[ In a different moment, Jake might've had something to say everything that came after Itachi's name. An enthusiastic boooo, boring to the first followed up by an equally enthusiastic absolutely, yes, right now to the second. But Jake doesn't say those things. Instead, Jake is jumping to his feet, recognition sparking in his large puppy eyes. ]
You--you're the guy!
[ Sorry Itachi. A dog has now enthusiastically jumped into your lap, paws thrown up around your shoulders. Just be glad he's not licking your face. ]
I could kiss you, ya nut! [ Seriously, be really glad. ] I was wondering when you'd show your grumpy little face!
[ Touchy, that was one of the words Finn used. Prickly. Like a cactus of a person. Jake just sits up on the log, looking around with an amused look on his face. If Itachi thought he was going to be so easily dissuaded, he had another thing coming. ]
Awww, c'mon, man! [ Jake laughs, turning around on the log. ] I wasn't gonna bite ya!
[ The young man had a uniquely... absent scent, something Jake found extremely peculiar now that he bothered to notice it. Still, the dog raises his nose up anyway, hoping for an indication which way he should turn. ]
（ meanwhile he's like 300 meters away up a tree because speed feats just do be like that. he's crouched down, using balance more than chakra to root himself solidly in place as he just. observes from a distance, eyes red with the sharp catherine wheel of the sharingan, narrowed on the creature. when it speaks, a frown tugs one corner of his mouth down.
it wasn't the possibility of attack that made him retreat. hardly that — if he felt endangered he would have simply defended himself. it was more the unexpected overture of ... whatever that was.
affection. appreciation, perhaps? but why? he cannot think of anyone he knows who has expressed any camaraderie with a dog, much less one who would be anything other than tolerant to him.
finally, he opts to send a clone back, forming the seals and dividing his chakra into a second being. as whole and hale as he is — though it will dissipate if damaged. the clone makes its suspicious way towards the dog as itachi watches, his jaw set. the clone resembles itachi exactly in every way, and when it gets close to the ring of firelight it says: ）
[ Finn made no mention of powers, and even if he had there was no telling if Jake would remember the specifics. he hops down from the log, taking a more conciliatory approach towards the skittish man. Finn really wasn't kidding, was he? ]
I'm Jake. [ The dog gestures to himself with great purpose, and there's a pause to follow. The sign of recognition he's waiting for never comes. Okay, so maybe Finn never mentioned him. Disappointing, but hardly a deterrent. ] Finn's brother!
[ Wait, there were two Finns, weren't there? Time to be even more specific. ]
The Finn you nearly got yourself smoked saving, dude! That's my kid brother!
[ He holds out his arms, assuming that should make the rest fall into place quite neatly. Of course he should expect Jake be happy to see him, right? He saved his little brother's life, the kid who had been Jake's whole world for his almost his entire life. The significance should be obvious! ]
（ it's a sign of character growth, truly, that he doesn't just deny or downplay it.
but also: why are you holding your grubby little paws out he's not going to hug you. weirdo. why are you acting like this and also, sidebar: can he sink into the fucking ground.
the clone walks past jake to the fire, which has smoldered lower in his absence, and begins building it back up methodically, without another word. ）
[ Well, a hug wouldn't be outta the question, man. Dang. Jake lowers his arms until they come to rest against his hips, frowning. ]
Yeesh, Finn wasn't kidding when he said you play it lowkey. [ Well. Except for the whole turning into a log at the slightest physical contact. Not exactly chill-dude behavior. ] Listen, I'm serious, I've pulled that kid outta the jaws of death more times than I can count. It means a lot that I had someone filling in for me while I was outta town.
Your gratitude is unnecessary. I would have done the same for any member of the crew who was not adequately prepared to defend themselves.
（ s t o p. the clone reclaims itachi's seat at the fire, and retrieves the plate where his abrupt departure had tipped it out onto the grass, scattering rice and bits of fish. the waste annoys him, though the only indication is a faint frown, but after a moment's hesitation he proceeds to scoop fresh rice and a cut of the fish back onto his plate. ）
[ Jake may have felt indebted to the guy, but that doesn't mean he's not going to roll his eyes at a twenty year old being so very twenty years old in his presence. ]
Yeah, yeah, I know the drill with your type. [ Jake waves his hand in Itachi's general direction, dismissive and fond all at once, before plopping down in front of the fire. ] But y'know, it's not gonna tarnish your hero cred to take a little credit now and then.
[ As for the rice scattered around Itachi's feet, Jake gives the young man his moment to reclaim it. Upon seeing it passed over, Jake stretches an elastic arm towards a few errant chunks of fish. Waste bothered him, too, and he'd eaten off far worse ground than this. ]
( there is no flinch to speak of, but his tone carries an element of annoyance when he replies — )
You should take care not to call it heroism.
( the word is anathema to him. )
Finn clearly mentioned what happened with Jun — but you would not be speaking so to me now if he had mentioned what I did to him scant days preceding that event.
[ Oop. That's not a word this guy liked, huh? Jake holds up his paws defensively in silent apology, ready to skip the conversation to another ripple in the pond that was the young man's calm. Only, Itachi gets there first. ]
Who the heck is Jun? [ Jake asks, honestly. He couldn't remember Finn mentioning a Jun, though that didn't necessarily mean anything. Finn mentioned a lot of names that first night. A few bled into each other. Still, if it was someone of significance, Jake's surprised how totally it escapes him.
Then again, according to this kid, that wasn't the only thing Finn edited out. Jake cants his head to the side, an anticipatory expression on his face. ]
（ like, he's an asshole, but also: that particular story isn't his to tell. betrayal by those you trust is never easily weathered, after all, and for those brief few weeks finn had thought the man hung the very moon. ）
As to what I did, I tortured him psychologically with the use of illusions.
（ wow. well. not one to sugarcoat things, is he? ）
[ Ominous, but alright. This mission was dark enough that Jake wasn't looking to introduce any more darkness into Finn's life, especially not so close to his birthday. Whatever this was, it clearly happened before he'd arrived. It would keep a few more days, or weeks, or whenever the time felt right to poke that bear.
Assuming he can even remember who the heck 'Jun' is after Itachi follows it up with that. ]
Wait--wait, hold on... [ Jake squints, half laughing, as if trying to decide if the kid was joking or not. Could Itachi tell a joke? Was there room for a sense of humor alongside all that self-seriousness and black nail polish? ] What kind of illusions are you talkin' about here? Rabbit outta your bandana, one of those big colorful handkerchiefs? Your little log trick?
[ There's an edge to his voice. A sort of insistent 'that is what you mean, right?' ]
[ Jake's eyelid twitches. Something didn't add up here. Sure, Finn said it was complicated, but complicated didn't mean torture.
... Then again, Marceline had done the same thing more than once, back when they were first getting to know her. This guy kinda had a Marcy-esque vibe to him. Maybe he was immortal, too. Moral codes got wonky after the first thousand years. For the first time, a pass of fear passes over Jake's face, glancing up towards the dark sky, then back at Itachi's pale face. Could he be...?
No, Jake decides with a full body shake, made that mistake once already. He's not a vampire, he's just edgy. ]
[ From Itachi's perspective, Jake has been silent for quite a long moment after that. It's only once the dog stands to his hindlegs for the first time since their encounter began, rolling up his... sleeves? At a glance that's what it looks like, but closer inspection will reveal the bunching at his shoulders is just more flesh. ]
Okay, so. [ He starts to limber up a little, though his stretches go a little further than should be physically possible. ] You're obviously pickin' a fight with me, which normally I wouldn't wanna entertain, but. Since you did feed me, I guess I'll oblige.
[ With one final step back, Jake suddenly grows to around the same size as Itachi. He's affecting an excessive casualness through all this, but there's some genuine tension in his gesture, inviting Itachi to stand with a quick thump to his own chest. ]
（ says the clone, who doesn't especially care in one respect or another anyway. all he does is arch an eyebrow at the spectacle, and refuse to budge from where he is sitting. ）
[ Jake lowers his arm with a heaving sigh and truly impressive eyeroll (for a dog, anyway). ]
So lemme get this straight, you're telling me that you literally ran away from me saying thank you and then rushed back to tell me all the messed up stuff you've done, for what? What's the goal, homie? 'Cuz f you aren't looking to get cracked over my knee, I'm not sure I follow your logic.
itachi just gives jake a long, arch look. one eyebrow is faintly raised. the clone's exasperation is so poignant itachi can almost feel it blistering along his own tenketsu. ）
My goal was to demonstrate how little you knew of the situation to think gratitude appropriate. What you do with that information is your business.
[ It's now that Jake finally shrinks back to his normal size. This wasn't a trick; the guy (kid? human ages are tough) really wasn't going to fight him. He stays upright, hands at his hips as he stares for a long, hard moment. ]
Did you or did you not save Finn's life? Just, yes or no question.
[ A CONTRARY SHIT, INDEED. Jake's growling hrmmm in response reflects the twin wolves in his head; one extremely annoyed and one begrudgingly admitting that was actually pretty funny. ]
And has Finn forgiven you for whatever you did before? Same format.
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You--you're the guy!
[ Sorry Itachi. A dog has now enthusiastically jumped into your lap, paws thrown up around your shoulders. Just be glad he's not licking your face. ]
I could kiss you, ya nut! [ Seriously, be really glad. ] I was wondering when you'd show your grumpy little face!
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itachi, for his part? he is fucking gone.
never was there a faster retreat than this. ）
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Awww, c'mon, man! [ Jake laughs, turning around on the log. ] I wasn't gonna bite ya!
[ The young man had a uniquely... absent scent, something Jake found extremely peculiar now that he bothered to notice it. Still, the dog raises his nose up anyway, hoping for an indication which way he should turn. ]
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it wasn't the possibility of attack that made him retreat. hardly that — if he felt endangered he would have simply defended himself. it was more the unexpected overture of ... whatever that was.
affection. appreciation, perhaps? but why? he cannot think of anyone he knows who has expressed any camaraderie with a dog, much less one who would be anything other than tolerant to him.
finally, he opts to send a clone back, forming the seals and dividing his chakra into a second being. as whole and hale as he is — though it will dissipate if damaged. the clone makes its suspicious way towards the dog as itachi watches, his jaw set. the clone resembles itachi exactly in every way, and when it gets close to the ring of firelight it says: ）
I'm not concerned with being bitten. Who are you?
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I'm Jake. [ The dog gestures to himself with great purpose, and there's a pause to follow. The sign of recognition he's waiting for never comes. Okay, so maybe Finn never mentioned him. Disappointing, but hardly a deterrent. ] Finn's brother!
[ Wait, there were two Finns, weren't there? Time to be even more specific. ]
The Finn you nearly got yourself smoked saving, dude! That's my kid brother!
[ He holds out his arms, assuming that should make the rest fall into place quite neatly. Of course he should expect Jake be happy to see him, right? He saved his little brother's life, the kid who had been Jake's whole world for his almost his entire life. The significance should be obvious! ]
1/3??
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（ it's a sign of character growth, truly, that he doesn't just deny or downplay it.
but also: why are you holding your grubby little paws out he's not going to hug you. weirdo. why are you acting like this and also, sidebar: can he sink into the fucking ground.
the clone walks past jake to the fire, which has smoldered lower in his absence, and begins building it back up methodically, without another word. ）
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Yeesh, Finn wasn't kidding when he said you play it lowkey. [ Well. Except for the whole turning into a log at the slightest physical contact. Not exactly chill-dude behavior. ] Listen, I'm serious, I've pulled that kid outta the jaws of death more times than I can count. It means a lot that I had someone filling in for me while I was outta town.
[ That's one way to phrase it, anyway. ]
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（ s t o p. the clone reclaims itachi's seat at the fire, and retrieves the plate where his abrupt departure had tipped it out onto the grass, scattering rice and bits of fish. the waste annoys him, though the only indication is a faint frown, but after a moment's hesitation he proceeds to scoop fresh rice and a cut of the fish back onto his plate. ）
Sit.
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Yeah, yeah, I know the drill with your type. [ Jake waves his hand in Itachi's general direction, dismissive and fond all at once, before plopping down in front of the fire. ] But y'know, it's not gonna tarnish your hero cred to take a little credit now and then.
[ As for the rice scattered around Itachi's feet, Jake gives the young man his moment to reclaim it. Upon seeing it passed over, Jake stretches an elastic arm towards a few errant chunks of fish. Waste bothered him, too, and he'd eaten off far worse ground than this. ]
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You should take care not to call it heroism.
( the word is anathema to him. )
Finn clearly mentioned what happened with Jun — but you would not be speaking so to me now if he had mentioned what I did to him scant days preceding that event.
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Who the heck is Jun? [ Jake asks, honestly. He couldn't remember Finn mentioning a Jun, though that didn't necessarily mean anything. Finn mentioned a lot of names that first night. A few bled into each other. Still, if it was someone of significance, Jake's surprised how totally it escapes him.
Then again, according to this kid, that wasn't the only thing Finn edited out. Jake cants his head to the side, an anticipatory expression on his face. ]
And what the heck'd you do?
[ Give him a noogie or something? ]
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（ like, he's an asshole, but also: that particular story isn't his to tell. betrayal by those you trust is never easily weathered, after all, and for those brief few weeks finn had thought the man hung the very moon. ）
As to what I did, I tortured him psychologically with the use of illusions.
（ wow. well. not one to sugarcoat things, is he? ）
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Assuming he can even remember who the heck 'Jun' is after Itachi follows it up with that. ]
Wait--wait, hold on... [ Jake squints, half laughing, as if trying to decide if the kid was joking or not. Could Itachi tell a joke? Was there room for a sense of humor alongside all that self-seriousness and black nail polish? ] What kind of illusions are you talkin' about here? Rabbit outta your bandana, one of those big colorful handkerchiefs? Your little log trick?
[ There's an edge to his voice. A sort of insistent 'that is what you mean, right?' ]
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（ tortured, jake. he means tortured. ）
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... Then again, Marceline had done the same thing more than once, back when they were first getting to know her. This guy kinda had a Marcy-esque vibe to him. Maybe he was immortal, too. Moral codes got wonky after the first thousand years. For the first time, a pass of fear passes over Jake's face, glancing up towards the dark sky, then back at Itachi's pale face. Could he be...?
No, Jake decides with a full body shake, made that mistake once already. He's not a vampire, he's just edgy. ]
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Okay, so. [ He starts to limber up a little, though his stretches go a little further than should be physically possible. ] You're obviously pickin' a fight with me, which normally I wouldn't wanna entertain, but. Since you did feed me, I guess I'll oblige.
[ With one final step back, Jake suddenly grows to around the same size as Itachi. He's affecting an excessive casualness through all this, but there's some genuine tension in his gesture, inviting Itachi to stand with a quick thump to his own chest. ]
Come at me, bro!
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（ says the clone, who doesn't especially care in one respect or another anyway. all he does is arch an eyebrow at the spectacle, and refuse to budge from where he is sitting. ）
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So lemme get this straight, you're telling me that you literally ran away from me saying thank you and then rushed back to tell me all the messed up stuff you've done, for what? What's the goal, homie? 'Cuz f you aren't looking to get cracked over my knee, I'm not sure I follow your logic.
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itachi just gives jake a long, arch look. one eyebrow is faintly raised. the clone's exasperation is so poignant itachi can almost feel it blistering along his own tenketsu. ）
My goal was to demonstrate how little you knew of the situation to think gratitude appropriate. What you do with that information is your business.
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Did you or did you not save Finn's life? Just, yes or no question.
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（ two words. just to be a contrary shit. ）
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And has Finn forgiven you for whatever you did before? Same format.
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（ lmao, forgiveness. he's allergic to the concept thank u very much. ）
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