#itachi: i don't see why it matters

[mixelation]

Now I just see Haruhi Fujioka when I think of kushina jr

Does Mikoto accept her strangely conceived grandchild?

bc piloting the technology needed to make a test tube baby in the first place is a years long endeavor, kushina jr isn't born until tori and itachi are approaching or already 30. this is fairly late for the setting to marry and have kids (but not like remarkably late, bc a lot of ninja start transitioning to more desk work by 30 which makes having a family easier). itachi and tori date on and off from like 15 to 20, at which point they're kind of like "yeah i guess we're sticking with this."

what this means is that they've been together "seriously" ~10 years and tori has been actively working on her slightly illegal test tube baby for at least like 5. so mikoto has had time to come around to tori (who isn't really her ideal daughter in law in terms or personality but is, you know, sufficiently well accomplished professionally and also has the ability to put up with itachi) and then also come around to the idea of a test tube baby. i know some people are freaked out by the idea of a baby being conceived via test tube, but i can't really see a ninja being too bothered by it...? like it's more illegal in that it has the potential to be used for shit like bloodline theft than the moral conundrum of work on human tissue without IRB review and approval.

so mikoto is slightly dubious of the test tube part but she's not overly bothered by it, and also kushina jr is very cute and talented and loves attention from their grandparents, and also maybe tori just casually screened her embryos to lower the risk of the baby inheriting itachi's lung problems. mikoto is pleased by all these things. itachi and tori both forgot about gendering their baby so mikoto gets to buy all sorts of cute outfits for boys AND girls...!!

[cosmic-glow]

Request: "May I request soft akatsuki headcannons for a reader who loves to bake and cook? It's a passion of mine, and a great stress reliever! There's nothing I won't try and try to make!"

Notes: First of all, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond 😭 I also like cooking and I completely agree with you! I hope you like what I wrote, good reading!

"Are you hungry, love?"- Akatsuki

Warnings: no pronouns; no use of "y/n"; pure cuteness. Gender: Soft Headcanons. Characters: Itachi; Kisame; Deidara; Sasori; Kakuzu; Hidan; Zetsu; Tobi/Obito; Pein; Konan.

Itachi Uchiha

He always offers you help in the kitchen.

He is very picky when cooking for someone but is easily satisfied with whatever you cook for him.

He feels obligated to return the favor by cooking for you too. That's why he took charge of breakfast, always waking up before you to prepare what you like.

Likes hot foods and pasta. Loves handmade sweets.

He prefers traditional foods, but accepts trying new flavors when he's with you.

He loves going out to buy new ingredients with you, he knows a lot about the subject and would be of great help.

Kisame Hoshigaki

You know that popular saying that the best way to conquer a man is through his stomach? It applies very well to this man.

He likes to be spoiled with food and will be grateful for it so.. please cook for him.

His heart feels warm when he comes home and smells something delicious you are preparing.

He likes foods with a sweet and sour taste, and he loves meat. He also loves sweets, so it's not hard to please Kisame.

He loves trying new flavors with you. If you want, he'll even help you in the kitchen, but he's not very good (he's a bit clumsy).

He'll find a way to say thank you, whether it's washing the dishes, giving gifts, taking you out to eat, all of the above, whatever you prefer.

He's the kind of guy who would eat what you prepared even if it was completely burnt if he knew you put effort into it.

Deidara

He likes fast food, but is very happy when you cook for him.

Thanks to you, he's starting to eat more healthily, because he has a childish palate and is very resistant to exploring new flavors.

He likes spicy foods because are like an explosion in the mouth.

"I have to say, honey, your cooking is an art!" - he says with his mouth full when he really likes it.

One of his favorite moments of the day is when you're eating something you've prepared or he's bought, watching a movie and talking about anything.

It's something very simple, but if you make a cake just for him on his birthday, he'll feel so loved that he might even cry a little.

(Sometimes he brags to the other members about having such a skilled s/o in the kitchen).

But please keep this boy the hell away from the kitchen! When I say he's a complete chaos cooking, it's because the kitchen almost always explodes! Literally!

Sasori

He often forgets that he still needs to eat due to his puppet body, so he's grateful that you remind him. He still needs to eat a little every now and then to ensure a bit of vital energy or something.

And yes, that was the lie he invented to not disappoint you. And regardless of whether you believed it or not, he always eats your food, even though he knows how much work it will take to clean his insides afterwards (don't worry, he'll probably come up with something to solve this).

Understand, he lied because he knows how important cooking is to you, he sees how much you work at it, but had the misfortune of being with a guy who doesn't need to eat… but he couldn't risk hurting you for something that's his fault.

Sasori only eats your food and no one else's, no matter how much they insist.

He likes foods with strong spices, he no longer feels flavors in the same way as when he was a human.

At the end of every meal, he politely thanks you for the delicious food and offers to help with the dishes.

Kakuzu

He likes hot, very hot, and traditional foods. Doesn't like sweets.

He's great in the kitchen and sometimes cooks for you too, as a thank you. Kakuzu has many years of experience in the kitchen, take the opportunity to ask questions and get some tips, he may not show it but he really likes to help you.

Maybe you don't know, but Kakuzu practically never eats out, he knows that some people want him dead and could easily poison his food. So for him to eat everything you prepare without hesitation is really a great show of trust.

He is very silent while eating, but he doesn't mind if you want to talk about your day, he will be listening to every part.

He really appreciates your food, getting involved and asking about the spices you used, how you prepared it, he really likes it when you test a new recipe.

Always at the end of every meal he thanks you for the food and gets up before you to clear the table and wash the dishes, a silent way of thanking you.

Hidan

Spicy and crunchy foods and sour desserts, it's true heaven for him...

As incredible as it may seem, Hidan is very picky about his food, it's unbearable to go out to eat with him, it seems like he always makes a point of finding some flaw.

But it's the total opposite with you, he eats everything you prepare without complaining too much, just teasing you a little as always. Except if he is angry with you for some reason, then he will be impossible, no matter what you prepared, he will not eat it.

Hidan has a very annoying childhood palate, so don't force him to eat something he doesn't really like, like vegetables for example.

You'll probably have some arguments about him drink any kind of blood but not wanting to eat the soup you made (for example), but it won't change anything.

Whenever you enter the kitchen, Hidan follows right behind to find out what you're going to prepare and also because he loves to annoy you while you're cooking. He tickles you, bites you, hugs you, kisses you and even steals some utensils to disturb you before you kick him out of the kitchen.

Zetsu

He likes meat a lot, in fact you thought it was the only thing he could eat.

He is very impatient and even hugs you trying to convince you to let him eat before you finish.

"I don't care that it's not ready yet and it's raw, I'm hungry, love. Let me eat it just the way it is."

Not a very good critic of your recipes, he will eat literally anything you put in front of him and thank you for it.

You are the one who teaches him to have a more refined palate and he loves trying new flavors with you.

Zetsu grows a vegetable garden just for you, with everything you need fresh and tasty for your recipes.

Tobi/Obito Uchiha

Tobi >loves< sweets, make sweets for him and you'll have him curled up in the palm of your hand.

Both Tobi and Obito don't like spicy food.

He feels so loved when you cook for him <3 (a tip: prepare ramen for him when he's sad, it'll make him feel better).

Whenever he comes home early he brings you some sweets he bought at the bakery as a treat.

This is another man who is very easy to win over with his stomach. He'll feel very special if you tell him you've prepared something just for him. Make him your guinea pig for new recipes, he really doesn't mind and always gives you great feedback.

He always offers you the first bite out of respect, he is as happy to see you eating and talking about how tasty it is as he is to eat something you prepared.

Pein

Pein went through long periods of starvation as a child, so as much as it may seem, he isn't very picky about what he eats.

Likes hot and spicy foods. Hate sweets.

He is a great fan of your food, even if you've accidentally burnt it or overdone the seasoning, he'll be happy to eat something you've lovingly prepared.

Due to his work as leader of Akatsuki, he often forgets to eat properly. It's you who show up at his office and remind him to eat, with something you've prepared in hand, he's really grateful for your care.

He is always attentive to your needs. Did you like a cuter utensil kit than the ones you have? Are your. Wanting new seasonings? Suddenly they appear in your pantry. Everything you need.

Pein always makes it clear how he likes you to cook but that he doesn't want you to be overwhelmed with it, so he does everything to make this task easier for you, including ordering something from restaurants for you to eat and enjoy your free time together.

Konan

He likes mild sweets and, ironically, spicy foods. (Please make sweets for Konan, she likes a lot).

She will always feel like she is bothering or burdening you when you cook for her.

Konan isn't that good in the kitchen, so she's grateful to have a s/o who cooks so well. Sometimes she watches you cook to try to learn something, in an attempt to return the favor one day.

Buy a lot of sweets for you and make a point of always keeping your pantry well stocked so you don't have to worry about buying ingredients.

As I said, Konan doesn't like to burden you, so very often she takes you on restaurant dates.

Konan loves the culinary tours you plan, she could listen to you talk for hours about techniques, recipes and ideas. She loves seeing how excited you get talking about it.

Sorry for any typos;

Buy me a coffee?

Masterlist

[pr1ncessasuke]

Why Sasuke's Physical Beauty Matters

Thinking about this again, Sasuke’s characterization is super interesting to me, especially how he’s physically characterized with his beauty.

Firstly, I think his extra stylized, iconic “duck butt” hair is integral to his character. It’s spiky and edgy, meant to be rebellious. He’s the ultimate revolution. Even Naruto and Itachi had pretty normal hair! But in Boruto, Sasuke's hair looks plain and flat (neutral terms--not a diss to other people with this hairstyle). The edges are completely gone--matching his newfound conformity and detachment.

And further, why is he canonically attractive and what does it mean? I think the army of Sasuke admirers Kishimoto depicts throughout OG Naruto and Shippuden adds to his characterization as the anomaly—the one who goes against the grain. He questions the chunin exams and analyzes why and how they take place. He challenges the status quo in Konoha. Kishimoto actually keeps up with this motif whereas he seems to forget about other motifs (ahem, the Hyuga clan curse).

Sasuke's beauty also emphasizes his determination and focus. He could have had anyone he wanted but remained disinterested even as an emotional teenage boy. Kishimoto even has Sasuke call it out when Kakashi brings up Sakura’s feelings, with Sasuke literally saying, “I don’t see why I should love her and why she should love me.” (Now, I will add an important caveat that in an ideal world, I don’t think he’ll stay this disinterested forever, because Sasuke too deserves love and healing once he’s ready for it and grows up more. People don't stay stagnant, and trauma deserves to be healed).

Sasuke is fiercely single-minded and driven, and is a character that acts as a foil to the protags, the main narrative, and Kishimoto furthers these motifs through Sasuke's physical characterizations.

[narutouzumakiarchive]

A while ago, I made a post about hypocritical Sasusaku stans that pretend to be anti Konoha so they can criticize SNS (despite having no grounds to stand on), and in light of recent annoying discourse, in this post I'm going to go over a case example at length because this perfectly encapsulates the typical behavior of that fandom.

So let's take a look at this post. In this tweet, they mention their criticism of Sasuke being saved from the darkness at the end. Now in order to deconstruct this post, we have to look at what "darkness" symbolizes in Naruto's text.

And when you look at the text, you'll see that "darkness" was attributed two distinct, but sometimes interconnected, senses. The first meaning of darkness in the text was loneliness, plain and simple. Wee see pitch black imagery when Naruto recounts the pain he experienced before he met Team 7, when he was all alone. And we also see this imagery crop up when Sasuke enters into a shroud of darkness after experiencing the pain of leaving Naruto, who is symbolically represented as the juxtaposed light to Sasuke's darkness. Though he doesn't cut off Naruto, an issue which is the crux of their conflict after the timeskip, the panels of Sasuke talking about pain still serve to contextualize his state of mind when leaving Naruto: "If I leave Naruto, I will experience pain, much pain."

The second meaning of the darkness is also established during the Sasuke retrieval arc: hatred. Itachi, in his desperation to be judged by Sasuke, forces Sasuke to seek out hatred in order to acheive his goal of avenging the clan by killing Itachi. And of course this meaning of the concept of darkness comes with a host of attendant negative connotations, as darkness is frequently associated with evil — especially in the Christian mythos that Kishimoto drew from.

Now there is certainly something to be said for Kishimoto's conservative framing, but that's for another post. The purpose of laying out the two meanings of "darkness" invoked in the text was to compare and contrast Sakura and Naruto at the end of the manga and see which particular meaning of darkness was salient in their motivations regarding Sasuke, and well... things don't look good for "sasukeslawyer."

Because Naruto continually reinforces his motivations for saving Sasuke. In the text it's explicitly spelled out that Naruto wants to help ease Sasuke's loneliness. There's a reason why the resolution of their feelings is spurred on by Naruto admitting to feeling pain for Sasuke, the same pain that Kishimoto narratively links to being alone.

Sakura, on the other hand, wanted to save Sasuke from the darkness of "evil" at the end of the manga. It is established during the 5 Kage Summit that because Sakura "loves" Sasuke, she wants to prevent him from continuing on a path of darkness and progressing towards evil. And Sai's description of Sakura's actions receive authorial endorsement. In this scene, Kishimoto builds up Sai's credibility by having him accurately assess that Sakura was quite likely planning on killing Sasuke and that her smile, when she stated she was planning on working together with her Konoha comrades to acheive that objective, was forced. The reader is given no reason to doubt this.

But most significantly, not once does the text show Sakura reneging on her beliefs about Sasuke's darkness. When we get insight into her feelings about Sasuke during the war arc, it is made blatantly clear that she distrusts him which is shown through the same fake smile she showed Sai before heading off to kill Sasuke. Additionally Sakura's to desire to save Sasuke from the darkness is reinforced, this time through another mouthpiece in Kakashi. And athough Kakashi is not the most reliable character, the text doesn't contradict this particular fact.

But Kakashi's reliability doesn't particularly matter for this post because "sasukeslawyer" and most other sasusaku fans believe Kakashi to be a reliable character that understands all of Sakura's actions. As indicated below, she takes no issue with Kakashi's assessment that Sakura wanted to save Sasuke from this negative darkness. And yet, there's no attempted moral harranguing or criticism of Sakura for wanting to save Sasuke from the progression towards evil by *checks notes* killing him. Nor is there criticism of Sakura never changing in this regarding and maintaining that desire to save him from the negatively connoted darkness.

In fact, "sasukeslawyer," has no problem with the idea of Sasuke, the genocide survivor, traveling for years to reedem himself and be "worthy" of the same Sakura who attempted to kill him on behalf of the same village she claims to hate only when she can use it in an attempt to downplay Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic.

Like aside from the fact that this obviously isn't true [Kishimoto wrote 9 pages of Sasuke reflecting on his journey in the manga and not once is Sakura mentioned, because he can't individuate her and Sakura had to chase Sasuke on his journey because Sasuke never came back and Sakura couldn't take a hint]...

On what earth is Sasuke not worthy in general, let alone for Sakura, who's shallow romantic inclinations he repeatedly rejected to begin with. It is Sakura who didn't take accountability for trying to kill Sasuke instead of bothering to find out why Sasuke took the actions he took. She is never forced to reflect even once on how she acted towards Sasuke nor do we ever see her make a single negative or critical statement about the shinobi system. But these alleged anti-Konoha warriors have no complaints about that, and that's because it's not about them disliking Konoha or the elders who deserve to die. It's about them trying to undermine SNS because they resent Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic and want to prop up SS. But don't just take my word for it.

They take the canonical scenes of Sasuke looking at Naruto, which mirrored Sakura's own body language towards Sasuke, in order to attribute it to Sakura (this is one of many examples).

The sharingan is obviously a reflection of love and Naruto was explicitly associated with Sasuke's sharingan on three different ocassions. Kishimoto cared so little for SS that he couldn't even bother to associate a crucial element of Sasuke's character with Sakura in manga that he wrote with his own hands. So Sasusaku have to use filler novels that Kishimoto didn't write, let alone acknowledge, to say that Sasuke would transform a new and unheard of sharingan if he lost Sakura. LOL.

There's the editing the panels of VOTE 2 to claim that Sasuke made Sakura watch Naruto and Sasuke's personal memories, despite the fact that 1. We clearly see the only thing Sasuke shows Sakura is a violent genjutsu of her getting stabbed in the chest.

2. The manga utilizes clear visual language to depict the transition from memories into real life to indicatr who is thinking about the memories, something not present in the panel that Sakura wakes up from which makes because

3. Naruto and Sasuke thought about memories which Sakura wasn't even present for and Sasuke cannot telepathically transmit memories.

And this isnt even all, but the point stands nevertheless. Sasusaku fans harass SNS shippers using fake moral justifications that they don't even abide by. Don't be fooled. It's always been about their frustrations over the romantic tones in SNS. But it won't change the fact that more than anyone else, Naruto and Sasuke both saved eachother from the darkness of loneliness more than anybody else.

[animeyanderelover]

Hello🎀Can I request Tobirama,Madara,Itachi,Shisui,Sasuke,Pein,kakashi and Obito with a darling that tries to escape often?Thank you 🧸

Tw: Yandere themes, possessive behavior, obsession, delusional mindset, clinginess, paranoia, gaslighting, controlling behavior, mind break, violence, punishment, isolation, abduction, death

Tags: @shumidehiro @swagenemyartisan

Darling tries to escape often

Madara Uchiha

🌑​Whilst Madara could easily put a stop to those futile and silly antics of yours, he decides to entertain them instead. Much to the dismay of the elder of his clan who can only view your impudent behavior with discomposure as the spouse of Madara Uchiha should know to behave better. If other clans would find out how little respect you show your own husband, they would surely laugh at the lack of discipline Madara gives you yet he is aware that only a very brave or stupid soul would dare to say such words within his earshot. When the eldest of the Uchiha clan confront him about his lax behavior and question him desperately why he encourages those outrageous shenanigans of yours, he reveals laconically that you'll never be able to run away, no matter how hard you may try. He could easily crush your silly attempts to escape him but that would be so awfully boring. Isn't it much more entertaining to let you run around to entertain your little hope of freedom only to stop you within the last second. His confidence to never prevent your attempts is ultimately just a flex of the power he holds. He assures the elder though that if you were to ever step out of line, he will see it through to correct your attitude.

Tobirama Senju

🌊​Tobirama finds himself quickly reaching the end of his patience due to your troublesome defiance. Yes, he understands your frustration and he knows that the abduction isn't something pleasant yet he expected more from you. How long do you intend to keep this childish attitude up? Your behavior is unfitting for someone he plans to marry. The frustration grows whenever he receives a new report from the Anbu that they had to stop you from escaping once again, visibly dragging his mood down for the rest of the day. If you refuse to behave, he will treat you accordingly as more and more restrictions are placed on you until you are forbidden to leave the building he keeps you in. You ridicule and embarrass him with your exhausting antics to the point where he doesn't want to introduce you to his own clan. You don't listen nor do you want to settle for any compromises. One day he eventually just snaps when he receives another report of the Anbu with the most reckless attempt you have ever done to escape. As soon as he returns to the Senju compound, he berates you harshly. Yet it isn't until he threatens you that your family will bear the consequences that you truly listen in horror to him.

Pain

🌧️​Pain is unforgiving against anyone who stands in the way of his goal, merciless against anyone who goes against him. Nagato's clear paranoia to lose you results in Pain desiring control and obedience from your side yet your stubborn behavior clashes with those demands on multiple levels. If you would have been anyone else, you would be dead. Whether that is something to feel relieved about or not is up to debate though. Even Konan who expresses more kindness and empathy for you can't save you at one point as you never give up in your attempts to flee from the tower you are held as a captive. She still tries to somehow convince Nagato to go easy on you yet a threat just snaps as you do it again and again. He has been going too easy on you. Otherwise you wouldn't attempt an escape as easily as you do. He will teach you what happens from now on so that you will consider the idea the next time much more carefully. From broken bones to psychological torture to eradicating the people you hold dear to your heart, there are many ways for Pain to force you into obedience. Whether you see him as a monster or not for what he is about to do, just remember that you are responsible for it.

Kakashi Hatake

📖​Kakashi has neither the time nor the patience to deal with your reckless and unwanted stubbornness. You seem to enjoy giving him a constant headache, don't you? He didn't know that you wanted to have him play pretend with you by acting like an immature kid. If you insist on acting like a brat though, he will do you the favor and treat you like one. Whether he locks you up or has to use chains or ropes to constrict you, your fierce determination to remain a troublemaker remains. Kakashi is far too possessive and protective to let you ever leave him though and his ninken are constantly summoned to detect your smell and track you down. If he wouldn't be so busy as a Jonin and later on as a Hokage, perhaps Kakashi would show a tad bit more patience but time is a luxury he cannot always afford. He has to find more effective ways to force you in line, even if he knows that this will only alienate you further away from him. He gives you one last warning though before his patience completely crumbles, his Sharingan staring through your soul as he reminds you that there will be consequences if he catches you again. Would you prefer a broken leg or the vision of a genjutsu?

Obito Uchiha

🔥​As much as Obito's delusional infatuation wants to reject the reality, a part of him is unable to deny that it is your fear of him that has led you to attempt to flee multiple times already only to be swiftly stopped by him. It breaks him mentally and spiritually to witness those fearful eyes looking at him yet he knows that it isn't your fault. It is the world and the people inhabiting it that have brainwashed you to believe that he is the bad guy you have to fear so even throughout his shattered insanity, he remains sickly sweet to you whenever he catches you and brings you back. The sweet kisses of comfort only make your chest tighter with growing panic though. Black Zetsu suggests that he should punish you for he is making a fool out of himself by being so lenient to you yet Obito warns him coldly to never mention such an outrageous idea again in his presence. He could never hurt you after all. Although perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to show you what might happen to you if you would run away from him. The genjutsu he puts you through from that day on tear your mind apart yet this is reality he is showing you so you can see the world and the people for what they truly are. Do you understand it now?

Shisui Uchiha

🍂​Even if Shisui is the one who is quite tolerant and lenient under normal circumstances, his attitude changes after you have seen behind his facade. He has to be more careful with you from now on and your defiant behavior only makes the situation worse. He is regarded as a natural talent, works for the Anbu and has to serve the vilage. This means that it could take weeks for him to finish a mission and he knows that you would never sit back and wait for him. You would use that chance to escape as far away as you can. It is already a bit of a challenge to keep the current situation a secret from other people whenever he has to catch you quietly in yet another failed attempt of yours to run away and he can't even remember how often he had to have a stern conversation with you, the normally light air around him gone and replaced by silent tension. Eventually he finds himself considering to use Kotoamatsukami on you, his Mangekyo Sharingan ability. Shisui is fully aware that he would manipulate your mind by using it. On the other hand you would never know that and it's not like he would actively influence your feelings for him. It would merely be a little push to make everything less difficult.

Itachi Uchiha

🍡​For Itachi the situation is quite difficult to handle because he knows what would happen to you if you were to be caught by someone. The connection you have with him would never allow you to live normally again as there would always be someone who would come for you to lure him out. It is solely his fault and he harbors guilt for it and will most likely do so for the rest of his life. Yet you are still here, abducted by him because his desire was stronger than his guilt. He as taken a lot of time to explain everything to you in hope that you would understand yet your stubbornness also seems to be stronger than everything else. Itachi finds himself silently giving way to despair because he knows that the next mission of the Akatsuki is only a question of time and most disheartening of all is that you know it too. You're just waiting for him to leave so that you can escape for good. Even if he knows that he has no right for your love, a part of him still feels hurt by the fact that you wish for his absence as much as you do. He can't let you run away though. It is too dangerous and he is far too selfish. Don't think that you will have a chance just because he will leave for a mission.

Sasuke Uchiha

💙​Sasuke has little to no tolerance for the defiance you put up as you do literally everything to escape from him. He is fully aware of his unbearable behavior and possessive attitude that smothers to the point where you feel like you can't breathe but he doesn't care. He just wants you. His attitude is condescending and his words are hurtful and sharp whenever he yanks you back harshly as he has stopped you from yet another unsuccessful escape attempt, his grip tightening with each plea and whimper of yours to let go. You really want him to hurt you with the way you get on his nerves, don't you? You could have just said so to begin with instead of failing so miserably in your poor attempts to outsmart him. Sasuke will put you very quickly back into your place and he does so by using violence and fear as nothing else seems to work with you. He doesn't feel guilty about it either when he spills your own blood and scars your skin and breaks your leg so that you won#t be capable of running away from him to begin with. Stop your crying, he'll be responsible enough to take care of you afterwards. He does hope that you have learned your lesson though.

[kakashixhatakesxwhore]

A Dream From Another Universe

Pairing: Itachi x f!Reader

Summary: Itachi from the canon universe has a dream, about how things could've been if other things were different.

W/c: 1.9k

Warnings: Swearing? Lil touch of angst? Nm.

A/n: given kakashi and itachi tied and won that lil vote i did, here's this! anyway, lmk how y'all feel, it's supposed to be bittersweet.

Masterlist💿

And, suddenly, it was the early evening.

Dark oak furniture was scattered around the living room, accompanied by a mix-matched variety of sitting pieces. A purple, crushed velvet arm chair sat on one side, while a pink-green-and-white recliner resided on the other. They framed a plaid couch that faced a roaring fire. From somewhere in the room, probably from one of the overflowing bookshelves, a sickly soft piano melody drifted through the air; such a vivid sound, Itachi could nearly see the soundwaves as they came.

He didn't question the homely scene; simply, he enjoyed the warmth, and thanked every star he knew the name of.

Nightmares tortured Itachi, too horrifying and heart-wrenching for the true level of the feelings to ever be conveyed by any verbiage. They carried on to his waking hours - though his world had become a blur, the memories came back clear as day. Itachi deserved it, every terrible feeling, and he knew it well.

But, this was not a nightmare.

And Itachi hoped to imprint this scene into his mind - even if it was only a hazy dream, and he had never seen that furniture nor heard that music before in his life.

However, he wasn't entirely sure he deserved... this.

Especially when your fuzzy figure materialized in the middle of the plaid couch, your head tucked down. Glistening in the firelight's reflection, your hair curtained your face, a little longer than Itachi remembered it to have been.

His heart stuttered within his chest, clenching with the force of a thousand lonely nights.

Just as he began to begrudge you for hiding your face from him, your head turned so casually, but with such a remarkable grace that this was surely you.

"Come 'ere, Itachi," you purred, your voice just as melodic as he remembered.

Hearing his name from your lips brought him to life within the dream.

Without speaking, he swept over to you, making long strides across the foreign living room. As he moved, he drank in every feature of yours, the features that made his heart pound, those that he hadn't seen in years, but could never, ever, forget.

Stars above, you were beautiful.

So, very beautiful.

He sat on the couch, taking the cushion to your right, still silent, while a deep frown carved onto his face. You let Itachi stare at you, doing so with such a gentle smile.

As he looked into your eyes, he noticed every star he had longed to see, within them, twinkling with adoration.

Itachi's heart ached within it's prison. How badly he missed making you smile, how awfully he yearned to watch the glimmer in your eye. The slopes of your cheeks were so perfectly defined by the firelight, while it also smoothed your skin to a marble texture. You resembled a statue, a carving; something that an artist poured hundreds of hours into to render entirely perfect.

"What's the matter, sweet boy?" You chuckled after an unknown amount of time had passed.

That... cripes, Itachi felt like he could cry. He would do anything just to hear that little pet name on his conscious ear.

What a fool, Itachi was. He claimed to hate that name, way back when; but, now, he was dreaming about those words. A strange brand of self-hatred came over him, tinged with guilt. Why could he not have made more time for you? Why-

"I-ta-chi," you enunciated in a sing-song voice, bringing Itachi's eyes to your lips. "Talk to me - you seem totally spaced."

"I'm okay," he whispered. "Don't worry about me."

You shook your head and reached over your lap, grabbing the bookmark that rested on the coffee table. As you slotted it between your pages, you chuckled, "I always worry about you, my sweet, sweet boy."

Were you dreaming about him? Was that why he was having this dream?

No, Itachi thought. That sounded too hopeful. 

Besides, this could still turn into a nightmare, the other shoe could still drop.

"Are you... is it happening again?" You asked with a certain compassion in your cadence that made Itachi's shoulders relax.

He shook his head, "Is what happening again?"

With a slight huff, you heaved the book onto the coffee table, then turned yourself to face Itachi fully, crossing your legs on the couch.

"Which nocturne is playing, right now?"

The question caught him off guard.

Hesitantly, he shrugged, "The... third... nocturne?"

You sighed, and he knew he answered wrong, "What about yesterday? Do you remember what we did?"

"No," he answered honestly, but so very intrigued. "What did we do yesterday?"

"Well," you started with a smile. "You won three tickets for a baseball game, so you, Shisui, and Sasuke went to the ballpark, yesterday." As you drew breath, Itachi's lips quirked. "You hell-raisers came back here, post-game, and I made dinner. A nice okonomiyaki for everyone."

"Oh, yeah?" Itachi murmured, no edge in his voice at all, just sheer tantalization.

You grinned, capturing his eyes with yours, full of stars, "Yeah."

"Then, what happened?" Itachi asked, though he didn't even recognize the gentleness in his tone.

"Then, we played a few rounds of dice," you laughed lightly, shaking your head as if you couldn't believe Itachi was having you revise the night. "I stole the pot twice, and Shisui declared that I was cheating. I wasn't, of course, but I dropped out and came over here, anyway, until the boys left. After that-" You shrugged, "-we shared a nightcap, before we got nice and cuddled-up for the night."

Fuck, this really was a dream.

Itachi was left to merely wonder how his mind could possibly conjure up something so...

"That sounds..." He searched for the word, but the one he wished for didn't exist. Shaking his head with a small smile, Itachi sighed, "Perfect."

"I bet," you mumbled, looking over his face carefully, your gaze as light as a feather. "I think my Itachi and I have the best lives of any of us, and that's why this always happens to him. Do you speak to your me?"

What?

"I beg your pardon?" Itachi said, voice confused and almost child-like as his brain fizzed.

You just smiled, and simply told him, "It's like a gift, to you, I suppose... Sometimes, when my Itachi gets too tired, too stressed, too whatever, one of you comes to me. You, like, switch places."

Okay, now his brain was really starting to lose the plot of the dream. It was going so well-

"I'll have you, for a little while," you went on. "And you'll have me, for a little while. It's like the stars are giving you a taste of the good life - one of you called it a reprieve, I think."

"I'm sorry," Itachi huffed, a short laugh in his breath. He shook his head, "I really don't understand."

"That's quite alright, sweetheart, you don't need to. All you need to know is that I love you, and your me loves you - and an infinite number of other versions of us love each other, too."

Perhaps untrue, hopefully not - Itachi was just happy to hear you speak, and to hear such foreign words of adoration.

You grinned peacefully, "So, what do you think?"

"Think about what?" He asked.

Motioning around the living room, you laughed, "What do you think of our place? What do you think of me? How does all of this compare to you and your Y/n?"

"I think you have a lovely home," Itachi started slowly, looking around the room. "And I think... you are lovely." His eyes returned to yours and Itachi couldn't help but smile as he said, "But I can't bring myself to compare our situations."

"Probably for the best," you sighed contentedly. Then, looking at Itachi with a cocked brow, you asked, "What do you want to do, Itachi?"

A hundred- no, a thousand things flitted through his mind.

What did he want to do? With you, anything.

"I- I don't..." Fool, this is a golden opportunity. "I just... I want to hear you speak, that's all."

"What do you want me to speak about?"

"Tell me about us, about our lives, together."

"Well, tomorrow, we're..."

It was spectacular.

Itachi was amazed.

He doubted the overall verity of the situation, as one should - but, there was no doubt in his mind that this was the most splendid gift he had ever received. If there were other universes, with other Itachi's and other Y/n's, he was glad that at least some of them seemed to be living the way he wished. Not everything in every universe could be a bowl of peaches and cream, but it was a real motherfucker that this Itachi had to go through the muck and back, and to still be one of the ones who lost you along the way.

For what felt like both six hours, and six minutes, you verbally illustrated the grand adventures the two of you had gone on, and about the adventures you had planned.

It truly was everything he had dreamed about, and a strange jealousy had crept it's way up Itachi's neck.

"And, guess what," you prompted, legs stretched out over Itachi's lap as you spoke on and on.

"What?" He acquiesced, his fingers lightly drawing obscure shapes on the thin skin of your shin, letting his eyes trace every line in your smile.

With an extension of your left hand, Itachi ripped his eyes away from your face to see a rather large, diamond ring on your fourth finger. It glimmered and shone, seemingly polished to the exact standard of blinding reflection. Upon your hand, the ring almost seemed heavy, and numbers started flying through Itachi's mind as he assessed the piece of jewelry, pondering the monetary and karat worth of the rock alone.

"We're getting married in the Autumn," you told him as he gently took your hand in his to get an even closer look at the ring. "You proposed here, at home - then, we went on a proposal tour."

Allowing himself to laugh lightly, Itachi repeated, "Proposal tour?"

"Yeah," you beamed. "We went around to our favourite places and you proposed to me again and again. We got a bunch of free desserts out of it, and a lots of our favourite shopkeepers are regularly giving us discounts, now."

"Who thought that up?" He asked, letting the lopsided smile rest on his face.

Taking your hand back, you motioned to yourself from head to toe and claimed, "Yours truly."

Itachi laughed again, though the vibrations almost felt as foreign as this living room. You smiled, eyes dancing around his face like he was the one who possessed a priceless beauty. The two of you stayed like that for a little while, yet - merely staring at each other, with gentle grins plastered on both of your faces.

Until...

"You have to wake up, now, Itachi," you hummed, sitting up properly as you looked at him with such a gorgeous, bittersweet smile. He never wanted to forget your smile, nor the way your lips wrapped around his name so softly, again, "Itachi."

"Why?" He asked, forlorn.

Meekly, you giggled and told him, "I miss my Itachi."

"I don't want to leave you," he said, almost petulant, but with a candied voice, thick with a heavy array of emotion. "I don't... I don't even see my Y/n, I just... I miss her."

You chuckled warmly, "I wish you had more time with her, sweet boy."

"Me too," he murmured in defeat. "I love you."

"I'm sure I love you, too."

Before he could offer any further farewell, his vision went white, then suddenly black.

He could smell a wet metallic tinge in the air, and he sighed quietly as he laid in the cave, not wanting to open his eyes, for fear of losing the image of you that was seared into the insides of his eyelids.

Itachi missed you terribly.

[theheirofthesharingan]

Hi, please feel free to ignore this if you don't care about power scaling

About the Itachi VS Sasuke fight when itachi died, was itachi really holding back against his little brother like Obito said? We know he was blind but was he really sick and dying?? Because I don't know if we should just believe what obito said I'm still unsure, I mean Itachi looked like he was giving it his all he even used Susano so, can you please clarify this for me if you know? I feel like you'll be the best judge since you love both brothers and know a lot about them. What actually was going on during that fight? Thanks in advance!

Don't worry, it's not a question about powerscaling. Itachi was sick and it was hinted before Sasuke vs Itachi happened as well. But before Obito says something, we see Zetsu commenting on Itachi not giving his best already. According to Zetsu, Itachi was stronger than what he put up with Sasuke. And there must have been something that had slowed him down before the battle began.

Then Obito tells us Itachi was sick and had been alive on the medicines.

Whether Itachi was or was not on medicines, Obito might not be aware of that. He must have observed that Itachi wasn't doing well and assumed Itachi was taking medicines to keep himself alive.

In the chapter 353, Itachi and Kisame go to hunt down the Four Tails Jinchuriki, and instead of Itachi, Kisame battles and captures Rōshi. Kisame then says he insisted on capturing the Jinchuriki instead of letting Itachi do the work on his own.

Further in the same chapter, while it's Kisame who fought with the Jinchuriki, which would naturally leave him more tired, notice that it's Itachi who takes a seat as if walking alone, without doing anything, was exhausting for him. Kisame is the one holding the dying man. Why does Itachi need to take a rest? Simple, he wasn't doing well. And Kisame knew it, which is why, without Itachi saying anything, he decided to take a break.

When it comes to the battle with Sasuke, Itachi was sick already. The things that go on in their battle are:

Itachi and Sasuke use Genjutsu on each other. It must be a simple Genjutsu because Sasuke used the similar trick on him.

Then Itachi uses Tsukuyomi on him. Sasuke breaks free from him.

Afterwards Sasuke attacks him with the shadow shuriken technique that Itachi fails to deflect. And that makes Zetsu wonder for the first time if there's something wrong with Itachi that he wasn't able to dodge a simple attack like shuriken.

By this time, Itachi is completely crippled. He can't even see Sasuke's face properly.

Then they use katon and Itachi gets weaker than before. Sasuke has a simple Sharingan, but Itachi, due to his MS, is still more vulnerable because his eyes are not helping him anymore.

Then Sasuke uses Orochimaru's curse mark (which is a minor power booster) and Itachi uses Amaterasu. Now, that leaves Itachi even weaker. Itachi has used 3 of his major powers: Tsukuyomi, Katon, and Amaterasu. He's still standing though.

Itachi uses Amaterasu twice. Once it's when he's countering Sasuke's fireball and then when he targets Sasuke for real. It's all a lot for him.

Then Sasuke uses Kirin on him, which he obviously, deflects by his susano'o.

Once Sasuke is completely done with all his strength, Itachi finally wields his susano'o properly. And he uses Totsuka blade to seal Orochimaru as well. Afterwards, he begins to violently cough blood. It leaves Zetsu even more concerned over the matter.

He even believes something might already have been wrong with Itachi. Because Itachi is supposed to be stronger than this. Sasuke was no match for him, so what happened?

Now, Sasuke also shows similar kinds of symptoms (coughing blood) when he's overused his susanoo. But unlike Itachi, Sasuke fought longer and harder. Sasuke fought the Raikage, then the five kage too, and then Danzo. He was beyond the point of exhaustion and he'd overused his susano'o to the point he was nearly blind when he is ambushed by team 7. He feels the pain on the microscopic level.

Itachi used a veriety of powers but in a controlled manner. When I say Itachi was holding back, I don't mean he didn't use his powers fully, but that the intensity of those powers was minimized to cause the least harm, because harming Sasuke was not his intention in the battle. He was calculative about the whole thing and wanted to push him farther enough to have him use Orochimaru's chakra, so he could get rid of the curse mark.

The kind of battle Itachi and Sasuke had, if Itachi was healthy, would not have killed Itachi. It would have weakened him, have him bleed, but death would be a hard possibility. Itachi was much stronger than Sasuke and there was nothing that could kill him if he himself did not want to die.

While Obito's words leave a lot of room for obscurity, Itachi's state is hinted through his interactions with Kisame. He was ill, which is why Kisame suggested to capture the Jinchuriki on his own. While Kisame did all the work, he's carrying the nearly dying but a hefty man, along with Samehada, it's Itachi who needs to sit down and give himself a rest. The most Itachi did on that journey was walk beside Kisame and talk him out of capturing the Jinchuriki. That's all. And then, Zetsu commenting how Itachi could have done better than he did in the battle. So, something was wrong with him.

During his first appearance, he uses Tsukuyomi twice (for 72 hours and 24 hours) and then Amaterasu too. But he was either healthy at that point or his illness was in its nascent stage, so it doesn't affect him that bad. He says he'll need some rest but there's no immediate threat to his life.

So, yes, I do believe Itachi was suffering from an illness and Obito's words about him taking medicines could have been the truth or he might have been shooting an arrow in the dark. But Itachi being sick is confirmed.

[belit0]

Hi!! Hope I'm not bothering you!! But may I request, Itachi, Madara and Indra meeting their S/O for the first time, And their S/O always wears a blindfold but when they take the blindfold off, they have the same eyes as Gojo from JJK

Hello there!! Never a bother!

I never watched JJK, so I had to do a little graphic research on Google to find out what Gojo's eyes look like, lol.

(I hope this is okay? 🤠)

Indra

Personally, I am inclined to think Indra as a person who prioritises beauty, hegemony, perfection to his standards. At first, he would be insulted by (Y/N) covering her eyes. What does she have to hide?

It hurts his ego to know he cannot enjoy the completeness of his special person, needing to own her wholeness.

"How come you won't show me your eyes? You're mine, I need to see them, it's not a request." (as a five year old, if I may…)

He won't force you to reveal them, but he will get more and more annoyed about it. The longer you delay, the less attention he will pay, until you feel so bad that you have no choice.

When you finally show them to him, he will be dazzled by the beauty of that crystalline blue, unwilling to admit he wasn't expecting such a surprise. You'll probably steal his breath away, and he'll have a hard time coming to.

Madara

Impatient as a child. He needs to reveal the mystery of those eyes, he's an Uchiha, you can't argue with his need to know what colour his special someone wears.

He'll resort to creative ways of trying to get the blindfold off. He'll want to surprise you when you least expect it, spying on you in the shower, or some other moment when you're off guard.

Of course, he doesn't succeed, since you're not careless about it. "(Y/N) please, what could be so terrible about showing me your eyeballs?!"

He starts to get really frustrated about it, so much so that he leaves you no other option other than showing him in order to get him off his insistence. At this point, he thinks you have violet eyes.

You stun him to such an extent he activates his Sharingan just to match the uniqueness of your orbs, wanting to keep up with those gorgeous eyes.

Itachi

The definition of patience. He won't pressure you or get annoying for you to show him, he'll give you your space and freedom to handle the matter as you see fit.

"Not to intrude, (Y/N), but may I ask why you don't wish to show them?"

Being someone who also wears special eyes, he completely understands the situation of not wanting to reveal them rashly, or hide them because of people who may want to use them in the wrong way.

He will wait patiently, and support you, respecting all the time you need.

Eventually and when you reveal them, he simply smiles at you with sincerity, acting naturally so as not to make you uncomfortable, as if he has known you for years without restrictions.

[uchihaharlot]

Heyooo, how are you, bro?

I hope your health is better now!

I have one innocent request.

"How would all Uchiha act if they finds out that you are self-harming?" (Mostly Madara pls😏)

I don't know if it's allowed topic... but yeah.

NSFW; TW self harm; minor mentions of injury; small prologue;

Before I go into this hc, I want to expressly tell anyone who reads this; whether we are mutuals or not. Whether you like my writing, like me or don’t or whatever.

My blog is a safe haven. You can openly message me, befriend me on discord (ask for my handle) or interact in the comments. If you feel like there are people who don’t care enough as they should. I just want to say that, I do. I don’t know who you are, what you’re doing. But I love you. Do not think for a single iota that your existence is merely coincidence, I’m not by any means a holier than thou individual and I’ve had my fair share of this isn’t worth living for: but trust me; it is and then some.

Madara:

Madara comes from an era where you put your best fist forward when things aren’t right. His level of resolve is steel cut and unwavering…but seeing you hurt yourself as an outlet, doesn’t sit well with Madara. And he’s into good old fashioned methods of healing…sorta. Expect to be tied up to his bed; not in the way you’d like either. For days he will keep you there, turning your body so you won’t get bed sores. Feeding you and letting you up to the toilet fa few times a day, and once at night if needed. All of this until you finally talk it out with him, and agree to find a better solution to figuring out how to express your feelings/pain. Insists on being around you every second of the day.

Obito:

I won’t lie, seeing you hurt yourself this way; it makes him cry. Do you want Obito to cry!? He’s inconsolable when you won’t even consider him as a vent source. And, while he won’t selfishly make it about him. He will openly admit most (ok all) of his faults in the hopes you would share your own. Whatever it is, Obito is sure that there are far better way to convey the message you want to share. Suffering in silence is only so fool proof.

Shisui:

No. No, no. No. Shisui one hundred percent won’t stand for it, and despite your protests of him almost catapulting himself off a cliff, he will tell you the error of his ways. Undoubtedly will make sure that you understand that even his own potential sacrifice would have been fruitless, and that you shouldn’t compare apples to oranges. And from there, Shisui will spend countless hours, days and nights proving to you just how sacred human life is. He inadvertently blames himself for some of this, you mentioning his almost demise opens old wounds and Shisui takes the opportunity for you both to grow and evolve. He wants to be a role model; not the reason you justify it.

Itachi:

In a way; he’s bereaved. This is highly unusual for you, and Itachi’s keen eyes (and new prescription glasses) catch a glimpse of your fresh wounds as he lightly snatches your arm. ‘Why would you do this?’ and ‘that’s not a logical reason to purposely harm yourself.’ Are a few of his stern words to you. Itachi is a no nonsense man, and he won’t tolerate you hurt yourself. If he was a true jerk, like he tricked many to believe for the longest time; he’d put you in Tsukuyomi and really give you something to think about. But instead, he inundated you day in and day out with his concern. Hoping that if you see one person who cares; you will eventually open up.

Sasuke:

Sasuke, traumatized by his older brother—not once but twice and more, lived in excruciating detail his own parents death, several times over. In the matter of three seconds; he understands your grief. Whatever you might be going through, I think when it comes to seeing other people suffering—especially as adult Sasuke, he can’t cope with it, and rarely did for himself. Which is sort of mkes him the besy person for this. He also doesn’t mince words and tells you straight out that you’re only causing yourself more harm in the long run. His method of cut and dry reality checks come in waves, when you think he’s not watching you, he’s right there. Don’t under estimate his capabilities. You’re on his radar and Sasuke won’t hesitate to use his techniques to get you talking; the sooner you find the root cause of your problems. The better, take it from someone who let their pain fester until it boiled over, it’s not worth it.

[vulpisnocturna]

Hey, how are you ?:)

I love your writing, it simply makes my day whenever I see a notification from you. 💖

I don't know if you write Madara, buuuut I just read the ex boyfriend Itachi request and I want to ask you the same scenario with him.

If you don't like the idea or if you're uncomfortable with it, I apologize

Hi lovely, I’m all good, I hope you’re doing well :) Thank you so much, means the world 🤍

And of course, Madara’s not my go to but I don’t have any issues writing about him. However, this may be more yandere ish than Itachi’s just because of Madara’s personality and entitlement lmao

Warnings: yandere Madara, obsessive love, possessiveness, jealousy, emotional manipulation, murder of threats to Madara’s inexistent relationship, toxic ex

I do not condone any of this in real life, this is fiction and purely entertainment. If you are likely to be triggered by any of this, please avoid interacting with this post.

-When he hears you say you want to break up, it doesn’t register. Why would you say something so ridiculous? He can’t compute. He’s imagining things, obviously. There’s no way you’d say that to him. You don’t love him anymore? That’s preposterous. He treats you like a goddamn queen. He’s handsome, rich, buys you everything you want, makes you scream in bed, protects you with his life, he even cleans and cooks for you. Him. Uchiha Madara. Just for you. So it’s not possible. It’s just not-

-Whilst this tirade is going on in Madara’s head, you’ve left. And he hasn’t even had a chance to reply. Now he’s angry. All the heartache he’s feeling, he’s shoving that down and replacing it with anger. How could you do this to him? Leave him when he dedicated his entire life to your happiness? No. No, absolutely not. He’s getting you back, no matter what he has to do.

-He’s too proud to have a conversation with you. He won’t let you see he’s hurting. No, you’ll have to come back to him and say you made a mistake

-He stalks you. Constantly. Tells himself it’s for your safety. After all, only he can protect you. None of your friends are capable of doing that

-He starts by sweet talking your family. He’s always there, talking about how you are on a break, and although he respects your choice, he still misses you and hopes that you are happy. Your family loves him. He’s such a doting man, powerful, from an incredibly good clan, and he clearly loves you. What the hell were you thinking leaving him, y/n?

-Once he’s done that, he goes onto talking to some of your friends. Yes, you are still together, but you’re just on a break. You confront him at some point and say he’s clearly missed the point and you have broken up with him. Madara says he’ll give you some time to think on it. You wouldn’t want to make hasty decisions

-When you start dating another man, the depth of his fury is immense. The next mission he goes on, he’s MIA. Nobody knows what happened to him. Madara comforts you, saying that it’s tragic, but that you shouldn’t have expected someone so weak to survive long in that world. After all, not everyone is like him.

-When it happens to the second man you are with, and Madara shows you proof that he was on a mission on the other side of the country, you can’t take the pain anymore. It’s just horrible to feel that kind of dread all the time with someone else. With Madara, you were never afraid. After all, only Hashirama was stronger than him in the whole world. And he treated you well, you can’t deny that. But he was so jealous and possessive…

-When suddenly you’re on a mission and you’re overpowered, you think you are going to die. But he saves you. And suddenly, you think you see what you once saw in him again. That kind of reliability, the strength, the confidence and the underlying anchoring love that guides his actions. Yes, he’s never stopped loving you. He’s still looking out for you. And maybe, just maybe, you want to be his once again.

-Madara knows he’s nailed it when he sees you walking towards his house. He acts all surprised and asks you if you’re sure, and that of course he loves you and wants to make you happy, but what if you are not? But his plan worked. And you’re happy, and he doesn’t have to race across countries to murder vermin anymore

[squishyneet]

♥*♡ SUNLIT DAYS ∞:｡ itachi uchiha *. * ·

tw: heavy school-related trauma, emotional abuse/neglect, mentions of chronic illness

Itachi is twelve years old. It's midnight and he scrambles to finish handwriting his essay for history class. He reads it over one last time before tucking it away in his backpack to bring to school tomorrow. He sleeps peacefully knowing it's been taken care of.

_

"Itachi! Get in here!"

Itachi's heart skips a beat and he nearly stumbles as he walks into the kitchen after coming home from school.

"Yes, father?" he whispers, head low and trying to avoid eye contact.

"What's this about you not turning in an essay!?"

"I turned it in, father."

"Was it late?"

"I had written it and forgot to turn it in." That was the same lie he told the teacher when he handed it to her.

Fugaku sighs loudly. "Don't forget again." is all he says before leaving the kitchen.

"Yes, sir." Itachi mumbles, more to himself than anyone else.

_

Itachi is fifteen years old and is sitting at his desk expectantly, attempting to calm his breathing and focus on the assignments in front of him.

"Itachi!" Mikoto barged into her son's room. "Explain to me why I got an email from your teacher saying you have 40 missing assignments!?"

Itachi turns to face his mother in his seat and remains silent.

"How the hell did this happen, huh!?"

Itachi still says nothing.

Mikoto breathes heavily and runs a hand through her hair. "You are going to sit there and do every single one of them. This door is going to stay open, and you are not going to sleep until it's done!"

"Yes, ma'am . . ." Itachi mutters, angry but obedient.

_

Itachi is sixteen years old and he is sitting in his father's office, looking back and forth between the window and his handwritten notes for history. He's not allowed to work anywhere else for the time being. He's got the same song on repeat in his headphones but presses pause when he sees Sasuke walk by.

"Nii-san, what are you up to?"

Itachi looks up and pulls down his headphones. "Working, Sasuke."

"Do you wanna go get something to eat?" Sasuke asks excitedly.

"I don't have time, Sasuke."

"You used to have time . . . hngh." Sasuke leaves the office, feeling dejected.

_

Itachi is seventeen years old and he's got graph papers sprawled out on his bedroom floor as he attempts to design a house as fast as he can.

"Itachi."

"What, Shisui? I'm busy."

Shisui leans in the doorway trying to come off as approachable as possible. "I hear you've been having a hard time in school."

" . . . You're a little too late, Shisui." Itachi remarks, still staring at his paper.

"Itachi, just tell me what happened," Shisui pleads breathily.

"You know what happened, I don't do my homework."

"I mean, what did they say to you?"

"It doesn't matt-"

"It matters to me!"

Itachi sighs and releases the papers in his hand. His lip starts to quiver and his brow furrows as he stays silent.

Shisui swiftly joins him on the floor, embracing him in a hug. "Let me help you, okay?"

A single tear falls while Itachi relaxes into Shisui's body.

_

Itachi is nineteen years old and he's got himself mostly under control while he's in college.

He tries to avoid speaking with his parents and being home as much as possible, electing to spend time with Shisui and Obito instead. He's got more free time nowadays.

"How's it going, 'Tachi?" Obito nagged. "School treating you good?"

Ever since he got a new job, he's been acting like a third parent, not to Itachi's disliking.

"Yeah, school's fine," Itachi responded, gazing up at the sunlit clouds hovering above where they were waiting for their food to arrive.

"You feeling okay?"

"I haven't been feeling too well, actually," Itachi said, squinting at Obito. "I've been having some weird pains all over my body and I can't sleep. I feel tired and I can't focus during the day, too."

"You should go to the doctor. Maybe it's just a vitamin deficiency or something," Obito reassured him.

"Maybe, but I don't think I would have a deficiency."

"I know we have some relatives that have symptoms like those. Hope you're not getting sick."

"Yeah, me too."

[fangxin-guoshi]

It's honestly so telling how hashirama interacts with Madara. During the war arc, Madara was sooo excited to see hashirama. The series is showing us through madara's fanboying that hashirama is incredibly important to him. He's constantly praising him when fighting the 5 kage and saying how hashirama is the only one who can defeat him. He's not even angry abt hashirama quite literally stabbing him in the back (and deeming him less important than the village). From this the audience can tell that Madara, more than anything (bc he literally paused what he was doing during the war to do this), WANTS to connect with hashirama. Hsrm is the only person that can make him forget Abt project tsuki no me. I cannot stress this enough. He really LIKES hsrm and wants to be close to him. It's just that fighting is the only way he knows how to express that.

How does hashirama respond? He ignored him. (Yes, practically, ignoring ten tails kinda would've been bad but shut up it's the PRINCIPLE of the matter here also I'm low-key delulu) Madara is trying his hardest to connect with hashirama but hashirama doesn't even notice.

When they were on the cliff side overlooking the construction of konoha, and later in the dingy Uchiha basement talking Abt the stone tablet, hashirama was trying to sorta talk some sense into Madara but he was going about it the wrong way.

The difference is their communication styles:

Hashirama is a talker, he wants to solve problems through diplomatic means without any bloodshed. He was deeply scarred and traumatized from the warring states era, so he wants to avoid any and all fighting, which is similar to Itachi, who witnessed the 3rd war as a child and became a pacifist (like Itachi tho, hashirama realizes some *ahem* .....sacrifices need to be made for the "greater good")

Madara believes that people's actions hold more weight than words. You can see it when he was a child, and he talked Abt how in order for the adults to take him and hsrm seriously, they have to become really strong. Later, after izuna is killed, hashirama's offers for a truce don't work. In that moment where Madara is carrying a very bloody izuna and hashirama proposes to stop fighting, he looks around him and sees the damage that the senju inflicted on the Uchiha. He really wants to believe in Hashirama at that moment, but a combo of izuna's influence and the fact that for Madara, actions are far more important than frivolous words, stops him. It's only when hashirama is Abt to stab himself that Madara agrees with the truce, that hsrm "showed him what's inside him."

That's why hashirama's words didn't stop Madara from leaving the village. It's why during the war arc hashirama couldn't get through to him through talking. It's why madara's world view only changed when black zetsu stabs him in the back. Actions speak louder than words, kiddos.

That's why their relationship failed. Hashirama didn't know how to really connect with Madara in a way that would actually get through to him. That's also why Naruto used a lethal combo of talk no jutsu and beating the shit out of Sasuke to literally knock some sense into him. And it worked.

Anyways look at the madabooty

Goddamn.

[theheirofthesharingan]

If you could change ANYTHING in Naruto (the series not the mc) what would it be?

Would you also give it a diffrent name? (I'm personally tired of having to clatify wether I'm talking about Uzumaki Naruto or his show, srsly kishimoto is so creative he could've came up with a better name😭)

I'm going to sound very predictable, but it'll have to do something with Itachi.

Rant Time.

I love Itachi and I love that Koshimoto wrote him, but it doesn't stop infuriating me that he doesn't treat Itachi as a person. Itachi is a freaking tool he uses to further Sasuke's arc. Literally every single information about Itachi is given to us to fuel Sasuke's plot and then unite him with Naruto eventually. Itachi has no relevance outside of that in the story. Some other minor characters are given more importance than him.

If I could change one thing, I would write Itachi as a person. Like, giving more flashbacks of Itachi through Kisame (who has no reason to lie and his interaction with Itachi would tell us a lot more about Itachi than anything else). There's a reason a lot of people don't understand what Itachi was going through, and it shows in the way they write him. He was only an obstacle to Sasuke, so his own trauma doesn't deserve to be explored, right? While analysing any other character, people would take their experiences into account to talk about them. But for Itachi, only Sasuke's experiences are taken into account because Itachi's trauma and his experiences don't matter in the process of shaping him.

Most of the fandom doesn't care about Itachi beyond using him as a tool for their powerscaling games. So, his trauma goes unnoticed and unexplored. The biggest reason is that he is only ever presented as someone who triggers reactions in Sasuke, instead of someone who has his own fears, insecurities, trauma, and pains.

Imagine canon treating Itachi as a human?

He collapses when he thinks about his parents and his brother. He can't walk properly when he's sick and he is delirious due to the pain his illness is causing him. The days when his medicines can't help him because the pain is too much. Or when he is too vulnerable that even Kisame notices it and leaves him be, because Kisame doesn't know how else to comfort him. Or when Kisame slowly accepts that death would be the best thing to happen to his partner because Itachi has endured too much. When Kisame sees the signs of humanity in him, but chooses to not voice them, because Itachi doesn't want his secrets to be out. Only Kisame could have seen the signs of the real Itachi. More than Sasuke, more than Obito and Hiruzen. But Koshimoto doesn't want us to know the real Itachi because that won't help Sasuke's plot.

Canon mostly avoids showing Itachi's softness unless it's useful for Sasuke's story. Itachi was crying after traumatizing and before leaving him? It's to show Sasuke believes Tobi's story. The entire flashback of Itachi before his goodbye? To drive Sasuke away from the path of destruction of Konoha.

None of his scenes are meant to show Itachi as a human for Itachi's sake. I find it baffling.

I get it, though, that before the massacre, giving away too many of such hints would be stupid, but why not show more of him afterwards? It's not like Sasuke and Kisame did not meet or interact. There could have been other ways to show us Itachi was more than what we believed about him before we learned his truth. But no. Once he's dead, he's dead.

After Asuma dies, there's an entire episode about Shikamaru mourning his death with flashbacks. After Jiraiya dies, there's an entire episode (or there are two?) exploring his and Naruto's relationship as well. But Itachi's death is done and dusted in just one episode along with the reveal, because we need Sasuke to destroy the village and continue the story of Naruto and Sasuke? There's only one flashback. Just one.

The databook do a better job at it (written by Koshimoto or his assistants who know the details about the characters). They present Itachi as a kind and soft child who was tragically dragged into the political mess and was too sensitive to be a part of it. Then why not write him in the story as well that way?

Honestly, it's frustrating. More so because I see takes on him as if people can't read manga, yet want to offer their opinions that barely scratch the surface when they're talking about Itachi. I want more surface level information on Itachi that people can't find excuses to with "this isn't canon" for Itachi while defending and justifying other characters with the same thing.

To answer the last part of your question, I really don't mind the name 'Naruto'. Or I don't care, haha.

[chasing-posts]

I have very complicated feelings about Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Growing up I really liked the old man. He was presented in the first half of Natuto as a very kind, caring and compassionate old man who had a hand in teaching EVERYONE in the Hidden Leaf. He was a super strong bad ass who was well respected, funny, stern and had a quiet dark side from being a ninja. However one of his flaws was that he could never give up on the people he loved, no matter ehat they became. Its why he let Orochimaru go the first time after he found him doing illigal experiments in his layer, its why he cried when he saw Orochimaru sacrifice his own students for the edo tensei.

Watching his funeral used to be a top ten saddest moment in Naruto, but then... everything changed when Itachi's backstory is revealed. We learn he's not as kind as he appears, that he was partially responsible for the death of the Uchiha clan. We learn about Danzo's multiple coup attempts and Hiruzen just...letting it slide. In fact, letting MULTIPLE Danzo incidents slide, letting Danzo's entire career slide, which was basically war crimes on steroids.

Because of his passiveness, he ends up enabling Danzo to do whatever he wanted. He becomes guilty by association, even though Kishimoto made sure to point out that Danzo is responsible for all these atrocities... but because of their close connection and his abilities to stop him but never doing so, Hiruzen's reputation and character was destroyed. Especially in the eyes of the reader.

And part of me knows he deserves it. That he, by proxy is responsible for the Uchiha genocide and letting things get as bad as they did...

But then, I see an episode where he hangs out with little Naruto and tells him stories over a camp fire and my heart melts. I see clips of him talking to kids at the ninja school about stories of the past and how they can apply themselves and I'm smiling. I see him die looking at Orochimaru who's cursing his name and demanding his arms back, and remembering when the monster was just a young boy, still kind. And hik smiling as he passes away

I wonder if Kishimoto always planned for this reveal about Itachi? I feel like to make Itachi the tragic anti-hero, Hiruzen and his reputation had to be destroyed. But the narrative never treats Hiruzen as evil or berates him for what he does. He's never truly called out even when he's brought back via Edo Tensei. He still has genuinely kind moments to almost everyone in the series. Everyone still has mostly good memories about him.

At the end of the day, I just don't know how to feel about him. I wish the Itachi reveal never happened. That he was written to be a villian like he appeared to be at the start of the show. Then Hiruzen's character would not have been dragged through the mud and I could view him as a flawed but genuinely good character who lost his way. Which I think was the writer's original intention.

I'm not defending him it's just...complicated.

[ciellunee]

You're mine, just mine

Summary- Itachi always considered izumi more and now you've had enough.

Pairing- Itachi X Reader

You were pissed. Absolutely pissed. He thinks everything is a joke and everyone is as calm as him, news flash it isn't like that. The argument you and itachi had was a long awaited one. Everybody knew izumi was madly in love with itachi, except itachi. He just wouldn't accept it no matter how many times you'd sit him down and tell him how she bats her bedroom eyes at him. He would knowingly hold his hands in public, hug him or cuddle him all the time sometimes even handfeed him making your blood boil with anger.

You were understanding, it was fine if itachi had female friends and their company. You never once tried to control his social life and neither did he but with Izumi it was different. She did it on purpose. Like this time, you planned a dinner date with itachi at this exotic hotel because uchiha boy really deserves fancy date nights. He were to pick you up at 6:00 PM but he never did. It was 7:15 when you got a text from him saying izumi fell and sprained her ankle. She called him crying and he had to take her to the hospital immediately. The text ended with "she's fine now don't worry. I'll call you in an hour let's see if I'll even make it home today, she really is hell bent on me staying with her tonight " No! Nothing about your dinner date, no apology, no 'I'll make it up for it' He didn't even mention the dinner date. He forgot. Hot tears running down your cheeks as your stomach churned. You've not had anything since morning because of the excitement. The beautiful velvet gown ripping your skin into pieces "I fucking hate you".

Itachi returned home at dawn, eyes heavy from lack of sleep. Trying to find the keys while on the porch he remembered the date. He was supposed to pick you up for dinner last night. "Ah! She must be really upset" he mumbled. Entering he came face to face with an absolute messed form of you. Mascara running down your cheeks dried and heavy. Eyes red and swollen as you opened your mouth, " I'm sorry Itachi i cannot do this anymore. " that's all you spoke before getting up and trying to leave the room. The Uchiha looked surprisingly shocked. " I know I've upset you my love but I don't quite comprehend what you meant by that ?" He asked voice laced with anger. " I mean I can't fucking pretend I'm happy with you, you're being inconsiderate towards me and my feelings, past month you've barely asked me if I'm okay! All you care about is your goddamn izumi. I am fucking done with you Itachi Uchiha, I don't want to be with you anymore and I am leaving right fucking now! " you yelled till out of breath. The Uchiha tried stopping you, reasoning with you saying stuff like "baby she needed me she was in pain" or " you know I have no romantic interest in her" but you were too exhausted to hear.

Third day after the unofficial breakup you did what had to be done. Wore a red mini dress with a deep sweetheart neck. Tight on all the right places with indecent amount of cleavage put to show. Your stomach burned with guilt and nervousness but one drink and it was all good. At the bar you met Kakashi who looked extra hot today. " fancy meeting you here " you slid beside him, for a moment he scanned you top to bottom, then replied " glad I am or would've missed seeing you look so sexy in that bodycon. " a lot of drinks and a lot of flirting led to him taking you by surprise for a kiss. You closed your eyes and thought of a certain black haired guy. Kakashi's lips were soft and he was definitely a great kisser but it all came to an end when you felt a familiar chakra. He was here and it's no good if he sees you making out with kakashi. You pulled apart " it was a mistake kakashi I'm so sorry " you mumbled and silver haired man looked confused but smiled and let you go. Why'd you let him go? Why was itachi here and even if he was....you guys were no longer together you could do whatever you felt like doing. "Ugh too much for a night gotta sleep" you mumbled as you got yourself and uber and went home. Reaching, you realised door was unlocked...

" Hello my little slut " itachi hissed as you went inside. He was in the kitchen sharpening a knife. " Oh! Don't worry this is for the man who had the honour of touching you first and last time" voice laced with spite.

" Don't even try itachi keep kakashi out of this "

" pretty little slut scared for her new play toy? Did you forget who I am? Do I have to remind you? " He moved a step closer then another step.

He got you in a tight grip, hands held to the back, face pushed to a wall. " so baby, tell me who do you love? " He said as his hands travelled through the mini dress and reached you ass. He spanked you hard on the right cheek earning a big whine from you.

" answer me!" Another slap.

" you ,I love you " you cried as another slap hit you hard.

" Good girl, who's slut are you? Who owns you ? " another slap

"Y-you" you whimpered

" Will you ever in your life pull this stunt again my angel ? "

"N-NO itachi please it hurts so much stop " you cried again, eyes welled with tears.

" I will stop once you realise YOU'RE MINE, JUST MINE! and if you hoe around I will punish your sorry little cunt and you will let me. I will make you come 10 times and fill you up with my semen so much that you'll forget anything but me and my cock. Am I making myself clear here ? "

"Ye-yes sir!" You stutter as the final slap hits your right cheek. Pussy dripping wet from all the arousal.

" don't think I'm done yet love.....you're going to pay a lot more than just some spanks for the little stunt you pulled......... "

[dreadsuitsamus]

Endless | Sasuke Uchiha & Reader |

author's note: i couldn't really tell you why i wrote this. it's not a reader insert quite like you'd expect, as the itachi x reader portion is in the background. this story focuses on sasuke himself a lot

pairing: sasuke & fem!reader (not romantic) itachi x fem!reader

warnings: mentions of death, angst, some comfort

It's dark and cold as you sit perched in a tree, eyes closed as you wait for a particular chakra signature. You'd retired from shinobi life sometime ago, but after mastering your craft it was like getting back on a bike and riding into the sunset. You wear the headband of your deceased lover as you wait, the line crossed through the leaf symbol almost perfectly.

It gets colder soon and not from the wind, but from the person you're looking for. Your eyes fly open and you descend from the tree and into his path, staring at him impassively. He's got a snarl on his lips and you know he's far gone enough to try to kill you on sight, but Uchiha Sasuke will have to work hard to slay Uchiha Itachi's widow.

"Move." He warns once in that low voice. You can't help but admire how much he looks like Itachi. But where Itachi had a calm presence and was easily a wolf in an Akatsuki cloak, Sasuke didn't care to try and hide just how powerful and dangerous he was.

"Let's talk, Sasuke." You say calmly. "Believe me, I'm not here to fight."

Those dark eyes narrow. What a fool he is to think he wouldn't need his Sharingan to take you down, you think. Even Itachi had to use everything his eyes had to best you during your first encounter, and even then you pinned him with a kunai at his throat and his chakra drained from his body. The memory makes you smile to yourself before gazing back at your young brother-in-law.

"I don't have time to talk." He says, eyeing your headband. You seem like you want to stop him, but you're wearing that rogue ninja headband… And it looks awfully familiar.

"If I have to wear you out before we talk, then so be it. I bested Itachi once; and I can beat you too."

Sasuke falters at that. So it is his brother's headband. He grinds his teeth together, "And I killed Itachi."

In the back of your mind, there's a terrible laugh. To provoke that bear in front of you or not was the question. You know he's young, you believe him to be around seventeen, but at the same time would it be fair to allow him to think he killed your love? Could he truly live with that blood on his hands?

"Hmm." You cock your head to the side. "You're confident."

"Enough." Sasuke's sword is in hand and his eyes burn red. You sigh and shake your head. "You Uchiha men are so difficult."

There's a pause in Sasuke's movements. Why did you say that so fondly?

"Who are you?" He asks blankly.

"I'm the one that kept Itachi alive long enough to face you. I'm also your sister-in-law, if that matters to you."

That gets him. His eyes are wide and his grip loosens on his sword. You fight back your urge to laugh at the poor boy; you know he never would've expected that answer from you.

"How…"

"I met him when he was first getting sick. He placed me under his genjutsu, but found out the hard way it doesn't work on me."

Sasuke still stands dumbfounded before you, and this time you can't help the small chuckle you give. "Sasuke, it's… Nice to finally meet you. Itachi spoke so highly of you and I'd always wanted to get the chance to see you."

Sasuke snaps back to himself. "Even if you are who you say you are, I don't have time for this."

You sigh internally. You knew he'd say that. "I think you should make time. I want to tell you about him as he was when I knew him."

"You expect me to believe you knew him?"

"I'm wearing his headband, his ring…" You take a deep breath. "If you'll just listen to me, I'll prove it to you."

"Five minutes." Sasuke mutters, his eyes on the ground. You hop back into the tree you were in, and Sasuke follows your lead and sits beside you. His chakra is so cold and your heart breaks at the thought of all he went through to get to this point. Part of you is angry at Itachi for his part in Sasuke's trauma; but you could never be more upset with Itachi than he was at himself.

"I met him around five years ago. We were both eighteen and we had a helluva battle." You laugh softly. "If he wasn't so handsome I may have tried to kill him."

Sasuke scoffs. "You, killing my brother?"

You snort. "You don't know my jutsu or my clan, kiddo. Don't try and find out either, unless you don't wanna move for a few hours."

"You did that to my brother and he married you?" Sasuke's voice is flat and his eyes are faraway and glassy.

You chuckle softly. "Not immediately, of course. But he did admire my fearlessness against him. And I knew his reputation. And not to brag but…" You smile some and click your tongue on the roof of your mouth. "I am pretty cute."

Sasuke doesn't laugh, but his shoulders ease up a tad. "You said he was sick."

"He was. My clan is known for being healers as much as fighters, and I could sense illness in his chakra after we fought. I gave everything I could to cure him, but I think ultimately the burdens on his shoulders stressed him out too much, along with his use of the Mangekyo Sharingan. He was losing his sight little by little as well, as I'm sure you saw when you fought him."

Sasuke's chest clutches with an emotion he can't name. You know things about Itachi you wouldn't, had you been just a stranger with an odd play. He was not a trusting nor kind young man in the slightest, but he believes you're real and it shocks him more than his thought-to-be emotionless (minus his anger) brain could bear.

You are the closest thing he has to his brother.

"I never got to know him well." He mutters, gazing to the stars. "He was distant."

You chuckle. "I always did compare him to an aloof housecat. He had a dry sense of humor; he also had a sarcastic streak in him. He wasn't passive, really, he just didn't entertain nonsense and tended to avoid it if he could. I think by that point of his life, he was already feeling like he'd failed everyone he sacrificed everything he had for. So he didn't have it in him to bear anymore weight."

Sasuke's eyes water as you continue telling him about his brother. He'd looked up to his older sibling as a child, and he wanted to be just like him. And then he spent half of his life training to get stronger and kill him, but even then it was Itachi that motivated him. He'd let that man inspire whatever route of his life he was taking, and yet he hardly knew him at all. He was that captivating, for better or worse.

"Oh, and his sweet tooth was terrible." You laugh, looking at the stars with the young man beside you, breaking the tension. "He kept a bag of butterscotch candies in his Akatsuki cloak, y'know."

Sasuke blinks and he even laughs just a tad, and that surprises you. "I kept strawberry ones in mine." He admits lowly, as if he didn't want to admit how human he was. You laugh so much at the thought of these dangerous brothers and their sweet tooths, and Sasuke gazes at you and realizes just how perfect you were for his brother. He can see how you'd slotted yourself into his life and he let you stay.

"He told me about the time you'd gotten yourself stuck in a tree and were afraid to jump down. He said he couldn't understand why you didn't think he'd catch you." You look directly at him now, taking in his features. You bet he had the chubbiest cheeks when he was little.

"I was young." He mutters. "I was afraid he wouldn't catch me and I would get hurt." Oh how he longs for the days where he thought that was the worst hurt he could've felt.

"He'd never let you fall." You murmur. To that, Sasuke scoffs.

"He did let me fall! He shook the tree and knocked me out of it!"

You laugh loudly, having no idea about that part of the story. Sasuke's pouting and it warms you to see such a visceral reaction from him. Truly, they were brothers. "But did he catch you?"

His arms cross and lips twist into a scowl. "... Yes."

You chuckle to yourself, comfortable in the idea that Sasuke believes you by now. "I… I came here tonight with a purpose."

That sends Sasuke back into his cool, defensive mode. "You're trying to stop me from destroying the village."

"Well, yeah." You sigh. "Itachi did everything he did for this place. I'd hate to see that work go to waste."

"It was for naught from the start." He growls.

"He never intended for you to know the truth. Not many people know it, after all. But, he asked me to find you after his death. I sense he may have had reason to believe you would learn the truth, and you did. I couldn't tell you what he wanted me to say or do after that point, but I always interpreted his request as letting you know that you do have family still." You pull a photo from your breast pocket, holding it to him.

The breath is sucked out of him when he focuses on the picture. It's of you and Itachi, and if he didn't believe you already, he would've had no choice but to at this point. But it's the third person in the picture that causes him to bite his tongue down hard enough to stop him from breaking down.

There's a child.

"He has a son." Sasuke says.

"We do." You nod. "He's two now. He's the perfect mix between you and your brother, now that I see you. His cute little nose is identical to yours." You smile and your eyes sparkle as you look at the family photo.

"What's his name?"

"Makoto."

Truth, Sasuke thinks.

"I… Would love for his uncle to see him one day." You murmur and tuck the photo into the inner pocket of his shirt. "If you want that, I could take you now. Or whenever you feel comfortable."

"Not now." Sasuke whispers.

You nod and ready yourself to jump out of the tree. "That's perfectly okay. We live near an old Uchiha clan landmark, I'm sure you'll find it with ease."

Sasuke watches you jump, already envisioning the exact landmark you're referencing. It's the one by a large lake with three tiny, island-like formations in it. He hasn't seen that lake since he was a child. He remembers Itachi teaching him how to swim there.

"I hope to see you soon, Sasuke." You call out before disappearing into the night, returning home to your son.

Sasuke frowns. Who had you kept the baby with? He could've killed you, and then what?? He can't allow you to be a reckless mother, really, why must he have to take care of those older than him…

He doesn't take a second look in the direction of Konoha. He latches onto your chakra signature and is soon running by your side. You hide your smile to yourself, and take him to your quaint little home you once shared with Itachi, whenever he wasn't out on Akatsuki business.

"Who is watching him?" Sasuke frowns.

"I am." You snort, and Sasuke grimaces when your shadow clone disappears. As often as he had to encounter that damn shadow clone jutsu, he had no idea he'd been talking to a clone for so long.

But to keep up the chakra for so long, he muses to himself that perhaps it was for the best that he didn't try and engage you in battle.

Before long he's at your home, and you're sitting on the front steps with the sleeping toddler in your arms. There's a twinkle in your eye and you lead him inside. It's warm, he notes as he steps in and removes his sandals. He looks around. There's a few photos of your family on the walls, and there's a small one he notices on the side table by the couch.

It's of him and Itachi, when Sasuke was maybe a year old. He was slung over Itachi's shoulder and smiling with his eyes closed tightly, and Itachi was looking at Sasuke rather than the camera, a fond look in his eye.

You follow his gaze. "The Uchiha brothers." You hum to yourself, sitting on the couch and cuddling your son close. He's fast asleep but his fingers are still clutched tightly to your shirt, a trait Itachi had as well when he was asleep.

Sasuke doesn't sit down, too uncomfortable in these surroundings. His brother was here, when he was still alive. He'd made a family here, a family he'd left behind to… Fight Sasuke to the death. His fists clench and his jaw is tight.

"Why was he like this?" He whispers angrily, attempting to control his anger and not wake the baby. Itachi gave away everything he ever loved. Did he hold nothing sacred?

"Unfortunately, your brother felt he was a martyr to this world. He believed so much in peace and was a pacifist in this cruel world that wouldn't allow him to be himself." You look at your darling son, brushing some of that dark hair from his face. "Makoto getting the Sharingan would break his heart. What was an achievement for your clan was also his worst nightmare."

Sasuke closes his eyes. Itachi's eyes. They've seen a lot and caused others to see perhaps even more. He'll never forget what looking into those eyes did to him.

"If you want…" You say slowly. "He kept a journal up until his final day. I haven't read a single entry. It's… Too much for me." You wipe at the rim of your eye, and Sasuke sees just how much you loved his brother, can hear it in your voice, your urge to cry.

You sniffle and stand, going to the bedroom and retrieving it from Itachi's bedside table. It's leathery and small, likely kept right beside his bag of butterscotch in his cloak. You kiss your son's cheek and hand it off to his uncle, turning once he's accepted it. "You're welcome to stay the night. Please help yourself to anything in the cupboards or fridge, and the couch pulls out into a bed. The baby's and my rooms are right down the hall. Goodnight, Sasuke."

He doesn't respond, eyes locked into that journal. This was his best chance to get to know his older brother and he couldn't waste it. He settles at the dining room table and reads throughout the night, every last page and addendum and extra little notes he would add in the margins of a page, and Sasuke discovers quickly that Itachi was absolutely smitten with you.

Her smile eases the pain in my chest better than any of these medicines could ever aspire to.

Sasuke cries through the night while he reads the journal, his heart heavier and depression blanketing him rather than anger when he first learnt his brother's truth. Alone at that table, with his brother's innermost thoughts and confessions laid out before him and only ever him, he is again that little boy with a brother he never got to see. His stomach is a pit and he wants to throw up as he sobs, his chest and shirt soaked from his tears.

There's a hole in his chest that can't be filled. He'd give his soul to start all over again, just to see him again, even if it had to end the same way it did.

Dawn starts breaking when he hears the little one's voice for the first time. He's whimpering in his room, no doubt needing a change or a feeding or even just his momma. He doesn't know why, but he stands and follows the noise, tear-stained face and shirt and all.

Sasuke cracks open the door, peeking inside at the baby. The toddler is standing in his crib, whining forlornly. Sasuke is struck by an emotion he can't name (pride?) and he steps inside, staring at Makoto and watching him as he looks right back at Sasuke.

He wonders why he isn't afraid of a stranger, but when the baby smiles he realizes he must think he's Itachi. Sasuke shakes his head lightly and carefully walks to Makoto, his hands on the railing of the crib and his head bent to look at his nephew. He can't believe it… He's got a nephew.

Family.

Itachi's son.

Makoto places his tiny hands on Sasuke's and bounces on his little mattress, a smile on his face. His dark hair is long and his bangs sweep into his eyes, which Sasuke swipes away with a finger. The toddler coos and makes grabby hands, and for whatever reason Sasuke could not tell him no. He picks him up like he knows the kid, cuddling him to his chest and quietly crying into his hair.

His nephew.

He's got something worth protecting. A goal that has no end; he will give his life for Makoto if he has to and he is sure that he'll have no regrets doing it. Just as Itachi would've done for his son. Just as Itachi had done for him.

Destroying Konoha wasn't going to bring around any change for the world this little guy will live in. He now cannot ignore the reality the next generation will be in; he can't allow another Itachi.

"I will protect you from this world." Sasuke mutters his promise to Makoto. The baby seems to shrug and just curls his fingers in Sasuke's shirt, and it brings the touch of a smile to Sasuke's lips.

He will become Hokage, and make the world right for you and Itachi's son. He wonders if this feeling is one of an older brother; he's prideful and scared and doesn't want to let go of the baby.

And when Sasuke gets the chance to ask Itachi during the war, he confirms with a fond smile that it's exactly that.