[Closed] So it's a little late to ask his hand in marriage or anything but...

[senseiofthesea]

Where: Uchiha District konoha
When: March 6th
Who: Fugaku and Iruka
Notes: Iruka felt it was only appropriate that he talk to his boyfriend's father after accidentally causing the whole... thing.

Iruka hadn't meant to cause Itachi to abdicate his responsibilities, and when he'd been told that was Itachi's intent after asking what he'd though was a simple question, he'd quickly figure dout he needed to get in contact with the younger man's family and make sure all was well.

It was a certainty he'd been trying to coax Itachi to be more open with his family, after all, though this result wasn't... quite what he'd been trying for. Thus why he was here, lightly tapping on the door to Fugaku's office for the meeting he'd arranged with the man.

Comments

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku had expected to hear from Iruka. He appreciated the formal request for a meeting, though Fugaku was going to have to get used to less formal meetings with the teacher. Actually, if Fugaku wanted to see Itachi more than once or twice a year, making Iruka feel welcome in the main house might be the way to do it.

Fugaku has intended to be ready for the visit, but he'd been trying to decipher Sawamura's handwriting. The head injury had evidently scrambled what little good sense he had. He was getting put on leave until he could write a coherent sentence. Or write period.

Fugaku didn't quite jump when Iruka tapped on his door, but he looked up with a glare that was less ill temper more squinting at squiggles.

"Come in." Fugaku took off his reading glasses and rubbed his nose.

[senseiofthesea]

He paused for a moment at the glare... but he picked up readily that it wasn't aimed at him. "Bad handwriting woes?" It was a trial he knew well, and he stepped into the room, closing the door lightly behind him as he padded over to sit on the other side of the man's desk.

[disgruntledmountain]

At Iruka's comment, Fugaku looked back down at the paper. He really needed sleep. This was short hand. The concussion had only made Sawamura stupid, not incompetent. He probably had his normal neat and tidy report sitting in his desk and Fugaku had been giving himself a migraine trying to decipher short hand.

"Something worse." If it had taken Fugaku that long to figure out the paper was in short hand, he should be more worried about himself. Luckily he didn't need to send people to be tutored in writing by Academy students.

[senseiofthesea]

He looked at the man thoughtfully. "Fugaku-sama, if this isn't a time that works for you, I can come back later." He shook his head a little. "Or I can go bring tea and food and we can discuss over that."

[disgruntledmountain]

"If you would like some tea, please feel free to make yourself some. I doubt Mikoto would begrudge you the use of her kitchen, but please don't make any on my account." Fugaku paused a looked at the precise arrangement of everything in his office. It was a very sterile room, very business like, and he could almost see Itachi kneeling where Iruka now sat, perfectly formal and stern. Fugaku considered that image. The implications.

He would rather some things changed.

"Let us go to the kitchen, and I will make you some tea." They weren't family, really, Itachi hadn't married Iruka, but Iruka had been a part of Itachi's life for years now. "And we can talk."

[senseiofthesea]

He nodded, getting back to his feet at the words and stepped away from his chair. "Of course. If I may, Fugaku-sama, you look a bit like you could use the tea too." He smiled at him, shaking his head before slipping out the door to head to the kitchen, knowing his way around the house perfectly well by now.

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku grunted as he stood and followed Iruka out. The "sama" would have to go eventually. Better not to shake things up too badly right away. If Fugaku were actually home when meal preparations were going on, he'd help Mikoto out in the kitchen. Working with someone in the kitchen lent things an intimacy that was vaguely uncomfortable now that Fugaku was in it.

"I assume you're here to talk about Itachi." Fugaku got down two cups.

[senseiofthesea]

"I am." He hesitated for a moment, then finally moved over and pulled down some of the finger snacks he knew Mikoto kept up in one of the cupboards. He'd gotten them down often enough for Itachi during his visits, and he made sure to not get the sweeter ones only, uncertain if the man had a proper sweet tooth even after the observation he'd managed over the years.

"I didn't mean for him to move away from his family, so I felt it important I come talk to you, as his father if nothing else."

Snacks in hand, he put them on a plate then sat them on the table before seating himself, not picking at them at all, instead waiting for Fugaku.