Title: Like Father...
Author: Iulia
Fandom: Naruto
Prompt: I'm Here
Character/Pairing: Uchiha Sasuke
Rating: K
Word Count: 548
Authors Notes/Disclaimer: Hello, I'm starting another drabble collection. I know I have a lot of them, but I'm a bit obsessive and I need them to have a theme. I don't quite have a family-centered drabble collection yet, so I decided to start one. But the idea's mostly Miko-chan's though, lol, I didn't have anywhere to put this until she suggested another drabble collection. So thanks Mikoo (and I decided to claim another prompts table for this one too. lol.)
I dedicate this to all dads out there, particularly my own stubborn dad... because, well, dads are fun. And though Sasuke is an emotionally-stunted bastard who has about as much EQ as a slug, I still think he'll make a great dad.
Also, Naruto belongs to Kishi, which I'm really glad for because he's a masterful storyteller.
.
I'm Here...
.
He could still remember his father's voice.
It was a deep baritone, authoritative and well-modulated. He did not speak much, and never more than was necessary, but he enunciated each word slowly and carefully, as if confident in the knowledge that whoever he spoke to owed him an indefinite amount of time.
They usually did.
His father had been a powerful man.
Leader of his clan by age 25, Chief Commissioner by age 35, dead by age 40…
He was eight years old when his father died. And it was partly due to that unfortunate event that he didn't remember much about the man, that and the fact that his old man was never really there.
He could remember bits and pieces – a stern, squared jaw, an aristocratic nose, an arrogant bearing, a frown, always firmly set in place – but everything was hazy, except for the man's voice.
It sounded just like his.
It was when this realization hit him, that Uchiha Sasuke balked, gaped, and blinked – all this in the middle of a speech about the police department's failing standards.
"I—I…."
His committee looked at him expectantly, apparently unsure of how to respond to the new development.
The Chief never stuttered.
"I… meeting… adjourned," he spoke, each word feeling like sand against his throat. He massaged his temples with his hand as the members of the committee started to file out of the office one by one.
"Takumi," he called, "don't go yet, I have to speak with you," he said, regaining his bearing with each word spoken. His eldest son nodded respectfully and waited for the last person to leave before closing the door and going back to the table.
The boy sat two seats away from him.
"Are you not feeling well, father?"
Sasuke didn't answer.
The boy was nice, really. And it was because of this that Sasuke was pretty sure that he wouldn't end up like Fugaku – face down on the floor with his eldest standing over him, holding a guilty knife. No, Takumi didn't have the heart to do that. He was a nice boy.
Besides, Takumi had none of Itachi's intensity and, unfortunately, intelligence. He just wasn't of Itachi's caliber – and this was something that Sasuke was thankful for, albeit he had to admit, he did have pangs of regret sometimes.
And Takumi had a gentle voice, not like his father's, or his grandfather's, for that matter.
And except for some intelligence issues, he wasn't worried about Takumi at all. No, he was worried about something else.
"Where's Shun?"
It surprised him to see a look of annoyance cross the face of his eldest, and though his countenance scarcely showed it, Sasuke felt as if a stone was dropped into his stomach.
"He had to join a literature contest today, remember? He's the school's representative. He asked you to come."
Perhaps, Sasuke thought miserably, he had more in common with his father than he thought.
Then, as if to add insult to injury, his son continued speaking.
"I was supposed to attend in your place, but you said that this meeting, which you dismissed, was important."
Sasuke ignored the blatant show of disrespect, letting it pass so he could deal with more important matters.
He hoped he wasn't too late.
"Get the car. I'll meet you at the entrance."