Part Twenty-nine: What Happens When Kazuma Loses Control
Oto finds himself quickly learning how to care for the three-year-old nephew who was suddenly dropped into his life. He had to admit, though, that he wasn't too against the position he know finds himself in. Ryan had cried himself to sleep against Oto, scared that he was going to lose his mother. Oto had tucked the child in and went to his room to get changed and get some much needed sleep of his own.
Hours later, a small voice and persistent shaking, wakes him up. "Unca Oto," Ryan whispers. His brown-eyes flutter open and it takes him a moment to get himself oriented. Once he is, he realizes what the next words out of his nephew's mouth are going to be. "I wet the bed."
Slowly, the burly demon sits up and looks at the small child who is obviously very embarrassed…and wet. He gives a soft smile. "It's alright. Let's get you cleaned up and then I'll deal with the bed," he says before carefully picking the small framed child up.
"I sorry," Ryan whispers.
"It's okay, Ryan," Oto assures him. It surprises him that he isn't as mad as he normally is when awoken from sleep at such an early hour but he doesn't dwell on that. He carries the child into the bathroom before setting him down to fill the tub with a few inches of water. As it is filling, he gently unclothes the youngster. Ryan gives him a shy smile and Oto chuckles softly. The child was just too cute.
For the next hour, Oto washes Ryan and ends up just as wet as the golden-eyed half-demon thought it funny to splash him. "This is an utterly cute scene," a voice says from the doorway. Oto looks back at Itsuki. The Yaminade smiles at him.
"Ryan had an accident…normal for a child of his age," Oto answers.
"Yes, though he seems to think that you need a bath, too."
Oto chuckles. "So it would seem. You just wait until yours are born, Itsuki. You'll have to face the same thing."
"I am sure you are right. It probably would be a good idea to make sure that Kazuya is not out, wouldn't it?"
"Probably. If worse comes to worse, have his female personality help."
Itsuki chuckles. "I am sure he'd be delighted to hear that."
"Well, I am not going to tell him that. You are the only one who could do such a thing without being shot."
"Yes, that is probably right."
Oto chuckles at the demon's answer before being splashed again. He looks down at Ryan who is looking at him innocently. "I know you did that," he tells him.
"Did what?" Ryan asks.
Oto hears Itsuki chuckle before the door closes. "You definitely take after your mother," he says, "You definitely take after Ani."
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On the morning of the hearing, Kuwabara has no idea what he's going to say to Sakyo upon meeting him. He only hopes that he can keep his temper in check enough to be able to convince whoever was on the jury that Ryan was best with him and his mother. "Thanks for staying with him, Shizuru, I really appreciate this."
"It's no problem. You just go and make that bastard sorry he was ever born," she answers.
"I will," Kazuma says before he heads for the door. He doesn't know how he is going to accomplish this only that he will...for the sake of his lover and his lover's child who he is quickly coming to think of as his own son.
Arriving at the court, he finds Sakyo standing before Koenma. The dark haired, blue-eyed gambler turns to look at him. "Ani won't face me himself? That's disappointing," he remarks.
"You ought to just keep your mouth shut, Sakyo. You have no idea just who you are dealing with," Kuwabara snarls back. He feels his temper on the verge of snapping.
"Why? It's his own damn fault he got pregnant. He should have been more aware of his surroundings."
"You raped him!" Kuwabara fires back, "You raped him and have the audacity to try and get his son? Over my dead body, you sorry sack of shit!"
"You have no say in this, Kazuma."
"As Ani is MY lover, I have EVERY say in this matter!"
"Gentlemen, could we please try and keep this civil?" Koenma breaks in.
Both quiet and look up at the prince of Spirit World though they send ugly glares at each other at various moments. "You two will have to convince a jury as to why Ryan will be cared for best with you. You will respect each other and will not brawl in this court or I will have to declare you both unfit and place Ryan in another orphanage."
Both seem to take the prince seriously and go about the hearing being civil...for a few hours.Sakyo goes first and Kuwabara watches him try to sway the jury to his side. He really, really hates the bastard. The man had absolutely no shame. He only hopes that the idiot stays away from insulting Ani because Kuwabara can feel his demon side just below the surface and he doesn't know what will happen if the suited man enrages him.
Finally, Sakyo says the wrong thing. He states that Ani shouldn't be allowed to have a child as he seemed incapable of keeping his legs closed and gave a pointed look towards Kuwabara. If the carrot-top had thought that Yusuke had angered him that day in the street, this was an eye-opener. He feels a rage so deep spill through him and before he knows it, he's in front of Sakyo who is staring at him in abject terror. Without even thinking about it, he leans forward and sinks his fangs into the human's throat before yanking backwards and blood starts flowing. He looks at Sakyo and as he's dying, hisses, "This is what happens when you attack those who I considered MINE!" He then steps back and watches the man die before looking up at Koenma and growling, "I would think a long time before you say anything, Prince. You have already tried to kill my lover and unborn children. Whatever you say now will decide whether or not you will live."
Koenma stares at the carnage before him and realizes that the young man had completed his transformation to a demon. He also knows that Kazuma is not bluffing and that he WILL kill him if he tries to take Ryan away. "Ryan will stay in the custody of his mother Ani," he says faintly. Kuwabara merely nods before turning and walking out of the room.The prince doesn't stop trembling until the demon is out sight. He had never thought Kazuma would be capable of such violence but then realizes that people will do ANYTHING for those they love.
Kuwabara walks out of there trying not to think about what just happened. He knows that he crossed a line he would never be able to recross though he feels no guilt about killing the man. Sakyo had deserved it for what he had said about Ani. The smaller demon was no whore. A feeling of deep satisfaction wells up within him. At least now Ani could heal and know that Ryan would be safe with them. 'No one is going to take your son from you, Ani,' he thinks, 'No one.'