Sano's Chick 3
A light rapping could be heard in the Sagara household every weekday around 6 o' clock. As Saiko grew she was becoming more and more attached to Saitou. Sano could tell this was true by the way she smiled when he came over. Saitou had been their almost daily visitor for four months. Sano would cook a meal for himself and Saitou and eventually a few soft things for Saiko. Most nights Saitou would eat dinner with the Sagara's, play with Saiko, let Sano put her to bed, and then spar with Sano after she was asleep. If it wasn't for this Sano was sure he would turn to pure flab. One night after a particularly tiring session it began to storm so bad Sano decided he would offer Saitou his futon for the night. "Hey Saitou, it is really pouring out there why not just stay the night here, I have some sake..." he said with a slight blush.
Sano gulped remembering how a drunken night was the reason he had a child in the first place. A small smile came over his lips, this time however that outcome would most definitely be welcome. On their third bottle of sake Sano finally worked up the courage to really open a dialogue with Saitou. Saitou, having just gone out to smoke a cigarette, returned to Sano's bedroom where they were drinking and Sano could tell he was not quite steady on his feet.
"Saitou I was thinking about Saiko's relationship with you" he said with a small grimace "what erm is she to you, do you think?" Saitou with eyes slightly glazed over sat down closely next to Sano. He took a deep breath and looked the young man in the eyes "I know it is silly, but I feel like she is my daughter too." Sano bit his lip to keep from grinning ear to ear. He could not have hoped for a better reaction. Before Sano could say another word Saitou put his gloved fingers in Sano's rooster hairdo. "Saiko is wonderful, but I think I would rather talk about her attractive father right now" Saitou whispered leaning forward finishing his sentence in Sano's ear.
Sano turned slightly away from Saitou confused by his sudden touching. Did the wolf actually want a real relationship with him? Annoyed by Sano's withdrawal Saitou put one hand over Sano's face and the other around his torso and dragged him between his legs. Saitou put his sake flavored lips on the skin between Sano's neck and right shoulder. Sano closed his eyes under the glove and shuddered. Saiko really would get to have to daddies.
Although it was unspoken Kenshin picked up on the depth of the relationship between Saitou and Sano. They would come with Saiko together every couple of weeks, sit together, eat together, and leave together. The rurouni had to admit that Saitou really took to fatherhood, thought not quite as easily as Sano. Every once in a while Kenshin noticed him get a little to upset at Saiko's spitting up or crying, but he would just hand her off to Sano if he was mad. Sano never admitted to the sexual aspect, but he was more than willing to talk about how happy he was to have Saitou in his and Saiko's life.
Around Saiko's first birthday she began to speak a little. Most of what she said was baby talk, but a few definite words were getting through. The day she called Sano "dada" was the say Saitou wished he wasn't spending almost every night there. While Saiko was down for a nap Saitou had been smoking out in the garden. Sano came out and smiled at Saitou. "Dada, Dada loves Saiko, Dada loves you" Sano said before he laughed and he threw his arms around Saitou happily. Saitou blew some smoke out of the side of his mouth "You know, if you keep talking baby talk to her she is never going to learn how to speak properly." "I don't care! She can call me dada forever, you are just jealous" Sano retorted. Saitou just sighed and lightly kissed Sano on the forehead.
During dinner Sano noticed that Saitou was more distracted than usual. "What's wrong" he asked quietly while feeding some rice to Saiko. "I will not be able to come home for a bit, I have some undercover work to do, plus I do need to keep up appearances at Goro's." Sano nodded; although they rarely talked about it Sano was fully aware that Saitou had to keep his identity secret. Fujita Gorou was his cover at the police department and Saitou had to keep a home in that name. It did make Sano smile however to hear Saitou refer to his house as home.
While Saitou did have to do all the things he told Sano there was another reason he needed some time out of the house. He had decided for Saiko's birthday he would build her a toddler bed for the time she would eventually need to be able to get out on her own since she was already walking. Doing all this meant he did not get to bed till after 3 every night for over a week and without Sano there to get him "settled" sleep took even longer.
Saitou did his best to keep from being to cranky from the lack of sleep and sex, but his co-workers were hoping this mood would pass. Finally the bed was complete and to avoid anyone from the police station seeing him bring it to Sano's Saitou sent word for Yahiko and Kenshin to meet him at Gorou's to pick up the bed and move it while Sano was distracted at Saiko's birthday dinner at the Akabeko.
Sano was thoroughly annoyed that Saitou showed up late. Luckily for Kenshin and Yahiko Kaoru had made up some elaborate excuse for them. Since Saiko was a little fussy over all the noise Sano handed her to Saitou as soon as he sat down. Saitou just smiled and smoothed her hair. It had a nasty habit of sticking up just like her fathers. Caving in to Sano's habit of baby talking her Saitou pulled her up to eye level with him. In the mean time Sano was bragging to Kaoru and a few others how Saiko had started to call him "dada." To make sure Sano heard him Saitou spoke rather clearly and loudly to his baby girl "daddy got you a special present today, daddy made it himself." Sano leaned in wondering what Saitou was up to. To his surprise Saiko looked a little puzzled looking into Saitou's eyes. Saitou smiled even bigger. "Daddy loves you Saiko, just like daddy loves "dada." "Dada" Saiko giggled looking over at Sano. Sano leaned back in victory placing his hand behind his head as the other girls let out oohs and ahhs. Saitou repeated himself one more time "daddy loves you Saiko." Saiko nose twitched and she tried her best to repeat after him "Da e." (Daddy without the middle d's) Saitou leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Saiko giggled even louder and repeated "Da e, Da e, Da e." Sano pouted but could not help but be proud of his and Saitou's smart child.