Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Lullaby ❯ Lullaby ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The small, dark-haired girl yawned widely again, slumping forward in her seat, then sat up with a jerk - she had almost fallen asleep right where she was. She was so tired, her body wanting to sleep but her mind unable to do so or to let her body give into the demands of Morpheus. Midori had tried everything she could think to do - it seemed nothing she did would ever get the little girl to go to sleep. Now here she was, trying to be a good mother and not lose her temper - now she was nearly crying in frustration. Toshio only wanted to see her father, but he was going to be late getting home tonight - this wouldn't be a problem for normal mothers, but this little girl had a stubborn streak a mile and a half long. Midori had tried over and over to explain this fact to a sniffling four-year-old only to be told in no uncertain terms "I want Daddy!"

It was already late, much later than Toshio usually went to bed - Midori guessed it had to be close on to ten at night considering how long ago the sun had gone down. Now the little girl was sitting in her mother's lap, her eyes red and her face blotchy, sniffling and clutching a well-loved lavender rabbit. Her knuckles were white, her hand wrapped around the rabbit's left ear. All her crying had exhausted her even more, her breath coming out in stilted hiccups as her nose was so stuffed that she couldn't breathe out of it, but still she wouldn't let herself sleep. Midori stroked her daughter's long black hair, trying to calm her down before she made herself sick.

'She has a pretty strong will for such a little girl," she thought, her own eyes bleary, dry, and itchy. 'She gets it from me...'

Usa-chan the rabbit's ears were soaked from Toshio crying into them and one of the seams on the left ear was fraying from how the little girl worried at it - Midori had lost count of how many times she'd had to sew that ear back on. Whenever she was upset, Toshio would always find her rabbit and go climb up in her father's lap - always, always fiddling with that left ear. He would hold her close, rocking her back and forth until she fell asleep. It seemed like things were always better when she woke up. If there was a storm or she was just too upset to sleep, he would shift her up onto his shoulder and with her hiding her face in the curve of his throat, he would sing to her. More than anything, she needed that right now.

However, with all that aside, Midori was now nearing the end of her patience - frazzled and tired herself, she had no idea how to get the little girl to go to sleep. She had tried stories, singing - she had been asked very politely "Mommy, please don't sing" - everything she could think of. Still, Toshio just would not sleep - Midori swore this girl could try the patience of a Zen master and she wasn't sure whether it was normal to be proud and exasperated at the same time. There was only one more thing she could do and that was simply being firm with her. She was going to tell Toshio it was time to sleep, that Souzou would be back in the morning. Then that would be that. So she picked up her daughter and carried her to her room.

"Toshio, I know you miss Daddy, but he'll be back in the morning," she said firmly, trying not to let the little girl see how completely fried she was right now. "It's time to sleep now. I'll be in to check on you in fifteen minutes. Try to go to sleep before then."

She laid Toshio down on her little futon, prying her clinging right hand loose from the collar of her sleeping yukata - Toshio only got clingy when she was sleepy. As easygoing as she was normally - more so than most children, when she wasn't on her stubborn streak - she was just like all children in that she got cranky when she was making herself not sleep. The tiny girl pouted at her mother and looked like she might start crying again but reluctantly turned on her side, still sniffling. Midori felt guilty for having to do that. But she told herself it was good not to give in - she would have to nag Souzou not to give in, because there was no way they were getting into the "Mommy, no - Daddy, yes" game.

'Hopefully Souzou won't be too much later,' she thought as she shut the door to Toshio's room. "I miss him when he's gone at night too.'

With nothing else to do, Midori sighed and went to lay down for a while - she figured she could stay awake long enough to see about Toshio like she promised in fifteen minutes. Hopefully the little girl would finally have given into her exhaustion and just gone to sleep, but probably not, considering how stubborn she was being tonight. Sleep was going to be long in coming tonight for both of them, just like every time Souzou was late. Cold, lonely and feeling sorry for herself, Midori curled up under the blankets - she hated getting into a cold bed. Somehow, she could really identify with Toshio's reluctance to sleep.

Sure enough, Souzou got home about ten minutes later, trying to be as quiet as he could about getting into the house, just in case everyone had gone to sleep already. There were the normal night-lit lights on - normally lit before everyone went to sleep - but he had a good idea of what he would find. Toshio would be wide-awake, sitting straight up on her futon and holding onto Usa-chan. Midori would be half-asleep, trying to lie still and relax - she was truly hopeless at trying to fake sleep, something he himself was well-practiced at. He always hated having to come home late whenever it happened, but he had to admit one thing. The two of them were awfully cute in their respective positions - it never ceased to amaze him, with how unpredictable both of them normally were. It touched his heart that each was waiting for him before they could sleep soundly.

'It almost makes getting home late worth it,' he thought with a smile.

As quietly as he could - lifting the door a little to keep it from catching like it normally did - he slid the shoji of Toshio's room aside, blinking slowly and adjusting his eyes to the dark of his little girl's room. Just as he had expected, Toshio was right where he knew she would be. She was sitting up on her futon with Usa-chan beside her - left ear clutched in her fist - and her knees drawn up to her chest. Her head rested on her knees - she was still trying so hard to stay awake, waiting for him as long as her little body would let her. It was obvious that she had been crying and Souzou bit his lip as he silently knelt beside his little daughter - whether or not she knew he was there, he couldn't say.

"Daddy's home," he said softly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Toshio looked up at her father and smiled brightly, reaching her arms up to him as she looked up with bleary red eyes.

"Hi Daddy!" she said, her excited voice hushed and her nose sounding slightly clogged.

Souzou took his little girl in his arms and stood up, shifting her up onto his shoulder and holding her tight just like he always did - he always let her know he would never let her fall. She made a soft, contented noise and snuggled against his shoulder, still holding her slightly soggy bunny rabbit by its tattered ear. He started slowly rocking her back and forth, humming quietly and running his hand through her long hair. Toshio's little hands tightened into fists in her father's shirt.

"Daddy, I can't sleep," she whispered, her voice hoarse and soft from crying.

Souzou smiled gently and shifted to cradle his daughter in his arms, letting her rest her dark-haired head over his heart - her big violet eyes, so like her mother's, sparkled up at him despite being a bit crusty.

"I think I can help," he said, placing a tender kiss on her forehead and earning a sleepy smile. "You'll be asleep before you know it, sweetie..."

Toshio cuddled closer to her father's chest and made another little sound of contentment - said father could almost literally feel his heart melting in his chest. Gently, Souzou continued to rock her back and forth, steadily easing the girl into relaxation. She was having to try harder and harder to keep her eyes open - he shifted her to one arm so that he could wipe the little crust from her eyes. Souzou smiled, watching his baby girl nodding off as she listened to the beating of his heart - he couldn't think of ever seeing a more completely adorable sight. His reflexes good as ever, he caught the rabbit as it slipped from his daughter's hand.

"My sweet little girl," he whispered. "I must be the luckiest man alive. I'm home, right here with my beautiful family..."

Toshio smiled sleepily and leaned up to kiss her father's cheek.

"Will you sing me a song?" she asked sleepily, her eyes half-closed. "Please Daddy?"

"Of course I will," replied Souzou, settling cross-legged next to her futon with Toshio still in his arms.

Souzou looked down at Toshio's sweet, pretty face and started singing softly, his voice warm and soothing.

Kimi ga namida ni yureru toki
Dousureba iin darou
Sora wo miagetemo
Kokoro ga itai
Kizu tsukanakute ii koto ni
Dare mo ga fureteshimau
Mizu no tsumetasa ni
Odoroku toki no you ni
Tonari ni iru dake de
Nanimo dekinai kedo
Arittake no egao kimi dake ni
Kakaete okuruyo donna toki mo

Shinjite ii yo yume wa yattekuru
Kimi no tame dake ni
Naitemo ii yo donna kanashimi mo
Tsubasa ni kawaru no sa sono mune de

Souzou watched his daughter's beautiful violet eyes flutter for a moment before they shut completely.

"Mmm... 'Night Daddy," mumbled Toshio, turning in his arms and settling in.

"Good night sweetie," whispered Souzou, tenderly kissing her forehead.

He laid her down on her futon and tucked Usa-chan under her arm before pulling the blankets up to her chin the way she liked them.

'One taken care of,' he thought, smiling at his peacefully sleeping daughter. 'Now let's see if Midori is where I think she is...'

He slid Toshio's door shut behind him, once more lifting the door to make sure it didn't catch in the slide-frame, and went down the hall to his bedroom. Sure enough, he found exactly what he had expected to find - he didn't know why he could ever think it would be different. Again, exactly as he had expected, Midori was curled up on her side, staring into space as if she were in a trance - however, he could see that she was shivering lightly, cold without him. Silently, Souzou went in and undressed quickly - damn, he thought, noticing the chill in the room himself. Being careful not to disturb his beloved, he slipped under the blankets beside her. Gently, he took her in his arms, pulled her close and nuzzled into her throat, his cold nose touching warm skin and his lips curving into a smile. Midori gasped and snapped back to reality.

"I'm home," whispered Souzou, pressing a soft kiss to her pulse point.

Midori relaxed against her husband's warm body and snuggled up to him - he was like a human furnace sometimes and being in bed with him was like sinking into a hot bath. Souzou cradled her in his arms, held her tight against him for a moment, and shifted her so that she was facing him. He shut his eyes and leaned down close, kissing all over her face - the first couple of times, she squeaked as his cold nose touched her. His hands trailed down her shoulders, feeling goosebumps raising under his sword-callused fingers - and he couldn't quite tell if they were because she was cold or because he gave her chills. As they warmed to each other, Midori closed her violet eyes lightly and sighed contentedly.

"I missed you," she said quietly. "It's cold and lonely when you're not here."

She looked up at him sweetly from behind smoky black eyelashes, violet orbs pleading, then shut them slowly as she relaxed against him once more.

"Well I'm here now," murmured Souzou, caressing her eyelids with his lips, his touch light as butterfly's wing. "I'll make sure you're warm, my darling, right here in my arms..."

With that, he tightened his arms around her, pulling her flush against him, and pressed his lips firmly to hers, though gentle as always. His tongue parted her lips and quickly slipped into her mouth to dance playfully with hers, sliding it against hers and making a soft sound into her mouth. Midori moaned softly in response and wrapped her arms around the man she loved, squeezing her eyes tighter shut and trying to keep herself under control. Souzou laughed softly into the kiss at her attempt - he loved breaking her control. His hips moved carefully against hers - just enough to create some friction - and one of his hands moved down her body. He stopped at the middle of her thigh and guided her to hook her leg over his.

"Souzou!" Midori exclaimed breathlessly.

He shifted suddenly so that he was on top of her, pinning her down under his weight - another soft laugh resonated against her lips. He pulled back from her mouth, tousle-haired and smiling, and looked down into her eyes - he loved the way she looked up at him with. It always reminded him of their wedding night when she looked up at him like that - when she had been so shy yet so playful at the same time. Trying to calm himself down - they were both too tired to go too far tonight - he nuzzled his lips against her temple for a moment. Then he moved down to draw her earlobe between his lips, flicking it with his tongue - just because he had to calm down didn't mean he couldn't play with her a little...

"You're not cold anymore, are you?" he purred, laying so that he was halfway on his side and halfway on top of Midori, now grinning a little sleepily at her.

Letting out a tired sigh, Midori shook her head, her eyes half-closed and her lips curved in a peaceful smile, laughing a little at her husband's antics - he could still act so much like a boy. Souzou relaxed completely and laid his head on her shoulder, butterfly-kissing her - that always drove her nuts in the best possible way. Midori's cupped the back of Souzou's head in her hand, holding him where he was - goosebumps were once again raising at his touch. Breaking her control just for a moment, she let a soft moan escape her lips, arching her chest languidly against him. Close to the best feeling in the world was her husband fluttering his eyelashes against her smooth skin.

"Mmm... I couldn't ever be cold when you're holding me," she said sleepily, writhing comfortably as butterfly kisses turned to hot, wet kisses along her shoulders and collar bone. "Mmm... you're so warm, sweetheart..."

Despite the exciting feelings Souzou was bringing on with his touches - or perhaps partly because of them - Midori was falling asleep fast, her violet eyes fluttering almost uncontrollably. To the two of them, it seemed that right then, in that moment, everything was right in the world. Her beloved was home, in her arms, warm and safe - and she knew that even though they wouldn't go any farther tonight, they would both dream well. She could feel his slow, easy breathing and knew he could hear her heart - oh yes, they would dream very well. Souzou, wondering if he was already dreaming, made a soft, sleepy noise and cuddled against the warmth of his wife's body. He was so warm, so peaceful, so utterly comfortable that he could have sworn he was in heaven.

'What else could I think?' he asked in his mind, nestling his head comfortably into the curve of her neck and shoulder. 'After all, I've got my angel here to hold me...'

"Goodnight, my love," he purred, lifting his head just long enough to kiss her lips before laying it right back down.

Stroking her husband's silky hair, Midori began sleepily humming the lullaby Souzou was singing to Toshio.

"Goodnight Souzou," she whispered, looking down at his sweet, handsome face.

As her sleepy eyes made the effort to re-focus, she smiled at what she saw - at the moment, it was pretty much impossible not to. His almond eyes were closed, his powerful body still and relaxed, and his expression - he had been so tense as of late - purely content. One arm was still under her shoulders but the other was just sort of draped over her body - his head rested in the curve of her shoulder in the reverse position of how they usually slept. He looked so young and innocent like that - like that boy who had won her heart when she was fifteen. His lips curved into a blissful smile, making him look almost like he did after their wedding night. She ran one hand slowly through his bangs, making sure not to wake him, then caressed his cheek delicately with her fingertips. He wrinkled his nose, as if her touch tickled him, and snuggled closer.

He was sound asleep.