yourhatred | thirty crows (朱) action/video (time shift catch-all)

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thirty crows (朱) action/video (time shift catch-all)

September 22nd - closed to Law

[Itachi leaves his bedroom as usual, but exits it at death's door.

The time shift, catching him moments before he would conclude a fight with his brother, moments before the time he was brought from into Luceti in the first place, dumps a bleeding, wreck of a man out the other side of the doorway. The ninja staggers, a bloody arm that had been held out in front of him catching onto the opposite wall of the hallway.

So ready. He'd been so ready. What's going on? Literal moments away from dying, prepared to give into the inevitable, Itachi now finds himself having to do his damnedest to keep himself breathing. The orange glow of Susano'o at first barely surrounding him as he arrived, fades away into nothing as he fights against the darkness at the edge of his vision.

Where is Sasuke?

Coughing, his free hand covering his mouth as blood ran through his fingers, the man leaned further against the wall, the last of his adrenaline leaving him.]

September 23rd - OTA

[Late in the day, after a fair amount of rest, Itachi finds his journal and spends a while reading through it. The other entries become too confusing after a while, but he at last tries to make one of his own. After all, it does seem to be a form of communication.]

I'm looking for Uchiha Sasuke.

September 24th - OTA

[After a failed attempt at trying to get up and make his own breakfast, the ninja will eventually escape the house by way of a substitution technique and wander the town. The clothing is slightly ill-fitting, as the Itachi that's been living in Luceti for the past four years is a fair bit healthier than the one walking slowly through it now.

Don't worry. The cough isn't contagious.

He can be found in basically any building around the town center, and eventually sitting wearily at the fountain.]

September 25th

[Officially banned to the house, but still this older self until he wakes up the morning of the 26th.]

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[He doesn't expect to ever fully recover from his illness at all, but Law's right and he knows it. He has to be prepared to face his brother again. There are just things he needs to know.]

I-- [Almost in response to that, Itachi raises his hand to cover a couple light coughs. There's no blood this time at all, and he sounds far better than he did when the shift happened, but this isn't any way to prove that he can be outside.] ... I needed to see the village.

I need to learn about this place.

[There's a way for him be rid of it. A way for illness never to touch him again. The Ope Ope no Mi's pinnacle technique - Immortality Operation.

For the price of Law's own life.

It's a technique he's never been interested in even exploring, especially in Luceti, where life and death has been made so much cheaper (and true death so much more horrifying). But that morning of the 22nd...

It had flashed into his mind. For the first time, it had been tempting.]

Why don't you ask me?

I can. I will, but... It's not the same as being out in it.

[The ninja shakes his head.]

My eyesight may be failing me, but I can see enough. These eyes like you have now... They can see more than enough.

It would have to be a genjutsu like I'd never heard of before, to have tricked my senses this much. But it being reality seems just as unrealistic.

[He turns away.]

[Law shifts slightly. Trust an ninja to try and look underneath the underneath.

Stubborn, but he does understand how this place defies all expectations of reality. So he's gentle despite still feeling irritated over the escape.]

Then what do you think this is, if it isn't genjutsu or reality, Itachi?

[Itachi turns back to narrow his eyes a little at that question. He doesn't appreciate it.]

...Problematic.

[Slowly, he gets himself back up onto legs that had started to become stiff as he sat. Just walking around town has taken a lot out of him, and now he feels as if he has the addition of a babysitter to scold him for it.

There's a handful of crows nearby that he hasn't even noticed until now, watching him curiously. Almost expectant. He has nothing to offer them.]

[The ninja only recieves a mild look back. Hey, he was just asking.]

A lot of people would agree with that. [His lips press together a little as he sees Itachi begin to stand, yet he says nothing. What can he say? Itachi in a mood doesn't listen and saying anything just makes it worse.] Whatever this place is, it's certainly problematic.

[Oh, the crows certainly are expectant. His husband feeds and works with them enough. Itachi is a familiar figure. One or two even might fly down, looking for a handout that won't come.

They're facing a stranger to them. Like Law is.

And being reminded of it in right this moment.]

[The ninja clearly favors one leg, but he remains upright well enough. He's been moving around all morning, after all, and he's good at hiding his exhaustion as long as he's not on the verge of collapse.

Of course Law would know that too, and would have an easier time reading Itachi than most.

He stares at the crows blankly. A shooing motion with one hand only causes a couple to move closer as though crumbs are about to fall from his fingers. Frowning, he takes a step away. They must get fed by the inhabitants often.]

You want me to return to the house, correct? [He doesn't turn his gaze away from the crows as he asks.] We can talk over a meal.

[A concession. Or perhaps just a request to be fed himself.]

Edited 2014-09-23 08:37 (UTC)

[He'll take it, regardless.]

Yeah. [Because he does - Law won't deny it. He reads Itachi better than most, and with these eyes it's even easier to see the weariness.] It's getting near lunch time. Anything you want? [If nothing specific, then Law will make whatever vegetarian dishes that come to mind. Simple dishes... the pirate himself feels drained. Cooking's a hobby that brings him satisfaction, but right now it's lost its luster.]

[The crows begin cawing, begging Itachi for scraps, one or two hopping closer even as he retreats.

Fed often by the inhabitants, indeed.]

[He recognizes the familiarity the birds have for him and it bothers him. There's too much proof that he's had a presence here he doesn't remember. And on that same note, he does turn his eyes back to Law.]

... You know what I like, don't you? Make me something like that.

[He wants to understand this place better, and the main clues he has to go off of are all with this man here.]

[Something he likes...

He ignores the sting he feels inside at the wording. He doesn't remember and he's frustrated. And Law's taken worse - he shouldn't take it personally.]

Aa. Alright. [He'll make onigiri with seaweed. One of Itachi's favorites. Easy.] I can do that, then.

[The ninja nods in return and, obediently, starts limping in the direction of the house.

The people that knew his name, the birds that knew his face, the clothing that didn't quite fit him but could. It's uncomfortable. He's supposed to die, not exist long enough to leave an impression here.

There's so much to worry about that he can't even be bothered by the sudden existence of the Sharingan in Law's eyes because it doesn't make any less sense than anything else.]

[Law follows silently, scrubbing at his face with one hand, and trying to turn the Sharingan off. Too long activated and his head starts to ache due to the chakra drain.

Finally he manages, red fading into gray-blue.

It's probably going to be a quiet walk until something causes one of them to broach the silence.]

[The walk back isn't a long one, but it isn't a particularly short one either. Itachi might have done well moving around all morning, but there's the thing - he'd been moving around all morning.

His breathing gets heavier the further along they go, and he starts listing slowly to the right so that he can eventually stop and lean against a tree at the side of the road. He's dizzy, sweat beading on his forehead.

He knows this is his own fault, but he'd do it again anyway.]

[Law internally winces as he slumps against the tree but doesn't move to help just yet. Itachi's own pride won't allow it and he'll just be pushed away.

Just give him a moment. Let him catch his breath and stubborn on, and if he can't, then move to help.

Law respects his husband pride but he'll only indulge it so far after all.]

[Not so much pride as a long time spent covering his own weaknesses. The idea of being seen needing someone's assistance put him on edge. The only ones who'd known of his illness out of the Akatsuki had been Kisame and, as he'd later come to learn, "Tobi". The former knowing had only been out of necessity, and he respected Itachi as a partner enough not to tell the others. Not even Zetsu had known.

Though, having felt the need to explore as he had, anyone he'd run into that day knew by now that he was in poor health. Leaning on Law at this point wouldn't be anything that isn't already expected. No one had to be aware he had anything terminal.

His wings give an aggravated twitch.]

... Law. I could use your shoulder.

[The pirate's own wings fold a little more under his clothing as he approaches. No one aware but him.]

Here. [Just lean on him, partner. It's not too much farther.]

[Lean he does, wrapping an arm over the other's shoulder. Law will end up taking most of his weight, to Itachi's shame. Luckily there's not much further to go.

Just get him to the kitchen table and a glass of water.

Law has done so much, and he knows he's been difficult. He can be a very poor patient when he has tasks that need doing.]

... Thank you.

It's no problem.

[Aaaand, here we go. Slowly.

Speaking of animals that recognize Itachi, here are the cats waiting for them. Amaya, being Itachi's originally, is particularly concerned.

She mews for attention, as if to ask if he's alright.]

[Itachi tilts his head down to look at the cat. He's become somewhat familiar with them in his time at the house. Just another example of something he's supposed to already know.]

It's... fine. [He's speaking to the cat, and he feels weird doing so.]

It's fine.

[Amaya's response to that is to but her head against Itachi's leg and then rub against him.]

... don't trip him, Amaya. Same for you two, Pumpkin, Sumire.

[Murmuring to the cats as they close in.]

Tea or water?

[As he's helping him to the chair in the kitchen.]

Water.

[Tea can come later. As much as it might help his throat, right now he just needs to be hydrated.

He tries not to slump as much as he'd like to once he gets in the chair, instead leaning on folded arms on the table top.]

Water it is. [As he pulls out a pitcher from the fridge. One tall glass coming right up.]

... well...

[What would you like to know?

Now for cooking. He can talk and make lunch at the same time. Ingredients... well, he generally has rice going in the cooker... and yes, plenty. He needs nori sheets, the other seaweed for this - shio kombu.

He'll get going on some miso soup as well. This should be an easy meal for Itachi to keep down.]

[Reaching for the water, Itachi takes a long drink before he says anything else - despite Law's prompting. He's learned a fair amount already, but there are still so many holes.

He spends a few quiet moments staring at the glass.]

... Several years, then. I'm supposed to have been here.

Just over four. You arrived in late August, a couple months ahead of me.

[Confirming as he begins to make the miso from scratch. It took him forever to figure out a vegetarian dashi stock recipe (he may have had to cheat and ask Sanji in the end). He keeps extra stock frozen in the freezer, which he's thawing now.]

Four...

[Where could four years have factored into anywhere? How could he be missing that amount of time?

There has to be something else. Something he's not getting.

The smell of food causes him to lift his head more, looking over in Law's direction even knowing he wouldn't be able to see what he's making.]

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