Bankotsu.
Ten Years Ago…
I take off the black, button-down shirt in my room. Next comes off the polished shoes and then the black pants. I slied on a random pair of pajama pants and kept my white tank on. I light a cigarette and lay back on my bed.
Today was my mother's funeral. I'm sixteen, and the last one out of my brothers that live in the household with my parents.
My mother was the most beautiful women I knew. She had kind, brown eyes and long black hair. A pale complexion, delicate features, and a petite structure. She also had a heart of gold, always putting her sons above all. I never get what she saw in my father.
Fernando Shichinitai.
He was cold, heartless, but most of it was directed towards me. Renkotsu was on his way to be a therapist, Suikotsu a doctor, and although he didn't care for Jakotsu, he left him alone. He was abusive and angry, a retired war 'hero', but his violence never left him.
I head the front door open and sigh, going out to the living room.
"Hey dad…" I mumble.
"What? Tch, look at you. Can't even stay formal on the day of your mother's death? You should be ashamed!" He snaps out of pure, sober anger. I just bite my bottom lip and nod. Today, I wouldn't argue back with him. I had little respect for him, but I knew that just like I had lost my mother, he had lost his wife. "What? Cant defend yourself anymore without your precious mommy?" He mocks and I snap my neck to look up in his direction.
"Don't start." I whisper, trying to keep it from sounding like a threat.
"Or what? She isn't here to fight your battles anymore, Bankotsu." He spat my name as though it were venom.
"You wouldn't give a shit if she were here or not because you never gave a damn about her!" I finally shout and his fist makes contact with my jaw. I fall back and grunt, rubbing the spot that will be bruised by tomorrow; and glare up.
"How fucking dare you." He roughly kicks my gut and I grab his leg and pull him down to the ground with me, only he quickly retaliates, slamming my head into the door. He gets to his feet and I hold my bleeding head.
"Bastard…" I mutter.
"Get out of my house you disgrace!" He points to the door and I just continue to glare. "Now! You were never considered my son, and I never want to see you again!"
I growl at him, remembering how deep my hatred is.
"Rot in hell you piece of shit." I limp out the door and slam it. He doesn't care…
Today…
I sigh and walk up the steps of the familiar brick house. Nothing has changed since my last visit over a month ago.
I use the key Renkotsu lent me and go inside. The inside looks the same as well. Hardly anything looks touched; he's always clean and kept things the way my mother left them.
I go up the steps and sigh, stopping in front of the door. I hesitate before opening it and watch as my father lies in the bed.
He's paled and aged, and right now, he's coughing up blood into a tissue. He glares up to me once he sees who it is.
"What you doin' here?" He scoffs and tucks the tissue away, not ever showing weakness around people, especially me.
"…came by to check up on ya." I shrug and contently pull a chair up to his beside. He's been sick for years now, and I've watched as it got worse.
"Well get out, I don't need you here." He rolls his eyes and I sigh.
"Well maybe I want to be here." I whisper.
"You're so fucking pathetic." He grumbles.
"…I lost one parent already….it was a while ago…but I never got to tell ma how grateful I was for her…" I start and hear him mutter under his breath. "…even after how much of an ass you were to me…you're my dad…"
"I don't consider you my son." He cuts me off and I frown.
"But I consider you my dad…" I argue in a calm tone.
"You're just desperate for attention, just like…" He stops when I place a card on his lap.
"Happy father's day, dad." I whisper and he stares at it. He casts his glance to me before slowly opening it. I already know what it says, seeing I wrote it.
"Dad, I know I was difficult to raise, but I also know I didn't deserve the punishment I received from you.
Part of me wonders where I'd be if I hadn't gotten that treatment, though.
You made me stronger and able to push myself through things I never thought I'd accomplish, even if you didn't mean to.
My goal was to show you I was as good as you, and then it became to show I was better than you, now…I just want you to know I love you.
You can overcome your sickness, just like I overcame everything you threw at me.
Your son,
Bankotsu."
I watch as he stares at the card and then, quickly wipes his eyes. I smile a bit and look away, knowing he's crying but also knowing he'd snap my neck if I smirked about making him do it.
"I'm gunna head out." I get up and he nods, placing the card on his nightstand.
"Bankotsu…" He mumbles and I glance over my shoulder before leaving the room.
"Huh?"
"…I'm proud of you…" He whispers, to me, for the first time in his life. I smile and nod. "…now get out." He smirks and turns on his TV. I wave and leave.
Finally hearing what I've waited 26 year to hear from the man that gave me my strength.
Kikyou.
Today…
I silently walk down the cemented path alongside my brother, who is the oldest of four siblings. Technically, he's one of my half-brothers, but my two half-brothers were closer to me than my full sister. On father's day, Kagome was off to Paris with her stepfather and mother, mines too but I would never admit aloud that I am related to her. I watched as the black Cobra pulled up and out ran the brother that was between us, Ricky. He ran up and hugged us both.
The three of us did this annually. On father's day, our father's birthday, and the anniversary of his death, we met at the cemetery to give our love. We came separately often though, and usually we made a point on holidays to stop by.
We walk in silence, the tension running thick. Ronnie and Ricky had both lived in Portugal, they came to America when dad died and moved back until a few years ago.
We all make the turn left and stop, knowing exactly where the tombstone we're looking for is. I gently place the white roses in front and stare with my brother's.
Lorenço Antonio Rivera
1961-1999
Was all the stone read. No quote, no prayer, nothing. We made sure to say one every time we came.
"Happy Father's Day, dad…" Ricky whispered and smiled a little, always keeping a positive outlook. My lips tremble and I quickly wiped my eyes.
"Sh…" Ronnie pulled me close and I leaned on his chest. "He's in a better place right now…" He slowly stroked my hair. Ricky snickers a bit and we both look over to see him staring right at the stone.
"You were always his little girl, Kiky." He smiles and I do the same and sniffle.
Twenty Years Ago…
I sniffle and quickly wipe my eyes when I hear the front door open. Daddy's home now and I don't wanna look stupid.
"I got your favorite!" I hear him hold up a paper bag and figure its take-out. I would go for the dumplings, but instead I stay sitting up on my knees at the coffee table with my arms crossed and my back faced to him. "Kikyou?" I hear sympathy in his voice and cross my arms tighter before bowing my head to hide my scowl mixed with a pout. "What's the matter?" I hear him put his keys down and take his coat off before sitting behind me on the couch.
"Nothing…" I mutter, feeling him softly stroke my ponytail.
"Aw, c'mon, you can tell me." He lifts me up and pulls me on his lap. I keep my gaze on the ground and my arms crossed, fidgeting with my tiny feet.
"…happy father's day." I mumble under my breath and know him well enough to know he's smiling.
"Thank you." He brushes my bangs aside and pecks my forehead softly.
"I made you a card…" I frown and fidget with the end of my dress.
"Oh?" He arches his brow and I nod.
"I made it all by myself at the park….but then it got ruined…" I bite my bottom lip.
"How'd that happen, sweetheart?" He leans back on the couch and holds me close as I nuzzle his chest and cling to his shirt.
"…Danny and Mike ripped it." I whimper.
"Who?"
"Danny and Mike, two boys from school. I made it at the park and it was really pretty and special and they ruined it." I feel myself start to tear again but stay remain silent and make no eye contact so the tears won't fall.
"Kiky, I don't need a card." He gently cradles me. I wipe my eyes and look up to him.
"But you're the best daddy ever…" I mumble and watch his eyes light up a little, though his expression is still calm. "I wanted to make you something really special…" I look back down and he tilts my chin so I meet his gaze.
"Kikyou, the only thing the best daddy needs is the best daughter ever, and I already have that." He winks and I smile at him, blushing slightly and kicking my feet around in the air. "And I'm sure that card was the prettiest, specialist card because it came from the prettiest, specialist girl." He assures and tickles my tummy. I giggle and squirm but don't move. I lean on his chest and nuzzle back in his chest.
"I love you daddy." I whisper.
"I love you too, Kikyou." He strokes my back.
Today…
I let a tear fall from my eye again and Ronnie frowns and wipes it away.
"Sh…"
"…think he misses us?" Ricky asked.
"Yeah…he had the specialist kids ever…." I smirk and they both smile and nod.
"Everything'll work out in the end…" Ronnie recites dad's most famous quote and we nod, closing our eyes and bowing our heads.
"Love you dad." Ronnie whispers.
"Happy father's day…" Ricky adds and they both walk to their cars, but I know they'll wait there for me, giving me a moment alone.
"…you're the best daddy ever…" I whisper, wipe the last tear from my eye, and blow a kiss.
Even in death, I'll always be close to him.
Naraku.
I sigh and sit on down on my couch with a bottle of whiskey in my hand. I turn on the Plasma TV and sip from the bottle.
Father's day is extremely overrated to me. But that view most likely is because my father was such an asshole. It was never celebrated and today, I know everybody's doing their own things with their dads, or mourning, reminiscing, but today, I would stay alone and drink. My siblings unfortunately have the same outlook as me, so it's really just a day where we all keep to ourselves.
I hear a knock at the door and groan. Some idiotic mooch came to harass me. I turn the TV down.
"It's open!" I yell and close my eyes. As expected, the door swings open no less than a second later and I rest my whiskey bottle on my knee.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" I hear a somewhat familiar voice yell and look up, just in time to get tackled in a hug by my four-year-old son.
"Where's Kiky...your mother?" I correct myself.
"She's in the car…I asked to come see you and she said ok so…hi." He smiles with his toothy grin and I smile back, somehow that smile enlightened my mood.
"Why so eager to come?" I ask. I am his father but, unfortunately, I'm not able to see him as much as I like.
"Because it's father day." He chimes and holds up a blue envelope. "I got you a card! I picked it out all by myself." He states proudly and I pull him so he's sitting up on my lap. His legs happily swing around in the air and he folds his hands on his lap, though I can tell he's anxious by the creepy stare he's giving me.
"What?" I arch my brow and he points to the envelope in my hand that I somehow forgot about.
"Read it!" He smiles excitedly. "Read it, read it, read it!" He chants.
"Ok, ok." I smile and open the card and scan through.
"Out loud." He adds and I sigh, he's as demanding as his mother, though Kikyou is still close to me.
"Dad, you're the coolest guy I know." I read the cover and open it as he leans on me to peek at the card. I wrap my arm around him before continuing. "You're smart, funny, caring and kind. I hope I can be just like you when I grow up. Happy father's day, love, Angelo." I read and frown.
"Do ya like it?" He asks eagerly and I nod.
"It's the best gift I've ever been given…right after you." I peck his forehead and hold him close, not sure how true it is, even though its only a store bought, cheesy card that now holds value to me. I hear the door open and smile as Kikyou comes in. she nods and sits on the other couch.
"Happy father's day, dad." Angelo smiles up.
"Thank you, Angel."
-
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
A/N: These reflect my personal views, several inspired by BewilderedLoca and our RPs, and don't relate to each other. Just a little father's day tribute to three character's with different views. Please review.
