Is Itachi’s perception of Sasuke faithful and accurate or does he project things onto that as well?

[[ Oh, you sweet summer child… 

For a majority of the series, Itachi does project onto Sasuke. HEAVILY. I’ve discussed it before, I can’t remember exact posts, though. But no, Itachi’s perception/image of Sasuke is NOT faithful, and that is the problem with their dynamic for the longest time. It’s only when saying his final goodbyes to Sasuke that he relinquishes the ideas he has. That he allows Sasuke to be himself. 

For the longest time, Itachi sees Sasuke as a person to protect. Someone who cannot handle certain information, someone who must be guided on a path. It isn’t in Sasuke’s actual nature to be a violent person, yet Itachi wants to keep him locked on the path of vengeance and hatred. Sasuke innately cares about people, and Itachi tries to basically beat that out of him. Itachi has what I’m gonna call an “inner Sasuke”, aka the way he sees Sasuke. This is what he projects upon the real Sasuke. Itachi’s whole plan… dying as a villain, having Sasuke return to the village and play house, etc, that all depended on his inner Sasuke. 

(this actually causes a lot of trouble when viewed as a ship, because Itachi’s inner Sasuke is very dominant and humiliates Itachi, which is what he thinks he deserves, but the real Sasuke is not so domineering and would rather not hurt him if he can help it.)

He admits during his goodbyes that he didn’t treat Sasuke as an equal. As his own person. It’s only then that he really, truly does. ]]

(Cant fimd your blog name because Im drunk.) Orochimaru does the thing where he stares at Sasuke for a minute or two, realizes his own stare at last. He gets up. Goes over to him. Wraps his arms around his neck. Gives him a nuzzle. Whispers, “you are perfect to me,” and let’s go again. He only does this in private. Or else people might think he might be getting soft. The opposite is true. In comparison to Sasuke, he will judge the other people in the world so much harsher.

[[ @kakumeinoshippai u silly, silly woman… New Dimensions AU]]

If this were any other time….Sasuke would’ve found a bit of disgust in the statement. He’d always been some form of perfect to Orochimaru. In the sense that Sasuke was a goal to attain. Perfection to make his own. 

But he understands. Allows the compliment to sink in, and chases Orochimaru’s leave of the embrace with a small kiss to the other man’s temple. He appreciates it. He’s trying.