Always by blackdragonflower

"Daddy? Why are we looked down upon?"

"Because we're different Shino, that's why."

The little boy nestled in closer to his father. The boy matched his father in every way. "That's dumb... why do we have to be monsters?

"Because they don't know us Shino. People are afraid of what they don't know."

"Is that why they always stay away from me and never want to play?"

"Yes."

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what Shino?"

"For being honest with me." The four and a half year old looked up into his father's sunglasses smiling. Shino hugged his father closely laughing as the kikaichu buzzed. "Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz..."

Shibi's laughter rang throughout the cozy home. "Do you like them?"

Shino nodded grinning. He loved to make his father happy. "Yup! The kikai are fun!"

Shibi held his son closely. "Shino, when everyone else around you fails or leaves you behind you'll always have a companion. The kikaichu will be with you until you die. Their loyalty will never falter."

Shino's cute black eyes stared up at his father's. Shibi took off his sunglasses and placed them on his head showing off similiar eyes. "Daddy? Will you always be here with me?"

"Yes. Always and forever."

"Really?" Shibi nodded and smiled. "Hey daddy! I learned how to count today in school!"

"May I hear?"

Shino crawled off his father's lap and stood up straight. His obsidian eyes sparkled with excitement and pride. "Ready daddy?"

"Mhmm... whenever you want to start."

"One, two, three, five, four, six, seven!" Shibi chuckled as he pulled the toddler back onto his lap.

"Shino, it's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven."

"Oh..." Shino frowned in disappointment.

"That was your first time. you did a good job."

"Okay daddy." His smile was back on once more.

"Shino?"

"Yes daddy?"

"I'm proud of you." Shino's eyes glittered and the kikaichu in him purred.

"Daddy!" Shino poked his stomach, "they happy!" He giggled as his father ruffled his hair. Shibi's kikaichu crawled from his skin and pulled little Shino into the air by his ankles. Shino hung there upside down, flailing his arms. "Daddy! Let me down!"

"Bedtime." Shibi announced sternly.

"Aww..." the child whined, "okay..." The kikai buzzed contently and carried Shino off to his bedroom. Shibi opened one of Shino's drawers to find one of his baggy undershirts.

"Shino, where'd you get my shirt."

"Your room." The boy simply replied. His innocent eyes stared up at his father.

Shibi sighed and unbuttoned Shino's tiny jacket. Once in his father's shirt, that was too big for him, and a pair of shorts Shino crawled into bed. Shibi kissed his son's forehead and watched as the boy fell asleep. He pulled the blanket over the boy's shoulders and ran a hand over Shino's head. As Shibi shut off the lights he looked back smiling. Shino was cuddled up with his favorite stuffed insect bathed in the gentle glow from his nightlight. As he began to close the door he heard his son mutter in sleep, "I love you daddy, always."

A/N One shot I wrote quite a while ago thought Shino and Shibi fans may want to read. Hope you liked it everyone!