#. quoth the raven--uchiha itachi

[reddawnmultimuse]

ita/saku starter for @musesofchaos

It was Sunday so Itachi was dropping off a carton of eggs for Sakura, fresh from his chickens. He had also whipped up a homemade bottle of mayonnaise too. Maybe it was too much but he liked Sakura and according to his brother, Sasuke, she liked him too. So, why not?

Knocking on Sakura's door, Itachi patiently waited. Last he checked, she had weekends off from the hospital. "Ms. Sakura? It's Itachi. I've brought you fresh eggs and mayonnaise."

[reddawnmultimuse]

"I'm fine," Deidara says to Kaia. Afterall, it wasn't his legs he was embarrassed people seeing as his chest due to his old scars from Ame's birth and his surgery. And the fact Itachi of all people saw him like that made him nauseous. Or could just be the migraine.

"Ame's sleeping, hn." His poor baby had cried himself to sleep so Deidara had tucked him in. He didn't want to leave Kaia and Itachi with Sasori though which was why he was here. But that wasn't all why he was here.

Turning to Itachi, Deidara glares at the Uchiha. "Leave. Ame needs to rest, hn. So do I. We'll talk again tomorrow. I don't care where you go until then but you're not staying in my home." He delivers a dirty look at Kaia to discourage her from defending him either. Afterall, Deidara was the one paying the mortgage so he got to say who could and could not be in his house.

With that, he turns and leaves back to the bedroom to go back to sleep since he was still in no condition to have a discussion with Itachi. Or a fight, more like it.

Sasori was lucky that Deidara came out of his room when he did. Becasue it looked like the puppeter was just seconds from being jumped by Kaia once again.

Along with Itachi. The Uchiha’s eyes had darkened at the insult that was thrown at his son. Eyes glinting red before being snapped out of it by Deidara’s emergence. He averts his eyes politely. Cheeks flushed a light pink as he steps out of Sasori’s way, glad that he was finally gone.

Kaia’s face reddened at the redhead’s last words, looking like she wanted to spit profanities but holding herself back. So instead, she casts Deidara a look of frustration, about to press him for answers when he explained what really happened. Her shoulders drop, letting out a long breath. Itachi won’t admit it, but he feels slight relief at the revelation.

“I’m sorry.” Kaia apologizes softly. “It’s just- Ame was upset and crying, and he said he knocked you out accidentally and that Sasori was here. So I could only assume the bastard made things worse…” She rubs her hand over her face. Gaze now more soft. “Do you want me to get you…” she lightly gestures downwards.

“Is Ame okay?”

[reddawnmultimuse]

" ..... " ok, itachi finally earns a Good Boy Sticker because he is never getting on her nerves. it is a pink star that she presses on his cheek!

Gasp! Itachi has finally earned himself a good boy sticker! "Thank you, Konan. I shall wear it with pride." He says, the pink sticker twinkling on his face.

[reddawnmultimuse]

Dating Service

"It wasn't that bad, was it?"

[reddawnmultimuse]

. continued from this | @hana-akari

Itachi was initially nervous while waiting for Sarada to get out of academy as his sole purpose this day wasn't just lunch but something else--something serious. However, upon seeing his niece sprinting towards him, her expression positively glowing like the sun, it silenced the anxiety gnawing inside and left him wanting to shovel her into his arms like he did when she was but a babe. " Yes she is, but I just wanted to see you! "

This time, he did not correct her with the slip-up of "papa". Instead, Itachi just smiled, trying to use it to soothe her anxiety--and his own. " Let's go get lunch. I'll let you choose. Perhaps we do can a little bit of training, why don't we? " He wanted them to have the entire day together and training would help in processing whatever emotions may bubble up during their conversation, for better or for worse. " On the way, why don't you tell me all about your day and your friends? "

[reddawnmultimuse]

Itachi listens intently, his expression softening with understanding as he observes Deidara's crestfallen look. He can sense the longing for freedom in his companion's words and feels a pang of empathy.

"I understand, Deidara. It's not easy when your choices are limited," Itachi says gently, his voice filled with genuine compassion. "But today, you have the chance to enjoy yourself. Let's make the most of it."

He glances around at the bustling street, noting the vibrant atmosphere of the festival preparing to unfold. The colorful stalls and the excited chatter of the crowd fill the air with a sense of anticipation.

"Visiting the stalls sounds like a good idea," Itachi agrees with a nod. "We can take our time, explore, and enjoy the games. There's no rush. We'll make sure you have a great time today. Let's go and see what the festival has to offer." He offers him a small, encouraging smile.

"I am , yeah. I have been wanting to come her for a long while. However, I couldn't after being recruited, hm. Donna doesn't care about places like this." He explains looking a bit crest fallen. He visited places like this all the time when he was on his own. He really missed the freedom he used to have.

He looks around at the street they were on. It seemed like the festival would be starting soon. He knows they will no doubt take more breaks as time goes on, but they can still visit the stalls. Besides the fireworks wont start until the sun goes down. they have time to kill.

"Do you want to visit the stalls and play some of the games, yeah." He suggests. Its easier then climbing stairs. So his ill companion would be to over exerted.

[reddawnmultimuse]

" in a town hungry for the lonely " | @musesofchaos

How long had it been? How long since the Edo Tensei? How long since the war? How long? For once, Itachi did not know--Uchiha Itachi did not know.

His exhausted mind long lapsed; feet freighting a man of broken soul and body through dusty roads going nowhere, eyes blackened from sleep deprivation and face gnarled with bushy hair; his shoulders bowed underneath the red cloak he was rebirthed in as if it weighed a tonne.

He did not know where he was going nor did he care--away, just away. And yet, be is fate or coincidence or either or, as the empty fields blossomed into lush, green trees, a feeling of nostalgia tingled inside him. Could it be? It was said that all roads lead home. Yes, yes it was--not Konoha but the Land of Fire. Home.

Then, a little down the dirt path he was walking was a village--small, quiet and far, far away from the war or the name Uchiha Itachi.

It was in this home away from home did he find his deliverance as he was whisked away by the villagers who did not question his name nor his origins. All they saw was a man, hungry, tired and weak and offered him a place to lay his head--and once he did, he dreamed--

And he dreamed of her.

[reddawnmultimuse]

The next chicken is a handsome ganoi, by the shape of its legs... Deidara's tongue poked out of his mouth as he began shaping it with crude handfuls, building a rough body. Ganois were taller than the usual chicken...

"Oh! A ganoi, er Ga Noi. Didja know they're popular as a fightin' breed? I tell ya wut!" Itachi freezes. Why did he just talk like that? Why does he sound like Hidan!? "W-What in tarnation!?"

magic!anon [ 3/12 ]

[reddawnmultimuse]

"You like chickens?" He'd ask before he would then reach out and hand them a cute cartoon chicken keychain. "Here you go. Since you like them so much."

"I do," Itachi confirms before being gifted the keychain. Immediately, his eyes light up. It was a chicken! And a keychain! And cute! "Thank you kindly, stranger." He felt guilty taking the random present and having nothing in turn to give. "If you like, I have recommendations for excellent cafes." This man looked like a person who would appreciate a good cafe.

[reddawnmultimuse]

Itachi's eyes, once blazing with a fierce determination, now held a hollow emptiness. The fire that Shisui saw flicker to life quickly extinguished, leaving behind a man who seemed a mere shadow of his former self. Sasuke's betrayal and the weight of the clan's downfall had stripped him of so much, reducing him to this shell of a person standing before Shisui.

As Shisui's hand slammed against the wall near Itachi's head, blocking any escape, Itachi remained still, his expression unreadable. He listened to Shisui's vehement words, the threat against Sasuke hanging in the air between them. Despite the intensity of the moment, Itachi's gaze did not waver, but there was a subtle tension in his posture.

"Sasuke... he is a part of the same broken system that took everything from us. Hatred and violence will only perpetuate the cycle." Itachi replied quietly, his voice measured but carrying the weight of his inner turmoil.

He glanced at the hand that had struck the wall, then back to Shisui's face, noting the mixture of emotions there—anger, betrayal, and something deeper, something that spoke of their shared past. " I did not fight back because I could never bring myself to harm you, Shisui. You were, and still are, my friend."

He saw the fire in Itachis eyes, and as it came to life as easily it died out. The sore spot Sasuke that little cunt, thanks to whom all went this way. If it wasn't for that little nuisance. They could just rub away from the mess that village started with their clan. He would not be forced to look at this version of Itachi. Alive but dead inside, there was nothing left in the eyes of his best friend just emptiness. A shell of a man devoided of every emotion.

"When that pest comes after you...I shall be there to welcome him and nail him dead to the ground while you watch."

He didn't budge an inch or give space for Itachi to escape. His hand was slapped over the wall near Itachi's head. The prior night, the drunk does what the sober wants, and they lived together since childhood. Even when Shisui hiss and attacks Itachi it is all moved by the deep feelings he once held for Itachi, some he still does. Shisui is a man who is ruled by feelings, and fear a day when he would feel nothing, then he turns into a murderer stopped by nothing.

It was blank. Instinct guided Shisui when feelings were gone and his own strength. Inside was a boy pale and drained not dead but yet not alive. Black curly hair face was still young and beautiful, but promising typical sharp male with strong jaws and kissable lips that now were thin. That boy is forever gone and locked away within this adult version that Itachi disliked so much.

"So I went all over you, why didn't you hit me? Or defended yourself? Why did you let me touch you if you disliked it" He was close to Itachi inches apart from his face.

[reddawnmultimuse]

"So if I went and got a good boy sticker for you and gave it to you? You'd be satisfied? Or do you want it to be your friend to be the one to give it to you?"

Itachi sighs. "It must be from Konan. None other shall suffice. Except...one person. But I thank you for the offer."

[reddawnmultimuse]

Hinata will do something better; she gives Itachi a red velvet cupcake. But not just any red velvet cupcake, the words "Good Boy" are written in strawberry sugar. Just for him

Oh no. Not red velvet; Itachi loves red velvet! That was way better than a sticker! And it said, "good boy" on it. Did anyone else have a red velvet cupcake for being a good boy? He thought not! "T-Thank you, Ms. Hinata." It was taking everything inside him not to devour this like a savage. Rest in peace his waistline. And he just got new trousers, too.

[reddawnmultimuse]

"So you're a good boy, who wants a good boy sticker to show that you're a good boy? Got it. Wow, I said good boy too many times. It's making my head spin."

"Konan has an interesting way of encouraging our cooperation and efforts."

[reddawnmultimuse]

Itachi tilted his head slightly, his gaze softening further as Deidara’s anger ebbed and his drunken vulnerability surfaced. The corners of his lips twitched, not quite a smile, but something in between. Deidara's unfiltered comment hung in the air, the awkward honesty of it drawing a rare glimmer of amusement from the usually stoic Uchiha.

“I apologize; I did not. I was looking at you in any particular way. But if it bothers you so, I will look elsewhere.” He shifted his eyes toward the dimly lit bottles on the bar shelf, giving Deidara a moment of reprieve from his "looking".

However, after a moment, he looked back “If I may--you have a habit of deflecting when things become too real. Perhaps it is the alcohol, or perhaps it is just who you are as a person.” He leant back slightly in his chair. “You asked me for wisdom, Deidara. Here it is: Running from the truth does not make it disappear. It only gives it more power over you.”

He observed Deidara out of the corner of his eye, though he made a deliberate effort to keep his gaze less intense this time. “But I’m not here to lecture you. Just… think about it when your mind is clearer. I say we best leave now. Drinking will do you no favours in your state of mind."

If only Deidara was coherent enough to see that Itachi understood him. As it was, he was a little too drunk to notice a flash of understanding in the other man's eyes, and a little too focused on his own tirade, anyway. After he had quieted down, Itachi exhaled softly, and then gave him his defense.

He had him for the first part. Because it was true. Others in the Akatsuki were stronger than him, could have brought him in as well. But the second part, about Deidara's own choices leading him here, had Deidara hissing, "What do you mean, hn?"

Having completely forgotten the topic of their conversation had been Deidara being drunk at a bar, not Deidara joining the Akatsuki.

He was promptly distracted, though, by the promise of the truth, and he frowned slightly, listening -- sobering up a little as Itachi seemed to hint that, even he, was hiding something, wearing a mask that he was not as put together as he seemed.

As Itachi finished, the anger evaporated, steaming out like cooling air. Deidara blinked at him, slowly. Hm, did his eyes seemed to sparkle in this light, or was that just his drunkeness?

He looked away after a moment, pouting slightly. "Hmph, you don't have to look at me like that," he said. Because no filter existed, apparently.

[reddawnmultimuse]

"Mmm, you could buy yourself a set of stickers for ¥25 ya know? Then you'd have all the stickers you'd like. I'm not too sure you'd get the one you want, but you'd have to check."

//ASDFGHJKL I'm sorry xD plz ignore if ya want lol//

"It’s not just about the sticker itself. It’s about what it represents. Whilst I could easily buy a pack of these stickers myself, it would mean nothing. It’s the gesture from someone else that counts. It’s about someone else recognizing and acknowledging that despite everything, despite the harsh judgments and misunderstandings, I am a good boy." Itachi says in all seriousness.

[reddawnmultimuse]

"A...'good boy sticker'? I do not understand.

Stickers are an attempt to acknowledge and reinforce behavior deemed positive by societal standards. It is a tool of external validation, a means to condition individuals to seek approval from outside themselves. Such external validation can be a powerful motivator, especially in children, who are in the formative stages of understanding social norms and expectations. Not Akatsuki members.

Yet, what does it truly mean to be a 'good boy'? Is it obedience to authority such as Pein, kindness towards others, or adherence to societal rules?

Moreover, relying on external rewards like stickers can undermine the development of intrinsic motivation. If one learns to act "good" merely to receive a sticker--or beg as observed in Hidan's case--the behaviour is tied to the reward rather than an internalized sense of morality or purpose. This could lead to a superficial understanding of goodness, where actions are performed not out of genuine conviction but to obtain recognition.

Speaking out of personal experience, the notion of being 'good' is complex. My actions, driven by a deep sense of duty and sacrifice, are often misunderstood and misjudged by those around me. The simplistic label of 'good boy' fails to capture the depth and nuance of my moral struggles and decisions. My commitment to peace and the well-being of the village often requires actions that are perceived as cruel or ruthless, challenging the simplistic dichotomy of good and evil!"

"...I would like one of these 'good boy' stickers."