Damn I reached chapter 20! Holy shit. This is the longest I ever written. Anyway this chapter is dedicated to . She forced me to get an account and write this story so thank her for this.

On with the chapter

It was the next day. Sasuke got ready for school, reluctant to see Neji after the drama that happened the night before. Anger surged through the raven's body as he remember how horribly Neji treated his beautiful blonde. He hated how Naruto had to deal with all this shit.

'Atleast things are getting better now. He is happier, more radiant.' Sasuke smiled as he looked at the sleeping dobe, tangled up in the blankets. A soft knock on the door awoke him from his musings.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal Itachi.

"Mother made you breakfast. Go down and eat without staring at Naruto, you creep." Itachi smirked and dodged the pillow that was thrown at him. He laughed at the red, filled face of his younger brother.

"Im kidding otouto. Go down now." Sasuke just silently walked passed Itachi, glaring at him, while the older raven just smirked.

The boys walked down the stairs and greeted their mother. Mikoto smiled at her sons.

"Today I'll be busy, getting everything ready for the trial. You'll be home right Itachi?"

"Yeah. Don't worry mother, I'll take care of Naruto."

Sasuke's head immediately turned to Itachi. "Wait, why are you staying home? Don't you have work."

Itachi just ruffled Sasuke's hair and poked his forehead. "It's called having a day off. Heard of it?"

Sasuke glared at Itachi and swatted his hand away. Saying his goodbyes, he walked off to go to school. Mikoto just stared confusedly.

"Is something wrong with Sasuke?" She asked. Itachi grinned. "Nah, don't worry. He didn't get to stare at Naruto long enough today." Mikoto just laughed.

"I'll be off. Goodbye dear." Itachi waved and walked to the living room and sat down. He took a novel from his bookshelf and sat down to read it.

2 hours later

Itachi was in the same position, reading his book. His reading glasses slightly sloping down his nose as he looked down at the pages. A soft patter of footsteps alerted him and he saw the small blonde walking down the stairs, his long-sleeved orange shirt, enveloping him. The long, black sweatpants bunching up at the ground. Naruto walked into the living room and met eyes with Itachi. He didn't know what to do as he never really communicated with Itachi. Naruto shrank back a little and remained where he was.

Itachi's onxy eyes caught every little movement and behavioural pattern. The way Naruto's eyes slightly dilated, to the way he cowered a little in fear.

'Seems he is still afraid of others.'

"Good morning Naruto." Itachi said, his voice warmer than it usually is. Naruto whipped his head to look at Itachi. Naruto gave back a shaky smile in return.

"Good morning Itachi-san."

"Mother made breakfast for you. Its on the kitchen counter." Naruto nodded and swiftly walked to the kitchen. Itachi laughed a little at Naruto's demeanour. After a few minutes Naruto walked in with his breakfast. Itachi changed his position, taking his legs off the couch and indicated for the blonde to sit here. Naruto sat down and silence stretched between the two. Suddenly and nervous voice broke the tension.

"Um... Itachi-san?"

Itachi looked at Naruto.

"First off all, call me Itachi. Second, yeah?" Itachi said. Naruto continued to look down at his ramen.

"Do you know why, uh... Why Sas-uk-e h-hated me?" He nervously said. Itachi's eyes widened and softened in sadness. He sighed and looked down.

"Naruto. He never hated you. He couldn't ever hate you. Sasuke was just dealing with some internal problems. He couldn't deal with it. Believe me though, what ever happened between you two, it was never your fault." Itachi said softly. A few seconds of silence, before...

"Do you hate him Naruto? For what he did to you?" Itachi asked.

Those words stuck to Naruto's mind. Memories of Sasuke and him swirled through his brain. All the good...

'We are going to be best friends right Sasuke?!'

"Of course we are dobe."

"Hey we are in the same class! Alright!"

"God you are bursting my eardrum."

All the bad...

"Waste of space."

"Naruto?"

Naruto was awoken from his thinking and saw Itachi staring at him, analytically. Naruto looked down again and said, almost inaudibly...

"I can't hate him. Even after what he did to me... I can't hate him. I can't hate someone... I'm in love with" Tears gathered in the corners of his beautiful, blue eyes.

"I know he can't love me. I mean, who can? But having him back even as a friend... I couldn't ask for more."

Itachi was left speechless. He did't know what to say but internally, he was happy. Happy that both Sasuke and Naruto would be happy with each other.

"How do you know you love him?" The raven curiously asked.

Naruto thought for a moment.

"I know because, every time he would hit me, insult me, ignore me... It felt like the worst pain in the world. It felt like he was ripping and tearing every singly thread of my heart. He would be the first thing on my mind whenever I woke up, till I went to bed. And... every time he would smile at me, I would feel so happy, because it was directed at me..."

Those crystal tears fell down his soft, whiskered cheeks. Itachi smoothed out Naruto's blonde locks from his face and rubbed the corners of his eyes.

"Don't cry Naruto. You don't know what Sasuke feels for you. You won't know if don't tell him." Itachi softly said. Naruto sat in silence, sniffling occasionally.

"I'll go, if you want to cry some more. Let it out okay?" Itachi said as he walked out of the living room. Just as he was at the door, he turned around to say...

"I may not know what Sasuke feels for you but what I do know is... you are everything to him." And with that Itachi walked off, leaving a stunned Naruto.

Ok... I had planned a different chapter for chapter 20 but I realised with it would be very long, so , the fluff will be in chapter 21.

Don't kill me.