Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Blah, blah, blah- Thoughts
"blah blah blah blah blah"- Emphasis
Kelle: It's so weird, I actually, completely forgot about this fic until Lita asked me about it. Anyways, it's slightly more cheerful than any of my other chapters. And it might be kind of short, but it's also important because it gives the introduction to his...shall we say, "problem"
"Oh! She's so adorable!" the lady cooed.
Itachi made a mental note to dispose of her once he found a cure.
"Um, actually, he's a boy," Sakura sweatdropped.
"Then what's with the long hair? And those cute pink overalls? My little niece has one exactly like it and I'm thinking of getting it for my daughter as well. Aren't the ducks so delightful? They come in a verity of colors and -"
"Sorry, but we'd better get going now," Sakura interrupted in a rush, taking Itachi's hand and half-sprinting away. Partly because she didn't want to stand there chatting all day, and partly because Itachi looked like he would love nothing more than to rip the lady's throat out.
"Why are you wearing pink overalls anyway?" Naruto smirked once they were out of earshot
Itachi glowered at him, and tightened his hold around Sakura's hand in anger.
"I got too small for my clothes, so I had to steal some from a nearby village," he practically spat. "It was the only thing my size."
"Now, now, it's not nice to steal," Sakura scolded firmly. Although she knew it was Itachi, she couldn't help but treat him like a little boy.
Itachi bowed his head and muttered, "Sorry."
Sasuke looked at his brother in surprise, Itachi rarely apologized to anything.
Itachi seemed to realize that himself, and let go of her hand as if he just noticed he was holding it. He bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything else he might regret.
It had happened all the way to Konoha, his two personalities, his four-year old self, and his nineteen-year old self (A/n: He's nineteen in this fic.), were always locked in a constant battle for domination over his mind. And it seemed that his four-year old self was getting stronger.
"By the way, who's place is Itachi going to stay at?" Sakura asked cheerfully.
Naruto shook his head as he walked. "Sorry, but my apartment's too small. Besides, I'm always out training until really late."
"Well, he can't stay at mine because my place is way too small for more than one person. So, he'll just have to stay with Sasuke." Sakura and Naruto walked right along, not noticing that Sasuke and Itachi had stopped dead in their tracks.
"HELL NO!" They both shouted at the same time. "I refuse to stay with HIM!"
When they realized that they had spoken in agreement, the Uchiha brothers turned around and glared at each other furiously with their arms stubbornly crossed.
"Well, you'll just have to," Sakura frowned at them.
"Can't he stay with Ino or something?"
"Granny Tsunade said that we had to keep this a secret remember?" Naruto reminded him gleefully. "And we're not supposed to let him out of our sight."
Sasuke and Itachi seemed to be looking for any way out of this arrangement, but clearly couldn't find any.
"Oh, fine!" Sasuke gave up. "Whatever."
He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked a few feet ahead of them. Sakura took a firm hold of Itachi's hands again.
"Ita-chan! Want me to buy you some ice cream?" She asked brightly, smiling warmly at him.
Itachi winced at his new nickname, and opened his mouth to coldly turn down her offer when he heard himself giggling, "I would love ice cream Sakura-chan!"
He snapped his mouth shut, looking horrified at himself, but Sakura had already gone over to the ice cream vender.
Shit! What's happening to me? He panicked.
Soon, Sakura had returned with a chocolate cone, and handed it to him. Almost like it was moving on its own, his arm reached out and took it. He didn't blame Naruto and Sasuke at all for giving him those suspicious looks. Hell, even he didn't know what was happening.
"Let's go get you some new clothes Ita-chan!" she took his free hand, and led him away to the row of shops. He wouldn't have minded at all if his mind hadn't gone into full panic mode. He decided to just grit his teeth very hard so he wouldn't speak. '
But when they passed a toyshop, he stopped gritting his teeth and cried, "Oh! Sakura-chan! I really, really want that teddy bear."
Immediately, he grimaced, and clamped a hand over his mouth. What was he supposed to do? Duck tape it shut?
"Alright, I'll be right back."
He watched her retreating back, mortified.
No…she isn't. She can't! Uchiha Itachi cannot have a teddy bear!
Five minutes later, he was clutching a soft, cuddly bear as he walked down the street. He had tried to refuse it, he really did. But the moment she came out with it, he ran over to her and began hugging it.
If only the Atasuki can see me now, he thought dryly as he tried squeezing the head off of the bear.
When they passed by a man selling plastic kites, he felt his four-year old side acting up.
He stood there in the middle of the sidewalk, twitching uncontrollably as he tried to fight it. It was strange, feeling the light excitement of a child, and feeling his cold, annoyed self at the same time. Half of him was jumping up and down and pointing at the kites with enthusiasm, and the other half was trying to beat it down, reminding him that he hated kites now.
Oddly, it was Sasuke who saved him. He remarked how weird it was that a nineteen year old guy would want to buy a kite to fly. There was a small spark of anger, and he concentrated on that. It was a tiny flame, but enough to push his innocent carefree child self away, and bring his former self back in control.
Avoiding the brightly colored kites by turning his head the other way, he managed to follow them without losing control all the way to a clothes store. He had to say that he was rather proud of himself.
His day pretty much all went downhill from there.
"So kawaii!" screamed Sakura when he came out wearing the navy blue dress she had picked out for him. He gave her a steaming death glare when she moved to tie his long hair into pigtails.
"Sakura…he's a guy, remember?" Naruto said, looking like he was struggling very hard not to laugh.
Sasuke didn't say anything, although his amused smirk said that he found it extremely funny.
"I know! But there are so many cute clothes for girls that I didn't get a chance to wear!" Sakura sighed dramatically. "I just have to dress him up a little."
(A/n: I got that from Lita...she did that to this boy once. I felt so sorry for him, but it sure was funny XD)
Itachi scowled up at her, wanting to rip off the silky white stockings she had made him wear and stomp all over it.
If only she wasn't so damn tall! He grouched, clutching his small hands into a fist.
His four-year old side looked down himself happily, glad he was getting some knew clothes. The goody-goody ness of it all was making his older self want to hurl.
After about two hours of torture, Naruto finally seemed to take pity on him, and stopped her by saying, "Sakura, I think you're killing him."
"Oh! Sorry Ita-chan! I'll get you some boy clothes right now," she said, smiling a little sheepishly.
Itachi shot the smallest possible look of gratitude at Naruto. He would've spoken out himself if his four-year old self weren't rebelling against his choice of words of what he wanted to say.
Soon, his clothes were all picked out, and he was properly dressed.
Before he knew it, Sakura and Naruto was saying goodbye to him, and he was on his way to Sasuke's apartment with Sasuke.
His years of training on his old self prevented him from being nervous or scared, but his four year-old self was terrified. He kept on replaying the image of Sasuke murdering him with a kitchen knife…which didn't help any.
Maybe he would have felt better if Sasuke hadn't stared at him so icily all the way there. His dread made his heart drop all the way to his stomach.
They stepped in, and all he remembered was the sharp pain on his head, and his world going dark. (A/n: No, Sasuke didn't kill him if that's what you're thinking)
Kelle: My special graditude to PurpleNek0 for giving me the idea of Itachi's childlike side acting up, and Itachi having to stay with Sasuke. I will still accept more ideas with open arms.