Hiei had been expecting Kurama to cut the baby's cord, of course, but because he'd had a baby before, and because he'd been paying attention when Kurama learned, he also knew how to do it himself (he had Homura get the supplies from the linen closet). He still had the afterbirth coming, which was fine with him, considering he wasn't sure if Masaki and Ru-Ru would be able to handle the sight of it. They'd simply left Masaki's behind in the forest four years ago, most likely to become dinner for a lower-class demon. Hiei didn't know what he'd do with it this time around, but he could decide that later.

"You know," said Homura, "even if we're not going to call Kurama right away, he still needs some kind of moniker."

"Well, to be honest with you, I've had something in mind ever since we found out he was a boy, almost," said Hiei. "I wasn't going to give him this name unless he turned out to be a fire demon, but since he is…" Hiei smiled and looked down at his newborn, who had finally stopped crying and now appeared to be sleeping. "I want to call him Ryu. My little dragon."

"Good choice." Homura nodded. "For all we know, he may be using that attack someday."

"Do you think so?" said Hiei in interest. "It's not my flames I'm using there, you know. I'm only in control of the Dragon because I consumed it. I don't think anyone could replicate that, even Ryu."

"Technically, he doesn't have to," said Homura with a shrug. "Since he was born from you, the Dragon is inside him, too. And he'll be able to access it if he has strong enough power, because he inherited the ability to manipulate fire."

Hiei didn't know what to say for a second. Did this little one in his arms really have the Dragon of the Darkness Flame inside of him? And would his powers ever be strong enough to use it? Hiei had visions in his head of Ryu growing up strong, with proper training, becoming the second wielder of the Dragon, even winning one of the Makai Tournaments—but then he realized that was a long time coming, and shook himself back to reality. He didn't want to miss out on Ryu's babyhood and childhood because he was trying to turn him into a strong fighter like his Touchan.

Masaki reached out to touch Ryu's face, but the baby let out a screech, and a second later Masaki was pulling his hand away, suddenly bawling. Hiei was shocked to notice a red scorch mark on Masaki's hand.

Hiei passed Ryu to Homura fast as lightning and grabbed Masaki's wrist, checking over the injury to make sure it wasn't serious. Masaki was still crying, and Hiei didn't blame him; although he obviously wasn't subject to superficial burns himself, Masaki was a plant user, like Kurama, and burns could hurt him. Since he was ¼ fire demon, he did have some degree of resistance, and Hiei supposed Ryu could have hurt him a lot worse. Still, it was shocking that a newborn baby could do something like that. Maybe he would be strong enough to eventually use Hiei's strongest attack.

"He…he burned me," Masaki sobbed. "Touchan, Ryu burned me!"

"It's okay, Masaki, it's okay," Hiei soothed. "Let's get some ointment, and that burn will go right away. I promise."

Hiei stood up on shaky legs and headed over to the medicine cabinet, where he found some of Kurama's homemade healing serum. He squatted down, pulling his yukata tighter around him, and carefully applied it to Masaki's injury. Less than a minute later, the tears stopped. Hiei wished he had healing powers like Kurama and Yukina did, but he had to make do with what he had. The burn would heal soon enough on its own.

"Wow," said Ru-Ru. "I guess he really didn't want to be touched, did he?"

"No," Hiei agreed. "We should be more careful."

Only a few moments after Masaki was calmed, Hiei felt a very small pain in the ninshinsu, and he knew it must be the afterbirth on its way. Since he couldn't think of another thing to do, he just delivered it on the toilet and flushed it down, hoping for the best. It didn't hurt, and it came out in only one push. When Hiei sat down again, Homura handed Ryu back, and Hiei watched as the baby's eyes opened. They were just like Hiei's, and for that matter Homura's—fierce, crimson-red, slanting eyes that no enemy would soon forget. And they matched his hair almost exactly, as well as the red blush in his newborn baby cheeks.

Not long after he had awoken again, Ryu started showing signs of hunger. This was another thing Hiei remembered from the day Masaki was born—the first time he ever breastfed a baby. At least he wasn't a beginner this time, but he was surprised to feel a sharp bite from Ryu right away.

"Ouch!" said Hiei. "What was that for? I thought they only bite when they want to be switched."

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you," said Homura. "That's a fire demon thing."

"What?"

"Well, elemental babies have different feeding styles, depending on what element they control," Homura replied with a shrug. "I don't know them all, but I do know fire users can be pretty intense and they bite a lot."

"Lucky me," Hiei grumbled. Ryu seemed to have very sharp teeth, and Hiei was surprised he wasn't bleeding. Fortunately, after some smaller bites and repositioning, Ryu had latched on nicely, and was enjoying his first meal of life. Now that the biting was over, Hiei found himself relaxing at the sensation; nursing made lactating demons calm, mellow, and Hiei's case at least, rather sleepy. It also distracted him from pain, so suddenly he was a lot less sore from the birth. Hiei didn't expect Masaki to have any questions or concerns about breastfeeding, considering he'd already seen Yukina do it a bunch of times and the concept had already been explained to him thoroughly. And sure enough, Masaki didn't even seem to notice, just snuggled up against Hiei again and closed his eyes.

…

After the meal, Hiei and Homura gave Ryu his first bath in the sink, then diapered him and dressed him in a onesie. Homura watched the baby while Hiei took a hot shower, but by the time he was out, it was already time for the baby to eat again.

They went into the bedroom, and Hiei fed Ryu right there on the bed. Since he had spent a year and a half breastfeeding Masaki, Hiei was an old pro by now, and he could do it in pretty much any position. So he took off his shirt, lay on his side, and gently set the baby on his side, too. Soon enough, they were all set up, and Ryu was eating, although he felt the need to sink his teeth into Hiei's nipple every so often, just like last time. But Hiei knew he'd get used to it in time.

Despite the bites, Hiei found this position in particular to be very relaxing, and he was sure the baby did, too. Nursing wasn't just about a baby getting nourished, after all. It was also bonding time, something Hiei never got to have with his own mother, and something he valued very much with both of his children. He loved how close it made him feel to the baby, and it was calming and stress-relieving to them both. Whenever Masaki had gotten sick as a baby, nursing him had been not just a way to provide him with extra antibodies, but it had proven to be the best way to comfort him as well. It had certainly soothed Hiei's stress about having a sick child.

Masaki, as an infant, had co-slept most nights, curled up against Hiei's warm body, and in almost no time, Hiei hadn't even needed to sit up to feed him. That was good news right now, considering Hiei was still a bit sore from the birth. He didn't need to take his shirt off to feed the baby, but they were at home, and he figured they could both use more skin-on-skin contact. That was the way most babies were raised in Makai, after all—born wherever the mother was most comfortable, usually unassisted, and once born, if they were lucky enough not to have been abandoned or orphaned, they were always close to their parents, whether it was feeding, sleeping, playing, or almost anything else.

Both of them were about to drift off when there was a knock at the bedroom door. Hiei snapped to, but Ryu didn't.

"Come in," Hiei called.

Homura opened the door and stepped in, smiling. In his arms was a tray of food, and Masaki was following from behind with a TV tray.

"I've brought you some food, since I know breastfeeding him makes you hungry," said Homura, gesturing to the tray. Hiei could already feel his mouth watering, since Homura had loaded the tray with all of his favorites. He nodded and watched as Homura set the food on the TV tray and gathered some pillows at the top of the bed so that Hiei could sit in a position that was more conducive for him to eat, too. Once Hiei and the baby were both finished with their meals, and Hiei had his shirt back on, he noticed Masaki was watching the baby.

"I wish I could hold him," he said longingly. "But I think he might burn me again."

"I'm sorry, Masaki," said Hiei, feeling bad, but Homura was smiling.

"There is something you can do," he told Hiei. "Just temporarily absorb some of the baby's demon energy, enough that he isn't hot anymore, so he can't burn anyone, and then give it back when Masaki is done holding him. You can do this for anyone who might suffer a burn, including your husband, until he can control it himself."

Hiei winced, hoping Ryu wouldn't want to burn Kurama, too. But he actually had heard of what Homura was suggesting, and he knew how to do it. Since he was the same type of demon as Ryu, he could absorb Ryu's heat energy and keep it inside him, so that Masaki would be safe from burns. It took a surprisingly long time for Hiei to drain Ryu's heat energy, which was a good sign; he must have been at least an upper B-class. When Ryu was the temperature of a normal baby, Hiei gently helped his firstborn take the little one into his arms. Masaki stroked Ryu's cheek and smiled slightly.

"I think he's so cute," he said. "I'll be the best big brother ever!"

"I'm sure you will," Hiei replied, and gave him a hug.