goldenyondaime:

uchihasavior:

“And I, you.” Itachi responds in kind. This is still the man he looked up to, and sought advice from. The man who kept his dream of being Hokage alive. And look at him now. In the very position he wanted, making great strides towards peace within the village and outside of it.

“You will stay in the cells.” For now. He doesn’t intend to keep him there forever.

“I will have Interrogation come to you and perform a series of tests to ensure you’re in control of yourself. I’d like you to submit to them. We will see where to move you after that.”

This meeting was a good sign, however. The Hokage, the most important person in the village, more or less alone with a potential killer. He had ANBU stationed outside his office, of course.

“I-” He understood the need, of course. If their positions were reversed, Minato would have likely not been so kind as Itachi. The thought of being in the cells isn’t as bad as being asked to bow down to whatever tests he will have to endure. 

Sleeper nins were handled with certain care, and Minato never thought that he would be put under such treatment. 

It’s for the best, he knows that, but the mere thought still has him tensing up just a bit. Just barely enough to be noticed. “I understand.” At the least.. he could ask, surely? 

“May I have ink? I would require you to imbue the seals I normally wear on my arms with chakra. I would just.. feel less on edge with them on.”

“You may.” He’ll trust him on this one. There’s a small pot of ink resting on the corner of his desk, and Itachi stands to fetch it now.

His time in ANBU taught him that threats can come from anywhere. His first mission was stopping a Leaf shinobi because he was letting intel out to other villages. Information can make or break their strength.

Minato on his own he doesn’t fear. But Minato’s strength, speed, and infamy in the hands of someone able to pull the strings? Many of them would die.

He wants to say something else badly. Anything that isn’t this heavy topic. Talk about his son…or what Hatake-san was doing these days.

Instead Itachi remains mum, offering the small glass pot.

goldenyondaime:

uchihasavior:

That was progress. He’d take it where he could get it.

“That is true. But besides this…” And a hand is reaching up, fingering at the collar fitted on his senior’s neck, “You are in control of your mind and body.” He knew what Minato was insisting. That was some sort of sleeper agent, that something in his body or mind had been altered and it was only a matter of time before a signal was given for him to act.

“If what you say rings true, killing you again affords us a temporary solution. We would have to discover how it was made possible, in order to kill you in such a way that the previous method would not work.” He thinks of Amaterasu, but doesn’t want to think of Minato burning alive. Itachi needed to be careful with his eyes– a blind Hokage was not one that would last long.

“This will keep you subdued to a degree, but I need you to work with me, instead of against me.” At least, willingly. When he was aware of himself.

Now, he does sigh. Releases some of that tension, allows Minato to see just how weary this makes him feel.

A medic is going to have to look at those wounds. An ANBU one. The citizens aren’t aware of this yet, and they don’t have to be.

The urge to point out that keeping him alive is foolish is strong, yet he’s willing to bet that Itachi already knows this. Whilst it was true, he did seem to have more control over his thoughts and body than he expected, Minato is also wary of himself. 

He isn’t sure what had happened, and not knowing is more terrifying than anything that Itachi could do to him. The other man also makes a rather good point – killing him may not even work, if he’s already been brought back once. 

Gaze flickering down to Itachi’s hand where it rests against the collar, Minato manages a small nod at the least. It’s logical, he knows, keeping him subdued in some way. It doesn’t mean he enjoys it, nor will he pretend to be happy about it. 

“Where will I stay? The holding cells?” They’re the most logical. As far as he knows, the most secure in the village. Although it was rather risky, as other people would find out about him. 

“I don’t want-” Taking a deep breath, his tone is much quieter than before, “I don’t want to be forced to hurt you, Itachi.”

“And I, you.” Itachi responds in kind. This is still the man he looked up to, and sought advice from. The man who kept his dream of being Hokage alive. And look at him now. In the very position he wanted, making great strides towards peace within the village and outside of it.

“You will stay in the cells.” For now. He doesn’t intend to keep him there forever.

“I will have Interrogation come to you and perform a series of tests to ensure you’re in control of yourself. I’d like you to submit to them. We will see where to move you after that.”

This meeting was a good sign, however. The Hokage, the most important person in the village, more or less alone with a potential killer. He had ANBU stationed outside his office, of course.

goldenyondaime:

uchihasavior:

He is silent, for now. When Minato’s body gives, fitting that the body goes first, and the mind does not, Itachi comes to a kneel. It’s careful. Every action is important, because who knows at what moment the seal could weaken, and Minato could lash out.

One hand is taken in Itachi’s, wiped clean with his robes. The other follows, making sure to get inbetween the fingers, but not willing to go as personal as under the fingernails. It doesn’t get rid of the blood completely, but it is enough for now.

“Minato.” Itachi chooses to use the first name. No Lord Fourth, no Lord Hokage. It is personal this time. Like Minato always asked him to.

“I am not here to hurt you.” This trouble he was being given, this aggression, this show of strength….he doesn’t understand it. The solution is infront of him, and Minato’s even said it himself.

But what would that solve…?

“Someone brought you back. They could do it again. Are you not my ally?” A loaded question.

He doesn’t (can’t) move. Not with the seal suppressing what feels like every muscle in his body, and Kami if his sensory abilities aren’t out of control, making him want to curl up in a ball and block out everything in the world. The void of absolute nothingness of death was better than this. Preferable to this. 

Minato is expecting violence. A slashed throat, perhaps a mercy killing. He isn’t expecting for Itachi to touch him in a gentle manner, to clean his hands on no doubt expensive robes, to look at him in such a way. 

In a sense, Minato would prefer death to this – this kindness that he’s being shown. To hear his name as he’d always berated the other to do so many times – Minato had never expected to hear it in such a scenario. 

“You should be.” Voice softer than before, less aggressive now that violence hasn’t risen up, he stares back at Itachi. 

“Why would anyone bring someone like me back? It’s obvious, isn’t it? To use me against you. I was.. hoping you would dispose of me before that possibility came to fruition.” Before he was used in such a way. 

“I was – will always be – your ally. But I can’t trust myself, because I’m not sure what’s been done to me.”

That was progress. He’d take it where he could get it.

“That is true. But besides this…” And a hand is reaching up, fingering at the collar fitted on his senior’s neck, “You are in control of your mind and body.” He knew what Minato was insisting. That was some sort of sleeper agent, that something in his body or mind had been altered and it was only a matter of time before a signal was given for him to act.

“If what you say rings true, killing you again affords us a temporary solution. We would have to discover how it was made possible, in order to kill you in such a way that the previous method would not work.” He thinks of Amaterasu, but doesn’t want to think of Minato burning alive. Itachi needed to be careful with his eyes– a blind Hokage was not one that would last long.

“This will keep you subdued to a degree, but I need you to work with me, instead of against me.” At least, willingly. When he was aware of himself.

Now, he does sigh. Releases some of that tension, allows Minato to see just how weary this makes him feel.

A medic is going to have to look at those wounds. An ANBU one. The citizens aren’t aware of this yet, and they don’t have to be.

goldenyondaime:

uchihasavior:

He wants to sigh when it doesn’t work as intended. It was a risk, after all. His sealing specialists were not familiar with any technique like this, and little else would work save for techniques saved for interrogation of criminals of Class B and above.

Minato is hurting himself, and it hurts Itachi, too. This appeal to emotion, to the relationship they once had before Lord Fourth met his untimely end, it is working on some level. and Itachi is already chastising himself for it. It was this very thing that made for poor decisions, such as– well. This one counted.

Itachi never could’ve expected to know how deep Minato’s problems ran. He knew the solution. Kill him again. But was there a way to prevent him simply being brought back a second time? It is by pure luck he fell into the hands of the Leaf again. They would not be so graced if it were to happen again.

Steadying himself for an oncoming attack, Itachi decides to just be a fool and pump more chakra into the jutsu. If he can just get Minato to calm down a tad– maybe he can ask for some information on how he found himself alive again.

He doesn’t beg. Doesn’t ask for it to stop again, because it’s clear that Itachi won’t. And Minato was never one to lower himself to begging for anything, no matter what it was. He’s fairly sure that this image of himself – weak and broken down – is tainting Itachi’s view of him as it is. 

When even more chakra was forced into the seal, his body responded against his wishes. Bloodied hands fell at his sides, his breath coming out slower. Easier. And the rage he felt at being controlled in such a way was muted as well. 

Blue eyes peered up at Itachi, unshed tears threatening to escape, and yet Minato refused to let it happen. He would not be seen as weak. Wouldn’t not be seen showing any weakness in the face of his likely death – 

“Do it.” Because if he was going to die, he’d damned well look his killer in the face. “Just make it quick.” The like hood of getting out of this alive, he knew rationally, was slim to almost none. 

He is silent, for now. When Minato’s body gives, fitting that the body goes first, and the mind does not, Itachi comes to a kneel. It’s careful. Every action is important, because who knows at what moment the seal could weaken, and Minato could lash out.

One hand is taken in Itachi’s, wiped clean with his robes. The other follows, making sure to get inbetween the fingers, but not willing to go as personal as under the fingernails. It doesn’t get rid of the blood completely, but it is enough for now.

“Minato.” Itachi chooses to use the first name. No Lord Fourth, no Lord Hokage. It is personal this time. Like Minato always asked him to.

“I am not here to hurt you.” This trouble he was being given, this aggression, this show of strength….he doesn’t understand it. The solution is infront of him, and Minato’s even said it himself.

But what would that solve…?

“Someone brought you back. They could do it again. Are you not my ally?” A loaded question.

goldenyondaime:

Minato was right, in a sense. Controlling him would be difficult. Until they found a way to dispel the jutsu or seal him away, they were stuck. He keeps his expression cooled, refusing to budge at the appeal to emotion.

He says nothing. Raises a hand, and forms a seal to activate the multiple written seals imbued on the inside of the collar. Let’s see if it works.

It wasn’t a simple reanimation jutsu, or something that could be sealed away. He was made of flesh and bone, skin that bled just as easily as any others. The Yondaime was truly and wholly alive once more, against his own will. 

He should have stayed dead. Should have never taken another breath of life, because what if another village got a hold of him? What if someone else attempted to do what was thought impossible? 

He wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d been brought back for anything good, no. Minato was a weapon to whomever had control, and he refused to be that. Refused to be used against his own will, and yet – 

The seals activated within the collar, and the force of it brought the man to his knees, hands coming up to claw. Rip and tear, nails digging into flesh, drawing pinpricks of blood in his desperate attempt to remove it. 

“Stop-” He ordered (would not beg, would never beg), blue eyes glaring up through messy hair. 

He wants to sigh when it doesn’t work as intended. It was a risk, after all. His sealing specialists were not familiar with any technique like this, and little else would work save for techniques saved for interrogation of criminals of Class B and above.

Minato is hurting himself, and it hurts Itachi, too. This appeal to emotion, to the relationship they once had before Lord Fourth met his untimely end, it is working on some level. and Itachi is already chastising himself for it. It was this very thing that made for poor decisions, such as– well. This one counted.

Itachi never could’ve expected to know how deep Minato’s problems ran. He knew the solution. Kill him again. But was there a way to prevent him simply being brought back a second time? It is by pure luck he fell into the hands of the Leaf again. They would not be so graced if it were to happen again.

Steadying himself for an oncoming attack, Itachi decides to just be a fool and pump more chakra into the jutsu. If he can just get Minato to calm down a tad– maybe he can ask for some information on how he found himself alive again.

goldenyondaime:

“Every one of us has broken rank at one point or another. Compared to what I or my anbu team use to do? Your definition of ‘breaking rank’ is rather tame.” 

He’s not entirely good at this comfort thing. “You didn’t do it in front of anyone, so it is something we can put behind us.”

If…

If he’s sure. 

“Yes sir.” It’s soft, gaze dropping down. 

goldenyondaime:

“I did.” Because there should be boundaries, but he’d become far too use to taking Itachi’s advice nonetheless. 

“But we’re both aware of how – stubborn I am as well. I take your words because you’re usually.. not wrong about things.”

Minato had said to drop formalities, but Itachi still stands the required distance from the desk, with his arms at his sides, and at attention, even if he wants to look away. 

“That does not excuse my breaking rank.” 

goldenyondaime:

“Itachi? Get in here and drop the formalities when we’re alone.” Alone being a loose term, considering that anbu always rotated shifts inside of the office. They weren’t going to say anything, however, so he felt safe speaking in the open like this. 

Running a hand over his face, Minato leaned back a bit to stare at the other man. “You didn’t overstep any boundaries.”

That only made him guiltier. But it’s an order, and an order he will follow, stepping back inside, and shutting the door behind him with a soft click. 

“You told me no.” He barely bites back the ‘sir’. Which meant, once Itachi had stood his ground, and been told no a second time– he’d been out of line. 

goldenyondaime:

uchihasavior:

…Alright then. His face falls. Partly broken, partly chasting himself for doing something as stupid as standing up against Lord Hokage, who ultimately has the last call. Could be written up for treason…

He’ll see himself out of the office.

He certainly can’t let Itachi keep strong arming him into doing things. (Even if those things were for the good of the village or Minato’s own health. His health can be damned.)

…Fuck.

“-Fine.”

“Apologies for overstepping my boundaries, Sir.” The last thing he wants to do is try again. Rumours were already abound of him being favored and having entirely more sway than he should– especially due to his surname. Itachi shouldn’t feed into them. He was a shinobi of the Leaf, equal as the others, and he should act like it infront of his superiors.

…Had he grown complacent? This should be a chance for him to reflect, before he did something he truly regretted.

goldenyondaime:

Looks at him square in the eyes. Stands his ground.

“The answer is still no.” He’s running on three days of no sleep and coffee fuel. Minato just stares right back.

…Alright then. His face falls. Partly broken, partly chasting himself for doing something as stupid as standing up against Lord Hokage, who ultimately has the last call. Could be written up for treason…

He’ll see himself out of the office.