Baby Mine

*chapter 2

By Sakata Ri Houjun

I'm so surprised that so many people are enjoying this story. I've been listening to the various requests as to what our happy couple's child should be. Well, don't you worry, that answer will come within nine months time. Not literally of course.

~***~

Tasuki was having perhaps the best dream he'd ever had before when he was suddenly yanked from fantasyland by sharp knocking on his chamber door. Sleepily, and rather annoyed as he was enjoying the softness of Chichiri pressing against him, he silted one golden eye open, looking directly at the door. His body was still numbly asleep, and he closed his eye in attempt to muster the strength to tell whomever it was on the other side of the door to fuck off.

Unfortunately, he was a little slow.

"Knock knock. Who's there? Genrou's best buddy, Kouji, with some breakfast for the lovebirds who were up all night making noise. Kouji, come on in. Thanks, I will."

The large wooden door creaked open then and the blue-haired bandit peeked in with a leering grin and a tray full of food as he smiled at the half-asleep redhead snuggling up to...

Kouji's smile died then, his emerald eyes widening. He nearly dropped the tray, but caught himself at the last moment, although he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the nude figure that Genrou was tangled with on his bed.

Blue hair, she had blue hair. And a body unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Milky white skin that hadn't seen the light of day, unlike those of the bandits and himself. Long, slender limbs were entangled with Genrou, face buried against the redhead's chest. The tangled sheets barely covered either of the bed's occupants, but hat hardly mattered where Genrou was concerned.

Kouji began to tremble where he stood, still staring unblinking at the woman clinging to his best friend. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, unable to think of what to say to such a sight. But then all rational thought flew out the window and he just blurted out the first phrase that had entered his mind upon entering the room.

"Who the fuck is that?"

Tasuki has watched all this through sleep-dazed eyes, not really comprehending his friend's shock until the older bandit had yelled out. That woke the redhead up, and his own eyes widened as well. He sat up quickly, and reached down to tug a sheet over Chichiri's body, covering her up as best he could, and making certain that her sleep hadn't been disturbed.

Fortunately, the monk slept on, blissfully unaware of Kouji's shock.

Tasuki then turned towards his friend, bringing a finger to his lips in an attempt to shush the other bandit. "Shhh! Kouji..."

Immediately, the blue-haired bandit clamed up, shutting his mouth. However, he still appeared rather miffed, his green eyes darting angrily between the younger bandit and his companion. "Genrou, who the fuck is that chick?" he hissed softly after a brief and tense pause. "Why the hell would you cheat on Chichiri?"

Tasuki merely shook his head as he hurriedly slipped out of the warm bed and picked up his discarded pants from the night before. "It's not what it looks like, Kouji. Just calm down," he returned softly.

Kouji raised his shaggy eyebrows. "It sure as hell looks like what it looks like," he argued, his voice rising.

A soft murmur was heard from the bed and both men turned their eyes to the female. Tasuki was afraid that Kouji had indeed woken up his lover, but instead, Chichiri merely snuggled deeper into the covers, seemingly searching for the bandit's lost warmth.

Tasuki quickly returned his attention back towards his friend, yanking on his pants and hurriedly tying them up as he strode across the room. "Can we go outside and discus this? I don't want you waking Chiri up."

Kouji frowned as he silently set the try on a nearby table, trying to avoid looking at the bed's lone occupant. "Sorry to say, but Chichiri ain't here, Genrou."

Tasuki sighed as he took his friend's arm, leading him outside the open door, closing it as softly as he could before turning around to face the scarred bandit again. "Yeah, she is. And I don't want her disturbed."

The older man furrowed his brows together. "Funny, I only saw a woman in our bed, Genrou. No genki bouncing-off-the-wall monk."

Tasuki quickly looked down, biting his lip as he realized how hard explaining this was going to be. "Um, okay. Kouji, what color is Chichiri's hair?"

"Blue," he intoned flatly, one brow arching as he tried to figure out what his friend was trying to say. "What's your point?"

"Didn't you notice what color her hair was?" he questioned while jabbing a thumb over his shoulder towards the closed door.

"Blue. So? I still don't get it. What's blue hair got to do with anything?"

Tasuki sighed as he reached up to poke his buddy in the forehead with one finger. "Think about it. How many blue-haired chicks do you think there are in this stronghold?"

None. But that doesn't mean you haven't gone out and picked one up."

Tasuki was starting o get annoyed. "Have I left the mountain at all recently?"

Kouji thought about it for a moment. The last time his redheaded friend had left was about a week back. No way in hell for the younger bandit to have secreted a girl here for that long without one of the other bandits noticing. "Then what the fuck are you trying to say, Genrou? That that girl is really Chichiri? I knew he could go all chibi and all but this is a bit much."

Tasuki looked down, trying not to smile. "You'd be surprised that there are some things that I don't even know about Chiri."

Kouji blinked a few times, letting that thought sink into his mind. "That's...creepy. Why did he do it? I mean, what point is there? Did you want a woman for a change?"

Tasuki shook his head, a blush coloring his features. "Iie. It's just that... Oh fuck, you're going to laugh at me."

Kouji grinned then. "Genrou, when don't I laugh at you?"

The redhead frowned, looking back up at his friend. "But this is something personal, Kouji."

Kouji sobered up quickly. "Well, what is it, Genrou? I promise that I'll try not to laugh."

"Well..." He blushed again, harder this time. "Chiri and I were talking last night and..." he trailed off.

The dark-haired bandit leaned back against the far wall of the hallway, crossing his arms over his open shirt. He scrutinized his best friend's expression, realizing that indeed this was a serious matter and that he needed to pay attention to Genrou's next words.

"...we both realized that we wanted...well..." Tasuki made a helpless gesture with his hands, as though it would explain everything. "Kouji, we want a family."

The shock that the older man felt when confronted with a female in Genrou's arms was nothing compared to the unexpected blow he received then. "Nani? A family? So you mean...?" Unable to find the words, his eyes darted back to the closed door where the female Chichiri still slept on.

Tasuki only nodded miserably, waiting for the condemnation that he was certain would come form his closest friend. "Hai..."

"Genrou, do you even know what you're getting into with this? And does Chichiri? I mean, raising a kid is serious work and... Shit, Genrou... I just never thought you would ever want to have kids."

The redhead expelled his breath slowly. "Chichiri's been thinking about this for a long time, as have I. We just decided to do this last night and..." he trailed off slowly, meeting Kouji's confused stare with a gaze full of hope. "This is something that we both really want, ya know."

The navy-haired bandit sighed, scratching the back of his head and frowning somewhat. "So is this going to be a permanent change?"

"No, no. Just until our kid's... What's the word Chiri used? Weaned."

Kouji gulped. "If that's the case, then how are you planning on explaining to the kid why he don't have a mother?"

Tasuki frowned. "Gods, you're making this difficult, you know that?"

Kouji chuckled softly. "You forget, that's my job. Someone has t make sure you think things through. But this is serious shit, Genrou. Did you know that some women die during childbirth?"

The younger bandit took a step back, almost like he was stepping protectively in from of his lover who lay behind the door. "Iie. Not Chiri. He...she's strong."

Kouji shrugged, lifting his hands. "Well, I'm just making sure you know Genrou. It ain't going to be as simple as you make it sound."

Tasuki stared hard at his long time friend, golden eyes narrowing. "I thought you'd be behind me on this."

"I am. I am. I'm just warning you of the dangers of it. And we don't got any midwives here. It's not like this operation was built for families, ya know."

"I know. But I plan on getting one from Souun City. If I even have to, I'll drag my fucking Ma up here to take of Chiri."

Kouji blinked. "Oi, ya think that might be safe? If your mother finds out Chichiri's not really a she, she might spaz and break something. And it might be you."

Tasuki could only frown in response as he looked away.

The older man sighed as he pushed away from the wall, stretching his arms over his head. "Keep in mind that I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I just... Well, it's a weird idea, Genrou. A man having a baby..."

"But I love him, Kouji. And that child will be ours..." The redhead smiled softly as he reached out to touch the carved wood of his door.

"That thought alone makes me wonder how he'll turn out." He grinned then, his eyes sparking with mischief. "I think I'll get the guys on a pool, betting on if it's going to be a boy or a girl."

Tasuki turned his head, a look of bewilderment crossing his face as he peered at Kouji. "You wouldn't?"

"What? A little betting wouldn't hurt things."

The redhead laughed as he shook his head. "I suppose not. But if ya win, you're splitting the winnings with me."

"Like hell!"

"And why not? I helped to make it, didn't I?"

Kouji snickered softly. "Well, when Chichiri gets pregnant, he'll be doing all the hard work from here on out. You're actually lucky that he didn't change you into the girl." He grinned slyly. "Now that I'd like to see."

Tasuki bristled. "That's not funny, Kouji..." he growled softly.

"Gomen, gomen. I just keep imagining you with..." he trailed off into a fit of suppressed laughter before continuing. "Breasts and..." This time he busted out laughing.

Tasuki crossed his arms over his bare chest, almost defensively. "I think you can shut the fuck up now..."

Kouji continued to grin madly at the younger man. "And we'll need to get things that your kid's going to need."

The redhead shrugged. "Eh, I think I can manage to find some things, whatever is needed. 'Sides, I don't even know for certain if Chichiri's knocked up."

"You'll know when he starts getting bigger, or morning sickness. Whichever comes first, I ain't no expert."

"Actually, Chiri told me that she might be able to feel its ki."

The taller bandit balked. "Okay, now that's downright creepy."

Tasuki raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"

"Just is. I'm not a big fan of all that ki stuff."

"But it's what he does, Kouji."

"Yeah, yeah. Still creepy though."

Tasuki laughed as he reached over and ruffled his friend's hair. "Is mister big, tough bandit afraid of a little monk?"

Kouji slapped his friend's hand away. "I'm not afraid."

"Eh, creeped out, afraid, what's the difference?" He grinned then.

"Don't make me hit you," Kouji warned the redhead, green eyes narrowing.

The younger man laughed at that. "Oi, what it or else I'm making you the wet nurse, man."

"Just try it, Genrou."

"I think I will, thanks for your permission, Kouji." He turned around and opened the door to his chambers.

Kouji swiftly kicked his buddy in the butt, the momentum sending the redhead into his room. "Baka yarou!"

"I have to be to put up with you, Kouji," he returned, yelling down the hallway at the retreating bandit's back. He laughed softly as he closed the door and immediately returned to the bed.

Chichiri peeked then from under the sheet she had been tuck in with, yawning. "How did it go, no da?"

Tasuki balked. "Y-you heard?"

"Some of it, no da." she stretched out lithely, both arms extended above her head.

The younger seishi smiled a he raked his eyes over the slender body hidden beneath the blankets, the sun shining in through he window to spangle along her pale skin and long hair. "How are ya feeling, Chiri?"

"Mmm... Tired and a bit sore, no da. I think you wore me out, na no da."

The bandit leaned over, kissing his soul mate's cheek gently. "Well, I can't begin to tell ya how wonderful last night felt..."

Chichiri blushed suddenly as images of last night's activities replayed through her mind. "H-hai, no da. I enjoyed it too."

The redhead moved to kiss at her lips, merely the gentlest of caresses. "I never thought it would feel so good, being with you like that. I was so afraid it'd be weird or something, but..." he trailed off with a smile before kissing her again. "Gods, thank you..."

Chichiri felt herself returning the smile. "I was worried too, no da. There were so many new things for me. All of it was so..."

"I know. You looked intimidated for a while back there.""

Chichiri blushed as she nodded. "I was. I had no idea that it would hurt the first time, no da."

The bandit caressed his love's cheek softly. "I should have warned you about it."

"But it's fine, no da. I should have known." Her lone eye locked on a stain on the sheet and she moaned. "My first times with you I always bleed, no da."

That comment made Tasuki wince. "You don't have to make it sound like such a bad thing."

"Iie, it's not, no da. I just well, you know..."

"just who way things go," he finished for her, pulling away to kiss her softly once more.

~***~

For the next chapter, Chichiri with morning sickness.