ใ her eyes slide to itachi for a moment before returning to the hokage's monument. ใ
I don't envy him having to make that decision. ใ and her heart goes out to the boy he had to leave.
gwen drifts behind itachi. her hand reaches out to briefly squeeze his shoulder as she does. coming to a stop a few feet away, she points to the stairs cut into the rock. ใ
๏ผ he does not need to give her his own experiences, being capable of shaping others without effort — however, he will not give her the sharingan as a point of both pride and piety. instead, he gives her an awareness of fire — how it warms, how it burns, how it can be coaxed into life with a breath and extinguished with the same. chakra nature is easy — she has always reminded him of fire, with something of wind's freedom and water's easy adaptability, the stability of earth and the meteoric power of lightning.
he gives her techniques. knowledge, skill, ways to mold chakra in her hands and let it manifest as wild elements. the speed of shunshin, the strength of precision.
(what he does not give her is the history of war, of suffering, of pain. only the joy, at learning something new, at excelling at it, at mastering it.)
and, of course, the ability to walk up walls in an altogether different way than the one to which she is accustomed. ๏ผ
ใ like waking up that morning after she was bitten, and realizing something had shifted. then the change was physical: the bite made her stronger and faster, lighter and surer on her feet. this is different—a coursing of energy similar and wholly alien to the symbiote. like wei wuxian's explanation of qi.
gwen molds the chakra into her hands. a pale lilac glow wraps around them. she laughs. ใ
This is sick! ใ her entire face has lit up in response.
with childlike glee, her fingers fold in seals that seconds ago she did not know. she exhales a ball of fire into the air. clapping her hands together, she squeals in delight.
eyes shining, she rounds on itachi. ใ Did you see that? Did you see me? Did you see it?
ใ too excited to be aware of much other than yes, her wicked cool display was indeed perceived, gwen dashes off. she tries her hand at several more jutsu, their difficulty varied from more commonplace techniques to other elemental releases. returning from using the body flicker (by using it again), she grins broadly at itachi. ใ
This is about to become my whole personality while we're here, I'm so sorry. ใ narrator voice: it had already become her whole personality.
her eyes fall on the top of the mountain again, and she wrinkles her nose playfully at him. ใ
๏ผ is he, though? or is he just that fast? hmm. either way, he's sitting above the monument when she arrives, and rather than dignify that with an answer — ๏ผ
You asked me earlier if I had thought of being a monk. No — I wanted to be Hokage, as a boy.
dropping beside him, her annoyance exaggerated, she pokes his shoulder. ใ
Don't think I'll let you off easy just because you're cute. ใ a little pause. ใ That is really cute, though.
ใ resting her weight on her arms, gwen looks out over the colorful buildings, the different sectors, the many shops, the straight roads and winding streets. ใ
Your village is beautiful. ใ maybe more so because she is seeing it through itachi's eyes—and his love for it lives in the backbeat of every moment. ใ
( it is. whatever darkness lives in this place, within the hearts of its people... it is all too often borne of the love they carry for their village. of the hope they have for its future. of the shame they have for its past.
he leans back a little on his hands. )
It is.
( he says that simply. he does not regret his actions in the traditional sense — because at the end of it all, it was to keep this place safe.
a safety that was obliterated not long after his death, if what kakashi said is true. his expression twists, turns faintly wistful. he has mourned his home privately — that burden belongs to no one else. )
Time does not pass in the real world while we are here. You may remain as long as you wish.
ใ the real world that is currently set to a simulation in a space station removed from time and space. just a brief cataloguing of the absurdity for those keeping watch at home.
the corner of gwen's mouth tilts up in a small smile. ใ
I'd like to stick around a while.
ใ when konoha finally vanishes around her and she blinks into the sunlight above the lake and its dock, gwen huffs quietly. her body is as it was when itachi met her eyes: caught in the grips of a threat that never drops entirely to zero. but the edges are sanded down. when she breathes, she fills her lungs.
before she can speak, a skinny black tentacle smacks itachi's shoulder. ใ Hey! ใ the symbiote curls back into her at the scolding. gwen scoffs. ใ
Sorry. ใ she makes a face at itachi in apology. ใ I think that's Venom saying you get a pass this time, but my head's taken.
๏ผ he makes a soft, amused little noise, but does not protest the smack, nor try to avoid it. instead, he reaches out to one of the questing tendrils, rubbing the edge of his finger against it in an affectionate nudge. ๏ผ
I have my own. Besides, between you and I, I think Gwen likes you better.
ใ she regards the ink-black shapeless blob with clear fondness. ใ Only a little.
ใ mollified, the symbiote reforms the neckline of her shirt. what's left sinks through her skin until no sign of it remains. gwen remains in comfortable silence a moment before her eyes find itachi. her face remains colorless, but when she smiles, the gesture reaches her eyes. ใ
Thank you.
ใ she takes his hand in both of hers. he is so close still she does not need to lean too far forward before she can kiss his cheek. ใ
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I don't envy him having to make that decision. ใ and her heart goes out to the boy he had to leave.
gwen drifts behind itachi. her hand reaches out to briefly squeeze his shoulder as she does. coming to a stop a few feet away, she points to the stairs cut into the rock. ใ
Can we climb to the top?
no subject
You want to use the stairs? Or would you like to know what it feels like to be a shinobi?
( he can have a sense of fun now and then. as a treat. )
no subject
What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?
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As I said — perception. I can give you the knowledge and experience of possessing chakra, as well as the skill required to use it.
no subject
she looks at the mountain. looks at him. ใ
Yes, please. ใ and cool element powers, thank you. ใ
no subject
he gives her techniques. knowledge, skill, ways to mold chakra in her hands and let it manifest as wild elements. the speed of shunshin, the strength of precision.
(what he does not give her is the history of war, of suffering, of pain. only the joy, at learning something new, at excelling at it, at mastering it.)
and, of course, the ability to walk up walls in an altogether different way than the one to which she is accustomed. ๏ผ
no subject
gwen molds the chakra into her hands. a pale lilac glow wraps around them. she laughs. ใ
This is sick! ใ her entire face has lit up in response.
with childlike glee, her fingers fold in seals that seconds ago she did not know. she exhales a ball of fire into the air. clapping her hands together, she squeals in delight.
eyes shining, she rounds on itachi. ใ Did you see that? Did you see me? Did you see it?
no subject
Yes. It's one of the techniques of my clan.
๏ผ of all the ones he gave her, that one... curious. ๏ผ
no subject
This is about to become my whole personality while we're here, I'm so sorry. ใ narrator voice: it had already become her whole personality.
her eyes fall on the top of the mountain again, and she wrinkles her nose playfully at him. ใ
Come on. Race you to the top!
no subject
have fun catching up, gwen. ๏ผ
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You asked me earlier if I had thought of being a monk. No — I wanted to be Hokage, as a boy.
no subject
dropping beside him, her annoyance exaggerated, she pokes his shoulder. ใ
Don't think I'll let you off easy just because you're cute. ใ a little pause. ใ That is really cute, though.
ใ resting her weight on her arms, gwen looks out over the colorful buildings, the different sectors, the many shops, the straight roads and winding streets. ใ
Your village is beautiful. ใ maybe more so because she is seeing it through itachi's eyes—and his love for it lives in the backbeat of every moment. ใ
no subject
he leans back a little on his hands. )
It is.
( he says that simply. he does not regret his actions in the traditional sense — because at the end of it all, it was to keep this place safe.
a safety that was obliterated not long after his death, if what kakashi said is true. his expression twists, turns faintly wistful. he has mourned his home privately — that burden belongs to no one else. )
Time does not pass in the real world while we are here. You may remain as long as you wish.
no subject
the corner of gwen's mouth tilts up in a small smile. ใ
I'd like to stick around a while.
ใ when konoha finally vanishes around her and she blinks into the sunlight above the lake and its dock, gwen huffs quietly. her body is as it was when itachi met her eyes: caught in the grips of a threat that never drops entirely to zero. but the edges are sanded down. when she breathes, she fills her lungs.
before she can speak, a skinny black tentacle smacks itachi's shoulder. ใ Hey! ใ the symbiote curls back into her at the scolding. gwen scoffs. ใ
Sorry. ใ she makes a face at itachi in apology. ใ I think that's Venom saying you get a pass this time, but my head's taken.
no subject
I have my own. Besides, between you and I, I think Gwen likes you better.
no subject
ใ mollified, the symbiote reforms the neckline of her shirt. what's left sinks through her skin until no sign of it remains. gwen remains in comfortable silence a moment before her eyes find itachi. her face remains colorless, but when she smiles, the gesture reaches her eyes. ใ
Thank you.
ใ she takes his hand in both of hers. he is so close still she does not need to lean too far forward before she can kiss his cheek. ใ
no subject
they spend the walk back to the dormitories in silence, and part ways at her shared room with wei wuxian. ๏ผ