Mission: Building the Future in Pagoda

[lucetimods]

Who: Anyone who volunteered
What: A very special mission that will fill you with a youthly sense of purpose. Or something.
When: July 20th - July 24th
Where: The enclosure of Pagoda
Summary: Mission detailed here. There are survivors to help and buildings to repair, and plenty more to keep the volunteers on their toes.
Rating: PG-13 for reasons

Direct further questions here!

Comments

[yourhatred]

[Itachi leans back, eyes still closed.

Then he holds his arms out for the child. He's can do this.]

[deathsdoctor]

[She's really not that heavy. Just a normal, squirming baby - warm and making interested noises as she's passed off from one man to the other.

Law watches as Cora grabs a tiny fistful of Itachi's shirt once he has her. She's a strong little girl - good thing it's his shirt and not his hair (he sees that as a possible baby magnet).]

There. She looks comfortable.

[yourhatred]

[Itachi just looks down at the baby for a few moments, hardly breathing and not really seeing her.

The face he sees belongs to a boy, black hair already sticking out every which way, expression content as he's held. He hears his own voice in his ears. Don't worry, Sasuke. Your big brother will look out for you.

His eyes close again and he exhales shakily. It's just a little girl. Unrelated. Someone's baby his husband is looking after. He shouldn't be thinking of the past.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Slowly Law's arms loosely circle around Itachi's shoulders. Doesn't say anything as he looks down at Cora himself. Just is there for him.

The baby tugs at Itachi's shirt, a little grab for attention, and makes a little 'aaa--' noise, as her mood shifts from curious to something a little harder to pin down.

You broody men - your moods are so contagious.]

[yourhatred]

[The ninja seems to notice this, and he readjusts his grip so that he can offer the baby his finger again. He makes himself smile faintly.]

Sorry to you too.

[deathsdoctor]

[Finger get. Cora certainly is stronger than the average babe - an emerging ability such as super strength? Perhaps.

She burbles up at him, much happier for something to grab hold of and Law decides to translate.]

Just a hunch, but I think she says it's okay.

[yourhatred]

Nn...

[A strong kid indeed. The surprise shows in Itachi's face, even though he continues to let her cling to his finger.]

A baby forgives easily.

[deathsdoctor]

[Law ruffles the short black hairs on Cora's head.]

... yeah...

But you know, I don't think that necessarily bad.

[yourhatred]

[Law gets a wry look for that.]

Maybe not.

-- Ow. [Sorry, little one. Itachi needs that finger. He gives it a little shake to get her to release it.]

[deathsdoctor]

[That shake wiggles it free, but Cora snatches ahold of Itachi's shirt again.

She really wants to hold onto something, doesn't she?]

She is really, really strong, isn't she?

[yourhatred]

... Very.

[The shirt is okay to grip. It can survive it. (And if it doesn't, it's just a shirt.)]

That will have to be taken into account when her living arrangements are made.

[deathsdoctor]

No kidding. I don't want to imagine the nightmare for whoever it will be when she hits the Terrible Twos.

[Probably no worse than the Terrible Twos back home, but what does he know? He doesn't deal with kids that often.]

[yourhatred]

They have to have dealt with children who inherited abilities here before. They're sure to be equipped for that sort of thing.

[Because saying it out loud will make it more true.]

[deathsdoctor]

Yeah. She'll be fine with whoever takes care of her.

[Exactly. Because saying it out loud will make it more true.]

[yourhatred]

[Itachi tilts his head toward his partner.]

We can't keep her.

[Just in case you were thinking about it.]

[deathsdoctor]

They would never allow it.

[Not with the precedent of Jonah and Noah.

And... both of them are fighters. They don't lead that kind of life that could provide a good upbringing for a child.]

Besides... would our home be the best?

[yourhatred]

[A silent shake of the head.

Their home would be far from the best place to raise a young child. He hadn't ever planned on it, either. The only reason it's depressing now is because they're imagining this child's fate.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Law nods in response.

No, it would not.]

... I agree with you.

[yourhatred]

[His head lowers again.]

... He was a little smaller than this, I think. Sasuke was.

[deathsdoctor]

Aaa... I bet he was pretty cute at that age.

[Law smiles a little in encouragement as he smoothes some of Cora's hair down. Keep talking about him; it's good for you to get out what's on your mind.]

I also bet he was a cuddler. Am I right?

[yourhatred]

[A pause, then a nod.]

I was put in charge of him a lot when he was very young - too young for him to remember it now. My mother did her best, but my parents were often busy and... [a glance up] I thought he would be safer with me.