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Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is owned by the great Watsuki-sensei and the evil multimedia empires (Sony, Shueisha, ADV Media Blasters, Fuji TV and Viz). I am poor and will always be so despite my best writing skills. No suing please.
Betad by charmed-sword and Hidari.
Babies have a habit of not going by the schedule the adults plan for them. This includes birth. Late Friday night, January 15th, two weeks before her due date, Kaoru shook Kenshin awake.
"What is it, koishi?" Kenshin asked sleepily.
"It's happening," said Kaoru through gritted teeth, taking deep breaths to try and stave off the pain of the contractions.
"The baby?" said Kenshin, violet eyes widening.
"No, the Emperor's coming to visit. OF COURSE IT'S THE BABY, IDIOT!" roared Kaoru.
Kenshin hurried out to the kitchen, put water to boil and began sterilizing strips of cloth. He sensed the ki of his small son before the boy was in the kitchen, awakened by the commotion and flaring of the unborn ki. Kenji rubbed his sleepy blue eyes and looked up confusedly at his dad. What was Dad doing?
"Dad? Is the baby coming?" asked the little boy.
"Yes. I need you to stay with Mom while I run to the clinic. I'm trusting you to watch over her until I get back," said Kenshin, his violet eyes flashing.
Kenji, honestly anxious to do all he could to help, nodded and went to his parents' bedroom to stay with Mom while Dad did whatever he was doing in the kitchen. Kenji slid open the door and walked into the room. He wasn't startled to see Mom in the state she was in because both parents had explained what would happen to prepare him.
"Does it hurt bad?" Kenji asked, as he sat down on Mom's right side.
"I'll be fine. This is part of having a baby," said Kaoru, not wanting to frighten the little boy.
"Did it hurt when you had me?" asked Kenji.
"Yes, but it was worth it," said Kaoru, stroking her son's left cheek before her face contorted in agony.
Kenji offered Mom his hand, which she took without a moment's hesitation. Kaoru squeezed Kenji's hand whenever the contractions became painful. Kenji was glad to be able to help Mom in some small way.
Presently, Kenshin entered with a pile of sterile cloths in his arms. After laying them in the laundry basket, he knelt down on Kaoru's other side and took her left hand. Father and son did their best to lend Kaoru and the unborn baby their strength.
"I'm going to the clinic to fetch Megumi-dono. I'll be back before you know it. I promise," said Kenshin.
"Alright. I'm counting on you, anata," said Kaoru as she gritted her teeth.
Though he hated to leave Kaoru and Kenji alone, there was no other choice. Kenshin had to get to the clinic and bring Megumi over to the dojo. After he was certain that Kenji was watching over Kaoru as best as he could, Kenshin got dressed, wrapped himself in a haori and flew out into the night air, pouring on his shinsoku for all he was worth.
He reached the front door of the clinic and rang the emergency bell. For a few minutes there was silence, then he heard the sound of shuffling footsteps and swearing. The door opened revealing a very groggy Sano.
"Eh, this better be damn good," he greeted in his usual congenial way.
"Kaoru's in labor!" said Kenshin.
"Wha? She ain't due for two more weeks," said Sano, scratching his head..
"Tell that to the baby!" said Kenshin, resisting the urge to knock some sense into Sano's thick skull. "We need a doctor at the dojo, NOW!"
"Shit. Hang on a sec," said Sano, turning to go back into the clinic. Kenshin heard Sano calling Megumi. "Oi Vixen, haul your ass out here! Kaoru's gonna drop her load!"
Kenshin heard the sound of a muffled reprimand and a whack on the head from Megumi, followed by a string of expletives from Sano. Megumi appeared in the doorway "Ken-san, I apologize for my husband's stupidity. Let me get dressed quickly and we can all go over," she said.
"Thank you, Megumi-dono," said Kenshin.
Just then, a sleepy Yahiko (who was spending the night at the clinic because his long house was just too cold) came out.
"What's goin' on?" he drowsed.
"Baby's comin' early. Soon as the Medicine Box's dressed we're goin' over to the dojo," said Sano.
"Wha!" said Yahiko, coming instantly to wakefulness. "I'm coming too. Hang on a sec."
Yahiko and Megumi both emerged at the same time, Megumi clutching her medicine box.
"Alright, we have no time to lose!" said Megumi.
Kenshin had to resist the urge to run ahead of the others with his shinsoku as they hurried through the driving snow. After what seemed an eternity, the dojo was within sight. Kenshin only hoped that Kaoru and the baby were alright.
By the time Megumi got to the bedroom, Kaoru was in her second set of contractions. Megumi booted Kenshin and Kenji outside to wait with Sano and Yahiko.
"Oi Sano, where'd you get those?" asked Yahiko.
"Imported from Cuba. It's custom in the States for the new dads to smoke these after their kids are born," said Sano.
"Interesting custom," said Yahiko.
"I'll decline," said Kenshin, pausing momentarily from his pacing.
"Oi Rooster, can I smoke too?" asked Kenji.
"No way," Kenshin said quickly, afraid that Sano might actually consent.
Kenji was about to protest when the unmistakable sound of a newborn's cry emanated from the bedroom. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked toward the door.
Megumi slid open the shouji. "Ken-san, you have a daughter," she announced.
"Oroooo," said Kenshin, going all swirly-eyed for a second. He was roused from that by a yank on his ponytail from Kenji.
Taking Kenji by the hand, Kenshin walked into the bedroom on legs that felt like yokan, uttering a breathless thanks to Megumi as he passed her.
Sano tossed a cigar to Yahiko. "Let's smoke up!"
Before either of them could light up, Megumi grabbed them by their gis and heaved them out the door. "Take that trash outside you morons. There's a baby in the dojo!"
"Good morning you two, come meet the newest member of our family," said Kaoru sleepily.
Kenshin and Kenji approached Kaoru and the baby slowly and slid down against the wall on either side of them. Kenshin looked down at the thatch of jet black hair on the little girl nestled in her Mom's arms. Upon hearing her dad and big brother settle beside her mom, she opened her eyes just wide enough to catch a glimpse of them. They were a very dark violet, much darker than Kenshin's. Kenshin's body shook when he saw the eyes of that child.
His voice shook as he reached out to stroke the baby's hair. "She has your hair," he choked out.
"And your eyes," said Kaoru happily.
Wracked with emotion, Kenshin didn't dare speak as he stroked the baby's hair. When the baby reached out and grasped his index finger in her tiny hand, Kenshin's eyes filled with tears and he wept openly. Kenji slowly put out his hand and felt his new little sister's black hair, which was oh-so soft.
Kaoru stroked her husband's long hair gently with her free hand. When Kenshin calmed down, Kaoru handed the baby to him. With trembling hands, he took the little girl in his arms. Kenshin couldn't help but grin as the baby yawned and snuggled against his chest.
"She loves you already," said Kaoru, smiling at father and daughter. "What do you want to call her?"
"You carried her in your body. The choice is yours," said Kenshin, not looking away from his daughter.
"Her eyes are such a beautiful, dark violet. I'd like to call her Murasaki," said Kaoru after thinking.
"It's a wonderful name, koishi," said Kenshin, smiling. "Welcome to our family, Himura Murasaki."
Himura Murasaki. Kenji tried to say the name over in his mind, but couldn't quite pronounce it, so he invented his own name for his baby sister.
"Mura-Mura," said Kenji.
Kenshin and Kaoru laughed at Kenji's nickname for the baby. From then on, that would be Kenji's nickname for his little sister.
Kaoru gently took the baby from Kenshin's arms and laid her in Kenji's lap. Kenji looked down into his new sister's violet eyes, thinking them very pretty.
"Her eyes are darker than yours," he observed, looking into his dad's eyes.
"Yes, they are," said Kenshin softly.
"They're pretty," said Kenji, looking back down at the small baby in his arms.
"Yes," Kenshin said.
Though only an hour old, Mura-Mura locked gazes with her brother. It seemed like he was communicating with the baby in a way that didn't require words. Kenshin and Kaoru stared at the two siblings, neither of them knowing what to think. It was something different from cute or charming. It was almost otherworldly.
Kenji's sky-blue eyes were getting sleepy. He'd been up very late and was dead-tired. Smiling, Kaoru gently took the baby out of her big brother's arms. In one fluid motion, Kenshin picked up the sleeping boy and carried him to his own little futon.
"Hot damn, these are great," said Sano.
"Smooth," coughed Yahiko as Sano smacked him on the back. Just then, a weary Kenshin emerged from inside, having just put the sleeping Kenji to bed.
"Oi Kenshin, smoke up!" said Sano, tossing him a cigar. Kenshin caught it, but didn't open it.
"Perhaps later today, both of you would like to come by and visit Murasaki," he said.
"Murasaki? She must have your eyes, ne Kenshin?" said Sano.
"Wow. Did you figure that out on your own?" said Yahiko sarcastically.
"Eat me," said Sano.
"No thanks. I had chicken last night," said Yahiko.
Kenshin snorted and stalked away from the two idiots before he did something he'd regret. Megumi rushed outside to where Sanosuke and Yahiko were now throwing wadded cigar wrappers at each other. Grabbing both men by the ear, she dragged them back home.
"You can stay," she said. Kenshin sat down next to them and watched as the baby nursed. Kaoru caught the wistful expression in her husband's eyes and reached out with her free hand to stroke the fading scar on his left cheek. Kenshin smiled and snuggled closer to his wife and daughter. Right now, he was the happiest man in Japan, perhaps even the world.
When Murasaki finished breastfeeding, Kaoru handed her to Kenshin. Kenshin held the tiny girl close to him and looked down into her dark violet eyes with his shiny violet ones. He was afraid to hold her too tightly because she was so tiny, she seemed like she might break.
When Murasaki's violet eyes closed, he went and put the baby in the wooden cradle over by the wall. Feeling exhausted, he undressed and slipped under the blanket with Kaoru. There would be no lovemaking for at least a month while Kaoru recovered from delivery, but they could still snuggle. Kenshin and Kaoru wrapped their arms around each other and laid quietly together, hugging and kissing each other until they fell asleep.
Kenji sat down outside the bedroom door, hoping one of the parents would wake up and make him breakfast, as he was getting quite hungry. He sat for the next 20 minutes, but no one came out. Mom and Dad were being terribly lazy today.
Finally Kenji got frustrated with waiting and headed to the kitchen. Maybe there'd be something there he could get for himself. Kenji opened the pantry door and looked inside. Ah! There was some rice left over from last evening's dinner. Cold rice wasn't very appealing, but it was better than waiting for those lazy parents to wake up.
Kenji grabbed the serving bowl and took it to the table. He went and got some chopsticks and returned to the table. After sitting down, he said the customary "itadakimasu", broke the chopsticks apart and sailed into the rice.
Kenshin got up, quickly dressed and then went over to the crib to check on the baby. Murasaki looked like a tiny porcelain statue as she laid there in deep sleep. Kenshin softly stroked the baby's cherubic cheek with his index finger, feeling how warm she was. He didn't linger too long for fear of waking her. Kenshin decided to head out to the kitchen to start breakfast, or perhaps lunch since it was so late in the day.
Kenshin was greeted by the sight of his small boy putting away more than half the rice in the serving bowl with his tiny chopsticks. Even though Kenji should probably be scolded for eating from the serving bowl, Kenshin had to admit that he was impressed with the little guy for getting his own food instead of waking them up to do it.
"You couldn't wait for the rest of us, I see," he said in a dropped voice.
"Morning, Dad. You and Mom never came out of the room and I got hungry," said Kenji.
Unable to hide his smile, Kenshin ruffled his son's titian hair. "Thank you for being quiet and letting your Mom and sister sleep. Now, are you content with cold rice or perhaps you'd like some warm miso," offered Kenshin.
"Yay!" said Kenji, who was quickly shushed by a gesture from Dad. He repeated his laudation in a more subdued tone.
Kenshin took the rice, deciding he could just finish it off himself later that day and went to prepare miso for him and his little guy.
Dad and son sat next to each other, eating the miso. Kenji was glad to get something hot after the cold rice he'd been eating.
"Hungry?" asked Kenshin.
"I could eat the dojo," said Kaoru, taking the bowl and chopsticks and setting them on the small table.
"Why don't you start with this and see if you're hungry for the dojo after?" teased Kenshin, earning himself a playful smack on the chest from Kaoru.
Just as Kaoru started in on the soup, Murasaki woke up and began to cry. Kenshin got up and took her from the crib, holding her as though she were made of fine bone china. Kaoru laid the hakuzen aside as Kenshin carefully handed her the baby. Kaoru proceded to nurse her while Kenshin glanced out of the corner of his eye.
After Murasaki finished nursing, Kenshin returned with the re-heated miso and took the baby from Kaoru's arms so she could eat at last. Kenshin held the baby close to him and kept a close eye on his wife as she ate. He knew that she was OK now that the birth was over, but being the worrywart he was, wouldn't be truly relaxed till she was fully recovered.
Just then, a booming voice startled the hell out of them and caused Murasaki to start crying again.
"OI KENSHIN! YOU AND JOU-CHAN AWAKE YET! OPEN UP! I'M HUNGRY!" called the unmistakable voice of one Sagara Sanosuke from behind the dojo's front gate.
Schooling his face to a neutral expression to hide his great annoyance, Kenshin left the exasperated Kaoru and the still-crying baby to go to the front gate. He exited the house, crossed the yard, unlatched the gate and pulled it open, to reveal Yahiko and Sano, who was grinning ear-to-ear.
"See I toldja they were awake," he told Yahiko. "And you thought I'd piss 'em off by making a racket. Who's the idiot now?"
"Oh, certainly not you, O Wise One," said Yahiko, noting the pissed-off glare in Kenshin's eyes.
"Damn straight," said Sano, walking through the gate. "You got any grub, Kenshin?"
"Yes, but Sano. Don't you have a wife to cook for you now?" asked Kenshin, trying to keep his temper.
"She went to work without making me breakfast today," said Sano. "Can you believe that?"
"Oroo," responded Kenshin, not sure if he could speak without saying something nasty. Even the hearts of brainless fowl mustn't be unduly lacerated.
"Thanks, buddy," said Sano, clapping Kenshin on the back and sending him sprawling. Without further adieu, he went for the kitchen.
"Sorry about that..." said Yahiko. "I think doing Futae no Kiwami with his head definitely did something to his brain."
"I think you may be right," said Kenshin sourly, pulling himself to his feet and dusting himself off.
"I'll have Megumi clobber him later," offered Yahiko.
"Much appreciated," said Kenshin.
Kenshin and Yahiko entered the dojo to find Sano stuffing his face with four rice balls that he'd purloined from their nicely-stocked pantry. Sano smiled at them, oblivious of the fact that Kenshin was ready to pluck and boil him for that night's dinner.
"Thanks for breakfast, buddy," said Sano.
"I hope you left some in the pantry for the people who actually live here," scolded Yahiko.
"Yeah, yeah. No worries. There were eight others," said Sano.
"And you knew that without counting on your fingers?" asked Yahiko.
"Shut up," said Sano, as he tossed Yahiko a rice ball.
"I'll be right back. Make yourself at home Sanosuke," said Kenshin sarcastically, noting that Sano had already flopped out like he owned the place.
"Don't mind if I do," said Sano as he popped in his final rice ball. Kenshin stalked away, mentally vowing to give Sano a good talking-to about how a guest should behave in one's home. It was obvious the time spent among the gaijin had worsened the Rooster's manners.
Just then Kenji came in, having finished his exercise. His eyes lit up when he saw Yahiko-nii and the Rooster.
"Hi Yahiko-nii. Hi Rooster," he said, launching himself into the Rooster's lap.
"Ooph! Take it easy there Midget. I just ate," said Sano.
"I'm a big brother now," announced Kenji. "Dad says it's my duty to protect my sister and that's just what I'm gonna do!"
"A baby's gonna protect a baby?" joked Yahiko.
"I'm not a baby! You take that back," growled Kenji, glaring at Yahiko with all his might and mane. He didn't think it was right for Yahiko-nii to call him a baby when he was seven years old. He stood up, grinding his left foot into Sanosuke's stomach. Oblivious to Sano's moans of pain, he looked Yahiko-nii right in the eye.
"Telling me to take it back? Yep, you're a baby," said Yahiko.
Kenji's eyes lit. Quick as a cat, he launched himself off Sano (much to his stomach's relief) and started biting on Yahiko's head. Yahiko tried in vain to prod Kenji off him.
"Help me out here Rooster," said Yahiko.
"Hell no. That's payback for all the times you did that to me," said Sano, enjoying the show.
Just then, Kenshin emerged to see this circus for himself. The three were so engrossed in the little sideshow, they didn't even notice the kenkaku till he loudly cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Ahem!" he said.
Finally the three realized he was back and turned to face him. Kenshin sighed and proceeded to speak.
"Kaoru would like it if you went in one at at a time so you don't scare the baby," said Kenshin. "Yahiko, since my son has decided to make a snack out of your hair, I give you the first honor. Kenji, let go of his hair now please."
Kenji, noting the curt tone of Dad's voice, immediately released Yahiko's hair. Yahiko flashed him and Sano a death glare, then went into the room first to see the new baby. A few minutes later, Yahiko emerged, smiling.
"She's cute, Kenshin," he said.
"Thank you," said Kenshin quietly.
Sano rose to his feet and headed for the room, Kenshin following him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid and scare the baby.
"She's got pretty eyes. Jou-chan picked the right name for her," said Sano.
"Thanks Sano," said Kenshin, whose mood had improved greatly with the compliments paid to his new baby.
Kenji went into the bedroom and knelt down beside his mom and sister.
"Would you like to hold her again?" offered Kaoru.
"Yeah," said Kenji happily.
Kenji took the baby carefully. Again, his gaze locked with hers and something wordless passed between them. Kaoru looked from one to the other, but decided that some things were better left unasked.
Kenshin came into the room after saying goodbye to Sano and Yahiko. He knelt down on the other side of Kenji and Murasaki. The children didn't even seem to be aware of their parents, only each other. Kenshin and Kaoru exchanged amused glances with each other.
"So, are you happy with your sister?" asked Kenshin.
"Yeah," said Kenji, face glowing. "She's happy to be here."
"Did she tell you that?" asked Kenshin with a smile.
"Yes," said Kenji seriously.
"You'll be a good brother to her," said Kenshin solemnly.
"Yeah. If anybody picks on her, I'll beat 'em to a pulp," said Kenji, mimicking Sano's colorful language.
"Well let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Kenshin, sensing the protective streak arising in the young boy.
No doubt things would be very interesting for the Himura family, now increased by one.
Owari
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