#(and how clearly itachi recognizes that)

[mixelation]

i've been debating what to do with deidara in reborn au, because i need to give him more but also i don't want to just repeat beats from homemade dynamite

so i was thinking: well, obviously he's doing something with art. and in homemade dynamite, his thing with art is that he's trying to carve his way to true artistic freedom. being a missing-nin means people will always be trying to hunt him down, but being in konoha means he has to dodge around rules and limitations. so his deal with itachi is that itachi will help him leave konoha in a legit way where he's not constantly fighting off hunter-nin, but until then he's trying to figure out what he can do within the village. i could totally give him the exact same goal in mutagenicity, and i don't really have anything against rehashing the same plots/headcanons (look at my 17 AUs about genin karin being kidnapped for her own good), but this doesn't really appeal to me.

then i thought: what if it' the opposite? what if deidara is like, "i want to experiment with a technique that will blow up a whole village" and minato is like, "rad, give me a couple days to find you a space. what do you need?" deidara blows up a bandit's head and kushina tells him she likes his art. they both go :/ at him when he damages village property but then their reactions are "oh, so you need a better outlet.... here, i can find you a mission--"

i think this would actually drive deidara insane in a way he wouldn't even know how to recognize. tori gets paranoid about having supportive mentors because in her past "sudden interest from the boss" means "boss might vivisect you" or "boss might decide you know too much and should die/do something insane." deidara just straight up doesn't know what to do with support. his art (in this au) was crafted as very reactionary-- his interest is in ripping apart the status quo and showing people nothing can last forever and they don't have as much control over deidara the world as they think. it's about disrupting structures and authority. what the FUCK is he supposed to do with actual support???

but also i don't think deidara has fully recognized his antiauthoritarianism as a motivator in his art because he's never been in a situation where it was absent. so when he suddenly doesn't have real issues with the biggest authorities in his life, he losses inspiration, and he doesn't know why.

and then he thinks about leaving konoha because clearly something about it is fucking with his head but, actually, kushina fills out forms to get him free clay and lets him pick missions where he gets to blow stuff up and minato lets him have a training ground to do whatever he wants, and he has his own bed and isn't living as a feral forest child, and he would be insane to leave.

so maybe we DO let tori have a C-rank go wrong because sasori interferes and she comes home and tells deidara about it and he loses his mind. he wants to see sasori because he needs another artist. he needs advice. how fucking dare sasori go after tori.

tori, trying to de-escalate: well i think he only talked to me because i was at the border and there was only one other person with me. it was just more convenient

deidara: YOU'RE NOT EVEN AN ARTIST

anyway maybe we then KEEP team 4 having a c rank go hilariously wrong because deidara gets a whiff sasori is in the area and runs off. other things go wrong that don't have anything to do with sasori but because deidara has involved him, the things are now also going wrong AT sasori

sasori: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING

deidara: DANNAAAAA I'M HAVING AN ART BLOOOOOCK

and sasori tells him he's stupid and immature and deidara from then forward has to do some serious Self Reflection to figure out his ~art~. and he keeps looking up sasori even though sasori toLD HIM TO LEAVE HIM ALONE

kushina post mission: yeah wheat village tried to make a move for the sharingan but we managed it. sasori of the red sand was.... there....? idek he didn't really help but also he didn't NOT help

minato: what the hell is wheat village

kushina: doesn't matter because it doesn't exist anymore

also im playing with the idea of a deidara-minato vaguely student-mentor relationship (not for technique stuff, per se, but life/career stuff) because Jokes About Being His Bastard Son and also i like the idea of iwa's boogeyman helping iwa's #1 missing-nin

[maoam]

sorry but why people say itachi was retconned because his actions in part 1 don't make sense if he loved sasuke. as if it's not common in fiction the trope of characters loving someone in a sick twisted way? itachi loved sasuke but in a very sick way and his head everything he did for him was fine. i picture itachi as someone who's not clearly mentally stable. maybe it's just me but i've seen this trope of a person loving someone in a sick way in too many pieces of fiction and it fits well that in the end itachi recognized his mistakes to sasuke. sorry for the essay

It's because some of his actions are seen as way too brutal, for example him putting Sasuke into a coma only Tsunade could wake him up from. And the fact he put Kakashi into a coma as well.

It depends how one sees it, as you said Itachi isn't exactly mentally stable, so some of his actions might as well go overboard. However, people (his stans) should also acknowledge he didn't calculate everything perfectly despite what a genius he according to everyone is.

I agree that Itachi was always supposed to have a "soft spot" for Sasuke, especially in Vote1 flashback it was pretty obvious (when Sasuke screaming made Itachi fall to his knees).

[noellewrxtes]

Shisui was saved from any further insistence by a rustling sound on the other end of the phone. "Hey, honey," Mikoto called out to the source of her distraction, some unknown individual moving around in the room she occupied. "I'm talking to your cousin--here, do you want to say hello?"

Even with his words muffled over the phone, even after three years of radio silence, Shisui recognized the smooth baritone voice that answered. It was a voice he had spent countless weekends sprawled out beside, listening to the soft hum of July cicadas, drinking hot tea in October, staring out the window as February snow covered the world outside in a quilt of white, 'hey, Itachi, did you know…?' Watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed peacefully in the late hours of another Friday night spent attached at the hip.

It was a voice Shisui was wholly unprepared to converse with.

His grip on his phone tightened, something like panic rising in his chest. He inhaled sharply and began thinking of something to say other than hello, some explanation of what he had been getting up to these past three years, the reason why he's moving back. What he would say if Itachi asked him not to.

He couldn't make out what Itachi said to his mother, but he could hear the sharp disappointment in her voice as she said, "Oh, all right, then."

Shisui exhaled. The knot in his stomach released.

"Itachi has to get to work," Mikoto said, her voice coming in clearly over the phone line again. "I'm sure you'll be able to chat soon."

"Yeah, sure," Shisui said, clearing his throat and trying not to think about how much he was not prepared to play catch up with Itachi.

"It's such a shame," Mikoto's soft soprano was laced with regret as she sighed into the receiver. "You two used to be so close."

Too close, Shisui didn't say.

"Just tell him to text me or something. Someone stole my phone a while back and I lost a lot of contacts, so."

This was a lie. Shisui had lost Itachi's number, true enough, but only after a drunken night out that had almost ended with some text messages his then-girlfriend would have skewered him alive for. (Itachi probably would have too, if not for the fact that Shisui would already be long dead by the time he managed to make it all the way to Buffalo.) 'Time to stop living in the past,' he had told himself the next day, once sober clarity had overtaken him, and the sheer amount of willpower it had taken to press the 'delete contact' button on his phone should have told him he was doomed to fail. It had taken only half a second for the phone to follow through, over and done in the blink of an eye, and it hadn't felt remotely like saying goodbye.

"I'll pass it on," Mikoto promised before moving on to compare the pros and cons of apartments versus houses, buying versus owning. Shisui listened to her advice politely, throwing in his own two cents when appropriate, and when she asked him if he was planning on staying in Tupelo permanently, all he found he could say was that he wasn't sure yet.

[leportraitducadavre]

Naruto re-read XXII

Chapters covered: 172 - 180 Twentieth Volume of the manga

Site used: https://manga4life.com/manga/Naruto (VIZ translation of the manga)

Disclaimer: This is intended as a list and simple observations of the topics that particularly interested me in the aforementioned chapters, in that sense, do not expect a linear -or totally deep- analysis.

Tumblr’s update doesn’t allow me to attach more than 10 pictures, therefore, all of them will be LINKED. Apologies.

260) “We must call the Damyio immediately and hold a celebration for her appointment”.(x) more proof that Tsunade was to be crowned the moment she accepted the proposition –no signs of a democratic election.

261) Nara’s deers (more precisely, their horns) are used to create medicine. Yamanaka clan isn’t the family responsible for creating remedies, as it stands, they’re just running the local flower shop and nothing else.

262) Neji trains his Byakugan, at this point he can see roughly fifty meters behind him.

263) Is it possible that this is the moment Sakura chooses to be Tsunade’s apprentice? We are shown how she considers her beautiful the first time she sees her, and she cries once Tsunade finally is able to help Sasuke in a way Sakura couldn’t and has never been able to before. Perhaps the combination of both (Tsunade’s beauty and capability of helping Sasuke when no one could) made Sakura seek her teachings later on.

264) Sasusaku’s post regarding these chapters has been updated.

265) This is the first time Sasuke rejects Konoha’s Hitae-Ate (the beginning of the end), he rejects the idea of Naruto being his equal, and he rejects the idea of standing in the same position (Konoha shinobi) as Naruto. Sasuke continuously thinks of Itachi while fighting Naruto (narratively, and I stated this in this post: the only person Sasuke cares about tells him he doesn’t care for him at all but about his comrade, whom Sasuke always considered inferior). That’s what matters to him. 

Kakashi arrives in time to stop both Sasuke and Naruto, but he only admonishes Sasuke. Kakashi acknowledges that this specific conduct might have to do with his encounter with Itachi (it’s actually posed as a question, didn’t anyone tell him about Sasuke’s condition? Why the commander of Team 7 isn’t aware of Sasuke and Naruto’s fight with Itachi?) Sasuke leaves without uttering a word, and after seeing what the Rasengan is capable of, he feels inferior, he feels bad about his (lack of) strength and the most important part was that Kakashi saw it. He saw Sasuke punching the wall and saw him lowering his head in a clear fashion of frustration.

Jiraiya stands there with a disappointed look, yet neither Kakashi nor he reprimands Naruto as Kakashi reprimanded Sasuke. Naruto’s desire is, first and foremost, to be recognized by Sasuke -which is the reason why he chases him; while Sasuke doesn’t allow himself to recognize Naruto, as in doing so he’ll acknowledge his (self-perceived) failure. What Kakashi doesn’t know -but we do, is that the core of Sasuke’s questioning doesn’t come just from Naruto’s growth, but rather the perception of him being left behind after becoming “too soft”. This is: he was just fine during the first stages of Team 7, excelling in every field, but after his sacrifice to save Naruto back in Wave Arc -and his growing feelings towards his comrades, he started “halting” in his growth, which is why he believes that Itachi’s dogma is correct.

Kakashi ties Sasuke to a tree not giving him any other option but to listen to him, restricting his movements and treating him like a criminal who he’s about to interrogate. That behavior clearly refutes his intention of having any sort of conversation, Kakashi tying Sasuke to a tree is a way to cut any refusal to have an exchange of words, he’s forcing Sasuke to listen to Kakashi’s speech and point of view about the matter without been giving time to think about it, this interaction is hostile from the very beginning.

“Sasuke, quit seeking revenge” (x)

That right there goes against everything Sasuke wants, the goal in his life, which Sasuke stated in the very first meeting they had as a team, the very same reason why he has pushed himself harder and harder. Kakashi was well aware of this, and yet, even knowing that he was literally asking Sasuke to forget his goal, the only thing that impulsed him through the Academy, he spoke without preambles and whilst creating a hostile context around this talk. He planned to say this while not giving Sasuke the option to refuse to listen by impending his motions and not letting him refute his statements.

No one has ever told Naruto to (seriously) forget his goal because people might get incredibly frustrated after a negative and seek revenge, yet Sasuke -for some reason, isn’t allowed to follow his path because as of now, it isn’t beneficial for Konoha, as it has been before. Sasuke is questioning his training and his formed bonds, hence he’s becoming an issue, so it’s better to forget his revenge altogether.

Sasuke threatens Kakashi just so he can see the issue from his perspective. It’s a desperate attempt to be understood by the person he has in high regard, for his commander. Yet, the response is not the expected one; first of all, Kakashi’s statement is leaving Sasuke aside as one of his “loved ones”, which to Sasuke means that the relationship he thought they had was rather one-sided, and second, and this is important, Kakashi did not reply his question.

Kakashi never denied that he would seek revenge if that same situation were to happen, he simply considered the possibility invalid because he no longer had someone important to lose. And that is the point of everything, Kakashi never put himself in the same position as Sasuke to try to understand him, on the contrary, he tried to fit Sasuke into his own experiences to generate a bond in which he could see himself reflected onto him.

And even so, Kakashi dares to say that they weren’t the most unfortunate because they created precious bonds, yet, Sasuke had all of his kin killed by his brother, a person he held dear (hence why bonds are such a particular subject for him), so how can Kakashi even start to comprehend Sasuke’s trauma? 

“Chidori was a power I gave you because you found something important, that power is not to be aimed at a friend or used for revenge” (x)

This is, I believe, one of the reasons why Sasuke left -as Kakashi, who he thought was teaching him powerful techniques to use as he saw fit (again, Sasuke never hid his Nindo, never lied about his true goal), is now technically forbidding him from using the Jutsu to seek the vengeance he always preached; then what has Sasuke left in this place other than the bonds he formed with Naruto and Sakura? (which he’s reluctant to abandon). Sasuke never thought about the end of his journey being happiness, but justice -he states that once he leaves; that’s the path he’s set on. It’s tragic, but that’s the consequence of Itachi and Konoha’s actions -furthermore, they’re ninjas, so happiness isn’t exactly anyone’s goal.

Sakura, out of concern for Sasuke’s wellbeing, breaks the promise she made with Sasuke and tells Naruto the truth about the Curse Mark and about Orochimaru’s offer. Meanwhile, Sasuke, who has been emotionally manipulated since the UCM -is once again, manipulated to abandon his friends (highlight the word “friends”) to seek power with Orochimaru. They even bring up Itachi when trying to convince Sasuke. It’s remarkable because on one side he has Kakashi -his commander, telling him to stop seeking revenge and treasure his bonds, and on the other side The Sound Four (Orochimaru) who tell him that their master will allow him to reach enough power to avenge his family, so here it comes the true dichotomy: Newly formed bonds vs. Past bonds.

And what does Sasuke choose? His family, because those are the most important bonds to him. And this only proves further that Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura -while appreciated, haven’t replaced (and will never replace) his love for his family, as Sasuke’s entire core lies in the love he has for his kin.

(previous post) - (next post)

[cartoonrival]

ok . so the reason sasuke leaves initially is because he's investigating something relating to kaguya. he says goodbye to naruto and nobody else, saying there isn't time to drop by his house first, which is categorically untrue. he requests that naruto treat his missions as top secret. naruto wishes he'd stay and they could work together, but sasuke says the two of them should stick to what they're meant to do (rinnegan makes him best for missions outside of konoha, naruto is best suited for being hokage/a public figure). naruto says that not knowing what sasuke is up to will hurt his family, and sasuke says that's fine even if they end up hating him because at least the future will be brighter.

sarada is desperate to learn more info about sasuke, especially because her sharingan is developing (which btw develops due to trauma, and in sarada's case is specifically tied to sasuke's absence and her inability to learn anything about his clearly very rocky past). she follows naruto (secretly at first) to where he's meeting sasuke. sasuke mistakes her for someone else and almost kills her. she's furious with him for being gone for so long and for not recognizing her, and he's incredibly dismissive. when naruto is like hey . maybe its time you explain some things to her, sasuke says it's fine, she'll be fine, she has sakura. sarada becomes convinced that sakura is not her real mother, largely because sasuke does not seem to care about her, and this is "confirmed" through a dna test.

the climax of the arc/the point where sarada realizes that sasuke really does care about her is when she asks him if his and sakura's hearts are really connected. sasuke says "yeah." she asks him how he can be sure, and he says "because you exist." is that seriously the best you can come up with. anyways. she's convinced by this. earlier on sarada had asked sakura if she and sasuke had ever kissed, sakura thinks for a moment(?) then starts blushing and laughing, sarada asks her whats up and sakura says she was remembering something better (not sex), which turns out to be the fucking itachi tap on the forehead, which i have major mixed feelings on him repurposing that for sakura and sarada but id have to rewatch the itachi eps in order to properly talk about that. but like for real? you are deprived. that is .?? ok.

when they get back sasuke stays for dinner then leaves again. sakura leans in for a kiss and he just turns around and says "bye". when the wiki worded it as "withholds affection to tease her" or wahtever (still insane) i assumed he would at least chuckle or SOMETHING but he literally just didnt want to kiss her. boy no wonder the most meaningful physical contact with him you rememebr (not sex) is a tap on the forehead!!!! esp considering she most likely does not know the full meaning that tap holds to sasuke so WHY is. ok. whatever.

[pussymagnetmadara2]

FIXING THE TRUTH ABOUT IZUMI UCHIHA

I think it's time to set the record straight on some of the Uchiha clan members, especially for itachi fans who are trying to do some mental gym to figure out why Itachi didn't contract his MS because of fucking Izumi Uchiha and pretend that she was his lover... LMAO.

This will hold on 2 points or maybe 3.

Izumi Uchiha is a non-canon character, used in a specific context.

Izumi was only introduced in the anime to try to push the pill on Itachi being a very introverted kid, who couldn't make friends, let alone date anyone romantically. Itachi, had only one canonical friend, Shisui, who was already much older than him. Itachi not having a friend his own age made so much more sense to the character. Itachi is introduced as a kind of autistic person who lived outside the world in his own mind but had to wear a social mask in all circumstances because people liked to remind him of his genius and this potential should not be wasted. And yes he was the kind of guy who would go for a walk alone in the forest to think deeply about the basis of his life here, or try to throw himself off a cliff to figure out why life is so important. When did you in the manga, Itachi take a romantic turn with anyone? Literally nobody. It wasn't like him.

Izumi is a character created from scratch for Itachi Shinden.

I struggle with this section of toxic fandom quite regularly, lights novels are not canon and do not extend the manga canon. The canon of a story only refers to what its original author writes and that's it. The rest is just stories or fanfiction to try to make sense of a secondary character and why do even? Should we have known that Itachi was actually a little marshmallow heart so that it would ease our pain for the actions he committed? Izumi was a young girl born to an anonymous lambda father and an Uchiha mother, that's all we learn at the beginning. After her father's death, Izumi and her mother are allowed to rejoin the clan but still have a hard time being recognized as true clan members. She meets Itachi at school and literally falls under his spell. He's handsome, smart and powerful, and a full-blooded Uchiha, I can't blame her here but she's just one simp among many. Sasuke will have the same success with women years later. She tries to blame herself for Itachi making him a friend by forcing her friendship on him and making him feel guilty for not giving her time while he repeatedly pushes her away, (hey Sakura) while he is majority busy between a genius, used for his out of the ordinary abilities, between the village and the Uchiha clan. He ends up being a little interested in her when he discovers that she has awakened her sharingan… that's literally it. But when I say he is interested in her, I'm not talking romantically, he is just jealous of the fact that he didn't succeed in awakening his sharingan and how did a half Uchiha succeed before him? Is Izumi the real genius here? And yes Itachi was clearly jealous of her and that's all. Finally he managed to awaken them and the interest in her disappeared again. What a jerk. Izumi trying to find comfort in Fugaku is my favorite laughable section… Fugaku being obsessed by the interests of the clan didn't actually notice by himself that Itachi was an asocial kid and it's only after his wife Mikoto's worries that Fugaku also wonders: Itachi needs friends otherwise he'll end up in a bad way. But Itachi had a friend, the good Shisui, but after his death what does he have left? Izumi has always been irrelevant for him. Itachi Shinden has just softened the horrible Itachi's character with the death of Izumi. Wanting to kill her first and soften her death in a genjutsu in order to give her what he could never give her from the beginning was literally not adorable but just horribly cringe.

Yes, but Obito said that Itachi killed his lover.

Yes, in the translated versions of the manga. But on second thought, what did Obito know? Did he know Itachi well enough to say that he had a lover? No. Obito only made presumptions based on nothing. Then, it is possible that Obito lied to Sasuke to make him gain ground in his own manipulation. Finally, Obito stating that Itachi went as far as to kill his lover, never pronounced a name. Who said that it was Izumi? Nobody, not even Obito.

In the anime, Obito is the one who kills Izumi, why would he refer to Izumi as the lover that Itachi killed if he was implying that Izumi was Itachi's lover? Things lead us to think that Obito was talking about Shisui instead or that he was simply lying.

Conclusion: The lights novels are so flat that even the anime which is more than 40% filler doesn't even come to the same conclusion. What to do? READ THE MANGA.

ps: sorry for the grammatical typos or else, im not an english native speaker.

[depressedhatakekakashi]

I just hate the whole Vs thing because these fanboys will always annoy me because they forget that power isn't the only thing that matters. I love minato him, and kakashi are my favorites, but being honest, kakashi would beat minato. Yes, Minato was powerful, but he died young, so we don't know what could've been. Not to mention, kakashi made minato take him seriously when he was still kid now as an adult without the sharingan he would beat minato no questions asked. People who do vs battle will always downplay the other character to prop up their fav. I also feel that kishimoto sucks at keeping powers scaling consistent throughout naruto

THANK YOU.

In a world of Shinobi with varying skill I'm so sick of people only thinking about power scale. Ya, against literal gods characters like Naruto and Sasuke with their broken ass skills are needed

but in a world of normal humans, it's not just about power scales. Kakashi is a tactical genius. Minato is recognized as a genius, but like Orochimaru and Tobirama there's nothing stated about him being a TACTICAL genius.

Orochimaru is a genius in a scientific sense

Tobirama is a genius in a jutsu sense, creating countless new jutsu's.

Minato is also a prety big jutsu genius and i think had he survived he'd be a lot like Tobirama. I mean in his short 24 years he created the rasangan AND improved Tobirama's move. Clearly Jutsu's were his thing.

Kakashi's a tactical genius though. He's the guy who can change plans at the drop of a dime and adjust to the fight as he goes. we see this in action multipole times (living longer than he honestly should have against pein, his fight against Kakazu) and we even have it spoken of (Yamato mentioning how Kakashi would always change the mission last minute during their anbu days, likely because he realized things were not as he expected and changing the mission plan in the moment so they succeded)

In a fight, Kakashi trounces Minato.

He also managed to steal a bell from Minato and we KNOW Minato has no problems using his teleporting jutsu against his students (we see him teleport to Kakashi during one of their training sessions) so Kakashi was clearly catching on how to counteract his main skill. Minato is feared because he can telport to the enemy and take them out before they can blink and a lot of Kakashi's attacks counter this (purple lighting is PERFECT for it as are electric clones)

I think Minato could have adjusted and found a different way to come at Kakashi in a fight, but Kakashi would adjust to that too. That's his main skill.

And that's not even touching on Kakashi's overall skills. We don't know Minato's stats so i can't compare, but Kakashi has nothing below 'good' (3/5) in his stats. and only one of his stats is only at 3/5 (stamina which...fair considering the sharingan literally drains his stamina)

Kakashi is the perfect all around shinobi. I see a lot of people say 'Jack of all trades master of none' for Kakashi but that's a lie.

Hand seals, ninjitsu, and intelligence are all 5/5. He has mastered all of the elements including Yin and Yang (the sharingan definitely helped but it doesn't master the elements or Itachi would have all of them as well. he does not and neither does Madara, Obito, or Sasuke).

His taijutsu is 4.5/5 (largely because of his rivalry with Gai but still)

His speed is 4.5/5 (again probably largely due to his rivalry with Gai)

Genjutsu is 4/5 (let's compare to an Uchiha. Sasuke is a 4.5/5 even with his Mangekyo which obviously gives him an upper hand in genjutsu. Kakashi is .5 under Sasuke's genjutsu skills which is damn impressive for a non uchiha)

his lowest stats are stamina (3/5) and strength (3.5/5)

That's a really powerful skill set that can be adjusted to almost any fight. Not to mention Kakashi's stealth is top tier (in Kakashi retsuden he took out 7/8 sleeping shinobi and the only reason the eighth woke up is that Kakashi got distracted and, get this, allowed a bit of fabric to rub against something. tHESE JONIN level shinobi were asleep but ready to react to FABRIC brushing up against something and Kakahsi took out 7/8 of them without alerting any of them. If you don't consider retsuden canon we have all of his Anbu career and the fact that he constantly sneaks up on people in canon because he knows how to hide his chakra and move slow and quiet. Skills Naruto (for example) doesn't have.

Kakashi is far from being the strongest in a world of broken powers

but among regular ass shinobi he is top tier, and Minato is a regular ass shinobi just like Kakashi (we don't count the kyubi chakra cloak because that wasn't HIS power. He didn't bond with Kurama, he got extended the power thanks to Naruto's work with Kurama)

[hedgeherbsandhearth]

It is interesting to see what the different Ages of the Evolution were like, even more so how this was noticed through Patterns and what we know as the Zodiac or constellations/seasons. The difference is Ages lasts about 2160 years or so based on history and seasons are only roughly 28 days. Earth has a slow precessional rotation.

For instance, the Age of Taurus, or the worship of cattle and Venus energy.

This wasn't just about worshipping a golden calf as many people assume. It actually wasn't even blasphemous except to those who didn't appreciate the risks taken to leave slavery and Pharoah. How can it be, when that's exactly what their everyday life entailed? Cattle was worshipped for many reasons, notably for being part of the labor. This was an Age of Value, ie: permanence, wealth accumulation, stability, and material growth.

They and many other cultures and faiths at that time also had more of an animism belief which is believing everything has Spirit not just humans.

Fast forward to the Age of Pisces, also known as the time of Jesus. "The fisher of men". This one is more obvious as many know the stories from childhood church dumping.

As we have been transitioning to the Age of Aquarius, we see this in many ways. Sharing of knowledge gained, the Internet, recognizing and celebrating the Uniqueness and Individuality within the Community. This is the Sign of the Rebel, Humanitarian, Technology, and Progression, and Shared Wisdom.

(think of story of Moses on the mountain (Capricorn) and coming down to share the tablets if that helps)

Even though Ages move backwards, the Zodiac moves forward, thus this comes after Capricorn who rules structures, boundaries, rules, the father figure, the government, etc.

Both are governed by Saturn (Kronos in greek for those who understand those stories) and this shows clearly how it is important to have boundaries but also how it is important to be your unique and individual self apart from the conditionings placed upon in growing stages. An example of this is People from a strict household who emancipate themselves.

It feels and looks as if humanity got so caught up in the Individual and Technology part and needs to add back the shared Wisdom and Progression part. We are already seeing the Uniqueness being emphasized again. These are not just separate concepts but part of the Pattern.

*As always, I look forward to any educational discussion. I kept things brief and in my understanding of things for room of interpretation, so I am aware that there is more to it. That means rather than attack myself or an author with limited knowledge and understanding, it's better to be Aquarian like and help educate where there is a lackage. We each create our own reality (Itachi's Speech), we have to have to have to learn to blend and coexist.

#astrology #timeline #nonlinear #Patterns #Zodiac #Ages #ageofaquarius #howzodiacaffectshumanity #animism #Spirit #studies #Evolution #theories #knowledge #precession #Aquarius #Pisces #Taurus

[mila-uchiha]

Can you write prompt 12 with Itachi Uchiha?

Be Mine ☾ Itachi x fem!reader

prompt: “don’t go on that date” ,, “why?” ,, “you know why” ,, “then say it”

a/n: hi everyone! please keep requesting, i love writing for you all:) this is set where you and itachi both work in the anbu n the uchiha massacre didn't happen! enjoy! edit: obsessed with this one ahhh, all likes n reblogs r appreciated hehe ily

warnings: nsfw ish?, swearing, mentions of alcohol, not smut but suggestive content

word count: 2.9k... oops

Why does it have to be like this?

Living with Itachi was fine. As fine as it could be, living with your crush for the past few months. He treated you as a roommate and pretty much nothing more, although he could be over protective at random moments. Maybe it was just his instinct? Maybe he was a gentleman? Whatever the reason may be, it didn't matter because you had your eyes set on him since the first day you saw him in the ANBU.

You two were assigned to live together within the ANBU, making it more efficient for the squads, but despite your obvious excitement, Itachi seemed to not care. He would sometimes avoid you and he's usually never home, leaving you to wonder if there was any future for you two or if it was all in your head.

So why did it have to be like this?

You wanted more, so much more, but honestly, it hadn't been too bad recently. He's been home more and you two got to spend more time together than you usually do, but this wasn't necessarily a good thing. The more time you spent with him, the more you realized how much you wanted him, and from the way it seemed, he didn't want anything to do with you in a romantic way.

Until a few days ago. Stargazing outside with Itachi as he came home drunk, vulnerable, wanting to watch the night sky with you by his side as he held you. In this one moment you two had together, you felt the slightest bit of reciprocated feelings on his behalf. You recognized the overprotective personality he had with you, and in that moment, you wondered if he felt the same.

Until the next day, when he never mentioned that night again and you two were back to the same five word conversations that normally took place and were, most of the time, about takeaway you two would order for delivery or anything dinner related. Devastated was an understatement.

Now here you were, trying to move on and focus your time elsewhere. Or rather on a different person. When you began talking to Hiroto, another squad member in the ANBU, you realized that other men existed besides Itachi.

He invited you out with him tonight and after grasping the fact that you and Itachi had no future, all you could say was 'yes'. You were excited, ready for him to pick you up at 9PM. That is, until Itachi came home at 8PM, once again drunk out of his mind.

Itachi clearly had no control over his feelings when he was drunk. He slid open your bedroom door when he got home, obviously stumbling from the alcohol and stood there smirking at you, hiccuping the entire time.

"Can I help you?" You stared up at him, recognizing that he wasn't sober.

"Just wan-ted to tell you I'm home," he said, slurring his words.

Itachi never came to let you know he was home. Sometimes he would be in his room the whole day and you wouldn't even know. Other times he would be out for the whole day and you still wouldn't know. So why was he coming to you now?

"Alright?" You stared at him. "Why are you already drunk at 8PM??"

He slid your bedroom door closed and walked to sit at the foot of your bed, stumbling the entire time.

"So what? You should try it". He chuckled. Silence then filled the room as you looked at him, a confused and also concerning expression growing on your face. His eyes struggled to make eye contact, as they usually do, but you suddenly heard him take a deep breath, and the minute he did, his eyes raised up to meet yours,

"Wanna.. do something tonight?" He asked.

Yep, you were definitely surprised to hear those words come out of his mouth.

"Do what? As in hang out?"

"I mean.. I guess. If you want to." You knew Itachi was always pretty confident, but he was acting shy in this moment speaking to you. You kept your gaze on him as he waited for your reply, and right now you wanted way more answers than you were getting.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" You asked. "Maybe you should take a nap. Or a cold shower. That might help."

Your tone was slightly bitchy, because you couldn't wrap your head around the way Itachi acted sober vs drunk. He barely spoke to you, his own roommate, when he was sober, but suddenly he's had a few drinks and now he wants to do something tonight? Where was this interest before?

"Mmm maybe. It might help," he mocked your tone as he dropped his body weight to lie down on your bed, laughing in the process.

"I'm serious, Itachi. Besides, I have somewhere to go tonight."

He immediately looked up at you. "Where? Yo-u never go out." He slurred his words as he spoke. This took you by surprise. He spoke as if he knew you.

"How do you know that? Thought you didn't pay attention to me," you said, confused more than you had ever been.

"Trust me, I do."

By this point, you were slightly screaming on the inside from joy, but you would never let Itachi see it. He hiccuped once more, lay back down on the foot of your bed and began mumbling gibberish that you couldn't understand. Clearly he drank a lot. As much as you sort of hated him for barging into your room and almost falling asleep drunk on your bed, you knew you needed to help.

"C'mon Itachi, get up and go take a shower." You stood up, hovering over him.

"Mmmm, I don't want to," he groaned.

"It'll sober you up, you're too drunk," you said, although you liked the slight confessions from drunk Itachi and the way he looked at you like you were the best thing in the world.

"Okay, but can you h-help me?" He asked.

You agreed and got him to finally stand up, his arm around your shoulder, holding onto you for support as you both walked to the bathroom. You released his grip from you, turning on the shower and turning back to face him. He was leaning against the sink, watching you as if he was staring through your soul. His gaze was heavy, but so sensual at the same time.

"Go take a shower," you said as you began walking out the bathroom until his hand reached for your wrist, gripping it tightly and pulling you close to him.

"You have to help. I'm too drunk." His eyes continued staring at yours. You sighed.

"Help how?" You were curious. He gulped,

"Take this off." He said in a certain voice. A voice that was so commanding and low yet so beautiful at the same time. He nodded to his shirt and assumingely, the rest of his clothes, the loud shower head running in the back as he spoke.

You nodded right away and your hands reached for the bottom of his shirt, near his waistband as you slowly pulled it up, his arms lifting in the process. His abs were now fully on display as you stared at them. Your eyes trailed down to his v line, before you caught yourself, bringing your eyes back up to meet his. He had the slightest smirk on his face. Was he enjoying this?

"My pants too." There that voice was again. It was the kind of voice that could make you do anything, but did he really need all this help? Or was he just finding an excuse for you to undress him.

Once again, you sighed (not that you didn't enjoy this) and let your hands reach for the buckle of his belt as you slowly pulled his pants down, maintaining eye contact. God, you wanted him to kiss you so badly right now. You helped guide his pants off as he slipped his feet out and broke the silence,

"Guess this is the part where you turn away."

You chuckled. You figured this was where this would stop. As you turned away and heard him step into the shower, the shower curtain closing behind him, you heard his quick screams from the cold temperature of the water, making you laugh.

"Fuck, this is cold. I don't even want a shower, I want a warm bath." Another sigh escaped your mouth. God, he was picky. You heard him clog the drain and turn the water to fill it up for a bath.

"Okay, Itachi. I'm leaving now. Enjoy your bath, shower, whatever."

"No, please don't go." You saw him sitting in the tub as he slightly opened the shower curtain to face you. You were confused.

"You want me to stay? And do what exactly?" It was 8:15 and Hiroto was coming soon to pick you up.

"Please. Just stay. I need you." He suddenly seemed like he was on the verge of crying. Guess drunk Itachi had some serious mood swings. Despite his sudden mood change, you couldn't help but feel sorry for him, sitting in the half-filled tub as his eyes watered. Maybe he was drunk so early for a reason; trying to numb whatever was going on.

You walked closer, resting your hand on his as you stooped down, meeting his eye level. He took a deep breath before speaking,

"Y/n, can you... Um," he paused.

"What is it?" Your thumb was stroking his hand now without you even realizing.

"Can you.. get in?"

You blushed and your eyes widened.

"You want me to get in with you? And take a bath?" You asked. He nodded. The tub was almost full with bubbles from the soap, covering Itachi as he opened the shower curtain.

"You don't have to, I'm sor-"

You cut him off. "Turn around." He faced the opposite direction as you took off your clothes and submerged yourself in the bath, underneath the bubbles so you were completely covered.

"Is this good?" You asked. He turned to face you, a small smile forming on his face.

What the fuck was happening. You were sitting completely naked in a bathtub with Itachi right now. This was pretty much all you ever wanted and you couldn't believe it.

"Closer." He slurred, still clearly drunk and full of regret that wouldn't come until tomorrow morning. You could tell Itachi had no filter when he was drunk. Is this why he was making a move now? Your eyes widened even more as you scooted closer to him, moving through the bubbles to sit down right next to him.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really drunk and can't do anything right n-ow. Can you wash my hair?" He asked, his voice hoarse and tired.

'Really?' You thought in your head. This is what he asked you to get in the tub completely naked for? Or was he just coming up with an excuse?

You eyed him down as your eyebrows furrowed. He let his hair loose as he turned around, his back facing you and insisting you helped him. You sighed. You then grabbed the shower head and began rinsing his hair and then scrubbing it with shampoo.

As you sat there, both of you vulnerable and Itachi seemingly on the verge of crying, you realized how intimate the moment you two were sharing was. He sat in between your thighs as your inner thighs gripped the sides of his torso. His hands gripped your legs gently and your hands massaged his head with shampoo as you sensually touched his neck and behind his ear.

You scooted slightly closer to him, massaging his head with conditioner now, as you allowed your head to rest on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to acknowledge your presence as he half-smiled, looking at you with awe. And that was the majority of the bath. You two just staring into each other's eyes as you helped him wash himself.

The rest of the night until your date with was Hiroto was very PG 13. Surprisingly. Itachi was actually too drunk to make any sudden movements onto you although he wanted to. When he gets drunk, he gets real with his emotions and the way he feels towards people. You didn't know this yet, though. After the bath you both closed your eyes when you were hopping out, went to get dressed and departed into your separate rooms.

You changed quickly, getting ready for your date, but the entire time, you couldn't process the events of tonight and the fact that you wanted to stay here with Itachi taking care of him. As you got ready to leave, you decided to stop by his room and make sure he was okay. This wasn't a usual thing, because as said before, you two never told each other when you were going or when you came home.

Still, you felt the need to tell him. As you walked in, Itachi was sitting on the bed in nothing but grey sweatpants. You stared at his crotch before quickly pulling your eyes away to meet his, noticing that he was more sober than before. Still, very tired.

"Are you okay?" You asked.

He nodded, smiling which caused you to blush after remembering the intimate moment you two just had. And now, you had to let him know you were about to leave to go on a date.

Usually you'd be glad to try and make him jealous, but something felt different tonight. You actually felt like Itachi maybe liked you and was too nervous to say anything. So yeah, you didn't feel to tell him goodbye, but it had to happen anyway.

"Thank you for taking care of me. I don't usually get that sappy when I'm drunk." He chuckled slightly, clearly showing he was sort of embarrassed from his emotions spilling out.

"Don't worry. I'm always here for you," you replied. He gazed up to look at you and your eyes widened. You meant that you were always here as in here in the house if he needed help. But the way it came out seemed like you were there for him emotionally, which wasn't entirely wrong. It just showcased your feelings a bit too much.

But who cared anyways, you two had just taken a bath together and you were clearly not on the same terms you normally were. Now this was something more.

"Well,," awkward silence overcame both of you after your comment. "I'm leaving now."

He sighed. "It's a date right? That's where you're going?"

You hadn't told him where you were going but clearly, he could tell by your vague explanation. You nodded slowly. He sighed again.

"I'm sorry. Bye, Itachi." You began walking out the door.

"Y/n wait!"

You looked behind you to see Itachi stood up walking towards you, blushing as he maintained eye contact.

"Don't go on that date."

"Why?" You were confused but hopeful that he was about to confess something to you.

"You know why."

What? Was he serious? After all of this, asking you to bathe with him, asking you to wash his hair and being completely intimate with you, this was all he could say? You needed more.

"Then say it."

His gaze dropped to the floor as he now struggled to maintain eye contact. You realized nothing else was coming out of his mouth and you scoffed, embarrassed for believing that he might actually care.

"Fine. Goodbye, Itachi."

You began walking out of his room when suddenly his hand grabbed your wrist, pulling you close to him, your chest pressing against his. He leaned close and whispered in your ear,

"I don't.. want to say it. But I can show you?" His voice was hoarse as it tickled your neck. You nodded. I mean, what else would you do? Say no? Obviously not.

He moved to meet you eye to eye, staring at your lips as he slowly leaned in, his breath shaking. His lips touched yours, gently and slowly kissing you in small pecks, before he parted his lips and let his tongue swirl into yours. He pulled away, resting his forehead on yours and you broke the silence,

"So this is why you want me to stay?"

He nodded, but you were suspicious. You lifted your forehead from his.

"So if you liked me then why do you always avoid me when we literally live together?" You asked. He intertwined his fingers with yours.

"Because, y/n, believe it or not I'm actually very shy. Just have a hard time saying things. And you make me nervous. Not when I'm drunk though... That's probably why I'm being so forward tonight." You chuckled at what he said. It was almost perfect, seeing him vulnerable like this while under your touch, your hands on his shoulders as he held your cheeks.

"Stay. Please." There was that commanding voice again. The voice that would pretty much make you do anything. You stared at him, contemplating whether to stay or not.

"I'm still sort of drunk, and I just want to fall asleep next to you. Please." He paused. "Be mine and stay."

This request excited you. 'Be mine and stay'. It made you want to ditch whatever that guy's name was (because at this point you couldn't think of anything but Itachi and his face) and stay here with him, wrapped in his arms for the rest of the night under his covers.

And so you stayed.

[captnjacksparrow]

hi 🐣 why and when do you think Sasuke decided to abandon his revolution and the path of loneliness? when did they wake up after the battle or when naruto confessed that he felt his pain?

Like I said in many of my posts, Sasuke is someone who says something and does entirely a different thing... His Mind says something... For example, if he says "I've always Hated you, Naruto" but then his Body ended up moving on it's own to protect him.... And if you ask the reason to Sasuke as to why he did what he did.... he would simply say a convincing reason... Like that time Sasuke was ready to offer his lunch during the Bell Test but patched it up with a suitable excuse...

This is who Sasuke is... From Chapter 3 to Chapter 698 right until the moment he says, 'I...Lost'... (This is not only for SNS.... It’s for everything)

With that being said,

When did Sasuke decided to abandon his revolution and his path of loneliness?

Before answering this question.... I would like to go back to VoTE1 battle and explain about the important sequence which clearly explains what kind of a person Sasuke is....

We all know that Sasuke after fighting with Naruto, was seen walking in the rain with a dejected and painful face, Right? 

Well, how could he keep a straight face after having an emotional battle with Naruto??

And while walking in the rain, he recollects his happy memories he had with his Parents and his Brother.... And then right after that he thought about his Dead Parents and then he was recollecting this above panel.

Here Itachi is stating, "I killed my Friend to obtain this Mangekyo Sharingan as instructed in that Stone Tablet. And if you want to obtain this power in order to surpass me... to kill me, you have to kill your closest friend... Like I did"

It's almost like Itachi was challenging "I destroyed something to gain something... Can you also do that?"

After much contemplation...

Sasuke says, "I will not do as you want me to! I will gain power my way. I will surpass you in my own way."

So, This shows that Sasuke doesn't want to follow Itachi's footsteps to obtain Mangekyo Sharingan... And hence He will not kill his Friend to obtain more power and that he will find another way, a painful way. 

And after 2.5 Years.... When Naruto met Sasuke in Orochimaru lair, he was screaming at Sasuke’s face as to why he left him alive... to which Sasuke said...

“I simply didn’t want to give him the pleasure of seeing me attain power by submitting to his plans”

So, the reason he left Naruto alive was because he didn’t want to follow Itachi’s footsteps... Or atleast that’s when he decided he wasn’t going to kill Naruto, Right??? 

Well, I completely disagree.... 

Sasuke left Naruto alive.... Not because of the reason he didn’t want to follow Itachi’s footsteps... But Because HE SIMPLY COULDN’T.... Not wanting to follow Itachi’s footsteps is merely an excuse or to be more accurate, it’s a lie he was saying to himself... 

And Why do I say this...???

This above scene happens much before Sasuke deciding to follow his own path.... While he was punching his Chidori against Rasengan, instead of ramming his hands right into Naruto’s chest... he balled up his fists and lessened the damage he could inflict upon Naruto. THIS IS A VERY DELIBERATE ACT AND HE CLEARLY CAN’T ABLE TO LOOK STRAIGHT AT NARUTO’S EYES AND KILL HIM... Itachi’s path has nothing to do with this act...

Okay, let’s ignore this moment for a moment... 

Let’s move on to the next one...

This is the next scene we get right after they stuck their powerful Jutsu against each other... 

A Moment of Truth in their Subconscious plane... 

A Seal of Reconciliation. 

Now what does this mean anyway??? How is this relevant to this context???

“The Unison sign indicates that you recognize each other as Comrades”

So it’s a sign which indicates that.... the fight they had with each other was just a friendly sparring but at the end of the day, they see each other as Comrades with no hatred or ill-will. 

But when N and S were 8 years old... They were made to spar against each other and when they were about to do the Seal of Unison...

They simply couldn’t do the seal because of their Ego..... 

But in reality, 

They both admired and liked each other.... But they simply couldn’t accept how they feel inside and come to terms with it... 

But somehow in that subconscious plane.... [[Sorry to repeat the panel]]

They want to do this Seal of Reconciliation. Meaning, The Battle in VoTE1 is something, both N and S never wanted to have in the first place but it happened anyway... However, they always wanted to be Friends despite not being able to accept it out loud. 

Sasuke’s mind says to Kill Naruto but his Heart (Body) says not to do it... 

Okay, Let’s ignore this also, for now... 

Right after they connected with each other through the White Bubble space, We get this....

This is another chance where Sasuke could’ve easily finished off Naruto... All he had to do is to take a Kunai and stuck him while he was knocked off... Simple. No Pain at all...

But Why didn’t he do it??? 

Because he simply couldn’t... Even at this moment Itachi’s path has nothing to do with it... 

There are literally 3 deliberate acts from Sasuke’s side where he had every chance to kill him.... But he didn’t proceed with it.

And you want me to believe that

This is the reason he couldn’t able to Kill Naruto??? 

No way... 

Sasuke never wanted to travel in the path Itachi challenged him to do. Which is why he left the Village without saying anything to anyone... But out of desperate measures, he decided to travel that path half-heartedly by agreeing to fight with Naruto in VoTE1 to get Mangekyo(which explains why he rammed Chidori into Naruto’s chest)... But as the battle prolonged further and further, he simply couldn’t travel on that path anymore... Because he completely lost the resolve to kill Naruto. Itachi’s path has nothing to do with it... That was just the reason/excuse/lie he was saying to himself as to why he didn’t kill Naruto.

And you could totally consider this as my take or interpretation.... 

But Lo and Behold Kishimoto also says the same thing in this Interview, Which I’ll requote it here... 

“Sasuke’s reason for not killing Naruto (back in VoTE), according to himself; is because he didn’t want to follow Itachi’s steps of gaining the Magenkyou Sharingan. But is this really the truth inside himself? We can make a bet that this is not really what was going on in his heart. At the moment when they clashed in battle, they have entered in “Inside the heart scenario” (the white scenario with sparkles and all). We have seen them as kids that have linked their hands. Even if he braced himself to [deny(eliminate)] (the feelings inside) his heart, he couldn’t go into the process of [eliminating] it. By rationalizing, claiming that he didn’t want to follow Itachi’s steps, was lying to himself, he was violating his own inner feelings and thoughts, saying a lie that he could accept it to himself.

However, the “Inside the heart scenario” is not like that. It’ll show to Sasuke the truth that he hadn’t seen it before. And this truthfulness will become something credible.”

[[I promise you, Just recently I found that this interview matches up with My take on Sasuke’s character (which I made long back).]]

Let me requote.... 

By rationalizing, claiming that Sasuke didn’t want to follow Itachi’s steps, was lying to himself, he was violating his own inner feelings and thoughts, saying a lie that he could accept it to himself.

“Without Food, He’ll just be in the way and that will only hurt us...”

Isn’t this a lie he was saying to himself by violating his own inner feelings and thoughts???? Sasuke offered his lunch to Naruto because he couldn’t see Naruto suffering from Hunger... Team 7 spirit has nothing to do with it. 

“If you and I get defeated now, that’ll mean the end of everything...”

Isn’t this another lie???? 

Come On!!! Do you really think Sasuke cares so much about everything that’s happening around him??? Especially when he was ready to run away with Naruto (and Jugo) knowing full well that Tailed Beasts bombs are going to destroy the entire alliance?? As Far as I know, He gave Jackshit to the other people...

And there are so many scenes where you can see Sasuke display this behaviour. Sorry.... Not so many scenes... It’s his entire Characterization. Which I’ve talked about it extensively in here and here. 

This Lying to Oneself concept can be applied for Sasuke for everything... Be it for SNS, for Itachi or whatever... BUT JUST NOT FOR SS... I checked thoroughly and I couldn’t find anything.

But hey!!! If you are a Pro-Sasuke or a Pro-Uchiha stan, those posts will not be to your liking... Because I deliberately mocked them all. So, tread carefully. 

Now... to answer your Question as to when did Sasuke decided to abandon his Revolution and the Path of Loneliness... ??? 

It’s when Sasuke deliberately switched off his Sharingan when he was looking at Naruto’s eyes.

This scene is very similar to how Sasuke balled up his fists while punching his Chidori in VoTE1.

Even if he didn’t entirely abandon his Revolution, At this moment, Sasuke atleast unconsciously realized that he can’t be Lonely or his heart never wanted to be Lonely at all... What he is currently doing (this battle) is exactly opposite of what he wants to do. Considering the fact that after this he was preparing to throw his final blow at Naruto which is just a last straw to accept his real feelings entirely.

And Finally Sasuke did what he always wanted to do... From back when he was a child... 

He accepted his real feelings which he fought so hard.... And Found Love... As Rikkudou Sennin said.

As for why did he abandon his Revolution and his path of Loneliness?

It’s simply because he realized his dreams are not worth it at the expense of killing his last living Bond... And also his Dreams are kind of Self-Destructive and he was always unsure.... 

It all comes down to... ‘Yes, My dreams are important to me.... But you are more important than my Dream’... 

Just like that time he put away his dreams to protect Naruto in Land of the Waves.... 

Just like that time he put away his dreams to obtain Powers... And Instead he was ready to offer his Body to Orochimaru at the expense of his own Death....

Just like this time too...

[panharmonium]

the other thing that i keep thinking about, especially now that i’ve been knee-deep in conversation about kakashi’s father for the last couple days, is the amount of politically/socially-charged context kakashi must be constantly navigating as a leaf shinobi, even though we don’t get to see much of it.  

the transformation of the hidden leaf village is obviously still a work in progress, and society never changes overnight.  we’ve heard at various points in shippuden about the still-present divide between hardliners like danzo and the (somewhat) more moderate senju line, and it’s clear that there are still plenty of reactionary/conservative forces at work in the shinobi world, which means there are absolutely still segments of the population who would view the kind of challenge that kakashi and his students pose to traditional shinobi values as a threat.  and back when kakashi first chose to reaffirm his father’s principles, i’m sure it was much worse - the way minato tells it, the entire village and the land of fire turned on sakumo, and it’s not like all those people just disappeared when kakashi finally allowed himself to recognize that all of them were doing something wrong.  they were still there.  they were his neighbors.  they were his colleagues.  he had to live with them.  he had to work with them - he had to work FOR them, even.  to this day, he still does.

like.  i am FASCINATED by the complexities of this situation, even though we barely see any of it.  just...thinking about thirteen year-old kakashi being a member of the Jonin Assembly alongside all of these grown adults who persecuted his father until the “great man who everyone looked up to” couldn’t survive it any longer.  thinking about teenage kakashi lost and “waiting to die” in the anbu black ops, but still breaking every rule to rescue little tenzo from a hardline conservative who tried to have kakashi assassinated.  thinking about adult kakashi, still a member of that same Jonin Assembly, still working alongside people he can clearly remember harassing and attacking his father for saving their lives, being asked to serve as a clandestine hokage under danzo’s nose, because foreign nations trust kakashi where they don’t trust the actual nominee, and then being nominated for real when danzo turns up dead (and having his nomination approved, i might add, by the land of fire, whose government officially blamed kakashi’s father for the damage that resulted from that abandoned mission years before).

we only get hints about the lingering controversy surrounding kakashi and his family via danzo and, occasionally, the village elders, but like.  kakashi occupies such a complex place in the hidden leaf village, because he’s become incredibly respected and renowned by many (if not most) of its residents, but he also spends every day of his life moving within a community where many (if not most) of the older people around him participated in a campaign of vicious harassment against his father, one that ultimately led to his death.  some of them may have had changes of heart after sakumo’s suicide - that seems like the kind of thing that might have shocked some people into reevaluating their positions, particularly given how respected sakumo was prior to that time - and some of them probably died later in the war, but we know there’s still a conservative faction active in the hidden leaf village, and some of those people are always going to be who they are.  and even the people who aren’t - even the ones who regret how they acted - it’s still so complicated!  how do you continue to live and work in that environment?  how do you navigate a history of being harmed in that way, when you still have to collaborate with and/or serve the same people who did the harming, some of whom likely view you with the exact same disdain they had for your father?

kakashi manages it, somehow, though i’ll bet he has complicated feelings about it, even if he keeps them to himself.  and that’s yet another reason why (if i can just take these thoughts on a slight detour to the present) i think kakashi’s relationship with sasuke is so vitally important, especially moving forward.  sasuke’s family was wronged by the village too, in horrific, unforgivable ways - the shinobi system swallowed itachi whole and sacrificed the entire uchiha clan on the altar of a mission, in exactly the kind of evil, inhuman decision-making process that sakumo and obito and kakashi said could never be justified.  the uchiha were victims of the same shinobi system that drove kakashi’s father to his death - the one that said “everything is acceptable as long as the task at hand is accomplished.  people are disposable in service to a mission.”  both sasuke and kakashi’s families fell to a cultural context that refused to acknowledge that it is never okay to sacrifice your comrades for a mission, a cultural context that embraced this belief to the point where even literal genocide became excusable.

if sasuke is ever going to really and truly Come Home, he’s going to need to learn how to navigate this situation.  not to excuse the wrong that was done, and certainly not to give up on getting justice for himself and his clan, but also to figure out, in conjunction with these important tasks, how to continue existing in an environment where so much officially-sanctioned harm was done to his person, and where so many people around him have at least a little bit of history of being suspicious of or uncharitable towards the uchiha clan, even though they obviously didn’t know about the impending coup or danzo’s extermination order.  

it’s an incredibly complicated situation, and even if kakashi doesn’t have all the answers, he can at least understand what it feels like to be in that kind of position.  he’s been navigating something like this for many, many years.  he’s the precedent, someone who can help sasuke wrestle with the perhaps unanswerable questions of how am i supposed to dedicate myself to a place that wronged me like this?  why should i protect people who hurt me so badly?  is there even a way for me to move forward here, if i can’t forgive the ones who took my family away from me?  can this actually be my home again, when i know what it did to my people?

kakashi has obviously managed to come up with answers to these questions that enable him to stay integrated in his community and keep building a future he believes in, though I doubt any of his answers are simple, and i’m sure there are some things that he’s just had to accept will never be fully settled in his heart.  it’s like what he says to obito in an episode i watched recently: “i don’t know anything for sure, either...i’ve thought that this world is hell, too...but...”  it’s the but that matters.  even in the face of confusion and complexity, kakashi has found a way to keep moving.  he’s learned to co-exist with the uncertainty and discomfort surrounding him, and to make his own meaning out of this life, regardless of how complicated his internal relationship with the village might be.  he’s found a way to keep his eyes trained on the light, whatever that light might look like for him, and even if said light is only, as gaara says, “the faintest glimmer.”  he has so much to teach someone like sasuke, who up until recently was responding to that same plea of gaara’s with a fatalistic “i shut my eyes a long time ago.  the things i seek now lie only in the darkness.” 

anyway.  i am just having Many Thoughts currently about the intricacies of the political and social context that kakashi is always navigating, even though he never says a word about it.  and i’m curious whether this family history will ever come up again in the last fifth of this show.  if i were going on instinct alone, i’d suspect that we weren’t quite done with sakumo yet - i feel like we barely even started with him, to be honest (and also - whatever happened to kakashi’s mother???) - but i should know better at this point than to try and predict what this show is going to do, so i’ll just wait and see.

[falloutdope]

2021

Fic drabble

[...] Shizune started to speak. 

"Ok, as I told you last week, today we're gonna have an interesting exercise to know how the rest see us." 

She thought it shouldn't be necessary to clarify and repeat all her speech having in mind she was working with adults but assumed that wouldn't work since two of them acted like teenagers. 

"On friday I asked you to choose one member of the band for today you have to imitate them." At this point, any collaboration sign was welcomed. 

"Who wants to start?" 

"Me." Hidan immediately answered from his seat with a relaxed and carefree expression, grabbing the backpack next to him to put in on his lap. 

"What a surprise…" Deidara didn't contain a sarcastic tone. 

"Did you say something, Avril Lavigne?" Hidan teased as he pulled a blonde long haired wig from his backpack. 

"The f*ck is that?" Inquired the blonde frowning in bewilderment. 

"Oh lord…" Kisame sighed as he put his palm over his own face with a clear vision of what would be a very near future. 

"Don't you recognize me yet? I'm friggin YOU, asswipe." 

Hidan stood up and started to shout while he waved his now long hair. 

"Oh look at me, I'm always so angry at everyone and everything! I always threat everyone with blowing something up but I'm also a princess!" he said in a mocking tone 

"I'm so beautiful and I'm always whipping my LONG and beautiful HAIR at the FACE of EVERY-F*CKING-ONE because I don't want to use a F*CKING-HAIRBAND." 

"YOU KNOW WHAT?" Deidara cut him visibly upset "I'D ALSO IMITATE YOUR LOOKS BUT SINCE I DON'T WANT TO SPIT SNOT IN MY HAND FOR THE SAKE OF COPING YOUR LAME HAIRSTYLE, I WILL JUST STAND UP IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM AND START TO SCREEeEeEeEeEeEeEEEEEEEAMmmm ("Nice falsetto" appreciated Kisame "An F#5 one" added Itachi) LIKE A F*CKING PSYCHO IGNORING COMPLETELY THE REST OF THE MEMBERS AND NOT GIVING A DAMN SHIT IF THEY WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE F*CKING PLAYING." 

"WELL AT LEAST I HAVE A GODDAMN GOOD VOICE, WICH IS THE ONLY REMARKABLE FEATURE IN THIS LAME BAND." Replied Hidan. 

"AND YOU SHOULD BE THANKING TO YOUR F*CKING GOD YOU HAVE THAT CAUSE IS THE ONLY REMARKABLE THING YOU HAVE," Pointed out Deidara. "YOU CAN'T EVEN PLAY A STUPID TAMBOURINE FOR GOOD." 

"OH I COULD USE A KNIFE AND PLAY YOUR F*CKING VOCAL CHORDS LIKE A VIOLIN" threatened Hidan. 

"Shall we stop now?" Kisame almost begged Shizune whose immediate answer was "Oh no, let them continue." 

"WELL, THE ONLY GOOD USE FOR THAT BRAINLESS HEAD OF YOURS WOULD BE A BOX DRUM" 

"Can't you see they are about to kill each other?" Insisted Kisame. 

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." She remained calm. 

"No." Itachi said as he stood up and drew the attention of the fighting pair "You two need to stop NOW." His voice was deep, calm but firm "This is enough. This activity was supposed to help us relate better and you are just making it an excuse to keep arguing. We're not going anywhere like this." 

"Did you hear that?" Hidan blurted, squinting towards Itachi "The 'im-so-smart-i-have-to-take-every-fucking-thing-seriously' honors us by speaking to us, what must've we done good!!" said in a sardonic tone. 

"I'm so intelligent I don't even need to be here but I have to because my therapist says so" Deidara mocked.

The Uchiha wasn't upset at all "You two are here for the same reason." 

Hidan ignored him completely and went on "OHHHHH ENVY ME! I'M MOMMA KISAME, THE ONLY SANE MEMBER OF THIS GROUP!! OH AND I ALSO NEVER HAVE TIME FOR REHEARSALS SO the f*ck are you doing here?" 

Kisame looked tired and disappointed. "You know that doesn't hurt me, don't you? Also I can't manage my schedule, you know I'm here just to help you guys--" 

"Then quit acting like our damn mom!" interrupted him the blonde "Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re entitled to do so!!" 

"Then quit acting like a pair of dumbass toddlers." Kisame stated. 

“You two, the ‘so-mature’ ones, why haven't you done the stupid exercise yet?" Pointed out Hidan. 

"Must be because mom and dad don't play with toddlers” added Deidara. 

"No, it's not necessary they do." Shizune declared while taking notes in her notebook. "WHY!?" Hidan protested. 

"Because I could clearly see how much you love and care for each other already" 

Hidan kept his eyes on the woman but leaned towards Deidara's side and mumbled "B*tch is on drugs." Deidara looked at him and held back a laugh.

[...]

[mixelation]

hmm would rather this not be rbed-->

There's a certain brand of fandom Disc Horse that drives me batty, and it mostly revolves around intentions VS actual outcome. Example: Itachi made what he felt was the best call in an impossible situation (intentions okay!), but also we can all agree the outcome was spectacularly bad. And people will get into arguments about whether or not this makes him a bad person, but the actuality is more complicated than that.

In a less extreme example (because mass murder is... well, I'm not going to argue that Itachi is a good person LMAO)-- imagine your friend is having a hard time, so you make them a meal. You happen to use ingredients your friend can't eat, which ultimately just stresses your friend further. Your actions clearly had negative consequences, but that doesn't necessarily make you a bad person. We have to look at the wider context-- could you have been reasonably expected to know your friend couldn't eat that? Have they told you repeatedly and you haven't bothered to listen? Did you react responsibly (maybe take the food back so they don't feel guilty tossing it, and offer to redo the meal if they like, sending them the ingredients first, or offer up some other way to help them), or did you whine to your friend about how you were just trying to help and now they're making YOU feel bad?

For some reason in fandom, people will refuse to look to any sort of wider context and either cite only the consequences or only the intentions. This is when you get takes like "character Y is being SO CRUEL to character X even though character X was trying their hardest!" or "character X is LITERALLY SUCH AN ABLEIST ABUSER. it doesn't MATTER they didn't know about character Y's hitherto unmentioned allergy; they should have checked ahead of time!!!"

I get extra annoyed when people try to apply this discourse across scales where intentions matter less and less. An entire fucking government is not held to the same standards as a single person; here I would strongly argue intentions matter even less. In fiction stories about politics tend to focus on singular characters and so people often want to find those single actors sympathetic, but when you're arguing the morality of their actions.... well, if the consequences are damaging to entire swathes of people, it doesn't matter to those people one shit if their leader was trying their hardest, does it? But at the same time, because it's fiction, we can recognize Leader Z was trying their best to do good and... well, they still screwed over lots of people. Are they a good person or a bad person? Does it matter? I think in fiction we can recognize individual actors are good people but that their overall organization ultimately was not. IE-- to keep Naruto example going-- I don't have a problem with the reading that Hiruzen ultimately isn't an evil person, but to argue his administration as a whole wasn't an agent of evil in how it failed so many of its citizens just because "he was trying but Zetsu/Danzo/the cycle of hatred--" is like. Shortsighted, imho.

anyway tl;dr standard wank about how fans refuse to engage in nuance, boohoo :'(

[tarithenurse]

In the eyes

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Uchiha Itachi x fem!reader Content: Feels. Angst. Loss. Love. Reference to killing (war and murder). Captivity. Sorrow. Hope. Anger. You name it, it’s there. A/N: I just want to say in my defence that this story isn’t my fault. Blame @maladaptive-ninja-returns​...it’s her birthday present (yes, I’m late)!

In the eyes

The steam is long gone together with your interest in the drink when you drain the cup of tea as the black-haired man gets up to leave. The cape hides what he’s missing – if only it was his leg instead – that way you wouldn’t have to keep the distance to the bare minimum, constantly risking him discovering that you’re following him. It doesn’t help to complain, though: he’s alive and mobile...and you have to watch your every move.

Volunteering for the assignment has probably been one of the more masochistic choices you’ve made, but you just couldn’t let the last Uchiha go yet.

For years, watching the kid grow older had kept a wound alive that no one knew about. It festered, saturating you with a sickening, rotten, sadness that never washed off but wasn’t detected by your peers. You should have let it heal. Should have moved on. But there had always been something keeping you from accepting what everyone else had decided must be true.

You weren’t the only one dealing with grief, of course. The life of a Leaf ninja was to say goodbye too soon and then to live with the numbing ache, renewed each time memories stirred.

Before the fourth war, the newfangled gossip of the dead returning was treated as ghost stories by most people until the climax of it all, when too many stood face to face with loved ones. Lost ones. And you were too weak to prevent the hope from being rekindled, so once peace was a reality and all the shinobis prepared to celebrate in the chaotic haze of the aftermath, you made a decision.

That is why, three seconds after the door closes behind Uchiha Sasuke, you get up...

...and sit right down again to avoid pressing against the sharp blade of the person suddenly appearing beside you.

The newcomer’s face is hidden partially under the wide-rimmed hat and the rest behind a dark and tattered cloak. Glancing down, a hand with purple-painted nails slips the kunai into the darkness of the cloak, leaving you with the knowledge that it’s there.

There’s no doubt in your mind that this is a shinobi. Where did you come from? Admittedly, there are others frequenting the little tea house because it’s a popular stop at a major crossroads...even if it mainly services those without national affiliations. None of the rest of the clientele reacts to the scene unfolding discreetly and you have no wish to catch their attention before you know what and who you’re dealing with.

“What do you want?”

It takes a second before you realize the question isn’t asked by you. Another one to recover from the smooth dusk that is the stranger’s voice. A voice with a hint of familiarity in the timbre which you decide must be your mind playing games.

“Nothing. I’m no enemy of yours,” you try to placate them, silently counting the seconds worth of head start separating you from Sasuke, “and I hold nothing of value...you should let me go.”

The tickle of a laugh surprises you. “If I’d wanted your possessions, they’d already be mine. I want answers, Konoha-girl.”

The headband you carry is hidden under your clothes, well out of sight from any prying eyes. Finally giving up on stalking your initial target, you turn your undivided attention to the person who has seated them-self before you.

The little skin you can see is pale, and a few black strands have escaped the slack ponytail and fallen in front of the face where only chin and jawline is visible. As if knowing your annoyance, the head is tipped slightly, allowing you to glimpse soft, gently smiling lips. Kissable. The thought jars you.

“I recommend you give up that wish.” No one should be able to hear the nervousness in your voice...but the stranger smirks. “My business is my own.”

“Not when it involves him,” they says, inclining the hat towards the door where Uchiha left.

You’re out to get him? You almost feel sorry for this fool who clearly doesn’t have a clue about the one-armed ninja’s identity.

“Don’t be mistaken,” the person smiles as if reading your thoughts, “I know who he is and what he’s capable of, after all...he’s my brother.”

Calmly meeting your gaze, the eyes meeting you flash red.

...

“Don’t look an Uchiha in the eyes”. It was the warning that was whispered into your ears as soon as you were big enough to run errands on your own. Naturally, you had to do it, and what met you was not as demonic as the warning stories had made you think – rather, they were kind, and wiser than the smooth face hinted at – although you never looked another Uchiha in the eyes just to be on the safe side.

It was impossible to discern the colour. Some days, they seemed leaden as if the rain clouds were gathered inside the boy too. A few times, in the morning when he watched where his fists struck the wood, the sparks from the cozy fire of the evening before still lingered in the warmest of black. What you loved the most, though, was when the gaze was locked onto infinity and they were soft like liquid.

...

Everything is different: the stuffy tea room with its noisy patrons has been replaced by somewhere deserted that seems to be carved out of grey stone.

How did I get here? Careful to move as little as possible, you take in the new surroundings only to find the place empty and with only one way in and out. A dull cold has already seeped into your feet as you stand there, lost as your bearings have nothing to latch on to – the only light is a torch in a wall sconce to your left.

Feet. They are bare, and a quick pat-down reveals that all of your weapons, your belt, and your headband have been stripped from you too. The sensation is uncanny, akin to nakedness. The logic behind it is obvious as it reduces the chances of a successful escape even if you were to make it out and establish a route.

On the other hand: you’re unharmed and unbound.

Turning, you have no doubt that the wooden door is locked but of course you go over to try, heart frozen near your throat when you push against it with your shoulder. Surprisingly, it does open and the screaming hinges sets the tiniest hairs on your body on end.

“Not wasting any time, Konoha-girl.”

You recognize the voice and the decorated nails on the hand that appears to pull open the door completely, and not just from the rest stop but from years of aching recollections that have been warped by watching Sasuke grow up with this man’s shadow lingering over his life. Over your life.

No. There’s no way. He died. Now your heart jackhammers a frenzied rhythm.

It’s a fool’s hope that powers the jab towards his neck. An idiot’s dream urging you to sprint past him. At least I tried, a bitter thought comments the moment both attempts are thwarted as a rib-crushing kick sends your tumbling backwards and you land sprawled in the middle of the room.

The ceiling is still spinning, it seems, when you sense the man’s presence loom over you. The fingers are cool (and surprisingly gentle) as the curl around the back of your skull, fingers digging into your hair to grant a tight grip to pull you closer by. Very close. A hand’s length separates the tips of your noses and you want to be oblivious to the way his mouth curves softly.

“You’re not leaving,” he whispers, “until I say so.”

Feeling and strength are beginning to return to your arms, including a sharp ache in your chest that grows with every shallow breath which you try to ignore. Should have restrained me, fool...and the thought dies there as everything shifts and the ground swallows your limbs.

“N-no...how...? No!”

He watches your struggles lazily before releasing his grip and sitting down next to you on the hard floor. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

But you did. Wait...no! You haven’t...it wasn’t you...it can’t have been...

“You lie about your identity,” you scoff, regretting the outburst immediately as pain stabs coldly into your side, “so excuse me for not trusting you on this either.” There is a little smile there on his lips, full of sadness and regret that makes your insides cringe momentarily until you have the breath to explain to him (or yourself) why it can’t be true: “Uchiha Itachi has been killed!”

“Yes...and then I was brought back.” He’s impossibly calm as though he’s simply discussing the weather. “Twice.”

Double reanimated? As if! The war had been a horror to live through and would have been without people facing their deceased comrades and family members on the battlefield. However, once destroyed or sealed, none of the animated dead had walked again and all of them had been dealt with properly in the end.

Looking at the ninja, none of the signs of reanimation are prominent. On the other hand...even if they had been, you might not even notice it now that you meet the man’s gaze and the liquid infinity there.

“I could show you...but I’m afraid your mind can’t take the strain in your current state,” the so-called Itachi explains.

Mind, your aching heart still reels from fear of being broken once more, this is all in my mind.

Zoning out everything else, you focus on the flow of chakra within. Calming it, soothing it, until abruptly forcing the flow to revert. It feels as if your very soul drops for a second but the moment it returns to its place, the world is no longer made up of lies and imaginary sensations...and you’re still lying on the ground in a room made of stone, your ribs feeling as if they’re speared by frost. The only improvement is that at least your limbs are free.

And Itachi? Yes, you have to call him that because deep within you can’t deny it any longer.

The official reports hadn’t been released by the time you left Konoha and you’re not high enough up in the ranks as a shinobi to get the juicy information unless it’s necessary for a mission – and since your missions tend to be B or simpler A rank...well, I guess my current mission’s a bust but this is an important discovery!

A silky chuckle refocuses your attention. “Very good...I suppose I must strengthen my genjutsu against you.”

He’s so close, you could touch him. Shifting to lean against the wall, he rests his arms casually on the knees and begins to pick at the chapping nail polish.

“No need to,” you bite back a groan as you roll over to sit up, “I take it that’s how you got me here?” Pretty eyes are watching your every move as he nods in agreement. “Hm. It’ll probably be useless to ask where we are, so...why? Why show yourself now?”

Sitting cross legged, you find the pain lessens if you pull your clothes and arms tightly around your torso, restricting the depth of your breathing. Broken or bent ribs? Not that it really matters. First of all, he would be able to beat you in a fight anyways; secondly, even if you got out of here you wouldn’t know where “here” is; and third (but not least), you don’t really want to run from him.

Rather than answer, Itachi stands up and holds out his left hand for you. Puzzled, you take it. Soft fingers curl around yours and he pulls you to your feet, studying your movements and the twisting facial expressions.

He doesn’t let go.

Not when he guides you out the door and into a hallway shaped of the same kind of stone as the room was made of. Carved from.

Not when he slows down at the sound of the squeaky breathing the pace forces from you.

There doesn’t seem to be many rooms along the winding path. Here and there a door bars the way or you catch a glimpse of a dead-end that looks as though the excavation was abandoned or even disrupted by cave-ins.

You do your best to memorize the path, but frankly, your mind is getting fuzzy from pain and exhaustion. You have no sense of time, just hunger and tiredness weighing you down to indicate the loss of many hours.

“Just a bit longer, [Y/N],” Itachi soothes.

When did I tell him my name? You want to ask or at least protest, but it would be a choice between talking or getting to wherever he’s leading you...and you doubt he’ll let you pause.

A few dozen steps later and a short flight of stairs up, he ushers you through a door into a room that looks like a mix between a kitchen and work station. A fire is the only light and heat source (the smoke venting up through a chimney too narrow to be an escape route), casting a warm glow over the solid wooden table and chairs. Everything else is hewn from whatever mountain you’re inside.

“Sit,” your captor finally releases the grip and points at a chair near the fire and you obediently do as you’re told.

There are shelves and niches almost hidden in the dancing shadows at first holding with boxes, bundles, and various utensils. He knows where everything is, grabbing a few items before returning and laying it out in the light. Bandages. His movements are fluid and elegant, just like you remembered.

He motions towards your upper body, then turns to tend to the fire. “Strip.”

“That’s really not -”

“Some of your ribs are broken. Restraining them will minimize the pain.”

He’s right. Of course he is.

With clipped movements, you pull off the layers until you hesitate at the poor excuse of a bra. Despite the now roaring fire, the cold from the stone still seeps into your body and raises waves of goosebumps and tightens your nipples. It would be easier to apply the bandages correctly without the last bit of clothing in the way, but right now it feels like the only shield left at your disposal as Itachi turns back to you.

“We’ll work around that,” the man offers softly.

He works quietly at first. Hands winding the linen bandages around you adeptly, pausing each time the ministration intensifies the pain and causes the discomfort to escape as stubborn hisses. The purple nail polish is mesmerizing – simultaneously a contrast to the horrific stories of a killer and perfectly fitting the pretty, nearly feminine, traits you see. Especially the eyes. Sure, they’re filled with a bottomless sadness that you don’t feel comfortable acknowledging, but they’re beautiful. Haunting.

“You’re staring,” he hums without looking up.

Shit. “No. I just -...let’s say you’re who you claim to be,” you try to recover, “why’re you back?”

“To be his watcher.”

“Says who?”

This time, he stops and looks you dead in the eyes. “Otsutsuki Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths.” There are very few proper comebacks to that, so your captor continues without giving you a chance to think of something, “Otsutsuki told me about the bonds of families and that it can transcend blood. He knows hatred can cause – and has caused – too much harm...but something rekindled his hope that it can be overcome.“

I don’t have an eye on Uchiha constantly, but... “Does Sasuke know?” Returning to his work, Itachi avoids your gaze. “He doesn’t...”

“He’s finally found peace and is on the right path...I can’t risk undoing it.”

Bullshit! “Or you’re a coward who doesn’t have the guts to fa-” the rest is cut off as soft fingers tighten around your throat.

Blood-red eyes pierce your mind, numbing you for an eternity or a millisecond.

...

They were a means to reach the goal but their words still hurt as you followed meekly in their footsteps. Snobbery. Disdain. Considering how proud your two team members clearly felt, they had very little to show for their reputation as Uchihas and frankly, it was your skills rather than theirs that ensured successful missions and still, you never once looked them in their face. Instead, you kept an eye out for two other of the clan.

Where one was, so would the other be. Thick as thieves, the boys had found a companionship that complemented their differences in the same manner as the sun and the moon. But as opposed to your teammates who swooned at the brightness of the sun, you were drawn to the night and the calmness it brought whenever that boy was near – each time he met your eyes, time became meaningless.

...

The two of you sit in silence as the steam from the soup caresses your face. Your mind is blank, slowly starting to pick up on the absence of stone walls – wood has replaced the cold surfaces, making it almost unbearably warm with the bandages underneath your layers of clothes – and a plethora of questions begin to press against your conscious only to be held back as most of your thoughts get derailed whenever you look at the man before you.

Without the hat and cloak to conceal him, it’s impossible to ignore all the details you’ve nurtured in your memory for ages, such as the slight pull of his lips as he thinks or the elegance of his movements now that he gets up and refills his bowl from the pot hanging over the fire.

“Why are you following Sasuke?”

You should be diplomatic. “I could ask you the same.” You’re not.

“I already told you,” Itachi shrugs.

“Well I...I don’t believe you.”

But you do. There’s no denying anymore that this man is who he claims to be and so, why would he lie about his purpose? The sad smile. The quiet mannerisms. The idea that Itachi would somehow transcend death to watch over his little brother? That’s a mysterious intricacy that fits with your memories of him from before that night.

“You do...but something else is bothering you.” It’s a statement, not a question. “Am I not what you expected?”

No, you’re not. However, he’s what you remember with a layer of sorrow added on top. He doesn’t get to be sad. The little spark of anger is what you need. You nurse it, feed it until it flares up hot and bright and consumes your regrets and self-pity.

“Expected? I don’t know what I expected from someone like you!” Your voice is rising, shaking with years of frustration. “Clan killer. Murderer. I never told anyone but I was in love with an Uchiha! That night, I’d gone to bed, finally sure that I was gonna tell him but when I woke up...” Something inside you had broken that day and it still hurts now. “They told me how you’d left Sasuke alive...but the boy I loved was gone and no one knew I was mourning. Each time I saw him -” you can’t hold back a strangled sound and you realize, you’re crying -”I saw the ghost of...” The bowl of floating vegetables looks blurry until you blink angrily. “Ugh! But what does a teenager know of love, right? They’ll grow up. Get over it. Except I knew you were out there still and that you had all the answers. Why? The Itachi I remember wasn’t a mindless monster! I was told a story, but it doesn’t make any sense. If all the monster wanted was power then why spare Sasuke? Why did everyone else have to die?”

The inhalations are shallow and rapid, making you dizzy as you cling to the table and the spoon. It burns in your lungs and cheeks.

“I am sorry for the pain, I’ve caused you.”

Your gaze snaps to his face and you know he’s speaking the truth but it doesn’t matter right now.

“Sorry? Sorry?! You don’t get to be sorry! I missed y-...the boy, I loved was gone and it took ages before I could let go and stop mourning, finally accepting the truth had died with you and now...now you’re here? And it’s all back and I don’t understand! How could you?” Itachi doesn’t flinch as you launch the bowl towards him – he doesn’t have to because your aim is off and it clatters to the floor in a shower of shards and wasted food after hitting the wall behind him. “How? The boy I loved was not a monster! He wouldn’t do what they s-”

The echoes of your wheezing shouts ring through the room after the abrupt stop. Holding your breath, you wait for the ground to swallow you whole or for the man at the other end of the table to react and the fear is colder than the burning in your chest.

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” Itachi eventually whispers, “they were just people who had been wronged and misguided until their arrogance made them blind.”

What? That’s not exactly what you had expected. Without explaining further, your captor gets up, handing you his bowl of food before beginning to clean the mess you’ve made.

“Don’t...I’ll get tha-” you begin.

He only has to look at you.

...

The dew had soaked your toes, cooling and soothing them after each kick that you landed on the wood stump. Pine. The new splinters refreshed the scent as they fell to the ground and you knew that birds would rummage through them in the hope of finding a morning snack once the training grounds were free of people again – they were already gathering at the edge of the clearing except for where Itachi stood.

The realization made you stop mid-kick, gaze locked with his and heart fluttering in your chest. How long had he stood there?

“They’re wrong.” You could barely believe he was talking to you. “Your teammates...don’t listen to what they say.”

Before you could ask what he meant, Itachi was gone and maybe it had all been your imagination running free.

...

Sitting up abruptly, it takes a few seconds for your eyes to get used to the low light of the dying embers. Where am I?

Salt and drying seaweed is heavy in the air, somehow worming its way into what appears to be yet another room of stone. No...it’s a cave. You’re sitting on a bedroll splayed out onto the sand filling the place and you have no memory of arriving.

The dark form on the other side of the fire pit makes no move as you slip a hand underneath your shirt to confirm what you already know: the bandages are gone and there’s only a muted tenderness as you prod at the ribs. How long has it been?

“You’re safe,” Itachi’s gentle voice assures, and you feel your pulse slow despite the ominous situation, “go back to sleep.”

Yes. Sleep...hang on! Shaking your head, you fight the urge to succumb to the fuzziness that weighs your thoughts. “Why’re you doing this?” you mumble.

It doesn’t make sense why the man wouldn’t simply get the answers he want and then dispose of you or at the very least leave you locked up somewhere while he keeps following Sasuke from the shadows. Instead, your captor has put an effort into keeping you comfortable. Feeding you.

“I remember you.” His eyes reflect the red coals as they burn into your soul all over again. “Memories don’t do your justice, though.”

...

There is no world beyond the walls of the garden but a red sheet of sky dotted with storm clouds. The sliding doors have been pushed aside, opening the hallway to the view, and you know the wood beneath your bare feet should be silky from decades of use. You can’t feel it. There are no scents either, no breeze to toy with the soft fabric of your yukata, nor insects clicking from the rhododendron.

“This isn’t real.”

“No,” Itachi confirms from behind you, “but here I can create what you need. Who you need.”

Turning at last, there’s no reason to shy away from meeting his gaze even if it matches the fake sky. He looks real – as opposed to the familiarity of the home of your childhood that surrounds the two of you – and the ghost of a smile kindly tries to hide the sadness.

“...need. For what?”

The black strands falling into his face are strangely dull in the nightmarish light. “Closure.”

“That’s not possible.”

Wanting to leave, to run away and avoid what Itachi intends, you find yourself rooted in place by an invisible force. Even turning your face away is impossible and you pray that he doesn’t understand the well of emotions he must be able to see in your eyes.

“This is a chance for you to say goodbye to the one I killed. The one you...love,” he pauses to scrutinize your expression and you try to remain neutral, “because you do. You still love him.”

“You have no right...” swallowing hard, you fight to keep the words back, “no right t-to claim to know what I need!” Finally, you manage to close your eyes but they snap open again at the touch of his fingertips on your forehead. “This isn’t something you get to fix like -”

...

The world has shifted again and you’re back in the ocean side cave. You can feel how uneven the sand is under your knees and shins even with the bedroll to soften the press and some some the grains have found their way in between your toes...but none of that matters because Itachi is still right before you, his fingers gently resting on your brow.

A pop-and-crackle from the fire pit is the only sound other than your shallow breathing. You know, he knows. Eyes widened in nigh-comedic understanding, it’s as if he sees you for the first time.

“I’m sorry, [Y/N].”

You barely manage to whisper, “for what?”

His fingertips send shivers along your spine as they trace a path, allowing him to cradle the back of your neck in his palm.

“Everything” Itachi’s lips brush your cheek, “for breaking your heart in so many ways and for making you think your love was unrequited.”

[belit0]

@heavensbabygirl​

I just found out your blog and I'm in love with it 🥺💞 your writing is really good. If it's not much of a trouble I'd like to ask for a headcanon or scenario about the uchihas (whoever you'd like to choose but pls do Madara 🙏🙏) finding out that their uchiha lover is more powerful than them.

Sorry for my english and thank you so much 🥰🥰

Welcome to my little spot ✨🖤 all my love to you!! Thank you so much, you made my day saying that my writing is really good 😭 here you go beautiful soul, Uchiha shower 4 u✨

Indra

This man would be angry, really fuming at the situation. Whoever it is, no one can dare to be stronger than him, unless they are looking to risk their lives.

He goes away for days without explanation after discovering the power of his beloved, and is consumed with indignation and anger. Just because someone has a minimal place in his life does not give that person the right to humiliate him.

When he returns he is surrounded by a terribly dark aura, something frightening and terrifying. The man who dominated his lover on the floor during their training to end up getting one’ s mouth on an intimate kiss… no longer exists.

His countenance is apprehensive, hard and cold.“ We’ll fight, right now. ”

During the battle, it is clear from the first moment that Indra does not hold back one bit. His intentions are in fact murderous. Even if he is confronting his lover, the fact that the latter has disrespected him in this way… he will not tolerate it.

He is clearly stronger than before his departure, and it is obvious that his absence was to improve and overcome his partner.

He did indeed succeed. Without remorse he strikes his lover one last time, leaving one on the verge of death on the floor. “Never dare to believe that you can be on top of me. Know your place or die before me.”

He hovers over his beloved and kisses with possessiveness.

Madara

Unlike the previous man, Madara finds the situation stimulating. A new challenge? Of course he will face it.

After his lover has imposed itself on him, when normally one would have given in to his overwhelming force, he gets up from the floor and shakes the dust off his clothes with a measured calm.

This Uchiha has a plan for everything. He knows it, and his partner knows it.

He knows how to recognize power when he sees it or experiences it, Madara is no fool. In his heart he is excited to find someone to defeat other than Hashirama.

The latter makes things go out of control…

Uchiha’s honour is above all else, and while he knows how to recognise a good opponent, let it be his partner who knocks him down, it makes him conflict. He dominates and manages, roles must be re-established.

Madara will not allow the fight to end until he succeeds in regaining superiority. Never.

His mate ends up letting themselves be defeated only so that the man stops trying to hit them.

Izuna

To be defeated? By whom should admire and love him? That just doesn’t add up. The only one who can be stronger than him is his big brother.

This Uchiha is… an immature child. If someone managed to beat him and by chance it is not Madara, it is because that person is probably cheating, using some trick. He doesn’t fail, least of all his skills. He will never admit it. (Questions about the incident with Tobirama? He let himself be beaten out of pity 😉)

For days, any minimal activity with his lover becomes a challenge. Walking in the woods? Let’s see who reaches that tree first. Lift the dishes from the table? Whoever picks up the most is the winner. Swim in the river? Whoever touches the other bank first beats the other.

He will do what he deems necessary to show that he is better than his partner, playing dirty is in his plans.When he finds that his lover is training alone, he bothers them, talking to them while they meditate and distracting them when they want to concentrate. That won’t happen.

Izuna knows that it’s difficult to reach his partner’s level, so he turns to Madara for help. His skill level easily increases when it comes to fighting his brother.

Finally, he challenges his partner to fight again. When things end in a draw, he can’t say he’s happy, but he’s… calm.

Obito

He is immediately surprised by the strength of his lover. He feels proud. How was it possible for him to get someone capable of surpassing him?

A tear of pain at the blows he received escapes his eyes. He does not feel the need to keep his guard up when he is with the person he loves. “I’m fine… that was… wow.”

He feels disappointed with himself for not being attentive enough to detect his partner’s true potential. He mentally notes that he must be more observant in the future.

He gets up from where he landed because of the beating he received and waits for his beloved partner to wrap up in a hug. “You sure are strong, huh?”

He allows his loving one to heal his wounds, and expresses the admiration he feels growing inside his chest at the power he has witnessed.

“… I’m just… I’m happy that you’re the one to help me continue the Uchiha legacy, you know?”

Shisui

He bursts into a nervous laugh when he realizes that he almost didn’t avoid his partner’s death blow. He have never been so grateful for his body flicker.

Shisui is absent-minded when it comes to things that have nothing to do with his work, but… he never believed that so much that he did not notice the overwhelming power of his lover.

His agility makes it impossible for punches or catches, but the Uchiha is aware that, if he drops the pace at which he is teleporting, he will be caught by one of those terrifying blows. He is impressed and makes the most of the situation to investigate the new skill his lover shows.

He is really enjoying himself. Teasing others is part of his being and… seeing his partner get frustrated at not being able to reach him, laughter is inevitable.

Until a blow hits him in one of his carelessness and his mocking is history. The only person who laughs now is the one who loves him, watching him grunt in pain.

Itachi

This man… this man always knew. Who are we kidding?

The Uchiha was waiting for the moment his partner thought it was time to reveal their true power. He was always aware that the other person was holding back when they were fighting together.

He feels vaguely insulted by his partner’s hidden ability. Does this person think that he is weak? Does this person think that he will not be able to bear it? He is determined.

Itachi strikes even harder until his lover has no choice but to give everything. He is truly overwhelmed by the person next to him when he is defeated.

"There’s no need to hold back on me… please.”

From that phrase, his partner fights with their full power, and Itachi learns from each encounter something new. Not only in the context of the confrontations, but also of the personality and mannerisms of his beloved.

With each beating he receives, he falls even more deeply in love with the person next to him.

[ladykissingfish]

Under The Mistletoe with the Akatsuki // Part 2 // Itachi

Itachi Uchiha

Itachi stands under the little green plant, looking unsettled. It was explained to him that this is “just a fun game” but this just seems weird to him. However he doesn’t wish to alienate himself from the group, so he complies.

Deidara

His first instinct is to pull a bomb from his pocket and hurl it straight at Itachi’s lips, because “that’s the only ‘kiss’ the Uchiha bastard deserves, hm!” However he’s talked out of it by Konan who tells him that such a thing would make him a really bad sport. He scowls but accepts it. Itachi murmurs softly “You don’t have to kiss me if you don’t wish, Deidara.”; he says it nicely, but Deidara hears it as a challenge. “Ah?! You think I’m scared? You think I won’t kiss you?!” He rushes at Itachi, leans in, and kisses him so aggressively that he accidentally bonks Itachi’s forehead a good one, raising a small bump for both of them. Itachi will just sigh (he really doesn’t understand why, even after all this time, Deidara still seems to hate him so much) and quietly say “Thanks.” Deidara will react immediately, going “Thanks? What the hell are you thanking me for, Uchiha? Don’t tell me you’re in love with me now?” and he’ll keep teasing the brunette until Sasori comes and drags him away.

Sasori

Another person to kiss? Really? Sasori never kissed anyone other than his parents before his transformation, but now it’s gotten out of hand. Nevertheless ... he leans up and gives Itachi a quick peck to the lips. Itachi doesn’t react but Sasori draws back, startled. What is this?? As someone who grew up with a knowledge of herbs and healing, and as someone who makes his own poisons, Sasori has become an expert at identifying various chemicals by a simple taste. But Itachi’s lips tasted ... strange. Something unidentifiable, but Sasori recognizes as dangerous. Itachi is ill; his chemical balance is completely off. A moment passes between them where Sasori almost opens his mouth and questions this, but the look in Itachi’s eyes tell Sasori that he’s very aware that he’s sick ... but intends to do nothing about it. It makes Sasori feel a great deal of sadness; Itachi is a calm, intelligent young man, and a good friend ... but this is his choice. Hidan is nearby and he sees the way Sasori and Itachi are staring at each other, and misinterprets it, saying loudly “Looks like these two went totally gay for each other!”; Sasori lashes out and hits him with a poison dart. After all, no amount of poison will make the white haired nuisance die; but maybe it’ll shut him up for a while.

Hidan

LOUDLY protests against kissing Itachi. He was fine with it when it was Konan, but this ... “I don’t wanna make out with this ugly-ass homo!” But the others tell him he has to. He’ll go into Kakuzu’s room and get his Sake, taking several healthy swigs before coming back out to where Itachi waits. The alcohol hitting him in full effect ((it was clearly more than a FEW swigs)) and starts telling Itachi some pretty awkward things (“Damn wait you’re actually kinda hot; with that long hair you kinda look like a bitch.”) and, grabbing hold of Itachi’s neck, pulls him close and plants a very sloppy open-mouthed kiss on him. The others make noises of disgust; alcohol or not he took it way too far. Hidan has the audacity to try and go for a second kiss before Kakuzu extends his tentacles and grabs him, dragging him away. The others ask Itachi if he minds going to brush his teeth before they have their turns, to which he heartily agrees.

Kakuzu

Two people in and this “game” has already gotten on his nerves. But he likes Itachi; he’s one of the few he’s never had an issue or an argument with. A kiss on the lips would have been beyond strange, so he settles on a light brush on Itachi’s forehead. The others tease him, but Itachi actually enjoyed the gesture; being kissed on the forehead reminded him of the one time in Itachi’s life that his own father did the same, after Itachi successfully learned a new jutsu. It’s a nostalgic feeling and a comforting one, which Itachi will hold on to for the rest of the day. Kakuzu, however, has slightly different feelings. As somebody who knows extensive medical jutsu, he took note of how overly warm Itachi’s forehead was. That, and, looking closely, the pronounced flush of his cheeks. It’s somewhat obvious that Itachi is sick; but Kakuzu has always seen the kid as capable of taking care of himself, so he won’t question Itachi on whatever may be wrong with him. He does, however, make a mental note to start slipping a herbal immune system booster into the tea that Itachi drinks so often.

Konan

Like Itachi did for her, Konan gives Itachi a warm hug, rather than a kiss. Her arms circled around his waist make her aware of how thin he is, how young. It’s so difficult for her to believe that somebody who possesses Itachi’s raw intelligence hasn’t even seen his 25th year of life yet. She tries several times during the embrace to let go, but Itachi is reluctant to release her. As with Kakuzu, Konan’s warmth reminds him of being hugged by his mother, something that he greatly misses. Eventually he does let go, only this time he follows up the hug by kissing HER, gently, on the cheek.

Tobi

“Hiya, Itachi-san! Is it Tobi’s turn to give you a kissy?” Itachi merely nods and watches Tobi approach. Unlike with any of the others, Itachi tenses up, and he has to fight himself on the urge to activate his sharingan. Something about Tobi, this tall, simplistic, childlike fool ... sets off ALL of Itachi’s warning bells. As with Konan, Tobi starts to remove his mask just enough to expose his lips ... but Itachi abruptly holds up his hand, stopping him. “No,” Itachi says quietly, and instead extends his arm for a handshake. Itachi can feel the energy coming off of Tobi; Itachi’s unexpected gesture has left the masked one a mixture of surprise, fear, and ... anger. But Tobi can’t afford to show this, to everyone else in the room who are already confused watching them. “Awww; are ya shy, Itachi-san?”, he’ll ask out-loud, before pumping Itachi’s hand up and down in an exaggerated gesture. He’ll walk away calmly, but inside, he’ll be in turmoil; because in those brief few seconds, Tobi has been able to sense it: Itachi had come within a hair of trying to kill him. Could it be that he’d figured out — but no. No, no. Surely just a mistake, right? Maybe Itachi really WAS shy, and by the time it was Tobi’s turn, his tolerance limits had been reached. A plausible explanation ... but was it the right one?

Zetsu

He sees Itachi standing under the mistletoe and thinks to himself, that man looks delicious. He’s eaten a lot of people in his time, but never once somebody who possessed the sharingan. Would that visual prowess make the meat taste better? His mouth starts to water; Itachi is fairly young and therefore should be soft and delectable. He stands there staring at Itachi until somebody (likely Kisame) asks him what’s up with that weird look on his face. Not wanting the others to think he’s any more of a freak than they already do, he steps up and kisses Itachi’s cheek — and takes the opportunity to flick out his tongue and lick the man’s skin. Saltier than expected, but warm, with a faint scent of tea. He quickly walks away before he loses control, and goes out into the night to find others to fulfill his awakened appetite.

Pein

Pein welcomed Itachi into the Akatsuki when the latter was still a very young man. Over the past few years he’s watched the way he’s grown and matured, and he’s come to think of him almost as one would think of a son. Pein will smooth Itachi’s hair back and lightly kiss his forehead, and then lightly pat his head, before going on his way.

Kisame

He sees Itachi standing there, and his heart jumps into his throat. Itachi ... is a level of light and of perfection that someone like Kisame doesn’t dare to touch. He stands back and watches the others have their turns. He’s gotten to know this man pretty closely these past few years, and can often tell what he’s thinking or feeling just by glancing at his face. Right now, what Itachi was feeling, was Patience. The kissing game is just another thing he’s enduring, not particularly liking or disliking it, simply getting through. Kisame thinks that he should spare Itachi and go quietly to his room, so that Itachi can return to his own. But Itachi sees Kisame start to walk away, and actually calls out to him, stopping him. Hearing his name makes Kisame’s heart thump even faster. But WHY? Itachi was simply his young friend, for goodness sake. An intelligent, thoughtful partner. A — “Hey shark man, you gonna slobber on red-eyes here or what?” Kisame glares at Hidan before walking quickly up to Itachi, he takes a deep breath and leans in to kiss his cheek— but Itachi turns his head at the last second, and Kisame finds their lips are touching. Kisame is not sure of how much time is passing; the clock seems to stand still for this moment. Itachi’s lips are as soft as flower petals, his hair smooth and silky as it brushes against Kisame’s cheek. Itachi eventually breaks the kiss, and, to Kisame’s shock, he’s smiling. Not the smirks or grins that Kisame has come to know, but a real, tooth-bearing smile. Seeing that expression makes Itachi look younger than ever to him, and Kisame ... feels flustered. Although there’s no reason to feel flustered. He’d only shared a kiss with his friend, that’s all. Both of them look at each other a few moments longer and then Itachi, his “sentence” over, says his Goodnights to the members and goes to his room. Eventually Kisame (and everyone else) does the same.