Of Broken Glass
Summary: Ino is dating again—which wouldn't be a problem if she didn't have a son. But, as a widow she had to do something to make sure she wasn't alone the rest of her life. But, if her 8 year old son has anything to say about this "Mr. Uchiha" wouldn't see his mom ever again.
Chapter One: Healing
Ino was inside the internet café with one goal in mind, getting her son Kido out of the corner of the café—his favorite spot—to soccer try outs. From the computer screen, Kido Yamanaka saw his mother striding up to him like an angry tiger. He clicked out of the Dungeon & Dragons game and turned around on the wheelie chair. His face was pale and tired; under his eyes were purple bags. Ino looked shocked; for once her mouth was dry and raw from not knowing what to say.
"Kido you are never allowed to come here again, and you will play a sport!" His mother exclaimed, as if she had ran out of patience like a dynamite stick and at the end of that patience she exploded into anger. She looked like a fierce lion, and Kido was a young zebra—prey. He swirled his tongue in his mouth, he dared not speak his mind, that his mother should stop trying to get him in the sun, and leave him alone or join him. But, he reluctantly arose slowly.
At the soccer tryout Ino cheered on her son loudly as he played against people who have been doing it their whole lives, if they hadn't those who watched it before (minus in school), and those who actually wanted to do it a little (unless someone forced them to, but at least they made it looked like they cared). It wasn't that Kido dragged himself like molasses running down a tree, but it was like a mannequin come to life barley and was running around in circles as the ball traveled away from him.
Ino stopped cheering when he began to get tired, while everyone fought for a spot. He was panting on his knees, but shook it off and began to get back in the game—or kind of in the game because he wasn't really in it before.
Ino began to cheer as he stole the ball, and kicked it into the goal with force. He had played it just like he would in Dungeons & Dragons, he kept the ball for a few more moments after that, and skillfully passed the balls to teammates. Ino thought for sure he would get in. When they traveled home in the car, Ino wouldn't stop smiling and pinching his cheeks.
"There you go, buddy." She said over and over again as she drove. Kido embarrassingly blushed and accepting the job well dones' with a shy smile. The same smile Ino would joke about that he had some of Sakura's genes when they were the same age. But, Sakura wasn't her blood, so he didn't really get the joke.
When Ino missed the intersection home, Kido sat up and looked around. "Mom—"he began, but Ino had a knowing look on her face. He relaxed a bit and trusted her, she had done so on purpose or else she'd be twitching her mouth as a pull-off, or stomping and becoming rowdy. He yawned before leaning over and falling sleep.
By the time he woke up by the car stopping, he noticed a mini-mansion. He was wide awake and sitting up. It was an old Japanese style home, not the western modern one like his. He looked at the jasmine garden out front along with the cherry trees that were large in the front yard. A man was coolly waiting; Kido almost rolled his eyes—was it one of his mom's boyfriends again?
The man looked his mother's age about 28 or so, 20 years older than Kido. He shifted in his seat, and looked out the window to get a better look. The man had dark features, even dark hair and he looked as if he was effortlessly cool. Kido got out of the car the same time as his mother. He wasn't like the others; he didn't have business-y suits on and a greasy hairdo. He looked normal enough, quiet enough with a mysterious vibe to him. Kido wanted him as a friend, not a father.
"Kido this is Sasuke-kun. But, you call him Mr. Uchiha okay?" His mother said in her nice voice, she only used it for guests, but when he was younger he thought it was her real voice. Because she was nice all the time back then, until his dad died, then she wasn't mean or anything or not nice, just a bit less soft.
"Ino Nara, how are you?" said he looked pained but indifferent in his voice. Was this his form condolence? For something that happened 5 years ago? What did he have to be sorry about? Did he know that his mother used her maiden name now? Kido's mind came up with all sorts of questions.
"Sasuke, I don't go by that anymore." She said softly, she looked away shyly as if he had hit home. He didn't try and play Casanova hero like all the others, he simply just said "sorry" and moved on letting us come inside.
The two old friends chatted as if they spoke everyday practically ignoring the achieved eight years old, he didn't mind that much. His new technology had internet, and dungeons and dragons were "waiting". Kido felt as if someone was watching him, he looked up to see his mother and the new guy looking at him. He made a curious face expecting them to go on.
"I don't think he heard Sasuke, could you tell him again please?" His mother asked softly, Sasuke swiftly nodded.