Chapter 8

(Sano)

I cradled Shinta's upper body to me brokenly, sobbing into his hair. "Onegai Shinta! Wake up!" But nothing I did would revive him.

His head lolled bonelessly away from me, his arm trailing limp fingers in the dirt. I brushed obsidian strands away from his pale, sweat and tear covered face, running my fingers down his smooth skin. "Oh Shinta…"

I knew that this had been too much on him. The pain was too much, and his body too small. His little heart had just given up as soon as he knew the baby was alive and well, not able to keep beating any longer. I breathed deep of his scent, crying into his shoulder. I had lost the one person that completed my soul, and there was nothing I could do to bring him back to me.

It was the whimpering of the child that drew me away from my lover's body. I gently lay Shinta on the ground, going to where I had hurriedly put the baby. He was squirming in his blanket, waving his little fists angrily. I picked him up, cradling him lovingly. "Well little one, it's just you and me."

I examined the baby silently, running my eyes over his pale features. He looked so much like Shinta, same bone structure and the red thatch of hair declared him Shinta's son. But there was something that confused me. The baby's eyes, they were brown. Not green, like Enishi's, not violet like Shinta's, but brown… 'Like mine.' I realized.

The baby was mine. Not Enishi's! I was the father of Shinta's baby! I looked harder at the baby's features and started to see my own face buried there. Joy rose up in my soul, and I turned to look at Shinta, but then my joy died at the sight of his pale face. "Oh Shinta, you didn't even get to know…"

I leaned over him, burying my face in his chest. The baby whimpered again, moving against my chest, and I started to sit up. It was only when the chest beneath my face rose that I froze in place.

I raised my eyes. 'The sun…Could it be?'

I looked up to see crimson rippling through Shinta's hair, fangs growing in his open mouth, and claws sharpening on his hands. He was going through the transformation, but would it save his life?

When Shinta's eyes fluttered open I let out a cry of joy, reaching out an arm to pull him close to me. "Kodora! Shinta, you're alive!" I pressed kisses all over his face, in his hair, over his nose and cheeks.

He pushed at my chest. "Sano, back off, slow down! Don't smother me!"

I backed off immediately, letting him breathe deeply for a moment. He smiled gently, reaching up one hand to cup my cheek. "Gomen love, but I wasn't sure if I could come back to you or not." He sighed. "I was so very tired, but the sun…" He glanced toward it. "It gave me the strength."

I turned the baby towards him. "Shinta, the baby isn't Enishi's."

He gasped. "What? Then…"

I smiled wider. "It's mine."

He took the child from me, cradling the boy in his arms. The smile that spread across his face was one I would never forget. "Hai, y-you're right. I can see you in him…" He smiled up at me, tears in his eyes. "A little boy, both of ours."

I pulled him close to my chest again, cradling both him and our son. "Hai Shinta, our son…"

The baby began to wiggle in his arms and he cooed to the tiny boy. I watched the two lovingly, knowing in my heart that this was my family. This was the reason I was alive.

The baby still whimpered, and Shinta drew him close to his chest, where the child latched onto a swollen nipple, suckling fiercely. Shinta's fingers lightly stroked the red fuzz atop the child's head as he nursed the baby.

I chuckled. "You act like it's so natural, love."

He snorted. "You have no idea how weird it feels, but I can't help my instincts. For me it is natural."

I chuckled again and squeezed him gently. "I'm so proud of you Shinta. I've never been more in love with you." I started nibbling on his earlobe, teasing the flesh.

He growled low in his throat, squirming uncomfortably in my grasp. "Not now Sano…"

I grinned against his neck. "So this is why you were so…" I lowered my voice to a purr. "Sensitive…that time ago…"

I heard his gulp as a single bead of sweat glided down the skin closet to me. "Sano…Not now…"

I puffed my breath up his skin, making his bangs move in the air. "But Shinta…"

His snarl halted me in an instant and I looked up into gold tinted eyes and bared fangs. "Back…off…Sano…" His voice was low and distorted due to his snarl and I gulped.

"O-Okay…" I stammered as he lifted the child to his shoulder and moved away from me. I was a bit shocked, but I let it go, watching him quietly.

After a moment of silence Shinta spoke softly. "What should we name him?"

I blinked, thinking. "I'm not sure."

He began to move back into my arms, rocking the baby and singing softly. I pulled his kimono back onto his shoulders, wrapping my arms around his waist and settling my chin on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Sano," he murmured. "That was uncalled for."

I sighed. "So were my actions. You had every right to do that." I watched our son blink sleepily at me and yawn. I smiled. "He looks so much like you."

Shinta's smile was small and loving. "Hai, but he has your eyes and your nose." Shinta leaned his head against mine, yawning widely.

I chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. "Sleep kodora, before you pass out." He nodded slightly as I changed my position so I could support our sleeping baby as he sank into sleep.

I put my cheek against his hair, feeling his soft breaths against my neck. 'Hopefully Enishi will not return soon.' I frowned, my arms tightening around Shinta's waist. 'I will protect you kodora. With my very life is necessary…'

(I would have ended it here, but I'm not that evil… Plus, that's really short...)

I was surprised at the speed that Shinta was shedding weight. He went running every morning after feeding our son, who we still had to name. We couldn't think of a name we liked, but Shinta only kept saying that we would know when the right name came to us.

Shinta was nearly back to his original weight, and he was gaining back his usual cheerfulness. He was a bit more talkative as well.

Enishi didn't show up at all, and for two weeks Shinta's mood improved. He smiled and laughed more, he even began to play with me in the strangest ways.

It was early in the morning, and I woke to Shinta nibbling playfully on my neck. His rough little tongue was gliding across my skin, rougher than normal people's. I blinked, looking down into his mischievous violet eyes. "Um, ohayou Shinta."

He dissolved into a bout of giggles, bouncing away from me. He suddenly leapt straight up, landing in a branch a good 15 feet above him. From there he giggled at me.

I raised a brow. "You're sure….cheerful…" I turned my head when a baby's cry pierced the air. "You son's calling you."

He jumped from the tree with an almost tired sigh, going to where the child lay in the bundle of our blanket, my jacket, and Shinta's outer kimono. It was too warm for those things, so they had become the baby's bed.

Shinta lifted the wailing baby, rocking him and cooing softly. I resisted the urge to ravish him senseless.

Shinta looked up at me. "Must you always watch while I nurse him?"

I snorted. "You should know the answer to that one kodora."

A blush raced like fire across his cheeks and he looked down at our son. I chuckled and brushed a crimson lock of hair from his face, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

"Kensei…" he whispered. "I want to name him Kensei."

I smiled. "That sounds wonderful." I slipped my arms around his small waist from behind, setting my chin on his shoulder. "Our son, Kensei."

Okay, okay, I know. It's really short. Tell you what. I'll get the next one up faster as help! It'll be up within... 2 days. If it's not, you can all throw... um... any random object of your choice at me. I'll be writing furiously!