Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
The school day is almost over. They all bustle and gather their things. It's Friday and when Aburame Sensei wishes them well as the bell rings, they run carefree through the classroom doors, out to enjoy the freedom of the weekend. Shikadai is having visitors over from Suna. Inojin is going to Chōchō's family's barbeque. Even Boruto is thrilled. On Sunday, he will spend the entire day with his father. The Seventh Hokage promised to take the day off for he and his family, and he never goes back on his word.
There is happiness in the air. It seems impossible not to catch the fever, but such is the case for Sarada Uchiha. A deep dread pools at the bottom of her stomach as she takes her last step through the school's playground and heads home.
She journeys the long way back so she will not run into her friends. She is not ready to face Sunday and all it means. If she could only time skip through it, life would be easier. Cruel fate dictates her life is not meant to be easy though, so this will not happen for this Uchiha.
She arrives to a lonely house with silence to fill the empty space. Her mother is working at the hospital on a double shift and will be away most of the weekend.
"It's important to give to others when we can," she reminds her.
When her mother refers to 'others', she means friends. She wants to give them the opportunity to spend this weekend with their families so she works in their place. Although it's understandable, Sarada can't help from feeling jealous with a bout of self pity. Never in history has 'other' ever referred to her on this celebratory day. It has always meant somebody else.
On any other weekend, she would run to see Chōchō, visit her mother at the hospital, or spend the day practicing shuriken accuracy. Instead Saturday is filled with moping, and when Sunday arrives, she closes the curtains and wallows in her own sadness. It's easier to shut out the day instead of welcome it's inevitability.
On the outside of the Uchiha house, the sun is shining and it's a beautiful day in Konoha. The hospital bustles with patients her mother helps to heal and grateful thank yous follow in the wake of her touch. Families laugh together. Children play. Mothers dote. Fathers relax and celebrate in private. It's a picture perfect world that doesn't exist for her.
She dares not hope this day can ever mean something to her. There is nothing happy about it. Nothing but sadness shrouds it. As a child she once hoped all that could change but now believes she has grown out of that impossible childhood fantasy.
To use the word 'happy' seems almost incomprehensible. What if you don't have a Father? she asks. Or worse, what if you do and he has never behaved like one? A day full of love dedicated to a father can be so hurtful for those without.
Happy will never be linked with Father's Day at least for her. Since when has it ever been happy?
Four more hours to go then the day will pass. Things will resume and she can put it behind her. She keeps telling herself she doesn't care. It doesn't matter.
Inwardly she knows it does. It's been exactly ten years no father has appeared on this day, and as childish as it is, a small part of her still hopes that might change. She can't help herself and whispers "Won't you come home to me Papa?" Then she stops. It's crushing. There is no mistake. Silence is her only answer yet again. There is no happy. There is no father. It's just another day.
~End~
Author's Note:
Sorry, there's no comfort to mask the hurt! Hopefully the comfort can come later if I can work on a continuation of "Regret." No doubt this is not a 'Happy' Father's Day gift but let's just say it's a secret wish that all fathers who choose not to be the ideal father for whatever reason, find the courage to love back the children who are so deserving of that gift.
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