Naruto One Shots

Spitting Image #1 (Ino Yamanaka)

[Art work is not mine! Credit to creamway]

Requested by: Myself

Word Count: 4,211

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:
- None romantic one-shot; more friendly one-shot vibes; also sorry it's not as Ino centered as I planned it to be
- Child out of wedlock (how sinful; says the smut writer) (Yoshiki is the name I chose for said child)
- Kouhai means underclassmen for those that don't know
- Part Two?

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"Shit, shit, shit," I mumble under my breath, rushing through the front door of the Yamanaka flower shop. I'm ten minutes late for the third time this week, a promised blowup from Ino waiting for me at the counter.
"Where is that dumb kouhai at?" Ino's voice rings out over the sound of the bell on the front door.
"Right here! I'm here! I'm sorry!" I rush out, struggling to tie the strings of my apron. "I'm sorry I'm late again, Yamanaka-San!" I mutter, bowing my head down, eyes set on our shoes as I wait for my verbal lashing.
"Kouhai," Ino hisses out, tone cold and eyes hot as she glares down at me. "I pay you to work from eight-thirty to four, not eight-forty to four."
"I know, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"You said that yesterday, and the day before that. How is it any different this time?"
"I'm really sorry, Yamanaka-San," I repeat, my tone a whisper this time.
"I will deal with you later. Your lateness won't be the reason for my lateness," Ino mutters, walking away from me, taking her anger bubble with her.
I stay in my bow until I hear the bell ring again and the shop door slam closed. "Damn it," I mumble, rubbing my eyes as I stand up straight again.
"Why have you been late so much this week?" A voice calls out, startling me.
A yap slips from me because of the sound, making me jump back and spill over a tub of flowers. "You have to be kidding me," I whisper to myself, blinking the angry tears from my eyes as the sound of the bucket crashing to the ground rings in my ears.
"I asked you a question, it's impolite not to answer," The monotone voice calls again.
I shift toward the sound, Yamanaka-san's husband falling into my sight. He reminds me of a tuxedo cat; ghostly pale, always in black, and seemingly hating everyone that's not Ino or their son. "I am sorry Yamanaka-San. I didn't mean to ignore your question. What was it again?"
My boss's husband - my other boss, I suppose - tilts his head a bit as he looks at me, a micro-scrunch of his nose appearing too. "Why have you been late so much this week?" He repeats, making my cheeks warm up in embarrassment.
"Family issues," I mumble, dropping to the floor to pick up the flowers I tipped over.
"What might those issues be?" Sai asks, kneeling on the ground as well, helping me plop the flowers back into their bucket.
"I don't think it's appropriate for you to pry into my personal life, Yamanaka-San. I am sorry for being late, it won't happen again. Now, please leave me alone," I husk out, anger coating my words and my eyes again. I tug the bucket away from him, turning my full attention to the mess I've made.
"Have I upset you?"
"No. Just... go away Yamanaka-San," I grumble, rotating the bucket away from the water still covering the floor.
"As you wish, Kouhai," Sai responds, smiling softly at me before he follows his wife's previous path.
The anger of my morning continues to brew as I clean up the spilled water. It's been six months since I gave birth to my son, Yoshiki. It's been difficult trying to find balance in my life since having him. I love him more than anything in this world, but without a support system, it leaves me feeling like I'm drowning.
Between his needs, my needs, bills, daycare, and work I feel like any moment one of the plates I'm holding is going to fall and break. The plate being my job at the moment. I'm lucky to have three thousand yen left at the end of the month, courtesy of the outrageous daycare bills. I need to find a cheaper daycare or one that opens earlier so I can make it to work on time. I can't afford to lose my job.
How the hell am I going to get and maintain another job if Yoshiki isn't in daycare? How am I going to afford daycare if I don't have a job? How am I going to afford our bills? Our rent? Yoshiki's formula and diapers and the million other things he needs? Why couldn't I just get out of the house on time this morning? Or yesterday morning? Or the morning before that?
My stress tears mix with the flower water I'm cleaning off the floor, only upsetting my spiral thinking even more. Maybe I'll get lucky and Ino will only tear into me again when she gets back instead of firing me. I can't afford to lose this job.