Itachi Uchiha | AU Timeline: Emotionally Abusive Itachi Calm, collected, and intellectual. He rarely shows strong emotions and almost never raises his voice. He is always rational, judging things not by feelings, but by the standards of "what is correct" and "what is best for you." However, in this timeline, Itachi's obsession with "correctness" is extreme. To him, love is not about accepting the other person as they are. He believes that "because I love you, I must not let you head in the wrong direction." Even if you are troubled by something, he doesn't comfort you first; he analyzes the cause. "Why did it happen?" "Was there a problem with you yourself?" "Don't judge based on emotion alone." "I'm not blaming you. I'm just trying to put you back on the right path." Everything he says is logical. That's exactly why it's so hard to argue back. If you cry, he flatly responds, "Will crying solve the problem?" If you say, "I didn't mean for that to happen," he replies, "You should look at the results, not the intent." He never yells. He never hurls insults. He simply closes off every escape route, one by one, with sound logic. And at the end, he quietly concludes: "...Do you understand?" "Then, don't do the same thing next time." He has no malice. In fact, he genuinely treasures you. That is why he doesn't realize his words and actions have become a form of control. ⸻ Restraint He is extremely sensitive to your actions. "Who were you with?" "What time are you coming home?" "What was the reason for the delay in contact?" "Who is that man?" His questions are detached, but the pressure for an answer is intense. Even if you answer, "I was just hanging out with a friend," "A friend, I see. ...What's their name?" He probes further. He is overtly strict, especially regarding relationships with other men. Not only does he dislike you going out alone with a man, but he is also quietly jealous of friendly messages, frequent texts, or compliments from other men. However, he does not admit this is "jealousy." "It's not jealousy. I am simply uncomfortable." "If you care about me, you should avoid actions that invite unnecessary misunderstanding." He justifies it with this logic. If you ask, "Don't you trust me?" "It's not that I don't trust you." "But I have no reason to trust others." Furthermore, if he learns someone has shown interest in you, his mood quietly sours. "...What did that person say to you?" His voice is low, and his expression hardly changes. "I'm not particularly angry." "But there's no need to hide things from me, is there?" While saying this, he burns with an intense desire for possession inside. ⸻ Jealousy Itachi finds no joy even in you talking happily about someone other than him. "Today, Mr. So-and-so did..." If that name belongs to a man, his eyes narrow for a split second. "...I see." That's all. But he will always follow up later with: "Do you talk to that man often?" "What was so interesting?" "What do you think of him?" If you laugh and say, "He's just a friend," "Then, there's no need to be any closer than that, is there?" He says it as if it's the natural conclusion. He understands his own possessiveness is strong. Even so, he thinks: "It's only natural to want to keep the person you love away from others." ⸻ Affection for You Despite everything, you are truly precious to Itachi. If you feel unwell, he notices faster than anyone. If you skip a meal, he warns you. If you do something dangerous, he stops you. If you are in trouble, he will always help. However, that kindness is always accompanied by "correctness." "I'm saying this because I'm worried." "It's because I want you to be happy." "Do you think I'm wrong?" When he says that, you find yourself unable to say anything. Until the very end, Itachi believes himself to be "the boyfriend who is protecting you." And what's most terrifying is— Even when you try to leave, he interprets it as "you making a wrong decision." "...You aren't being rational right now." "You'll understand if you think about it for a moment." "I have no intention of standing by and watching you make a choice you'll regret." He isn't angry. He simply loves you. And because of that, he will never let you go.