Hey I'm back again! This is the second one-shot for my surprise day! I've had this in my files for a while but never really progressed with it so I hope you enjoy! And with that, let's get onto the crazy shrine!
Nanami opened the door as she wrapped a warm winter scarf around her neck, "I'm heading off to the market, don't forget to feed the baby while I'm gone, alright?"
Mizuki chimed happily from the nursery, "Hai!" And with that the door closed and Tomoe strolled over to the crib smiling at the baby inside of it. "Tomoe-kun, how do you feed a baby?" asked the curious familiar and judging from the human's face, it was something definitely embarrassing.
Tomoe shook his head, "We don't need to feed him yet. Just let Reiji sleep for now." (I always have Tomoe and Nanami's son this name)
"But we can't." Mizuki whined as Tomoe raised a brow.
"Why not? I'm the father, I know what I'm doing." Tomoe scoffed.
"Well look," Mizuki exclaimed as he pointed at the small light brown haired baby in the crib who babbled some nonsense baby words, "He's not tired at all. And if I leave Reiji, he cries."
Tomoe sighed as he picked up the baby and cooed quietly, but shooed Mizuki away in embarrassment. But Mizuki watched silently from behind the corner to watch since Tomoe wouldn't recognize his presence there since he's only human. Reiji giggled loudly when Tomoe gently tossed him up in the air, up and down the baby went and each time he laughed. Tomoe groaned, Reiji would take forever to get tired, but Tomoe kept at it, tossing him up and down, cradling him, even attempting to sing like Nanami which ended in a giant failure. Mizuki watched quietly and observed, who knew Tomoe could be so gentle? Mizuki jumped up from behind Tomoe, accidentally startling him and making him almost drop his child.
"Does Reiji like toys? Uncle Mizuki could play with him!" Mizuki grinned.
Tomoe raised a brow, "'Uncle Mizuki'? Who gave you that name?"
"Nanami-chan did!"
"That makes sense..."
"But anyways Tomoe-kun," Mizuki continued, picking up a blue rattle, "Reiji-kun likes toys right?"
Tomoe sighed, grabbing the rattle from Mizuki's hands and putting it back, "No, he hates toys for some reason. He'll grab it and throw it at you."
Mizuki frowned, he had no clue on what to do and Tomoe was exhausted from the night before. The man had to walk around the shrine 16 times while bouncing Reiji until the baby fell asleep. "Let's just give Reiji some milk then since there's nothing else to do."
Tomoe nodded, "Fine, go get the bottle and heat up the water. I'll go get the milk powder." Mizuki agreed and hurried off into the kitchen as fast as he could so that Tomoe could rest afterwards. Tomoe was in his thirties now and was aging faster, which meant he was getting aches and sores all the time. Pulling the baby bottle from out the cabinet and screwing the cap off, the snake filled the kettle with as much water as he could and set the stove on high. Hearing the floorboards creak, Mizuki turned around to see Tomoe holding Reiji in his arms who chewed on his hands. The familiar smiled gently as Tomoe handed Reiji over to him muttering, "If you drop Reiji, I'll kill you" Mizuki laughed awkwardly watching Tomoe mix in the milk powder and hot water together and test the heat on the back of his hand before asking Mizuki to put Reiji in his high chair.
"Here ya go Reiji-kun!" Mizuki grinned giving the baby his bottle. Reiji hastily picked up the bottle and started chugging the milk without a second thought. "A-Ah! Reiji-kun!"
Tomoe smirked, "Hm, don't worry about it. Reiji knows what he's doing." Mizuki blinked and turned back to the baby who sucked out every last drop of the milk and pulled out the bottle with a satisfied grin. "See, he knows." Tomoe sneered, wiping the little drop of milk on his son's cheek off with his unclawed thumb.
But the two watched as the happy grin distorted into an angry and fussy face. "Reiji-kun?" Mizuki mouthed, and just like that, all the things the baby could reach were flying across the room.
"W-Whhaaa! Nngh... B-Bwaaaah!" Reiji cried, his pale face turned bright red as he pounded his fists on the chair and flailed his arms.
Tomoe flinched with a nervous face, after this part, he had no clue on what Nanami did with Reiji, she'd always have him out the room when she fed him. "A-Ah! Reiji! Let's go pla-" Mizuki smiled, trying to comfort the baby as he picked him up but the baby bit down on the snake's arm who shrieked.
The human bit on his lip nervously, quickly hoisting Reiji onto his lap while he sat down, he bounced the baby on his lap, "L-Look Reiji! Hahaha!" Tomoe laughed, Reiji would always get comforted by him laughing but this wasn't working as Reiji wailed louder.
Tears began to stream down Reiji's face, Tomoe and Mizuki watched in horror as Reiji began to gag and his eyes widen. Luckily Mikage stepped in, "What's the matter? Why is Reiji crying?"
"We don't know!" Mizuki piped.
"Oh?" Mikage smiled, "Here, come to Mikage-san..." the god cooed, picking up Reiji from Tomoe's lap and setting the baby over his shoulder, "See? Reiji is fine now-" But the baby began to hack and sputter, the whole shrine went silent suddenly.
"G-Guuh... Blaaah!"
The two watched as Mikage's face went from 'What?' to 'I'm not going to get upset about this...' White baby puke dripped down from over Mikage's shoulder and onto the floor. The tension in the shrine grew heavy and was only lightened somewhat when Mikage brought the child down and handed him to Tomoe without a faze and walked away quietly. "I'll come back in a moment, do not worry" sulked the god, walking away letting the puke drip from behind him.
Mizuki and Tomoe sighed as Reiji continued to fuss and kick wildly. Mizuki frowned, if Nanami saw this she'd rip off all of their heads. She never really got angry but if you messed with her baby, you wouldn't see the end of it. Meanwhile Reiji began to cry again, holding Reiji up while Tomoe laid on the couch trying to get a break, Mizuki 'eeped' when he saw Reiji's diaper hang down and a foul odor filled the room. " T-Tomoe-kun?"
Tomoe opened an eye and then startled up with wide eyes. He stuttered nervously, "I uh.. Bring Reiji over here and go set up the changing table!"
Mizuki nodded and handing the screaming baby to Tomoe before dashing to the changing table to gather the supplies. Baby powder, check. Diaper, check. Diaper cream, check. Tape, we might need it so check. Towel, check. Baby wipes, check. Uhhh that should be it... "Ready!" Mizuki called from the nursery. Holding the baby out in front of him, Tomoe ran over with Reiji's diaper seeping onto the floor with a disgusted face.
Tomoe placed the baby on the changing table quickly and ripped open the diaper but gagged and coughed at the horrible stench. Mizuki held his nose while Tomoe reluctantly wiped his son's bottom with the wipes. "Urk! Ughhh.. Tomoe-kun, does it always smell this bad?!"
"How should I know?! This is the first time I'm doing this!" Tomoe hissed, trying hard not to get pissed in the face by Reiji.
"YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE?!" Mizuki wailed
"NOT MY FAULT! NANAMI USUALLY DOES THIS!" Tomoe screeched.
"WHAAAAA!" Reiji cried, his face red as a cherry and his eyes squinted shut.
The two shifted uneasily, "G-Give me the baby powder!" Tomoe ordered. Mizuki obliged and passed on the white bottle without realizing the top wasn't screwed on properly. "Eto... How do I do this?"
"I don't know!" Hollered the snake
Tomoe glared at the familiar, "That was a retorical question!"
"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"
"SHUT UP!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Urk! I'll just... it probably goes on the diaper..." mumbled the man as he dusted the powder lightly but didn't notice it wiggle as he did so. Not knowing how much powder was needed, Tomoe eye balled the amount required as Mizuki held down the screaming child. "Get the tape!" ordered the man.
Mizuki snarled at the white haired ex yokai but passed on the clear roll of tape anyways. Tomoe chewed on his lip, trying to figure out how to wrap the thing and the worst part was that they didn't have the box because Nanami stores the diapers in a cubby. Stretching the tape out and slicing through with the blade at the end of the roll, Tomoe slathered the adhesive over the boy and loosened the sides so it wouldn't suffocate his son. When was Nanami coming back?! Tomoe groaned when the diaper didn't look the way Nanami did it and yanked it off. Mizuki handed Tomoe the bottle again who froze when he accidentally let all of the baby powder out and onto his son.
All three of them blinked in surprise as the white powder puffed out everywhere in the room. "Reiji-kun!" Mizuki shrieked as the baby began to cough. Sending a gust of air through the room, Mizuki frantically began to clear the room as both father and son began to cough loudly gasping for air. Tomoe hacked and sputtered, punching his chest to help him breath better. Soon enough the shrine cleared up and the men gawked at how much powder was caked on the boy.
Tomoe fumed, "Nanami never told me it was going to be this hard!" Mizuki nodded somberly, watching Tomoe lift up the now fussier baby and carry the naked child to the bathroom. "Test the water so it's luke warm, I'll go get the supplies." murmured the exhausted human. Mizuki obidently did as told, turning on the tap water and testing it on the back of his pale hand. Meanwhile Tomoe's under eyes were gray and sagged. Holding his brown haired son on his built arm, Tomoe let out a heavy yawn and ran a hand through his hair. Reiji was clearly tired as he leaned on his father's shoulder and clutched the rim of his heavy blue winter haori, snuggling close. Tomoe smiled softly when he son huddled his pink face into the crook of his arms, holding his parent close. Reiji's eyes were clamped shut as he cuddled to get warm, Tomoe sighed when he realized he was covered in baby powder too now, but brushed his son's hair back and mused on how much Reiji looked like Nanami besides his eye color of blue that Tomoe had when he was younger but turned into purple later on. Bearing his son in one arm, Tomoe twisted the handle of the closet full of Reiji's baby supplies and prodded the door shut with his foot.
Trying to hold the shampoo bottle, wash cloth, towel, and child's kimono in one hand, Tomoe dropped it all on the counter as soon as he could once reaching the restroom. Tomoe slumped back on the wall after handing Reiji to Mizuki. The baby whinned and reached out to his father sadly making Tomoe sigh once more and sit next to Mizuki so Reiji would smile again. Reiji wailed in fear when the water was splashed down on his head but Tomoe quickly shushed the fearful child by tickling his sides and making the boy laugh uncontrollably. Tomoe smiled gently and huffed in relief that Reiji had stopped crying. Slowly pouring water on his son and washing away the powder, sleep was needed for the father as he was ready to collapse right then and there from exhaustion. Pulling the towel off the counter and wrapping his son tightly in it, Tomoe let out a smile that he wasn't sure was forced or relieved. Mizuki pulled back his sleeves and heaved the boy up and cradled him gently.
"Don't drop him." joked the man.
Mizuki flushed and pouted at Tomoe, "Of course I won't! Geez Tomoe-kun..."
Tomoe snickered but let out a heavy yawn and sat down on the sofa only to be out cold in a matter of seconds. Mizuki smiled, after the family came to the shrine, his days have been filled with so much more joy, especially with Reiji-kun. The baby let out a small yawn and stretched out in his little blanket, "Shh shh Reiji-kun. Shhh shh.." cooed the snake, rocking the baby gently. The familiar exhaled loudly when the baby drifted off to dream land. Bringing the small child to his little crib, Mizuki's head shot to the door when he heard the woman kick some snow off her boots before entering the shrine.
"Nanami-chan!" Mizuki gasped cheerfully but his voice lowered when he didn't want to awake Reiji.
"Mizuki! How's Reiji?" asked Nanami as she set her coat on the rack and wriggled her scarf off.
Mizuki gulped before smiling, "G-He's good! Good!"
"Here, come to Mommy" Nanami cooed gently and took her son from the familiar tenderly letting the snake to relax since that was finally over. Mizuki strolled over to the kitchen for some tea but yelped when he heard someone scream from in the nursury, "WHY IS THERE BABY POWDER EVERYWHERE!? AND WHY IS THERE SPIT UP ON THE FLOOR TOO?! TOMOE! MIZUKI!"
Mizuki gulped, maybe it wasn't over just yet...
Hehe! I wanted to make this one short since I'm working on some other one-shots and stuff. I found this one-shot to be really fun to make and I enjoyed it and I hope you did too!