Disclaimer: Shaman King isn't owned by me, and neither are Manta or Yoh.
Notes: Maggie is Manta's daughter in a role-play I perform with my best friend.
--
Careful My Baby
-
Manta scowled, flustered and pink, and drew himself up to full height (stewing for the billionth time over how marvelous his life would be if he were just tall enough to shake a little sense into Yoh, or catch his attention). "Hey! HEY!"
"She's so tiny," said Yoh, oblivious to the chattering mass of man below. His blunt fingers danced over baby Maggie's stomach, causing her to squeal and clap her hands, much to his delight. Yoh made a silly face. Maggie made a nice-sized bubble of spit.
"H-Hold her with both hands, Yoh. Like this." admonished Manta, exasperated in his efforts. "Yoh, watch me for just a minute."
"She's beautiful, Manta," the man spoke, dropping his voice somewhat so as not to interrupt the child's yawn. His headphones blared against his bare collar bones, their boisterous sound reminding Yoh of their presence around his neck. Manta had cautioned him on the dangers of heavy plastic objects. (They could slip off the head and crush a baby's skull!) Absently, Yoh wondered if Maggie would've enjoyed Bob's music. She rocked her head a tad, bobbing against his palm.
"You have to support the upper-body with your right hand," Manta continued, crooking his arms around to a funny degree, demonstrating for Yoh. Maggie cooed loudly, distracting her father; and with brows furrowing, Manta grunted and stepped back. "Wait. Now I have it wrong!" He shuffled towards a bookcase across the room.
Maggie clasped onto a lock of Yoh's dangling dark hair and gave it a tug. Yoh grazed his lips over Maggie's head, kissing the soft young curls.
"Here it is." Manta mumbled, eyes tracing over the open pages of the Mantannian. "Extend your forearm and hand down her back to support her neck, spine, and bottom. She should lie horizontally, or at a slight angle. Yoh, are you listening? Secure her knees against your body, across or just below your left nip-This is for breast-feeding." Frustrated, he flipped more pages.
Yoh fixed his hold, and cradled Maggie's small body against him protectively. One hand seemed massive next to her tiny figure, and large enough to easily support most of her. "How about like this?"
Manta looked up, and gently closed the book. "That's good, Yoh," he blushed.
Maggie gurgled then, and in her baby gibberish, spoke to Yoh about his strong heartbeat as his chest caressed her sensitive ears.