After setting out the clothes by the bathroom door, Iruka remakes the bed in his parent’s room and locates a basket for Itachi’s laundry. That done, Iruka reheats some soup on the stove and starts the rice cooker. Making onigiri is one of the best ways to use up any leftovers in his fridge, and it’s relatively fast to make.
Itachi for the entirety of their interactions but under the circumstances, Iruka can hardly blame him. It worried him for a moment, but if he hasn’t heard anything from Naruto then Sasuke is probably fine. It will take them time to get him settled, and Sasuke may not want to see Itachi at all.
Iruka makes a point to keep an eye out for Itachi, and he’s grateful when the man chooses to silently come and stand at the edge of the hallway instead of announcing his presence. It’s going to take time to accustom Itachi to making a transition between shinobi and civilian life again.
“There’s some food on the table and I have tea steeping if you want to make yourself comfortable.”
Comfortable.
Since when he did deserve that commodity. He gave it up a long time ago. His conscience can’t accept it, finds itself trying to block out that word, as if Iruka never said it. Hell, the village wouldn’t bat an eye if Iruka treated Itachi as an intruder. Everyone else did, and everyone else deserved to treat him like that.
His mind was in no way prepared for the possibility or return, much less re-integration.
But things like eating, and a seat, those he can do. Not for comfort, but out of necessity. To continue living he had to have sustenance. He’d wait to hear the verdict from Sasuke…and from his decision he’d either continue to breathe or find a way to off himself.
Iruka doesn’t know that. He won’t know a lot of things. Itachi’s more fond of remaining in his mind.
UchihaSavior 