#black zetsu more specifically

[watermelonsloth]

I love how the Akatsuki pairs can be summarized as:

Itachi and Kisame: Malewife

Sasori and Deidara: Manwhore

Hidan and Kakuzu: Manslaughter

Pein and Konan: Mansplain

Obito and Zetsu: Manipulate

[hibiscusseaart]

yesterday i had a glorious fucking migraine and i had thoughts about au of the time travel tobirama au

basically what if Tobirama fails and dies like about a year after the marriage with Madara. Konoha is building and everything, everyone is happy and then Tobirama fucking dies.

I didn't think of the reason, but maybe he was killed in battle or smth. Maybe by some clan like idk Shimura :)

(prob bc of Black Zetsu)

So, expectedly, Madara loses his fucking mind and it's even worse than when Izuna died, cuz they're supposed to be at peace what the fuck. Madara tries to raze the entire clan responsible for his sweet husband's death.

Hashirama doesn't let him do that and Madara leaves the village, where Black Zetsu catches onto him.

So basically, canon, but Tobirama was never Niidaime and Izuna lived.

The second Hokage would be, idk, Itama, who's fucking terrified and he didn't signed up for this shit!

But yeah, he's the Niidaime and he does everything in his power to implement everything Tobirama wanted to do for the village. And it's a lot. A LOT. Honestly like the dude knew he's gonna be a Hokage one day, he left MANY notes.

Itama appoints Kagami as his successor, cuz that's what Tobirama would want.

Danzo, being a bitch at the Uchiha clan, since Madara had a huge beef with his clan, kills Kagami, takes his eyes, makes it mission accident yada-yada, Itama appoints Hiruzen the next Hokage.

Idk why Itama left the position, but he never wanted it anyway. He did everything his brother wanted and peaced out to go smoke.

So, the canon happens.

The 4th war happens.

Orochimaru raises the dead Hokage, but not only him, Tobirama is there too, since he was super smart and his personal fav.

"Oh fuck, not again," Tobirama said, hiding his face in his hand. Everyone thought that's about the time Orochimaru made him fight in the Konoha crush on chuunin exams. He choose him over Itama, cuz even though Itama is a good Hokage, but he's a healer for the most part and not that useful on the battlefield.

Sasuke asks his questions and then he asks Tobirama.

"Uchiha Tobirama. The history says that you were married off to the Uchiha clan, to Madara, against your will and then took the suicide mission after a year in marriage. Is this true? You hated the Uchiha so much that you killed yourself?"

"I did what"

"Well, you were the one who created Uchiha Police Force..." Orochimaru said.

"First of all, I planned it to go further than the Uchiha and to supervise it myself. At the first stages it was supposed to be only Uchiha because it was one of the most competent clans to do this job and my clan that I trusted. Second of all, 'against my will'? Seriously?! I did not chase Madara since I was 9 to write our marriage off as a political marriage! What the fuck!"

Everyone, except Hashirama and Itama looked shocked at this confession.

"Where IS my husband? Trying to avenge my death to the whole world?"

"Uh, yeah.."

"Of fucking course. I should've left him a note specifically saying that he needs to be in the fucking village and take care of our clan. Now what? Our clan is just one a vengeful child!"

Tobirama paused, feeling up the battlefield.

"And one more Uchiha who lost his shit. Of fucking course"

Everyone shocked, cuz Tobirama had a reputation who hated Uchiha, cuz his brother married him off to them as a peace offering. Then Sasuke makes Hashirama talk about all this talk about village, Hokage, shinobi yada yada yada

Senju brothers are PISSED at Hiruzen and Danzo (thank fuck he's dead right). Hiruzen looked remorseful and said that he knew that everyone expected Kagami to become Hokage and not him.

Ok, so!

Tobirama was the fastest one to rush to the battle field. He had a feral husband to calm down.

He arrived and just stood before Madara, who froze in shock.

"Husband, come here," Tobirama said, opening his arms. Alliance is just standing there gaping cuz what the fuck

Madara didn't notice Tobirama at first, since he masked his chakra by habit. But even then he was exited to meet Hashirama and fight once more. But then he sees Tobirama and FUCK all these plans, his huband is here!!!

Madara just crushed into Tobirama. He had no idea that Tobirama could've been edo tensei'ed the whole time!

"Calm down, dear. What have you done here?" Tobirama asked, petting his husband's hair.

"I just wanted to bring you back..."

"Oh dear... You stupid, stupid man," Tobirama shook his head and kissed him, while the whole Alliance watches shocked.

And this is a story how Tobirama stopped the 4th war singlehandedly.

Ofc there's Obito, but they sic Naruto on him and it's all good. Though Black Zetsu tried something, but Tobirama is fucking READY for him. He will avenge his husband's sanity.

Before they go to Pure Lands again, Tobirama said to Tsunade, Kakashi and Naruto "Fucking fix your history books! I love my husband since I was 9!" (he actually didn't, but no one should know about it, okay)

And Madara is there just clinging to Tobirama with all his body and refusing to let go. He doesn't care about Eternal Tsukuyomi anymore, cuz he can hug his husband once more.

Migraine AUs sure are interesting

[comikadraws]

Whats tobirama's beef with the Uchiha?

An Analysis of Tobirama's Prejudice

EDIT: If you have headed here via another user's post, here is a note. That user has never interacted with me. They clearly also haven't read any of my previous or linked posts, as far as I can tell. They simply just blocked me and then made that post to harass me afterward - completely out of the blue. My post has since been edited to better combat bad-faith takes and bullies like her.

Oh boi. More Tobirama. Once again, I am probably biased but these are my thoughts on him.

First of all, the guy definitely had beef with the Uchiha Clan, but I personally find the "racist" allegations he often gets to be... difficult, to say the least (not that I necessarily disagree with them). It is just that there are some very oversimplified, black-and-white takes out there with zero nuance.

Not that I am necessarily better but I'm definitely trying xD

Tobirama's Prejudice

Tobirama doesn't "hate" the Uchiha Clan but considers them to be a danger to Konoha. That is because

The Uchiha were more loyal/attached to the concept of "clan" rather than the concept of "village" (which stood in conflict with one of Konoha's main philosophies). Hence Tobirama sees them as "rebellious".

The Uchiha are more likely to lose themselves to intense hatred (aka "Curse of Hatred"). And, in the world of Naruto, hate is one of the main motivations of war, ever since the Warring States.

Combine that with the several bad experiences Tobirama and other Senju have had with the Uchiha (centuries of recurring battles, the death of Kawarama and Itama, Madara leaving the village) and you can see why Tobirama would think the Uchiha Clan is dangerous. Beyond that, Tobirama's character actually makes a lot of sense - more so than if he didn't have any prejudice. The prejudice he has is realistic.

He also personally does not believe that he "hates" the Uchiha and describes his bias as "caution".

The Racist Allegations

As I have already covered in this post about the Curse of Hatred, there might be parallels to our world's definition of racism, but Tobirama is not intended as a racist by Kishimoto.

What is important to understand is that perceived themes of racism in fantasy settings (where made-up races can have all sorts of magical differences between them, even those that are undesirable) do not equal actual racism in the real world (where racial differences are purely cosmetic) and often make for a bad analogy.

What I have also covered in the same post is that the Curse of Hatred very much does exist and Tobirama was right to assume that there is something "wrong" with the Uchiha. (For all of you not interested in reading, the TL;DR is that Zetsu's been manipulating the Uchiha for centuries, hence the illusion of a "curse")

Whether his theory was correct or not, however, is up to the audience's interpretation. The problem here is that Kishimoto never contradicted Tobirama's theories and also that they were presented and treated as exposition by the narrative. I am basing my own theory specifically on the exposition given by Hagoromo (chapters 670-671) and Zetsu (chapter 681) who are both relatively reliable sources and seem to imply (emphasis on "imply") that the Curse of Hatred mostly just affects Indra's reincarnates rather than the entire clan (again, reference to my other post because it has nothing to do with Indra specifically but rather just with Zetsu being manipulative).

Not that Tobirama could reasonably know about that detail, though. What he saw instead were centuries of war and Madara's defection, leading him to believe that there must be something influencing the Uchiha's decision-making. (And yes, assuming that my own interpretation about Zetsu is correct, that would make Tobirama a racist as his theories are not based on fact).

Systemic Oppression of the Uchiha?

Another misconception that people apparently have is that Tobirama ostracized the Uchiha Clan, which is untrue. Yes, the guy was horrible, was far too wrapped up in his own trauma, and should not have become Hokage. Not even because I think he was a bad leader necessarily but simply on principle.

That being said, the Uchiha were not being purposefully isolated from the rest of the village. The police force is neither entirely comprised of Uchihas nor are Uchihas forced to join the police. Instead, it is implied to be a choice in the manga.

Somebody else pointed out Orochimaru mentioning that the Uchiha had their clan compound near the prison. But this is not a criterion of ostracization. All the other canonical information we have on the Uchiha's supposed ostracization is based on Obito, who is famously a liar and not a reliable source (therefore it is up to headcanon).

Tobirama also practically gave away permanent leadership of the police. The police are part of the executive branch in any government, just like the military or, in this case, the ANBU - with the only difference being that the police don't require Hokage orders for everything they do. The Uchihas working at the police are in a position of power rather than in a position of suppression. It is also implied that they are able to arrest anybody they want (except ANBU members) without a warrant (again, emphasis on "imply" because the context implies that arrest without a warrant is possible for all non-ANBU citizens).

Keeping this in mind, the establishment of the Uchiha Military Police Force was (most likely) indeed a gesture of goodwill and trust. It was not a slight and it was not an attempt at ostrachization. If anything, it shows that Konoha (and by extension, the police) was corrupt and abusing power on a regular basis (though that is not the point of this post but yes, Konoha's politics are no unchangeable gospel).

There are more misconceptions about Tobirama that are often twisted to fit people's agenda, but I'll leave it at that for now.

My personal conclusion is that Tobirama might fit our real-world definition of "racist". But that heavily depends on your interpretation. Either way, Tobirama was a product of his times.

[immoralimmortals]

Akatsuki members as perfumes i own

I couldn't sleep last night because I am haunted by visions that are so very specific to me and my needs. These are all indie company perfumes currently available for purchase or seasonally available. I am a creature of my senses, and therefore I am not bound only with the curse of associating music with characters, but also scents.

Pain: The People You Love Become Ghosts Inside You from Death & Floral

Description: Heavenly musk, lingering funeral flowers, cold scent of vanilla in an empty corridor, handprints on a foggy window

This is a scent known by its fans to invoke deep emotion. It has funeral lillies to a T. The title is the main reason for my choice, though I can imagine him smelling like this. It's the definition of cold and formal, like the corpses he drags to do his bidding.

🥀

Konan: Mnemophilia from Nui Cobalt Designs

Description: Stately gardenia, antique sandalwood, Florentine iris, pearl musk, jasmine absolute, neroli, and liquidambar.

This is a scent which contains notes I have not experienced anywhere else. It is like...you took the idea of a mirror and gave it a smell? It is pristine, classy, and oh so very melancholy. It makes me thoughtful, it reminds me of glass or crystal. Another "cold" scent, similar to Pain's but more of a sister than an imitation of it. Less about death and more about memory, as the name entails.

I also considered Billet Doux from Possets, which is meant to evoke a perfume-stained love letter. Also very clean and classy, but actually brings the impression of paper and ink. Also noticeably a lot sweeter than Mnemophilia! Perhaps more for her when she was young and in love.

📷

Obito: The Emperor of Ice Cream from The Strange South

Description: Limp flowers on a windowsill, strawberry ice cream, tobacco leaves, tonka, and a dribble of young blood.

Saccharine with something to hide. The blood note on its own (i was able to try it) is actually very fruity, like strawberry. I think the visualization of dripping blood and strawberry syrup being the same is wonderful. The tobacco comes through as the scent fades, becoming more mature over time.

👑

Zetsu: A Roll in the Hay from Alkemia

Description: dried hay, fresh green grass, early summer wildflower honey, vanilla grass, vanilla leaf, and wild poppy.

This one really just smells authentically like true to life hay. I can't wear it all the time but it's so, so distinct when I do. It's a scent for when I want to imagine I'm all alone, deep in a field of tall, dried grass. The only thing is that it is probably far too innocent for him. He would not *want* to smell like this.

But I do. Because it's great.

...Okay he'd actually smell like Esprit de la Terre from Alkemia which smells like pine trees, but I don't like pine trees! I'm going to make him suffer and smell like vanilla.

🌾

Hidan: Damned Nightfall from Death & Floral

This scent is fucking purple lmao. The violets are a little powdery, like the visage of something pure, and the rest is DARK. It clings to my skin with those deep resins first and foremost like incense being burned. Despite all the food notes, not one lick of sweetness, frankly not a bit of edibility. This is a badass vibe like a jaguar hunting in the dark. It bites if I put too much on.

Description: the deepest and darkest amber blended with violets, black labdanum, vanilla absolute, espresso absolute, fresh cocoa beans, and honey

There are scents that exist that mean to invoke the smell of blood, but none of them are real enough to suit him. However, the metallic nature of Scythe from Possets is very impressive and real with a suitable name for the Jashinist.

🌒

Kakuzu: JFK and Jackie from Possets

First and foremost, this scent is old school. The leather reminds me of what Kakuzu's skin may be like; I read a fic way back describing his earth grudge causing it to have that kind of texture. Perhaps this is what he'd smell like if you somehow convinced him to give you a hug. You know. Somehow.

Description: A snap of the finest leather, a bit of oakmoss, combined with tabac blonde essence, a whiff of tea, and the warmth of silk. 

There are scents that smell like money, but I do not actually like the scent of money. I'm sorry Kakuzu.

☕

Deidara: Morton Salt Girl from Death & Floral

I know salt doesn't smell. I know it doesn't. But this is what salt smells like. If you ever get opportunity to try this, do it. It's so unique. I think this would be a wonderful scent to imagine for his clay; it is so distinctly earthy, and the salty aspect reminds me of smelling playdoh as a kid (and putting it into my mouth).

Description: yellow musk, salt, and rain on concrete.

🧂

Sasori: Forbidden Library from Nui Cobalt

This is what his puppets smell like. It's what they smell like! I do not make the rules! It is deep, it is softly masculine, it is beautifully woody. This is the phantom that haunts the abandoned castle library, who crawls out of the ancient tome in your fingers.

Description: The vanillic scent of aging paper infused with ceremonial incense, venerable bookshelves of black oak and sweet himalayan cedarwood, a hint of mossy stone, and an undercurrent of faded suede.

Bonus points: this is one of the few perfumes I reach for on the weekly. It's so, so pleasant.

📜

Kisame: Two Cups of Tea, a Monsoon, Me and You from Death & Floral

Description: rain on cracked soil, wet creosote, a swelling monsoon, desert cedar, black tea. 

I am one of the only people that seem to take this as floral. The storm is there, it is humid and sticky and moist like rain in the summer, but I distinctly get flowers behind it all. I think it suits him. (And it is one of few aquatic scents that don't smell like laundry to me nor like cut grass).

☔

Itachi: Ghostfire from Alkemia

Has the distinct impression of paleness against a night sky, like a star or a will-o-wisp. It's a strange but haunting combo of melting candle wax and melon. There is a sugared and floral version of this scent called Foxfire, which perhaps encapsulates him before everything went downhill.

Description: A luminous attraction of ethereal white ambers. Hauntingly beautiful.

Another Alkemia scent is Burning Roses, which is exactly what it says on the tin but with the unfortunate addition of labdanum, which this iteration of hates my skin chemistry with a passion. Oh, what could have been...

🎇

[imagineakatsuki]

What if Zetsu plan went successfully and he made his kind s/o his "mother"?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but, canonically, Zetsu needed Madara specifically to accomplish his plan because he was the only one that could act as a vessel for Kaguya.

If it were possible to have his s/o be the vessel, though, I think Zetsu would struggle a little with the decision because he knows that all traces of their s/o would probably be wiped out. The more attached he is, the more White Zetsu (and even a little bit of Black Zetsu) would oppose the idea and have someone else be the vessel. If they followed through with it, Zetsu would try to see if it was possible to recover some of his s/o’s personality or request Kaguya to reincarnate/revive the s/o.

Admin S

[erimeows]

An Ideal Date

So, this is the second installment of my Akatsuki x Reader series. If you'd like context for this oneshot, read the first part here on AO3! Hope you guys enjoy- more chapters centered around the other Akatsuki members will be posted soon (:

Weeks pass. You get put on a team with Itachi and Kisame, and though it’s a little weird being in a three-man squad reminiscent of the one he was part of when he was young, Itachi finds that he doesn’t mind it. You balance the two men out, and for whatever reason, Samehada likes to feed off of your chakra, so you’ve been a welcome companion.

The few weeks that the three of you went on missions together were peaceful. Unfortunately, though, your team along with the rest of the Akatsuki minus Konan and Pain have been called to one of the Akatsuki’s many hideouts for a meeting. The eight of you are going to go on a mission together to assassinate a group of ninja from Kumogakure that have been sent out to hunt down the Akatsuki and- specifically, you. Apparently, the team that ambushed you came back for your body, only to find that you weren’t there. 

So, they know that you’re alive and- officially- a rogue ninja who is a part of a criminal organization according to the reported sightings of you, Itachi, and Kisame working together. Though Itachi mourns your former life for you, you seem unbothered, simply moving along and doing what you’re told even though the life of a criminal suits someone as kind as you terribly.

Of course, he understands your struggle more than anyone else. He just knows better than to tell you about his life and let you confide in him.

He doesn’t need to get attached to anyone else, not after what happened to Izumi.

The two of you sit together, perhaps a little too close, on the carpeted floor of the hideout. Kisame aimlessly paces around the room with Samehada on his back. Sasori sits alone at a desk tinkering with parts of his arm while Deidara stands behind him watching while fiddling with his clay. Black and White Zetsu linger together in the doorway, leaning against the side of it. Hidan hogs most of the couch in the common room with Kakuzu being forced to sit on the arm of it as the Jashinist does maintenance on his comically large scythe. 

All of you have gone over your mission, with you guiltily avoiding everyone’s eyes- as if Kumo’s assault is your fault. Kakuzu’s reassurance that your village would have come after you whether you were in the Akatsuki or not, and that they also would’ve come after the Akatsuki at some point, falls on deaf ears. You still feel terribly as you stare down at the floor. Suddenly, Deidara speaks.

“Sasori, my man,” He calls out to the redhead, who responds, but doesn’t bother to look back at him. 

“What do you want?”

“What’s your ideal date?” Deidara questions.

At that, everyone in the room turns to stare at Deidara, baffled.

Then, an argument breaks out- from Sasori telling Deidara that no one would be caught dating him, to Kakuzu spewing out cheap date ideas, to Black and White Zetsu arguing about what kind of date they’d like to go on, to Hidan yelling at them to tell them that any dates not promoting the word of Jashinism are blasphemous. Kisame, thank God for him, merely laughs at all of the other Akatsuki. The rest attempt to shout over each other to be heard- mostly Hidan and Deidara- to the point that Itachi’s ears start to ring. 

“Why do any of you care?” Itachi finally interrupts, raising his voice.

All of the arguing dies down until the room is completely silent

“Huh?” Hidan speaks first, stupidly cocking his head like a confused puppy. “The fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“For starters, we’re all international criminals. No sane person is going to want to date any of us. Our only options are other criminals like ourselves,” Itachi explains. “And even if any of us were to get into successful relationships, they would inevitably fall apart.”

“And how can you guarantee that, huh?” Deidara huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It’s a matter of probability… Considering what even the worst of people could handle, I don’t think anyone would willingly handle any of us.”

“Like we’re all that insufferable to be around,” Sasori laughs, seemingly shocked that Itachi would be so blunt, but also clearly in agreement. “How pitiful that you’re right...”

“Is it really fair to say that we’re all doomed to being alone for the rest of our lives?” White Zetsu hums. “That’s cruel, Itachi. Most of us at least have some good qualities.”

“That’s arguably true, but Hidan is a religious zealot with a psychopathic murderous rage-” Itachi starts, only for Hidan to slam his hands down on the coffee table and argue back.

“Hey! I am not a zealot, you fucker, I’m just trying to spread the good word of Jashin!”

Once Hidan stops, Itachi continues, looking towards the artistic duo. While Sasori is sitting there putting tools to his puppet-arm to fix his flamethrower installments, Deidara is making tiny swans out of clay.

“-Sasori and Deidara are too obsessed with themselves and their art to want to maintain a relationship, and even if they wanted to, Sasori doesn’t trust others and Deidara is far too emotionally immature.”

“The fuck do you mean emotionally immature?” Deidara demands, only for Sasori to roll his eyes and respond with-

“Oh, shut it, brat. You know he’s right.”

“Zetsu… You seem nice enough, but your physical circumstances are… Unfortunate, to say the least, and the fact that you seem to be two separate entities certainly doesn’t help your case,” Itachi clears his throat, not even meeting Zetsu’s eyes when he says this.

White Zetsu gasps, then says-

“Itachi! I never thought you could be so rude to me.”

-at the same time that Black Zetsu says-

“Itachi, you’re a fucking asshole.”

“All Kakuzu cares about is money, so he would throw any potential lover away in a millisecond for a good chunk of change-”

“That’s true,” Kakuzu nods.

“Kisame is prepared to kill people that are supposed to be close to him at a moment’s notice if he feels like that’s what needs to be done for the best result, and that principal would apply to any potential lovers,” Itachi looks to Kisame, who is at his right, and then at you. His heart skips a beat when he meets your eyes and he’s sure you’re waiting for him to say something about you, but he can’t. So, he rambles on about their leaders next. “And Konan and Pain are far too busy with this cause of theirs to bother.”

“What about (y/n)?” Kisame mocks, stopping and nudging Itachi’s shoulder with a bandaged Samehada. You inch closer to Itachi and blush. “No rude observations about her, huh?”

“...Not yet,” Itachi answers. “She hasn’t been here long enough.”

“And what about you?” Sasori follows as he finishes tinkering on his arms and starts to put his tools away. “You can’t possibly be unaware enough of yourself to think that there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“There’s plenty that’s wrong with me,” Itachi sighs. “But even if there weren’t, I couldn’t maintain a relationship because of our line of work.”

“Like you said, couldn’t you just find another rogue ninja to screw around with?” Hidan suggests while sharpening his scythe. He finishes and haphazardly swings the weapon towards Kakuzu, who catches it by the handle and throws it into the wall before standing up and firmly kicking Hidan in the shin. None of the others so much as flinch. “Ow, you old motherfucker! The fuck’s wrong with you!?”

“What’s wrong with you? You’re lucky you escaped with nothing but a bruised shin. If you would’ve destroyed one of my hearts with that, I’d take yours as a replacement,” Kakuzu threatens. 

“Like I wouldn’t like that?” Hidan snarks back, to which Kakuzu merely scoffs and turns away.

“You’re foul, Hidan. Itachi is right about all of us.”

Kakuzu storms off into the hallway with Hidan following close behind, nagging his ears off.

“Great, they’re fighting again,” Deidara rolls his eyes, only for Sasori to snap back at him.

“Like you’re any better than they are? Don’t lie to yourself.”

With that, Deidara and Sasori start bickering as well. Black Zetsu grumbles something about despising all of them before trailing off into his room with White Zetsu attached. Kisame laughs again.

Within minutes, it’s just you, Itachi, and Kisame alone in the room. A calm silence falls.

You look towards Itachi and offer a small smile. For what must be the millionth time that day, his heart skips a beat at the mere sight of you. Kisame takes your spot next to Itachi and offers a toothy grin.

“Well, Itachi, since poor Zetsu is alone, I’ll go ahead and let you keep (y/n) to yourself tonight!”

At that, Itachi blinks. In this hideout, there are only four rooms. Usually, Deidara and Sasori will share, Itachi and Kisame will share, Hidan and Kakuzu will share, and Zetsu will stay in a room by himself. With you in the equation, Itachi assumed it would go the same way, just with you staying in his and Kisame’s room.

He hadn’t considered the possibility… Of sharing a room with you.

“Zetsu isn’t alone, he’s two separate entities; two separate people with two separate personalities who happen to be attached at the hip,” Itachi pokes holes in Kisame’s words for the sake of doing it- in a terrible attempt to stay cool despite how his cheeks are bright red and how his heart is slamming against his chest. “But, that aside...What are you implying about (y/n) and I?”

“I saw you looking at her all day. You always do,” Kisame snickers, then pauses. An uncharacteristically serious expression takes over his face as he leans in and makes eye contact with Itachi, amber burning into dark charcoal. “I don’t think we’re terrible people, Itachi. At least not entirely.”

“What does that have to do with what you just said?” Itachi demands, raising an eyebrow. 

“You don’t seem like the type to enjoy things very much,” Kisame shrugs. “For once, you should let yourself enjoy a close bond with somebody else. It’s like you said- not everyone has the opportunity to do that.”

“Alas, I am a terrible person, Kisame, and so are the rest of us.”

“Is (y/n) a terrible person?” Kisame asks, to which Itachi falls silent. No, you’re not a terrible person- you’re flawed, but still the best of them all. You wound up in the Akatsuki entirely by accident, not because you’re a cold-blooded killer, which is the case for most of them. “That’s what I thought.”

With that, Kisame leaves.

Later that evening, Itachi retires to your shared bedroom in the hideout to find you already lying in one of the two beds with your eyes shut. Kisame isn’t anywhere to be seen, so Itachi assumes that he’s in Zetsu’s room just as he said he would be. The Uchiha walks quietly in case you’re asleep, but you make it apparent that you’re awake when you address him.

“Itachi, where’s Kisame?”

“He said he wanted to room with Zetsu tonight…” Itachi trails off. He’s sure you’re going to ask why, so he follows that up with- “For whatever reason.”

“Hm.”

You pause, staring at the wall. It appears as if you’re contemplating.

“What’s bothering you?”

“I was thinking about everything you said to the others,” You say, sitting up and pulling your knees to your chest. You wrap your arms around your legs and sigh. “Earlier, I mean. About the dating stuff.”

“Oh,” Itachi replies, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was rather cruel. My apologies if it bothered you.”

“No, it didn’t bother me. As mean as it feels to say, you weren’t wrong, for the most part.”

“Then why have you brought it up?”

“I think you could date… If you wanted to,” You murmur, bashful. Right then, everything clicks. You must return his feelings… The way you constantly cling to him, the kindness you display, the staring you do when you think he’s not paying attention. At first, Itachi assumed that you were merely grateful for how he saved your life last month, but now… Well, he’s not stupid. He can tell just by your body language that you’re attracted to him. “And I’m curious about what your ideal date would be.”

“My ideal date…” Itachi starts, against his better judgment. He knows he shouldn’t do this with you. You’re a good person, and he’s… Well, his quality of character is debatable. You deserve better- anyone who gets close to him ends up dead. Still, the selfish part of him can’t help but want to travel this road with you. “Mayhaps this is more practical than romantic, but I’ve always enjoyed going to stay at hot springs. Soaking in the water helps with my chronic pain, and the food is usually quite decent.”

“Yeah, that’s fair,” You nod and absentmindedly play with your hair. Your gaze flickers to the window. “We should go sometime… Together.”

Itachi swallows.

“Yes… I would enjoy that.”

With that, Itachi retreats into the bathroom to change into his pajamas before climbing into the other bed and falling asleep for the night. For once, he turns his back to his partner and falls asleep easily, knowing that you would never think of hurting him.

Later in the night, Itachi is woken up by the sound of his bed creaking. He jerks up, Sharingan activated without a second thought. His eyes glow bright red against the darkness of your shared room as he stares into your soul. You’re sitting on the edge of the bed with your hand on his shoulder. 

“U-Um, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” You apologize, tears in your pretty (e/c) eyes. You appear utterly exhausted. “I just… Had a nightmare.”

At the explanation, Itachi deactivates his Sharingan and allows the tension to leave his body. His thin frame relaxes as he settles back down into the bed. 

“You must be tired,” Itachi murmurs. “Did you want to join me?”

“Yeah, if it’s okay.”

Itachi blushes. He hasn’t slept with anyone in a bed before… Still, he wants you to feel better and get some rest before the big mission tomorrow- and a selfish part of him most certainly doesn’t hate the idea of holding you- so he scoots over to make room and lifts his blanket, gesturing for you to crawl underneath.

“Are you alright?”

You climb into the bed and under the covers, laying on your side to face Itachi. He slips an arm under your body to pull you closer despite being so unfamiliar with physical touch… It feels as if both his heart and his skin are on fire from merely holding you.

“I will be,” You answer, snuggling into Itachi’s chest. “I just… It’s been weeks, but I can still feel those needles in my neck, and the blood on my skin… I can’t forget it.”

“I understand, but believe me, nothing else will happen to you- not while I’m here,” Itachi reassures you, holding you close and pressing a kiss into the top of your head. “You’re my partner, after all. It’s my job to protect you now.”

“...Thank you, Itachi,” You hum. Your eyes fall shut and your lashes flutter against your cheekbones. “Let’s get some rest… We have a long day ahead of us.”

“(y/n)?” Itachi starts.

“Yes?”

“I changed my mind,” He says, then clarifies- “About your question… Regarding what my ideal date would be.”

“What’s your new answer, then?”

“My ideal date… Would be anything, as long as it’s with you.”

Much to Itachi’s surprise, you lean up and kiss his lips.

“I agree… I really like you,” You grin. “That being said, though, we still need to go to the hot springs together like you said. Don’t you think?”

“Yes,” Itachi smiles back. “I would love to, (y/n).”

[luckyshotwrites]

Ch. 90 // Battery // Day Off

Contents (Warnings): Andras explains Drake and Lynette's 'very important roles'. (Angst, death, slight blood warning, hard/fatal vore, character and monster info as always). Read full chapter on A03

Wordcount: 5,000+

Song I correlate to this Chapter:

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(Dec. 7th, Wednesday)

Wicks

He had protected him. Neither his cloak nor the one he made for Garter broke. The walls stayed intact as well, thanks to the enhancements done to them as well. 

Dang. Wicks knew it was his fault. He wanted to talk, but taking Zetsu in as initially requested would have been easier. 

Wicks's glowing eyes then latched onto Garter's body. He was clearly still alive and unconscious. 

His gaze landed on Garter's head. The rune-like words he could read as easily as English. It detailed the spell. Reverie. It meant Osiris, or who he assumed was named Osiris trapped Garter in a dream. It couldn't be broken without realizing it was a dream or someone entering the person's mind and bringing them out.

Wicks did so with Garter. His head dipped to his friends forehead and Wicks delved deep into his mind. He clutched and forced Garter out of the repetitive cycle.

His friend let out a yell, and Wicks gave him space.

Garter pushed back his long, straight black hair from his face and calmed down seeing Wicks. "Hey, Boss...?" His eyes wandered around the apartment.

"Not your boss."

Wicks got up from his crouched position and stepped backward. "How did I get in here?"

The light olive-skinned male returned to the part where Zetsu's body struck. His shoes crunched among the glass. "What happened to keeping watch?"

Garter groaned when he stood, "I was. I saw Zetsu breaking in? I tried to get a closer look and stop him, then got bombarded by humans." Garter touched his face, "They were under curses, so I undid them quickly because once they couldn't hurt me, they tried hurting themselves. Then I think who I thought was Zetsu hit me with something." 

"His name is Osiris..." I think. He didn't correct me. "I think he's Zetsu's twin? I didn't even know Zetsu had any siblings. He said he lost his family in the war." 

"He lied?"

"Yeah." Wicks looked at some of the pieces of colored glass on the floor. They looked like figurines. He saw a few still intact on the shelf. They kind of look like people from work...creepy.

"Did you report this?"

"No. You should, and we'll follow the trail." Wicks could faintly feel their presence—the magic 'residue' was still there. Unless it gets shadowed or overthrown by other things, every spell has a specific signature. And Wicks WOULD track it. 

He waited for Garter to make the report and went to check his phone. I should message Lynette. He checked over the message from Suzie he received and scrambled to Garter.

"Change of plans, tell Olivia you need another agent." 

"What?" Garter grabbed Wicks before he could leave, "hey-"

Wicks turned back and without explaining another word, he said. "It's Lynette."

...

It took them ten minutes to arrive. 

A girl was leaning right over the charred area. One of the cars, Wicks recognized as Lynette's, had gone up in flames and was a charred chassis. 

The girl brushed her pastel pink hair back to one side and fixed the few bobby pins that seemed to come loose. She flicked back to them, standing near the same height as Wicks. Her stelledos clacked as she approached them. 

She held a hand to Wicks before he launched himself at the car. 

"No one died here." Her pink cotton candy hue blinked a few times. "Magic happened before the explosion, so it's hard to pick up on who created it."

Died here. Wicks kept his heart moving when it wanted to stop. 

His secretary waved her hand before Wicks's face, "You and Garter should look through this mess. You'll probably find more than me." 

Garter went to work first. 

Wicks took a deep breath, and his hands were unsteady. He couldn't get the memory out of his head—his sister in the corner of the infirmary room. Her body shook, and cried out anytime anyone, including himself, moved near her. 

"It's a shame, really. She didn't become a magus. If only we pushed harder."

"I think this looks familiar," Garter said. 

Wicks snapped out of thought. I can't waste time. I can't lose her. He said in his head. He allowed himself to look as deeply as he could alongside Garter. 

"Thank you for coming here and trying, Suzie," Wicks told her. 

She wasn't a combat-oriented monster, especially out of her water-infested territories. 

"I'm sorry I couldn't be much help. When I arrived, the cars weren't burning anymore, and there was a barrier, but it dissolved as soon as I reached it." 

He scanned the area—the faint residue meant nothing to him except for the one Garter mentioned. Its familiarity made his body tighten. "Alexander."

"Isn't that the guy you don't like?" Garter questioned.

He was supposed to be with them. He came late...if he PLANNED something with Lynette... Wicks didn't know whether he should blame him yet. 

"I'm going to follow this. It's faint but enough for me to track him." He turned back to Garter, "Are you willing?"

"Always boss!" 

Wicks lacked the energy to reply as he always did to his nickname. 

...

Drake

Andras created a portal within the car to move the three of them. 

Typically, they could be tracked by magic residue that lingered in the space spells were used. 

That's why he had him toss the car into the ocean. If it was abandoned and no one saw it go in. There'd be no report of it. So, the C.P.P.A. would have to stumble upon the wreck and hope the magic was 'fresh' enough to track.

Andras dragged him through the portal by his hoodie.

Andras let him go after, and Drake hit the ground. Then, the illusion Andras used to make himself look like Ace faded. Or Drake had to assume it was an illusion that even fooled his senses. Though there was magic to befuddle someone's perceptions, he didn't know when it was used on him if that were the case.

He twisted his wrists bound by the cuffs. Exasperated, Drake pressed his head to the ground and used his shoulders and core muscles to get on his knees. 

It wasn't mid-afternoon anymore. Where Andras brought them, it was night. Mountains surround the area, keeping the chilling, herbal winds trapped around them. Despite the lights from the Victorian-style "hotel" windows, stars were visible above them. 

Regardless of how beautiful the scenery was at the lake or how green the plants were, it reeked of death. 

He staggered up when he heard the frightful yelp escape Lynette's lips. 

"I see we reached the limit, huh?" Andras tugged her by her wrist and pulled her into himself. Andras threw his hand under her chin, and curled his fingers around the edges of it. His finger tips indented into her cheeks. 

Drake refrained. Andras turned her head to forcibly face him. He could easily snap her neck. The vampire beast kept that in mind.  

"You're magicless and formless, even if you somehow overpower me and help her." He pushed at her cheeks, almost like he wanted to use her as a dummy to talk. While she struggled. "What's your plan?" Andras asked Drake.

Drake couldn't rebuttal. The whole area was covered in a barrier, and Andras had others helping him. They would get involved, too. 

The male in the navy blue button-up turned her back to face him. "And you, dear Lynette." Despite whispering in Lynette's ear, Drake heard his voice clearly, "Keep calm, and do as you're told." His hand released from her chin and ran down the front of her neck. "If you don't, I'll bite, and unlike Drake, your body can't keep up with me taking chunks out of it."

They were both trapped.

The curly-haired male released her chin. Lynette remained quiet. He shined a wide smile and tapped her cheek. "Glad we understand each other." 

He tugged her by the wrist alongside him. "Let's go, Drake." In his bound state, the vampire beast felt as if he had a collar around his neck, and Andras held the leash. 

How can I fight him?

The closer he walked them along the stone path, the more the building with many windows towered. There was no comfort in the gold lights shining from those same windows. If anything, they felt like spotlights awaiting a performance. 

Drake couldn't even focus on her heartbeat. He understood the fate that waited him. It spurred jitters that popped in his body like firecrackers. He dreaded and refused to succumb to his fear. That's what Andras wanted. 

I'm not falling for it again. I'm different. That thought was a lie.

Two guards were on either side of the door, unmoving like statues. And there were two more that met them right outside those doors. One well-endowed male and female. Both were tall and gave little mind to either of them. 

They keenly locked onto Andras. 

"Hey, Terrance." The curly-haired male waved to the big guy. Then switched to the female, "And hello, Victoria, since you're a little gentler, do you mind grabbing her?" Andras let go of Lynette. 

The redhead didn't get a chance to react. Victoria quickly bent down and wrapped her digits around her waist. She lifted Lynette to eye level, then leaned forward and sniffed her face. 

She pulled back, scrunched her nose, and cocked her head to look past Lynette at her boss. "A human, huh?" Disgust coated her words.

Andras nodded, "not for you."

"Thank god." She uttered, holding Lynette out in front of her like a rotten fish.

Lynette's timid tone left, "I can walk just fine."

The curly-haired male chuckled, "You should indulge in your special treatment while you can." Andras looped his arm around Drake, "you certainly did and should have basked in it longer." 

Andras beckoned the other male to follow as he led the charge. They went inside—the red silken armchairs and couches of various sizes ran along the first floor. Most seats, except those near the counter leading to the large flight of stairs, were empty. 

The room was massive, made to hold the average size of most monsters. 

The further he walked, accompanied by Andras, the more Drake's heart creaked like a rusted trampoline spring under the jumpers' weight. 

"I already have two VERY excited clients looking to have a taste of you."

Cocky bastard. His fangs ground against the metal harder as his nostrils flared, making him choke on his blood despite their inability to clench. His captor held a vile, proud smile. Andras's plan worked. 

Drake couldn't hide his humiliation. A vampire without its bite and power was annoyingly pathetic. Not that he didn't harbor this feeling constantly, but being paraded like a trophy only fertilized Drake's hatred. 

"Don't be scared, Flawless." His enemy said it aloud. Anyone in the room could have heard it. 

Drake reflexively jumped. Shut up, don't say that! 

"Don't worry, you'll have an easy time tonight, a simple meal for two." He snickered and pressed his cheek to Drake's. "After that, you have the WHOLE rest of the night to relax and indulge. Doesn't that sound nice?" 

Seeing your corpse would be nice. 

Andras took his face from Drake's once they reached the top of the steps. His crazed, faint gray hue stared into Drake's red ones. "Think of it as a 'welcome back' present from a friend that's happy to have you."

Then, his eyelids dropped, and the hand around Drake's shoulders came up and traced his jawline. "However, starting tomorrow, you and your battery will be getting your work cut out for you. I expect you to have at least five to ten clients daily." Andras's eyes flared with fervor. "Until you make up for all that precious time I lost not having you." 

They stopped next to one of the doors in the long stretch of hall, "speaking of..." Andras unlocked the door and pushed Drake forward because his feet refused to move. 

"One flawless," He cooed. 

Drake was face to face with two girls. Their eyes held as much care for him as someone would a glass of water after they had been traversing a desert for hours.

"Now play nice, and don't leave him too drained. Or I'll have you both permanently removed." Andras bubbly laughed and pushed Drake into them. 

He knew they were vampires by the lack of sound coming from their chests. Other vampires couldn't hear each other's hearts; they had a unique frequency blocking it.

"Get my merchandise when they're done, Terrance," Andras said from behind him. 

He heard Lynette's voice, followed by the shut of the door. The dimly lit space held the average amenities of a hotel room. Bed, couches, t.v., though it did nothing to ease his mind. 

He struggled to break from their grip. They forced him onto the ground and pulled at his hoodie, partially choking him until they tore it away. Next, they shredded his shirt too. 

Their claws lightly brushed his flesh as they did. 

His air escaped rapidly and rigidly through his nose. He felt like he was suffocating when they exposed his upper body. 

He watched them, their protruding fangs and colored eyes, not red like his own, picking which part of his flesh to bite first. 

One of them slammed her hand down over his head, covering one of his eyes. He couldn't see what they were going to do. 

His body trembled in desperate attempts to change. It didn't do anything but make them laugh. 

They tasted him. One near his neck and the other at his ribs. While they pressed their other hands at his shoulders and their legs to pin his. 

He couldn't make a sound when their fangs sunk deep into him. Their venom and saliva didn't work on other vampires or vampire beasts, so he had the 'pleasure' of the pain. 

They'll just bite. They'll just drink. Drake told himself the same lie he always did. They never stopped at that. The two bit down hard and tore at his body, ripping at the flesh like Andras did. 

And he fought, regretfully knowing there was no point trying. 

...

Lynette

The girl held me up the whole time. Her fingers' strong grip firmly kept my waist. I don't have anything.  

Not that I thought I could help. I hindered Drake. He couldn't fight because of me. 

Earlier, when I couldn't control my actions, I saw everything I did. I thought something crawled into my body and wore me like a costume.

I should have gone along with the fake. Hindsight reminded me of my terrible choices. I didn't expect any of this. I didn't expect Ace or Osiris. I felt stupid. 

I live in a world of magic and monsters. Why do I always assume the best and think things will be fine!

Though, I knew the answer. Certain memories were etched into my head, images and words burned so profoundly they couldn't be removed. 

I couldn't remember her face all too well unless I looked back at the pictures or sometimes in the mirror. But I remember some things she told me, and I wanted to do them for her. 

When Drake was split from me, I moved in their direction to see what was happening. The girl holding me took a step back, so I couldn't. 

"Hey," her grip tightened. I winced. "Don't move so much, it's annoying." 

"You can always put me down," I muttered. 

Her thin pupils narrowed. She half smirked, annoyed. Xander gives me that same look. Though hers was different, she hadn't lost her snooty exterior. 

"Very funny." She remarked. "I don't want to play chase with a gross little toddler." She stuck out her tongue like she ate something she didn't like. "Nor get my hands dirty with your blood after I catch you."

Blood. The terror I had every time they chased me at the pizzeria returned. They could all crush me so easily. 

"Damn it." She grumbled and squinted at me. "If you make any sudden moves. I don't care if you have to sneeze, cough, or whatever. I'll pop your head like a needle to a balloon." She made a popping noise.

I nodded.

She dropped me down on the ground and inhaled loudly. She put her right hand in front of her face and blew. Soon, her breath sparked a flame, and it covered her hand.

I jumped, and her eyes were keenly narrowed on me while she did so. I stood up straight. She went to scratch her nose when she finished.

Did she use the fire to get rid of my germs? She refused to touch the one. She didn't breathe fire onto any part of her body. Is she a dragon like Lev?

She did have the same eye color, though hers were a much fainter tint of yellow. 

I heard Andras's voice. It was a little clearer since he sounded closer to the door. The burly, quiet man who stood by it went in, and Andras came out.

"Drake's not merchandise," I said, not realizing I had shifted to face him. 

Victoria's voice growled from behind me. "What did I sa-"

Andras approached me, and it silenced her and me. I knew if I backed up, I'd run into her. I didn't want to run away either because Drake was in that room.

His hand came up next to my cheek. He simply chuckled and pinched it. 

"You're very endearing," he said before he took his hand back. "Now grab her and bring her along, Victoria."

Victoria picked me up the same way and walked. I kept glancing back. I wanted to know what they were doing to Drake. Are they vampires that drink vampire blood? I wanted to fight and ask more questions, but I didn't want to get my waist crushed by Victoria. 

Ten more doors down, Andras slowed. He turned to two double doors with an elevator right across from it. Why didn't we use the elevator? 

Andras threw up his hands and pushed both of what looked to be stone doors open. A scent of pine filled my nose first before the tickle of blood followed. 

"Aww! How I missed you.~" He chirped, darting across the office with a singular desk at the back surrounded by three giant picture windows leading to the outdoors. He swung behind his desk and comfortably plopped down into his chair. He relaxed back with a huff and his arms behind his head. 

My eyes went to the windows. I didn't recognize a single thing. We didn't live by any mountains. How far away are we?

I heard his chair creak and turned to the sheening desk. The top was spotless prior to him putting his shoes on his loafers on his desk.

"May I drop her now?" 

Andras sat up, "Go ahead." 

She happily let me go and blew fire on her hands afterward. 

My vision met his. "I don't think I properly introduced myself, did I?" 

I couldn't make eye contact with him. "No. Nor did you explain why you took us." 

Andras snickered, sprung from his chair, and hummed as he stretched his arms. "Well, Lynette, welcome to my current humble abode." He bowed and turned his head up to look at me. "My name is Andras." 

He gestured to the office. "And this will be your home for the rest of your life, or until we move locations." He held up a finger and walked around the side of his desk. "Not in my office, sorry. You'll be staying in our exclusive merchandise rooms." 

It was not that I didn't expect him to say something along those lines, but hearing him mention it so casually frightened me. He didn't hold a hint of remorse or guilt. 

I couldn't say more than a single word. "Why."

"Glad you asked," he walked in front of the desk, standing parallel to me, and studied my body. "I don't think I've seen a human with as much energy as you." He tapped his finger to his cheek. "I'd imagine you could bring in some money if I lent you out, but you'd do a far better job at being Drake's personal battery instead."

He slipped from his desk. He stood before me—my line of sight was at his collarbone, given his height. His hand went to the base of the left side of my neck. 

"That way your delicious energy rich blood can go to some good use, helping a friend." His fingers curled in, "and if..." 

A knock at the door interrupted him. 

He perked up, "Come in." 

I couldn't see who entered, but I heard their voice. 

"I got my brother."

Osiris. Andras held me from looking back. 

"You look worse for ware, Zetsu, what happened?" Andras asked. 

My eyebrows furrowed. Zetsu? That's the one I met with Wicks and Garter on the first day of training. 

"I-I-um-" I remembered his shyness. Osiris said that was his brother. 

Andras finally let me go and very lightly chuckled, "I see. You were caught, wasn't he, Osiris?"

His brother grumbled, and I saw him pull the timid Zetsu by the hair and closer to him, "yeah."

"Ow," Zetsu quietly whimpered. 

His eyes are puffy. Has he been crying? Zetsu looked like he had been tearing up next to his twin, who had a singular white streak in his hair. 

"Shame," Andras sighed. He slipped back to look at me, then smirked deviously. "Actually, this is perfect timing. I might have a new purpose for you, Zetsu." 

Andras sauntered his way over, closer to the doorway. 

"Don't." Osiris sternly said. 

The curly-haired male in the button-up tilted his head, "Don't what?"

"I know that look." Osiris said, "he's useful to me." 

"Not to me, nor will he be much to you." Andras snidely remarked. "Think logically, Osiris. The C.P.P.A. wants him, and Zetsu can't use his magic properly to fight them if they catch him." Andras stood up to Osiris, who was nearly a head taller than him. "So, your days playing pretend are over." 

Zetsu visibly shook, "I'm-I'm sorry." Osiris gripped his hair harder. The hand that Andras went to grab Zetsu with didn't make it to him. 

Osiris let his brother's hair go and grabbed Andras's hand. He squeezed it.  

"I said, Don't."

Andras didn't move a muscle. 

"Oh, he's screwed," Victoria said from a little distance away, she was on one of the comfy armchairs. 

His smile crept up further than normal. His lips seemed to split slightly. He slapped his other hand over Osiris's. And he barely had the chance to growl before his body vanished. Or, more so, it was in the air, his arm between Andras's hands. 

He shrank him?! I had never seen anyone do it that way. I only saw Claudia, but even then, her potion took effect after two hours, not immediately. 

"You'll make a MUCH better example, Osiris." Andras pivoted on his heels until he faced me. "You see, Lynette." He adjusted Osiris in his hands and walked to me. I stumbled back. His steps were fast, getting to my pace, and he wrapped his arm around my back. 

"You're now my property." Andras held up Osiris, "like he was. Except his purpose was to be an informant and ensure our clients uphold their end of the deal." He moved Osiris close to my face. "And I expect a certain level of respect from you and anyone I own."

He put the tiny Osiris to his cheek. "Isn't he cute like this?"

"Y-" I didn't know what to say.

"Lynette.~"

"S-s-sure?"

Andras smiled innocently, "If you try to run, disobey me, fight against me or a handler, and it loses its endearing, pitiful human charm then..." Without hesitation, he tossed Osiris into his mouth. He shut his lips, seemed to move his tongue around with him, and then there was a loud, deafening...

CRUNCH.

The sound continued, accompanied by snapping. 

Did he...n-no. 

He gulped aloud and exhaled delightfully. I could smell the iron.

I couldn't move. My mind refused to process what happened. I barely let out a soft gasp as Andras leaned near my face.

"If the trouble you cause outweighs your purpose, regardless of your importance to Drake." He papped my nose playfully. "I don't have a problem killing you, selling you off to another buyer, or feeding you to one of my deserving subordinates." He laughed like what he did was mundane.

He killed him. 

My mind still saw him in Andras's hand. He wasn't there anymore. My eyes drifted from Andras to Zetsu, whose eyes and mouth probably looked as filled with shock as mine. If not worse. 

"What, are you worried for Zetsu next, Lynette?" Andras turned around and walked to him. "He did seem to know you, didn't he..." Andras threw an arm over Zetsu. The boy's lips pursed, and his body shook violently. "I would have considered it if Zetsu fought too, but he's obedient." Andras leaned over, friendly-like to Osiris's twin. "that's why you're taking your brother's place."

Zetsu didn't say anything. He still hadn't looked away from the spot where Andras had eaten Osiris.

The gray-eyed male asked me, "Did I finally answer your question thoroughly, dear? 

"Y-yes..." 

"Great! Then Victoria, take her down to the merchandise room! Drake will meet her there shortly."

...

Drake

There weren't any thoughts. Only instincts, feelings, burning, desperation, and the overwhelming desire for blood. 

He thrashed relentlessly—every single being looked palpable. He didn't care how they smelled—his body wanted to feel the rush their blood brought him. It needed their energy. 

He tossed himself back and forth like a wild animal as the male dragged him by his legs through the basement. He continued to break his wrists, and pop his shoulders out of their socket, whining in pain only to be muffled by the metal in his mouth. 

He screamed in his head. And the burly man let him go. He forced him to the ground, pressing a knee into Drake's chest. It kept air from coming in. 

The male then got a needle out of a case and stabbed it into Drake. He fought harder as more of the wolfsbane entered his bloodstream. It made his already glowing hue sizzle. 

Next, the man got the bar at his mouth and yanked it out. It pulled up some of his teeth and gums before they regenerated again. 

His throat exploded with low growls, incapable of forming coherent words that weren't an occasional cuss or attempts to bite. 

"You look flawless."

His attention finally narrowed on Andras, who reached around and got his upper arm, dragging him down the rest of the stuffy, dimly lit cellar. "You look so vicious, I'm almost scared."

Drake couldn't get him either; he wanted to, but he couldn't stand properly. 

However, his ears tuned into the sound so appealing, alluring, and delicious that it took his attention off the curly-haired male. His fangs clenched together. He wanted the heart that made that sound.

His drive to live clouded his hatred. His eyes keenly locked onto the source at the back of the cell. They were curled up in a tight ball. 

Andras touched his cuffs and whispered softly. "They're all yours." He released them, and Drake didn't hesitate. His instincts wouldn't let him. 

It happened in a blur. One second, she was far away from Drake; the next, he had sunk his fangs deep into her delicate, soft skin. The euphoric rush overtook his body—possessively keeping her as close to him as possible like an animal with their food. 

No one would take her away. He removed his fangs, not entirely full yet, only to find another spot of her neck to bite into. He wanted to mark her as much as he could. So he did so, over and over again, until his thoughts gained coherency. 

Lynette. He thought, still drinking. He closed his eyes and didn't stop right away. He selfishly took more. His body told him, too. 

She was too good for him to stop. Drake had to pry himself away and release her unconscious body. 

It was a struggle to inhale and exhale. Drake didn't realize how much he drank. He had to force himself to rest.

His eyes sympathetically held her, "I'm sorry," his shaky hands traced Lynette's jacket that he had stained with her blood. Her wounds had healed. 

Drake swallowed. 

He checked over the cell, bars, and stone. The bars kept magic from working within the cell. At least, most unless you were very skilled. And unless Drake saw someone use magic, he wasn't. 

He listened and watched her chest rise and fall. He felt slightly relieved that he wasn't alone. At the same time, he disliked that thought. 

I shouldn't think like that. I got her involved. He put his fangs to his bottom lip. He tried to contain his want for more. He couldn't look at her. 

"I'm sorry, I fucked us both." He crawled back the best he could. Why am I like this? Why didn't I listen to them? 

Drake pushed back into the corner, creating distance between them.

"I hate that I did this to you," Drake said. 

He looked outside the cell. "I hate them." 

He lifted his shaking hands to his forehead.

He shouted as loud as he could. It echoed through the hall, and he slammed his hands down. 

And I hate that I couldn't change.

...

Hey, you, thank you so much for reading. I'm glad I put out a story that people can enjoy! I hope you continue to enjoy it as WE have a LOT more to go! YOU BETTER KEEP PROSPERING! (Nonnegotiable, as always~).

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What I’d do for a Livable Income Part 2 (Synopsis/Chapter - List)

[enquiringangel]

i want the dvd commentary on "even when we're old and grey"! i don't have a specific question, but is there anything you can share about your time writing this fic?

From this meme here. The fic in question is here.

Even When We're Old and Grey

This fic was born of my desire to give Hashirama/Madara a happy ending that doesn't end in death and afterlife marriage. The title is obviously meant to reference the fact that they still love one another even as ancient old men.

My goal for this was to give them a happy ending but for it not to be too saccharinely perfect. Though they are together and have lived a good life, they did not manage to make all the sweeping reforms that they (particularly Madara) would've wanted to see occur throughout their lifetime. This is more or less explained in the paragraphs were Hashirama rails at Hiruzen for trying to promote Kakashi, and the fact that Madara disapproves of both the Third Hokage and Danzo. My thought process was that some other things would be better or different though! Without Tobirama having undisputed reign to make whatever policies he pleased, I envisioned that the Konoha police force would be made up of members from every clan, rather than being exclusively Uchiha. The actual canon plot regarding the creation of the Rinnegan and Black Zetsu's meddling doesn't occur here either, because Madara is happy and in fact, he and Hashirama have broken the cycle of hate between Ashura and Indra, so it never will.

Regarding Madara's dream sequence; as a young man he always imagined he'd die gloriously in battle (if you believe such things can ever be glorious, which he does) and he has some regrets that it never happened. Though he would not choose differently.

I couldn't resist cute kid Obito being treated well by Madara in stark difference to canon, and the mokuton scene is meant to represent the blooming of the new generation carrying forward their dreams.

[nohara-rin-dot-mp3]

Ok okie okay OK..... MANY questions for you if that's alright, because I've recently seen your blog and your view of Rin as a character is very intriguing to me. It reminds me of the depth tora-the-cat here on Tumblr gives to Sakura, and I mean that as a high compliment! So without further ado: 1. Do you have any idea what caused this gaping void in Rin and whether she was born that way or made? 2. How much of everything about her is artificial? Does she kinda view herself in the sense that she's like a character in a book-- that she always has an ever-present audience viewing her, even when alone ala Margaret Atwood, except instead of the voyeuristic gaze of a man in a woman viewing herself, it's the voyeuristic gaze of humankind in one she watches instead? 3. Why does she try so hard to play a person when so much of it seems like drudgery to her? Is it out of a fear of consequences, because it's a game everyone plays but she wants 1st place, or is it just that she has nothing better to do/no strong whims to propel her in a solid direction? 4. Do you think she and Kabuto, (my personal blorbo), would study each other like bacteria in a petri dish or repel each other like magnets, had they known the other existed? (They seem to have A LOT of similarities but their cores feel very different to me...) 5. Why does she get so angry when people remember her? Is it that she's remembered incorrectly or the idea she's remembered at all that upsets her? If it's the former, does she hope someone can see through her facade and find the "real" Rin? 6. What's her philosophy on life? 7. Does she have opinions on both White Zetsu(s)/Black Zetsu and vice versa? If yes, what are they? Depending on the AU Kaguya would likely keep both groups around the same time she keeps Rin, so what in god's name is going on there???? 8. Do Kaguya and Rin keep Toneri as a pet?

And I've got more but this thing's long enough so I'll save those for later; thank you for your time! :>

kicking my feet twirling my hair ect ect. oh anon i am SO glad you asked

1- rin's apathy is made of a lot of different things mixing together. some of it is innate; she genuinely doesn't care about a lot of things that most people would. she doesn't get the same fulfillment out of doing things that most people do. however, in a world where she wasn't forced to be child soldier, she probably wouldn't have fallen into quite as extreme a mindset. a lot of the apathy is a (bad) coping mechanism that builds on traits she is already predisposed to. so... both, i guess? rin is already kind of apathetic and empty, and then work as a ninja causes her to use the apathy as a shield.

2- rin doesn't really see herself as a character, per say- it's more that she views the *facade* she puts up as a character. "rin" as everyone else sees her is an artificial construction that rin is able to control, which is really important to her. she doesnt view herself as a character, but she does view the persona she puts up as a character, if that makes sense. she puts a distance between herself and the people she's acting for.

in regards to the sincerity of her actions; well, rin kind of thinks that if she chooses to do something, that negates the intent behind it. which... is arguable, to an extent, but also ultimately untrue. when he's teaching his own team 7, kakashi hides behind a mask of a lazy troll- but he also *is* a lazy troll. the fact that he's using those traits to divert attention away from other traits doesn't negate the honesty of them. to rin, though, even if she *would* do some of the things she does if she wasn't playing the role of "rin", the fact that she is choosing to do them to project a specific image invalidates them. there's a lot of things that she does that she doesn't mean at all, too, but to rin those aren't any different to the things she only sort of means. lmao. there is something so wrong with her <3

3- the facade started as a way to avoid judgement, yeah. rin's mannerisms when she's not masking are unnerving to a lot of people. as time went by, though, she got Weirder about it and started keeping up the persona because she doesn't know who she is without it, and is terrified that she doesn't know. this creates a really weird mindset where rin ends up stuck playing her facade because she's scared of putting it down, but also she hates it and wants an excuse to drop it, but also she hates everyone around her and doesn't want them to figure out that she's been deceiving them, but also she's mad that they're falling for her persona. truly she contains multitudes

4- never considered it before but. oh god. bro. you are on to something. im hardly a kabuto expert, but from what i understand, he is also a big 'putting on masks' person so. 👀 . i think that kabuto has a lot more internal drive than rin, and even if he hasn't exactly ironed out every kink in his plan, he knows that he wants SOMETHING!!! honestly now that you've brought it up i can't stop thinking about the parallels... kabuto disregarding the fact that he isn't sure exactly what he wants and focusing on acting because there is SOMETHING that he wants, and he can't have it unless he acts vs rin hyper-focusing on the fact that she isn't perfectly sure what exactly it is that she wants and letting her masks drag her down. autism to autism communication.

5- 👉👈 if i said "a little bit of both its kind of complicated" again would you be mad lol

so, yeah, the idea of people remembering her facade instead of her is absolutely sickening to her. rin really, really, really wants to be known, but she can't *let* people know her until she knows herself, and also she would rather die than take of her mask. people remembering her persona instead of her is basically proof that she failed, that she never understood who she was, and was therefore never able to share that understanding with others. yes that's what happened in canon lmao.

HOWEVER. even if someone did come around and understand rin beyond the mask she puts on, rin wouldn't want to be remembered after she dies. to rin, grief is... unnecessary? like, when faced with a problem, rin likes to Fix It. if there's no solution, or if the solution is more effort than it's really worth, she will simply choose to stop caring (oh yeah there's that emotional disassociation). anyways, that's a *very* unhealthy mindset to have, and also is the cause of a lot of resentment between rin and people who she might have otherwise come to befriend, even if it is kind of out of a place of care (she doesn't want people to keep hitting a wall they have no way of climbing).

tldr: she doesn't want people to remember her facade because she hates that thang. she doesn't want people to remember *her* because she doesn't want them to be sad when repressing their emotions is an option and its sooo easy too

6- big question,,, honestly, a lot of the way i characterize her revolves around the way she *can't* answer that question. i think that in canon, she never really develops any philosophy towards anything. in aus where she lives longer, i can definitely see her leaning towards a utilitarian viewpoint- being able to recognize that not feeling the "right" emotions behind an action doesn't negate the action would go a long way for her mental health lol.

7- rin doesn't really have strong feelings on either of the zestu. black zestu is... kaguya's will, right? which is not something that makes sense to me at all and it probably never will but you know. you know. i guess she'd probably view him as something similar to one of kaugya's shadow clones? the white zestu are mostly just old, chewed up corpses and if there is one thing about rin to remember it is that she does NOT want to be remembered after she dies. so of course she will be extending this same courtesy to others. they're just tools to her, because thinking of them any other way would be *disrespectful* (she has problems)

8- you know i've never really given much thought to toneri (i had to google him to remember who he was lol). he seems lonely. a bit of a silly little hypocrite which is admittedly a great kind of guy. apparently he shows up in boruto too but i haven't read it so idk if anything changes there. depending on his attitude towards them, i certainly think they could be convinced to let him hang around. if he's nice i think kaguya would treat him like an annoying little cousin more than a grandkid of anything, and if he's rude i think she beats him to death with hammers. i don't think rin would have very strong feelings on him? maybe she'd be a little pissed at the way he idolizes hinata on account of her knee-jerk reaction to anyone (besides her) failing to treat anyone as human and nothing more or less, but in any au where kagurin are just chilling hinata's probably dead lmao so im not sure how that'd affect things.

this got long but its fine aljfghsdajkgkjdkg. thank you so much for the questions, they were actually really compelling!!

[mizumi-uchiha]

Headcanon and character overviews

Madara and Mizumi had a relationship bordering on friendship, love is not eternal but what if it never happened? absurd, they both have differences for which they complement each other, he is an extremist and perhaps she is the fatalist, she accepts the fact that dying is part of life and that hate and pain are an everyday thing while that he sees in this a repulsive image, the Uchiha clan is the clan of love lol, we don't have much information about the convictions, hobbies, ideals and history of the Uzumaki Clan, although my headcanon tells us that they were the clan in search of knowledge, The experimentation and research was the passion that the members of the clan shared in addition to the spirit and the will more than power. Mizumi Uzumaki was curious to death, in fact this very curiosity led her to her death. She seeks knowledge that will take her to the stars, metaphorically. Madara Uchiha gives his entire life to a single goal, so he shows dedication, perseverance and self-confidence, on the contrary, Mizumi is inspired by curiosity, the desire to experiment, the satisfaction of developing a new technique. The Uzumaki clan have forbidden techniques, sealing techniques, they have a powerful Chakra, the knowledge and use of these techniques were acquired through experimentation, study and a degree of ambition and this is just what Mizumi did, even taking it beyond the limits of his own life, well, both carried their goals to death, it is not a specific case, the life of a shinobi advanced day by day under the shadow of death, many ninjas had enough strength to give their lives with the aim of protecting or sacrificing oneself for something. both feel a great passion for their own ideals. Maybe the black zetsu manipulated him but the willpower, the spirit and the passion belonged to Madara, we were always puppets. All his life he was unaware of the true plan, the stupid plan that ended his life. she hadn't had the best of endings either. he had been developing a sealing and pact technique with Shiki Fūjin, which went wrong, it was predictable but he still decided to take the risk. both trusted too much in themselves and had their end...

[rokudaimehole]

I am once again asking for your Izanagi headcanon, I vaguely remember what it was 🙏🙏 Please supreme ratticus

Hiya!

I’m not sure which headcanon you’re specifically referring to, but I can try to parse things out for you. I realize in my great purge, a lot of my posts were lost (aka — I did not save them, whoops) so there is a chance I may backtrack on my ten year old headcanons.

More under the cut!

So, from what we know in established canon, the Izanagi is one half of a whole jutsu — the Creation of All Things (CoAT). It’s been wildly speculated and theorized in the community that in order for it to be “perfected” that 1) an Uchiha must have Senju DNA and 2) it’s variable. Now, a lot of this discourse comes from the fact that the manga does have conflicting information (as with most things…) but when it is first stated, it’s important to remember Obito was fed those things by Black Zetsu. Please consider: is it unreliable narration from a heavily manipulated character or is it a retcon when it is disproven later on?

I leave my thoughts out of this as an Obito sympathizer. But let’s be real: it’s probably a retcon.

In any case! For the sake of my headcanon, ignore both of those facts because I don’t consider either of them — and yes, I will explain.

My headcanon has a few prongs, so let me list them:

1) The Izanagi is defined by the limits of the user’s belief.

2) More than blindness, those who survive the use of the Izanagi pay personal costs for playing god.

3) The effectiveness of the jutsu is directly tied to the user’s bloodline and their mastery over yin-yang release.

Now, if you’re seeking specific headcanons about Ayame’s journey you will have to direct message me because while I do plan to maintain the same arc, it’s slightly different now so 🤫

To explain the headcanon:

Those who possess the ability to activate the Sharingan don’t necessarily need to have Hashirama cells. Does it help? Yes. Having Senju DNA helps everything in that universe. However, it’s still something that users can do, even if it’s limited.

The limits of a user’s belief directly impact the result of the jutsu: an Uchiha with a god complex is going to come back strong and hitting. A panicked, insecure user may not be able to reshape reality to the fullest of the jutsu’s capability. A confident, nearly beaten hero grasping at desperation may get what they want and more.

What personal cost would they have to pay besides blindness? I headcanon that they also sacrifice a portion of their chakra. It just never comes back — that’s the price for shaping reality. You’re alive, but you’re weaker for it.

How does bloodline matter? Well, just like any type of ninjutsu! If you come from a stronger branch of the Uchiha family and hold mastery over yin-yang release, you have a better shot at the results you want. Reality takes less to shape. It’s not always a guarantee, but it helps.

Since this is kind of long, you’re welcome to ask specifics. I’d be glad to dive back in! I have a lot of worldbuilding around the Uchiha clan and their dōjutsu, as I am sure many of you remember.

[hunting-songs]

Canon Characters Senritsu had met outside of the canon- Storyline: Wing- Senritsu made her Hunter Exam when she was eighteen, which was, considering she now aims into her late twenties while working on the Black Whale, almost ten years ago. Due to having a superficial grasp on Nen and a prototype Hatsu at that time already, she passed the exam on her second try (thanks tompa!). One of the people together with whom she passed the exam was Wing and beside going out for drinks after passing the exam, they had not much contact afterwards due to very different interests. After Senritsu was cursed, she started to have more regulary contact with Wing as he as a Nen-Master, but specifically someone who researchs Nen beyond the own Aura and Hatsu, could help her figure out how her own Aura had changed after she had been cursed. Wing helped her to put inscriptions in the inside of the bandages she wears aorund her left arm, to slow down the growing of the cursemarks and keep the overscared Auranods that Senritsu has nolonger control over, in a state of more or less Zetsu. They are friendly acquaintances and Wing is probaby the only person Senritsu still keeps contact up with from the time before she was cursed. Ging Freeccs- Ging was one of Senritsus examiners during the Hunterexam. And by examiner it means that he waltzed in, announcing that he really does not want to be there and really does not care about the examinees and that the only reason that he was there as a examiner was that he had avoided for years already to volunteer as a examiner and now was forced to be a examiner at least once. So he ordered the examinees to stand on one leg and that those who will fall over or touch he floor with more than one foot will fail the exam. Than he left and said he would be back in an hour. After the hour passed people started to get nervouse. After three hours some people figured that the reason that Ging had not returned yet was because there were still so many examinee and started to go after people to throw them over and keep them down so they would not pass. Three days (and many broken legs,amputeed limbs, and shattered knees) later Ging returned, and announced that he had forgotten about the examinees. He let the handful people who had still been standing pass to the next part of the exam. Senritsu is pretty sure that Ging had really just forgotten about the test or, even worse, was too lazy to check on the people he was testing and did something else instead. Ging does not remember Senritsu nowdays and Senritsu honestly does not care that he doesn´t remember her. She still got scars on her left leg and knee from the fights between the examinees .

Morel Mackernasey- Senritsu keeps in close contact to some Beast-Hunters due to changes in Flora and Fauna the Sonata of Darkness leaves behind wherever it is played. Some she would regulary accompany on missions. On one of those missions she met Morel and they bonded over both beeing fans of Elvis Presley. They are friendly acquaintances, who regulary work together (Morel is seeked out by Senritsu because his pupils are beast-hunters, and Senritsu is seeked out by Morel because she easily can speak the lingua from Water-folk due to her singing voice and keen ears that work even underwater), and Senritsu visited him at the Hospital during the chairman election.

[immoralimmortals]

A Song With Ten Names

Chapter 7: I'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind

Chapter 1 ☆ Next chapter

Summary of chapter: Uchiha Itachi: intimidating, deadly, and right in front of her. But can she know him at all from reputation alone? (Also Kisame is here and I love him very very much.)

Author's Note: The song for this chapter is I'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind by Vashti Bunyan. I've been in love with it for a long time, how sweet and eerie it is and that I relate to it a lot, but only recently caught onto me as an Itachi kind of song.

CW for this chapter in specific for references and allusions to abusive situations / physical abuse.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I'd like to walk around in your mind someday

I'd like to walk all over the things you say to me

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Petrichor bakes in the sunshine, onto the earth like coals after a fire: a welcome scent after such destruction. Taking shelter caused the two replacements delay, but at least there was assurance Zetsu would keep their watch in absence. Disconcerting as he may be, it was better than the alternatives that used to be here. Blue toes step into the brief clearing of the forest, this little welcome mat of the abandoned mansion. A straw hat slips off his head, revealing that sharp teeth aren’t his only animalistic quality as gill-lined eyes blink.

It doesn’t take a missing-nin to notice a shape in the window abruptly duck away. The tall man hums.

“Guess she’s a skittish one.”

Pressing her back against the wall, half-slunk to the floor in panic, the woman clutches her racing heart. Oh fuck, oh FUCK he fucking saw her, didn’t he?! Finding him watching— as he seems to always do— she explains herself to Zetsu as if it will make this less sinful:

“I just happened to look out the window- you know, wondering if they’re arriving soon like we thought- and he was THERE, I swear! Just, all of a sudden! God, I made it worse. I just made it worse.” Making it known how jumpy she is, that is. First impressions are everything! And she just HAPPENED to have a good one of killing people and making money the last time! What do fish-men respect? Probably not someone who flees and flops like bleeding prey! But of course, Zetsu has nothing to absolve her of; in fact, this turn of events is quite amusing.

Let’s make it even more worse.

“It’ll be quite an honor, you know,” White Zetsu purrs.

“...Huh?” A performer drunk on sleeplessness is the absolute most malleable subject- that is, easy to scare. Delightful.

“To meet them and live! Especially Uchiha Itachi.” He pauses, analyzing her response. The traveler double-takes a glance out the window, the shark-man looming across the way as if to wait for something before crossing the final gap. His grin is unwavering. She turns back to Zetsu, brow curled in wary curiosity.

“…Who?”

That’s a notch in the “not faking it” counter, he notes. It’s this point on that the woman’s full attention is wrapped in the weavings of her flytrap, allowing a second figure to step out into the drips of sun, unnoticed:

“Well...here we are,” the first one nearly sighs. “The time has come, hasn’t it?” This isn’t exactly his ideal way of spending his days. It’s a civilian, no known enemies: the objective is simply to protect and comprehend. No high stakes, no swordplay, just time and talk. Part of him thinks the gal should just stick with their spy. Now beside him, a pale, ringed hand drops a matching straw hat, smooth black hair swishing with the residual breeze. The elder partner continues to prod the young man for more of his mind.

“Do you think it’s true?” he nearly teases, like an older kid that knows better about monsters under the bed. “The show must have been quite convincing for our leader to take it seriously.”

Itachi exhales behind the cover of his cloak’s neck. “That isn’t something that matters. We have our mission. The truth will come in time.”

Kisame smirks at this play on his own words. Ah, time...how much of his time will be spent in this lull of a daydream? For the other side of the clearing they approach, it feels a bit more like a nightmare.

“Itachi is of great status and fame here. He is a former ANBU member,” the softer Zetsu says in drawling precision, much like telling the younger campers a ghost story at the fire, “The most skilled ninja in all of Konohagakure, arguably the world as we know it. His genjutsu is flawless, second to none.”

The woman takes in his tone, but the words pass through from ear to ear. “...I don’t know what any of these things mean...—”

“He slaughtered his clan.”

Four words that do make sense in that exact order.

“Oh.”

Bump bump bump!

The traveler nearly jumps out of her skin at the knock on the door. Her head twists to Zetsu to open and greet, but he’s keeping them waiting. Oh... Oh… Oh.

“Answer,” Black Zetsu says.

She’s not too keen on her sudden ownership of this house.

Two men wait patiently under the porch awning, in silence, as a little crack in the doorway creaks wider and wider at the breakneck pace of a lazy slug. A shaky eye on half a mousy face appears; the Kirigakure-nin knows it’s square on him. Who can blame her, he guesses, sorta scares everybody outside of the Mist. Only problem is this isn’t a brief encounter: it’s going to be long term. How do you diffuse this sort of timidness?

The staring begins. Speak, either she hears in her head or Zetsu commands. Speak, either he hears in his head or Itachi commands.

“Are you—?” The blue swordsman and the wary house host begin at once. Interrupting one another, the man grunts in response to the woman’s squeaky “eep!”, throwing her hand over her mouth in an apology. Cute if this is a one time thing, annoying if this is going to be the next several weeks of his life. Joking is second nature to him when there’s nothing left to do about such timidness:

“Oh, come now,” he speaks, voice smooth and deep as the sea, “He isn’t as scary as he looks!” He turns to the younger man in a bit of a quiet call for help. The dark-haired one raises a hand, gently pushing open the door for a better view of one another.

He isn’t as scary-? She looks to the second man for the first time at this suggestion, pale with raven tones in his locks and eyes. He...really isn’t scary at all, she decides, taking the taller one too literally. Maybe he’s Itachi’s entourage, since people are so afraid of him.

“Miss Takara.” His voice is velvet, mouth hidden behind his coat. “We’re your guards, assigned by the Akatsuki.” His choice of words, always and forever, purposeful. “May we enter?” By this point, the shorter shinobi has stepped forward, filling most of her sight, but it’s hard to ignore beady white eyes above pearly teeth shadowed as they nearly touch the porch awning. She swallows. She nods. She steps aside and lets them in.

“...Of course. Sorry. I’m just—” Nervous? Can’t admit that. Scared? Even worse. Unused to human contact? Too true and long to explain. “...Sorry.”

The length and girth of the standard Akatsuki attire, of course, is enlarging and intimidating on its own atop whomever’s shoulders bear the burden, but the vast difference between the two gentlemen- shorter one first, then the giant- is staggering. The traveler can see it, the way the latter passes in front of her. The fire, the thunder, the blood, the what have you that accompanied the death of his own family. She imagines it swathing around the shark, those massive hands stabbing or choking to death—

His head turns and meets her eyes again. Hurriedly, the woman dips her gaze, holding her hands obediently. To him, it’s as if she’s too shy to even breathe; Kisame’s used to being intimidating but this is a bit ridiculous. Something else may be going on, and she misses a silent look between the two men to communicate that.

“It's nice to meet you. We apologize for our late arrival,” the pale man says. “The windstorm posed a threat if we didn’t take shelter. Are you well?”

Is she well?

That’s not a question she expected. Fluttering eyelids allow her sight to raise, seeing the speaker intent on her while the azure killer glances about the decrepit entryway; she can sense his disdain for it. The woman nods. There is no option but to nod. It isn’t very convincing. From her view so much lower than he, she can’t tell that the shark’s smile has become a frown. His partner continues.

“We’ve traveled far, many days and nights to make our way to you. Do you have any food to share?”

...And that question is actually a really damn good one! Does she? “I...oh, I actually don’t know. Let me ask Zet—”

The woman turns just in time to see a closed plant finish sinking into the floorboards and disappearing from all of existence.

“...su.”

He left her alone. Zetsu filled her head with fears and left before giving ANY advice on how to handle someone- who by his tongue- is a genius mass murderer. The back of her mouth begins to whine, as if it’ll help her find the words he’d give. She can’t move— she can feel them staring at her. Feet are glued to the ground, and she’s shrinking smaller and smaller as the seconds pass.

Itachi looks to Kisame. “The village nearby should have provisions. I’ll stay with her.” Kisame sighs.

“Of course...” Is that disappointment in his voice? Still frozen, she hears him slink away, as much as someone of his size can, and step out and off. He passes in front of the window where they first spotted one another, and she catches his one glance back.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I'd like to run and jump on your solitude

I'd like to rearrange your attitude to me

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A spider greets with empty dishware as light pours into the cabinet, a frantic eye trailing back and forth, up and down for something left to eat. It’s never a good feeling, being a host, and having less than needed to simply be polite. However, she finds it even worse when no one is here on their own free will. She frowns at the creature, humming sadly as its front door closes. Nothing so far, and she’s running out of places to look. As she twists her chin over her shoulder in one last desperate glance, she catches a mouth and chin— finally— peaking out from under the cover of cloth as the man, too, raises his head. It takes a moment before the host realizes he’s staring at the large cracks in her ceiling.

“I— don’t really spend a lot of time in here. Sorry it looks—” A second arachnid creeps out and in two adjacent openings where he looks. “...Like this.” Not knowing what to expect, she finds neither comfort nor fear in his wordless response. His head pans over the corner room of this bottom floor, evaluating its features of broken windows and dripping faucet. He blinks, as if to signify to himself the picture is taken— the evaluation is over— and he speaks ever-so-softly once again.

“Show me the rest of your home.”

From him, it’s not a demand but a request, so she complies easily, gesturing to the exit of this room to the following. Maybe she should be more concerned, given Kakuzu’s final warning, but this man is so...calm. He asks a question, and he listens. Perhaps after so much time with Hidan, the host has forgotten what manners are. Either way, her iceblock of a chip on her shoulder is starting to melt; he can see it carries less tension than when Kisame was there; he had made the right call.

“I haven’t spent much time exploring,” she begins, truthfully, as she leads up the stairs. “I have my space and Hidan and Kakuzu have—...had theirs.” Each creak of the steps is louder now that their arguing is gone. Was it always this bad? The handrail wavers under the guest's feathery touch.

“This is where Kakuzu stayed.” An arm gestures to the closed door. “I. Never was allowed in. And that one was Hidan’s.” A second motion, to yet one more closed door. “He. Never let me in his, either.” But Itachi is not Takara, and he is not afraid even in their absence. The first room’s knob is turned…

“Oh.”

A neatly made bed, a briefcase on top. It almost looks like a businessman left his suitcase in the hotel room and left. She had expected...something? She guessed? From someone so private. She allows herself a shrug before she continues to walk away, while Itachi notes the X-ed out profiles stuck to the wall and studies the scent of rot coming from a mass underneath the bed frame.

Next in line, her hand reaches to Hidan’s door...and before Itachi thinks to stop her, the stench of death floods out, a dusty red circle with an astringent, metallic odor centering the room with splatters every size of blood on every. Damn. Surface. She goes pale and weakens in the knees, prompting the man to bolster her up with an arm around the hip as another decides this room should probably just stay shut.

“Anyway!!!” she panics cheerily, trying to maintain composure while standing up straight out of his hold. “There’s lots of rooms I don’t really use. Some of them have beds if you need—” Of course they’ll need, stupid! “You can use any room you’d like!”

The things untouched by the other Akatsuki are the last thing on Itachi’s mind right now. “Where do you stay?” Perhaps a bit bold to ask himself into a lady’s bedroom, but circumstances will allow. She points up with her index finger.

“I picked the one farthest away. I’m kinda shy— weird, I know, singing and all— so I stay up there and recharge until I’m ready to go!” A fist swings in front of a woman overly-enthusiastic and obviously lacking sleep; Itachi keeps his own placid demeanor in turn.

“Show me.”

And even as that whine begins under her breath again, how can she say no?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You say you just want peace and you'd never hurt anyone

You see the end before the beginning has ever begun

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The task is harder than anticipated, Kisame finds. He nearly looks lost, head turning as the bustle of the village is hushed with each coming step of his, every conversation trailing off as he passes. The blue face looks side to side, everyone either making eye contact too long or refusing it altogether. He doesn’t much care for trips like this, without his partner to cushion the blow of social awkwardness. For a missing-nin, he still cares too much about the attention he draws. Ah well. A mission is a mission, no matter how trivial. Food, basics...and something to soften things with the girl. Actions speak louder than words, always— that’s one of many reasons he and Itachi have such mutual respect. If she’s as frightened as a mouse, perhaps a bit of cheese may help her tolerate the fingers who give it.

His wave of indigo hair bobs up and down like a fin as he judges each shop, too damn low for him to see without slouching. Kisame hardly knows this lady. What’s something guaranteed for every woman to like…?

And it comes to him like a prayer answered, cut stems bearing blossoms and blooms, for sale by the bunch.

The florist’s eyes bore into him, of course, as he trails purple-painted nails underneath the leaves of one flower, evaluating its health. Mind his own business, and hopefully she minds hers, that's all there is to it. The bouquet is lifted from the display and set carefully onto the counter.

“How much for this one?”

The florist is dead still in response, no speaking, no moving. Her lips form a straight line.

…This whole routine the village has is getting a touch too dramatic, isn’t it?

“At least say if you aren’t willing to sell to me—”

“Do you know her?”

Kisame grunts in surprise as the abrupt interrogation. He glances her over a second time, more carefully, and understands her tight-fisted stance is more serious than afraid. What should he answer to that?

The association is obvious: “You wear their cloak. She was with others like you. She visited our village alone in the day, and they brought her back by night.”

He blinks. This is the first time he’s heard of them taking her anywhere. Most he heard is that she liked to sing and her singing was weird, and somehow she was still alive despite the company.

“Please.” Foolish to beg at the feet of an Akatsuki, she must know, and he picks up desperation beneath the resolve. “If she’s alive…bring her back to me? She loved my flowers. Came by to see them every day. I...— I never had a chance to give her this...—”

Nervous hands fumble behind the counter, and Kisame half-braces for a weapon that doesn’t come. It’s a little jar, cupped in her palms. “She asked me once how I kept my hands soft after working all day in the garden. I promised her I’d make her own jar of the stuff.” Tentatively, the cloaked man plucks up the thing, silly and delicate with its ribbon bow in his roughened grasp. He uses a couple of fingers to twist it in inspection. Sensing possible distrust, the woman is eager to assuage his suspicions.

“It’s lotion— that’s all. I make it myself, with ingredients I grow. If she’s alive, just—” Can’t help but choke up at the question of if. “—Give it to her for me. For us, even? People here miss her. At least when she was here once a night...we knew she was okay...but...Do what you have to do,” the florist adds hurriedly, aware of the little influence she has over a force so tremendous. Kisame contemplates the glass container, flecks of flower petals inside that dye the milky salve as its raised to the sun, and the woman’s shoulders lower in relief as it finds home in his pocket. She complains not as random coin is dropped onto her counter and the man leaves, peace offerings in tow.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I would disturb your easy tranquility

I'd turn away the sad impossibility of your smile

I'd sit there in the sun of the things I like about you

I'd sing my songs and find out just what they mean to you

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

They climb yet one more flight and walk past untouched halls and rooms of dust and decay, a pair of yellow eyes caught by black ones before disappearing once more. He continues with no mention. Zetsu’s spying doesn’t bother him nor change his actions. The woman’s hand pulls a lever and she asks him to step back before an angled ladder slides with a thwump! from a hatch in the ceiling. That...looks like an attic, the man ponders, though following her up all the same.

And, as she lights a candle, he sees it is one, too.

“This is where I sleep,” she says, pleasantly. Kisame-height or not, you can’t stand up straight in here, even at the vertex where rooftops meet. Itachi’s eyes follow the dancing light she set on the wall to take in the details: a pile of blankets and pillows; many, many boxes surely from the previous owner with two skittering mice playing king of the hill amongst them; a single, meager window frosted with cobwebs; and then -

“That’s my guitar!” A proud answer, for once, so he pulls himself from the negative and listens well. As eager and anxious as any night at the bar, with her hunched back she slides over to her nest, placing the instrument in her lap. After so long of having the performer routine, it’s almost like putting her face back on, getting to hold its neck again.

Buh, duh, da, dee, dum…~

She strums the chords before thinking, pressing palm flat on the strings to mute further excitement. He didn’t ask. What if he doesn’t want to hear it? What if he’d hate it? Shame washes over as quickly as it left, but just as the woman begins to lift the guitar off her shoulders, she hears a soft “don’t.”

Black eyes even more matte in the dark, they draw closer to the performer as the man joins her where she sits. The motion is so smooth, it's ethereal. And then he’s so close, the sides of their thighs are touching. She contemplates this until he speaks once more, flame-lit gaze meeting hers.

“I’d like to hear it.”

…The lady hesitates. He repeats himself.

“Grace me with your music, Miss Takara.”

She purses her lips. “...I’m not as good as people say I am.” Where did that come from? It’s a fear of hers, deep down- a truth that she’s known from the start. Yeah, she’s known it, but why is she tripping over herself to say it now of all times? “I don’t write anything. They just...haven’t heard it before. And haven’t heard it right.”

“Is that so wrong?” he returns.

…

“It feels like it,” she whispers, having no other answer than this.

…

“Do you fear me?”

The answer is immediate, much to her surprise. “No, I— You’ve been...nothing but nice to me. So far.” Perhaps not long enough to justify this sort of trust, that’s what she actually is afraid of. He radiates peace, stability...it’s something she’s not felt in years, let alone since she’s been here.

"Then I would like to hear your music."

Her mouth twitches. It stills. It twitches again. Finally, she can grimace a smile to the man, hoping she may be safe as long it is just the two of them and the dust motes. It’s known, somehow, in her gut, and she’s okay feeling this way up until she’s proven mistaken and gets slashed wide open. The risk is more comfortable than the alternative.

“...What kind of song?” she offers.

He does something he only does for someone who can keep a secret, and he smiles back.

“The choice is yours.”

So, the song on her mind.

To an audience of one, her heart begins to race. Are there stakes to this game? Should she still be afraid of a bad first impression? It was kind of ruined at having him realize he has to stay here in this grimy, unkempt house she hasn’t even managed to tame. But he’s still here, he still listens. It’ll make staying with Itachi- the scary one on his way back any second now— easier. Maybe he'll be nice, too? We can cross that bridge when we get to it. Her audience right now could be anything or anyone, and yet he chooses to sit beside her, and even if it doesn’t last, he will pay attention. She’d like to walk around in his mind, she confesses. She’d like to know exactly what he thinks of her, nay, choose how she is thought of if the answer scares her. How terrible a confession. She’d like his respect. For his kindness to stay. As she closes her eyes and talks melodies in the dark, a patch of her skin slips out of her sweater. The crow stares, but he says nothing until she’s done swirling her curls of hair around her neck and sweetly requesting, under her breath and in song, to be loved without being too noticed.

That breath hitches as when she’s finished, he approaches closer in her space and lightly pulls a strand of hair off her shoulder. Fingers stretch out to match the space made by her markings, pale ones covering the shadow of Kakuzu’s that were left behind. A wince— sudden chill and the soreness of touch— and she pulls back.

Too close, too intimate. The man sees right through her now, for better or for worse. His black irises raise like moons off the ground, from her bruise to her face. The woman has lived in squalor as the two before him— resilient and unsympathetic as they are— carried on with no worry. What things did she see them do? How much did they hurt her?

“Hey, hey, it’s nothing, see?” She gestures to it, only to surprise herself with how purple and distinct the injury turned out even in such low light, but she has to continue the role of pacifist. “It was...on accident. He was talking about something serious before he left, and—”

And this doesn’t sound so good being said out loud, does it?

The man closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, briefly recentering before they open again. She didn’t notice they had a red tint until now.

“Tell me who.”

Even without him present, she can’t help but repeat her defense for the man who gave her a name. “It’s not a big deal, it was on accident—”

“Who?”

Though spoken soft, the word rings in her head like a bell, and the answer falls from her lips. The woman becomes lightheaded, not noticing she was led back downstairs until she’s fumbling her way onto a couch with the magician in tow. It’s about when she’s registered this change that the front entry closes and a bundle of blue daisies walks itself in. Kisame stops where he sees her, sweater removed and injury obvious, dead in his tracks. She looks nearly delirious, and so he mutters his partner’s name.

“Itachi-san…—”

To her ears, it’s the wrong voice that’s saying it, but the younger man answers in kind:

“Kisame,” he speaks, serious as death, and like she’s waking up, the woman begins to realize who is who. The word is all the swordsman needs to hear for permission, not needing to be asked to set down his bags and drop to his knees at the woman's side. Hypnotized eyes ogle as she reevaluates, first that this is not Itachi, the clan slaughterer—

“Forgive me for getting so close so soon, princess—” He divulges the nickname he originally made to mock her, having time on the road to imagine problems to come. Sharp teeth grit in clear agitation.“Dammit. They said they didn’t touch you… I had my doubts…” It isn’t much, but he has gratitude for the little jar as he picks it from his inner coat and twists it open, the scent of friendly folks forgotten wrapping around her head. "Guess you can't train a zombie after all." Grey-tinted fingers dip into cold lotion, but they retract just as soon as they touch.

“Ah—!”

Kisame hears her hiss and looks to his partner for guidance, abruptly unsure of himself now that the objective is to help instead of harm. The firm gaze he gets instructs him to keep going.

The application of the stuff is like he’s afraid to break the girl, like he too could easily leave these marks without trying. Surprisingly, she allows it. While she’s porcelain, he’s sandpaper. This, unlike him, is someone who is cared for. She’s loved, and yet she is alone. He doesn’t think highly of her— not enough time in the collective couple of minutes they’ve been in the same place— but he finds himself rooted in respect of the wake of her actions. It’s a shame. It’s a shame that she had to spend so long with the zombies. He'll do better— goddammit, he can at least do better, low a bar as it is. It won’t be a fun job, taking care of her, but it’s one Kisame is beginning to find has meaning. In turn, the woman knits her brow, though the rest of her is helpless but to ease under his fingertips as they slide under the strap of her dress and brush the edge of her collarbone.

“Hold on… It's not medicine, but it’s better than nothing. Just stay still a second longer.” The more he massages the bruise, motions gingerly and attentive, the clearer she can tell how warm his hands are, how under his strength is intent and conscientiousness. Kisame is no monster after all, she can see. It fills her to the brim with something overwhelming, though she doesn’t know what. She wants to thank him— she wants to apologize— but her voice is blank as this other emotion takes over, numbing. Briefly, with the soothing rhythm he takes upon her wound, she shuts her eyes. Hardly managing to crack open again, she witnesses two blood red ones return to black.

—Second, that this is the one she was told to fear. Words of pardon and excuses from Kisame become more and more mute as she takes in the sight of he who is stabilizing her by sitting beside again, holding her hand as rays of setting day glow around them. The man is a bloom like datura, alluring and lovely but with so many fallen dead to his feet. But he is so nice. He was nice to her. What Zetsu said can’t be true, can it?

Last thing she thinks before drifting away is that there's no answer on the Uchiha's face.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

But most of all I'd like you to be unaware

And I'd just wander away

Trailing palm leaves behind me

So you don't even know that I've been there

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

[evilkitten3]

@senjufound @obitoslover gonna respond to all three of you together (sorry for the delay but. i either did not notice your reblogs or noticed and forgot. impossible to say. i am the king of being oblivious. whoopsie)

first, concerning the backstabbing thing. very often, when characters are extremely untrusting, they tend to constantly be on guard for betrayal (which amusingly can manifest in them getting betrayed specifically because of that). madara is an odd subversion of that. his trust issues seem to have more to do with a lack of faith in others' abilities. in the cases he worries about safety, it's never his own. he worries that the senju will betray the uchiha, but he doesn't worry that hashirama will betray him, which. uh. whoops.

when madara offers sasuke the opportunity to join him, i think that may have been some kind of twisted kindness. i think he felt that, since he and sasuke were the only uchiha left (unless you count obito who was. basically on black zetsu life support at the time iirc), he owed sasuke an out. i don't think it had anything to do with any resemblance sasuke had to izuna, personally, i think he would've made that offer regardless. they're family, and he very much understands not wanting to feel isolated from your family. ofc sasuke doesn't give two fucks about him, so that's that. he tried, sasuke said nah, that's all he owed him. oh well. bye kid.

i was reading something about a week or so ago (don't remember if it was like an article or a fanfic or something lmao just that it was in japanese) and the author commented that madara seems to be a character with high pride, but low self-esteem. i think that was referring to pre-edoten madara, but i think it's an interesting take. he's very, very aware of how strong he was; he's not remotely insecure about his fighting capabilities. he's so confident in those that he walks around with his back completely unshielded even after dying bc someone stabbed him through the back. but at the same time, in spite of his power, his life has been one failure after another. he was never strong enough to protect his siblings, never strong enough to secure the uchiha clan's safety, never strong enough to truly put an end to the bloodshed. he was the most powerful man alive.... save the one person he really needed to be stronger than. the senju and the uchiha had been fighting for who even knows how long, but it's under madara's leadership that they effectively surrendered (hashirama can pretend it's a truce all he wants but. well. honey), and when he realized where konoha was heading and tried to pull them out, they had no more faith left in him. and i.... can't really blame them for that, unfortunately.

the reality is that madara's communication skills are g-dawful (unless, apparently, he's communicating doomsday prophecies to the teenager trapped in his post-divorce misery cave, and even then he needs to coordinate a different teenager's death to get the message across), and he seems to be the sort of person who assumes that trying to clear things up is entirely pointless. i guess it's like he,,,,, doesn't believe in rhetoric? only overly complicated gambits. gorgias would eat him for breakfast lmao.

anyway, i don't think it's fair to fully blame the uchiha clan for making assumptions when it's very likely that madara just,,,,, didn't tell them a lot. he went to that last pre-konoha battle with hashirama seemingly all by himself (at least in the manga idk about the anime) and no one knows what happened there but him. sure, they might've guessed that izuna gave up his eyes, but we don't know what state izuna was in prior to his death, or if there were any witnesses. it's very possible that it really did look like madara stole them, fucked off to kill the senju, got his ass kicked and surrendered instead, and then tried to pull out of a peace treaty that, as far as they could see, was working out pretty well. we the audience know he want to protect his family (note however that we know this thanks to hashirama who was both biased to begin with and also very intentionally framing his story to be more sympathetic to madara than, say, tobirama's version would've been), but unless he made those feelings clear to his clan (he almost certainly didn't), then they wouldn't necessarily have a reason to believe in him.

moving onto the image, madara doesn't obito unfriendzoning him as betrayal bc he has this extremely weird,,,,, kinda double view of him? not really sure how to phrase that. to madara, obito is both another him (therefore trustworthy, therefore unnecessary to consider a comrade bc. that's just him) and also like. the closest thing to a friend he actually has. which is seven billion different levels of pathetic. ofc obito rejects first the latter and later the former bc. he does not particularly like madara all that much (can't imagine why. kids these days just don't appreciate getting new bits grafted onto them while their worldview crumbles to ash around them like they used to smh). however, madara mostly seems amused by obito's declaration i think bc as far as he's concerned it's nonsense. madara has never for a second considered that he won't personally be gobbling up that tasty tasty ten tails and getting that sweet sweet six paths power. he believes in it so absolutely that the suggestion that it won't be what happens is just. like a joke. of course it will. it's his. what are you talking about.

hell, after he says he'll let obito decide what's next, he.... kinda sticks to the background for the rest of the volume. i'm not kidding; that scene is pretty much smack in the middle of the volume and madara only has a handful lines that aren't "...." or "....!" for the rest of the whole damn thing. most of what he does say is internal or seems to just be him talking aloud to himself. out of what little dialogue he has for the rest of the book, he only has one line that's clearly him talking to obito, and it's this:

・・・！！焦るな・・・！それでは十尾が傷つく上お前も・・・ "...!! don't be impatient...! then not only will the ten tails be wounded, but you also..."

in his own extremely fucked up way, madara does care about obito. i don't think it's like. healthy for either of them, but he cares.

one pet peeve of mine in founders-era fanfics is when madara's whole,,,, everything is solved by izuna just being there

like maybe this is just me, but i don't think izuna surviving or even coming around to the idea of a truce with the senju would've been enough to keep madara from the path he ended up on.

izuna wasn't the reason he left - he was definitely part of madara's issues, but he wasn't the why. even if izuna had stuck around, and even if that had been enough to keep the uchiha clan from losing their faith in madara, i think he would've still come to realize konoha wasn't what he'd hoped it would be.

best case scenario, i think izuna's survival might've caused madara to stick around a bit longer, but i don't think it would've lasted. honestly, even then, that might've just made the inevitable break-up between madara and hashirama even more agonizing (particularly for izuna)

it's a fun idea to play around with for sure, but frankly i don't think canon!madara could've ever been 'saved' from that path. certainly not if the hidden village system ended up getting set up in the same way.

[goddess-of-green]

I'm just addicted to your akatsuki hcs, may can I request them with a very insecure s/o, like who always avoid mirrors and prefers keep the lights off during sex (sorry for being too much specific)

Warnings: GN!Reader, language, suggestive themes

► Tobi

♥ Honeybunny you don't like your what

♥ Tobi means no disrespect but are you blind?

♥ Your body is perfect?? He loves you just the way you are??

♥ Tobi would be very surprised to find that you were self-conscious, and he would automatically reassure you that he thinks you're perfect in every way

♥ He will hug you and love you and tell you how beautiful you are, but he won't force you to love yourself

♥ He's perfectly fine with avoiding mirrors and having sex with the lights off if you're more comfortable that way

► Pain

♥ Pain, having a god complex, doesn't exactly understand your insecurities

♥ But he does his best to encourage you and support you when you doubt yourself

♥ Pain will comply with your not wanting to see yourself, although hesitantly

♥ He will try very hard to help you overcome your insecurities though, it just wouldn't do to have an S/O that's not confident in themself

♥ It might not seem godly, but Pain will do anything to keep his precious darling happy

► Itachi

♥ Itachi understands feeling like you're not good enough, or unworthy, even if you seem fine or even desirable to others

♥ He'd be very careful around your insecurities, he tries to avoid the topic as a whole but he doesn't want you to think that you're annoying or dramatic, so when you talk about it with him he is always very open and understanding

♥ Itachi will never pry or even directly ask about it, he'd let you come to him if you were willing to share

♥ He'd respect your wishes without complaint if you didn't want to look at your body for an extended period of time, he knows you might be in a bad place and making you at look at yourself could just make things worse

♥ Itachi might give you advice or comforting words once in a while, but he won't try to "fix you"

♥ If you're insecure then he can try to boost your confidence but he can't force you to love your body

► Kisame

♥ Kisame will feel bad if you have insecurities, but he has them too, so he understands it's not something that can just be fixed or erased

♥ He will try his best to support your decisions, because he wants you to be happy

♥ You don't like having mirrors around? That's fine, he can tell you how beautiful you look for you, you don't need a mirror

♥ You prefer to have the lights off during sex? That's okay, as long as he still gets to feel you against him <3

♥ Kisame just loves you and he hopes that one day you can see yourself the way he sees you

► Kakuzu

♥ Kakuzu would probably brush off your insecurities at first, but if he saw that it was really bothering you or inhibiting you then he would feel bad

♥ Kakuzu thinks that you're beautiful and smart, he wouldn't be with you if he thought otherwise

♥ He wouldn't really approve of you not wanting to see yourself, he'd think of it as running away from the problem but he wouldn't gaslight you or anything

♥ If that's what you want then he won't compromise your comfort

♥ Kakuzu really hates getting mushy and emotional in any capacity but if you had a breakdown then he would comfort you without hesitation

♥ He would reassure you that you're beautiful and that he loves you, but he'd say it very begrudgingly

► Konan

♥ Konan is probably the best at dealing with an S/O who has insecurities

♥ She'll comply with everything you want, and she'll tell you how lovely you are at every opportunity

♥ If you don't know that Konan loves you with her entire being then you don't know Konan

♥ She loves to compliment you and praise you, and if you come to her with your insecurities then she'll pay extra attention to your more self-conscious traits.

♥ Konan won't force you to do anything you don't want to, but if you ask her to then she'll do her best to help you make peace with your insecurities

► Sasori

♥ Sasori is another one who doesn't completely understand your self-consciousness

♥ He sees you as perfect and he simply doesn't comprehend how you don't see yourself the way he does

♥ He'll snark that you have no taste for art when you say bad things about yourself

♥ He wouldn't be very good at it, but he'd try to be positive and encourage you if you were legitimately wallowing

♥ Overall, Sasori doesn't completely get it, but he tries

► Deidara

♥ Deidara is completely surprised that you're insecure, he just thinks that you're so amazing and he doesn't see how you could possibly think otherwise

♥ He'll immediately assure you that he thinks you're perfect, and that he loves you for you

♥ You wanna have sex with the lights off? You got it babe, Deidara is all over that shit

♥ He will do anything if it makes you feel better about yourself

♥ Deidara won't force you to do something that makes you uncomfortable and if he accidently crosses the line he will never forgive himself

♥ He is so ridiculously dedicated to your happiness, it's so cute

► Hidan

♥ Hidan gets like...legitimately upset when he finds out about your insecurities

♥ What the fuck?? How can you not love yourself? You're so fucking amazing and he lowkey doesn't deserve you??

♥ Hidan definitely has some toxic masculinity shit going on but he will sit you down and just tell you how great and beautiful you are if he has to

♥ He will try very hard to help you get over your self-consciousness but if it has negative effects then he'll stop and revert to just complimenting you whenever he can

♥ Bottom line he fucking loves you and if you can't accept how great you are then he'll force feed you positivity until you retain it

► Zetsu

♥ Zetsu goes about it in a kind of weird way

♥ On one hand, White Zetsu really wants you to be happy, and he'll say the sappiest and most mushy things just to see you smile

♥ Though Black Zetsu, not unlike Kakuzu, greatly dislikes showing affection

♥ They both ultimately want you to be happy, so they'll try to find a good way to support you without upsetting each other in the process

♥ They'll say sweet things to you, (White Zetsu mostly) and tell how you beautiful you are, and how lucky they are to have you beside them

♥ Zetsu would love to help you overcome your insecurities, but he knows it's not something that can be forced, so he's patient if you don't respond well at first to his words

[al-hekima-madara-blog]

Madara is (still) Kaguya's vessel

Boruto speculations

I feel it coming... I really feel it coming... 😬😬😬

I think Madara or at least his body as a cyborg version is going to make a come back in Boruto, they send little hint and I'm scared to be right...I really don't want to see him back like this. Its not his era, he already had been resurrected so many time, but commercially speaking, let's be honest, it will attract so much people to the show.

Let me explains what leads me to this undesired theory, based on the information we got up to what we know from now : end of Jigen arc and beginning of Code arc. Below the line is going to be full spoiler so slide down on your own risk!

Learning more about the Otsutsukis thanks to Amado's revelations, made me rethink back what happened during the 4th Shinobi War when Kaguya took over Madara's body. The Karma works like an parasite taking over slowly someone else body. With this logic in mind, do you think Black Zetsu had implant Kaguya's karma on Madara ? Which made him, her permanent receptacle even if he's dead ? I'll explain why I say permanent later.

Black Zetsu is the will of Kaguya, an agent with the mission to resurrect her at her prime. In the same way before being defeated by Kawaki, Isshiki entrusted Code with his will (is it the same will than Kaguya's one? We don't know yet)

To my understanding and correct me if I'm wrong, receptacles are chosen with specific criteria by Isshiki. It's always among poor children having a very hard life, mistreated by their family. Isshiki insists a lot how empty is Kawaki's heart and that's the reason why he is a perfect candidate.

"Despise that emptiness within you. You, yourself...deny your own worth...there's an empty hole in your heart" Jigen/Isshiki

The strength of the future receptacle is as well important. Jigen was a desperate choice made by Isshiki out of survival and therefore not physically fit to contain his power. Both Kawaki and Boruto are strong and healthy fighters.

Momoshiki however seems to have chosen Boruto, not for his background. Boruto is loved by his family and friend and have a confident personality. Rather he was chosen for his bloodline. He is half Uzumaki (Hagoromo ascendant) and half Hyuga (Hamura ascendant), genetically the closest to an Otsutsuki like Kaguya. and apparently that work in his favour since the Kama is working faster on him. Up to 80% of Momoshiki's power and/or conscience are by now on Boruto.

Madara in a way was a bit of all criterias above: his physical abilities doesn't need to be prove. After becoming the second sage of 6 paths he was half close in DNA to Kaguya by being from Hagoromo bloodline through Indra and Ashura, and by implanting into himself Senju cells. He was just missing Hamura's bloodline cells.

I said in an other post here already that his life have some similarities with Kawaki. Both of them are discovered by the reader as ruthless and trusting no one. Kawaki's POV on his traumatic past made us empathise with him. Something which is difficult for a lot of people with Madara by the very absence of POV. Despise that, through second/third-hand viewers (Itachi, Obito, Hashirama), we guess the same traumatic path : being naturally a pessimist character, being born in time of constant war, after loosing one after an other his entire family, his reputation, his clan respect and betray by his best friend. The Valley of the End left him like an empty shell. Black Zetsu puts a lot of hope in him not only he was empty and isolated enough to be a perfect receptacle for Kaguya resurrection. But he as the long term determination to activate the Mungen tsukuyomi and thus giving her back her full power. Not just as a an diminished version as was Isshiki inside Jigen.

Knowing those Informations. Can we draw a parallel between Boruto and Kawaki transformation into Otsutsuki to what happened to Madara in the end of the war? is that correct to think Black Zetsu fix the karma on Madara in the moment he was stabbing him. but contrary to Boruto and Kawaki because he was already a powerful shinobi, the transformation into Kaguya was immediate and didn't take weeks. Or he put the kama earlier in his life and wait that all files are extract into him. But this last theory is strange how come he didn't notice that he was slowly transforming into an alien woman (imagine him chilling in his cave and all of the sudden you start to hear a woman talking in your head).

Amado is a character I can't wait to know better, He strikes me by his knowledge on every single people in Konoha. He always call people by their full name to implicitly say that he had many steps ahead of everyone, putting even Shikamaru in difficulty. Amado is observing Otsutsukis for a long time. As meticulous as he is, there is absolutely NO WAY he didn't study thoroughly how Kaguya resurrects through Madara, 15 years ago.

And let's not forget Madara's body is still there, probably somewhere in a Konoha's fridge. But if Amado can find Jiraya DNA in the depths of ocean, accessing Madara's body should be an easy task to him.

When he revealed how to use the karma he said :

Momoshiki adds as well an extremely valued information :

And oh convenient! Amado is working on a new cyborg able to protect Konoha in collaboration with Katasuke (who literally have the keys to Madara's fridge lol) :

All dots connecting, there is technically only one known person who had been a complete vessel to an otsutsuki, with a body still accessible, containing permanently 100% Otsutsuki's data, who can either resurrect again Kaguya (who is not dead by the way just sealed) or to only use his body as a cyborg able to use Ostustuki's power. : Uchiha Madara. Surely his soul won't come back anymore. But his body is just there ready to be use... And that will be a perfect tension to the story : how the 5 villages who lost half of their effective because of that single guy, will accept that the number one enemy is now going to be Konoha's saviour? The irony...

But I just don't want to see that. I hope my intuition is totally wrong.

See also my other speculations : Did Madara & Jigen ever met during the Warring States Era?