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Chapter 7: Hazy Visions
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Mira sighed. The unexpected departure of his son caught him off guard. His nails dug to his palm as his frustration tighten his fists. He was so angry with himself- angry that despite for his total submission to his beloved son, he was not able to lift the veil of hatred that pushed his son to leave him in search for better sources of mana- the magical energy that supply all magi with their magics.
Being an archmagus, he never had the need for mana sources but his son is different. Another soft sigh escaped his lips. The days had been so beautiful. He finally secured a position in the high arcane's royal court, he found the broken shards of the philosopher's stone and inherited a huge treasure from the union of Archmages.
But all of it changed in one fateful day- one fateful day when his son decided to leave him leaving a whole in his chest that only Kira, his son can fill. Top it with the murder of his beloved father on a dangerous assassination mission and Mira was too blinded with sorrow.
Losing his two most precious people, Kira, his son and lover at the same time and Griomoire, his father who gave him everything, and Mira could no longer see reason.
He stared at the bottom of the cliff. His fears disappeared and it is as though he could see someone on the bottom. The pain on his chest lifted and he felt he was soaring.
"Papa!! Papa!"
His keen ears heard and he suddenly see the face of his son.
"Kira! Wait!"
"Go home, idiot. You can no longer give me the power I need. But always remember that I love you. Just, go home... GO HOME!"
Then suddenly, the terrain did not look so dangerous. The gigantic spines and poisonous fumes vanished as well as the thorny vines that littered the bottom. Mira can only see the body of his son in a tiled pathway smiling at him. The archmagus grinned. He stepped and welcomed the darkness.
"Kira... I'll bring you back even if I have to break every bone in your body."
With a jolt, Naruto took his teary eyes away from his screen. Why in the world he wrote a stupid angst scene on his new work and drowned in it, he had no idea.
But perhaps it is due to years of bottled up pain and solitude, or maybe it was because the sign of Sasuke's acceptance triggered painful memories, or even perhaps due to the last visit on his father's grave awakened emotions he had so diligently and worked hard to suppress, he could not stop but cried to himself.
He don't know himself for he cannot feel pain on his heart, only relief. The tears that are now freely falling on his face washed away the pains, the doubts and all that remains is acceptance. For many years, he finally was able to breathe freely and the load on his shoulders seemed to roll off and all that remains is Sasuke's smiling face.
Naruto wiped away the tears from his eyes, sighing happily, he let his mind wonder on Sasuke's figure. The boy that was thrown away by his own mother no less is now growing to be a fine young man. He is smart, he is strong, he is resilient, he is strong-willed, he is handsome... pretty. He is indeed perfect.
The mere thought of his son sent shivers to his body, enough to heat up his face and plastered a silly grin on its whiskered center. He can't believe he had raised such a fine man all by himself.
Shaking his head, he shook himself out of his daydream. Sasuke is his son, nothing more and nothing less. No matter what the future may bring, he will always be his son and he will continue to support him.
As Naruto takes a shower to prepare for their dinner, he didn't know how wrong he is.
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Sasuke pace around his room. Already his savings was cut in half just by preparing the lake and decorating it.
Exactly why he was going through such lengths to have an evening time with his father, is beyond him. He hated the man anyway so why is he wasting his savings for this idiot? Is it obligation? Is it to repay a debt of raising him? Or sending him to school perhaps? Sasuke did not know. Why did he even bothered in the first place?
But a voice inside him trampled his arguments with a simple "Because he is loveable and he deserves this."
Deserve this? The man has tried to hide his parents for years!
This thought invited his hatred back but his self-control won in the end. True, Naruto was quite annoying, but looking back, his father had done everything for him and Saske might even think that Naruto did not gain anything from his hard work, a fact he knew when he eavesdropped on Naruto's conversation from various contractors, agencies, groups and the writer's guild itself.
Shaking these thoughts out of his head, he exited his room and gathered the flowers that he laid on his bed.
Naruto is his father, it's time to recognize that. Wait, no, not his father. He'd like to think Naruto as his bitch, or perhaps, a soon to be lover. Sasuke nodded at that. He'd be more willing to be a lover than acknowledge the moron as his father.
With a smirk at his own creativity, he exited the gateway and made way to the lake, preparing it as best as he could before slipping on in his fanciest clothes.
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Naruto groaned to himself as he watched the clothes that littered his room. It has been an hour and still, he couldn't find the best clothes that he liked.
Of course he could just wear his usual casual clothing but somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that he has to wear something presentable. If one would look at the way he was running around his room, one could tell he was getting ready for a date, but of course that is quite a laughable statement because he was only going to have dinner with his son.
But somehow, he know that in this special night, something would change for the better. He just can't help but feel a bit of dread building at the pit of his stomach.
But in a few minutes, he managed to calm himself and settled for a white and blue-themed yukata he had. Grinning in contentment, his playful side emerged and decided to spice things up. Pulling out his "cosmetics kit" he pulled out an eyeliner and applied a generous amount. He washed his hair of sticky gel and let it fall down, which he noticed was now on his shoulder. He may have forgotten an appointment with the barber shop but oh well, he liked the effect anyway.
Playing with more of his things, reapplying, washing them again, he spent another hour before he settled for a style that he has chosen. With a final touch, he wore the choker that someone special gave to him, its blue crystal-shaped pendant complementing his bright blue eyes, and the blue jewelries that adorned both his earlobes.
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Sasuke put on a simple black suit. With a white polo underneath and a black tie to match. His black slacks blended nicely with his black leather shoes and that's it. It's quite simple, but an expensive outfit. Yet he didn't want to look so simple in front of his father so he decided to cover the place in red rose petals and various ornaments.
His eyes snapped to the lake's entrance, where he saw his father walking awkwardly in his yukata. Sasuke can't help but smile at this. His father was never used to wearing kimono. He just couldn't figure out why the idiot decide to wear it now.
But all thoughts vanished from his mind when Naruto's amazed blue eyes greeted his shocked intense black orbs.
Standing in front of him, his father had this strange expression, shyness maybe? But what amazed Sasuke more is the difference of the aura that Naruto carried. When his father used to emit an aura of loneliness mixed with wild and dominance side most of the time, this night covered him in a cheerful yet timid aura- an aura that appealed to Sasuke.
Before he could do anything stupid, he plastered a smirk on his face and greeted his father.
"My, you are quite beautiful today aren't you, Naruto."
Sasuke immediately pulled Naruto's right hand and pressed his lips on the back of it. Not used to the display, Naruto pulled his hand away.
"Good evening, Sasuke." He smiled shyly before looking around the lake and it turned into a playful grin. "My, Sasuke. I didn't know you had it in you to decorate."
"Shut up and sit down!"
"Relax Sasuke, I'm just messing with you."
"Just sit down already!" Sasuke appeared beside him with an irritated expression.
"Fine, fine. Geez. You still haven't changed have you?" Naruto grinned and hurried towards the table. But unfortunately, old habits never die and this is one of the rarest nights when his clumsiness showed up and he tripped on his own yukata.
Panicking, he pulled at the nearest object he could which happened to be Sasuke's necktie. The surprising action and the confusion sent them both on the floor with Sasuke on top of Naruto.
Terrified blue stormy pools met surprised onyx orbs... Lips nearly touching... Heartbeats racing... Chests touching...Time stood still...