Word Count: around 301 words
Warnings: Has meantion of onesided sasuino, it's when Ino and them were younger, and it's before the massacre.

Theme #5. His Place

Yamanaka Ino wondered around the Uchiha compound. She knew Sasuke was around there somewhere. The blond had even bumped into a few of his relatives. They said he was around someplace or another. So Ino walked around the place trying to find him and eventually got lost.

She heard a gasp and turned to the sound. There was a boy, a few years older than Ino herself, half hiding behind a door.

"Hello. Have you seen Sasuke-kun?"

The boy squirmed a little. Seemingly unused to human interaction. But he answered her anyway, "He is not her, Ino- chan."

Ino was surprised this boy knew her name, "How do you know my name? What's yours?"

"I'm sorry Yamanaka-san." He replied in a move to leave.

"Wait! I'm lost. Can you please lead me out of here? " she added, "And tell me your name?"

He sighed. Leading her out as Ino had asked. As the blond gazed at him she felt something familar. He was a handsome boy. More so then Sasuke's boyish cuteness. Ino felt so at ease. Until she noticed he had led her right outside the Uchiha mansion and was going back inside.

"Wait!" Ino called again, "You didn't tell me your name!"

He hesitated, but as always answered her, "My name is Itachi."

Ino smiled triumphantly, "Goodbye Itachi-kun!"

As the mindwalker skipped off Itachi stood by the front window watching. His eyes held an unknown passion for protecting her. He knew why. She stumbled upon the one place inside his goddamn families home that was his. Ino found his place. His. Again, the blond little girl found a place of tranquil attitude. She seemed to be stumbling in on everyone of them one by one.

Itachi smiled. That was how he got to know her. Yamanaka Ino.

His place was with her.