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 blinked again. There were four Itachis (at least) in this village?

"Are they all... from different points in time?"

[stillpure]

He considered this. "I know there's me, and you, and the other older one who I think died. He was really unhappy to be alive I think. And I never spoke to the other one."

[itachi_san]

"...One of them... died?" Itachi whispered. "Do you know how?"

[stillpure]

He shook his head. "He was the one who ran from me and tried to scare me."

[itachi_san]

"I see..." Itachi looked away. Other people seemed to think he died at Sasuke's hand. So it was possible... it might still be possible... "I'm sorry."

[stillpure]

"No matter how bad it is, you shouldn't wanna die. You can't help anybody if you're dead."

[itachi_san]

He was silent for several minutes as the boy's words played over and over in his mind.

"That isn't... entirely true. Sometimes... you can help one person. And that one person... may be worth dying for."

He scolded himself, of course, for saying that. He wanted this younger version of himself to never have to face such things. He shouldn't be defending them.

[stillpure]

"But... if it doesn't help, then you can't fix it."

[itachi_san]

"... I can only hope I can..." he whispered. "In time..."

[stillpure]

He shifted his stick to one hand, made sure he wasn't sticky, then scooted around to hug him again.

[itachi_san]

Itachi accepted the hug. It was really all he could do at the moment.

[stillpure]

After a moment, he offered him his dango stick.

[itachi_san]

He smiled weakly.

"No, you keep it. I... still have some of my own."

[stillpure]

"Then I'll eat yours." He didn't pull away.

[itachi_san]

Itachi almost laughed.

"Rascal..."

[stillpure]

He looked a bit smug. "Yes. Share?"

[itachi_san]

He'd eaten two of the pieces. Only one was left on the stick.

He sighed a little.

"All right." he rubbed the boy's head a little, and then handed him what ws left on his stick. "Here you go."

[stillpure]

He took it, then insistently handed his over. "There."

[itachi_san]

Itachi failed to see what that accomplished, but it seemed to make the boy happy.

[stillpure]

He smiled brightly and nibbled at the new Dango.

[itachi_san]

Itachi glanced down at the boy. He was so happy, that Itachi couldn't help but smile back.

"I should probably be heading back to the house..." he added after finishing this new dango stick. "The smoke from the bonfire... is starting to make my chest hurt..."

[stillpure]

He nodded and set his empty stick down, made sure his hands weren't sticky, then gave him a tight hug. "I'll see you at home then!

[itachi_san]

"Enjoy the rest of the festival." Itachi returned the hug.

Then he made his way back through the crowd.