love lies

Raising a boy was no sweat at all. Ito had spent most of his life surrounded by men of all ages, from various social classes and from all walks of life. What's better than that? Guys being dudes... However, taking care of a daughter was completely new territory. Where his world had been rich in male companionship, there was a significant lack of meaningful female interaction. Needless to say, he wasn't quite sure he would be up to the task. But a girl is a girl, right? 

Lucky for him, Mary didn't seem to be particularly high-maintenance. In fact, she was just the opposite. Even so, he felt compelled to do at least a little something for her, something to further break the ice in their relationship. And what better way to melt that ice than spending a sunny afternoon in the park? She seemed to like animals and being outdoors well enough, it seemed like a innocent way to win her trust at least. 

Although the setting was perfect, he found it slightly more difficult to strike up a conversation. That in itself was half the battle... Maybe starting off with a compliment or some playful, lighthearted teasing would do the trick? Or better yet, a little bit of both!

"You know," he began, looking down at Mary with an unfazed grin, "I think you might be the tiniest girl I've ever met! You're so petite and fluffy- just like a baby rabbit! I wouldn't be surprised if a great big bird swooped down, grabbed you, took you away, and ate you right up!"

In all honesty- Ito never really wanted children. Not even to carry on his bloodline, or to raise as disciples. In a way, every student he'd ever taught was already like a child to him, and he never had to go through the torture of changing their diapers or raising them. So really, having kids would be counterproductive since he'd have less time to teach and run his faction.

Of course, that was in the past. He was now living in a world where his political standings held little relevance anymore. The people here had hard opinions and virtues of their own, and they generally stuck to them. Now, with more than enough free time and a new family dropped in his lap, he was completely rethinking his priorities. It seemed "childcare" was ironically the only pass-time he had now that wouldn't be a complete waste of energy. Besides, if he felt the urge, he could always pass his lessons down to them.

He was scouring the home now in search of one of his kids, he didn't really care which. He was bored out of his mind, and he had yet to formally meet either of them. Funny how when he wanted company, no one was around though. As he checked empty room after empty room, he was gradually growing frustrated with his fruitless search until movement from the hallway caught his attention. He poked his head from the doorway to see the back of, what he assumed to be, his sons figure walking along. What was his name again...? Lazanya...? Something like that...

He thought about calling out to the boy, but wouldn't it be more fun to surprise him? He tiptoed quietly behind him, becoming very aware of how he towered over the teen. With a height difference this significant, there was a plethora of little tricks Ito was all too tempted to pull... Such as... taking the kid by the waist and lifting him as high as his arms would stretch. This was a normal parent-child activity, right? He'd seen this very pose on a poster in the city the day he'd arrived. Granted it had been drawn with an ape holding a feline, but there was no real difference here. 

"You should be more careful about when you choose to let our guard down," he said through an amused grin, still holding the boy, "You're never safe, not even in your own home after all~"