[ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH does he have to say it, guess he has to say it. ]
You know. For how my body reacted.
[ Kill him. ]
You don't have to say anything!! I know you'll probably be like "Beep boop beep it's human nature to react to outside stimulus beep boop" or something like that. I just needed to apologize anyway. So, I'm sorry. That must have been uncomfortable.
[Not for the first time, he is glad for the decision to have this conversation through more impersonal means. It's also familiar - every engagement he had with Sephiroth always came to the same point. A written message, an apology.]
It did not bother me. The spirit's possession was more unsettling.
[Two specific points come to mind: the first, that confession of violence against the hunter-nin in relationship to Sasuke, something he has never voiced aloud; and the second, perhaps even more damning, that he had enjoyed what took place. Both truths, both reasons for his avoidance, if at separate ends of the spectrum in subject matter.
Stiles might have to wait several minutes before the realization that another message won't be coming. He just stares at the screen, in some dark alcove of the library.
[ Stiles Stilinski is not an unintelligent person. He can put two and two together, usually. But he isn't being obtuse on purpose when he fails to see where Itachi is leading him. The entire experience with the spirit had been so bizarre from start to finish; he can't pinpoint what Itachi is referencing. The drowning torture, maybe? It makes him uneasy, is something that he wants to question Itachi about further, but he's not entirely sure that's what's being discussed now.
When it becomes clear Itachi won't be messaging him again without prompting, Stiles does so. ]
You have to be more specific.
[ Then: ]
Itachi, whatever it is, aren't we passed the point of judgement? I Bonded with you after you told me what you did.
Yes. I don't understand that. Jonas was different, when he knew.
[Truthfully, the other boy had far less context to go on beyond the act itself, and he also witnessed the massacre with his own eyes. Still. The effect of that ensuing rejection had weighed on Itachi heavier than even he realized.]
Why? Is it because of Sasuke? He's not here, so there's no need for you to continue to tolerate what I've done and what I'm capable of doing out of obligation to my brother. If it's the Bond… there may be ways to sever it here.
Unless you’re bringing up your initial ultimatum, don’t ever talk about severing the Bond with me again.
[ His hands shake, typing that. When he sends the message, it’s with a quiet desperation he can’t quite master. ]
You’re not getting out of talking about why you were avoiding me, but I’ll bite.
You might want to sit down for this revelation, but Jonas reacted differently because me and him are different people. Shocking, I know.
Until Jonas got trapped on Edwards Island, he was a normal guy living a normal life. The worlds you and I come from are totally incomprehensible to him on first blush. I’ve spent time with murderers and killers before. He hasn’t. And let’s not talk about Sasuke like his record was squeaky clean, either.
What you did was so messed up. You don’t need me to tell you that. It’s obvious to me that you live with the weight of what you did every day. That doesn’t make it okay, but I’m okay with you because of what that means. You made an impossible choice. I understand that now.
[He still could, he realizes. He had introduced that initial ultimatum for a reason, in case it ever came to pass that the Bond began to plainly wear on Stiles, to deteriorate his well-being in a way that could not be justified… but attempting to pull that card here, he knows, won't be received well. And it would be wholly selfish to cut that real and physical tether connecting him to another person only because he's now seen how intimate it can become.
So Itachi focuses on the rest. Still somehow incredibly difficult, to the point where he finds himself reading the words multiple times before he can formulate a reply.]
Sasuke was blameless. [Wow, that sure is some bias right there.] However, he also chose to keep many things from me. That doesn't change the fact that he became what he was because of my influence.
[This is an old and tired argument even Sasuke hadn't been able to reason him out of in Aefenglom, though he was trying.]
I still don't understand, but I will accept what you say as the truth. I will also promise that, outside of circumstances beyond my control, you have nothing to fear from me.
[Every time Stiles says he trusts him, Itachi's grinch heart grows a tiny size bigger. It almost makes up for how annoyingly stubborn he is when they get on these topics. Almost.]
I could easily betray that trust. It should be said.
The target doesn't die or suffer any physical harm, yet due to its effect on the mind, they will often become immediately indisposed and no longer able to fight. It is... easier, sometimes. I don't use it lightly. But the ability to impact someone else's perception of the world is something I learned at an early age. And it can be incredibly powerful.
It depends on what I determine would have the most impact. For simpler illusions, genjutsu is enough to make someone doubt their surroundings or their own mind. With Tsukuyomi, the goal is to break their composure and will to fight, therefore pain tends to be the most effective.
There is also... reliving memories, assuming I can access them. Or share them.
[ Stiles almost wishes he could study different shinobi abilities. Almost. He has a feeling the overpowered ones would break his brain. Just watching Sasuke fight in the mirror had been mind-blowingly aggravating. ]
If you can do it without the traumatic experiences, you can test it on me.
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[ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH does he have to say it, guess he has to say it. ]
You know. For how my body reacted.
[ Kill him. ]
You don't have to say anything!! I know you'll probably be like "Beep boop beep it's human nature to react to outside stimulus beep boop" or something like that. I just needed to apologize anyway. So, I'm sorry. That must have been uncomfortable.
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[Not for the first time, he is glad for the decision to have this conversation through more impersonal means. It's also familiar - every engagement he had with Sephiroth always came to the same point. A written message, an apology.]
It did not bother me. The spirit's possession was more unsettling.
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Have you been affected?
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Nope. Not this time.
By the way, Itachi... If you were already fine with everything I tried to apologize for, why were you avoiding me in the first place?
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Stiles. What it said to you...
[Two specific points come to mind: the first, that confession of violence against the hunter-nin in relationship to Sasuke, something he has never voiced aloud; and the second, perhaps even more damning, that he had enjoyed what took place. Both truths, both reasons for his avoidance, if at separate ends of the spectrum in subject matter.
Stiles might have to wait several minutes before the realization that another message won't be coming. He just stares at the screen, in some dark alcove of the library.
Being a person is hard.]
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When it becomes clear Itachi won't be messaging him again without prompting, Stiles does so. ]
You have to be more specific.
[ Then: ]
Itachi, whatever it is, aren't we passed the point of judgement? I Bonded with you after you told me what you did.
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[Truthfully, the other boy had far less context to go on beyond the act itself, and he also witnessed the massacre with his own eyes. Still. The effect of that ensuing rejection had weighed on Itachi heavier than even he realized.]
Why? Is it because of Sasuke? He's not here, so there's no need for you to continue to tolerate what I've done and what I'm capable of doing out of obligation to my brother. If it's the Bond… there may be ways to sever it here.
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[ His hands shake, typing that. When he sends the message, it’s with a quiet desperation he can’t quite master. ]
You’re not getting out of talking about why you were avoiding me, but I’ll bite.
You might want to sit down for this revelation, but Jonas reacted differently because me and him are different people. Shocking, I know.
Until Jonas got trapped on Edwards Island, he was a normal guy living a normal life. The worlds you and I come from are totally incomprehensible to him on first blush. I’ve spent time with murderers and killers before. He hasn’t. And let’s not talk about Sasuke like his record was squeaky clean, either.
What you did was so messed up. You don’t need me to tell you that. It’s obvious to me that you live with the weight of what you did every day. That doesn’t make it okay, but I’m okay with you because of what that means. You made an impossible choice. I understand that now.
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So Itachi focuses on the rest. Still somehow incredibly difficult, to the point where he finds himself reading the words multiple times before he can formulate a reply.]
Sasuke was blameless. [Wow, that sure is some bias right there.] However, he also chose to keep many things from me. That doesn't change the fact that he became what he was because of my influence.
[This is an old and tired argument even Sasuke hadn't been able to reason him out of in Aefenglom, though he was trying.]
I still don't understand, but I will accept what you say as the truth. I will also promise that, outside of circumstances beyond my control, you have nothing to fear from me.
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[ Yeah, he's not afraid to bring up the family again, no matter how taboo that subject has become between them. ]
You don't need to promise anything. I told you that I trust you. That doesn't come with strings attached.
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I could easily betray that trust. It should be said.
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You know what else should be said? Why you were avoiding me.
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It was that, mostly. About the man I tortured.
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The target doesn't die or suffer any physical harm, yet due to its effect on the mind, they will often become immediately indisposed and no longer able to fight. It is... easier, sometimes. I don't use it lightly. But the ability to impact someone else's perception of the world is something I learned at an early age. And it can be incredibly powerful.
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What else have you made people see in their minds?
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It can be anything, theoretically.
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There is also... reliving memories, assuming I can access them. Or share them.
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Do you think there’s going to be greater chakra drain for this like there was for your Sharingan?
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And yes. Most likely. It was significantly taxing even within my own world.
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If you can do it without the traumatic experiences, you can test it on me.
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Are you aware of what you would be agreeing to? It isn’t an experiment without consequences.
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I've already invited you into my memories once. How much more invasive can this be?
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