uchihacollector:

“I need a ssshow of force, that’s what I need,” Orochimaru said. He thought of Sasuke. “Since my previous Favourite betrayed me to draw his own plans, some idiots can think they can just get up and-” he flicks his wrist, “-do what they want!”

He relaxes at the foot massage. Oh no, that feels good. That feels really good. “Mmm…”

But what the fact Itachi didn’t answer his question,
does not sit well with him. What if Itachi didn’t answer because he knows Orochimaru will detect a lie? What if Itachi thinks it’s better to forget this question? Is he loyal? What if other bases contacted this base, what if Itachi is part of a bigger plan to get at him?

…then at least he’s getting this fantastic foot massage.

“To be more strict.” Yes, he gets it. But the problem could never be truly solved, not so long as prisoners were kept. It was natural for people who were brought here by force to seek to escape. Perhaps if a situation was created in which most, or not all of his shinobi actually desired to stay here, over their own previous homes and villages… maybe.

But he continues. All the way down to the heel, and once he feels that foot is done, he will move to the other. 

uchihacollector:

uchihasavior:

“You have been for some time.” Even in the much earlier days, when he was working his health back up, and re-learning how the world worked, Itachi could tell he was favored. Why put so much effort in his recovery, and building his strength? To say he was simply favored is an understatement.

Master was attractive. Rightfully so. And he fathoms if he were to make the move, there would be very little, if any resistance. Perhaps half-baked no’s, given only in the last few seconds Orochimaru hunts for a reason to believe Itachi’s being taken advantage of.

(But he prefers waiting. Orochimaru is the one who will break.)

“Your meal sits unfinished. Your interest in it is none. You seek to keep me here, but cannot dredge up a proper topic of conversation.” You should have dismissed me a lot earlier.

He thinks about dismissing himself, purely because Orochimaru is tired, and it’s best to wait this out until his Master’s gotten actual food and some sleep in him.

“Tch.” He turns his head away with such a sharp turn that his hair swishes past his chin. He doesn’t know what to say. It’s good that he’s capable of showing emotions, which goes right against Danzo’s no-emotion toxic dogma, but he didn’t want to be read like a book either!

Itachi’s reference to the food makes him look at the meal. The vegetables have lost their steam. They’re warm, but will cool off if he ignores eating. He thinks of sending Itachi away and concentrating on the meal. Go. He imagines Itachi standing by the door, and his skin raises to goosebumps at the thought. He doesn’t want Itachi to leave, for he most certainly does not want to be alone.

He stretches his legs and puts them over Itachi’s lap, keeping him there.

“I’ve had some horrible weeks behind me,” he says. “Some suna ninjas were on my track, and one of hideout F42 had been leaked to the Leaf. I was there when the raid happened, and…. I’d rather not have been. There following weeks I hunted down the leak, it turned out to be a child, and you know how I am around children. The child said my name again, and then I spent weeks being hunted down myssself. It felt like a foxhunt. In winter! Sssnow! Then later, two attempted hideout revolutions. I’m tired. They think I’m weak. Everyone’s after me. There. Is that a better topic of conversation? Are you after me, too, Shisui?”

With the legs in his lap, Itachi takes one of Orochimaru’s feet into his hands. He rubs slow circles just under the man’s toes, regardless if his feet were aching or not. It feels like the natural action, and his own posture relaxes considerably.

The leaf….Konohagakure was the biggest of the five nations. Yet they sent Sunagakure to hunt? Perhaps it was to mend the relations between the two villages.

He would say he was worried, but that would be a bold-faced lie, and he does not want to falsify anything. Orochimaru could and has held his own for this long, it was just…inconvenient.

“That is certainly more than before.” But he gives him a warm, coy little smile, kept to his task. “Perhaps the rotation should be more frequent, or we must have less bases with more room.” Less traveling, over-all. Unfortunately there was quite a divide between people who were legitimately loyal to Orochimaru and people who were actually fit to care for a base or a section in his absence. He does not answer the question about his own loyalty, as he feels it needless.

uchihacollector:

uchihasavior:

It will be quite some time before he’s done, at this rate. But Itachi will sit, as instructed, one hand over the other, and on his knees.

“Attempted escapes are down to only a handful per month.” Not everyone in Oto wanted to be here, and shinobi were very crafty in finding ways with which to attain freedom.

“There has also not been a death between two prisoners fighting in one month, and hunter nin who have wandered close to the base have been suggested to go elsewhere.” Suggested referencing his Sharingan. An easy way of getting them to simply leave the area, without needing to sound any alarm.

“Good work,” Orochimaru says, but it sounds like standard expression, and not like the compliment. He wonders if Itachi could tell him anything that isn’t in the bi-weekly report document. Orochimaru’s pleased that all is going well in this hideout with Itachi.

It’s just that he had envisioned this evening differently. He doesn’t quite know how to change it, and he is too tired to come up with ways to make an effort – chasing after Itachi to find a new balance is just a lot of work. He needs to mind his own every step to make sure he doesn’t trip up the narrative he has spun. While that’s fine some days, now it’s just…. Itachi being pretty and in sight, and that’s not enough? But at least it’s something. It’s more than he had the past few weeks. He doesn’t talk more about work, so he is running out of questions to ask. So he turns it around.

“Is there anything physical you might want of me?” He means clothes, items, weapons.

The jacket Itachi is wearing looks ridiculous on him. Orochimaru would rather see him wear the knotted purple rope and open shirt. Alright, maybe with a zipper. Something like Kimimaro had. Plus a black turtleneck collar?

An interesting question. Of course, it does take him a moment to discern Orochimaru means tangible objects. There’s nothing wrong with his sword, his weapons are regularly sharpened, and he’s quite pleased with the standard uniform. Even with his memories fully erased, being modest still came to him, and attracting attention with a showy outfit was not something he sought. Baring himself in front of Orochimaru was slightly different.

“No, Master. I am content.” Something’s going on, and he picks up on it quick. Orochimaru is not one to wantonly waste time. But he’s intent on keeping Itachi here, and yet, Itachi foiled his plans. And so, the boldness returns, because he’d rather they simply get to it or he be allowed to exit and check up on other sections of the base, or at least get a meal for himself.

“Do you still seek justifications for me or will you simply allow yourself to?” His move.

uchihacollector:

uchihasavior:

A simple nod follows, and Itachi ducks down to begin doing just that. Not an ounce of disappointment thrums through him for this ending as it had. He’s even relatively sure if he had tried to follow the commands as instructed, he would’ve grown increasingly frustrated, to the point the thought of putting his hands on himself would’ve turned him off. Orochimaru wouldn’t have gotten his desired result either way.

He’s earned the position, and  yet Orochimaru seems to be creating additional goal posts to justify this to himself. Perhaps Itachi is to never attain that goal as it’s set, maybe his Master’s desire would just override it, as it nearly had before. He knows he’s not in any true danger. Orochimaru needed him, Itachi had a greater goal to attain, and physically hurting him would work against that goal.

“If you are through with your meal, I will take it.” It’s said as he hooks the last of the buttons on the coat.

“No,” Orochimaru says. “I’m not done. If I don’t finish my meals, my nutritionist will get angry with me. She’s quite scary…”

He pulls the plate back to his lap. He moves the food around. Then he puts the plate back on the coffee table. He sighs. He pulls up his legs to make room for Itachi to sit on the sofa.

“Come sit with me. Tell me about the things that did go well.”

It will be quite some time before he’s done, at this rate. But Itachi will sit, as instructed, one hand over the other, and on his knees.

“Attempted escapes are down to only a handful per month.” Not everyone in Oto wanted to be here, and shinobi were very crafty in finding ways with which to attain freedom.

“There has also not been a death between two prisoners fighting in one month, and hunter nin who have wandered close to the base have been suggested to go elsewhere.” Suggested referencing his Sharingan. An easy way of getting them to simply leave the area, without needing to sound any alarm.