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

[itachi_san]

Itachi froze. This boy... this boy was him... before...

He looked down at the child, the pure, innocent smile that fell over his face. He forced himself to wipe the shock from his own face as he fell to his knees. And he wrapped his younger self in a big hug... as if, by this one act, he could take away all the pain that hadn't even happened yet.

[stillpure]

He blinked a couple times, then reached up and hugged him back, petting his hair. "Well, this is a better reaction than running away from me."

[itachi_san]

Itachi struggled to compose himself, to put on the emotionless facade he'd worn for so many years. It should have been impossible. But he'd encountered people he knew from all different points in time. His parents not a day older than when he'd executed them. A younger Orochimaru from a time before he'd even been born.

He pulled back, tracing the thin lines on the boy's cheeks.

"Are you... real?" his words caught in his throat. "... Itachi? Me? ... then?"

[stillpure]

He held still and smiled at him, humming an affirmative as he held his gaze. "Uchiha Itachi, eight years old, genin of Konoha."

[itachi_san]

"You already know who I am..." he found himself whispering.

What else could he say? I'm the you twelve years from now? I'm the you who murdered our family? I'm the you I hope you'll never become?

[stillpure]

He stepped in and hugged him again, pressing their cheeks together. "I know enough to know you have reason for being so very sad, but you had a reason, yeah?" He hugged him around his shoulders tightly. "That's enough for me."

... AWWWWWWWW

[itachi_san]

He could feel a tear sliding down his cheek and he couldn't stop it. It touched the boy's face.

"... If you never need to do what I did..." he whispered. "That... that will be enough for me..."

[stillpure]

He blinked, then shifted back a little to kiss his cheek where he'd felt the tear. "It's okay. Not really okay, but you live with mom now."

[itachi_san]

"Yes... I do..." he stammered for an answer. She had been so willing to invite him in, regardless of everything he'd done, that he'd been forced to do. She still loved him, and he still loved her. Even now. "And you?"

He tried to remember if he'd seen anyone else in the house that night.

[stillpure]

"I live there too. So does an Otouto, he's thirteen, and Naruto-nee, and I've been trying to convince Neji-san."

[itachi_san]

Thirteen... The Sasuke here is only thirteen, Itachi thought to himself. He wouldn't be strong enough to kill him yet... Not for another three years at least.

Could he possibly buy that much more time?!

"She will take good care of you... and everyone..." he stood up slowly. His body creaked in frustration. "She always did."

[stillpure]

He tightened his arms on him, planting his feet with chakra. "You should come sit with me."

[itachi_san]

A soft smile crept over Itachi's face.

"All right..." he put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But may we find something to nibble on first? I haven't eaten all day..."

[stillpure]

He let him stand this time. "Alright." He waited, grabbing his hand as soon as he was on his feet. "Dango this way."

[itachi_san]

Not really knowing his way around the festival grounds (and the lack of light, save the bonfire, wasn't exactly helping his eyes), he let the little boy lead him along.

"That sounds... good."

[stillpure]

"Of course! I mean, you've been sleeping lots right?"

[itachi_san]

"I'm... afraid I don't have the energy you do." he spoke, managing a small smile.

[stillpure]

"That's okay, I used to sleep lots too." He smiled up at him. "It went away."

[itachi_san]

He couldn't very well tell the child version of himself that it probably wasn't going to go away... and thankfully, he didn't have to. The dango stand was an apt distraction. And soon, they each had sticks of fresh dango in hand.

[stillpure]

That was fine though, really, as the boy was clearly watching him, curious, but not asking him any questions.

[itachi_san]

"Where would you like to sit?" he asked politely, following the little boy.

[stillpure]

He hummed, then pulled him along to a spot and settled himself, looking over at him. "You're really soft huh? Like mom?"

[itachi_san]

Itachi gave his smaller self a very confused glance as he sat down. Soft was not exactly a word anyone had used to describe him. Usually, it was quite the opposite.

"... soft?"

[stillpure]

"Mmm hmm." He smiled at him and nibbled his dango. "Like mom."

[itachi_san]

"Gentleness, compassion... those aren't qualities I've always been allowed to show... They're certainly not qualities befitting a rogue shinobi." he whispered softly. "I suppose, in a way... I am."