A Father's Regrets - Naruto
Disclaimer: I'm not Kishimoto.
Author Note: This fic needs a beta (or several) so I can tweak if necessary and post it to fanfic100. ♥ I give cookies and Leigh-fudge! ♥
Note to self: changes made here 06.8.26; make same changes to word doc
more changes made 06.9.18; make same changes to word doc
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Fate was cruel, he decided. Watching his sons spar in the open area between the main and branch houses, he again felt the pangs of regret.
At the time, he had consoled himself with the knowledge that there would be no future squabbles over who would inherit the clan. But the choice to brand one son had other consequences, consequences that cut a father's heart deeper than any weapon.
Hizashi had to sleep in the branch house, away from his immediate family, though he was permitted free access to the main house and to his father-within acceptable guidelines for a son of Hyuuga-sama. Hizashi attended the village academy, something no member of the main family was permitted to do. The Hyuuga of the main family were not common soldiers, though branch family became shinobi because it was part of the price of the protection given by a hidden village.
A father was always attuned to his children's' emotions, even if he didn't outwardly react. He shared the pain Hizashi felt at the separation though he was not permitted to show emotional weakness. A Hyuuga is not a Hyuuga without control, and Hyuuga-sama could not place even his own family above the clan.
And sometimes it was simply easier to be Hyuuga-sama than a man.
His sons were nearly inseparable when they both had free time. But Hizashi had the academy, and now his genin team and jounin-sensei. He was gone much of the time on the required D- and C-rank missions, or when training with his team, or when getting some individual attention with his sensei. The branch family also saw to his Jyuuken education, though occasionally Hyuuga-sama himself would deign to train the boy in some way. That, however, did not happen often.
Hizashi's friendship with his brother was silently encouraged, especially since the minutes-younger boy was being trained as Hiashi's accessory and bodyguard. Their father noted with some interest (and no small amount of irony) how jealous Hiashi was of his brother's freedom. He never showed it, but the eyes of Hyuuga-sama had yet to be fooled. Hiashi could only leave the compound with some sort of escort despite having mastered the Kaiten at age thirteen, and as heir to Konoha's most prominent clan, no one (Hyuuga included) was going to treat him with anything but the utmost respect. "Familiarity" was something Hiashi was learning to avoid at all cost, except where it involved his brother. The canyon of branch and main would always remain between them, but a rickety bridge was better than nothing at all.
How curious that when together, Hiashi behaved more like the younger brother than the elder. Though no one would call it hero-worship, Hiashi definitely idolized the brother who could come and go from the compound as he pleased and who had experiences Hiashi could only dream of. Hizashi was the breath of fresh air to the stifled room of Hiashi's life.
Hizashi also made Hiashi work when the two sparred. Most would say the two boys were equal fighters, a compliment in and of itself. What most didn't see, but their father did, was how Hizashi outdid Hiashi in so many small ways. Hizashi was a little stronger, a little faster, and the outclan moves he used on Hiashi landed more often than not. He was generally more composed than Hiashi and cooler in attitude towards others, traits highly encouraged within the clan.
The younger son shone more brightly in Hyuuga-sama's eyes, and thus the reason for the regret. Hizashi was forever barred from his birthright, and no one could change that. The branch would benefit greatly from this disowned child.
The child that should have been main.
Author Note: This fic needs a beta (or several) so I can tweak if necessary and post it to fanfic100. ♥ I give cookies and Leigh-fudge! ♥
Note to self: changes made here 06.8.26; make same changes to word doc
more changes made 06.9.18; make same changes to word doc
-----
Fate was cruel, he decided. Watching his sons spar in the open area between the main and branch houses, he again felt the pangs of regret.
At the time, he had consoled himself with the knowledge that there would be no future squabbles over who would inherit the clan. But the choice to brand one son had other consequences, consequences that cut a father's heart deeper than any weapon.
Hizashi had to sleep in the branch house, away from his immediate family, though he was permitted free access to the main house and to his father-within acceptable guidelines for a son of Hyuuga-sama. Hizashi attended the village academy, something no member of the main family was permitted to do. The Hyuuga of the main family were not common soldiers, though branch family became shinobi because it was part of the price of the protection given by a hidden village.
A father was always attuned to his children's' emotions, even if he didn't outwardly react. He shared the pain Hizashi felt at the separation though he was not permitted to show emotional weakness. A Hyuuga is not a Hyuuga without control, and Hyuuga-sama could not place even his own family above the clan.
And sometimes it was simply easier to be Hyuuga-sama than a man.
His sons were nearly inseparable when they both had free time. But Hizashi had the academy, and now his genin team and jounin-sensei. He was gone much of the time on the required D- and C-rank missions, or when training with his team, or when getting some individual attention with his sensei. The branch family also saw to his Jyuuken education, though occasionally Hyuuga-sama himself would deign to train the boy in some way. That, however, did not happen often.
Hizashi's friendship with his brother was silently encouraged, especially since the minutes-younger boy was being trained as Hiashi's accessory and bodyguard. Their father noted with some interest (and no small amount of irony) how jealous Hiashi was of his brother's freedom. He never showed it, but the eyes of Hyuuga-sama had yet to be fooled. Hiashi could only leave the compound with some sort of escort despite having mastered the Kaiten at age thirteen, and as heir to Konoha's most prominent clan, no one (Hyuuga included) was going to treat him with anything but the utmost respect. "Familiarity" was something Hiashi was learning to avoid at all cost, except where it involved his brother. The canyon of branch and main would always remain between them, but a rickety bridge was better than nothing at all.
How curious that when together, Hiashi behaved more like the younger brother than the elder. Though no one would call it hero-worship, Hiashi definitely idolized the brother who could come and go from the compound as he pleased and who had experiences Hiashi could only dream of. Hizashi was the breath of fresh air to the stifled room of Hiashi's life.
Hizashi also made Hiashi work when the two sparred. Most would say the two boys were equal fighters, a compliment in and of itself. What most didn't see, but their father did, was how Hizashi outdid Hiashi in so many small ways. Hizashi was a little stronger, a little faster, and the outclan moves he used on Hiashi landed more often than not. He was generally more composed than Hiashi and cooler in attitude towards others, traits highly encouraged within the clan.
The younger son shone more brightly in Hyuuga-sama's eyes, and thus the reason for the regret. Hizashi was forever barred from his birthright, and no one could change that. The branch would benefit greatly from this disowned child.
The child that should have been main.