This is a little fluffy chapter for you to introduce baby Shina and hopefully give you warm fuzzy feelings.

Chapter 36

Bare your heart

It had been one month since Shina was brought into the world and like most parents, they had settled into a state of perpetual exhaustion. Though Shino had taken time off work and Sachi no longer worked, their daughter was proving to be rather tiring as they settled into the new rhythms of parenthood.

"Shino-kun, where did we put the bottles?" Sachi's voice called from the kitchen.

"First cabinet, bottom shelf."

She entered the living room, two bottles in one hand and Shina in her arm. She set them into Shina's bag.

"Hold her for a minute, please. I need to get her diaper bag ready. Kaachan should be here soon."

Due to their exhaustion quickly catching up with them they had taken Noriko up on her offer of watching Shina for a night. Though the idea first brought a sense of unease in him, Shino realized if it were not he or Sachi, he would trust the ever nurturing Noriko with his daughter. He took Shina in his hands, holding her head as he lay her in his lap. She was awake, eyes roving the ceiling. He tilted her up more. Her eyes had been a mix of unidentifiable colors, as was common for babies, but they had seemingly settled into a familiar shade of brown, one that he saw in the mirror when he took his sunglasses off. He had them removed at the moment and Shina looked into his eyes as her tongue gently poked out of her mouth. Though he knew she would not understand him he felt an inexplicable urge to talk to her.

"It's... alright," he began awkwardly. "It will be different but you will be spending the night with your Baachan." She blinked up at him and yawned. "Why? Because Kaachan and Touchan are very tired and need sleep. We still love you and we will see you tomorrow." He offered his finger to her hand which she gripped tightly and he smoothed his hand over her fine brown locks, another trait she inherited from him.

The doorbell rang.

He shifted Shina to his arm and let Noriko in. She practically swooned at the sight of her granddaughter.

"Oh! My precious girl!" she whispered excitedly. She ran a delicate finger down the baby's cheek. She smiled at Shino. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm well. Sachi and I are looking forward to a full night's sleep."

"I'll bet," she said with a chuckle. "Sachi was such a happy child but such a handful!"

"I heard that!" Sachi interrupted as she descended the stairs. She greeted her mother and explained all the items in the diaper bag and Shina's routine. Noriko waited with surprising patience, knowing the words were more for Sachi's peace of mind than for Noriko's understanding. She had raised two children after all. She knew her way around diapers and bottles.

"If she's too much trouble you can always bring her back," Sachi said uneasily.

Noriko enveloped her daughter in a hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Don't worry so much, sweetie. Your father and I will take good care of her. I'll bring her back tomorrow just after dinner. Time to say goodbye."

Shino pressed a quick kiss to Shina's forehead and handed her to Sachi for profuse hugs, kisses, and comforting words. He accepted a goodbye hug from Noriko, something he was getting more used to. He had not been deprived of love as a child but seeing the amount of physical affection Noriko handed out to her family he estimated Sachi received more hugs in a year than he had in a lifetime.

He did not mind Noriko's affection. It was one of the many ways she showed her love and he learned Noriko did not know how to love by halves. As soon as they announced their engagement Shino turned from her daughter's occasional visitor to nothing short of Noriko's second son. She gripped his shoulders after their hug.

"You get some rest tonight, dear. You're going back to work next week, right?"

"Yes, on Monday."

"Don't hesitate to ask if you need another free night." Noriko hugged Sachi goodbye and took Shina, hefting the diaper bag over her shoulder.

"Say bye, Shina-chan!" Noriko baby-talked to her granddaughter. "Bye, Kaachan! Bye, Tousan!" She waved Shina's tiny hand just before turning and walking home. Shino felt a cloud settle over his head.

"Tell me she will be alright, Shino-kun," Sachi said with worry coloring her voice.

"She will be alright," he repeated rather curtly, shifting his eyes to the floor. Sachi's brow wrinkled in concern.

"What's wrong?" She could tell he had fallen into a more sullen mood. Though she was perceptive and sensitive she could rarely tell what was the cause of his occasional upset.

"Everyone refers to you as 'Kaachan' but I only receive the more formal 'Tousan'. It sounds so impersonal compared to your title."

Anyone else would have scoffed away his picky nature and worrisome ways. But what he loved about Sachi the most was the simple fact that she was not like everyone else. She took his head in her hands and kissed him sweetly, bringing him out of his sulky mood.

"You are not impersonal," she said mellifluously. "If you don't like it so formal then from now on you are 'Touchan'."

Shino let his forehead rest on his wife's. He always appreciated her understanding. He realized with a pang that he hadn't purposely shown her adequate affection in what must have been weeks, probably before Shina was born.

"Are you ready for bed?"

Sachi sighed tiredly. "Soon. There are a few things that need to be cleaned first." Shino picked her up gently so she did not struggle to hold on.

"We will get to them tomorrow. Why? Because we are both too tired at the moment and it has been far too long since I expressed my love for you."

She kissed him as he carried her up the stairs.

"I have never been so lucky as the moment I asked a stranger about a beehive."

"That is not quite accurate. Because you showed initiative in your well being due to the nature of your surroundings. I believe I was the one that was lucky enough to be the one you asked."

There was only time for another heartfelt kiss and a few mutterings of love before they fell asleep in each other's arms.

I can't believe this story is almost over!