It was a little over a week till Saiko's birthday when Sano's best friend Katsu came to town. Sano begged Saitou to watch Saiko that Wednesday night so he could reminisce with his friend. Saitou had no problem watching his daughter, but he just knew Sano would end up drunk or beaten up if he went out with Katsu.
It was still light out when Sano left so Saitou decided to take Saiko shopping for some early birthday presents. She whined the whole way to the shopping district. "Da e why dada go bye bye?" pulling on his pant leg as she trudged behind. "Da e why no home" she complained. Saitou stopped short and Saiko crashed into his calf. Her lip was starting to tremble as he turned around to pick her up. "Saiko please be a good girl we are not home because I want to buy you a present" he said with a grin.
She smiled and happily laid her head on his chest as they walked the rest of the way there. The first stop was the kimono shop where Saiko grudgingly stood on a pedestal in just her diaper as the old woman measured her. Saitou put in his order and left the old woman with a Fujita Gorou smile.
The next stop was for Saiko, but really it was for Sanosuke. They stopped in a small accessories store. The young women gawked and pointed at the sight of the wolf of Mibu with a tiny little child. No one there knew him as that, but he could be a pretty scary looking man when he wanted to be. He curtailed their fears by smiling sweetly and kissing Saiko lovingly on the forehead. Two of the girls, sisters, instantly melted at the sight of such fatherly love. He approached them and asked quietly "I need some help, could you find me a red silk ribbon for my daughter."
The older girl smiled and set off to find what he requested. "Can I interest you in anything else for her?" the other girl asked politely. She bent over a table and managed to dig up a pair of half moon hair ornaments. "You pull her hair up into two high pig tails, and make them buns, it is called Odango style, then you clip them to her hair, it is really cute on little girls" the girl went on and on about until her sister returned. The silk ribbon looked exactly like Sano's and Saitou was so pleased he humored the girls and bought the hair ornaments as well. 'They did match the kimono at least' he thought.
By the time they got home Saitou had a bag with the silk ribbon, two hair ornaments, lots of pins to help with said ornaments, and some candy he used to bribe Saiko for not playing with her other presents. As Saiko happily munched on her dango on a stick Saitou realized he really should be feeding her dinner not sugary dumplings. He sighed and pulled out a pot and started water for some rice. His cooking was adequate, but he had to really pour on the soy sauce to get little Saiko to eat it.
Saitou made them a dinner of dried fish and rice. Saiko was good and ate it all but managed to get soy sauce all over her face. Saitou sighed saying "I guess we should take a bath huh Saiko?" before picking her up from her seat and bringing her to the bathroom. He prepared a bath for the two of them, and then grabbed clean night clothes and towels. As he grabbed a fresh diaper for after the bath he shook his head thinking 'we really must potty-train her.'
Carefully he tested the water before setting her on the edge of the tub with her feet dangling in. He shed his own clothes quickly and climbed into the tub next to her. Saiko had found her favorite bath toy, a little baby chicken Sano had bought her, and was splashing in the water happily. "Me-sa-chan" she giggled splashing Saitou with the warm water. "What?" Saitou asked confused about what she was saying. Saiko rolled her eyes saying "Dada says me-sa-chan" splashing with the toy again. Saitou's eyes lit up "Mini sa-chan?" he said hopeful that he had figured out what she meant. Saiko nodded happily "Me-sa-chan" she repeated. 'I see' Saitou thought 'he has always called her a little chick.'
After a soapy and splashed filled washing it was finally time to go to bed. Saitou had dressed Saiko in her diaper and pajamas and was attempting to put her in her bed. She had other plans and clung on to Saitou tightly. "You really hate when we are alone huh Saiko?" he said allowed not really expecting a real answer. "Da e no be lone" she said triumphantly as he gave up and carried her into the back bedroom. Saitou ran through a check list in his head trying to remember if he had hidden Saiko's presents well enough and if he had turned off the oven. Eventually he turned out the lamp and lay on his back letting Saiko fall asleep on his chest. Once he was sure she was asleep he gently rolled over on one side letting her slip into his arms as he finally fell asleep himself.
Around four in the morning something clumsy and reeking of sake climbed into Saitou's bed. It was groaning and was barely in the bed before it rushed back out, presumably to the bathroom, Saitou assumed because of all the horrid noises that were coming from there. Annoyed he moved himself and Saiko to the very edge of the futon to avoid what would be Sano's constant sickness that night. 'Ahou' Saitou thought angrily suddenly craving a cigarette. Sano knew Saitou had to work the next day and he still got so drunk he did not come home till early the next day and a sick drunk on top of that.
Saitou had his back to him by the time Sano returned and Sano offered no protest. After fifteen minutes of silence Sano finally gave in and offered an explanation "I am so sorry Saitou we lost track of time, I really missed you and Saiko though, Katsu wants to come see you both at Saiko's birthday party. I did not think I drank so much but I feel so sick I must have" Sano would have gone on, but Saitou cut him off. "Just go to sleep ahou, you have to be up for Saiko tomorrow you know she won't let you sleep in after being gone so long today."
Sano was a little hurt by Saitou's curt response, but he knew it was all true. He was facing Saitou's back and with a deep swallow he reached over and lightly brushed his fingertips over Saitou's back. "I.." he barely choked out. He took a deep breath, not wanting to make Saitou think he was just trying to distract him with his profession. "I love you Saitou goodnight." Sano swore he heard something a minute later, it was quiet and said under his breath but Sano knew he heard Saitou say "Of course I love you too Ahou."
A/N: Woot another chapter done! The funny thing is this is the first arc I thought of for the whole story and I am just getting to it ;