[This!! Guy!!!! Wei Wuxian's jaw falls open in an incredulous gaping look that does not hide his amusement, and he dips his hand into the water to send a wave of water in Itachi's direction.]
You! [Rude!!! He's so rude!!! Wei Wuxian loves it.]
（ he could move. he's quite a bit quicker than wei wuxian, and dodging a bit of water is nothing when one is accustomed to dodging knives thrown with cruel precision. instead, he just lifts a hand to block it from his face. ）
I apologize. Perhaps I should consider your feelings before I speak.
You should! I have so many feelings Itachi-xiong and I am very delicate, can't you tell? [The sulking words come with another wave of water and this time he wades closer, splashing more than once in indignation.]
And don't think I don't know you're not being sincere! Not even a little bit!
（ in response to that, he simply vanishes. shunshin bears him a distance away, where he is abruptly standing out on the water of the pool, supporting his weight with chakra. he simply raises an eyebrow, as if to convey that he is unimpressed with this new tack.
this is a light moment. camaraderie of a sort he has not known in years. yet — he does not feel light, experiencing it. knowing where it will end, and why. it is not the same as those last days of summer spent with sasuke while the sword of damocles hung over the throat of their clan, but it is an echo of it. a ripple through time.
he can think of nothing else but the sunset over a stark cliff, the call of the void in the open air over a river far enough down to drown in. and then he blinks, and the memory is gone. ）
I'm not certain 'delicate' is the word I would use.
（ his tone is wry. amused. never let it be said he lacks devotion to his lies. ）
[What a fucking cheater. Wei Wuxian might be impressed if he weren't so busy being exasperated. Itachi is a menace. Why didn't anyone tell him he was a menace? Wei Wuxian balls up his robes and inner shirt and tosses them to shore and then submerges himself in the water completely. He resurfaces a moment later and swims the rest of the way to where Itachi is standing.
After treading water for a moment, he swims a circle around him all the while keeping his eyes on Itachi's feet and trying to figure out how exactly he's doing that. He's channeling qi, obviously, but how the water acts as a surface to support the qi is beyond him. Letting out a soft huff, he turns his gaze back up to him.]
Then what word would you use to describe me? [Is the question he asks when he does finally speak, smirking and raising one eyebrow. He does not ask about how he's standing on the water. Wei Wuxian is going to figure it out himself or die not knowing.]
（ an old habit: he tracks the progress of the man's undressing not because there is comeliness about him, but because he is looking for weapons in all those places where it is simple to conceal. the inside of the wrists, the small of the back, senbon in the long hair.
he is still as an evening's long shadow, any movement so imperceptible as to seem imagined as wei wuxian swims close. the only point he concedes is to look down. ）
[The smirk breaks open into full bodied laughter and Itachi will find Wei Wuxian unarmed in more ways than one. Despite his secrets, his laughter here—the easy joy and friendliness in it—is entirely sincere. It's easy to laugh around Itachi. Even with his restrained demeanor, Wei Wuxian sees traces of something more in him. Itachi is funny. He is kind. He's patient and for all that he insists they are not friends, he endures Wei Wuxian's antics with grace.]
Much more flattering than I expected. And certainly true. [It is not the first time he's been called as such or something similar in less flattering terms.]
You only have yourself to blame, Itachi-xiong. I find it very difficult to pull myself away from people I like.
[He snickers again and then leans back in the water, floating lackadaisically on his back. Someone as observant as Itachi will probably notice that he's very comfortable in the water, moving in it like he's been doing it his whole life.]
I won't argue that one either. [He tilts his head then, curious] Do you swim?
（ though that isn't saying much. itachi tends not to do things without purpose, every action deliberate, its outcome set on predetermined paths, each thing mapped and minded. fun, enjoyment, relaxation — all very rarely factors for him.
he does partake of hotsprings, but most of the water he and kisame encountered in their travel were lakes, oceans and streams. cold, especially nearer the north. it made his chest seize and his lungs burn. he had no tolerance for it. he has not been swimming since he was a boy, and even that was teaching sasuke. ）
["Not recreationally" feels like it applies to most things Itachi does in life. Probably, except for secretly being petty and fooling everyone into believing he's not. Wei Wuxian is sure Itachi enjoys that recreationally all the time.]
It's always more fun to swim with other people. Come race me! I'm sure you'll win but maybe I'll make you work for it.
（ the body-flicker carries him back to shore, and he goes through the motions of undressing without ceremony. unlike wei wuxian, he strips down to nothing, entirely unselfconscious, as prepossessed of elegance and poise clothed as not. his haori is folded neatly, the kimono and undergarments set atop and treated likewise. once everything is set aside, he undoes his hair in its low tail and winds it into a bun, securing it deftly much higher up than prior.
(perhaps he is catlike in this — a natural distaste for being any more wet than absolutely necessary.)
when he wades into the pool it's cooler than he likes, but the fact that his body retains no trace of its illness here means it troubles him less. once the water is hip-deep, he segues into a breaststroke. he may not have wei wuxian's wealth of comfort in the water, but having mastery over one's body means he is hardly ungainly.
he reaches wei wuxian's general vicinity and — ）
I will refrain from using chakra. That will make it more fair. What are the conditions of your race?
[Okay well. Damn. His eyes widen in surprise for a moment at Itachi's disrobing and then he shakes his head, snickering to himself. It's not strange even if it's not technically proper. They're both men. Beyond that, Itachi is, well. Wei Wuxian might not be interested in him or anyone at all, but he has eyes and Itachi is beautiful. In fact, Wei Wuxian can only think of one man more beautiful than him. That's not a very fair comparison though given Lan Wangji was a god among men.
Anyway.
Wei Wuxian watches him fold his clothes neatly into a pile and has to look away to keep from laughing hysterically. He's still laughing a little under his breath when he turns back.]
Well, it's not very big so maybe we can make it a few laps. From here to the waterfall and back twice. We have to touch the wall at the fall. What do you think?
（ he treads water with an easy stroke, tilting his head faintly to survey the stated path. he has no real desire to win at anything — even when he was young, he cared less about contrasting himself against competition and more about being better than his own attempts in the days, weeks, months prior. he and shisui kept track of their bouts, but he didn't care about the numbers. win or lose, it was the company that sustained him then.
he is indifferent here. he has nothing left to prove to anyone, and is no longer driven to better himself in all avenues of his life. this is intended as play. so... he will play. ）
That is acceptable. Ah — one moment.
（ he summons a clone, performing the one-handed seal while he is treading water without so much as an interruption. a clone appears, though it is standing on the water beside him rather than swimming in it — just as naked and considerably less wet, but otherwise a perfect copy. wordless, it turns and heads for shore so as not to provide an obstacle for the coming race, and itachi nods to it as it goes. ）
When you are ready, it can announce our start.
there's so much nudity happening where does he look
[Only when Itachi turns back to Wei Wuxian he will find that Wei Wuxian has submerged himself underwater, his back to Itachi beneath the surface. When half a minute has passed he pops back up, his cheeks stained a bright red. Wei Wuxian considers himself to be fairly comfortable with male nudity, especially when they're in the water like this, but there's a limit to his comfort.
Evidently that limit is two naked Itachis, one of whom is standing right at eye level, right there. In front of his face and not in the water at all. At eye level!!!
[Okay that makes sense but also Itachi there is confidence and then there is this. Even Wei Wuxian doesn't think his face is thick enough to stand like that at eye level. (Did he mention eye level?) He lets out a high pitched sound and laughs, covering his face with one hand.
Okay, yeah. Sure. Whatever!!!] Right. Okay.
[The hand falls away and he laughs again, trying to gather himself.] Naked copy will tell us when to go. Got it. I'm ready.
[Better they go soon so he can stop thinking about what he just saw.]
（ itachi simply arches an eyebrow at him, and then decides not to further indulge this unnecessarily theatrical reaction. he focuses on the point where they are meant to turn around and complete a lap, and when both he and wei wuxian appear appropriately ready, the clone calls out, begin. ）
[In the end, Wei Wuxian wins the race by half a second, probably because he was so focused on swimming away from his thoughts. That, or because of all those years spent racing the other disciples in the lakes of Yunmeng. (Probably the first reason though.) When he resurfaces breathing hard, his lungs burning, his complexion has returned to its normal color and he's too busy sucking oxygen back into his lungs to care much about the naked clone that meets them at the shore.
He swipes a hand through his hair to get the wet strands off of his face and lets out a triumphant huff as he steps onto the shore and sits down. Closing his eyes, he leans back on his elbows to relax, grinning all the while.]
You almost had me, Itachi-xiong. Aiya it's been so long since I swam like that.
（ he, by contrast, is barely winded. taeum removes physical imperfections, and so too has it mended his ruined lungs. he is stronger — in a purely physical sense — than he has been in years, and his conditioning here outstrips even the best and most disciplined days of his youth. he had forgotten what it was like, to live without pain.
he dispels the droplets that cling to his skin in a chilled cascade with a subtle wind jutsu, and his clone hands him his clothing before returning to water itself — mizu bunshin are easier and simpler near such a source of it. he dresses with grace and that unselfconscious sleight-of-hand speed, and when he is finished he goes to stand before wei wuxian. he holds out a hand, ring and pinkie finger curled in against his palm, the other two fingers extended. ）
Mirror me, and put your hand here. It is called the Seal of Reconciliation, intended to convey that one's camaraderie is intact after a competition or bout.
（ he has not thought about this particular seal in years. in fact, he does not recall ever having done it with anyone other than shisui. ）
[Immediately intrigued, Wei Wuxian sits up straight and does as instructed, carefully imitating Itachi's fingers. It's a good gesture though not one he's heard of, and he tells himself not to forget it. With how often he hopes to fight with Itachi in the future, it's sure to be useful.]
The seal of reconciliation, hmm? I like that. [His voice is a little softer than usual and his ever-present smile calmed with sincerity. A moment later he's risen to begin squeezing water out of his hair and gathering his clothes to put on. He does what he can with his soaked through trousers—alright, maybe Itachi had a point with the whole naked thing—and re-dons his robes.
When he's as presentable as he's going to get, he waves a hand at the path they'd used to get there.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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（ this is a joke. he's teasing you. ）
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You! [Rude!!! He's so rude!!! Wei Wuxian loves it.]
So cruel to me Itachi-xiong!
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I apologize. Perhaps I should consider your feelings before I speak.
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And don't think I don't know you're not being sincere! Not even a little bit!
[This time he's getting a two handed splash.]
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this is a light moment. camaraderie of a sort he has not known in years. yet — he does not feel light, experiencing it. knowing where it will end, and why. it is not the same as those last days of summer spent with sasuke while the sword of damocles hung over the throat of their clan, but it is an echo of it. a ripple through time.
he can think of nothing else but the sunset over a stark cliff, the call of the void in the open air over a river far enough down to drown in. and then he blinks, and the memory is gone. ）
I'm not certain 'delicate' is the word I would use.
（ his tone is wry. amused. never let it be said he lacks devotion to his lies. ）
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After treading water for a moment, he swims a circle around him all the while keeping his eyes on Itachi's feet and trying to figure out how exactly he's doing that. He's channeling qi, obviously, but how the water acts as a surface to support the qi is beyond him. Letting out a soft huff, he turns his gaze back up to him.]
Then what word would you use to describe me? [Is the question he asks when he does finally speak, smirking and raising one eyebrow. He does not ask about how he's standing on the water. Wei Wuxian is going to figure it out himself or die not knowing.]
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he is still as an evening's long shadow, any movement so imperceptible as to seem imagined as wei wuxian swims close. the only point he concedes is to look down. ）
Persistent.
（ in a word. ）
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Much more flattering than I expected. And certainly true. [It is not the first time he's been called as such or something similar in less flattering terms.]
You only have yourself to blame, Itachi-xiong. I find it very difficult to pull myself away from people I like.
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And self-indulgent.
（ that's like... three words. ）
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I won't argue that one either. [He tilts his head then, curious] Do you swim?
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（ though that isn't saying much. itachi tends not to do things without purpose, every action deliberate, its outcome set on predetermined paths, each thing mapped and minded. fun, enjoyment, relaxation — all very rarely factors for him.
he does partake of hotsprings, but most of the water he and kisame encountered in their travel were lakes, oceans and streams. cold, especially nearer the north. it made his chest seize and his lungs burn. he had no tolerance for it. he has not been swimming since he was a boy, and even that was teaching sasuke. ）
Are you asking me to join you?
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It's always more fun to swim with other people. Come race me! I'm sure you'll win but maybe I'll make you work for it.
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（ the body-flicker carries him back to shore, and he goes through the motions of undressing without ceremony. unlike wei wuxian, he strips down to nothing, entirely unselfconscious, as prepossessed of elegance and poise clothed as not. his haori is folded neatly, the kimono and undergarments set atop and treated likewise. once everything is set aside, he undoes his hair in its low tail and winds it into a bun, securing it deftly much higher up than prior.
(perhaps he is catlike in this — a natural distaste for being any more wet than absolutely necessary.)
when he wades into the pool it's cooler than he likes, but the fact that his body retains no trace of its illness here means it troubles him less. once the water is hip-deep, he segues into a breaststroke. he may not have wei wuxian's wealth of comfort in the water, but having mastery over one's body means he is hardly ungainly.
he reaches wei wuxian's general vicinity and — ）
I will refrain from using chakra. That will make it more fair. What are the conditions of your race?
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Anyway.
Wei Wuxian watches him fold his clothes neatly into a pile and has to look away to keep from laughing hysterically. He's still laughing a little under his breath when he turns back.]
Well, it's not very big so maybe we can make it a few laps. From here to the waterfall and back twice. We have to touch the wall at the fall. What do you think?
'i am looking respectfully'
he is indifferent here. he has nothing left to prove to anyone, and is no longer driven to better himself in all avenues of his life. this is intended as play. so... he will play. ）
That is acceptable. Ah — one moment.
（ he summons a clone, performing the one-handed seal while he is treading water without so much as an interruption. a clone appears, though it is standing on the water beside him rather than swimming in it — just as naked and considerably less wet, but otherwise a perfect copy. wordless, it turns and heads for shore so as not to provide an obstacle for the coming race, and itachi nods to it as it goes. ）
When you are ready, it can announce our start.
there's so much nudity happening where does he look
Evidently that limit is two naked Itachis, one of whom is standing right at eye level, right there. In front of his face and not in the water at all. At eye level!!!
This is going to live in his mind forever now.]
Why is he naked!?
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It is a copy. I am naked.
（ ergo???? ）
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Okay, yeah. Sure. Whatever!!!] Right. Okay.
[The hand falls away and he laughs again, trying to gather himself.] Naked copy will tell us when to go. Got it. I'm ready.
[Better they go soon so he can stop thinking about what he just saw.]
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He swipes a hand through his hair to get the wet strands off of his face and lets out a triumphant huff as he steps onto the shore and sits down. Closing his eyes, he leans back on his elbows to relax, grinning all the while.]
You almost had me, Itachi-xiong. Aiya it's been so long since I swam like that.
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he dispels the droplets that cling to his skin in a chilled cascade with a subtle wind jutsu, and his clone hands him his clothing before returning to water itself — mizu bunshin are easier and simpler near such a source of it. he dresses with grace and that unselfconscious sleight-of-hand speed, and when he is finished he goes to stand before wei wuxian. he holds out a hand, ring and pinkie finger curled in against his palm, the other two fingers extended. ）
Mirror me, and put your hand here. It is called the Seal of Reconciliation, intended to convey that one's camaraderie is intact after a competition or bout.
（ he has not thought about this particular seal in years. in fact, he does not recall ever having done it with anyone other than shisui. ）
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The seal of reconciliation, hmm? I like that. [His voice is a little softer than usual and his ever-present smile calmed with sincerity. A moment later he's risen to begin squeezing water out of his hair and gathering his clothes to put on. He does what he can with his soaked through trousers—alright, maybe Itachi had a point with the whole naked thing—and re-dons his robes.
When he's as presentable as he's going to get, he waves a hand at the path they'd used to get there.]
Ready to do some more exploring?
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instead, he merely nods. ）
Yes. Lead the way.