Ru-Ru quite enjoyed rooting around the kitchen, on the prowl for snacks, while Homura and Hiei looked after Masaki. But it hadn't been too long when Hiei entered the kitchen, holding a squalling Masaki in his arms.

"What's the matter, little Masaki?" Kurama asked in his baby voice. "Are you hungry again?"

"No, Kurama," said Hiei, rolling his eyes. Kurama could be so ridiculous when it came to the baby. "My father says it looks like he has a dirty diaper, and your mom said she'd help us change it."

"It's all right, Mom," said Kurama, noticing his mom about to speak. "I used to babysit, remember? I know how to change a diaper."

"But Hiei doesn't," she protested. "And I could help you teach him."

Kurama could see that his mom really, really wanted to be involved, and he could understand that. So he nodded, and the party of six headed into the bathroom, which was where they kept the changing table. They had considered keeping it in Hiei and Kurama's bedroom, but they worried that it would stink, and since it was a one-bedroom apartment, and it couldn't very well go in the living room (and especially not the kitchen), the bathroom it was. The changing table was low enough that Kurama could access it sitting down, while the others could kneel or sit on the floor.

"All right, then," said Hiei warily. "What do we do first?"

Kurama looked around the table, taking a quick mental inventory of everything they needed. They were good to go, so he said, "Hold him up by his ankles, Hiei, and I'll unfasten the diaper tabs."

"Wait!" said Shiori, but Kurama did it too quickly, and he and Hiei both found themselves sprayed in the face. Kurama felt stupid—he had forgotten that this could happen when you were changing a boy baby's diaper—but Hiei, who had never changed a diaper in his life, was completely caught off guard. He even let go of the baby's ankles, letting his bottom land back on the table.

"What the hell?!" Hiei spluttered. "He peed on me!"

"I tried to warn you," said Shiori. "Baby boys always do that."

Hiei was too busy scrubbing his face with one of the baby wipes to do anything else, but as Kurama held a warm washcloth over the baby's private parts to prevent any more spraying, he noticed that the mess in the diaper did not resemble anything he remembered from his babysitting days.

"Mom," he said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. "I don't think this is normal."

"Yuck!" Ru-Ru added, pinching her nose.

"That's his first dirty diaper of life," said Homura, heading over for a closer look. "It's supposed to look like that."

"It's filled with all the many fluids he ingested before he was born," Shiori added. "Just be glad it's in his diaper and not in his intestines."

"Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't seem so bad," said Kurama. The one thing he could say about Masaki's first dirty diaper was that at least it didn't smell, although he knew that would change soon. He scooted the dirty diaper over to the side and prepared to wipe the meconium off, although it clung like tar to the baby's skin and he ended up having to scrub a little harder than normal. When he was done, he said, "Hiei, would you throw away the dirty diaper and the wipes while I put on the new diaper?"

Hiei wrinkled his nose, but didn't protest. As he applied the baby powder and sealed the clean diaper, Kurama could hear his husband muttering, "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew…" under his breath, all the way to the diaper pail. By the time he got back, Kurama had snapped the onesie back on, and the baby was done.

"Next time, you can wipe him, and I'll throw the dirty diaper away," said Kurama. "And soon, you'll be able to do them by yourself, without any help."

"But…but you'll do some, too, right?" said Hiei, looking nervous.

"Of course," Kurama promised. "I'll be home with you for a few weeks, so I'll do as many as I can. I'm just saying that you'll need to know about baby care for when I go back to work and you're home alone with him all day."

Kurama saw Hiei swallow, but he was certain his beloved would be able to do it.

Shiori, Homura, and Ru-Ru left the apartment soon after the first diaper was changed. Masaki fell asleep in Hiei's arms again, but Hiei stood up quickly, handed the baby to Kurama, and sped out of the living room without any explanation—although no explanation was needed once Kurama overheard an unpleasant mixture of painful howls and awful expletives coming from the direction of the bathroom, such that he had to cover Masaki's ears. Kurama felt like he waited forever until Hiei finally came limping back into the living room. He gingerly sat down on the couch, but winced as if it had bitten him.

"Hiei?" said Kurama, as gently as he could. "Are you all right?"

"You did this to me, you bastard," Hiei snarled, curling up into a ball on the couch. Kurama felt sorry for him (especially since it was true), but that was when he remembered something that just might cheer him up.

"I have something that might make you feel better, Hiei," he said. "Look!"

And without further ado, he withdrew Masaki's special Hiruseki necklace from his pocket—with everything going on, he'd completely forgotten it was in there. Hiei's eyes (which upon closer examination were filled with tears) widened.

"Is that…?"

"Yes it is," said Kurama. "I made it as a gift for you, a sort of thank-you for giving birth. This way, Masaki will be able to wear his Hiruseki stone, but since it's tied around a piece of grass, it will be unique from all the others. Plus, if he does end up being a Plant Master, it'll fit him perfectly."

Kurama smiled, holding the necklace out to Hiei, but the tears in the fire demon's eyes simply became more pronounced.

"I…I don't know what to…" Hiei seemed speechless, unable even to finish his sentence.

"Is there something wrong, Hiei?" said Kurama, his smile faltering. It hadn't occurred to him before now, but what if it was some Koorime tradition that the stones be made into necklaces a certain way, and he had messed it up? I should have asked before doing something like that, he thought to himself.

But, as it turned out, that wasn't it at all.

"No," said Hiei tearfully. "It's…it's perfect."

And just like that, he stumbled over to Kurama and wrapped his arms around his neck as the tears flooded forth once more. But it was all right, because Kurama knew that this time, it was because he was happy.

…

Hiei was feeling more than a little in over his head as the days went by. He had been so focused on the pregnancy, and getting to the end of it, that he hadn't thought much about what life with a newborn was actually going to be like. Masaki cried and cried and cried, and most of the time, he never stopped unless someone was holding him. He slept in Hiei's arms every night, usually falling asleep at the breast, but several times during the night, he woke up screaming for more, and then he would fill a dirty diaper less than an hour later. Kurama took care of the majority of the diaper changes (he said it was "only fair" because Hiei was the one doing the feedings, and Hiei certainly didn't argue), but the knowledge that Kurama would eventually go back to work hovered above Hiei like a storm cloud of dread. Masaki took up all of Kurama and Hiei's time and attention, so Hiei was especially nervous about doing it on his own.

And then there was Hiei himself. In his case, at least, it wasn't just the baby. Homura was right; his body didn't magically just spring back, and he felt like he had been stupid to expect that it would. He was still just as moody, and he still had embarrassing problems with incontinence and gas, except now his entire undercarriage felt out-of-sorts, and taking a dump was still incredibly painful (if he was able to do it at all). The ninshinsu ached, and there was even a small amount of bleeding. His breasts didn't hurt less after a few days of feedings—they hurt more, not only because the nipples were sore, but because they were horribly engorged, making much more milk than Masaki needed. His sex drive had fallen to almost zero, not that he would be able to do it, anyway, considering how sore his ass was, and how gross he felt. To make things even worse, apparently he looked like he was still pregnant, as he learned in a most quick and painful way when he left Masaki in the apartment with Kurama to go dump the trash and ran into one of their neighbors at the trash chute.

"Good afternoon, Hiei," said the old lady, giving him a smile. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," Hiei mumbled, not bothering to ask how she knew his name, because he didn't know hers.

"That's wonderful, dear," she replied. When he stood up, she clucked her tongue sympathetically. "You certainly are a trooper."

"W-What do you mean?" Hiei stammered.

"Well, I knew you were overdue, and I can see that your baby hasn't come yet," she said sweetly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah, you can fuck off!" Hiei shouted at her, managing to hold back his tears until he was back in the apartment. Once he got in, though, he sunk down onto the floor in a heap and let it out. He didn't want to admit how much that lady had hurt his feelings, but it wasn't just her. Everything was completely overwhelming and mixed-up, and he seemed to have gotten worse, not better, after the baby's birth. Why couldn't he get it together? He loved the baby so much, yet he always worried he was the most horrible parent who didn't deserve any love the baby happened to give him in return.

"Hiei, what's the matter?" Kurama asked, looking concerned.

"Stupid old lady," Hiei sobbed. "She thought…she thought I was still pregnant."

"Oh, honey, that's horrible," said Kurama, holding out his arms, and Hiei didn't refuse them. It was one of those rare occasions that Masaki was sleeping on his own in his living room bassinet, so at least they didn't have his screaming to worry about at the moment, and Kurama's arms were free. He didn't spew out any words of consolation such as You're perfect just the way you are or I love you no matter what, and Hiei was grateful, for such words wouldn't make him feel any better, however much Kurama meant them. One of the best things about Kurama was that he knew when to shut up. He just let Hiei cry in his arms for the longest time, until he'd finally cried himself out…for now.

"I thought everything would be better once the baby was born," said Hiei, wiping his eyes and sitting down on the couch. Kurama didn't have to ask what "everything" was. "But it's not. Sometimes…sometimes I really don't think I can do this, Kurama."

"You sell yourself too short, Hiei," said Kurama. "You're new to this, that's all, just like I am. Parenting is a learning curve. Once you relax, and the baby relaxes, and you get to know each other, I'm sure it will become easier in time. Just because you're having some negative feelings and mood swings doesn't mean you don't love him. You've got to believe that."

"Easy for you to say," Hiei said back. "It's more than just the baby for me! At least you don't have all these problems with your bladder and sex and possibly having a body that's damaged for life!"

There was silence in the room. Hiei looked over at Kurama sitting in his wheelchair with a rather arrested expression on his face, and suddenly he wished for all the world that he could take back what he had just said. It was as if his heart had been torn out of his chest. How could he possibly have said something so stupid? Kurama was the one who had been T-boned on a busy highway and spent weeks in a coma. Kurama was the one who may never regain the use of his legs. Kurama was the one who had to spend every Saturday in physical therapy instead of at his store or with his family. And yet, Kurama was also the one who never complained and always kept his cool. He still cooked, cleaned, did laundry, helped to take care of the baby, and made plant products to sell. He was proving to be a wonderful father, and he was already a wonderful husband. Of course, he hadn't exploded in anger, but Hiei wished he would. That was what he felt he deserved. He didn't want to be like his mom and let it get to the point where he could no longer take care of his baby properly, but things seemed to be heading in that direction.

"Look…" Hiei began finally, looking down at his feet, but Kurama interrupted him.

"It's all right, Hiei," he said. "I know what you meant. This is going to be a difficult adjustment, like I said. Please just stop being so hard on yourself. That's all I ask." Kurama shut his eyes and sighed. "I don't like seeing you in pain. This is just as bad as anything pregnancy or childbirth could have brought on, and I think you know it. It's okay to feel this way, but please don't think you have to suffer through it on your own. Please."

"It's okay to feel like this?" Hiei said in disbelief. "But I thought you just said you don't like seeing me in pain." Hiei was sure that if Kurama didn't like seeing him in pain, he should probably just pretend he wasn't in pain, but Kurama didn't seem to see it that way.

"That doesn't matter, Hiei," said Kurama kindly. "I just want you to realize that you can't deal with difficult emotions if you keep sweeping them under the rug. Don't we want little Masaki to learn that he can turn to his loved ones for comfort if he needs it?"

"Of course," Hiei answered, confused.

"Well," said Kurama with a smile, "you need to learn that, too. Let's teach him by example."

Hiei felt a little embarrassed, and he could feel his cheeks getting hot. But he knew Kurama was right. Above all, he wanted his son to have a "support system." Maybe his life would be easier if he, Hiei, got one, too—or, that is, if he learned to rely on the one he already had. Maybe he was afraid that if he started to rely on other people, someday they wouldn't be reliable, and then where would he be? After all, that had happened to him many times in the past. Pretty much everyone Hiei thought he could rely on ended up being unreliable. Wasn't it stupid to assume that he would ever find someone who actually was reliable?

Kurama had betrayed Hiei a few times, too…but then, looking back, were those really betrayals? Even though Hiei had felt betrayed at the time, Kurama did have some pretty good reasons. He had needed the mirror to save his mom. And he was just saving the Spirit Detective from Hiei's sword. He had never been trying to hurt Hiei; he was just doing what he needed to do. Hiei hadn't been able to see it that way at the time. He had taken these actions as a personal slight. But they weren't personal at all. Hiei knew, deep down, that Kurama would always be reliable. He was one of the most reliable, responsible men in all three worlds. So finally, Hiei came to his decision.

"Okay," he said with a sigh. "You're right. It's just…difficult."

"I know." Kurama nodded. "And that makes you all the braver for not giving up."

Hiei could feel his post-birth hormones stirring up inside him again, and although his first instinct was to fight them back, he was already realizing that maybe this was an opportunity to just let his feelings flow and not be ashamed. But should he? Luckily, he didn't have to struggle with this inner turmoil for very long, because that was when Kurama's communicator rang. He set it to speakerphone and set it on the coffee table.

"It's Yukina," he mouthed to Hiei, and then to Yukina, "How nice to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"Wonderful, and I hope you are, too!" Yukina's voice seemed brimming with happiness. "I got the baby announcement, and I was wondering if Kazuma and I could come over to meet him sometime soon. I know we all can't come over at the same time—it would overstimulate a little guy like him, I'm sure—but I am his aunt, you know…"

"Of course," said Hiei, because he would like to see Yukina very much, even if Kuwabara was with her. "He'd love to meet you. Are you free tomorrow?"

"Free as a bird," she joked, and Hiei finally felt genuinely happy again.

…

Yukina and Kuwabara came over the next day, on Masaki's fourth day of life. Yukina obviously fell in love with Masaki the moment Hiei carefully placed him in her arms. He was reluctant to let Kuwabara hold him, but Kurama said, "If he can hold a kitten, he can hold a baby," and Yukina agreed, so there was Kuwabara, gingerly holding his nephew by marriage. Kuwabara, upon seeing the baby, finally seemed to have accepted that perhaps a male demon could bear children.

Masaki seemed to like Yukina, too. He opened his eyes and batted at her mint-green hair with a tiny, closed fist, and Kurama could have sworn he smiled. I don't care if they say babies that age can't smile, Kurama thought to himself. That was a smile!

They ended up inviting the rest of the gang, too, generally couple by couple. They were going to see Jin and Touya (plus their daughter, Kazekori) at Mukuro and Yomi's wedding on the first of August, but everyone else happened by within Masaki's first week of life. Botan and Shizuru were the next to arrive after Yukina and Kuwabara. Botan was beginning her sixth month of pregnancy already, and she seemed excited that her little Hana would have a "playmate" as soon as she was born. Shizuru was happy for them, too, and Kurama remembered how she was the first to suggest that Hiei might be pregnant.

Next up came Yusuke and Keiko, who were excited to see the baby, too. Keiko wanted to hold the baby first.

"Wow," said Yusuke quietly, joining Hiei on the couch (Hiei was tired from all these visitors). "She looks so…so happy."

"You two haven't considered having children?" Kurama asked, as casually as he could.

"Keiko would be a great mom." Yusuke shrugged. "And I wouldn't mind being a dad. But I don't think I'd make a very good one."

"Don't you think I worry about that every day?" said Hiei with a dry laugh. "I always worry that I'm going to mess up my child for the rest of his life."

"But…?"

"But we still try our best, knowing that the important thing is that we love him," Kurama answered, giving Yusuke a smile. "And we do. I would do anything for him."

"I would, too," said Hiei. "To be honest, Yusuke…I didn't even think it was possible to feel this much love for someone. I look at him, I hold him, and I keep thinking, 'I can't believe how much I love him.' He drives me crazy with his crying, his diaper output is unbelievable, I'm exhausted, I'm always worried about being a bad parent, and you don't want to know what he's done to my body. But I love him so, so much."

Kurama smiled softly to himself. It meant a lot that someone like Hiei would admit to feeling such a powerful love. Despite the way he constantly doubted himself, and all his tangled emotions, Hiei's deep love for their baby had never wavered. Yusuke didn't say anything, but he did have a strange look on his face. That was when Keiko came over, still beaming at them.

"Yusuke, do you want to hold the baby now?" she asked. "He is just so cute!"

"Um, sure." Yusuke reached out his arms to receive the baby, and Kurama had to admit that Yusuke with a baby looked a lot more natural than he ever would have guessed. He looked into Masaki's eyes and grinned, holding out a finger for the baby to grab. "Hey, little guy! I'm your Uncle Yusuke. When you get a little bigger, we're going to have lots of fun together."

"We all will," said Hiei, giving Kurama just a ghost of a smile.