"Do you think so?"
Luna said, her expression remained same as before.Itachi's gaze didn't waver, his eyes still piercing through Luna.
"I dont think so, i know so"
His voice was flat and unyielding. Luna's expression seemed to be met with itachi's unreadable mask, the two locked in a silent stand off. Luna sighed,
"I know about your past itachi, the weight of your burdens and the guilt of your choices, but covered in the darkness of responsibility"
Itachi's mask seems to slip for a moment. A flicker of surprise crossing his face before he regained his composure. His eyes narrowed, studying luna with renewed interest.
"You know nothing"
He repeated. His voice lacking conviction, as he was trying to convince himself more than Luna.his gaze, however, seemed to bore deeper, as if searching for the truth behind her words. Luna stood calm, tilting her head and asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Do I know nothing, or are you composing yourself to be bold and protected in front of me Itachi?"
Itachi's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, his look intensified as if luna had stuck a chord. For a moment, his mask seemed to slip, revealing a glimmer of turmoil beneath. Then, his expression smoothed out, and he looked away, the movement almost imperceptible.
"Perhaps,"
he said, his voice low and detached,
"it's a little bit of both.But why do you care? Im no one for you..."
Luna smiles and looks at calmly, her face and the crystal cresent bathed in moonlight as she looks at him with her eyes fixed on his.the moon shined like diamond above them, As if it is witnessing the scene.the gentle breeze ruffled their hair as they both stood in the music of silence.
"Its ok to take ur time to find out whether your still doubting yourselves."
The tension between them seemed to dissipate slightly, replaced by an unsettling sense of understanding. Itachi's gaze drifted back to Luna, his eyes searching for something, perhaps a glimmer of deceit or a hint of true intentions. For a moment, they just looked at each other, two individuals wrapped in their own complexities, connected by a thread of unspoken understanding.
"You're...different,"
Itachi said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.Luna tilts her head and smirks,closing her eyes calmly.
"People who knows the pain of backstabbing won't inflict it on others."
Itachi's expression softened ever so slightly, for a moment, he seemed to study her, weighting her words. Luna's words struck a chord deep within him.
"Trust..."
And for a fleeting moment,his guard seemed to drop. Luna looked at him, her eyes dripping nothing but empathy to him as she stepped closer.
"Still regretting your past and guilt of your choices, aren't you itachi?"
Itachi's eyes widened slightly, his gaze locked on luna's as she drew closer.
"Everyday"
The words hang in the air, heavy with a weight of his regret, and luna's eyes seemed to bore into his very soul. With a calm voice she continued,
"I understand Itachi.it might be hard for you to sacrifice ur clan in the hands of death itself for your village. I know it wasn't you, its was the times that forced you to do it."
Itachi's gaze held luna's, his eyes searching for the truth behind her words. For a moment the weight of his past seemed bear down on him. His mask slipped, revealing a glint of the pain he'd endured. He looked away, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You understand...more than i expected."
The words hung in the air, laced with surprise and vulnerablility. As luna stepped closer, she looked him on his eyes. Luna could notice a glint of vulnerablility in his tone. She shook her head and replied him.
"Don't be so low on yourself Itachi...
People may think you're just a traitor who devoured his own clan. But i know what's the story behind it. You sacrificed your parents and lover for peace. You forced yourself mentally and until now you're hurting urself due to guilt, just for peace, And here are now still being fiercely loyal to your village by protecting it from outside. After all this how can i see you as a villain after all?"
Itachi's eyes widened, for a moment, he seemed frozen in time. The words struck him like a tidal wave, washing away hus defenses. Tears welled in his eyes and his voice cracked as he wispered.
"How... Did you know?"
The vulnerability he'd kept hidden for so long seemed to surface, and for the first time he felt truly seen. Luna's words pierced his armor, touching the depths of his soul. He looked at her, his gaze filled with a mix of surprise, gratitude and longing. Luna gave him a comfortable smile, bridging him to peace.
"Sometimes people we meet at fate make us think they are fate itself..."
Itachi's gaze held Luna's, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. The comforting smile she offered him seemed to thaw the frozen emotions within. He felt a sense of peace wash over him,as if Luna's words and presence had somehow validated his actions. For a moment, the weight of his guilt and pain seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of understand and acceptance. He took a deep breath,, and his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly ever so slightly, as if he'd finally found a refuge from the storm that had haunted him for so long. Luna looked at Itachi. She could saw the real him whom was hidden in his stoic armor. The real him who rarely shows.
"I understand how you have felt at that time and how are u painfully suffering the storm inside you. I know i wasn't there to witness it. But through you i see it now."
Itachi's eyes seemed to glaze over, as if luna's words have unlocked a door to his past. He felt a sense of being understood, of being seen, that he'd never experienced before. The divinity in luna's presence seemed to envelope him, offering a sense of solance and redemption. He felt a lump in his throat
"You... See me."
The words hung in the air, a mixture of wonder and gratitude. For the first time in his life, Itachi felt like he found someone who truly understood him, someone who saw beyond the mask of the villain. Luna came closer and tapped his shoulders, who is still wondering if its a dream or not. Itachi's eyes locked on onto luna's, his gaze searching for any sigh of insincerity, but all he saw was genuine compassion and empathy for him.
"Im glad i have met you Itachi. After hearing your past it wounded me. If i didn't, i whould have never seen the real you..."
She still didn't broke her eyes from his. She continued to tap his shoulders.
"I understood what made you to do it itachi..."
Itachi's gaze was still searching for any sign of dishonest and change, but all he chould helplessly see was pure compassion, with her heart opened wide, like it was just for him. The tapping on his shoulders was like a gentle breeze, soothing his farzzled nerves. He felt a sense of wonder, mixed with gratitude, as he processes Luna's words. No one ever reacted to his story like this before, in his experiences. No one has ever shown such kindness and understanding. He felt a lump on form in his throat as he whispered.
"Luna..."
His voice faded off, unable to find the right words to express his emotions swirling inside him. Luna suddenly got surprised and confused. Because, she had never introduced herself to him, in her memory, but still he found his name?
She quickly tuned back to her composure. Back to normal, not going to to express her reaction for it.
"Yes itachi?"
But, Itachi, the genius he is, noticed luna's sudden flicker of change. His eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of curiosity sparking within him. He seemed to sense the sudden change in luna's demeanor, but her calm and soothing voice masked any potential surprise.
"You've.... Heard of me?"
He asked, his voice low and measured, his gaze intensifying as he studied luna's face, searching for answers. The air was with quite inquiry, as if itachi was piecing together the mystery of this enigmatic person standing before him. Luna thus noticed it too. She didn't change her tune.
" yes. I chould have just started a fight right if i didn't knew what was your intentions of the choices you made Itachi.but after knowing that you did it all just for stop the upcoming war, and to protect you brother sasuke, i couldn't help but have a great level of respect for you. I can't believe your still suffering your burden all alone. Izumi and sasuke are lucky to have you Itachi... "
Itachi's eyes widened slightly, surprised by luna's words. No one ever mentioned izumi and sasuke in the same breath as him, especially not in the context of being "lucky" to have him. The mention of his loved ones brought a mixture of emotions to the surface, and for a moment his mask slipped, revealing the pain and longing he'd kept hidden. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Y.. You know about izumi?"
The question hung in the air, laced with a sense of vulnerability and curiosity. Luna noticed Itachi. He looked almost broken to her eyes. She calmed him down.
"Yes. I know her. You can trust me itachi...
Neither I'm hiding myself nor sugarcoating my words. I will not hurt you."
Itachi's eyes held luna's, looking for any sign of deception. But all he saw genuine empathy and understanding. Her words seemed to calm his bizzare emotions he locked inside of him. He took a deep breath, and peace wash over him, his shoulders relaxed every so slightly.
"I... Believe you."
For the first time in a long time, Itachi felt like he'd found someone who would'nt judge him for his past. Luna sensed his calmness finally glowing in him. She smiled and continued to tap his shoulders.
"Do you feel okay now?"
She said. Her hands on his shoulders, like she was helping to lift his burden slightly. Itachi's eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment. And when he opened them again, they seemed to hold a hint of calmness. He nodded slowly, his voice bearly above a whisper.
"Yeah... I think i do."
The tapping on his shoulders seemed to be a gentle reminder that he wasn't alone, that someone was there to support him. For a moment, the weight of his guilt and pain seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of understanding and acceptance. Luna's smiles widened, eyes crinkling at the corners. She was glad to hear that he is okay and she earned his trust,a rare thing to recive from him.
"You're truly noble Itachi's. No one will sacrifice their family and friends for his village at this age when they are the ones who mostly needed for you now. You gave your everything to save the village. I know how it feels Itachi's, and about Sasuke, I'm sure your doing your best to protect him. He, your patents and Izumi are lucky to have you with them."
Itachi's eyes welled up with tears, and he looked away, trying to compose himself. No one had ever spoken to him with such a kindness and understanding. The words "ur truly noble" struck a chord deep within him, and for a moment, he felt like he was worthy of redemption. He took a deep breath and looked back at Luna, his voice cracking with emotions.
"Thank you... Luna."
The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine, and he felt a sense of gratitude towards her. For the first time in his life Itachi's felt like someone truly understood him, and that feeling was overwhelming him.Luna shaked her head, her hand still fixed on Itachi's shoulders.
"No need to thank me. The best gift you could give me is your happiness allways in with you."
Itachi's eyes locked onto Luna's, filled with a deep sense of gratitude. He felt a lump form in his throat as he wished for his happiness without expecting anything in return. He nodded slowly,
"I'll try..."
His words trailed off, but Luna's gaze seemed to understand the unspoken promise. For a moment, Itachi felt a sense of peace, knowing that somone cared for his happiness without condition. He smiled weakly, feeling a sense of connection with Luna that he'd never felt with anyone before.Luna gave Itachi a reassuring smile. She titled her head, her tone mysterious, but yet comfortable.
"May i give you a gift Itachi?"
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued by Luna's mysterious tone. He hesitated for a moment, unsure what to expect, but her reassuring and genuine smile put him at ease.
"A gift?..."
He repeated, his voice laced with curiosity.
"What kind of gift?"
He asked, his eyes held onto hers, searching for answers. The air was changed with anticipation as if Itachi sensed that the gift might be something more profound than a simple gesture.