Savages of The Heart: Revised Version.
Prologue
The man who called himself his father was dying and although that man had done nothing but abused him the man was still his father. The rattling cough spewing from the man scares Sasuke because the man's death meant that he would be left alone. It was a cruel world to begin but Sasuke would have two strikes against him if the fragile man on the bed dies. He would become an orphan. Society has no use for penniless orphans especially one like him who doesn't even bare a last name.
"Come here boy," the man weakly call for him. Sasuke flinch hearing the disgust and hate in the tone. Sasuke sighs shrugging off everything and hardening his heart. He finishes wringing out the water from the old rag that he's been using to help bring down the man's fever. Sasuke keeps his face blank and walks towards the small cot in the corner of the shabby shack.
"Boy, I said come here" the man calls for him urgently several lung racking coughs follows his harsh words.
As soon as Sasuke was near the cot, the man grasps his second hand shirt once white but now gray from dirt and too many washes in the river. The man leer up at him, his eyes like his face swollen and red from the diseases that ravages his body.
"I want you to look for Uchiha Fugaku, tell him that Danzo Shimura wants to see him," the man coughs.
Sasuke stares blankly down at the man, "But Father.. "
"Don't call me that!" Danzo screams. His eyes threatens violence. He gasps and wheezes after that outburst.
Sasuke quickly nods. He should have known that not even death could soften the man.
The lights of the house glimmer in the dark, Sasuke stare in awe at the men who enter the grand doors of the well light house. Laughter and loud conversations could be heard coming from the ever opening and closing doors. He was looking hard for Uchiha, the man had describe him accurately down to the slight cleft on his chin, that Sasuke wouldn't be able to miss him. The man had said that he would be accompany by his lawyer Shukaku Nara.
"Tell him boy, tell him to come, that he owes me that much at least!" the man said desperately yanking on his shirt to the point Sasuke thought he might have to steal another.
A deep voice and hearty laughter snap Sasuke out of his thoughts, he look up and saw the very tall man with midnight hair contrasting with milky white skin. Although the beard and thick eyebrows hid the color of his eyes from Sasuke there was no doubt that the man was Uchiha Fugaku. The man who had raise him describe him like his image had been branded in his memory.
"Are you Uchiha Fugaku?" He tentatively ask.
Fugaku thick eyebrows met in a frown. "Who's asking?" he inquired. His voice low and dangerous.
Sasuke stomp the tremble inside of him. "Danzo, Danzo Shimura wants to see you," he answer with a slight tremor in his voice.
Fugaku face become thunderous. "I don't care," he growl. Sasuke flinch. Fugaku took menacing steps towards Sasuke taking a handful of ragged fabric in his hand. Fugaku shook Sasuke and pushed him away.
"You tell that degenerate drunk, that I'm not on his beck and call," he said turning back to his companion.
"His dying!" Sasuke desperately called out. But was ignore.
"Be on your way!" Fugaku told him and walked into the house Shukaku Nara look back at Sasuke curiously.
"That boy, he looks like Itachi." Nara commented giving Fugaku a curious look. "Isn't Danzo, the husband of.." Nara stop as Fugaku growled low and menacing.
"Yes! He ruin the family by gambling away the fortunate and Mikado she died,"
Nara shook his head, "Could he be the son?" he curiously question Fugaku.
Fugaku closes his eyes. "I don't know, it's in the past, let us just enjoy the night."
Sasuke returned to the shag on the beach where the man lay dying. He knew that Danzo would be mad since he fail to bring the Uchiha back with him but it couldn't be help. The man had refuse and Sasuke had been afraid of those dark eyes that look down on him. The red haze of the man's pupils had been odd and his instinct of survival had bristle.
"It's that you boy?"
Sasuke held his breath, the stench of death dense in the small straw house.
Nara couldn't put the image of that boy out of his head His conscious bother him. The boy was the spitting image of Fugaku and could be twin to Itachi. There was no doubt in his mind that he was related to his best friend. He had to make sure that Fugaku didn't do anything that he might regret before they left for war. Who knew if they would be coming back from the war? Nara shook his head. He would enlist the help of Sakumo Hatake. That was the least Nara could do for the boy. Somehow he had to convince Fugaku to go and talk to Danzo before he left the world and the mystery of the child is lost.
Hatake was a good man from a good clan. He would help him convince Fugaku to save that boy from his circumstances.
TBC…..