Fathers:
a series of vignettes
by Kayla Chavi
email: kaylachavi@hotmail.com
website:
* * *
This particular vignette is dedicated to my own father. While he'll probably never see this, its for a man who was never afraid to give me good advice and teach me—whether I wanted it or not. And if by chance, he does stumble onto this—I love you, Otou-san.
* * *
::estimation::
He knew something was wrong the moment he felt her chakra. It was angry and volatile, almost exploding. When she walked through the front door, bypassing both the kitchen and shower to disappear into the practice room, his suspicions were confirmed.
"You should probably talk to her," his wife commented idly. "Before she destroys everything in a fit of pique."
He sighed and stood, heading to the back to watch and decide the best course of action. The first thing he noticed was that half of her hair was missing. Second was the uncharacteristic frustration she used to demolish the dummy.
When she didn't calm herself after a good length of time, he decided she had tortured herself enough and needed a new distraction. With lazy confidence he threw a kunai at her back. She didn't hesitate. The young girl whirled around and caught it.
"Normally people who make it through the third preliminaries spend the next three days sleeping." He raised an eyebrow. She huffed and threw the weapon at a target on the far wall. "What's wrong?"
"Shikamaru passed. I didn't."
Ah, so that was what bothering her. "Shikamaru is a genius and a lazy ass. I took the exam twice before passing. Your mother took it three times." He stopped when she started shaking her head emphatically.
"I tied!" she hissed with revulsion. "With Sakura! Weak, crybaby, big forehead Sakura!" Her voice caught as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Ino," he said gently. She looked up, her blue eyes wet. "Are you at the same level as when you graduated?"
"Of course not! I'm tons stronger." She ran the back of her hand over her eyes and sucked in her breath sharply.
"Then why would Sakura stay the same?"
She wrinkled her nose and sniffed. "Shikamaru said the same thing," she grumbled. "He said it was the same reason why Kiba lost to Naruto. I underestimated her."
"Yeah, well he's an arrogant ass from a long line of annoying snots." It got a quiet laugh out of her. "And now you won't make that mistake again."
She nodded and then sighed miserably. "That doesn't make it hurt any less or make me any less angry."
He shrugged and went over to give her a brief hug. "Then save it for next time. Now, you should eat something and get some rest. You've earned it." She hugged him back, the embrace just as brief but impossibly tight.
"Thank you, Daddy."
"Ino," he called to stop her when she started to run off. She paused and tilted her head. "Next time you'll pass."
Her face broke into a bright, arrogant smile. "Of course!"