The sun was setting by the time I woke up with the bunny blanket covered over me in the rocking crib. I sleepily rubbed my eyes with the backs of my hands and arms to adjust to the settling light. I sat up a bit and squirmed but accidentally rocked the crib too much, and I tumbled out of it, landing on my face. The crib was flipped on its side with the blanket strewn out across the carpet. The pacifier was hurled from my mouth with a broken string of drool trailing off the teat.
"Ugh, dammit…that hurt." I groaned pushing myself off the floor. Then I froze but I didn't cry, mainly because I noticed something vital.
That hurt.
My eyes widened, I've been like this for about two weeks…is that what Shinra was telling me about?
My thoughts were broken when I heard the flea's door open and his footsteps coming down the stairs. When he walked around the couch to get to the crib, I got a good look at him. He didn't look well at all, and I didn't even hear him come downstairs for food. He was very pale, paler than usual, and his eyes were sagging. Something else strange about Izaya's eyes was that they were red and puffy, decorating the image with his flushed cheeks. It's like he's been in his room the whole time…crying…
He gives a feeble chuckle after he sees the mess and lifts me into his hold. He picks the pacifier off the floor and wipes it off on the front of his black V-neck shirt.
"Looks like we've both had better days, huh?"
I look up into his eyes in confusion. What the hell is he talking about?
"Kishou…" he said slowly, "Are you hungry?"
I pause before I coo a bit. He smiles weakly and lifts me higher as he carries me into the kitchen and starts warming up a bottle. When the microwave went off about a minute later, he pulled the bottle out and held the nipple close to my lips. Something was off, way off, and I almost lost the gut to swallow even a drop of that milk, but something told me it would break Izaya to pieces if I didn't.
I reluctantly opened my mouth as he slid in the rubber nipple, and I sucked slowly. As usual, Izaya caressed my soft blonde hair with tender hands. He still acted lovingly towards me as always, but tonight, there was definitely something wrong. The bright shine in his eyes that he always gets when he's feeding me, both of us staring at each other like a real mother and child, has faded completely.
I couldn't do it. I twisted my neck and used my hands to push the bottle out of my mouth. Any second longer of this torture and I would've thrown up.
Izaya held the bottle to his eye and was shocked to see that it wasn't even half empty.
"Guess you weren't that hungry…" he mused softly before pouring out the rest of the bottle's contents and holding me over his shoulder for a burping. My eyes widened at this. Normally when I didn't finish it, he would put the bottle in the fridge to save it for later. I didn't like the flea's behavior. I'd actually begin to warm up to his motherly act, but now he switched up once more and it's scaring me all over again. It was bothering me so much that I faked a couple of hiccups to make him stop.
He holds me up high and smothers my face in kisses when he does. I give out dry giggles and weak smiles as he does the same. He then lowers me, and we stare into each other's eyes for a few moments. I could've sworn Izaya's eyes started to tear up, but before I could look closer, he pressed me to his chest and started pacing back to the living room.
"Wanna take a bath now, Kishou-chan?" he asked while walking up the staircase. I didn't respond, but just clutched onto him tighter.
He took me into bathroom, making a stop by his room to put the pacifier on the nightstand, and removed my clothes and my diaper while he ran the water. He set me on the sink while he got out the baby lotions and that fruity smelling shampoo that I like. I was surprised when he pulled out the baby toys and there was a brand new rubber ducky sitting on the countertop. It looked kind of like the old one, except had on a sailor suit with green eyes. I giggled and extended my arms out to get the ducky, and Izaya happily obliged by carefully inserting it into my hands.
I knew now that I wouldn't bust this one since it was a bit tougher and bigger, plus my strength was starting to slack. Izaya picked me up and placed me in the water, which had forming bubbles all around me. I started to splash and make waves as the poor rubber duck was forcefully carried up and down the harsh ripples. I laughed hard at the thing's suffering, and Izaya petted my head.
"Kishou…do you want me to come in there with you?"
My hysterics stopped instantly. I definitely wasn't expecting that. Secretly, since last week, I've wanted nothing more than to have Izaya get in the tub with me. I'd never, EVER ask for that if I were an adult, so blame it on the side effects! But, right now, I'm an infant, so to me, it's an obvious decision.
I smiled at him and raised my arms to get him to come in. He nodded and left the room to bring back another towel. On instinct, I covered my eyes when Izaya started to undress himself. When I felt the sudden rise in the water when he came in, I still had my eyes shielded. Izaya chuckled and put his hands over mine.
"It's okay to look, Kishou!" he said while slowly pulling my palms away from my face. He laughed when he saw that I had my eyelids shut, grunting and straining at the extra effort it took to make them lock really tight. He laughed again and kissed my forehead sweetly. I gradually loosened the grip on my eyelids as he used his wet, slender hand to stroke my flushed cheek.
"Kishou-chan…it's okay to look." He said again softly, and hesitantly, I opened my eyes. It was blurry at first, but the image of amused, yet warm, crimson eyes staring at me is what I saw. Relieved that the bubbles covered most of his body, I cooed happily and touched his face. He nuzzled his nose in the small palm of my hand and smooched each of the tiny digits. I put my hand down, but Izaya's happy expression faded. It was then that for sure I saw small tears were beginning to form in his eyes.
This flea…he always calls me unpredictable, but seriously, what the hell is wrong with him?
I grabbed his hand with mine and whined, showing concern in my mocha orbs. Izaya flinched at the sudden touch and quickly put a smile back on.
"Ah, sorry, Kishou-chan! Just zoned out a bit…" he trailed off and began to wash my face. I said nothing, but the whole time, I was trying to deduce what could've caused this change in personality.
Izaya Orihara is an official narcissist. That much can be said, so any person who knows that also knows that this is not typical Izaya Orihara behavior. He would never act so weak in front of others, and though he does seem to drop his arrogant mask when he's alone with me, he'd never show this side of him even if it was just to an infant. He's always saying that his beloved humans look up to him as God and has no use for such human emotions such as love or sorrow.
After the bath, Izaya dressed me in a light blue onesie designed with a little blushing bear on its side after giving me a fresh diaper. He used a small washcloth to reduce the wetness in my blonde hair, making the tropical scent from the shampoo spread around the bedroom.
"Does that smell good, Kishou?" Izaya asked as he saw my pleasured expression. I sighed cutely as the smell was heaven itself, and Izaya leaned down to kiss my tummy. He lifted me up and set me down in the center of the pillows on his bed while he went to his wardrobe to change into his black pajamas.
"Ne, Kishou-chan, today's been kind of a rough one…" he whispers when he cradles me again after getting into the bed, "…how 'bout you sleep with me tonight?"
My eyes stood up, thinking there was definitely something wrong. Ever since this happened two weeks ago, I've learned to listen to my conscience along with my gut feeling, and right now both of them are tearing me up. Without thinking, I nodded my head slowly, then mentally slapped myself in the face. Damn these infant hormones…
"'Kay," he said at last while bundling both of us up in the thick comforter. He pulled the teal pacifier off the nightstand and stuck it in my mouth. We lay there, looking at each other with red and brown orbs. As much as I needed it, I refused to go to sleep because I just couldn't ignore all those signals. I squirmed a bit trying to get in a good position, but no matter what, those troubling feelings kept coming back. Izaya looked as if he could use some sleep, too, but he just blinked at my constant fidgeting. I stopped for a breath while lying on my stomach, exhausted from moving so much, and I felt a soft hand rub my back.
"Shh…oh, I wish I've would've gotten your panda bear before I came up here." He whispered, "…but I guess…I can give you your favorite song…one last time."
One last time? I thought. I honestly was beginning to think that the flea was dying. Or about to commit suicide from all the added stress…but that couldn't be since he has me to take care of for a while, right? At least until I reverted back to an adult…now that would probably kill him inside and out…
Izaya smiled at my concentrated face and begun to sing softly, patting my back in synch.
"Baby mine, don't you cry,
Baby mine, Dry your eyes,
Rest your head close to my heart,
Never to part, baby of mine…"
I never knew that the flea could sing so sweetly, but sleepiness suddenly took over me. Izaya noticed this and continued.
"Little one, when you play,
Don't you mind what they say,
Let those eyes sparkle and shine,
Never a tear, baby of mine…"
He started to caress my fat cheek with his other hand as the brown in my eyes were becoming less visible. I thought I saw Izaya tear up again, but my urge to sleep was getting stronger.
"From your head down to your toes,
You're not much, goodness knows,
But you're so precious to me,
Sweet as can be, baby of mine…"
When he stopped, he reached over and kissed my forehead. In the process, I felt something wet fall and slide down my face. I gave one last whimper behind the pacifier before I fell asleep.
'Kay, good new and bad news!
Bad news: updates will be a bit irregular for a good while. I was on Fall Break when I started this story, meaning I had just about all the time in the world to work on it. BUT, school starts back tomorrow, and as much as I love it (I'M NOT WEIRD.) I wish we had a few more days. T.T
Alright, good news: I have Computer Apps as a class and we're on the computer just about every day. I can work on it some then to get tidbits done throughout the week. OH! Be REALLY ready for the next chapter - THAT'S ALL I'M SAYIN'! XD