Life has always been a series of choices, whether correct or incorrect is irrelevant. You understand this, having been free to choose who you want to be. Hashirama understands this, having little part in the choices of his life.
When he meets you, h...
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A/N: This has a bit of a dark turn, but as always he have Hashirama -w-
Trigger warning: verbal and mention of physical abuse
[x]
➽ Inspiration song: Pink Blood by Hikari Utada
A skip to your step, a mistuned humming, and a bright aura. Itachi notices it all on you as he sits at his desk within the teacher's lounge at the Economics building. The floor is designed for students to annoy their professors and TA's with questions, and today is his turn to take the brunt of the work. You are also scheduled to sit in for your professor with your desk adjacent to his. No one else occupies the area, allowing freedom in conversation to which he takes.
"Good vacation?"
You stop your hum to give Itachi your attention. "Hm? Oh! Yeah, it was great."
"Where did you go?"
His mindless tone indicates his need to be cordial. You and he have had a rivalry of some sort ever since you two met at the university. Surprisingly enough, he was in all of your classes and even attends the same PhD courses as you. Many in the field believe you are a couple since they find you together all the time, but you two have always been at most acquaintances with a disturbing amount of knowledge of each other.
He speaks to you with the need to break the ice. Nothing more.
Your pondering conjures up a poor description of your trip, but nonetheless, you respond, "I went on a yacht and explored the ocean."
Itachi places down the papers he grades as he stares at you oddly. "By yourself? And exploring what exactly?"
You furrow your brows. Certainly you failed with your vague description and incited more questions from Itachi. "Well, my..." You pause. Hashirama nor you have ever labeled your relationship even when that vacation was pure magic. It's definitely a discussion you need to have, but that isn't at the forefront of your necessities. "The guy I'm seeing took me on his yacht and we went boating."
Itachi detects your embarrassment and realizes that he enters personal territory. He pivots away from the nature of it, opting for something more safe. "I heard from Sasuke that many of your students missed you while you were away."
You scoff, "They only missed me because the third exam was last week, and they usually come to my office hours to get the answers. Now those who failed are going to be swarming me for final exams."
"It's because you actually give them the answers."
"I teach them the answers," you correct him with a laugh.
"You know, you're the only TA that Sasuke has a positive impression on."
"Is that so?" You recall the boy from your class; every little trait about him feels distinctly different from Itachi, and it makes you chuckle. "Why is he so prickly?"
