Disclaimer: check chap 1
Shirotsuchi stared wordlessly at Itachi for quite some time. The young Uchiha realized his future father-in-law checked on him. He sat silently and patiently stared back at the older man. Slightly nervous because this man was the father of his beloved Deidara and he wanted his approval more than anything. Will he deem Itachi unfit for his son? Itachi wholeheartedly hoped it was not the case. Naturally, Itachi was charming even without him realizing it, yet now, he wished he knew how to be charming consciously to get Shirotsuchi's blessing.
"Does it have to be my son?" He asked after a long minute has passed.
"Pardon?" Itachi was slightly caught off guard.
Shirotsuchi elaborated, "Your family is famous. Your clan is well-known and everyone knows about you, Itachi Uchiha. I believe you can choose anyone to be your spouse. Why it does have to be my son?"
Itachi smiled as he listened to him. He heard all of that whenever he went to. Yes, it was a public secret that his clan being the top list of people's knowledge in the shinobi world. He asked kindly, "Will you believe me if I say that your son didn't know me when we first met?"
Shirotsuchi was bewildered, "Deidara didn't know you?"
Itachi nodded, "Yes. I was there when Konan offered him to be our member. I was surprised as well when he didn't know me. He even underestimated me during our fight. Then, after he lost and become our member, he finally knows about me. Yet, only when we started dating that he noticed my clan is a bit special."
"That kid," Shirotsuchi sighed. "He was ignorant since he was a kid…"
Itachi chuckled, "I found him adorable."
That word made Shirotsuchi frown. He admitted, "I heard that Uchiha Clan choose their spouse carefully."
"Yes. We tend to choose our spouse by love." Itachi confirmed.
He asked, "Is that mean you love my son?"
Itachi answered seriously, "With all my heart."
"Why?" Shirotsuchi asked, "Why do you love him?"
Itachi was silenced. He started at Shirotsuchi with a thoughtful gaze. His words were carefully selected when he ask a rhetorical question, "May I ask why did you marry Deidara's birth father?"
The man was stunned. His eyes widened at his future son-in-law. Itachi knew his point get crossed.
"My logic is not the one who chooses Deidara, Sir. My heart is. I'm afraid I can't answer that. I can give you reasons such as Deidara is beautiful, sweet, smart, and passionate but there is no perfect reason why I love him. The real answer. There are no words to describe it. I love him. It just happens and I'm grateful when he accepts my proposal." He added, "At first, I thought he was interesting because he didn't know me. And then, before I know it, my eyes have always followed him since we first met."
"But, didn't you two just start dating? Isn't it too fast to get married?" Shirotsuchi pressed his concern. "What if you fall out of love? What will you do to my son?"
"May I remind you that the one who wants us to get married in four days is Tsuchikage-sama?" Itachi calmly responded. "Yes, it is a little bit acceleration but I'm ready to marry Deidara. I know him for 4 years. Before we started dating, we were partners in Akatsuki. I know him as much as he knows me. We know each other. It doesn't matter how long we were dating because it doesn't guarantee anything. How we understand each other's love language is the most important thing. I believed you know that, Sir."
Shirotsuchi held his tongue as he realized he was in a lost battle. He tried to make Itachi wavered his decision to marry Deidara yet he was the one who needed to take defeat. This young man is not skillful in his ninjutsu only. He was bright and thoughtful. Wise beyond his age. And he loves Deidara. It made him a perfect son-in-law which Shirotsuchi couldn't deny.
Itachi continued determinedly, "It will be my honor if you give us your blessing, Sir."
Shirotsuchi closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. It was not the matter of whether he gave his blessing or not, it was just, "He is my only kid."
"I will love him for the rest of my life," Itachi understood what the older man implied. Especially, after Shirotsuchi mentioned how famous Uchiha Clan is among the other. He was worried for Deidara. His safety, his stability, and his happiness. It was understandable. Especially, Deidara will stay in Konoha after their wedding. It will be felt like Shirotsuchi lost his son. Deidara maybe reached adulthood but he has always been Shirotsuchi's little boy. He was like a treasure to the man.
Itachi reassures the man with, "Only him."
Shirotsuchi glanced at Itachi before closing his eyes. He was silent for a long time. Before he gave a nod in understanding. "You have my blessing, Itachi Uchiha."
Itachi's eyes sparkled and he smiled with gratitude, "Thank you." He never is so happy he could accomplish something. Yet, the blessing was not a mission, not a target. He needed it to be with Deidara and despite Tsuchikage wanting the wedding as soon as possible, Shirotsuchi as the biological father of Deidara was the one who can prevent this wedding should he want. How relieved Itachi was to have his blessing, "I won't let you down, Sir."
The older man nodded. He was silent with a thoughtful gaze before he said, "I heard that Deidara will wear your great-grandfather Izuna's Montsuki for the wedding."
"Indeed," Itachi nodded.
"I don't mean to disrespect your mother or Konoha, but will it be acceptable if he doesn't wear it?"
Itachi blinked. "Pardon?"
—000—
In the evening, Deidara was reading a letter from Sasori in his room beside Naruto's. He read the information about Akatsuki's members will arrive in Konoha tomorrow when Kushina knocked on his door. He said, "Come in." Deidara folded the letter then he welcomed her and rose to his feet.
Kushina opened it with a warm smile when she found him standing beside the bed with a white shirt and black pants, "Deidara, your father is here." She gestured to the man behind him with a white box in his hands.
"Father," Deidara didn't expect his father will be here after yesterday. He thought the man will be in Itachi's house for today. Kushina let him in and said, "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Then, she closed the door.
The father and son looked at each other in silence. It made Deidara uncomfortable. His father rarely talk to him and Deidara loved to talk. Their conversation never interested him because his father was not one to talk. Albeit, he was curious why his father was here.
"I thought you will meet Itachi today," Deidara's confusion was clear in his voice. He expected to see his father in the ceremony, not in private. He could handle his father better when there were people around them. Deidara merely didn't know what to talk to his father.
"I met him this morning. He is a fine man. You pick your man well, Deidara," he commented. Misty blue eyes widened at the compliment. It was not such a pleasantry nor small talk. His father was not the one who usually made small talk. Deidara knew this. He realized his father was not a chat box like him. He only talks when necessary. Therefore, it was a compliment. Deidara was surprised to hear it.
However, he has become more surprised when his father lifted the box in his hands higher, "I have something for you."
Misty blue eyes focused on the white box. "What is it?" Deidara was curious. He never received a gift from his father. He couldn't imagine what it would be. His father was not someone with predictable behavior. Since he rarely talk, it was hard to guess his thoughts.
He gave it to Deidara, "Open it."
Deidara accepts it with both hands. He put the box on the bed because it was quite big to hold in one hand. It was 40 x 90 cm. He opened the top to find a set of wedding kimono inside. Misty blue eyes widened, "It's a montsuki..." His first thought was that maybe it was Itachi's great-grandfather's montsuki, "Did Itachi ask you to bring Izuna Senju's montsuki from his house, un?"
"No. It's not from Itachi's house," his father replied. "I brought it from Iwagakure."
Deidara blinked, he turned to his father, "Did you order one for me? How did you have time to make a new one, un?" Usually, montsuki was custom-tailored. Hence, Deidara was confused, "The wedding had just decided recently." There was not enough time to make a new one. Yet, there was a montsuki set in the box. Flawless. Was his father ordered one for him even before all of this?
"It was not a new one." As expected, Deidara thought. His gaze back to the inside of the box Before he could be asked who's this montsuki's owner, The older man's voice got slightly heavier. Deidara was not prepared for the next words. "It's Koutarou's. Your dad's montsuki."
Deidara snapped his head towards his father. He saw a sad smile there as his father looked down at the montsuki inside the box. Misty blue eyes widened. His racing heartbeat intensified as his father walked closer to him. He stood beside the blond as he told him, "Koutarou looked beautiful on our wedding day years ago."
Deidara was lost for words when his father looked at him gently, "I believed you will too."
Shirotsuchi looked at the montsuki when he explained, "I talked to Itachi and Mikoto-sama about this. They will accept your decision should you want to wear this on your wedding day." He glanced at his son when he asked, "Will you wear this on your wedding day, Deidara?"
Deidara was startled as if he just realized his father was there. That question was not something he has foreseen. Not even this. His eyes latched on the montsuki. It was his dad's. The one who gave birth to him and lost his life. Despite Deidara never knowing Koutarou, there was some part of him that hated his dad because he was not there when Deidara grew up. And, there was the smallest part of him that hated himself because he was alive while his dad was not. That part blamed himself for being alive.
He hated when his peers talked about their parents. Both parents when he barely had a conversation with his father. Thus, he drown himself in creating art and was ignorant about the world because it was hurt whenever he remember he made someone die just because he was born. His father never blames Deidara nor is he affectionate towards him. It hurt him too.
"I don't know about that, un," he mumbled as water gathering in his eyes. Eyebrows frowned deeply when he stared down at the montsuki. There was an indescribable fury built inside Deidara. It was father wound.
"Koutarou will be happy if you wear it," Shirotsuchi told him.
And that was it!
"All I know about Dad was only his bloodline limit. Because I have it as well. Because that's what people told me about him," he glared at his father with concealed hurt in his voice, "I don't know his personality, his thoughts, his past because someone who knew all of that never told me about it!"
Shirotsuchi close his eyes in regret as Deidara continued, "All my life, you never told me about him. You are barely at home! Then, you come here and give me his montsuki like I've been knowing him! Do you expect me to just nod and say yes?!?!"
It hurt.
So fucking damn hurt!
What made it hurt the most was that Deidara wanted to know about his dad. He tried to ask about Koutarou but people only remember him because of his bloodline limit. He wanted to ask his father but the man was rarely at home. Deidara wanted to but Shirotsuchi never gave it to him.
A drop of tears slides down Deidara's face. "You never told me about Dad... Why now..."
Shirotsuchi opened his eyes and it was full of regret. He raised his hand to wipe away Deidara's tears, "Forgive me, son..."
Deidara pushed his father's hand away, "Do you think it will be enough?!"
"I was a fool," the older man admitted. "I didn't know how to handle my sorrows. I was living in the past and I lost my time to be there for you..."
"Oh, really? I never realize that," retorted Deidara with full of sarcasm.
The father sighed, "As you know, I'm not good with words. I can't communicate well with people. However, Koutarou always stayed beside me and his presence was everything to me. When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul. I didn't know what to do."
"Do you think you are the only feel that?! How do you think a kid felt when he lost his birth father but his living father never give a damn about him? Huh? Have you thought about that?! No, RIGHT?!" Deidara snapped at his father. Tears flowed without control as he talked, "I bet you are relieved I'm getting married. I will stay in Konoha for the rest of my life with my new family! You don't have to see me again! Good riddance, huh?!?"
Shirotsuchi widened his eyes then he embraced Deidara tightly. Deidara struggle to get away as he cried, "Release me!"
"I'm sorry, Deidara," Shirotsuchi whispered. Deidara stopped his movement when that voice was thick with emotion. "I'm sorry I'm not a good father. I'm sorry I neglected you. It's all my fault." Deidara's tears became unstoppable as he listened to his father's apology. Something he wanted for the longest time. As proof that his father still cares for him. He cared enough to apologize for the past.
"I thought I will have all the time to make amends with you after I have to heal myself first... But... You are getting married... I lost my chance..." Regret colored Shirotsuchi's words. Deidara felt his father tighten his embrace as if to emphasize his words. "I'm not relieved to have you away from me... I don't want to lose you too, Deidara..."
Deidara mumbled with annoyance, "Serves you right!"
He truly thought the older man deserved it. He neglected his son due to his own sorrows. There was nothing that could justify their past. Shirotsuchi lost his time as a father. It was his fault. Not, Deidara's. The blond was just a child. Innocent and neglected. Yet, his hands hugged his father's back and he rested his head on the older man's left shoulder like a child would be. Something he always wanted to do when he was a child. Something he craved from his father.
Shirotsuchi was surprised to the point his tears fell without him realizing it. Deidara never did this when he was a child. Shirotsuchi never gave him an opportunity for that. He cried silently on Deidara's golden lock. Full of guilt. His one and only son. Craving for his love after all the time he failed him. Of course, he loved him. Deidara was his son. His and Koutarou's. Nothing could change that. He kissed Deidara's crown tenderly. To convey wordlessly his love for his only son. He couldn't put words to make him understand. He loved Deidara.
When he leaned away but still embraced the son, he cradled Deidara's face with his right hand. He smiled sadly, "You said you never know your Dad but you grew up looking like him." His thumb wiped any tears from his face. "You were born with Koutarou genes. You have his hair, his eye color, his bloodline limit, but your stubbornness maybe it's from me..."
"Of course, I'm your son, after all, un," he frowned and pouted at the same time. Shirotsuchi smiled at his son genuinely for the first time.
So did Deidara.
—000—
"Ugh, where are they, un?" Deidara was annoyed.
He kept glancing at the clock on the wall and glared at the front door of the Namikaze's household. He was alone sitting on the sofa. Upset. Kushina went to the Uchiha compound to help Mikoto with the wedding. Naruto was out to run some errands. Minato was keep Tsuchikage company. And Deidara was waiting for Akatsuki members to come. They wrote in the letter he received yesterday that they would be here at 1 pm.
All Akatsuki members will be here and stay until the wedding reception. Deidara was pleased to know that. He won't be admitted but he missed them. He missed Hidan's dirty joke, Sasori's complaining, and even Kakuzu's threat to cut his salary if Deidara blows something which was not included in the mission.
Yesterday was an emotional day for him. He talked to his father about all his insecurity since he was a child and his father patiently listened to him as if he wanted to make up for all those years he failed his son. It was exhausted because Deidara pulled up all the father wound he had. Yet, it was not unpleasant. It made him feel better after their deep talk. And it made Deidara understand that his father was struggling as well after his dad's death. Deidara tried to imagine what if he was in his father's shoe. Itachi's death would be a hard blow and Deidara couldn't imagine how he would handle that.
It will take time for them to repair their relationship as father and son but the first step was there. They both took it together.
When the bell were ringing, Deidara was on his foot in a matter of second and ran towards the front door. It must be them, he thought. It couldn't be any Namikazes because they don't need to ring the bell if they want to come on. Plus, he told them in his letter that he stayed at Hokage's residence during Kakuri Days. It will be a fool of them if they couldn't find this house.
Deidara opened the door hastily as he feigned a scowl, "Why do you guys take so long, un?!"
He complained but there was a grin on his face.
Thank you for reading! Please review if you don't mind!
Sorry, it took a long time for me to update. I'm kinda addicted to drawing right now hehe
Father wound: it's a term for children who were neglected by their father.
a.abchohan: hope you like it!