Orochimaru feels called out on this. He uncrosses his arms. His pride does this, not his mind, and definitely not his self-preservation. And then…
“The snake eats the birds,” he says, but his voice is too hoarse and high. There’s no power in it. He can feel the blazing burn of the Sharingan. It’s like standing in front of a bonfire.
Oh, but it is too late. He’s already panicked, hidden his arms away– told Itachi to stay away from him. This is merely a show of face, a meek attempt to reclaim what he already freely and quickly gave away.
There’s a smirk under Itachi’s collar, shown in the way the corners of his eyes draw up. Does he really think Itachi will be fooled?
“Snakes are eaten by many birds of prey. A hawk’s beak and talons are too much.”
“…!!” Orochimaru was ready to cut a third line on Itachi’s face. A horizontal one, like a dolphin. “You’ve not won. This is a dialogue, not a competition. You’ve not won, Itachi-kun.”
“Is that why you hide your arms, like the snake you are?” If Itachi can’t see them, he can’t cut them off? Is that the logic? Like a small child, closing his eyes to will them away.
[[ Really hate that meme/post/what have you trying to say that Itachi pulled out of the battle in the Leaf because he was scared of Gai or something.
1) He didn’t want to fight to begin with. He warns Asuma that he’s not here to kill them.
2) He tells Kisame to not overdo it when he realizes they can’t leave without a fight.
3) He again tells Kisame to do it his way because Kisame’s way draws too much attention.
4) He doesn’t leave because it’s Gai. Gai says he’s already sent word to the ANBU black ops. That’s too many people.
He didn’t want a fight to begin with, and he certainly doesn’t want to fight a full battalion. They were supposed to do this without drawing attention to themselves and now even more people are on the way. It’s not about Gai personally, it’s about Gai having warned more people than himself. ]]
He’s heard everything. And even if he looks like a starved
animal right now with the way he downs his parfait, the fact that there are
shinobi stalling at the entrance doesn’t go unnoticed. It bugs him, too, and he
feels like this just might be it. They were onto them. But they’re goddamn polite, they’re letting them eat first.
Well, that’s what he thinks at first, digging into his
second parfait by now. –Until he hears the name Sasuke and notices Itachi twitch. Heh. Proof enough that he still gives a damn, Mangetsu thinks.
But that’s the least of their problems, he knows. Something smelled
real fishy about the one guy who’d been standing there the longest, talking
about waiting here for Sasuke of all people. It didn’t sit right, and Mangetsu
would chance a guess that whoever it was that just said that has likely figured
out that one of them was Itachi.
Itachi’s already getting up and on his way, though, and
Mangetsu gets it. It’s time to get the fuck outta there. He leaves his share of
the payment on the table as well. But when he gets up, he does so with the
third parfait in hand, shoveling it all right in on their hasty exit out. The empty
glass gets set on someone else’s table along the way.
He says nothing, merely walking beside Itachi at this point,
letting him lead the way.
But he knows—Mangetsu knows that something interesting is
about to go down. He can feel it. And it’s got him all excited, the fish in his
veins swimming, his grip on Hiramekarei’s handle tightening as he slides it
back in its holder before finally letting go.
And he’s grinning behind that cloak. –Grinning even wider when
they’re met with two of the three shinobi who’d been outside the tea shop.
One of them’s already mouthing them off.
“You two don’t look like you’re from around here. What’s your business.” Asuma’s tone is accusatory, with a slight lisp from the butt of the cigarette hanging in his mouth.
“It’s been a long time, Asuma. Kurenai.” They’re surprised for just a moment, quickly doubling down on their scowls. Itachi’s voice is unfamiliar to them, but he recognizes them.
“So you used to be from here.” The natural assumption.
Too much has been given away. The pair doesn’t intend to move.
Itachi lifts his right, gripping the edge of his hat gently, listening to the soft ring of the bell as it moves lower. It reveals his eyes first– and its effect is immediate, Asuma and Kurenai taken aback, postures tense and eyes wide.
“Y-You’re…” The butt of the cigarette hits the ground. Recognition lights in Asuma’s face, but it is a horrific one.
Lower and lower the hat goes, until it is held at rest at Itachi’s right side. His left arm is drawn into his sleeve, and slid up his chest, popping the buttons from the inside of his collar one, by one. He stops with enough room to allow his left arm to rest, hand protruding. They seem to wait for him, to confirm their suspicions.
UchihaSavior 