A time for silence - Challenge 56
Title: A time for silence
Author: lady_ganesh
Characters: Koumyou and baaaaby!Kouryuu
Spoilers: None if you know who those two are
Rating: G
Time: 40 minutes give or take-- I got interrupted!
Summary: An evening in the life.
Babies were unexpectedly quiet.
Well, Kouryuu was; Koumyou realized he hadn't been around a baby for quite some time, so perhaps the boy was just exceptional in that respect. He had, after all, disquieted two wet nurses so that Koumyou had decided that formula would be sufficient for the child.
The boy didn't seem bothered by the change; in fact, he'd preferred Koumyou from the start, much to the costernation of the monks. Things had begun with raised eyebrows and the occasional muttered 'concern,' and had escalated to 'coincidental' visits from childless couples. Koumyou would have to move on soon enough. It didn't concern him, really; he'd find another place to stay soon enough. One benefit of being a Sanzo priest was you never lacked for food and a good night's sleep. Hardly ever, anyway, and Koumyou planned to confine himself to familiar routes until he and the child were properly acclimated to one another.
For now, he was content to hold the boy's bottle as he drank. Kouryuu had very large eyes that were already changing from their original blue; darkening slightly, though it wasn't clear what their final color would be. He looked into Koumyou's face with a clear, steady gaze that seemed more like an adult's than an infant's. Perhaps that was what had so unsettled the wet nurses. He never fell asleep feeding; instead he would wait, submit to burping as the tiresome chore it was, and then, finally, consent to falling asleep in Koumyou's arms, staring intently into the man's face as he slowly faded. Some nights, Koumyou would stroke the soft fuzz of blond hair on the boy's head; some nights he would sing, or speak; but tonight was a night for silence, so Koumyou merely rocked his body back and forth as the boy tired.
What a pleasure it was to have a child, to have this soft, warm presence in his arms. The boy was growing heavier by the day; the midwife had said he would for some time longer. He wondered when the boy would first smile and giggle; and someday there would be first steps, first words, first fights, first kisses.
But all that seemed long away right now. Koumyou held the little one tighter and watched his eyelids flutter closed.
Author: lady_ganesh
Characters: Koumyou and baaaaby!Kouryuu
Spoilers: None if you know who those two are
Rating: G
Time: 40 minutes give or take-- I got interrupted!
Summary: An evening in the life.
Babies were unexpectedly quiet.
Well, Kouryuu was; Koumyou realized he hadn't been around a baby for quite some time, so perhaps the boy was just exceptional in that respect. He had, after all, disquieted two wet nurses so that Koumyou had decided that formula would be sufficient for the child.
The boy didn't seem bothered by the change; in fact, he'd preferred Koumyou from the start, much to the costernation of the monks. Things had begun with raised eyebrows and the occasional muttered 'concern,' and had escalated to 'coincidental' visits from childless couples. Koumyou would have to move on soon enough. It didn't concern him, really; he'd find another place to stay soon enough. One benefit of being a Sanzo priest was you never lacked for food and a good night's sleep. Hardly ever, anyway, and Koumyou planned to confine himself to familiar routes until he and the child were properly acclimated to one another.
For now, he was content to hold the boy's bottle as he drank. Kouryuu had very large eyes that were already changing from their original blue; darkening slightly, though it wasn't clear what their final color would be. He looked into Koumyou's face with a clear, steady gaze that seemed more like an adult's than an infant's. Perhaps that was what had so unsettled the wet nurses. He never fell asleep feeding; instead he would wait, submit to burping as the tiresome chore it was, and then, finally, consent to falling asleep in Koumyou's arms, staring intently into the man's face as he slowly faded. Some nights, Koumyou would stroke the soft fuzz of blond hair on the boy's head; some nights he would sing, or speak; but tonight was a night for silence, so Koumyou merely rocked his body back and forth as the boy tired.
What a pleasure it was to have a child, to have this soft, warm presence in his arms. The boy was growing heavier by the day; the midwife had said he would for some time longer. He wondered when the boy would first smile and giggle; and someday there would be first steps, first words, first fights, first kisses.
But all that seemed long away right now. Koumyou held the little one tighter and watched his eyelids flutter closed.