[It's difficult to adjust to the lack of killer's intent in Sasuke's eyes, as they stand before each other now. Itachi expects the rage of a brother betrayed and abandoned, and instead he finds one...lost, uncertain, but resilient. Sasuke has grown up into something he doesn't recognize, something he never intended for him to become.
He wonders if he'll spend the rest of life trying to understand Sasuke now, though he doubts even a lifetime would be enough for either of them to come to terms with this second chance.
The seals that surround them are meant to contain them. The stationed ANBU officers are meant to restrain them, should anything happen - should Itachi decide to flee, though he'll never make it. Itachi is greatly weakened here. The Mangekyou has made him this way, has sickened his blood. And without his chakra, he cannot provoke Sasuke into killing him.
All they have is their skin, and their years of suffering.
Itachi raises the blade of his weapon, identical to Sasuke's, and meets him in the center of the open courtyard. Even now, he means to test the extent of his brother's endurance, searching for any lingering ember of hatred or fury within - to drive the point of Sasuke's blade down harder with his blows, if he can.]
[ Sasuke doesn't suppress the tension that grips him the moment he feels it - Itachi's presence, Itachi's chakra, even what's little left of Itachi's painted malice. It has an effect on him even now, even when Sasuke has abandoned most of the hatred he cultivated, nurtured, the hatred that was his life before he found out about the lies.
His eyes spin, teeth digging into his bottom lip. ]
What are you doing?
[ I don't want to fight you. I don't want to hurt you.
And he knows it's not simple sparring. With Itachi, it's never a simple sparring. Simple sparrings stopped a long time ago when Itachi was still with him and their clan was still flesh and blood rather than dirt and bones. No longer did he cross blades with his brother so innocently, never aiming to hurt or kill.
[It may be different, this time. He feels Sasuke's blatant hesitation, knowing why it's there. Knowing why, if Sasuke lunges, he won't go for the throat, he won't put all of his talent and determination into his fights. Sasuke doesn't want to kill him -- they've hit an impasse here, and there's no way out of it now that Sasuke knows the truth. Itachi feels the threat of disappointment, but he knows better.
He hadn't expected differently. He'd misjudged, underestimated his brother.
What is he doing?
Itachi lets out a fast, panted breath, just to expel the air from his lungs.]
He wonders if he'll spend the rest of life trying to understand Sasuke now, though he doubts even a lifetime would be enough for either of them to come to terms with this second chance.
The seals that surround them are meant to contain them. The stationed ANBU officers are meant to restrain them, should anything happen - should Itachi decide to flee, though he'll never make it. Itachi is greatly weakened here. The Mangekyou has made him this way, has sickened his blood. And without his chakra, he cannot provoke Sasuke into killing him.
All they have is their skin, and their years of suffering.
Itachi raises the blade of his weapon, identical to Sasuke's, and meets him in the center of the open courtyard. Even now, he means to test the extent of his brother's endurance, searching for any lingering ember of hatred or fury within - to drive the point of Sasuke's blade down harder with his blows, if he can.]
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His eyes spin, teeth digging into his bottom lip. ]
What are you doing?
[ I don't want to fight you. I don't want to hurt you.
And he knows it's not simple sparring. With Itachi, it's never a simple sparring. Simple sparrings stopped a long time ago when Itachi was still with him and their clan was still flesh and blood rather than dirt and bones. No longer did he cross blades with his brother so innocently, never aiming to hurt or kill.
He doesn't move. ]
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He hadn't expected differently. He'd misjudged, underestimated his brother.
What is he doing?
Itachi lets out a fast, panted breath, just to expel the air from his lungs.]
I want you to fight me, Sasuke.
[Fight him like you mean it.]
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