[That's true, isn't it? He sighs. As much as Wei Wuxian would like to see the man dead, he'd settle for him leaving Itachi and his family the fuck alone.]
He has it out for the Uchiha. That much is obvious. [A pause and then] Why did he kill Shisui? And why would anyone—why did they think it was you?
I told you once that Shisui had the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With it, he obtained an ability far more powerful than my own. It is the ultimate genjutsu — Kotoamatsukami. It is capable of overriding one's will, to change the way they perceive the world to a deep, innate level. It leaves no trace of mental tampering. It is truly unbreakable, and I do not say that lightly.
Danzō knew of it. He feared it. I believe he could not perceive of such a one that would not seek every opportunity to use such a thing for their own material gain, or use it against those they disliked. If we had gained the opportunity to use it against my father, it would have diverted the fate of the clan — and he could not have abided such a thing. He both feared Shisui and coveted his skills. When he poisoned him, it was with the intention of taking his eyes for himself — but even injured and perilously outnumbered, Shisui was able to evade him. Ultimately, Danzō was able to get only his right eye. The left he entrusted to me.
It was known among the more senior members of the clan that to wake the Mangekyō means enduring the death of one's closest friend. Shisui was the only friend I was known to have, and the most powerful of the Uchiha at the time of his death — but I was close enough that it was not overreach to assume I could best him in a fight, especially if I were able to ambush or surprise him. Shisui left a suicide note in the hopes of diverting suspicion from me, but given the Sharingan's propensity for pattern recognition and forgery it only intensified that suspicion.
I do not blame them. It was the logical conclusion to draw given my attitude and behaviour. They knew nothing of me, and less of Shisui.
[Sometimes Itachi says the most devastating things so casually. Or if not casually, then easily. All wei Wuxian can do is hurt for him, and he brings up a hand to rest over his aching heart. He doesn't even care about kotoamatsukami. At this point, it barely surprises him with everything Itachi has shared of the sharingan's power.]
Every time you tell me something about Shisui, I like him even more. [Even in his final moments, he'd thought to protect his friend.
I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. [He's done a better job than he would have expected reigning in the self-doubt and insecurity that's been threatening to get under his skin these last few weeks, but the weeks of silence have still left him a little unmoored.]
I don't doubt you. [Just himself.]
It's just I have this tendency for talking too much sometimes when silence would be better served. I'm sure you haven't noticed.
If it's not something I'm good at, then I'll get better. If it's important to you, then it's important to me. Just because I miss talking to you doesn't mean you don't deserve to have your space.
Satisfied that Itachi hasn't decided to forego his own needs for Wei Wuxian's, he could probably use a little clarification on just what those needs are now.]
You don't mind talking now? I mean about anything.
[There are a dozen jokes that come to mind and he bites them all back, realizing that Itachi is serious. That some part of him had expected him to walk away.
He understands why. A lot of people would have and he can't even say they would be wrong for it.
Wei Wuxian closes his eyes for a second, and lets the breeze whisper through his hair as he thinks of the first day he'd felt an honest connection with Itachi. I am a criminal and a terrorist, he'd said and instead of feeling what most people would feel, all Wei Wuxian had felt was...a little less lonely than before.]
You're right. Nothing ever will.
[And before the sincerity of that can scare him off—] How have things been on The Silent Plunder? I know it's nothing you can't handle, but it sounds harsh.
[Wei Wuxian takes a full minute to respond because he loses it and has to walk inside the cabin so that no one will see him laughing all by himself and think he's a crazy person. It takes a lot to get Itachi to make up words.]
I'm absolutely asking him. [And he will demand details.]
[Just be glad he has only learned so much slang and modern American lingo. And bunko.
He laughs for a moment more before remembering he actually has something important to tell him.] Oh, I found our demon. I'm fine, he wasn't a demon at the time. He is apparently, the king of Ravka. [And isn't that a fun bit of information?]
It's some sort of possession. I can guarantee he wasn't lying or faking that part.
I think so. [He pauses to consider sharing one of his theories and then decides he might as well. If he was going to tell anyone, it would be Itachi.]
Their world has something that is at least a little similar to resentful energy. Aleksander compared my resentful energy to it, and I think that's what I felt from the demon.
Anyway, he didn't exactly want to talk about it so I don't know much yet.
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He has it out for the Uchiha. That much is obvious. [A pause and then] Why did he kill Shisui? And why would anyone—why did they think it was you?
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With it, he obtained an ability far more powerful than my own. It is the ultimate genjutsu — Kotoamatsukami. It is capable of overriding one's will, to change the way they perceive the world to a deep, innate level. It leaves no trace of mental tampering. It is truly unbreakable, and I do not say that lightly.
Danzō knew of it. He feared it. I believe he could not perceive of such a one that would not seek every opportunity to use such a thing for their own material gain, or use it against those they disliked. If we had gained the opportunity to use it against my father, it would have diverted the fate of the clan — and he could not have abided such a thing. He both feared Shisui and coveted his skills. When he poisoned him, it was with the intention of taking his eyes for himself — but even injured and perilously outnumbered, Shisui was able to evade him. Ultimately, Danzō was able to get only his right eye. The left he entrusted to me.
It was known among the more senior members of the clan that to wake the Mangekyō means enduring the death of one's closest friend. Shisui was the only friend I was known to have, and the most powerful of the Uchiha at the time of his death — but I was close enough that it was not overreach to assume I could best him in a fight, especially if I were able to ambush or surprise him. Shisui left a suicide note in the hopes of diverting suspicion from me, but given the Sharingan's propensity for pattern recognition and forgery it only intensified that suspicion.
I do not blame them. It was the logical conclusion to draw given my attitude and behaviour. They knew nothing of me, and less of Shisui.
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Every time you tell me something about Shisui, I like him even more. [Even in his final moments, he'd thought to protect his friend.
There isn't another message or a beat, and then—]
Do you feel obligated to answer me?
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What answers I give you are offered freely. Because you are my friend.
Because you are my friend, and whatever lies adjacent to friendship that best describes what we have become to one another.
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I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. [He's done a better job than he would have expected reigning in the self-doubt and insecurity that's been threatening to get under his skin these last few weeks, but the weeks of silence have still left him a little unmoored.]
I don't doubt you. [Just himself.]
It's just I have this tendency for talking too much sometimes when silence would be better served. I'm sure you haven't noticed.
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When I mind your speaking, I tell you as much.
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I know that better than most and I have been telling myself but here I am. And I said I would give you space when you need it.
It turns out I am very bad at not talking to you.
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If it's not something I'm good at, then I'll get better. If it's important to you, then it's important to me. Just because I miss talking to you doesn't mean you don't deserve to have your space.
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Very well.
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Satisfied that Itachi hasn't decided to forego his own needs for Wei Wuxian's, he could probably use a little clarification on just what those needs are now.]
You don't mind talking now? I mean about anything.
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If knowing this has not driven you away, I expect nothing further I could tell you would.
Speaking is fine.
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He understands why. A lot of people would have and he can't even say they would be wrong for it.
Wei Wuxian closes his eyes for a second, and lets the breeze whisper through his hair as he thinks of the first day he'd felt an honest connection with Itachi. I am a criminal and a terrorist, he'd said and instead of feeling what most people would feel, all Wei Wuxian had felt was...a little less lonely than before.]
You're right. Nothing ever will.
[And before the sincerity of that can scare him off—] How have things been on The Silent Plunder? I know it's nothing you can't handle, but it sounds harsh.
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instead — ）
You should ask Jake.
（ he cannot, with any dignity, describe the persona he's needed to craft to avoid jake being thrown off the ship (literally)
(and probably also himself, but frankly, he could take them.) ）
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What did he do?
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（ it's a fit of exasperated pique that finishes that statement with a telltale lack of his usual reserve — ）
— Jaked.
（ coming at you live, the man who brought us 'doctor snakes'... ）
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I'm absolutely asking him. [And he will demand details.]
Sounds like you two are having fun.
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（ would that he were Hip to the Lingo of Kids These Days, that 'not' might have come through capitalized. alas, he rejects modernity. ）
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He laughs for a moment more before remembering he actually has something important to tell him.] Oh, I found our demon. I'm fine, he wasn't a demon at the time. He is apparently, the king of Ravka. [And isn't that a fun bit of information?]
It's some sort of possession. I can guarantee he wasn't lying or faking that part.
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Unrelated to the orbs?
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Their world has something that is at least a little similar to resentful energy. Aleksander compared my resentful energy to it, and I think that's what I felt from the demon.
Anyway, he didn't exactly want to talk about it so I don't know much yet.
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And he's not exactly fond of Aleksander either. [Unsurprisingly, but still worth mentioning.]
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