Itachi sighed and set his controller on the desk so he could bring his hands up to rub at his face.
The team agreed to a scrim invite with Clan Nara, a team that is normally below their skill level, but Baru didn't take long to lose his cool and began trash-talking his teammates – because it was somehow their fault that he let himself get so flustered that his reaction times dropped.
"Baru, shut up," Shisui grumbled, "You're sitting out for the rest of the night. Inabi, we're gonna take a ten minute break and it'll be your time to shine."
Sasuke gave a victory laugh that made Itachi's skin crawl. No, Sasuke, it's not funny when your teammate become so infuriated that he has to miss out on valuable practice time.
He was thankful for the short break, though, and he had his headset off and his butt out of his chair within seconds, stretching muscles that hadn't moved in nearly two hours.
Baru stomped off, grumbling under his breath, and Sasuke, who suddenly looked bored, muttered about being in desperate need of "A piss or I'll fucking die in my chair," and walked out.
Eloquent.
In true millennial-child fashion, once Itachi was finished touching the floor with flattened hands to stretch his legs, he was already dropping back into the computer chair that creaked in protest and grabbing his cell from the desk.
"I'm so ready to get outta here," Shisui groaned, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk.
Itachi gave a lukewarm chuckle that was more of a puff of air than it was a laugh, "No kidding. Have you let management know, yet?" He opened up Reddit is Fun.
"Hell yeah I did!"
It was difficult to share Shisui's enthusiasm when you still weren't sure what your own future held.
"They're gonna charge one hell of a transfer fee, but apparently Hidden Mist couldn't care less," he was practically beaming at the ceiling, "I'm so excited, man. They're already setting me up with a spot in the team house, and everything."
Itachi hummed while scrolling past the threads he had already read, which were mostly about how Will of Fire dominated their most recent tournament, and fans were trying to theorize what other teams could do to knock them down a pedestal. "I was unaware that those who played fighting games shared a team house," he responded mildly.
He could hear Shisui's shoulders shrug against the cheap leather of his chair, "Eh, not usually, but Hidden Mist's apparently big on keeping the fam' all together. Sorta like how Leaf eSport's got, like, four houses all on the same street, or something."
SnakeEyes to Form New Team
A surprised little sound made itself heard from the back of Itachi's throat, "Did you know that Orochimaru is leaving Akatsuki eSports?"
Shisui hummed, "That so? He's been with them for a while, hasn't he? Like… Two years? Three?"
Itachi nodded wordlessly, more interested in reading the ESPN report than putting any effort into verbalizing his response.
Orochimaru, AKA "SnakeEyes", has made the decision to part ways with Akatsuki eSports, according to a Tweet made by team coach Nagato, AKA "Six".
The decision follows the team's failure to qualify for the New York Major, which is slated for next month, due to a bitter defeat against Will of Fire. SnakeEyes confirmed his departure in a TwitLonger post where also announced that he will be forming his own Shippuden team, and will reveal the roster after hosting tryouts.
"It seems he felt the Akatsuki was a poor fit," Itachi hummed, eyes skimming past the details of Orochimaru's history and the new team, "He's forming his own team called Hidden Sound."
Rolling his head back to peer at his best friend, Shisui raised a curious eyebrow, "Yeah? You thinking of trying out, or does he already have a roster?"
He scrunched his nose in disgust, "Neither," he answered flatly. Orochimaru was a creep that he wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, something Itachi learned at a PAX party when he couldn't get near the man without feeling a long-fingered hand trying to grab at his rear.
Already pale skin balked at the reminder.
In a press release posted to their official website, Akatsuki eSports informed the community that they are going to be looking for a player to fill the now-empty support role. They encourage applications that meet their posted criteria, and will be reaching out to available players. Until then, Kyusuke "Swift Foot" Yoton will be substituted into the starting lineup.
Itachi's heart skipped a beat, stopped, then kicked into overdrive while clicking on the embedded source link to take him to the organization's press release. Quickly skipping the details of Orochimaru's contract coming to an end, his eyes searched for the list of prerequisites for applicants.
As we are in the process of restructuring the team, we would like to explore more talent, new or old, in hopes of finding the best roster possible. Our current team captain, Kisame "Samehada" Hoshigaki, will be participating in these tryouts and team coach Nagato "Six" Uzumaki will be personally involved in the selection proves. The position will go to whomever we feel to be the best suited for it. Like any other tryout, every applicant must have the following requirements:
•Fluency in English
•Minimum of Diamond 5 ranking on the NA, EU, Asian or Oceanic servers for the current season
•Willing to relocate to the Akatsuki eSports gaming house in California, USA
•A positive mind set, which includes but is not limited to the following:
○ Willingness to learn from others
○ Competitive spirit
○ The ability to accept criticism and be self-critical
○ The ability to play on a professional level without need for constant direction
"They're holding tryouts," he nearly whispered.
Shisui narrowed his eyes, "Didn't you just say -?"
"Akatsuki. Akatsuki is holding tryouts."
There was a beat where he didn't seem to understand what Itachi was saying but, then, the eyes he just narrowed widened to the size of saucers. Very, very excited saucers. "Dude! Yes! Do it! Right now!"
With top-tier players in Shippuden, Gears of War, Smash, Street Fighter and CS:GO, Akatsuki eSports was one of the biggest eSports brands in the business. Past teams Itachi had worked with were definitely close to being world-class, especially Team Anbu and Mangekyo eSports, but this was the type of team that many players could only dream of signing to.
Itachi hid his own excitement and locked his phone before setting it back on the desk, "Another time," he said casually, rubbing at a familiar ache in his back, "Unlike you, I would much rather keep Madara in the loop before anything is set in stone."
He pouted at the subtle jab but offered a resigned shrug as Sasuke sauntered back in with their sub in tow. How the hell they walked off in separate directions, but came back together, was beyond Itachi, given the layout of the house, though he didn't bother with asking questions.
"Alright, let's move over to capture the flag for a bit before running more scrims."
"Good evening, Susanoo. Are you in need of something?"
Lingering in the doorway of his manager's office, the man fought the urge to rub at the ache in his back "Are you busy?"
Madara blinked slowly, his face as unreadable as ever, "I am always busy. Again, I ask, are you in need of something from me?"
If he wasn't already aware of the organization's grim future, Itachi would hold his cold tone against him. Instead, he stepped into the office and closed the door behind him to make it clear that he was about to bring up something that demanded all of his attention.
Just as he sat down, however, Madara sighed and looked back at his computer to read whatever held his interest before Itachi approached him.
"I assume Flicker filled you in on our more recent bout of misfortune," he hummed, "I suppose I can't be too surprised, given your close friendship."
Itachi found himself feeling bad for the manager of Team Uchiha, who looked more exhausted than anything else, "That's right."
"And, given the recent news about SnakeEyes, it's safe to say that you're interested in applying for Akatsuki's support role."
Madara had a habit of referring to players only by their pro names, no matter how long you knew each other. Given how quickly many teams rotated through players, Itachi figured it was to prevent any sort of unnecessary attachments with players that could just leave in a couple of months; it must be easier to just view them as subordinates.
Nodding, he gave into the urge and made a futile attempt at rubbing out the perpetual knot that rest just beneath his right shoulder blade.
"I have to admit that I'm disappointed, but I have no wish to keep a player that wants to take their skills elsewhere," Madara clicked around on his computer without meeting the gaze of the man standing on the other side of his desk, "And your contract, like the others', expires at the end of the month before the lock-ins for the next major. I'll contact Akatsuki on your behalf in the morning."
Itachi blinked for several moments. The previous teams he played for insisted that he fill out a number of forms, including a survey that was to be submitted to the team psychologist (Which Team Uchiha admittedly didn't have) and a confirmation that he had no intention of renewing his contract. Was this all that was required of him?
When he didn't immediately leave the room, Madara finally looked away from his monitor and blinked at Itachi slowly, "Is there something else you require?"
Unable to tell if he was tired, or so pissed that he had transcended into a state of numbness, Itachi shook his head and backed towards the door, "That was everything," he said in a low voice, "Thank you. I appreciate your understanding."
Madara merely hummed and turned back to his monitor. How he ever found someone that would wear a wedding band with him was simply beyond Itachi, but he didn't bother himself with fretting over the mood of their half-baked discussion. What mattered was that his manager was going to contact one of the greatest professional gaming organizations in the world so he could have a chance at joining their Shippuden roster.
Butterflies fluttered around in his belly as he padded through the hall towards the kitchen. Itachi was in desperate need for something sweet, but wasn't about to start digging into his Little Debbie stash at ten o'clock at night, so he made his way over to his special cabinet for the next best thing: his Teavana stash.
Thankfully no one else in the house was an avid tea drinker – though Itachi did notice Sasuke slinking back to his room with a mug of green tea one time – so the cabinet was as colorful and carefully organized as he left it. Grabbing the kettle with one hand and the tin can marked 'White – Orange Peach' with the other, he hummed a tune to himself while preparing his beverage.
"No Fancy Cakes?" a familiar voice asked.
Itachi nearly burned himself on the stove when he flinched. Shisui had a pretty annoying habit of never making any noise, ever.
Making a face at the way his friend started laughing quietly, he looked back to the kettle to watch the steam that was puffing out of the spout. After years of making tea for himself Itachi could tell when the kettle was about to whistle, so he made sure to keep an eye on it so he didn't have to deal with Baru coming out of his room to complain about his sleep being interrupted; everyone knew it wasn't his sleep that they were ruining.
"Madara is going to email them for me tomorrow," he said quietly.
Shisui reached into the cabinet for the already opened box of Swiss Rolls, "Yeah? That must've been a pleasant chat," he pulled a packet out and ignored the look Itachi gave him when he haphazardly flung the box back with the rest of the stash, "I've had prostate exams that were more comfortable than the talk I had with him."
Itachi rolled his eyes at the comparison, "It was like a dream."
With a grin, he tore open the package and crammed the sweet into his mouth, "Fer reel tho. Mm shor it'll wurrk ot in da end – yer a reel gud p -!"
"Good lord, one would think you were raised by chimpanzees," Itachi muttered, scrunching his nose and taking the kettle off of the burner, "Are you trying to choke to death, or just make an ass out of yourself?"
That was when Shisui's throat decided to reject the processed crap that wanted to lodge itself in his throat, and he keeled over the sink while thumping his fist against his chest. After a couple of seconds where Itachi was beginning to genuinely worry for the other man's well being, he gave him one good whack on the back that seemed to save him from certain death.
And, like a moron, he just kept chewing instead of spitting the food out before it had a chance to attempt murder again.
Shisui was going to be the death of himself.
After scooping a generous amount of tea leaves into the tea infuser, Itachi snatched a mug off of the rack and began to count the time, "If you're done making a spectacle of yourself, do you still have that pain medication from the car accident in Pittsburgh?"
The older man frowned, wiping his cheeks of tears and cake residue, "Your shoulder still bothering you?"
It wasn't so much his shoulder as it was the chunk of muscle between his spine and his right shoulder, but Itachi hummed and nodded. Normally it was more of an annoyance than anything else, there were just a few times where the incessant pinching sensation grew almost unbearable and he had to mooch off of Shisui's leftover pills to get through it.
Instead of trotting off to fetch half of a tablet, Shisui's frown deepened, "You really should get that checked out…"
"It's just a muscle knot," Itachi murmured, "It's common for those with desk jobs to experience tension in the neck and shoulders, especially when they aren't using proper chairs."
"Yeah but you know what isn't common? Needing prescription-strength painkillers for a 'Muscle knot,'" Shisui used air quotes for that last bit. Realizing how sharp his tone was, his face softened and he took a bite of the second cake roll, "Look, I'll get you another half 'cuz I don't wanna see my friend look like a miserable bag of fuck. But you need to stop pretending like this is okay – pain isn't okay."
Itachi avoided his gaze by pouring his tea, "'Kay, mom."
His lips quirked upwards when Shisui chuckled and punched him on the shoulder.
"So what're you doing drinking this at night?" he asked after a few quiet minutes passed and he had returned from his bedroom, "Doesn't have tea have caffeine in it?"
Itachi thanked him for the pill that was offered, tossing his head back with a mouthful of his drink to wash it down. "White tea has little to no caffeine," he said with a yawn, "I just wanted something sweet before heading to bed."
As someone who didn't appreciate the subtle fruity flavors of what he called "Petal extract," Shisui made a face and finished off his Swiss Roll, "That's what you consider sweet? You didn't even put any sugar in it."
"If I put sugar in it, I won't be able to sleep," he defended, "And I have yet to ruin my taste buds with spicy foods, so I can still enjoy the subtle sweetness of tea. Now, stop making that face unless you want to look like an old man by age thirty."
Shisui's grimace shifted into his usual lazy grin, "I haven't ruined my taste buds, Itachi, I'm just not a delicate little flower like you are."
Itachi rolled his eyes, but smiled into his mug as he took another sip. They stood across from one other, leaning against the counter, in a comfortable silence for a few long minutes; the only sounds were made by their gentle breathing and the soft slurping noises that came from Itachi drinking his warm beverage. He usually enjoyed fruity teas like this cold, but there was something soothing about drinking warm things that he most definitely needed.
His eyes scanned the small kitchen they stood in. Even for being a rather low-ranking organization, Itachi found himself pretty comfortable in the team house that they all lived in. He wouldn't miss Sasuke and Baru's poor attitudes, but he would really miss this house after living in it for five months – yes, that included the oven with the broken thermometer that always burned anything it touched.
"I'm gonna miss this," Shisui suddenly said. His voice was only barely louder than a whisper, and his smirk had softened into a sad smile, "Just being able to hang out with you like this, knowing you're just down the hall… Ya know?"
Itachi nodded and emptied his mug. Their time spent together wasn't always the smoothest, but they became fast, best friends.
This was the worst part about competitive gaming: Having to always say goodbye to people as soon as you become close.
"You better Skype me, like, all the fuckin' time, Itachi," he said, voice picking up some of its lost enthusiasm.
"You're doing a very good job at making us sound like we're a pair of long-distance lovers," Itachi laughed, turning towards the sink to wash out the tea residue that clung to his cup.
"Hey, if that's what it'll take to get you to remember to text me every now and then."
He tried to pointedly ignore Shisui's joke, but another laugh bubbled up and he shook his head with smiling lips bit between his teeth. 'You moron…'
Stepping over to Itachi's side, Shisui ran a hand through his mess of curls, "Speaking of which… If Akatsuki gives you shit over that, I wanna know. Alright?"
"I don't plan on making a spectacle of myself, Shisui."
Even if millennials were known for being significantly more accepting than their previous generation, Itachi wasn't the type of person that would practically introduce himself as someone who jumped into bed with their own gender. That was a good way to get ostracized, or killed – though he mostly just had to deal with Baru calling him a faggot when he was particularly riled up.
Still, Itachi would rather keep that under wraps for as long as possible. The public didn't need to know any more about him than what they already know and he would like for things to stay that way. It wasn't any of their business.
Shisui made a face, "Seriously. Haku went through a lot of crap with Seven Swords after someone posted a picture of him and Zabuza."
Yeah. He remembered.
Zabuza's massive, both in height and in muscle mass, so no one was going to start making fun of him, but his boyfriend wasn't granted the same privilege and it wasn't long before Jinpachi was arrested for aggravated battery. Calling it a hate crime would be an understatement. It was why they both ended up leaving the organization for Hidden Mist – because the gaming community couldn't handle a chaste kiss over a fucking candlelit dinner.
"If something happens, you'll be the first one I call," Itachi assured him, setting the mug on the drying rack with a small smile, "But I really don't think there's anything for you to be worried about. Obito hasn't even emailed them yet so let's not jump the gun."
Shisui's expression curled inward and he shrugged, "Just wanna make sure you're taken care of, man."
They weren't a part of the Korean gaming scene, which was like a cold dungeon of nonstop training, but competitive gaming could be an incredibly unhealthy work environment. You didn't have to be beat to hell by another teammate for it to be considered bad, either. Sleazy CEOs would trap their players in slave contracts that would have them working well beyond full-time hours, without consistent pay, or very little pay. If you tried to leave, you were sued. If you didn't fulfill your contract to the T, you were sued. And, sometimes, it was more dangerous to get into a new contract than it was to stay with a corrupt organization.
Things were getting better, but it was still very much an unregulated industry. It was up to the players to look out for each other, most of the time.
After a quick step to the side, Itachi reached out and pulled his friend into a quick hug, "Thank you."
"Don't even mention it."
Kisame groaned the second his email opened up on his laptop.
"It's been two goddamn days, and I don't even think I've started making a dent in these applications," he grumbled, nearly slamming his computer shut and pushing it off to the side.
Next to him, Sasori glanced over in his direction with a raised eyebrow, "Pretty sure that's mostly because every time you start looking at them, you start complaining and put it off."
Kisame slumped down into the cushions, stuffing his hands into the open pocket of his hoodie, and grunted. "Fucker. I don't see you helping."
Sasori chuckled and turned back to whatever weird documentary on ball-jointed dolls he was watching, "As much as I know of the game, I'd probably pick a Call of Duty player by accident."
Well... Yeah, he wasn't wrong. The redhead was one of the few people in the industry that was only a part of an organization because it was just a well paying job - while others would damn him for tainting the precious gaming world, Kisame actually found their community manager's ignorance refreshing.
"Why don't you just ask Konan for help? She is the coach, after all," Sasori added between mouthfuls of popcorn.
Kisame sighed, "That poor woman needs a vacation, not more work."
Honestly, the only reason he showed an invested interest in managing the applications process was because their coach and manager both looked like they were going to drop dead of exhaustion at any given moment. As much as Kisame wanted to make sure that the team gets a compatible member added to their roster, he wasn't so emotionally attached to the idea that he looked forward to tackling the remaining two hundred applications that needed to be sorted through.
Thankfully Kisame learned how to streamline the process - he automatically rejected everything that was filled out improperly, or had typos. If you didn't care enough to proofread your shit, you didn't care enough about the gig. It was probably harsh, and Konan would probably get on his ass about it if she knew, but it made his life a hell of a lot easier.
His eyes drifted down to where Deidara was half-sprawled across the sofa and Sasori's lap, bundled up in the blanket they kept on the back of the couch, "I think I'm gonna follow his example," he yawned, pushing himself up off of the furniture, "Night, man."
Kisame was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
