So. Asuka was fine. Well, injured and battered badly, but alive and breathing and coherent. That was comforting, in a way. What was more comforting was the tiny little teeth digging into her fingers with every step she took. More comforting still would be letting Kiba latch onto her hand and squeeze far too tight. Funny how that sort of thing worked.
Hoshino slipped into the Aburame homestead with her head tilted to the side, listening for sounds of her mother. The particular breed of silence permeating the house arrested her silent footsteps before she'd reached her room (Konchuu was still locked away where he couldn't get into any trouble when his mistress wasn't home). Her mother was waiting for her to come home. It wasn't the tense silence of 'I don't approve of how you're spending your time;' it was a much more confused and subtle message. For a moment, the girl simply stood still, listening to the silence and hoping she would be able to come to an understanding of the message soon.
The door opened, then shut. Footsteps sounded - quiet but not imperceptibly so, not quite - across the floor. Hoshibi put down the notes she hadn't really been reading and was still for a moment. Hoshino was home - from the sound of it, though, she had stopped just outside the door to her room. She wondered why; had perhaps her own silent unease had become part of the strange quiet in their home?
She removed her glasses for a moment, to pinch the bridge of her nose in anticipation of a headache, then carefully reordered her papers and leaving her office, to meet her daughter.
Hopefully this worry was something that could be more easily removed from the atmosphere than most.
The sound of her mother deciding to move was followed by the sounds of her mother moving, soft noises that a civilian wouldn't pick up on (because civilians generally couldn't hear much more than the sound of their own breathing). Slowly, carefully, Hoshino shifted herself, fingers closing around the kitten in her pocket to prevent him from making a scene and head inclining forward at a slight respectful angle.
Whatever disagreements she and her mother had been getting into since she'd first become a genin, Aburame Hoshibi was still one of the people she respected and cared for most in the world.
Her glasses were sliding forward again, but she left them there, eyes locked on the floor. It didn't matter if her eyes were uncovered at home; the lights were never too bright. All she needed to do now was wait for her mother's approval (or passing, whichever it turned out to be) before slipping her kitten away and smuggling herself out of the house again.
Hoshibi stopped in front of her daughter, lifting her chin and examining her critically. The worry wasn't obvious on her face, but she was certain Hoshino knew it was there.
They had been arguing too often, lately, it seemed. The concern she felt now she did not know how to express - she knew her daughter was worried about her sensei, that things had been more difficult and upsetting recently than they should have been. She wanted Hoshino to know that - although they didn't often 'talk,' per say, that she was there if there was anything she could do, or listen to.
She didn't appear any different than usual, although he glasses had slipped forward. The hand in her pocket seemed to be concealing something - Hoshibi thought wryly of the kitten, and knew that was it. There was an urge to hug her, as she had in fleeting moments when the girl was a small child, but she didn't quite know how to instigate such an action. She let go, and waited for an explanation of where Hoshino was off to next.
Contact was always very intentional. Her mother was worried, probably more than was necessary, reaching out across the growing distance between them to reform an invisible thread. When she was younger, Hoshino used to imagine that she could see the threads binding her to her mother, much like the thin lines of chakra connecting each kikaichuu to its host
( ... )
To see her teammates, then. Hoshibi tilted her head a little to the side, the beads on her glasses clacking softly against the frames - a motion she would only ever make at home, when such things were permissible on some level. She wondered what she could say - just a simple affirmative, an approval of this plan, a question as to whether she would be visiting her sensei
( ... )
A shinobi was prepared for anything. The kunoichi of Konoha were some of the best and brightest in the world.
Hoshino was caught completely off-guard.
Her entire body stiffened for a moment as arms closed around her carefully, eyes widening as lips brushed carefully against her forehead. It was something like being a little girl again, when these things had been known to happen once in a blue moon. It was incongruous with life now, with being a chuunin and with this absolute certainty that a person had to harden his or her heart to survive the shinobi world past the age of 13.
Shaking her head a little, Hoshino didn't care that her glasses slipped again, eyes dark and confused as she stared up at her mother, fingers catching at the older woman's sleeves.
There, Hoshino had said it without the stop this time, and somehow the confused expression on her daughter's face was incredibly sweet. It had bee a decision made all too quickly, but it had been an important one, after all. Sometimes - times like this - Hoshibi did just want to hold her, to tell her that everything would be all right, no matter how foolish such actions would be.
Hoshibi looked down at her daughter and brushed a stray bit of her hair back behind her ear, the echo of a smile around the edges of her mouth. There were things she would not say because they would not be properly conveyed, but Hoshino knew what she meant to say, didn't she? She always had before.
It was... strangely comforting. Not like when Kiba convinced that snuggles were necessary or Hinaji managed to steal a hug. There was a different sense of absolution, a much subtler devotional love. It was reminiscent of the calming sensation she felt at night listening to her mother's kikiachuu humming a few rooms away.
And there was the fact that being held this way made her feel all of five years old again. That had certainly been a much easier time to handle.
There was another moment of hesitation before Hoshino slowly pulled her glasses off. They would serve as a good distraction for Konchuu as she slipped them into her pocket. A satisfied purr served as confirmation (she could deal with more scratched glasses; at the moment it was the least of her problems). That settled, Hoshino promptly buried her face against her mother's shoulder.
Not fair? Hoshibi embraced the girl a little tighter, a little less awkwardly, one hand threading through her hair. Of all things, life was rarely ever fair. She wondered what was particularly unfair now, and if she were allowed to be privy to it.
It did not matter particularly if Hoshino did not want to elaborate. It was enough to hold her daughter and believe truly that whatever gap had grown between them could be bridged, regardless of the distance.
She gently stroked Hoshino's hair, not quite encouraging her to continue but definitely open to listening, if it would help.
She should be stronger. She should be standing on her own. She should have dropped off the kitten and been on her way minutes ago.
Hoshino was clinging awkwardly to her mother's sleeves, face pressed comfortably against the older woman's collar bone. She'd beat herself up about it later.
Sighing softly, the girl attempted to contain herself a moment longer. Her gestures refused to be silenced, however; little twitches of her wrists and shakes of her head which she couldn't hold back.
I just want everyone to be happy again. It's the worst thing ever that we can't just all be happy anymore.
She was quiet for a moment longer, just stroking the girl's hair and holding her, wishing she knew what, exactly, would make this better, or if she could achieve it. She wanted Hoshino to be happy.
Hoshibi sighed, pressing another soft kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "It will be all right," she said quietly.
At least she believed that, wholeheartedly. Regardless of how difficult things were right now, everything would get better eventually. They would not all be unhappy forever.
It was so simple when her mother said it. Everything was simple when her mother said it. Kiba had to shout and gesture and work to convince the Aburame girl. Hoshibi simply presented the universe and it felt right.
"Mm. Your friends will be waiting," she said, hugging the girl just a little tighter before letting her go. Hoshino had believed her, which was all she would ask. She could not make it better, but she could at least reassure her daughter.
Hoshibi straightened her glasses, noticing the movement in the girl's pocket but deciding not to comment. Hoshino would be home for dinner. They seemed to be on solid ground for the moment.
Hoshino slipped into the Aburame homestead with her head tilted to the side, listening for sounds of her mother. The particular breed of silence permeating the house arrested her silent footsteps before she'd reached her room (Konchuu was still locked away where he couldn't get into any trouble when his mistress wasn't home). Her mother was waiting for her to come home. It wasn't the tense silence of 'I don't approve of how you're spending your time;' it was a much more confused and subtle message. For a moment, the girl simply stood still, listening to the silence and hoping she would be able to come to an understanding of the message soon.
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She removed her glasses for a moment, to pinch the bridge of her nose in anticipation of a headache, then carefully reordered her papers and leaving her office, to meet her daughter.
Hopefully this worry was something that could be more easily removed from the atmosphere than most.
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Whatever disagreements she and her mother had been getting into since she'd first become a genin, Aburame Hoshibi was still one of the people she respected and cared for most in the world.
Her glasses were sliding forward again, but she left them there, eyes locked on the floor. It didn't matter if her eyes were uncovered at home; the lights were never too bright. All she needed to do now was wait for her mother's approval (or passing, whichever it turned out to be) before slipping her kitten away and smuggling herself out of the house again.
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They had been arguing too often, lately, it seemed. The concern she felt now she did not know how to express - she knew her daughter was worried about her sensei, that things had been more difficult and upsetting recently than they should have been. She wanted Hoshino to know that - although they didn't often 'talk,' per say, that she was there if there was anything she could do, or listen to.
She didn't appear any different than usual, although he glasses had slipped forward. The hand in her pocket seemed to be concealing something - Hoshibi thought wryly of the kitten, and knew that was it. There was an urge to hug her, as she had in fleeting moments when the girl was a small child, but she didn't quite know how to instigate such an action. She let go, and waited for an explanation of where Hoshino was off to next.
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Hoshino was caught completely off-guard.
Her entire body stiffened for a moment as arms closed around her carefully, eyes widening as lips brushed carefully against her forehead. It was something like being a little girl again, when these things had been known to happen once in a blue moon. It was incongruous with life now, with being a chuunin and with this absolute certainty that a person had to harden his or her heart to survive the shinobi world past the age of 13.
Shaking her head a little, Hoshino didn't care that her glasses slipped again, eyes dark and confused as she stared up at her mother, fingers catching at the older woman's sleeves.
"...ma?"
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Hoshibi looked down at her daughter and brushed a stray bit of her hair back behind her ear, the echo of a smile around the edges of her mouth. There were things she would not say because they would not be properly conveyed, but Hoshino knew what she meant to say, didn't she? She always had before.
Be careful.
Be safe.
Come home soon.
I love you.
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And there was the fact that being held this way made her feel all of five years old again. That had certainly been a much easier time to handle.
There was another moment of hesitation before Hoshino slowly pulled her glasses off. They would serve as a good distraction for Konchuu as she slipped them into her pocket. A satisfied purr served as confirmation (she could deal with more scratched glasses; at the moment it was the least of her problems). That settled, Hoshino promptly buried her face against her mother's shoulder.
"...it's not fair, ma."
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It did not matter particularly if Hoshino did not want to elaborate. It was enough to hold her daughter and believe truly that whatever gap had grown between them could be bridged, regardless of the distance.
She gently stroked Hoshino's hair, not quite encouraging her to continue but definitely open to listening, if it would help.
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Hoshino was clinging awkwardly to her mother's sleeves, face pressed comfortably against the older woman's collar bone. She'd beat herself up about it later.
Sighing softly, the girl attempted to contain herself a moment longer. Her gestures refused to be silenced, however; little twitches of her wrists and shakes of her head which she couldn't hold back.
I just want everyone to be happy again. It's the worst thing ever that we can't just all be happy anymore.
Reply
Hoshibi sighed, pressing another soft kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "It will be all right," she said quietly.
At least she believed that, wholeheartedly. Regardless of how difficult things were right now, everything would get better eventually. They would not all be unhappy forever.
Reply
It was so simple when her mother said it. Everything was simple when her mother said it. Kiba had to shout and gesture and work to convince the Aburame girl. Hoshibi simply presented the universe and it felt right.
"...thank you, mother."
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Hoshibi straightened her glasses, noticing the movement in the girl's pocket but deciding not to comment. Hoshino would be home for dinner. They seemed to be on solid ground for the moment.
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