"So just to be clear, you both are going to your mother's party?"
My brother and I nod silently, and my father gives us something that was close to a smile. He never actually grinned or showed any signs to anyone that he was happy. He's always been that way.
"I'm glad", he says as he fills out the bill for our meal. "And I'm glad we got to have this conversation over fine wine and nice food"
After that, there wasn't much to say. The last time I'd gone out to lunch with my father was when I was sixteen or fifteen. We barely talked when I was younger, mostly because I refused to hold a conversation with a lying, cheating asswipe. And all he wanted to talk about anyway was how badly he wanted me to be the vice president of our family's business or the type of girl that I should get into a relationship with. Funny how neither me nor my brother followed his wishes and chose our own career paths and got into relationships with the craziest girls who were...questionable...maybe that's why he's only ever contacted us for family events or emergencies. I think he's made his disappointment clear.
"Nice hotel you're staying in", he says to start some small talk.
"Very nice", Itachi adds. "Good service, kind employees", my brother goes on.
"It's unfortunate that you've got to put up with those annoying little teenagers though", my father interrupts. "The hotel's full of them, and their parents just let them run wild"
"Yes, most of the rowdy one's just came in today. It was quite peaceful before they arrived"
My father shakes his head in dismay. "I never let you guys run around like that when you were kids. I had you on the tightest leash there was"
But you weren't rarely ever the one holding the leash.
"And it was all for the best", Itachi says with a smile. "Look at how we turned out...especially Sasuke"
When he said that I finally took my eyes off my phone. There was no doubt in my mind that he only said that to get my attention.
"No phones at the table", my father orders.
"I'm a working, twenty five year old man", I remind him. "Not a fourteen year old posting status updates every two minutes"
"You're so disengaged", my brother points out. "I'm sure you can go ten minutes without your phone, even if you are using it for business purposes"
I sigh, and decided he was right. All I had to do was last ten minutes. I didn't even have to say anything.
"Anyway", my father says to change the subject. "I'm trying to get in touch with Jiraiya...the one who writes those perverted books your mother loves"
My brother and I look at one another as if we'd just found out the biggest secret there was in the world.
"She...she likes those books?", I ask.
"Apparently", he says with an eye roll. "She really wants him at her party. She's met him before and I'm assuming they talk every once in a while or she wouldn't be so desperate for him to go. It wouldn't surprise me if they were-"
The look on my face immediately shuts him up.
"Well, I just want him to show up. It would make her happy", he grumbles.
"Sasuke and I actually have his number"
"You do?"
My brother nods. "He's staying at the same hotel we're staying in. Sasuke even told him he wanted to put his book on the big screen"
"Really?"
"Yes", my brother says with a smirk. "And the man seems pretty excited to see it put into action"
"Interesting", my father says as he leans back. "I guess that just makes things easier for me. You both should invite him"
Again, my brother and I look at each other. "We'll make it happen", my brother says.
"Perfect", my father says before taking a sip of red wine. "And tell him he can bring a friend as long as that friend is well behaved", he says sternly. "Personally, I don't think a man of his status should even show his face at our-", he pauses when he realizes his mistake. "I mean your mother's party"
My brother smiles, and although my father can't see it, I can see his discomfort.
"We'll lay down the law", I say confidently. "It's in our best interest to make sure everything goes as planned"
"Just the way I raised you", my father says. "It's a man's job to keep everything in order"
We nod our heads obediently.
"And one day when you two have children", he begins.
Yeah, like that's going to happen.
"I hope you raise them the way I raised you...you know...teach them to be well spoken, and to be presentable, and to walk with their heads held high so they can see where they're going"
There was irritation in his voice towards the end of his little pep talk, and I instantly knew who he was talking about. I couldn't help but say his name.
"Naruto", I say under my breath.
"Who now?"
"No one", Itachi says to cover for me.
"Well he's obviously someone if his name was worth mentioning", he says sharply. "Is that the idiot who ran into me when I entered the hotel?"
My brother and I sat silently, hoping that our father would take the hint that we didn't want to have this conversation.
"I'll take that as a yes", he says before taking another sip of his wine. "How do you two know him?"
"He's Jiraiya's...grandson I think?", Itachi says with uncertainty.
My father raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Oh...I wouldnt've guessed. Jiraiya seems to be a completely different nationality than him"
"Naruto's half japanese so there's got to be some type of biological relation. I'm pretty sure I recall him saying he's his grandson", my brother adds.
Well there's something I didn't know about him.
"Naruto...what a peculiar name", he says with a scoff. "His parents should have just named him Nathan or something. He looks too western", my father says before finishing his glass. "And why did you two get all weird when I asked if the kid was just his grandson?"
There were multiple times where my brother and I would lie to our father to get out of a sticky situation. This was mostly when we were teenagers- we'd throw parties from time to time when our parents were gone for the weekend, and whenever their suspicion would rise, we always had a lie we made up and collaborated to make it sound real. But this was just a little different.
"We just think he's...weird", I say to keep things simple. Let's face it, it was much better than making up some extravagant lie that would be too hard to remember later on or saying that my brother had been fucking him on a regular basis right after I'd gone on a date with him.
My father eyes us suspiciously before speaking his mind. "He seems a little fruity to me, if you know what I mean"
My eyes widen at the comment and I looked over at Itachi who was actually laughing at the remark.
"You know, that might be it", Itachi says with a smile.
"Goodness, what's wrong with this generation...all these funky looking queer kids", my father grumbles. "I bet if his parents raised him right, he wouldn't be that way...and you know what's really confusing me right now?"
The question was obviously rhetorical.
"Why would his parents let him go on a vacation with a pervert like Jiraiya?"
Because he doesn't have parents. Asshole.
"His family situation is unknown", my brother says. "You never know what's going on in someone's life"
My father snorts. "Poor kid", he says as he shakes his head. "I may not have been around as often as I should have, but I can at least say I was there for you two. It's a blessing"
I hold the urge to roll my eyes. To be truthful, my father was only in the house when he was needed and was gone when it was the most convenient or beneficial to him. When my mother and father had intense arguments, he'd leave for a few weeks until my mother would call him, begging for him to come back. To this day, I'm sure they still have arguments over things like infidelity and finances, but when it's all said and done, she comes crawling back to him like her life depends on his presence. The relationship they have is clearly not a healthy one, and I'm positive the only reason they're together is because it would look bad if they broke up. I would say that it's pretty selfish of them, considering all the hell their drama used to put my brother and I through, but it's understandable. The most important thing about being the media's eye is not how successful your career is, but who you're dating and how quickly it will end. As soon as a couple in the public eye splits up, rumors begin to pour out even more than when the couple was together. A failed marriage never looks good when you're a well accomplished business man.
"A blessing indeed", my brother says with a smile.
I could tell he was being sarcastic, but my father was always the one to think highly of himself. It wouldn't ever cross his mind that Itachi was mocking his parenting skills. He was too high on his horse to think otherwise.
"We should keep in touch more often", my father says after the waiter takes the bill.
The statement was almost as shocking as the guilty look on his face.
"I know I was a little upset when neither of you took on the family business...but I'm over it now"
Yeah. Three fucking years later.
"And I must say that I'm proud of both of you for making it out there on your own. It's just hit me that maybe it was best that everything wasn't handed to you on a silver platter"
For the first time ever, my father understood where we were coming from, and that alone made me do something I rarely ever did- smile.
"So things really went that way?"
I nod my head and rub my temples.
"Yes. I've never seen my father look so guilty in my life...it was...odd to say the least", I say before taking a sip of my bloody marry. "And guess what else?"
"What?", Jugo asks curiously.
"My father ran into Naruto earlier...you know..the guy I told you about"
"Ah yes, him", Jugo recalls.
"Yeah, and then he brought him up at the lunch table and I told him his name was Naruto"
"And then?"
"And then he started talking about how he looked fruity and asking questions like how my brother and I knew him and what not", I say lazily.
"And you said?"
"I said Jiraiya told us about him. Did I mention that Naruto is Jiraiya's grandson?"
"Really?", Jugo said with both eyebrows raised. "Now that's interesting"
"Yeah, they live in the same suite as me too. Small world isn't it?"
Jugo nods before taking a sip of beer. "Sure is. And what are you going to do when he shows up to your mother's party? Jiraiya's allowed to bring a guest, right?"
"You really think he'd take him to my mother's party? And you really think the kid would want to go after all that's happened between us?"
"You never know", Jugo warns you. "A lot of things happen that we may not understand, but if it's all avoidable…"
"You're right", I admit. "I should just tell him not to bring the kid...or to not bring anyone at all. He's the type who would show up with a stripper"
"Strong words coming from someone who's only met him once"
"Yeah. And one time was enough to figure him out. I'm going to send him the invite tomorrow, and he better read the invite thoroughly", I say sternly. "No weapons, no casual attire, no showing up late", I say to go down the list. "And no Naruto fucking Uzumaki"
"Would it really be bad if he was late by a few minutes?"
"It would be okay if he was, you know, someone important", I remind him coldly. "But him being as unimportant as he is, showing up late would be a pretty bold, disrespectful thing to do"
My phone rings, and the Caller ID causes me to roll my eyes. "Konan", I state dryly.
"I didn't know you two still talked"
"We barely do", I grumble. "But she showed up outside of my work place once...it was so weird... and the story is too long and I don't have the patience to tell it", I say. "All you need to know is that we had a couple drinks together a week or two ago"
"Hm. Strange how she's randomly showing interest in you after all the shit she dragged you through"
"Tell me about it"
I hit the ignore button, not caring too much for how it would make her feel. I've got enough problems, I don't need her being one.
"You don't need her...that woman's crazy. She almost killed your snake"
I snort. "That's nothing compared to the twenty other crazy things she's done"
We both laugh, and after everything that's happened, it was nice to be able to settle down with someone I trusted. Hell, I trusted him so much that I let him be the designated driver. If that isn't trust, I don't know what else is.
"I think I've had enough alcohol for the night", Jugo says as he puts his drink down.
"I sure as hell haven't", I reply as I shake my empty cup. "Another bloody marry, please"
A/N: A quick update because I have nothing better to do. I wrote this chapter in like four hours, which is surprising since it usually takes me a lot longer. Let me know if there are any gramatical errors or just errors in general. I hope you enjoyed! Leave reviews telling me what you think!