It's so pretty...

[stillpure]

He was dressed up. Where his mother had managed to locate anything to dress him up with on such short notice with he had no idea, but it meant when he took off roaming he was a streak of dark blue and red amid those at the festival as he went here and there, utterly fascinated by the new sights.

He'd been to festivals in Konoha, yes, but those were different. This was -new-.

It also meant he wasn't exactly being the most attentive person ever, and had escaped the people he'd been with. Unintentionally, of course.

Comments

[stillpure]

He nodded, unsticking himself and reaching to take her hand.

[bunsofsteel]

She wasn't sure if he'd want to take it again after the brief argument, but when he reaches, she meets his halfway without protest, starting to head back the way they'd come. It's careful as she asks, "How much do you know, Itachi-kun?"

[stillpure]

"I know that everyone died. I know it was my fault. I know there was a reason." He looked up at her. "I don't need to know more than that."

[bunsofsteel]

Her face falls as she closes her eyes for a moment, fingers momentarily tightening around his. "You know as much as I do, then," she says quietly, staring straight ahead. That's a terrible burden for a child to carry.

"Ah, but you know, your older self, the one that I'm, uh, with? That didn't happen to him, so you never know!"

[stillpure]

He looked up at her. "But something still happened, right?"

[bunsofsteel]

...It was so much harder to meet the younger one's eyes than the other two Uchiha combined, but she certainly wasn't going to look away. Swallowing hard, her smile grows bitter, then falls away with a sigh. "...Yes. I don't know all the details, but..."

[stillpure]

He gave her a smile and hitched up a shoulder. "Then it had to be for a good reason."

[bunsofsteel]

She nods and gives him a small smile. "I'd like to think so, anyway." Using her hand, she tugs him in a little closer. "You're a great kid you know, right?"

[stillpure]

He stumbled a little, then peered up at her as he blinked. "Ah... I'm just myself."

[bunsofsteel]

"Well, yourself is a great person to be." She gives him a nod and just continues to walk, tugging him along as she scans the crowd, searching for the other two.

[stillpure]

He sped his steps a bit so he didn't end up dragged any. "I like to think so."

[bunsofsteel]

"And don't stop thinking that, you hear?" She gives him another smile, every now and then bouncing on her toes to keep looking for the others. "Let me know if you spot a present while we're looking for them, too, okay?"

[stillpure]

He hummed an affirmative, eyes wandering as he stayed close, apparently content to be dragged along.