Hey!

This is some random drabble I had rolling in my head inspired by my new job.

I threw it out today, finished it and figured I'd just post it!

I'll give y'all three guesses what it is I do XD

Just a silly one-shot, but I hope you enjoy it anyways!

Daycare Blues

Even the driver let his guard down and winced as blood curdling screams filled the car.

He glanced in to the rear view mirror, feeling sorry for Mrs. Hiwatari as she tried and failed to wrestle her wailing son out of the car seat.

That was stressful enough for her. But what made it worse was the stern, disapproving stare of her father-in-law.

His strong eyebrows knitted in to a deep frown as the screaming hit new levels of piercing.

"Just grab him, will you?! We can't have this every morning!"

She let out a sigh deeper than his frown.

This had been her life for the past few weeks, since before mentioned father-in-law insisted her son was ready for education.

Sadly for her, the apple of her eye had inherited his grandfather's stubbornness.

And he was not happy about this new arrangement in the slightest.

Despite feeling like Friday, it was Wednesday.

She'd had two mornings like this already. Her father-in-law present at both, and hadn't been helpful during either of them.

Her eyebrow twitched.

Just grab him?!

What the hell did he think she'd been trying to do for the past ten minutes?!

"Then by all means, dad! Why don't you show me how it's done?!"

His breath caught in his throat.

Rarely did she, or anyone for that matter, talk back to him like that.

"Fine!" he snapped back, rising to the challenge "About time we nipped this in the bud anyway!"

He unbuckled his seatbelt and got himself out the car, storming over to her side before gently touching her arm for her to move out the way. How hard could it be to tame an infant?

She did so gladly, folding her arms and raising a brow with a slight smirk.

This should be good...

He leaned in over the distressed child and narrowed his eyes.

"Kai..." his deep voice said in a warning tone, "that's enough!"

The screaming was silenced as drenched crimson eyes looked up at him. His bottom lip sticking out while air shot in and out of his nose.

Voltaire let out a smug smirk of his own as peace fell. He knew she pandered to him...all he needed was a firmer hand.

"Good boy...now come on, out you come!" he said in a softer tone as his hands went to wrap around the infant's sides.

The second he touched him, he took in a huge breath, reloading for his next tantrum.

His body wriggled frantically, his limbs flailed, hitting at his hands.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

His grandfather let out a growl, doing his best to get a good enough hold on him to pull him out of the car seat...and failing miserably.

"I said enough!" his deep voice raised, feeling his patience wearing paper thin.

He got stuffed dog to the face in retaliation.

With strands of his long hair falling over his reddening face, his temper started to rise.

"That's it..." he growled, thrusting his hands in and grabbing hold of him, yanking him out the seat despite the kicks, screams and frantic wriggling that quickly left him a little out of breath.

For kid who'd just turned three, he had some power on him...who knew.

He set him on his feet on the floor and took his wrist roughly.

"Let's go. You're late already!" he barked at him.

Misaki tried her best not to laugh as she watched him wrestle with him and make the rookie mistake of putting him on the floor.

She knew exactly what was coming.

Sure enough, her little angel suddenly appeared to lose all the bones in his body, going completely limp on the floor as he sobbed with a growl.

"Just grab him, dad..." she instructed in a sarcastic tone, mimicking the advice he'd given her mere minutes ago

He narrowed his eyes at her before doing just that, bending down with his weak knees and hoisting him up.

Midway, he felt an unpleasant crack in his back.

Since when had he gotten this heavy?!

Through the window of Goddard Pre-kindergarten, a middle-aged woman let out a groan.

"Tammy..." she called over to her colleague, who came over to peer out in the direction she was looking at.

She let out a sigh.

"Oh good...he's here..."

Five minutes later, the dishevelled old man threw open the door and walked in to the brightly colored entrance way.

The rainbows and bright ABCs on the walls pissing him off even more.

"Morning Kaaaaai!" an overly cheery voice greeted him with a fake broad smile.

The hiccuping child buried his face in to his grandfather's shoulder and started to cry and wail in protest.

Voltaire rolled his eyes, pulling him away from him and holding him out to her.

"Here. Whatever it takes. Don't pander to his nonsense." he barked at her.

She blinked as she took the upset child from him, rubbing his back automatically.

"We'll do our best, Mr. Hiwatari. But keep in mind it can just take a little time to get them used to the new routine."

"Hn..." he sneered as he turned to leave.

Large tears rolled down the round, already tear stained face as he watched his grandfather abandoning him in this colorful hell.

"Grandpa nooooooo!" he cried as he desperately held his arms out to him.

The old man glanced back before tapping his cane on the ground.

"Granpaaaaa!"

This time it wasn't a shrill, defiant cry. It was a distressed, betrayed one.

He forced himself to hot-foot out the door, not missing the hurt cries echoing through the glass door after him.

He refused to acknowledge his heart did break a little.

He wandered to the car, reminding himself it was all part of making a future company president.

As he slid back in to the car, tidying his hair, Misaki glanced over to him.

"He get in all right?"

He nodded and sniffed gruffly.

"He did. We wouldn't have this carry on if you would stop babying him!" he snapped at her.

She rolled her eyes. Again with this...

"He is a baby! He's three for goodness sake!" she replied tiredly.

She got a scoff in reply.

"Don't give me that! If you and that son of mine would had your way, he'd be breastfeeding until he went to college!"

She slapped her hand to her face. He was impossible.

She knew that before she married in to the family though...

She was grateful Susumu didn't take after his old man so much. Despite caving to his wishes for him to work at the company, he at least kept his own passions. The company was just a job, not his life. The complete opposite of the man sat beside her.

Unfortunately, her husband didn't seem to show quite as much strength against him when it came to their son. Neither of them felt he was ready for schooling. Especially not one like this. Some fancy private one that made promises of creating little geniuses.

But the old man insisted...

"That isn't the case and you know it..." she bit back.

He snapped his head to her, scowling.

"Our family didn't get to where we are today by being momma's boys!"

She held her hands up. After yet another morning of fighting with one baby throwing a fit, she couldn't handle another one.

Meanwhile, Tammy put her hands on her hips and let out a deep sigh as she spotted tufts of rare two-toned hair sticking up from behind a large pile of stuffed animals.

After what felt like hours (had only been about fifteen minutes in reality), she'd managed to stop him crying.

Then came round two, like every morning since this one started.

A nice game of 'Where's Kai?' to start off the already exhausting day...

She marched up to it, leaning over it and pulling the child out from what he'd deemed as an incredible hiding place.

He was not pleased she'd found him, shooting her a look she hadn't quite seen come from a three year old before.

"Come on, sweety!" she coaxed as she set him down in between some other children sat waiting on the colorful carpet, "time to start!"

He fidgeted in his spot and pouted, refusing to answer her when she talked to him.

She took deep breaths and let it go.

There were always cases like this...never stopped getting annoying.

Did not get paid enough for this shit...

"All right!" her musical voice rang at her small class of munchkins, "everyone up! It's time for a little song and dance!"

Her eyes immediately went to Kai, seeing him tense and curl in to himself.

She braced herself as she pressed 'play' on the CD player before running up to him and picking up on his feet before the music played.

The other tots knew the drill as soon as the intro hit their ears, walking in a circle.

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

She'd gotten two steps out of him before he decided to drop to his knees, going dead-weight again.

Like hell he was going to clap his hands.

What did he have to be happy about? His mommy and grandpa had left him in this hellhole to rot.

xxxx

Voltaire sat at his large desk looking over numbers, projections and...some other stuff while he puffed on a cigar.

Yes, he usually saved those to celebrate deals well done, but today he felt the need for one for some reason.

His only grandchild's upset voice and the image of his heartbroken eyes still fresh in his mind, he kept wondering if maybe he was being a little too hard on the boy after all.

It had been a month now since he'd started there. Was he just acting out because it was a change to his routine or did he genuinely dislike it there?

How can you find that sort of information out from a toddler?

He shook himself. Either way, the fact that life wasn't fair and you have to do things you don't want to was a lesson best learned sooner rather than later.

...But perhaps this Sunday he could take him to that new zoo they'd opened recently...his grandson did seem very fond of animals.

He forced himself to put the matter to the back of his mind as his intercom went off, telling him his next meeting was about to start.

xxxx

Misaki held her breath as she opened the glass doors a few hours later.

What would she get today?

It was either a beaming ball of love, overjoyed to see her...or a look of pure hate that spelled revenge.

"Kai! Your mommy is here!" a plump receptionist called through to the classroom as she saw her arrive.

Moments later, heavy little feet stomped out from the classroom with a face ripe with sulking.

She gave him a smile.

"Hey baby! Let's get your shoes on and go home!" she said to him cheerfully before she felt her stomach knot at his face.

Even his teacher lifted her brows.

Oooooooooh, if looks could kill.

On the drizzly car ride home, she promised to take him to the park as soon it dried up.

That evening, the front door to the enormous mansion opened. Two men in suits walked through it, hanging up their coats and closing the door on yet another long day.

As usual, they took themselves to the lavish living room to find their wife and daughter-in-law slumped on the plush couch watching her son building towers with blocks.

"Welcome home, boys." she greeted casually, getting the attention of her son, looking over his shoulder.

For the first time all day, he graced them with an enormous grin as his eyes lit up, not caring about knocking over his tower as he clumsily got to his feet.

"Paapaaaaa!" he squealed as he ran up to him with his arms out.

His father obliged, picking him up and letting him throw his arms and legs around him like a baby monkey.

"Hey champ!" he laughed as he hugged him back. He never got tired of this sort of reaction from him.

Voltaire decided to make a rare display himself, reaching out and tapping his arm.

"Hey sport, did you have fun today?"

His grandson's smile fell to a blank look, staring back at the old man for a moment, before ignoring him completely and going back to trying to get as much attention from his father as possible.

Misaki snorted, glad it wasn't just her...

xxxx

At 11am the next morning, the phone rang.

"Goddard Pre-K, Melissa speaking..."

She listened to a deep voice coming down the phone and let out a small smile.

"He settled down about twenty minutes after you left, Mr. Hiwatari." she informed the concerned grandfather.

"Yes...well...he's doing as well as usual..." she answered his next question carefully.

That was the problem in working somewhere that dealt with rich parents...the truth usually ended badly for the staff.

The small smile fell slowly as she listened to the continued stream of questions, rife with concern and questioning if the teacher, or indeed the school as a whole was doing everything in their power to make his precious grandson comfortable.

She didn't get paid enough for this shit...

Just over an hour later, a familiar face opened the glass doors.

"Kai! Your mommy is here!"

Once again she held her breath.

Once again she got a look that would kill her if it could.

xxxx

Susumu came down the stairs whistling, excited to have a few hours of peace and relaxation.

His day at work was done, he'd bathed his son and put him to bed.

Now to kick back and relax.

He fell down on the to the comfortable couch, eyes on the TV screen for just a few moments before he felt eyes on him.

He turned his head and caught his wife and father giving him a look.

"...What?"

They both narrowed their eyes a little.

Every smile Kai gave him was a twist of the knife.

Every time he clambered on him for a cuddle or to play a middle finger at them.

Every infectious chuckle that echoed down to their ears during his bedtime story a punch to the chest.

"Can you take Kai to daycare tomorrow, hun?" his wife asked him with a slight bite to her tone.

He frowned a little in confusion.

"Yeh? I don't see why not...Why? Where are you going?"

She lifted a brow.

"Hair appointment."

"Can't you take him, dad?" he asked his father, "I usually go in earlier than you."

His stern father let out a very brief and slight patronizing chuckle.

Since when was he Mr. Professional?

"I have an early meeting tomorrow. You can go in a little later for once." he responded flatly.

Susumu shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

Sure, he'd take Kai to daycare. Couldn't be as bad as Misaki made out to be. She was just too emotional. Maternal. Women were like that...

xxxx

The driver did his best not to laugh, but good Lord, Hiwatari Junior was hopeless at this.

"Kaaaaiiii, come on, buddy! Please?!" he begged pathetically over the ear-splitting cries.

His tie was lose around his neck, shirt sleeves rolled up and jacket tossed in the back seat.

"NOOOOOO! DON'T WANNA PAPAAAA!" He wailed as enormous crocodile tears poured down his red face.

His brows furrowed. This was awful.

Why did his old man insist he went to this terrible place?!

After a few more rounds against limbs flailing haphazardly, deafening cries and heartbreaking pleas, he managed to get him out the car and clutch him to his chest in an attempt at restraining him.

He opened the glass doors and stepped inside.

"Morning Kaiiiiii!" an overly sweet voice greeted over the cries, arms out ready to take him.

Susumu let out an awkward, embarrassed smile as his son's grip around his neck tightened and bawled like his life was in danger.

"Heeey..." he soothed, making weak attempt to pull him off, "come on, say good morning..."

His cries and grip intensified.

The kind looking teacher gave him a sympathetic look. This was the father's first rodeo.

"He'll be fine, he always is once he's had a little time to settle in..." she lied slightly.

Susumu nodded, digging deep and prying his son's death-grip off him, hoping he didn't rip his shirt in the process.

He passed him over like a hot coal the second he was successful, guilt plaguing his insides as his little boy pleaded for him.

"Paaapaaaaaaa!"

His teacher rubbed his back and soothed him, heart melting a little as his dad stood looking riddled with guilt.

"I think it's better if you just go, Mr. Hiwatari." she advised carefully after a little too long of him staying put.

The longer he stood there, the longer it would take to get him to calm down.

He nodded dumbly.

"Yeh...sure...I'll just uh..."

"Paaaaaaapaaaaa, nooooo!"

Oh God...He was a terrible father...

"Mr. Hiwatari...?"

He cleared his throat.

"Right...yeh...I'll just...be on my way." he stuttered, "Bye champ..." his voice choked a little before he forced himself to bolt out the door.

He piled back into the car and ordered the driver to go.

He wiped his brow with the back of his hand as he sank in to his seat.

He couldn't believe he had to go and do a whole day at work after all that. It was exhausting.

He owed his wife some roses...

That was horrible.

And the guilt! The gnawing guilt!

This was normal though, right? Little kids took time to adjust...weren't fans of changes to what they knew...

Maybe this weekend he'd take him for ice cream. His boy had a sweet tooth that his mom rarely let him indulge...

A few hours later, Misaki pushed the glass doors open, feeling less nervous than usual.

"Kai, your mommy is here!"

She waited. Surely this once he wouldn't hold this against her.

Crimson eyes came out the classroom with a filthy glare.

Her heart sank. Damnit, she was wrong.

And it was still rainy, couldn't even butter him up with the park like she kept promising.

After a few more hours of cold shouldering, she heard the front door open and felt her insides flutter with spiteful excitement.

At least her stupid husband wasn't going to get the hero's welcome he usually got. As she had recently discovered, their son knew how to hold a grudge.

Voltaire felt a similar feeling, anxious to see if the ice had been passed to over to Susumu. He hadn't had so much as a smile from his grandson in a few days. It was starting to hurt.

The living room door opened.

"Welcome home, boys!"

The sound of small feet came pattering rapidly through the other room.

"Paaapaaaa!" he shrieked happily as he charged at his dad with arms flung out.

Susumu could have cried.

All day he hadn't been able to stop worrying about him or getting the image of him crying for him out his head.

"Hey champ!" he shrieked back in relief as he threw him in the air, caught him and bear hugged him, getting delighted laughter out of him.

Misaki and Voltaire's jaws dropped.

What fresh hell was this?!

The two of them were left stewing while Susumu performed his fatherly duties, getting him bathed and put to bed as usual.

Their faces darkened as the same infectious chuckling floated down the stairs while silly voices read him a story.

"...I thought it might be nice to go to that new zoo on Sunday..." Voltaire said suddenly.

Misaki turned her head to him with a cocked brow.

Him? At a zoo?

A small smirk curled at the corner of her lips.

She saw right through him...and it was brilliant.

"That does sound nice. Kai'd love it."

Voltaire nodded, keeping his stoic demeanour.

"...I don't suppose you have any urgent errands you need to send your son on that day is there?" she asked slyly.

It was his turn to cock a brow at her before letting out a mischievous chuckle.

He knew there was a reason he liked her.

"I'm sure something could be arranged..."

xxxx

A few months later, Kai was sent home with his first report card.

The mornings gradually got easier. The tantrums lessened...for the most part, he still had his days where he gave 'em hell.

The cold shouldering had ceased...for the most part.

In return, the bribery had also ceased...for the most part.

Slowly, balance and sanity arrived as with his acceptance that he spent a few hours every morning at this weird place.

Misaki sat at the kitchen table, motherly excitement bubbling as she set down her tea and opened the envelope.

Her little baby was growing up so fast...

Before she knew it, she thought, he'd be going to elementary school...

Then in another blink of an eye, he'd be going to college.

Her soft but dark eyes scanned the paper, slowly losing the motherly excitement as her brows knitted.

….Really?

After Susumu came down from putting Kai to bed, she shoved the paper in his face.

"What's this?" he asked before he even looked at it.

"Our son's report card..." she said in a gloomy voice.

He smirked and ran his eyes over it and felt his chest swell with pride.

Academically, he was doing well there, by the look of it.

He knew his boy was bright.

"This is great! What's with the face?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes at him, annoyed as she stabbed at the paper with his finger.

"Did you not read this part!? They say he doesn't interact with the other kids! I don't think he's made any friends there!"

Susumu ran his eyes back over the paper. Oh yeh...he had missed that part.

And the part where it said he struggled with authority...

Got that from his mom.

He shrugged at her.

"So? I hardly think it's anything to worry about. He's always been on the shy side."

She huffed at him. How could he be so calm about...everything?!

"It's been months now! I could understand at the start, but he should have warmed up by now!"

Susumu chuckled at her and draped a comforting arm around her.

"You're panicking over nothing, sweety..." he reassured, "He's just quiet is all. You watch, I bet when he gets a little older he'll blossom in to a social butterfly! A real people person! You just need to let him do things in his own time."

She pressed herself in to him, enjoying the rare alone time.

"Yeh..." she sighed, "you're probably right..."

End of random drabble!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Yes, I'm a kindergarten teacher and no, we don't get paid enough haha!