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[anbu]

TEXT / AUDIO / VIDEO / ACTION

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text; network name: "Stiles"; a few days after Itachi's arrival

[mensrea]

[ looks around at this empty inbox ]

Hey Itachi. This is Stiles. I need to talk to you about something important.

[ Then, to make sure Itachi is sufficiently motivated to actually respond to him: ]

It's about Sasuke.

1/3

[anbu]

[He doesn't notice the message immediately, not in any habit of checking the smooth, clock-faced device given to him days ago. Sasuke had explained its function in a cursory introduction with no practical example, so it was shuffled into the back of his mind as 'less important'.

Itachi looks at the words on the screen for a moment. Then he puts it back in his pocket.]

2/3

[anbu]

[... A minute later, it's resurfaced. Sasuke. There's really no other option here.]

3/3; un: itachiuchiha

[anbu]

[Scanning the symbols available to him,]

?

[That doesn't seem sufficient enough to relay his point.]

??????????

[Better.]

[mensrea]

[ Why are you like this. ]

Okay, I'm going to take that as confirmation that you're listening. But I'm not doing this over the network. Other people can eavesdrop. Will you meet me somewhere to talk?

[ Reality: Stiles knows how to make this conversation private. However, it'll be too easy for Itachi to ignore him once Stiles explains what he needs. In person, he can hound Itachi into meeting his demands. ]

text; un: sasukeuchiha; april 3rd

[eyeforaneye]

This is a test.

un: itachiuchiha

[anbu]

Received.

text, un: jonas.

[coherer]

How's the leg?

[anbu]

[TWO ENTIRE DAYS LATER.]

I have little issue now.

un: krüeger (might be a lot backdated)

[usurpers]

itachi? it's eren, if you remember the mirrors.

[anbu]

I do.

"Krueger"?

text, un: jonas.

[coherer]

(he's given it time and his anger has begun to simmer; he's bonded to sasuke and that means something. if itachi is—somehow—still a priority for him, then they're going to have to try for him. when does his begrudging tolerance for the deaths they've caused become criminal complacency?

has it already?

can he sit here and judge what happened worlds away from him?)

Hey.

[anbu]

[This... is not a message he expected to receive when he checked his watch, rare an occasion as it is for someone to text him.

Itachi looks at the name attached before he opens up the notification, half-expecting some variation of 'you suck' with an assortment of random, mystifying characters and meaningless words. What Jonas has instead said to him is far simpler.

His own reply is prompt.]

Hello.

Iuneril 9

[eyeforaneye]

[ The second that Itachi vacates his quarters on June 9th there will be a shadowed figure moving in to leave a parcel on his doorstep. A plain note is pinned to it, one with his brother's name written in perfectly neat Japanese.

Contained within is a new sweater, coat, and a small set of hand-carved spice jars. ]

[anbu]

[Itachi finds the gifts a few hours later on return from the library. The sender is no difficult guess, and he collects both packages and letter carefully (waving off Russell, who attempts to destroy them in a strange and sudden avian rage) before returning inside.

Stop breaking his heart over and over, he's too old for this.]

text; network name: "Stiles"; 06/16th, after arriving in the Underground

[mensrea]

You got one of those tokens. How? What did you do?

[anbu]

Nothing. It was handed to me.

[NYEHH]

the day after That Jonas Post, text, un: sasukeuchiha

[eyeforaneye]

Itachi.

I would send a letter but this allows for faster communication. I've privated it in spite of it being a direct message to you, just in case. [ Okay, now that security measures are out of the way... ]

Are you dissatisfied?

[anbu]

[Oh boy....... truthfully, conversations with Sasuke are often fraught, so the knotted tangle of unease at this message isn't new. It just feels more personal, somehow.]

If you mean Jonas' interest in you, then it isn't my place.

text, un: jonas.

[coherer]

Caught!! hahahahhha

[anbu]

[......... nani]

What are you doing?

text, un: sephiroth, sometime after litha.....

[supersoldier]

[It would be easy to ignore what happened altogether. And if Itachi were a complete stranger to him, he might opt for that — to never speak of it again, never needing to address what happened. Allow the memory to fade like something bleached in the sun.

But Itachi is not a complete stranger, nor someone he wants to sever all correspondence with. This means, eventually, taking the initiative. After all, Sephiroth might be a stoic man, aloof in almost all that defines him, but that does not mean he is avoidant. Not when such avoidance is ultimately detrimental.

Not when it would be better, surely, to clear the air.

So, a message to test the waters—]

Are you well?

[nailed it]

[anbu]

[He's not expecting to see that name flash across the face of the watch. That night still hangs in his mind, too vivid in ruminating thoughts, and there's complexity to the effect it has on him like he's never encountered. That, and a strand of guilt that he'd approach Sephiroth in such a fashion, again, while debilitated.

Perhaps it would be easier to clear from his head if he weren't also suffering a constant, burning frustration for the lack of a Bond.]

I'm managing. [A vague non-answer; he doesn't want to lie to Sephiroth, even if it would be easy (simple, better) to say he's fine.] I admit I'm surprised you would contact me again after my behavior.

[How do you talk to people without going from 0 to 100... Let's Try This Again:]

Are you? Well, that is.

early juril give us that 🍡🍡🍡

[usurpers]

How's your arm healing?

[anbu]

Hello, Eren.

[*akihiko voice*]

I've had it healed, though I expect it may scar. There's no pain or lingering discomfort.