Dreamcatcher
By Airyo
This Lonely Fortress - 3
Ibiki's back radiated smugness when Itachi entered his office.
"Uchiha, I was wondering when you'd stop by." The scarred man turned in his chair, causing it to squeak ominously. Itachi eyed the mountain of files and scrolls behind him that threatened to avalanche off the desk.
"Don't worry - your pile is far larger," Ibiki informed him magnanimously. "But I don't need to pull your files for today." The man had a terrible sense of humor. Even the worst headcases of the village would not have required a third so much documentation.
Itachi said nothing. Ibiki continued without a hint of discomfort.
"So tell me, why exactly did you request an urgent meeting? Your yearly deadline isn't for another few months." Basic sanity rating were performed by medics at the hospital, but Interrogation handled ninja who knew S-class secrets. Naturally, Ibiki was one of the few that had to the clearance to evaluate Team 7.
"I require a psych evaluation. It has come to my attention that my personal circumstances may have compromised my validity as an elite soldier of Konoha." Itachi frowned at the memory of yesterday's meeting with Hinata. Words failed him. He was so far gone he'd heard Hinata say something kiss-related practically every other sentence. Then she'd skittered away from his single attempt (it was all he could muster the courage for, to his disgust) to broach the subject. "I've lost all ability for negotiation or confrontation. At times, even conversation is difficult."
"You seem to be doing fine now. As for these circumstances?" Ibiki smiled in feral way that was eerily reminiscent of Sakura's when she was on the scent of dirt. "What sort of circumstances?"
"That's classified," Itachi rebuffed, irritated by how Ibiki had zeroed in on the least important point of his report. He needed an evaluation and treatment, not a gossip session digging into every little detail of his life.
Ibiki shrugged. "I can guess. Regardless, I already know your mental health is more than sufficient for missions. Aspects of life outside your career are not technically under Interrogation's jurisdiction." He was laughing at him. Anyone else would be slapping their knee with tears rolling down his face. Ibiki merely looked like he had eaten something bad. (And if that was also the case, Itachi sincerely hoped it was poison.)
At this point, Itachi was mostly resigned to the mocking. Everyone that knew him seemed determined to paint him as a fool in love. He wasn't so arrogant to believe himself immune to the opposite sex, but their mirth was excessive.
"It is if it impinges on the most integral skills of being a shinobi. I do not avoid necessary confrontation. I do not shy away from situational analysis. And I do not succumb to ...baser impulses," he said, distaste lacing the last description. The loss of control was worrying. It was worst of many symptoms, and everyone refused to see the sum of a deeper disease because they were too busy poking fun at him.
"Uchiha, I'd put you on probation if you didn't have a human impulse every now and then," Ibiki said impatiently. Itachi stared at him, unamused by his jokes.
The interrogator covered his scarred face with a large hand, good humor dissipating like fog on a sunny day. "They do not pay me enough for this…" Itachi waited curiously as Ibiki braced himself, as if he were about to reveal a great and terrible secret.
"Would you miss her if she left?"
Itachi blinked.
"It's not that complicated, Uchiha...would you miss her if she dumped your ass? If not, move on. If yes, ask her on a date before you hurt something from overthinking. I guarantee that's why you're so distracted." Ibiki said through clenched teeth. Itachi frowned.
"You are oversimplifying, thus your proposed solutions are irrelevant. Why would her presence have any bearing on my ability to…" he trailed off mid-protest as his mind finally caught up with his heart.
Because he had somehow already integrated her existence as an essential aspect of his life. After all, just the thought of hurting her irrevocably, of sweeping away the tenuous strands of their relationship, was enough to addle his mind. It was as as destructive as the deprivation of any basic human need.
Because you do not think of air until you were asphyxiating. You do not yearn for sunlight until you were blinded.
Likewise, the effect Hinata had on him would be the most fearsome in her absence.
Oh...
Perhaps, it was that simple.
AN: I lost sleep to write this, I was so excited. The idea of Ibiki as the 'lurve-doctor' amuses me to no end.
"Uchiha, your homework is to read this Icha Icha novel and take notes. Otherwise, I will mentally torture you until you're conditioned to violently do the chicken dance every time you see your clan symbol."