Diabolik Lovers: Daddy Edition

Chapter 3

All is quiet before Ema decides miraculously that she is hungry. The baby girl wails just loud enough to awake the sixteen-year-old only four feet away from her.

“Oh no. No, no, no.” Yui visibly panics with Kanato’s words replaying through her mind about keeping the crying to a minimum, she quickly untangles herself from her bedsheets and walks over to the sniffling child.

“Good morning, my love, yes, I know. I know.” Yui spoke softly with a smile gracing her lips. Well, at least she knew now that she wouldn’t be needing an alarm clock. The young woman picks the crying infant up and starts to shush and rock her gently from side to side.

“Let’s get you a bottle, hmm? Then we’ll get ready to go to the store.” The Komori spoke and continues rocking which helps the baby relax, but not by a lot. The child rests her head on to her adoptive mother’s shoulder still crying, but thankfully it wasn’t as loud.

Yui walks to the kitchen, thanking her past self for waking up earlier, and prepping the other two formula bottles, then leaving them in the fridge last night. She removed one, then boiled some water before placing the bottle in it. In the mean time, the child began to settle down while chewing on her fingers, as a form of teething, seeming to understand that food is soon on its way.

“You’re such a good baby, y’know.” Yui states, pleased the baby calmed down considerably. She then retrieves the baby bottle from the water after ten minutes had passed.

She quickly began feeding the child, but Ema didn’t want her bottle. She tries again, getting the same response of Ema pushing away the formula-made bottle from her lips. Yui pales. Did she want solid food? No way, they didn’t have any right now! But she couldn’t let the baby starve all morning, it’s only 6AM the last time she checked. What on earth is she going to do?

“Good morning Little b***h, and I see Mini b***h is here too.” Laito said, strolling on in. He heard a commotion and decided to find out what it is before Kanato got irritated and came down himself. He didn’t know what to expect, but what he didn’t think that Yui would face him with such a brave face on this early in the morning, and promptly drop the child in his arms. What?

“Sorry, but could you hold her for a minute? Thanks.” Yui barely explains as to why and starts grabbing left over mason jars, a kitchen knife, and starts pulling ingredients from the refrigerator. Green beans, carrots, bananas, apples, and peas, etc. She also reaches for the blender at the far corner on the counter. Separately, after slicing up the ingredients, she places them in the blender and set it on purée. This took her about thirty minutes and during this time Laito is made of solid stone.

He didn’t know what to do with a baby. Why did she give him a baby? He is about to protest until the child reaches up to his face, lightly tapping his cheeks and nose. He looks down at the baby girl in his arms, staring into the sky itself. He felt an overwhelming feeling of innocence and a need to protect it. What. The. f**k? This wasn’t like him at all, if anything he loved drawing out others most forbidden desires and corrupting that innocence, but he didn’t feel that way now. Slowly, he sits down on the windowsill in the corner of the kitchen that over looked the garden. He is completely star struck. The infant smiles, and in return, so did he, a light blush dusting his pale skin. He allows the baby to explore his facial features until she tries sticking her chubby fingers in his mouth. He carefully drew back, remembering his shaper-than-knives fangs just below the surface.

“No, no, no little one. Don’t want to prick your little finger.” He coos, and at this point he didn’t care. This child is his now. Laito enjoys his small time with little Ema while her adoptive mother prepares enough food for about two or three days only having about six jars. He didn’t even notice Yui look at him, shocked, but her shock soon melts into relief and pure happiness. Laito is actually putting in the effort to bond with Ema. She couldn’t ask for anything more. She decides to pack up the rest of the little mason jars to store in the fridge by the second baby bottle. She took one, a purée of peas, and reluctantly clears her throat.

The young vamp looks up, with an I’ve-been-caught-red-handed look on his face, a first to ever be witnessed by Yui since he only looks at her as prey with a lustful shine in his eyes. But now, all she sees wis pure adoration, wonder, and mild embarrassment as the biological third eldest makes the short walk over to the girl holding the jar of baby food, and the smallest spoon she could find. The teen got over his embarrassment soon enough though, as he watches Yui about to spoon feed Ema the solid food.

“Can she really consume that, Yui?” He questions the young woman.

Did she hear him correctly? Had he really called her by her name? She knew today would be strange, but not to this extent! She didn’t want to point it out, wanting to encourage the new change.

“Y-Yeah, she’s seven months, she should be started on solid food. She didn’t want the bottle I made anyway.”

“Wow, you’ve been studying huh?” Laito said, mildly impressed. The seventeen-year-old male happily held the baby as Yui continues to spoon feed Ema. “She ate it all!” Laito exclaims, surprised that a tiny thing could eat so much. “Yep. She was hungry.” Yui explains with confirmation.

“Laito-Kun, you need to burb her.” The sixteen-year-old says to the older teen.

“Come again?” He asks, too busy making faces at the child in his arms. Yui could only giggle at the adorable sight. “You need to burb her, or she’ll get terrible indigestion.”

The young vampire nods in agreement before placing baby Ema over his shoulder. Gently, with his large hand, he pats her back evenly until he hears the baby burb and giggle over his shoulder.

His eyes widen, “I did it, Yui!” The girl nods with a large smile on her face. At least now she wasn’t the only one enamored with the little bundle of joy.

…

The young woman is soon back in her room. It was 8:30AM and she already packed the baby in the car seat on the bed and even packed a small backpack with everything Ema may need. She is running around trying to brush her hair, brush her teeth, and get dressed. Laito is currently in the room playing with Ema, not paying any attention to what Yui is doing until she is finally ready.

“I’m done, Laito-Kun.” She announces.

“You took such a long time, I was thinking of leaving you. Were you trying to get yourself all dolled up for me?” He teases, adding a wink for special effect.

Yui blushes, but says nothing in that regard, “L-Let’s just go, yeah?” She stutters.

The two take the town car with Ema perched in between them. The driver then drops them off to the nearest store stocked to the max with baby goods. The store is covered head to toe in pastel blues, pinks, yellows, and grays. Yui quickly manages to get a shopping cart, and Laito decides to put the car seat in the basket after unstrapping the infant who continues to grow on him, melting his cold heart with each action. They walk around with Yui immediately heading to the cribs and strollers, and other technical items, while Laito decides to wander off to browse the clothes.

“What would look good on you, little one?” He asks, looking at the selection of onesies and dresses.

“Pink would look cute on you, but so would yellow, and this blue would match your eyes. What would you like, hmm?” He laughed at himself, what is he doing? He felt like those cheesy first time parents. Not that it was a bad feeling, just unplanned. After a while, Laito has managed to pick out over fifty pairs of socks, onesies, hats, dresses, pulling out all of the stops. One thing that really caught his eye is a light baby blue dress with the words “Daddy’s Little Princess” on it and his face flushed at the sight as he picks up the small piece of fabric in his hands. He is no father. Nowhere near it, in fact. And with no proper role model he wasn’t even sure if he could pretend to be one. Who is he kidding? In love with the child or not, he couldn’t- wouldn’t be anything more to her.

“Hey, Laito-Kun, I saw a beautiful crib and matching stroller over there on sale. I even managed to grab a box of diapers and some other things as well.” Yui showed him her cart, excited with her findings. Laito, with a solid grip on Ema, looks towards Yui, and automatically she knew something is wrong. His playboy smirk is marring his pale lips, but it looks forced. Yui is about to ask, but he beats her to the punch, “Do you think I’m here to play house with you, Little b***h?”

This caught her off guard. Yeah, something was definitely wrong here. What could’ve happened? Without answering, Yui sees what Laito is holding in his left hand. A dress with “Daddy’s Little Princess” written on it in gold calligraphy. Was that the cause? Why would he-

Her thoughts were cut off as Yui is pushed against the wall, a strong hand clasped around her throat.

“L-Laito-K-Kun.” She gasps, barely able to breathe.

“I don’t know what you think of me, but I am no father. I can’t provide that for Ema. I can’t- I won’t!”

“Are you really thinking of Ema, or are you just,” the girl tries to inhale, “thinking of yourself!”

Not expecting to hear such words, the Sakamaki dropped the girl as if she were on fire. “What the hell are you talking about?” He demands answers.

“You say you’re no father, but that’s just an excuse for you saying you don’t know how to be one.”

“I didn’t have one around to show me.” He whispers, feeling his anger rising.

“No one knows how to be a parent right from the start, Laito-Kun. If you’re worried about how Ema perceives you, then all I can tell you is: Be the father you needed.” Yui chokes, trying to expand her lungs. Regardless of how Laito may look, he is still a vampire that nearly crushed her windpipe. With another inhale, she calms herself and finally looks up at the auburn haired vamp and smiles.

“If you asked me, Laito-Kun, the fact that you’re worried about the role you’d play in Ema’s life shows me that you’ve already taken the first step.”

Laito could only stare at the blonde whom he nearly killed, his anger vanishing completely as he stares at her loving smile and knowing gaze. His heart nearly bursts with an emotion he couldn’t explain when she continues,

“You would make a great father, Laito.”

Why? Why is he so ridiculously happy all of a sudden? Huh? His vision is blurry? Is he really crying? Here? Now? Damn.

Laito closes in on himself, holding Ema close to his chest. Yui, slowly, approaches the emotional teen and wraps her arms around him, enclosing both him and Ema in her warm embrace. She ran her fingers through his short red hair smiling to herself, giving him all the time in the world to feel what it’s like to love and be loved.