⭐reviewer spotlight⭐
thank you so much theappleseed (periods between each word for proper username, but ffnet doesn't allow me to write that sksK) for your comments! you've left a lovely review on every chapter so far, both here and on ao3. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*
anon reviewer PowWow22 i want to print your review out and frame it on my wall. you made my entire day and almost had me sobbing, thank you so much for the kind words (and serotonin). i've been considering no longer posting here, but then i read your review... so this update is dedicated to you. hope you enjoy! +｡:.ﾟthankヽ(*´∀)ﾉﾟyou.:｡+ﾟ
.
.
.
a/n: lowercase intentional.
[update dedicated to PowWow22]
behold, *waves hands* crack
"✨ omake ✨ - therapy sessions + extras"
.
the uchihas attend therapy + chapter bonuses
"you're depressed, uchiha-san."
ayumi stared blankly at the potted plant in the corner of the room. it was small and green and suspicious. her eyes narrowed as its full, lush leaves lifted from an unknown breeze into a mocking wave.
logically, she can recognize this feeling: "depression." the listlessness, fear, apathy, and lack of concern for her own well-being are Bad. she's aware. (the thing is, she also really doesn't care.)
"hn."
it's standard procedure to be rehabilitated after trauma. or, at least, it is now that one of the village's best prodigies snapped and killed near their entire clan, but ayumi digresses.
they can force her to attend the sessions. they can force her to be in the presence of that curse plant. but they can't force her to respond.
the therapist's eye twitches. ayumi's lip twitches with it. she lets out another contemplative "hn" and examines her nails.
maybe wearing them down will be easier than she thought.
...
sasuke stumbles out of the grey building, pale. yumi's brows furrow minutely.
"hn?" what's wrong, she questions.
he shook his head. "hn." yamanaka's are terrifying. blonde. long hair. so much hair.
"hn." ah.
"hn." hn.
they turn and start walking to the training grounds. it's become tradition after therapy sessions.
later, if sasuke "accidentally" cuts his yamanaka classmate's long blonde hair short with a "badly-thrown," "stray" kunai, that's no one's business but his own. and yumi's when she finds out and gives him that stare. the one where it seems like she never blinks.
sasuke always feels like she's about to eat his soul when she looks at him like that.
on another note, one more yamanaka is obsessed with forcing him to talk about feelings. he's convinced they want to see him cry. yumi nods in confirmation and wow, he just.
sasuke loves that for himself.
GROUP THERAPY
with EMI
(the therapist who tries their best)
"so, how has everyone been?" the therapist sounds genuinely interested.
"hn."
"hn."
"hn."
they sweat-drop at the resounding lack of an answer. sasuke is crushed into the corner of the narrow sofa and glowering furiously at itachi who is avoiding eye contact at the other end. between them, but pressed against sasuke's side and studiously ignoring itachi next to her, ayumi clutches the large rectangular object she brought with her closer to her chest.
emi, the therapist, focuses in on it.
"what's that you have there, ayumi-san?"
for a moment, they think she won't answer and their sweat-drop intensifies, but then ayumi shifts. she turns toward emi, still willfully blind to the person on her left, and says, "portrait."
"uh... huh..." emi nods in the encouraging way the training class sensei had showed them how to when in an awkward situation. they absentmindedly tuck a strand of blonde hair behind their ear.
without any further prompting, ayumi flips the portrait to face emi. they hum to fill the dead air. depicted on canvas in charcoal dust and thin paint, uchiha shisui grins- sly and charming -at them.
they clear their throat.
"and why did you bring this... lovely portrait of your brother-" ayumi hisses and emi backtracks, fighting the urge to put their hands up. "uchiha shisui to today's session?"
ayumi tilts her head and oh, kami, she's actually thinking about it. emi wonders for the hundredth time why they got stuck with this group out of all the shinobi families in konoha. they weren't even fully certified, especially not for this level of emotional constipation. emi braces for ayumi's answer.
"family."
sasuke finally speaks up with a passionate, "hn."
emi (unable to translate uchiha) assumes it's some sort of agreement. ayumi gives sasuke a little irritated side glance. okay, maybe not agreement?
they decide to try with sasuke. "erm, sasuke-san, how is..." emi trails off. sasuke is still glaring at itachi like he wants to lift him, despite being shorter, by the throat against a wall. ayumi looks like she wouldn't stop him, would, in fact, help him. emi tries to keep the tears at bay.
"itachi-san! how are you feeling today?"
at that, ayumi turns to itachi. "hn."
it's a simple word, but she seems to drag it out to become condescending. hnnnn. itachi doesn't flinch, but emi privately thinks he kind of wants to.
itachi looks to emi with attentive eyes that are somehow even more disturbing than his usual flat gaze. they nibble on their pen and wait patiently. he tilts his head. "not... the best."
"HN." HNNNN.
emi politely ignores ayumi and sasuke's joint contribution. "why is that?"
he shrugs.
after another moment, they try again. "because it's the anniversary?" alright, it's a desperate, leading attempt, but kami, give them a break. please, they think, please just give me something to work with. anything. itachi-san, you're my last hope.
"yes."
emi looks down at their notes. it's an illegible mess of scrawled ink and giant question marks slashed over curse words. 3 minutes have passed since the session started. they stand up, smile politely at the uchihas, and leave the room. there's a muffled scream, then the sound of a door slamming.
they don't come back.
EXTRAS
+ bonus (from chapter 1: suffering is reserved for the living) +
ayumi: sipping her water and dealing with mental trauma
medic-nin: "yeah, so uchiha itachi is a missing-nin"
ayumi: spit-takes in the medic's face
medic-nin: wiping water from their face, "that's fair"
.
medic-nin: "you should be alright in 4 to 5 business days, m'kay?"
ayumi: still in shock. i understand, what can i say or do to communicate that?
ayumi: "hn"
ayumi: perfect.
.
itachi: is ayumi's favorite older cousin
also itachi: mass murder genocides the entire clan
ayumi: "but he used to braid my hair"
.
.
.
+ bonus (from chapter 2: mo[u]rning after) +
shisui: "i'll always come back."
ayumi: "she's a runner, she's a track star 👀"
shisui: shocked pikachu face
.
.
.
+ bonus (from interlude - window watching) +
shisui: "princess and prince have to match, nyaaaa"
itachi: "stop it, shisui"
shisui: "but tachi-"
.
shisui: "sasu-bou~"
sasuke: tries to kick shisui's shins, "i hate y-"
shisui: "ayu-hime~ there you are!"
sasuke: immediately ceases and desists
shisui: ﾟ°˖* 三三ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
.
shisui: "okay, you don't like sasu-bou," dodges kick, "what about... sacchan?"
sasuke: "you're not allowed to call me that, stupid shisui! only yumi can-"
ayumi: "sacchan?"
sasuke: calm, "yes?"
.
sasuke: checks bare wrist, "it's bully shisui hours"
shisui: "ayu-hime~!"
sasuke: older, more mature, experienced with shisui's ways, "i'm not falling for that again"
ayumi: "what are you doing with that kunai, sacchan?"
sasuke:
shisui: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
.
.
.
+ bonus (from chapter 4: oblivion is respite from the sun) +
shisui: "just me ayu-hime"
ayumi: rolls over, "okay"
...
ayumi: "what"
sasuke: "what"
itachi: "what"
shisui: "what?"
notes:
while editing ch 1 & 2, i realized i wouldn't enjoy writing this story if it continued as the pure angst train i had planned. so omakes will be used as comedic relief to lighten up the story.
this way i can include funny stuff that, unfortunately, wouldn't fit the tone of the regular story and you can still enjoy it. :)
.
can we get some emi appreciation in the chat? bc they deserve it. they were Not Ready for the uchiha family.
also, sasuke never looked at emi because itachi was there, but it's probably for the best with the blonde hair and all...
.
did you have a favorite bonus?