his bed. "I specifically told them to look after him and instead you come to me?"

"The request stated that the patient was in his own tent and-"

"Oh complete, utter bullshit," Tsunade retorted, her laughter catching the attention of a few other patients nearby. Though he was slightly cordoned off, it was clear to the people around Itachi that he was somewhat considered a threat, for they looked slightly nervous at the mention of anyone approaching him.

"Come on," Tsunade said, sighing. "And find me another curtain. I'm sure our patient will appreciate it, especially given the circumstances." The other person ran off to do Tsunade's bidding and the Hokage turned to Itachi, unsurprised to find him awake.

"You're a conundrum," she said bleakly, nodding at the other person as they pulled a curtain stand over, fully blocking Itachi away from the rest of the tent. Tsunade pulled up a stool and sat next to Itachi, medical notes in her lap.

"I'll attend to him in private," Tsunade said over her shoulder, clearly annoyed with the other person. "If you could pass word around that I'm not to be disturbed?"

The man nodded, darting off and Tsunade rolled her eyes. "That's what you get when people are told to tend to Uchiha Itachi I suppose." She turned her attention to him, a grim smile on her lips. "Very few people know the truth about you now and the fact that you've survived death makes you… feared."

Itachi looked at her, shaking his head a little. "I don't feel very feared," he managed out, hands still tightly clutching the bed sheets. For some reason, Tsunade was easy – nice – to talk to and he had calmed just slightly.

"To be honest," Tsunade began voice frank and honest, something Itachi appreciated. "You shouldn't be here. If you were any other Shinobi, I would have had someone give you food and water and then send you off for rest. But the fact that you were dead…" she trailed off uneasily.

Itachi understood. He wasn't physically injured, but he wasn't someone who could go off wandering around the camp. It was likely not everyone knew he was alive, but the realisation that he was alive after the Edo Tensei jutsu would easily cause panic.

Still, he had no idea how he could have survived it. The only people around him when he'd died had been Madara, Sasuke, Kirabi and Naruto. None of those could - or would - use Edo Tensei to keep Itachi alive, and besides, he didn't feel controlled. No, it wasn't Edo Tensei. He said as much to Tsunade and she nodded.

"We haven't had our best experts just yet - most of them are still sorting out more critical patients - but I've run some preliminary tests and there is absolutely nothing controlling you." She shrugged her shoulders. "You're completely fine."

Looking down to his lap, Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Why?" he asked, though he knew the answer wouldn't be what he wanted to hear.

"The exact same question I've been wondering since you were brought in. No one I've spoken to can offer any help and no one can even think of ideas. I wanted to speak to Naruto, but he's still unconscious." Tsunade's voice was soft, not worried, and Itachi knew that Naruto would be fine.

"There were others there," he said quietly, not quite ready to speak his brother's name aloud. "Yes," Tsunade said, flipping through the files until she pulled out a stack of papers. "We have accounts from Kirabi and Uchiha Sasuke here. B has returned to help the Kumo recovery effort, though he himself should really be resting." Tsunade's mouth turned down in disapproval.

"And... the other?" Itachi asked, refusing to look up.

"Sasuke?" Tsunade asked and he could feel her pointed stare on him. "He's largely refusing to talk, but I managed to get a full account of what happened. He's very scared and I suggest letting him settle before you see him." Itachi nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. If there was one thing he'd ever regret, it would be Sasuke.

He'd ruined his brother's life, thinking he'd planned everything correctly for Sasuke. Instead he'd messed everything up and destroyed Sasuke in the process. "Neither of them did anything. They didn't see anything either, but they were further away from the blast than you were." Tsunade flipped a few more pages and Itachi looked up, startled.

"Blast?" he asked and Tsunade turned back to him. "Yes," she began, frowning slightly. "There was a blast that engulfed you, Naruto and Madara. We believe it to have been a last-ditch attack by Madara." She gave him a considering look. "We'd assumed you jumped out of the way, but..."

"I don't remember a blast," he said. "I was already gone by then." Tsunade looked down at her papers again, frown clear on her brow. "Then perhaps we have a lead," she commented lightly, looking at Itachi with bright eyes. "Of course it cannot be confirmed until Naruto is awake and it's... a long-stretch of a theory. But, if it was true... it would be brilliant."

Again she shuffled the papers and Itachi sighed. "I don't want to know," he said before Tsunade could share her theory. "Whatever you think it is, I don't want to know until it's more than a theory."

Dipping her head in a motion that respected Itachi's choices, Tsunade spoke. "The information will be given to you whenever you should want it. I would advise, though, that you try and only talk to me directly." Her mouth downturned again and she cast a quick look around the tent. "I had wanted a separate tent for you, but we cannot afford such luxuries in a war when there are prisoners to interrogate."

Itachi frowned. "Why am I not being treated as a prisoner?" he ventured, half-knowing what would be the answer. "You're an innocent man, no matter how much you'd prefer the opposite. I don't care what you want anymore, Itachi." Tsunade said, looking at him sharply as she stood. "I'm going to do what Sarutobi-sensei never had the guts to do and tell you that it isn't okay to hide anymore."

She put his files on the chair she'd just vacated and moved it closer. "You belong in Konoha, with us for all to see. You'll be a valuable addition to our forces if you choose to continue as a Shinobi. Otherwise you can remain a free man, but I cannot allow you to remain unchecked."

Tsunade pulled back the curtain and gave one last smile before slipping through it, leaving Itachi alone to his thoughts.

He knew why she wouldn't be able to leave him 'unchecked'. If he left Konoha - with the intent for it being not to return - his chakra would be sealed, yet he'd remain free.

He had committed no crime and so he would be struck from the black book, free to do whatever he so wished. That in itself was an odd concept and it led to Itachi gripping the covers of his bed tightly, breathing in deeply and trying to retain the calm he'd gathered when Tsunade had visited him.

Itachi remained in more or less the same position for hours, breaking only from focusing on his breathing when a volunteer came round with lunch. The woman was familiar and she sat on the seat Tsunade had vacated before, holding his notes in her lap, fingers twitching to look at them.

"I shouldn't be here," she began. "Not really. Tsunade-shishou is supposed to be the only medic personnel to see you by herself, but it was extremely easy to deliver your lunch." Her voice was bitter and it took only a moment more for Itachi to place it as the third team member to Sasuke and Naruto.

"Do you hate me?" he asked, not bothering to look at her. "I think a lot of people do."

Sakura scoffed slightly and shifted in her chair. "What you did to your family as inexcusable," she said. It was what Itachi had expected and he made no move to her words. He'd heard them so many times and shaped them like an armour around him.

"But Tsunade-shishou and Naruto wouldn't trust you without a just reason." She straightened her shoulders and looked at him. "I think that's far more than anyone else is willing to give you, so please eat up." Sakura left after that, not waiting to hear Itachi's retort, and he looked down at the tray she'd placed on his lap.

It looked like broth with a chunk of bread, a staple meal for any soldier and he ate it slowly, thankful for the sustenance. When was the last time he'd eaten? It had to be weeks now and he'd hardly been eating properly leading up to his fight with Sasuke.

But thinking about Sasuke brought trickier questions; questions such as why did Itachi still have his eyes, why was he alive, why, why, why?

Yet these were all things that he couldn't answer. For once, the answer was out of his hands and there was nothing he could do to obtain it. The person who could offer answers was unconscious and there was no telling when he'd wake.

Itachi sighed and put the tray on the spare chair, not caring if his notes became dirty. The only person willing to read them would likely be Tsunade and she'd no doubt memorised already what was only one thing left to do and Itachi fell asleep, catching up on the years of unrest he'd been forced to live through.

.

Morning rounds started early - they had to get through the sheer number of people camped out in the medical tent. Itachi also knew that this wouldn't be the only medic tent, and while a lot of people in other tents would need bare patching up and moving on, this tent was a longer-term one, for more critical patients who needed rest before they could leave.

"I brought you some clothes," Tsunade said, not bothering to greet him as she usually had been. For three days, he barely left his bed other than to stretch muscles and bathe, and all the while he'd been sheltered from the others. "Why would I need clothes?" he asked, throwing the sheets back anyway and moving to untie the hospital gown he wore.

"Because Naruto's woken up," Tsunade replied simply and Itachi looked at her, hands pausing as they pulled on the ties of the gown. "Awake?" he asked dumbly, searching Tsunade for signs of lies. She was telling the truth though, even without his Sharingan, Itachi could feel it.

"He woke up a few hours ago. When we were going over what happened, as soon as you were mentioned, he wanted to see you." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I'm not one to refuse someone as dear to me as Naruto."

Itachi looked at the clothes - standard military wear, complete with a jounin jacket and Konoha head-plate. "Hokage-sama!" He said sharply, shaking his head.

"You will wear the full outfit or you can walk naked. It's up to you, but I know there are a lot of people who would take more notice to a naked man than a clothed one." Tsunade moved to the curtain. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Even though it was wrong, Itachi changed into the full jounin uniform, tying the Konoha plate around his head and slipping the dark green jacket on. Instead of it feeling wrong; however, wearing the uniform felt strangely right, as if Itachi was finally coming home to do what he was supposed to.

"Right, come on then." Tsunade lung the curtains open and snatched up Itachi's files. She called for a volunteer to clean out the area and remake it to match the rest of the room, beckoning Itachi to follow her as she strode across the tent.

"Members of the council wanted you back on ANBU duty, but I had to put my foot down. If you really want to return to the ANBU force I won't stop you, but the best place for you, in my opinion, would be as a jounin. Eventually you can teach, but you need to get back into society. Our genjutsu expert just left the forces to raise her child and so we have an opening." Tsunade looked over at Itachi, flinging back the tent opening and forcing them into bright sunlight. Itachi squinted, his eyes adjusting to the first natural light he'd seen in days.

"Are you following?" Tsunade prompted, causing Itachi to look at her in slight amusement. "I'm to replace the last member of the special jounin division and become your genjutsu expert. If I prefer I can rejoin ANBU, though you're against that." He gave her a rare smile. "All is said and good, but I'm a renowned murderer to everyone."

Tsunade's lips thinned. "Perhaps, but these things take time. I'm just informing you of what we'd like to happen for your career. Despite what you may think Itachi, we do value your skills." She looked at him again, kinder this time. "And more than one of us value you for who you are and what you've done. I just wanted to let you know there are options still available if you should choose that route."

She increased pace then, passing other shinobi who spared only a curious glance for Itachi before bowing to the Hokage. It was strange to be hidden in plain sight as he was now, but Itachi was thankful for it. Tsunade offered him some protection from the world and he'd gladly accept while he tried to figure out his place.

They came to a small, isolated tent and Itachi knew why it was on its own. Naruto was too precious now, one of the most powerful men to ever have existed and he couldn't just be left where anyone could stumble across him, admirers or those who wished to do harm. Besides, if he'd only just woken up then it stood to reason that he hadn't been in a good shape before and would need specialised care.

Together, they stepped into the tent and Itachi looked at Tsunade, surprise clear on his face as they came face-to-face with another tent entrance. "Naruto needed absolute peace and yet we needed an area we could ensure he was safe. A tent within a tent," Tsunade said with a tight smile. "I'll be outside while you speak and there's no need to worry about people overhearing. Naruto's tent is secured with a sealing jutsu that stops even us out here hearing."

Itachi raised an eyebrow and Tsunade's lips thinned once again in disapproval. "We will be able to see you through the window," she gestured in a sweeping motion, indicating the window was on another side of the tent. "But we will not be able to hear you."

Understanding the freedom he was being permitted, Itachi walked over to the secondary tent entrance and slipped inside, letting the silencing jutsu wash over him as he moved through its barrier.

When he noticed him, Naruto sat up, with his eyes wide and mouth in a slight smile. He was wearing the same hospital gown that Itachi had been and was burrowed in a mountain of pillows and covers. There were a few machines by his side, but all were switched off and cords tied up neatly. Naruto obviously hadn't needed them for a long time.

"Itachi!" he said in a rush, smile growing in size as Itachi neared the bed. There was a lone chair and he didn't wait for Naruto to say that he could sit, placing himself in it heavily and looking at Naruto.

"I almost didn't believe her," he said, amazed. Itachi didn't reply, studying Naruto carefully. "It's good," Naruto continued. "A very good thing; you'll get to live your life now."

If there was one thing about Naruto that Itachi couldn't accept, it was his vibrancy and honesty, almost to the point of deluding himself. Yet, he wasn't stupid and Itachi could see that, behind the words he'd spoken, he understood what Itachi felt.

"I was ready to die," Itachi said, voice low. "I'd accepted it, played my part and wanted to die."

"Don't-" Naruto began, reaching forwards, yet Itachi continued, cutting him off. "What's the point of me being alive?" Itachi's voice was stronger now and anger coursed through him. He'd never been this angry, not to the point it flooded his voice. Before, he'd had to be so contained and so careful of how he reacted... now? Now it was just him and Naruto.

He could be himself with Naruto.

"Everyone thinks I'm a murderer - and I am! I'm never going to be accepted into Konoha and if I want to leave I don't have the option of becoming a missing nin anymore. I don't want to do that, I don't want any of it." Itachi buried his head in his hands.

"I'm so, so tired," he whispered. "I did everything in my life wrong, thinking I was doing the right thing and now I can't even die properly."

In an instant, Naruto had twisted himself free of his sheets and was clutching Itachi's forearms, prying his hands away from his eyes.

"No," he said fiercely, staring Itachi down with bright blue eyes. "Don't you dare talk like that!" For a moment, they remained locked in a gaze. Itachi knew what he had to do and his Sharingan flared to life, power swelling through his veins as he forced his heritage on Naruto. Prying out the truth and dragging Naruto down with him.

With a single blink, Itachi found himself staring at a battle scene. Naruto was crouched by his side, still clothed in a hospital gown while their counterparts - along with Madara, Sasuke and Kirabi - fought valiantly.

"What?" Naruto began, but stopped himself, drawing in a sharp breath as he watched Itachi fall to the ground. It was different, seeing things from an outsider's view. No doubt Naruto hadn't had time to see Itachi die, yet here they were, reliving the memory.

"I'm dying there," he said quietly, drawing Naruto's attention away for a split second. "I can feel it."

"Kabuto was dead," Naruto said, as if it was Kabuto's fault that Itachi had lived. "The Endo Tensei might also have responded to another," he muttered, gesturing to where Naruto was facing Madara, hands pressed together in attempt to create the ultimate jinchuuriki-bijuu attack.

"Madara's dying here too," Itachi commented, setting eyes on the man Naruto was launching his attack against. Kirabi had trapped Madara where he stood and Sasuke knelt on the ground. Everything was going to plan - or at least to what Itachi had thought up - until golden light sparked in Naruto's hands, the energy flowing over him.

Instantly Kirabi and Sasuke moved back, metres away until they were safe from the resulting blast the golden spark made. Itachi, Naruto and Madara, on the other hand, were caught up in the light and Itachi could literally see the chakra, jutsu - whatever it was - tear Madara to shreds.

Then why hadn't it done the same to him and Naruto?

Deactivating the Sharingan, Itachi let them return to the room. Naruto was ashen white, avoiding Itachi's gaze at all costs, and it twigged; Naruto knew what had happened. Itachi didn't pry - couldn't - and simply waited, knowing he'd get an answer.

"The blast - that golden chakra... it was the Kyuubi's chakra." Naruto had moved back to his bed, almost shrinking away from Itachi. "Yamato-taichou and B told me that the Kyuubi's chakra, or at least when I'm using it, has a unique property."

Itachi's eyes widened and Naruto ducked his head down further. "It's my fault," he said, stark realisation clouding his voice. "My chakra brought you back to life, to a proper life."

Itachi closed his eyes slowly, sinking in his seat. It wasn't what he'd ever have wished for, never dared hope that he'd ever be given a second chance... yet what was the point? He'd ruined his life, made sure that the blame fell to him because he'd known it didn't matter. Itachi was supposed to die and that would solve things.

Only Naruto had now made that impossible. Itachi was alive, brought back from death by the Kyuubi no Kitsune's power, and there was nothing he could do to change that fact. Naruto, understanding the situation, remained silent. He looked at Itachi though, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on him and Itachi could feel the heavy duty of that stare.

No one, thankfully, entered. Itachi and Naruto were left alone, though he didn't doubt someone was watching through the blacked-out window. Despite his innocence, Itachi was still a shinobi capable of great things, even though he doubted anyone thought Naruto weak. Still, Naruto was recovering and Itachi was dangerous.

He was surprised he'd been allowed inside, alone, and assumed it was Tsunade pulling rank more than the other medic staff being comfortable with the matter at hand.

"What do I do?" Itachi asked finally, breaking the tense silence. "I..." Naruto began, words failing him. Uncharacteristic and strange, but Itachi knew why. What could anyone say in this situation? What could anyone do?

"There's so much to clear up," Naruto said, starting his sentence again. He sounded world-weary, older than he should and it pained Itachi to hear him.

He'd entrusted Naruto with Shisui's gift and saw a spark inside of Naruto that Shisui had shared. The only difference was that Naruto had pushed onwards against great odds, becoming the great man he was here today. Shisui had dulled, passing a legacy onwards instead of seizing what he could.

"But it's not something that I can do." Naruto's eyes were bright as he looked at Itachi. "Peace treaties need to be drawn up and," he gave a sad huff of laughter. "I'm not Hokage."

"Yet," Itachi added, almost instinctively.

Naruto gave a small smile and bowed his head slightly. "I want to help my village and the people across the Five Nations, but sometimes you can't change everything." Naruto's smile became tentative, almost cautious. "Sometimes you have to begin with a single person before you can help anyone else."

Gritting his jaw, Itachi stood up.

"No," he said harshly, turning from Naruto and marching to the tent flap. He ignored Naruto's calls, passing only for the tent flap to be pulled back. He continued his pace, marching from the outer tent and - as he'd done with Naruto - ignoring Tsunade's voice.

"For goodness sake, I am your Hokage and you will stop!" Tsunade called out, left with no other choice. She still had a bunch of files clutched in her arms, Itachi saw as he turned back, frozen in place. ANBU commands had never fully left him, after all.

They were out in the open, standing on the ground they had fought a deadly foe on. There was no one around, or at least close enough and with enough free time to pay attention to them and Tsunade leveled Itachi with a stare. "What do you want to do?" she asked and Itachi almost laughed.

"Die," he said, with no meaning to the words. Tsunade knew that and shook her head. "But that would be too easy," she said lightly. "We're ninjas; when did anything come easy to us, eh?"

Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What did he want? What was there?

"To live," he said quietly. "I want to live," he repeated, looking down at the ground. A breeze picked up and chilled Itachi's skin. Even after all this pain and hatred, all the lies and deception, he still wanted to live.

"Good," Tsunade replied, leaning in closer and placing her free hand on his shoulder. "You know I want you to return to Konoha, though my reasons are perhaps selfish." Itachi knew that Tsunade respected his choices and his barriers.

She might not agree with them - Itachi doubted there was anyone who would - but nonetheless she didn't belittle him. Her wants were simply her own and she knew they'd have no impact on how Itachi made his decision.

"There's a place for you as an elite jounin, specialised in genjutsu. You already know that," she said, tilting her head and giving him a pressing look. Itachi nodded in return, wondering what else Tsunade would say.

"Naruto has shown himself to be a valued Shinobi, not just of Konoha, but throughout the land. He's wanted now, by everyone." Tsunade's eyes looked sad and Itachi understood why.

The majority loved Naruto and would want to see him simply because of that. Those left would want to harm him, destroy him and see him dead. Every powerful person was wanted dead by at least some small group, but Naruto was young. He was the jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi and an immensely talented man. He was son to the Yondaime Hokage and influential amongst those high in Konoha's society.

He was a perfect target and still had so much more to live.

"He has the power to protect himself, but it takes more than that to become Hokage." Tsunade's eyes were open and her tone honest. Itachi wondered who else she could speak to as frankly as he was to him - her mentor and friends were dead and there was only her companion, Shizune, left. Shizune would be running the medical fractions right now in Tsunade's absence and so that left Itachi.

They shouldn't trust each other. They shouldn't like each other, but Itachi understood the pain Tsunade had suffered through and she understood his. She knew the truth and yet she hadn't spoken of it, she hadn't tried to heal his 'pain' or interfere in any sense.

They kept themselves to themselves and it was okay. Tsunade had Shizune and Itachi... well he was beginning to see that he'd never be rid of Naruto.

"He needs a tutor, to put it bluntly." Tsunade gave a hopeless sigh. "If he even bothered to listen back in the Academy then I fear that's lost to him. Anything he learnt with Jiraiya would only just have scratched the bottom of the barrel... he needs a proper teacher, someone who has studied the law and politics of Konoha relentlessly."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Someone who had been involved in the politics of Konoha since they became a shinobi?" he added and Tsunade gave a wry grin.

"Sadly, yes. It also has the benefit of convincing those who will be unsure of your allegiance that you're trustworthy. If you spend time with Naruto then they'll believe you safe. If you are seen to be friends with Naruto then the world could very well become your oyster." She patted Itachi's arm gently. "I don't need an answer straight away-"

"Okay," Itachi agreed, thinking of the other options. To return to the section of the medical tent or to leave Konoha with his chakra sealed. Neither were very appealing, but the thought of spending more time with Naruto? That was something Itachi needed to leap at and grab with both hands.

Even though he'd walked out on Naruto before, Itachi would never turn his back on him. He genuinely liked Naruto and wanted to protect him, a quality he was sure he wasn't the only person to feel around Naruto.

"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked. "If we do this then I'm going to have to make announcements. You'll be tied to Konoha just like every other normal Shinobi and expected to obey the rule."

Itachi nodded, a soft smile on his lips. "That won't be much of a problem," he replied simply. "I'd rather like a simple life."

"Well," Tsunade said, handing him a small file, complete with map to his new home. "I don't think anything's ever quite simple with Naruto.

Itachi couldn't help but agree.

.

The sick and injured were largely the only ones who remained on the battlefield. For the rest of the shinobi who had formed the alliance, it was home bound only. Konoha was running with Tsunade in control, though she rarely had time to be there in person. An interim - Hatake Kakashi - was chosen to supervise the village and it was him that Itachi was sent to meet upon arrival at his home village.

"Uchiha-san," Kakashi greeted, nodding his head.

"Hatake-san," Itachi replied neutrally, nodding his head in return.

They could pretend to be strangers from different planets for all Itachi cared, but he'd never let his manners fault him.

"Most of the village is aware of your innocence," Kakashi said, walking away from Konoha's gate and drawing Itachi into step beside him. "Tsunade ordered it a few days ago."

Taking a slightly deeper breath, Itachi nodded and Kakashi continued. "Naturally no one really knows how to take it, but they've been told the truth and, so far, no one has been out for your blood." Even though the joke was hardly humorous, they both gave a slight snort of laughter.

"So what are you tasked with? If it's not protecting me from the masses wanting my blood, that is." Itachi's voice was even and in some way friendly.

Kakashi was another person, like Tsunade, he felt that he could talk to, honestly. Kakashi had battled the Sharingan into submission without an ounce of Uchiha blood in him, something Itachi knew to be almost impossible. He was a good man, another who Itachi respected.

"I'm leading you to Naruto's home. He's only been living there five minutes and already wrecked the place, but you might as well get settled in." Kakashi took them through a familiar route, winding through the streets of Konoha until they came to a modest house.

Completely traditional and one of a few in a line, it had a spacious garden and looked comfortable. Naruto must have only been living here a few days between Pein's attack on Konoha (when he'd moved house - knowledge courtesy of the file Tsunade had given him the previous day) before he'd moved to bigger, more dangerous training away from Konoha.

"Here are the keys," Kakashi said, startling Itachi from his thoughts. "And I want to let you know that if you hurt Naruto in anyway," Kakashi turned to face Itachi, serious and with the coldness only an ANBU captain knew in his eye, "I will come after you."

"I'd expect no less," Itachi murmured and opened the gate to walk down the narrow path that led to the door.

Kakashi stayed until he was inside and only then could Itachi fully relax; he shrugged off the bag that Tsunade had given him. It was mainly filled with clothes she had ordered to be picked up for him, but there was also a smaller bag, one that contained medication that Naruto needed to take and yet wouldn't if left in his own control.

Itachi wondered how long it would be before Naruto returned home as he walked further into the house, stumbling into the living room and the kitchen. It was, to be truthful, a mess. Clothes were strewn everywhere and empty ramen cartons littered the table and floor. All surfaces were dusty - admittedly not Naruto's fault - and there looked to be mould in more than one place.

Itachi curled his lip a little in disgust, wincing at the thought of the cleaning he'd have to do. Still, there was no time like the present and he set to work, collecting clothes and dumping them in a pile.

In every room, Itachi made piles, separating clothes from mess and inspecting what else needed to be done along the way. When everything was in piles, he collected the rubbish, moving from kitchen to lounge and lounge to bedroom and spare room. When that was done, he collected the clothes and sorted them, throwing the first lot into the washing machine and making a note to buy more washing powder.

It wasn't long before Itachi had finished and he sat down at Naruto's table, steaming cup of green tea in front of him. He suspected Kakashi had dropped off the bag of supplies and he was grateful. He didn't want to venture out just yet alone, even if the whole village would welcome him with open arms.

It was a few more days before Naruto returned home. When he arrived, he did so in the quiet of night, away from the village's eyes and entered the house with a sigh. "I'm home," he called and Itachi stood from where he'd been reading some more up-to-date books on Konoha that Kakashi had dropped off and made his way to the hall.

"Welcome home," he replied and Naruto visibly jumped, placing a hand over his heart after as he laughed. "I deserved that," he said with a chuckle, throwing his shoes to one side and stepping up to Itachi. "Tsunade did say you were living with me for a while but I just didn't really believe it." Again, he chuckled, striding past Itachi and into the lounge, where he stopped and cast a shocked look over his shoulder.

"You cleaned," he dead-panned, frowning and moving to the kitchen. "And you got the shopping in."

"Kakashi-san was the one to bring the supplies, but yes. I did clean." Itachi pulled a grim face. "I'm not going to clean to that degree again though." Some things were best left unsaid, such as what Itachi discovered when cleaning out the fridge, but he was sure Naruto understood.

"Well," Naruto began, scratching the back of his head. "In my defence I never really expected there to be a war." Itachi could give him that.

They spent a couple hours more in each other's company and Itachi only paid a slight mind to the fact that they got on so well. They connected and there was something between them that Itachi couldn't describe. There wasn't any awkwardness and he could honestly say that Naruto was a friend, despite hardly knowing him.

Itachi was staying in the spare room - he'd found a futon to sleep on in Naruto's room - and as he said goodnight to Naruto, he looked back, smiling as Naruto stared at him.

"I'm glad," Naruto said softly, voice barely audible. "I'm so glad you're here," he admitted before rising and padding over to Itachi. He didn't do anything other than smile, but it felt like so much more and the hairs on Itachi's flesh rose as Naruto walked by.

Tsunade had been right - living with Naruto was not going to be easy and training him for Hokage candidacy would hardly be a walk in the park, but Itachi felt something. He felt a connection between them, something dangerous and growing, and there was nothing he could do to stem it.

.

Notes:
Been meaning to write this for a loooooong time. Which is why it's up now while I work on the next chapter of What You Didn't Know.

This will only be a two-shot with the next part focusing on Naruto and Itachi's relationship ^^ and yes there will be sex ;)

Reviews are always appreciated and I hope you enjoyed this!