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Fugaku Uchiha is actually a very complex man disguised as a simple man. As time moves on, morals and values change. Societal changes are to be expected, such as homosexuality being more widely accepted along other things he can’t quite wrap his head around. Still, he has to keep in mind that times are different. People are different, and as time and people move on so must he.
Still. It’s very hard to wrap your head around your son coming home with a man, a black man that stood at least six feet and eight inches tall with tattoos and spiked blue hair.
If he were intimidated by height alone he didn’t show it. He merely took a sip of his sake and sent a meaningful glare at the man in front of him.
He sniffed.
“Father,” Itachi said, pouring him another cup, “This is my fiancé, Kisame Hoshigaki.”
He hummed, sipping at the alcohol thoughtfully.
He knew Itachi had been hiding something for years. He knew when he asked his oldest son why he never brought a woman home. He knew when at thirty-two that his son was neither married nor looking to carry on the Uchiha name. He had hoped that his son was just awkward, that women had finally looked past looks and was left with someone they couldn’t quite relate to. He had hoped that it was just that and nothing more, but just like most things, he was wrong.
“What is your occupation?” Might as well keep things pleasant.
“I own my own company,” He said with a smirk filled to the brim of confidence, “I own a few tattoo shops around the country.”
Itachi cleared his throat and poured himself some sake. It was plum flavored, so he had the excuse of something sweet to sip on.
Fugaku looked on unimpressed.
“Tattoos?”
“Yes. I have a few of them myself, as you can see.” Both of his arms were filled with them. The recurring theme was water and ocean life, particularly sharks. Despite his darker complexion, the depictions came out clear as day with sharp, heavy lines that moved in fluid motions with splashes of color. The flow of the water began at the wrist and traveled up his forearms and biceps until it disappeared under the cuffed sleeve of his button down shirt that was a few inches above his elbow. It continued beneath the fabric then reappeared above the collar as it ended right under his ear.
Kisame crossed his arms, his massive muscles bulging under the white shirt that contrasted with his skin.
Fugaku noticed Itachi’s gaze and soft smile and pointedly ignored it.
“How did you two meet?”
Itachi’s attention quickly shot to the sake bottle and Kisame laughed jovially.
“Now that’s a funny story,” He grabbed the bottle before his fiancé could and took it away from his reach.
“I’d rather not—“
“Aw, c’mon Itachi! It’s funny if you think about it.” He poured himself the last bit of the alcohol before offering the empty bottle back to the younger man.
Itachi gave him a withering look, but accepted it anyway.
“Alright, lesse…” He stroked his chin thoughtfully with an open mouth smirk. Fugaku noticed with slight horror how Kisame's teeth were sharpened.
What the hell type of man is his son engaged to!?
“Ah!” He said with clarity, “I was at the shop I have in Chicago one week and he was there. He wanted to get a traditional Japanese tattoo on his back. He took one look at me and said, “I want you to do it”. Not knowing if I was a customer or not!” He laughed that boisterous laugh that came from his stomach. It shook the room and it made Itachi smile despite the flush of embarrassment. "And people say love at first sight doesn't exist!"
“You have a tattoo!?” Fugaku looked at Itachi with a horrified look and the color instantly was gone from both of their faces.
“F-Father, I—“
He knows that his son is thirty-two and in all rights is a grown man. He moved out after achieving his third degree at eighteen and was open to new things and a life that would hopefully have more opportunities than himself and his wife had. He hoped that he’d find someone that loved him for what he is, awkward genius and all. What he had been hoping for is that he wouldn’t be gay. What he was hoping for is that he’d find a woman who was just as wonderful as Mikoto and supported him in his endeavors.
What he hadn’t accounted for was Itachi’s sexuality. He didn’t take into account Itachi’s awkwardness around women was because of his sexuality. He didn’t take into account how he’d rather study than meet the nice girl that Fugaku brought home to introduce to him and it honestly bothered him how he didn’t pick up the signs.
Stereotypes aside, it should’ve been obvious that his son wasn’t…normal.
Fugaku cleared his throat and put Itachi's stammering and stuttering to a complete halt.
“I give you my blessing.”
It was quiet. Itachi looked vulnerable while Kisame took everything in with a serious look. He was serious; good. This was a serious matter at hand and needed to be handled with nothing less than total dedication. Fugaku’s eyes flicked to the modestly sized ring on Itachi’s finger. It was Alexandrite. An extremely rare stone that Fugaku knew for a fact was way out of any normal man’s budget.
“Itachi, why don’t you make us some tea,” It was a demand, not a request
His oldest son looked between the two of them. The two most important men in his life were about to have a talk that centered around him and he was being sent off to get tea. Fugaku knew that it’d sting, but he’d just have to stew in it.
Itachi got up from the kotatsu, but not before giving his father a soft glare. He exited from the living room and Fugaku did not talk until the padding of foot steps disappeared completely.
“Do you love my son?” He asked. He didn’t strain his neck to look Kisame in the eye because for this time they were of equal intimidating height.
“Yes, with all of my heart.” No hesitation and with a straight face.
“How do I know? For all I know you could be marrying him for his money.”
“Despite his collection of degrees and my own business, we live the lives of paupers.”
“Bullshit. I saw that stone on his finger.”
“All of my life savings.”
“All of it?”
Kisame shrugged, “Might as well have been.”
He hummed, “And the wedding?”
“He said he only wanted something small, immediate family only. I had to talk him into having an actual wedding and not just going to the courthouse.”
Itachi had never been one for ceremonies. He even skipped out on his college graduation, where he had been announced valedictorian, to instead spend time with his younger brother Sasuke. He said it was much more important and that they could mail his degree to him.
Itachi came in shortly after with three hot cups of tea on a tray along with some sweets. He reclaimed his seat at the kotatsu and set it down, passing out the hot beverages. He slapped his father’s hand away from the mitarashi dango he prepared.
“None for you.”
“It’s my home.”
“They’re my sweets.”
“It’s my home.”
Itachi shrugged and plucked one of the sticks from the plate. The syrup dangled dangerously as he brought it to his mouth. He eyes the two other men at the low table with suspicion.
A raised eyebrow was his only question.
“Nothin’ babe.” Kisame answered, swiping one of the sticks.
“Hmm!!”
Fugaku watched on with nostalgia as Itachi slapped at the larger man’s arm. Kisame simply laughed, the swats doing nothing other than tickle him. It was as if he was looking back in time and it was him and Mikoto back in their twenties rather than thirties. Before the kids, before the law firm and her abrupt pregnancy.
Before her death.
He cleared his throat and brought the attention back to him.
“It’s getting late,” It’s six o’ clock, “If you’re going to stay then do so.” He got up from the low table, his ignored tea still steaming. He walked out of the room and said as an afterthought, “And no funny business under my roof.”
He had to fight back a smirk when Kisame laughed at Itachi’s sputtering.
As he laid in his bed alone, Fugaku thought about his children. He thought about how he hasn’t seen Sasuke in over five years and wonders if he’ll ever see his youngest ever again. He wonders if he’ll see him at the wedding. He wonders if he’ll ever stop missing Mikoto.
He doubts all of it, but a small portion of his heart remains hopeful.
He grew thirsty sometime during the night. He didn’t turn on the lights since he knew it was just him in his household. So when he saw a tall man with spiked hair and tattoos in his kitchen drinking water from his favorite cup he had all right to try and skewer him.
“Woah there, old timer!” Kisame held up his hands as Fugaku held a knife to him.
Oh right. They were spending the night. He had completely forgotten.
He relaxed and lazily tossed the knife on the counter.
“You can’t do that to an old man, Kisame.”
“My bad, didn’t think you’d forget about me,” He shrugged, “I kind of leave a lasting impression on people.”
Fugaku actually laughed at that. He rummaged through his cupboard and retrieved another favorite, but not as well liked cup. He filled it full of water from the sink and raised it to his lips. He enjoyed the peaceful silence between the two of them for a while.
“Itachi wants children.”
He almost missed it. He raised an eyebrow at the larger man.
“Itachi wants children. He wants to seek out a surrogate mother but he has a hard time trusting that they won’t run off with the child.”
“I thought you used up all of your life savings.”
“I said a majority of it. I still have some left over.”
“You speak of surrogate mothers as if you’ve tried.”
“We know couples who have.”
“And?”
“Mixed experiences. Some get cold feet a few weeks into the pregnancy and get an abortion. Others end up having a healthy baby delivered and a long lasting friendship.”
Fugaku was elated at the thought of being a grandfather. Even if one of the children wouldn’t be related to him by blood, he’d still accept them. He really didn’t have much of a choice. ‘Pure breed’ Uchihas haven’t existed in almost one hundred and fifty years so there’s no point in being hoity toity about the idea of adoption.
“A grand-daughter would be nice.” He smiled at the thought of a little girl to prop on his knee. One that would look like Itachi, and would have a loud and boisterous laugh like Kisame. She would be his favorite.
“A daughter would be nice.” Kisame nodded and let a soft smile grace his striking features. “I think being a dad would be great Mr. Uchiha.”
“It is. Despite my failures, I’ve been blessed.” He finished his water and left the cup in the sink. He faced the larger man and held one of his massive hands in his old and slightly wrinkled ones, “Please. Please take care of my son. He is awkward, but his kindness is a treasure. Treat him as such.” He shook the hand then nodded his head.
He didn’t wait for Kisame to say anything. He simply walked out of the kitchen and returned to bed. The entire way he thought about how nervous he had been when he asked Mikoto’s father for her hand in marriage.
Turns out he did see Sasuke at the wedding. Sasuke, his husband Naruto, and their small entourage of children.
He spoke candidly and didn’t pull back any of the verbal punches he had been holding back for five years, but Fugaku took it all with a patient smile. Both Naruto and Shisui were wary of leaving the two alone in such a small ballroom with alcohol at their disposal. Uchiha spats could get nasty if no one was around to play referee.
Kisame was very receptive while Itachi was embarrassed to all hell.
At the end of the day Fugaku and Sasuke were on speaking terms again and the older Uchiha finally got to have his grand-daughter, Sarada, on his knee.
Itachi sat next to him with Sasuke’s oldest son, Boruto, on his lap. He held his hands out and smiled as the child slapped at his hands playfully.
“I still want another grand-daughter, Itachi.” Fugaku hummed as he rocked back and forth with Sarada sleeping on his shoulder.
“You have two.”
“I want three.”
Itachi laughed, “I’ll see how Kisame feels about it.”
Fugaku smiled. He had a feeling Kisame would say yes. Hopefully they would work on it soon because he was beginning to grow accustomed to the feeling of drool on his shoulder.