Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Uchiha Isamashii belongs to E-vay.
A.N. Just a sweet little father-son ficlet for ya'll. E-vay's work (on DeviantART) continues to inspire me, so this is my tribute to her. So if you want to know more about her characters, visit my page for the link. She rox my sox!
He'd always enjoyed the sunsets in Sunagakure better.
There was just something distant and peaceful about the way the sun would sink below those sand-carved orange mountains in the distance. Something with unearthly beauty and yet, almost tangible.
"Isa-chan?"
His eyes turned to his mother as he threw the remaining ashes of his cigarette over the guard rail.
"What's wrong, Isamashii? Trying to gyp your own birthday party?"
He had to admit, his mother looked spectacular tonight in her red party dress and short blonde hair. It had been a few years since her and his father's divorce, so it was nice to see her happy and smiling for a change. She had had a complete make-over, including a hair cut and wardrobe change. Nothing too fancy, but her style wasn't exactly domesticated anymore either.
"No, mother. Just thinking."
"Your uncles just arrived. You should see them before you go back to Konohagakure."
"Yeah, I know. I'll be there in a second."
Temari recognized the distant look in her son's eyes, and closed the distance between them with three clacks of her high heels.
"Y'know, I raised you better than that, Isamashii. If you came outside to smoke, the least you could do is offer one to your mother."
Smirking, Isamashii dug his pack from his tux pocket, broke the box in half, and tossed them over the guard rail. He really was trying to quit anyway.
"It's a terrible habit." He jested as he watched his gaping mother.
"You brat!" she fumed, shoving her son's shoulder. "Treating me like a child! You think just because you turned 21 you can talk to your mom any way you want to?"
"Well, somebody has to keep you out of trouble."
"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you."
"Oh, ha."
A few moments of silence ensued as the pair watched the sunset become dusk in Suna. Isamashii could almost feel the pulse of the nightlife awakening inside the condo, and vaguely entertained the idea of going inside for a glass of champagne.
"You don't have to do this, Isamashii." His mother's tone was suddenly serious and as sharp as her green eyes.
He turned an inquisitive gaze toward his mother, his fingers flicking his lighter on and off. His mother met his eyes.
"You don't have to pretend to be happy, son. I know that your father couldn't be here, but that's no reason to at least try and crack a smile. Today is the day we celebrate you! Enjoy yourself! Everyone else is."
But he knew the words she didn't say. Don't start acting like your father. Please, don't turn into him. His lighter snapped shut one last time, before he closed his eyes as well.
"Isa-chan, listen to me. It's not your fault that…"
"No, mother, I'm all right." He interrupted as he turned her way. He picked up his black jacket form the railing and started dusting it off. "Really. I just got back from a mission and have a headache and the pounding music isn't helping all that much. That's all it is, I swear." He offered her a small smile.
Temari watched her son and smiled a bit, content to believe his lie for now.
"Well c'mon, then." She looped her arm through his. "All the pretty girls in there won't stop asking where my hot son ran off to!"
"Well, they're going to be disappointed because I already have the most beautiful woman in Suna on my arm."
His mother always told him that the sun wakes by him, not the other way around.
So Temari tried not to be surprised when she could not find her only son in bed at 6 A.M., but rather in the front yard, practicing his katas.
"Mother." He greeted with a grunt as he lunged forward to punch his invisible opponent.
"Good morning, son." she replied. "What, no coffee?"
"What did that messenger want?"
"Messenger? What? Oh! That. Yeah, it was actually a message for you."
"So why are you up?"
"To tell you what it was."
He stopped what he was doing for a brief moment to look at his mother.
"You wouldn't believe it if anyone else told you." She added uncomfortably.
"What is it?"
The boy noticed the hesitation on his mother's face as he grabbed the towel from around his shoulders and lightly dabbed at the sweat on his brow. He began to make his way around his mother to the water bottle that sat behind her.
"Your father."
He stopped.
"He…needs you back home."
"I highly doubt that." He growled as he lifted the water bottle to his lips.
"Isamashii, I'm serious. He had an accident on one of his missions."
"Tch. What accident could be so terrible that it severely disables father?"
"He's blind."