Oh goodness, I've been off this site forever, but then No. 6 just had to sweep me back into the fanfiction community. This is the first of many oneshots I've been writing for mother!Inukashi and baby Shion, which I will probably dump all at once in a single post - at some future date once I've got them all organized. In the meanwhile, enjoy this little snippet that I couldn't figure out where to place. I know that technically we're all supposed to be here for the Nezushi, but I really am much more interested in exploring characters like Inukashi and Safu. Such a bad little fangirl, I know...

"Momma, Rico won't tell me his secret."

Inukashi sighed as she turned to see an irate Shion, all righteous anger and indignation. The little boy had taken to hanging around other neighborhood children, most of whom were older than him. The results were only natural.

"Shion, of course he wouldn't tell you his secrets. That's why it's called a secret, see?—because not everyone gets to hear it. Besides," she said, turning back to her work, "Rico's several years older than you. He's not obliged to tell you anything he doesn't want to."

"But everyone else knows what it is. Karan was giggling about it earlier. So were all the other girls. And Misa definitely knows about it, because she's the one that hangs around Rico the most, and she gets all red and funny whenever they talk about it."

Oh mercy. Inukashi turned back towards Shion and knelt on the ground front of him.

"Trust your mother on this one, okay – this is definitely not something you need to really know about. It's just big kids being silly."

"But I want a secret too!" protested Shion. "If they have one, then I should have one."

And such is the order of logic and justice in his eyes, thought Inukashi wryly. "Alright then, Shion, I'll give you a secret. Only between you and me though."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really. Shion, do you know what momma's name is?"

He thought about it for a moment. "It's Inukashi, right? That's what everyone else calls you, except for Rikiga, who calls you a-"

"There's no need to remember what Rikiga calls me," said Inukashi, scowling. Her tone softened somewhat. "Inukashi is one of my names, yes. It's the nickname that all my friends call me, because I used to rent out our dogs to people." She leaned in closer, conspiratorially. "But I have another name, one that my own momma gave me. Do you want me to tell you, Shion?"

"Yes please," said Shion, eyes wide with expectation. Inukashi leaned in closer until her lips were at his ear, her breathe tickling his earlobe.

There was silence in the room for a few moments as Shion received his secret. And then Inukashi withdrew, leaning back to see the expression on his face. Her son looked thoughtful.

"Nobody else knows this secret, right?" he finally said, solemnly.

"Yup. Nobody knows except for me, and now, you."

"And I can't tell anyone, right? Or else it won't be our secret anymore."

Inukashi laughed. "Well, yes, that's the gist of it."

"The gist?"

"Er, that's the whole of it, I'm saying."

"Got it." Shion straightened up suddenly. "I'll keep this secret very well, Momma. I promise."

She reached down to ruffle his hair affectionately. "You go do that, you silly boy."

He ran out of the room, a determined look on his face. After a few moments he backtracked, sticking his head through the doorway.

"Momma?"

"Yes Shion?"

He smiled at her, almost shyly. "It's a really nice name, Momma. I like it."

And with that he was gone. Inukashi shook her head in amusement. "I'm glad you do, Shion," she murmured. "You precious boy, you."

A/N: And that's that. Daww, cute little Shion is cute, although it's a pain to figure out where he is development-wise within the storyline, since there seems to be a bit of disparity between the anime and novel...