Disclaimer: I own very little aside from Yoshirou.

A/N: Written for a friend's birthday; set within the DaviKai universe.

Parenting

"…I think I see a finger, here." Davide peeked into the little sleeve. "Yep, it's a finger. It moved! He's waving at me!"

"Very funny." Kaoru glared at Davide before picking up the overstuffed bundle that he currently called his son. "I just don't want him to get cold."

"Well, he certainly won't get cold." Davide chuckled, shouldering the bag filled with manly things such as diapers and bottles – all very much necessary. "Are you really sure that's the smallest size you could find? His arms don't reach the end of the sleeves."

"Of course they don't. He's not two months old, after all." Kaoru sighed. "Newborns grow fast, Hikaru. He'll grow out of this before you know it."

"Awww, but he looks so small and cute now." Davide reached a hand to tickle the little cheek barely visible from within the stuffed and undoubtedly very warm hood. "Could you not grow up, okay? Okay! That's my boy!"

"What, you still want to change diapers when he's twenty?" Kaoru hissed. "Don't be ridiculous, Hikaru."

"What, you want to see him turn twenty and leave home to marry some nice guy or girl and make us grandparents?" Davide grinned. "But anyway, is our little polar scientist ready to face the risks of outdoors for what little time it will take us to get into the car?"

"Fsshuuu. Very funny." Kaoru frowned before heading for the door. "You coming or not?"

"You know it, dear." Hurrying after him, Davide closed and locked the door behind them.

Heading for the car, Davide opened the back door so Kaoru could put Yoshirou in his little car seat before they both settled on their own seats. "You all right back there?" Davide asked over his shoulder, receiving no response aside from an apparently content coo. Apparently their little son was indeed satisfied with the travelling arrangements.

Starting the car, Kaoru headed out of the driveway and onto the street. Refraining from any witty commentary, knowing Kaoru didn't like distractions when driving, Davide amused himself by looking out of the window. That was, until Kaoru spoke.

"You're not playing any games with Hazue, got it?"

"Huh?" Davide blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You know very well what I mean." Kaoru hissed. "Like that – that idiocy with Momoshiro!"

"Awww, come on. The kid liked it and you know it." Davide grinned. "He was smiling."

"Sure he was laughing, what with you being so ridiculous." Another hiss. Hmm, apparently Kaoru was serious. "You can play ball with Yoshirou whenever you want when he's bigger. Until then, no using him as a – a damn racquet!"

"Really, now. It wasn't that bad." Davide rolled his eyes. "At least the kid's got balls. …Pu."

Kaoru's mouth turned into a grimace. "…You're so lucky I can't hit you right now."

"Domestic violence in the presence of the kid. You should be ashamed, Kaoru." Then, seeing the other's expression, he sighed, running a hand over his carefully styled hair. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." It had been fun, though. No matter what Kaoru said, Yoshirou was the perfect thing to bounce balloons off of. It wasn't like he hadn't held the kid securely.

"Make sure it doesn't." Kaoru hissed before sighing. "…I'm sorry, Hikaru. I guess I'm just rather high-strung."

"It's okay, Kaoru." Davide reached a hand to touch Kaoru's arm briefly. "Just relax, honey. Remember, you're not the one facing in-laws, here. If anyone has a right to be nervous, it's me."

"You know my family adores you, fsshuuu." Kaoru sighed. "It's just… I don't know. Didn't sleep well last night, I guess."

"That's quite natural for the parents of a newborn, I assume. It's the nature of newborns, after all." After a moment of silence, Davide sighed. "See? I'm tired, too. My puns aren't even funny anymore."

"You mean they've some time been?" muttered Kaoru, then offered Davide a somewhat weary smile as a way of apology. "Sorry about that. You know I…" After a deep breath, he managed to finish, "I love you."

"Yes, I know. I love you too." Davide nodded, smiling brightly before turning to look at the back seat. "And Yoshi-chan knows it too, right, son?"

There was no response. Davide was satisfied. He'd heard quite a few horror stories about babies who turned into screaming little monsters whenever put on a car, but thankfully Yoshi had never seemed to mind being in a car.

The rest of the way to Kaoru's parents' house went rather uneventfully. Once they got there, Kaoru's mother opened the door before they had even managed to get Yoshirou out of the car. "What took you so long?" she asked somewhat impatiently as they walked inside. "We've been waiting!"

"Calm down, Mother," Hazue sighed. "You saw the kid just last week, didn't you?"

Hozumi shot her younger son a glare before turning to look at Yoshirou. "Oh, such a cute thing he is! Don't bother undressing him, dear, I'll gladly do it, just get your own coats off! Who's grandma's little cutie pie, who? That's Yoshi-chan, yes it is!"

Davide smiled as he watched this, always amazed at the way his usually so calm mother-in-law changed when she saw her little grandson. Yoshirou chose this moment to wake from his little nap, flashing his adoring grandmother a beaming smile.

"Aw, so cute! He's just like you were as a baby, Kaoru! I wonder if I still have some of your old clothes stored somewhere…"

"Ah, mother, please do not trouble yourself," Kaoru said with a somewhat pained expression. "We're not going to dress him as a little girl…"

"But why? You were so adorable! Wouldn't you agree, Hikaru-kun?" Hozumi looked at Davide.

"I do think," Davide said with a somewhat nervous grin, "it would be the best for my continued good health if I chose to stay quiet about this particular subject." Sad though it was, Kaoru seemed to be in fierce denial about the absolute adorableness of his baby pictures.

Hozumi soon had to pause her fussing over Yoshirou to head to the kitchen, any offers to help turned down politely but very firmly. Yoshirou was thus given to his grandfather to be held instead.

"He already has a firm grip," Shibuki commented, looking at his fingertip grasped in the little hand. "A good little man to carry on the Kaidou name."

"Amane, father." Kaoru sighed. "His name is Amane Yoshirou."

"I know." His father raised his eyebrows. "And I wonder why."

"Because Hikaru only has a sister," Kaoru replied. "You still have Hazue to carry on the name. Therefore, it only made sense for us to take Hikaru's name instead of mine."

"…An acceptable explanation. I guess."

"Oh, stop harassing the poor boys, dear!" Hozumi scolded her husband from the doorway. "Now, come eat, all of you! The food is on the table; I'll be very insulted if you dally any longer!"

"Oh, we wouldn't dream of such a crime," Davide chuckled. "Your cooking skills almost surpass those of your son!"

"Well, at least I know why Kaoru chose you," chuckled Hozumi. "Such a lovely young man you are! But now, to dinner, everyone!"

The dinner was a rather pleasant affair, as was usual in the Kaidou household. Finally the Amane family had to bid their goodbyes, though. Hozumi joked about not letting Yoshirou leave, at which point the boy very wisely chose to remind her of the less pleasant aspects of child-rearing by filling his diaper. After some chuckles and a diaper change, they were finally allowed to leave.

"Yoshirou sure knew how to behave," Davide commented as they got home. "Didn't throw a tantrum or anything."

"Bet you he'll cry all night, now." Despite his words, Kaoru smiled at the baby while taking off the winter attire. "Could you get a bottle ready for him, please?"

Despite Kaoru's prediction, Yoshirou continued to act like an angel for the rest of the night. Apparently he'd decided to give his poor tired parents one peaceful evening. Which of course didn't mean Kaoru and Davide didn't struggle against a constant temptation to check on him to see whether he was all right, being so very quiet.

Finally the two got into bed themselves, both sighing tiredly. "Who gets up first?" Davide asked.

"Your turn," Kaoru replied. "I took the first one last night."

"I'm too tired to even argue." Davide chuckled tiredly. "When do you think he'll start sleeping all night?"

"It varies, I've heard. Maybe we'll be lucky and he starts early, fsshuuu." Kaoru laced his fingers with Davide's under the covers.

Davide squeezed his hand. "I love you, you know."

"I love you too," whispered Kaoru before promptly falling asleep.