To The Future

Sun and Moon

Sasuke dodged a strike to his leg, before stabbing his opponent with his sword. The clone dispelled as another Naruto sent a puch to his face, which was easily blocked.

It had been hours since they had been sparring like this, using only taijutsu, letting out steam. Sweat was rolling down Sasuke's back and it would be only minutes before he made a mistake. He didn't have unlimited endurance, unlike his opponent.

"Let's stop." He called out, backing away. He slumps down on the ground as one of the Naruto clones offered him a bottle of water.

"Feeling better?" Naruto asked, as he took a drink.

"Beating the shit out of you always makes me feel better." Sasuke replied.

"Ha. You want a rematch, teme?" The idiot shot back.

"Not particularly. How is Shisui doing?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject.

Naruto beamed. "He's fine. He asked to be reinstated to active duty, which I agreed to, since he got a clean bill of health from Sakura. I assigned him an apartment in the West district and he even asked Itachi-san to live with him. He was kind of nervous when Itachi-san told him that I had already made arrangements for him in my house, but I assured him that it was fine. They are old friends, and Itachi-san looked to be doing better...."

"You asked Itachi to live with you?" Sasuke interupted.

"Yeah?... Sakura-chan didn't seem to be comfortable around him, so I thought..."

"Since when did you and Itachi get so close anyway?"

"Well, we met a few times, dattebayo. He was quite nice when he wasn't trying to kidnap me, except the time when he shoved a crow down my throat. And ...." Naruto hesitated.

"And...?"

"He taught me how to read."

Sasuke thought he might have misheard, but, no, that was clearly what Naruto had said. "What."

"It was the year before we started academy. He was on my ANBU gaurd rotation. He used to get my groceries and help me cook. When he found out that I couldn't read, he taught me." Naruto confessed.

Sasuke felt the ugly green tendrils of jealously over the fact that Itachi had found the time to teach Naruto when he used to brush of Sasuke with a finger poke and false promise of 'next time'. He tried to let go of that feeling. Naruto was his friend and he didn't have anyone to teach him to read. It was a good thing that Itachi did. And he did that during his duty hours, not during the time he could have spent with Sasuke.

"Is that why you invented time travel to save him?" He asked.

"It was one of the reasons, yes. But, my main purpose was to make you happy." Naruto answered.

Sasuke couldn't help up snort at that. "Well, mission accomplished. I am very happy."

"No need to be sarcastic. I know nobody's happy. But, tell me honestly, would you prefer that Itachi be dead?" The dobe asked.

Sasuke looked away. No, he didn't prefer that. No matter how simpler things would be, if that were the case.

"You saw those children, yesterday. He killed them, less than a year after that day. They were innocent. They didn't know anything about the coup. They didn't deserve to die." Sasuke clenched his fist.

"I know." Naruto sighed. "Itachi knew that, too."

"Then why did he.."

"You know why."

He did know. It was because of him. They had to die, so that he could live.

"Sasuke, what do you think would have happened if Itachi didn't do it?" Naruto asked.

"I would have died along with them." Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. Atleast, he wouldn't have been tortured by his own brother.

"You are saying it like that would have been a good thing." Naruto accused him. "You know, I think you should talk to Ino."

That brought Sasuke up short. "Yamanaka? Why?"

"Because you have issues." Was the bland reply.

"Are you suggesting that I need therapy?"

"You've needed therapy since you were eight." Naruto replied. "I've been kind of dealing with some of your issues, but even I know when hand it over to a professional."

Sasuke glowered.

"C'mon, Ino is good at it. She got me to talk to her about... stuff, and she really knows what she is doing. Even Itachi-san took up my recommendation."

"What stuff?" Sasuke latched on to Naruto's slip.

"You know... stuff." Naruto hedged.

Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow.

Naruto sighed. "I was worried about being a parent, back when Hinata was first pregnant with Boruto. I never knew mine, so I just.... You know, I thought I'd screw it up. She really helped me with that."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So you'll go?"

"Hn. I'll think about it."