AN: Alright, almost done with this thing so I thought I should finally start posting it. NaNoWriMo kind of got in the way, but whatever. I mostly wrote this fic because I was tired of the rose tinted "baby ever after" attitude that's shown a lot in fiction. Like, what the heck - baby's are a lot of work. And Inukashi isn't just the sort to break down and become a blob of mush as soon as she gets her hands on an infant. Sooo, I thought I would try to chronicle her progress as she deals with all the difficulties of raising a child.

Disclaimer: If I owned the No. 6 anime, I would have freaking made sure that Nezumi actually gave a freaking reason for leaving before he freaking walked off into the freaking sunset. So no, me no own.

Reviews are like muffins - I can do without them, but eventually my soul will wither up and die a silent death in the corner for lack of delicious baked good. So feed my poor starving soul. And I am awesome at analogies.

Small hands reached from the blankets, grasping at Inukashi's fingers. She let little Shion play with them, trying to keep from smiling at his burbles. She never knew when someone could walk in on her, after all – a person was only as vulnerable as the weakness they showed.

"Inukashi?"

She started, yanking her hand from the cardboard box where the infant lay. Shion, after whom the baby had been named, stood in the doorway with a bulky crate in his hands.

"What is it?" she demanded brusquely. Shion walked across the room and laid his burden on the floor. Inukashi craned her neck to look inside. There, lying among crinkled newspaper, was an array of plastic parts and brightly colored fabric. It was a cradle.

"My mother was lent it by a family that lives on her street," said Shion. "She's always treating their daughter, so they were happy to let us use it." He looked down at her, face flushed, obviously pleased with himself.

"They were now, were they?" deadpanned Inukashi. She picked up one of the parts and examined it with a critical eye. A cradle like this was something that belonged in a fancy shopping mall, or a family's nursery – not in the wreck that was her inn. When had she ever accepted hand-outs, anyway?

Shion seemed to read her thoughts. "Take it, please Inukashi?" he coaxed. "Not for yourself, but for the baby. That damp old cardboard box can't be good for his health."

Inukashi was about to tell Shion that he could take both his concerns and the cradle back with him when the child in question began to cry. She swore under her breath even as she reached down to pick him up, cradling him in her arms.

Shion held out his hands. "May I hold him?"

"Sure, sure," said Inukashi, passing the infant off. Shion grunted as the child's weight settled into his arms. Tiny arms reached up to pat his face, making the young man smile.

"Wow, he's gotten a lot heavier since I last visited, hasn't he?"

Inukashi looked up at him in surprise. "Really?" She hadn't noticed the change at all. Shion nodded. "Heck, babies grow up fast, don't they?" she mumbled. The child's big eyes looked up at her, lower lip trembling as he prepared to let another wail loose.

Inukashi tried to stop the inevitable. "Come on now, you little jerk, don't cry again. Spare us this time, will you?" Her ineloquent pleas were thoroughly ignored. Shion gave a nervous little laugh as Inukashi fumed.

"Maybe his diaper is wet?" he suggested. "You really shouldn't talk to your child like that, Inukashi."

"Who said this thing was my child," she shot back. "You're the one that decided to pick him up and take him home, aren't you?"

"Well, actually, it was your dog that-"

"And I swear, the number of diapers that I go through everyday isn't even funny," Inukashi grumbled. Taking the baby back, she sniffed his bottom hesitantly, wrinkling her nose. Yup, full diaper, compliments of one cranky baby.

Shion got the blanket that hung in the corner and laid it on the floor. Inukashi set the protesting child down carefully and proceeded to change him. As her hands automatically went through the motions that had become all too familiar, the baby's cries subsided, with only the occasional whimper coming out of his mouth.

The brat sure is loud for something so small, Inukashi thought to herself. She could see the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the soft skin of his belly swelling like a balloon. That's one pair of healthy lungs he's got there.

The thought made her pause. She could remember chilly nights were she would curl up with her dogs, listening to the ragged coughs and hacks of customers in the other rooms. Sometimes they would spit up blood and sickly, yellow phlegm, which she would need to clean up in the morning. Thinking of it made her feel slightly nauseous.

"Hey Shion, does dampness bring on a coughs and stuff like that?" she asked abruptly.

Shion looked up towards the ceiling thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose in some cases it would, especially with prolonged exposure or in a moldy location. Why?"

"No reason," said Inukashi gruffly. The silence stretched on for a few more moments.

"I'll take it, then."

"Huh?" Shion said in confusion.

"That blasted colorful cradle, with all the green little giraffes on it and stuff. I'll take it." Inukashi looked up with a stormy look. "What, do you have a problem with that now?'

"What? No, what are you talking about?" asked Shion, mystified. "I brought it for you in the first place, didn't I?"

Inukashi couldn't think of a way to respond to him, so she just turned away and finished changing the baby, picking him up as roughly as she dared. Stupid logical conversations and the way they required her to say coherent things.

"You know, if it's dampness you're worried about, there are dehumidifiers that can help with that sort of thing, although they're usually more effective in a less… open room," Shion said, eyes looking around.

"Like heck I'm going to have some expensive dehumidifier in here. A dry crib's enough – baby's just going to have to deal with it," huffed Inukashi.

"Ah, suppose so. Still, if you need anything else just let me know. My mom would probably be happy to help too, if you need it."

Inukashi didn't answer. She was too busy looking at the way that little Shion puckered his mouth, his little lips trying to suckle on air. He leaned into her, face burrowing into her shirt. You're not going to have any luck there kid. I'm as flat and dry as a board.

Shion stood up. "I've got to go back for council work now, so I'll be leaving. I'll be back later this evening to help you assemble the crib," he stated, brushing off his knees.

"Hey Shion."

"Huh?"

Inukashi avoided looking at him, focusing her attention on the infant in her arms. "Just… thanks," she said roughly.

Shion smiled softly. "Anytime you need it, Inukashi."