Work Text:
Kikuchi Midori is a difficult birth.
Ryou sits in the hospital waiting room for 10 hours and occasionally fields questions about where the father is (nowhere). He kicks his feet and enjoys the sound his dog tags make as they clink together.
There is an evolutionary tactic that humans have for the sake of continuing their race. Mothers will forget the pain of childbirth so they'll be willing to do it again. Ms. Kikuchi has never forgotten how Midori split her body open like an alien parasite, pulsating and gooey, causing her only torment from the moment she was born.
Their house gets messier. Midori throws up on the floor after their mother gives her bar food leftovers. Ryou cleans it up, and he washes Midori afterward, too. He does it badly for the first several months.
Ryou skips school to take care of Midori, but not as much as he wishes he could.
He takes a whole two weeks off when she's first born, and when he comes back to school, Minato corners him.
"There you are!"
Minato's long hair catches on his backpack, and he struggles to free himself as he continues:
"I missed you so much. Where have you been? The teacher said you had to help your family. Are you guys okay?" He speeds through his questioning as fast as a blue hedgehog.
Ryou nods slowly. It takes him a second to answer.
"I got a little sister. She was just born."
Minato's eyes sparkle, and he gasps. This is a huge development! Even bigger than finding out Tanaka has a crush on the girl from 5th grade! With a triumphant strength, he tugs his hair out from his backpack and focuses entirely on Ryou.
"Can I meet her?"
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The first time Minato meets Midori, he's shocked by how small she is. He used to work with the younger kids as an unofficial teacher's assistant, but this is totally different. He's a little scared to approach, but Ryou walks over to the chipped, secondhand crib and gestures for Minato to follow. So he does.
"What's her name?" Minato asks.
Ryou's face softens as he leans over to look at...
"...Midori," he says.
"What? That's so cute!"
Minato nods aggressively, swaying to and fro. The name is very fitting for a cute baby. This might be the cutest baby that Minato's ever met. Not that he's met a lot of babies before, but he's pretty sure most won't be as cute as this.
"It's nice to meet you, Midori-chan!"
"She doesn't know how to talk yet," Ryou says quietly. He pokes his finger into the crib and watches her reaction like one might goad a pet.
Midori makes a gurgling laugh and reaches out with tiny, chubby fingers that curl around Ryou's hand. Then, she notices Minato standing there, and her eyes go a little wide.
"Hi," Minato says, stepping back. He's feeling more shy in front of this baby than he feels doing a presentation in class. Ryou observes without a word.
Midori smiles and gurgles again. Minato instantly falls in love with the little creature in front of him, and he turns to Ryou with a big grin.
How could anyone ever NOT love this baby?!
"I think she likes me!"
"She likes me more."
"We'll see how long that lasts."
Ryou punches him.