☽ うちはサスケ Uchiha Sasuke ☾ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fantheflame) wrote2013-07-16 08:29 am
fantheflame) wrote2013-07-16 08:29 am
IC Contact / Appointments: Luceti
[For messages, action threads, whatever IC content that don't need their own posts!]
[Continued from here.]
I'll work.
[The words are out before Sasuke even thinks to move, and he continues even as he steps over to slump onto the indicated cushion.]
I'm not asking for handouts and Itachi wouldn't take them, but if you need anything done I'll - I don't know I'll mow your lawn or wash your dishes or whatever, I don't care. I just want him to be okay.
[Itachi's the most important thing in Sasuke's life. Nothing's ever going to change that.]
I'll work.
[The words are out before Sasuke even thinks to move, and he continues even as he steps over to slump onto the indicated cushion.]
I'm not asking for handouts and Itachi wouldn't take them, but if you need anything done I'll - I don't know I'll mow your lawn or wash your dishes or whatever, I don't care. I just want him to be okay.
[Itachi's the most important thing in Sasuke's life. Nothing's ever going to change that.]
[Continued from here.]
[It's a little while before Sasuke responds at all, thinking over the second question first. Because the answer is shitty as hell and he feels like a shitty person for the truth of it.]
...Not really.
She's nice I guess, but I just kind of... went with it when she asked me out.
[For a cover. Itachi has that much perfectly pegged.]
There's like three or four guys... I dunno, one of them was only once and he got cold feet and ran off. [He doesn't name names other than Neji though. He's not sure who's out and who's not.]
[It's a little while before Sasuke responds at all, thinking over the second question first. Because the answer is shitty as hell and he feels like a shitty person for the truth of it.]
...Not really.
She's nice I guess, but I just kind of... went with it when she asked me out.
[For a cover. Itachi has that much perfectly pegged.]
There's like three or four guys... I dunno, one of them was only once and he got cold feet and ran off. [He doesn't name names other than Neji though. He's not sure who's out and who's not.]
[His poor confused, foolish little brother.]
You're just going to have to speak to her. Resolve this matter between you and figure out where everyone stands.
[He reaches over to give the boy's shoulder a light squeeze, trying to be supportive.]
Have you eaten?
You're just going to have to speak to her. Resolve this matter between you and figure out where everyone stands.
[He reaches over to give the boy's shoulder a light squeeze, trying to be supportive.]
Have you eaten?
I'm not hungry.
[It's partially true and partially bullshit: he hasn't eaten since breakfast, but he also feels too goddamn queasy to want to think about food.]
...It's gonna stand with everyone at school thinking I'm a shitty human being. [And they're right.]
[He drops his head enough to run the fingers of both hands back into his hair, elbows on his knees.]
Fuck, I'm an idiot.
[It's partially true and partially bullshit: he hasn't eaten since breakfast, but he also feels too goddamn queasy to want to think about food.]
...It's gonna stand with everyone at school thinking I'm a shitty human being. [And they're right.]
[He drops his head enough to run the fingers of both hands back into his hair, elbows on his knees.]
Fuck, I'm an idiot.
Everyone makes mistakes. You'll just have to own up to these.
[Sasuke's just a teenager, after all. He knows he can pull through this - and hopefully be in a better position once he comes out of it.]
Well, it's about time for supper anyway, so I'm going to fix something. If you change your mind, it will be waiting for you.
[Itachi smiles and pats his brother's knee before getting to his feet. He can feel a light chuckle forming in his throat, but holds it in because he knows the boy won't appreciate it.
Unfortunately, holding that back causes something else to force its way to the surface and he pales, fingers gripping the arm of the sofa as he tries to keep from coughing in front of Sasuke.]
[Sasuke's just a teenager, after all. He knows he can pull through this - and hopefully be in a better position once he comes out of it.]
Well, it's about time for supper anyway, so I'm going to fix something. If you change your mind, it will be waiting for you.
[Itachi smiles and pats his brother's knee before getting to his feet. He can feel a light chuckle forming in his throat, but holds it in because he knows the boy won't appreciate it.
Unfortunately, holding that back causes something else to force its way to the surface and he pales, fingers gripping the arm of the sofa as he tries to keep from coughing in front of Sasuke.]
[Sasuke doesn't see the smile, too busy wallowing in his own self-pity and self-hatred and self-accusation, all teenager-shallow but swirling hot in his chest all the same. His voice is tight when he speaks.]
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. When you and Law -
[But then he looks up and catches sight of Itachi's face, and his heart almost stops.]
...Itachi?
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. When you and Law -
[But then he looks up and catches sight of Itachi's face, and his heart almost stops.]
...Itachi?
[Itachi clears his throat, but his voice is still a little rough when he answers.]
Mm? I'm fine.
And I know what you're going to apologize for, but you don't... you don't need to worry about that right now.
[He clears his throat again, but it's not helping. His next attempt comes out as a cough, and he begins moving toward the kitchen with a futile hope that he might be able to avoid being confronted about the issue.]
Mm? I'm fine.
And I know what you're going to apologize for, but you don't... you don't need to worry about that right now.
[He clears his throat again, but it's not helping. His next attempt comes out as a cough, and he begins moving toward the kitchen with a futile hope that he might be able to avoid being confronted about the issue.]
[By the time Itachi realizes this probably isn't a good time to be out and about (too many ninja of various younger ages) he'll already be in the center of town.
Time to grab groceries and head back home as swiftly as possible.]
Time to grab groceries and head back home as swiftly as possible.]
[Unfortunately for both of them, Itachi isn't quite swift enough.]
[Sasuke's on his own way to find supplies - food, more than one set of clothes that fit (he's not sure why there are so many larger clothes in the apartment where he woke up, doesn't entirely believe that he could have been here before but older - that's insane) - when he spots the other. Just a glance, just the back of a brunet head and a familiar ponytail, but it's enough. His heart stops, his stomach lurches, and the whole world turns immediately upside-down.]
[No.]
[He isn't ready. He's not nearly ready for this; he hasn't even activated his Sharingan yet.]
[But that first reaction of sinking fear and horror only lasts a second before it's drowned in a boiling blood sea of hate. The rage wells up in his throat until he nearly chokes on it, until he sees through the red haze of it whether his eyes match the color or not.]
[The sword he found in the apartment is almost bigger than he is, but it's on his belt anyway because it was all he could immediately find. His unsheathing of the blade manages almost (but not quite) perfect silence as he wills his hands not to shake, and he ducks into a run at once, tunnel vision, blind to the streets around as he aims to stab his brother in the back.]
[Fitting. Especially if he can hit the other's heart.]
[Sasuke's on his own way to find supplies - food, more than one set of clothes that fit (he's not sure why there are so many larger clothes in the apartment where he woke up, doesn't entirely believe that he could have been here before but older - that's insane) - when he spots the other. Just a glance, just the back of a brunet head and a familiar ponytail, but it's enough. His heart stops, his stomach lurches, and the whole world turns immediately upside-down.]
[No.]
[He isn't ready. He's not nearly ready for this; he hasn't even activated his Sharingan yet.]
[But that first reaction of sinking fear and horror only lasts a second before it's drowned in a boiling blood sea of hate. The rage wells up in his throat until he nearly chokes on it, until he sees through the red haze of it whether his eyes match the color or not.]
[The sword he found in the apartment is almost bigger than he is, but it's on his belt anyway because it was all he could immediately find. His unsheathing of the blade manages almost (but not quite) perfect silence as he wills his hands not to shake, and he ducks into a run at once, tunnel vision, blind to the streets around as he aims to stab his brother in the back.]
[Fitting. Especially if he can hit the other's heart.]
Edited 2013-10-02 20:00 (UTC)
[No no no no no.]
[Whether he's gay and whether or not Itachi's angry with him for being a hypocrite (though it seems like he's not and that's confusing as much as comforting) and whether he'll be welcome at school tomorrow - they all take a firm back seat to this. Sasuke's on his feet in an instant, reaching out to catch his brother by the elbow.]
Itachi...
[Don't be sick. Don't be sick. Please don't be sick.]
[Whether he's gay and whether or not Itachi's angry with him for being a hypocrite (though it seems like he's not and that's confusing as much as comforting) and whether he'll be welcome at school tomorrow - they all take a firm back seat to this. Sasuke's on his feet in an instant, reaching out to catch his brother by the elbow.]
Itachi...
[Don't be sick. Don't be sick. Please don't be sick.]
[Itachi's acute hearing pics up the sound of light approaching footsteps soon enough to turn his head and catch a glimpse of Sasuke with one active Sharingan. He immediately closes his bad eye.
This is what he'd been fearing. The last thing he needs is to be dealing with a brother that, from what he can tell, is even younger than when he met and tortured him so long ago. Angry. Filled with that growing seed of hatred he'd planted. Before the curse mark and before his own Sharingan.
He can't throw the lies back at him. He just can't. But he can't be friendly with him either. Sasuke wouldn't accept that.
Itachi twists, catches the boy's wrist with one hand, stomps a foot down hard enough to stop one of his brother's, and holds his shoulder with the other hand.]
Foolish little brother. What are you doing here?
This is what he'd been fearing. The last thing he needs is to be dealing with a brother that, from what he can tell, is even younger than when he met and tortured him so long ago. Angry. Filled with that growing seed of hatred he'd planted. Before the curse mark and before his own Sharingan.
He can't throw the lies back at him. He just can't. But he can't be friendly with him either. Sasuke wouldn't accept that.
Itachi twists, catches the boy's wrist with one hand, stomps a foot down hard enough to stop one of his brother's, and holds his shoulder with the other hand.]
Foolish little brother. What are you doing here?
[Itachi doesn't pull away, and unfortunately all the wishing in the world won't bring the man back to perfect health.
He doesn't say anything, and he manages to hold back further coughs, but his pallor and the nature of his breathing should make it obvious that something is off. He feels like he should be able to hide it better, but right now he's failing at that.
Sorry, little brother. He doesn't want this either.]
He doesn't say anything, and he manages to hold back further coughs, but his pallor and the nature of his breathing should make it obvious that something is off. He feels like he should be able to hide it better, but right now he's failing at that.
Sorry, little brother. He doesn't want this either.]
[Fear and guilt and panic and denial all crash together in a train wreck inside Sasuke's chest. That this is somehow his fault, or he could have prevented it; that this will mean fewer hours Itachi can work (and then how will they afford his medicine?); that this will affect his school and his chance at a scholarship if he has to take more hours (and then how fucking selfish he feels (even if he wants the scholarship more because the promise of money means safety for Itachi than because he cares about sports)) - ]
Fuck - Itachi, breathe. Don't - don't hurt yourself...
[The tears haven't welled yet, but oh, they're threatening. Itachi is sick. A tightness wells in Sasuke's throat and chest until he wants to throw up, but doesn't.]
Just breathe...
Fuck - Itachi, breathe. Don't - don't hurt yourself...
[The tears haven't welled yet, but oh, they're threatening. Itachi is sick. A tightness wells in Sasuke's throat and chest until he wants to throw up, but doesn't.]
Just breathe...
It's fine... [It isn't.]
[He clears his throat again, swallowing, doing nothing much else aside from breathing as instructed. Sasuke is already panicking. He didn't want that, but it's inevitable, isn't it?]
It's not as bad as it was.
[This is very little comfort at all, and he knows it. It just means it hasn't progressed that far yet.]
[He clears his throat again, swallowing, doing nothing much else aside from breathing as instructed. Sasuke is already panicking. He didn't want that, but it's inevitable, isn't it?]
It's not as bad as it was.
[This is very little comfort at all, and he knows it. It just means it hasn't progressed that far yet.]
Fuck you!
[The boil of his hatred is the only thing that's keeping Sasuke from outright panic, teeth gritted and eyes narrow as he twists in Itachi's grip. He is very, very deliberately keeping his eyes trained on the folds of the other's shirt, avoiding eye contact. Not that it matters, does it? If he didn't kill Itachi with his surprise attack there's little he can do as he is. But fuck, he had to try.]
Don't give me your mindgame bullshit. [And at the least he can keep the fear out of his voice if he buries it in enough rage.] If anyone knows why I'm here it's you. Is this some new genjutsu bullshit you've cooked up?
[The boil of his hatred is the only thing that's keeping Sasuke from outright panic, teeth gritted and eyes narrow as he twists in Itachi's grip. He is very, very deliberately keeping his eyes trained on the folds of the other's shirt, avoiding eye contact. Not that it matters, does it? If he didn't kill Itachi with his surprise attack there's little he can do as he is. But fuck, he had to try.]
Don't give me your mindgame bullshit. [And at the least he can keep the fear out of his voice if he buries it in enough rage.] If anyone knows why I'm here it's you. Is this some new genjutsu bullshit you've cooked up?
Edited (codefail) 2013-10-16 14:13 (UTC)
[At least Itachi can clear his throat without starting up another coughing fit... that's something. It's not much and really it only means this is just starting, but it's something.]
...What if you get worse?
[Sasuke's voice is quiet. What if Itachi gets as bad as the last time? ...What if he gets worse still?]
[The very idea of losing Itachi like this makes Sasuke's heart and stomach clench. He's been aware of it as a possibility for years now... but he doesn't think he'll ever be ready for it. Doesn't ever want to be.]
...What if you get worse?
[Sasuke's voice is quiet. What if Itachi gets as bad as the last time? ...What if he gets worse still?]
[The very idea of losing Itachi like this makes Sasuke's heart and stomach clench. He's been aware of it as a possibility for years now... but he doesn't think he'll ever be ready for it. Doesn't ever want to be.]
Not genjutsu. This time it's an illusion of a different kind.
[With that, he releases Sasuke and steps back to regard him with an unreadable expression, making no other moves.]
[With that, he releases Sasuke and steps back to regard him with an unreadable expression, making no other moves.]
Then we'll find a way to deal with that if and when it happens.
[He includes the "if" only to keep it from sounding as dire, even though there really is no if about it. It will get worse, because that's just the way this disease progresses.]
I'll work on acquiring some medicine. I'm not having any trouble at the factory yet. Don't let it upset you.
[The last is a futile plea, he knows.]
[He includes the "if" only to keep it from sounding as dire, even though there really is no if about it. It will get worse, because that's just the way this disease progresses.]
I'll work on acquiring some medicine. I'm not having any trouble at the factory yet. Don't let it upset you.
[The last is a futile plea, he knows.]
[All of the other five rooms are already in use and right in the middle of a training simulation. It doesn't look like this one's occupied, though, so Bulla walks right in. She spots someone there in her peripheral vision, but she's tying her hair back in a ponytail so it doesn't get in her face while she trains.]
Hi there...all of the other rooms are in use. Mind if I join you here?
[And it's only as she finishes tying her hair back that she catches a clear look as to just who she spoke to. That sure is some duck butt hair there. Oops. Aaaaawkward.]
...um, I can leave if it's a problem, though.
[In fact, leaving sounds like a good idea and it's only stubborn pride that keeps her here waiting for a reply. She wasn't some coward who'd run away just because a situation was awkward.]
[Action Forever] I'm so sorry this is so late RL ate my face
fantheflame
2013-10-27 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
[Sasuke has just finished up a session - or rather, it timed out after a certain number of kills - and is checking his sword with a frown (it's strange not to need to clean off the blood) when Bulla steps in. He doesn't turn toward her at first, not sensing a threat in her energy, though he frowns at the intrusion.]
[When she speaks, though, he goes dead still. It's jarring, having spent so much time around someone and not recognizing their chakra signature. It leaves a physical sour taste in his mouth, and he frowns.]
[But, when she offers to leave, he shakes his head.]
Everything that happened there was bullshit.
[He glances her way, Sharingan-red eyes active, expression on the hard and of impassive.]
Doesn't sound like you're holding a grudge. No reason I should, either.
[When she speaks, though, he goes dead still. It's jarring, having spent so much time around someone and not recognizing their chakra signature. It leaves a physical sour taste in his mouth, and he frowns.]
[But, when she offers to leave, he shakes his head.]
Everything that happened there was bullshit.
[He glances her way, Sharingan-red eyes active, expression on the hard and of impassive.]
Doesn't sound like you're holding a grudge. No reason I should, either.
[That... what?]
[Sasuke automatically takes a defensive stance once he's released, though being released confuses him like hell. He still refuses to make eye contact, muscles tense enough almost to shake.]
What do you mean, a different kind? What did you do?
[Everything that's wrong in his life is some measure of Itachi's doing, after all. Why should this be any different?]
[Sasuke automatically takes a defensive stance once he's released, though being released confuses him like hell. He still refuses to make eye contact, muscles tense enough almost to shake.]
What do you mean, a different kind? What did you do?
[Everything that's wrong in his life is some measure of Itachi's doing, after all. Why should this be any different?]
Itachi... I can't just not worry about you.
[He hears the strain in his own voice, but it's so difficult to keep that at bay.]
That'll never happen. You're my big brother. [He swallows.] I've... got a little extra money from the shop. [He's not going to tell Itachi it was a small birthday gift from the shop owner.] I don't think it'll cover your medicine but it should help.
[He hears the strain in his own voice, but it's so difficult to keep that at bay.]
That'll never happen. You're my big brother. [He swallows.] I've... got a little extra money from the shop. [He's not going to tell Itachi it was a small birthday gift from the shop owner.] I don't think it'll cover your medicine but it should help.
Whether you believe me or not, little brother, I have done nothing. Not this time.
[He should just leave, spare Sasuke this, but he doesn't.]
Someone else has masterminded this. Brought us here.
[He should just leave, spare Sasuke this, but he doesn't.]
Someone else has masterminded this. Brought us here.
Sasuke. Let me be concerned with that. Please.
[Any extra money he has now has to have been saved up for something. He hates the idea of it being used for him instead.
He breathes slowly, settling himself further so that he appears less pathetic. That isn't helping his case.]
[Any extra money he has now has to have been saved up for something. He hates the idea of it being used for him instead.
He breathes slowly, settling himself further so that he appears less pathetic. That isn't helping his case.]
Of all the possible reasons to hold a grudge, getting mad at you for what happened in a fake reality is a pretty stupid reason.
[It is undeniably weird to have all these false memories of going to school together, cheering on the football team with the rest of the squad, being in classes together...and then realizing that she doesn't actually know him at all.]
The only people I'm holding a grudge against are that Zompano loser and the Third Party cultists who attacked everyone later.
[In fact, many of her training sessions since then have involved beating the crap out of cultists.]
As far as I'm concerned, the only things I know about you is your name and that you've got enough combat training to be comfortable practicing alone here.
[It is undeniably weird to have all these false memories of going to school together, cheering on the football team with the rest of the squad, being in classes together...and then realizing that she doesn't actually know him at all.]
The only people I'm holding a grudge against are that Zompano loser and the Third Party cultists who attacked everyone later.
[In fact, many of her training sessions since then have involved beating the crap out of cultists.]
As far as I'm concerned, the only things I know about you is your name and that you've got enough combat training to be comfortable practicing alone here.
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