2/12/06
Title:
Welcome Silence
Author: Raya
Theme:
Silence
Genre: General
Version: Manga (post StarS /
pre Crystal Tokyo)
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.
Welcome Silence
Usagi stood in the entryway of her new house and watched as Hotaru paced around the living area. In her arms, she bounced six month old ChibiUsa who was screaming loudly and refusing to be calmed. Usagi smiled as she saw the pained, frustrated look on the younger senshi's face. She had worn that look herself quite often in the past few weeks, and could readily sympathize with the younger woman. Both women winced as ChibiUsa interrupted her sobs to let out another high pitched squeal. Luna, who was at her favorite perch on the back of the couch, put her head down and covered both of her sensitive ears.
Quickly, Usagi stepped into the room and put her grocery bags down. Hotaru caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, and spun defensively, tightening her hold on her little princess. Luna saw her move, spun to look also, and then relaxed. When she saw that it was just her queen, Hotaru relaxed a little and gave the older woman a rueful smile.
"Here, let me take her," Usagi said, trying to be heard over her daughter's wails. ChibiUsa jerked around at the sound of her mother's voice and reached for her.
"I've got her, Usagi-san," Hotaru said quietly as she instinctively tightened her arms around her young friend. "She's just fighting her nap as usual. Why don't you go put the groceries away?"
Usagi studied her for a moment, and then smiled in understanding and nodded. "If you insist," she said as she picked up the bags again. "They're your ears..." Looking a little worried, Luna rose and dashed off to the back of the house.
Hotaru braced herself. Sure enough, as soon as Usagi disappeared into the hallway leading to the kitchen, ChibiUsa began to scream loudly again. "Ma, ma, ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru crooned soothingly. "You know she won't let you stay up either. Hush now. Hush..." She resumed her pacing and bouncing.
Usagi couldn't resist sneaking down the hallway and taking another peak around the corner. Although she would never admit it, it was nice to see ChibiUsa acting out for someone else for a change. It made her feel like she wasn't such a bad mother after all. Slowly, she went back to the kitchen, and began to put the groceries away.
It didn't take long for her to start feeling sorry for Hotaru again, however, and guilty for leaving her young friend with the screaming, teething brat her daughter had become. She finished putting the groceries away, walked down the hall, and peeked again around the corner towards the living area.
She immediately noticed that Hotaru was beginning to make progress. Miraculously, the younger woman had finally convinced ChibiUsa to lay her head down on her shoulder, and was resting one pale cheek on the baby's pink head as she gently rubbed the little girl's back. ChibiUsa's face was still scrunched and twisted in anger, and her screams were just as loud as before, but she wasn't fighting Hotaru. It wouldn't be long, Usagi knew, before she would finally tire herself out and give in completely.
Nodding to herself, Usagi returned to the kitchen and began to heat water for tea. She bustled around, listening to ChibiUsa's cries become softer, and then further and further in between as she prepared a late lunch for herself and her babysitter. She had just put the last of the rice balls and fried shrimp on the table when she heard ChibiUsa give a little hiccup and go silent.
Usagi waited, knowing that the end was almost near. She heard Hotaru murmur something to ChibiUsa, who began to cry again, more quietly this time. 'Two...' she thought to herself as she turned around to get the tea from the kitchen. As she stepped back into the dining area, ChibiUsa was silent once more.
Slowly, Hotaru walked around the corner and into the dining room. She exchanged a smile with her queen, and raised an eyebrow at the lunch that was laid out and waiting. She nodded her appreciation, glided over to the old-fashioned basket cradle in the corner of the room, and squatted down. Carefully, she balanced the dozing baby against her shoulder while she reached out and began to open the blankets. Usagi hurried over to help her. Hotaru smiled up at her again, and then, putting a hand behind ChibiUsa's head, tilted the baby backwards and into the cradle.
The little girl came awake abruptly once more, and began to cry again. Usagi watched as Hotaru rubbed her stomach gently with one hand and began to rock the cradle expertly with the other. Slowly, ChibiUsa quieted again.
'Three,' Usagi thought knowing that her daughter was now down for at least a couple of hours. "Thanks, Hotaru-chan," she said quietly as they crouched by the cradle and watched the baby sleep.
"Any time, Usagi-san," Hotaru replied fondly as she rocked the cradle. Finally, she reached out and drew the blankets closed once more. "Any time."
Quietly, they stood up and made their way to the table. Neither woman spoke, and they tried to keep the dishes as quiet as possible so that they could enjoy the wonderful, welcome sound of silence for the brief time they would have it.
