Little Sasuke smiled gleefully at his blackened nails. Naruto had indeed found himself something to paint again or rather another smaller Sasuke with freer hands. It was strange painting on nails so kiddie sized and he was more fidgety than his older counterpart but the struggle was worth it to see his elated smile. The little boy wiggled his fingers watching the polish gleam in the light of his bedroom. He liked them. He didn't hide it as well as his older self. Naruto couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"Like 'em Sassy?" Naruto capped the polish with a grin putting it back in the scroll.

"They're fine, I guess. They're just like...mine." Little Sasuke looked away in stubborn disinterest when he realized Naruto had caught him smiling. The little boy forced the smile away. "It's whatever."

"Ah whatever." Naruto nodded legs criss crossed. "Gotcha. Okay, I thought it'd be cool if you matched my Sasuke. But if you don't like em that much I can take it off-"

"No! Don't you dare you overgrown loser!" Tiny Sasuke pulled his nails back jumping to his feet. Naruto couldn't help but laugh. He couldn't really appreciate just how cute that pout was when he was the same size, but his husband was fucking adorable now that Naruto was old enough to see it.

Naruto always knew Sasuke thought it was cool. Not that he would ever bother to do it himself, the bastard. That said, The Uchiha had always seemed to like a pop of color or even lack there of. Naruto should know. He caught his husbands eyes wearing the brightest orange on the planet afterall. The seventh hokage was pretty proud of that. Maybe it had something to do with his sharingan seeing chakra as colors. Naruto idly wondered if all sharingan did that or if it was user specific. Did it depend on the eyes? He'd never really asked Sasuke that. It was probably dumb. He was definitely going to ask him at dinner. He was curious, and if Sasuke didn't know maybe one of his other family members would.

"Really, Sas, it's no sweat. Just hold out your hands. It's not dry, it'll come off real easy." Naruto made to grab for him with a grin.

"Urgh, shut up, you're an idiot!" He turned his head towards his door. "Itachi!" Little Sasuke yelled curling his fingers away from Naruto. "Big brother, I need you to protect my fingers!" Little Sasuke leapt over little Naruto who was busy finger painting a fox hugging a hawk or maybe it was just blobs of color. None of the adults could tell and little Sasuke wasn't really paying attention to the picture to decipher it.

Little Sasuke shoved Itachi's door open, twisting the knob with his shoulder and chin to enter. He scurried into Itachi's room slamming the door shut behind him with a kick.

"Sasuke," Itachi sighed, oh so tired. The door shut a bit too loud for his headache. "What are you doing in here?"

"You didn't come when I called!"

"Get out." Itachi ordered. He'd had enough of the little shit for one day.

"But I need you! I can't use my hands they're not dry! Big Kage Naruto is being a meanie, and-and you've gotta save me!"

"Why can't you protect yourself?"

"Huh?" Sasuke glared. "I just told you why, 'tachi!"

"Your older self's down stairs." Itachi explained further head resting on his arms. "Ask him."

"But I'm busy!"

"Sasuke, I really don't care." Itachi turned his head away. He sipped on his juice, tilting the bottle to his lips. "I'm busy too."

"No you're not!" Sasuke protested. He ran around to the other side of Itachi's bed stomping his foot. "You're just lying there."

"It's called relaxing." Itachi snuggled into his pillow. He set his drink down. "You should try it. It's been a long day."

Little Sasuke huffed. "Relaxing's boring." The boy whined as he ran in place. "Itachi, he's gonna get me."

"Then he'll get you."

A simple reply and not the one the little boy wanted to hear.

"But...but..."

"He's a kage. What do you expect me to do?"

"Beat him up." Little Sasuke replied like it was obvious.

"Sasuke, you don't just beat up a kage." Itachi put his face in his hands.

"Why not?"

"What do you mean why not? There are things in life you just don't do."

"How come?"

"Your not supposed to."

"That's lame. How do you know if a kage's the strongest around if you don't fight him yourself?"

"What?" Itachi asked his voice entering a higher pitch. What kind of logic was that?

"I bet your way stronger than Kage Naruto." Little Sasuke insisted. "Cmon I can get him to chase me outside and then you can jump him-"

"I'm going to punt you out the window if you don't shut up and leave in the next five seconds." Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose not that his little brother thought he would follow through with that empty threat. "I'm serious, Sasuke. Go away. I have a headache."

"Oh." Little Sasuke shrunk back. "Is it cause you slipped on my juice and banged your head really bad?"

"Yes, among other things."

"Like what?"

"Like you." Itachi poked the little Sasuke in the forehead.

The little boy stumbled back from his brothers bedside. His hands automatically flew to his forehead. "Ow. Hey!" He winced. "What was that for?"

"Now you know how I feel. Your presence is debilitating. Would it kill you to do as your told for once? Be quiet for a change without being a brat and making a fuss? Why do you have to be so difficult all the time? Leave me alone. It's not that hard a concept. Honestly, Sasuke. You really can be such an annoying little pest."

That hurt.

Little Sasuke hung his head, bangs shadowing his eyes he walked back out into the hall without another word and shut the door with a soft click. His lower lip trembled. He didn't go back to his room. The Naruto's were in there, both young and old, and breaking down in front of Kage Naruto back in the forest was already one time too many. He couldn't let himself do it again.

He crept downstairs, vision blurring as tears gathered against his will. He kept his fingers raised, palm gliding on the hand rail so he didn't wreck his nails or miss a stair and tumble down. He sniffled softly, catching a whiff of the heavenly aroma wafting out from the kitchen as he hit the ground floor. Dinner smelled like it was going to be good. Though the prospect of delicious food brought the boy little comfort. He decided to avoid going in the kitchen. He didn't want to burden his older self with his sadness. Lest it affect the food's quality. Food was supposed to be made with love. Any type of sadness would probably contaminate it. The tiny teary Sasuke didn't want that. Don't be a pest, Sasuke. Like Itachi said. The last thing he wanted to be was a hindrance to himself in addition to his brother.

He locked himself inside the downstairs bathroom. He sunk down against the door knees up to his chest. He shut his eyes and let the tears stream. Be quiet, Sasuke. Like Itachi said. Not a sound. He wiped at his eyes with the heel of his palms. He tried to be good. He-he did. He'd just wanted to have some fun with his brother for a change...he-he missed him. Lately, his brother didn't want anything to do with him. And it hurt. They'd always been close, but Sasuke couldn't remember the last time Itachi followed through on a promise to help him learn a new shuriken jutsu or play tag or hide and seek or..or..the boy hugged his legs.

He rested his forehead to his knees as a small sound tore from his throat. Something always seemed to happen. A mission would always pop up out of nowhere or some errand Itachi insisted he had to do would manifest as quick as a daydream when it was time to do something. But maybe it wasn't coincidence these things kept happening. Maybe it was him.

The thought had occurred to little Sasuke many times before. But this was the first time he couldn't shake the idea. It was him. It had to be. Itachi didn't want to hang out with him. Naruto, the idiot, ran away in the middle of the night just to get away from him. His parents wanted to disown him...was he really that much of a hindrance? That much of a disappointment? He must be. No one wanted him.

His heart hurt.

No one wanted him. That was the truth. He tried to ignore it most times but he couldn't now. Not when it was so blatantly clear. He didn't have friends. Naruto was the only friend he had. He was never invited to play ball in the school yard or skip class and do something fun like the blonde was. Naruto had other friends. That Nara kid, Shikamaru. That Akimichi boy, Choji. Would Naruto get sick of hanging out with him like Itachi did? Would he ditch him like Itachi? Want to break ties with him like his parents suddenly wanted to? All these thoughts, these negative emotions, they were too much for little Sasuke. He was a sensitive soul.

Why couldn't he be better? Why couldn't he be the brother Itachi wanted? The son his parents cared for? The friend that Naruto deserved? If he could only be sharper, keener, more perceptive...then maybe...but he wasn't. He was never going to be good enough - not for anybody. He bet his older self even hated him.

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And I'm ending this chapter here because I'm evil 😈. Mwahahaha. Next chapter will be out soon! Stay tuned! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments if you've got the time.