[FIC] Shounen Onmyouji/Okami
Title: Babysitting
Fandom: Shounen Onmyouji/Okami
Pairing: N/A
Rating: G
Word Count: 513 words
Notes: Takes place before Masahiro's kenki has been sealed. My apologies for mangling the French language, but I'm pretty sure Ushiwaka does that on a regular basis anyway.



The barrier around the Abe household was many things. Childproof was not one of them.

Masahiro stared wide-eyed at the busy road in front of him. Oxcarts rumbled past, carrying women whose brightly-colored sleeves just barely peeked out from the curtains. Court officials in their departmental dress rushed by with scrolls and parcels clutched to their chests. But none of this interested the youngest of Seimei's grandsons. He scanned the street, searching for something. Finally, a flash of white caught his eye.

"Doggy!" he cried triumphantly, toddling over to the very thing that had drawn him from the safety of the household garden in the first place.

The white wolf in front of him barked once. She closed her eyes as Masahiro's small hands patted her lightly on the snout. He poked curiously at the red designs on her forehead, which the wolf allowed with a surprising amount of patience. However, a soft whine rose in her throat when he made a grab for her tail.

"Ah-ah-ah!" a voice chided. A pale hand grabbed the child by the wrist before he could close his fingers around his prize. Seemingly out of nowhere, a strangely-dressed man had appeared behind Masahiro. "Ma chérie, you must learn not to be so tolerant of children!"

As if in response, the wolf began to scratch her ears with her hind leg. Somehow, she gave the distinct impression of rolling her eyes.

The man let out a long-suffering sigh and turned to the child. "Now, what have we here? A little runaway, non?"

Masahiro reached out and tugged at one of the pom-poms at the front of the man's robes. He giggled. The wolf barked again.

"Do not worry!" the man said, fixing the wolf with a smile. "There will be someone to collect him soon, no doubt."

There was a shout from further up the street. "Masahiro!"

"Et voilà."

Recognition flooded the child's face and he disentangled himself from the man's grip. "Grandfather!" he shrieked, throwing himself at the elderly man, a huge grin on his face.

Seimei reached down to ruffle the boy's hair affectionately. "Honestly, now, running off like that," he muttered. "Guren's been absolutely worried sick about you."

"Ren?" Masahiro asked, looking slightly abashed for the first time.

But Seimei's attention had moved on. He nodded to the man and bowed low, the hand on Masahiro's head forcing him to do the same. "Ushiwaka-sama," he said, with a hint of a smile in his voice, "thank you for finding my grandson. Forgive me for not showing you the proper respect-- I don't think my knees could take it, these days. Aaaah, the trouble with getting old."

Ushiwaka waved a hand dramatically. "You know I've always been fond of your family, Seimei. Besides, ma chérie was rather insistent on going for a walk."

"...my," Seimei said slowly, his gaze falling to the wolf. "Perhaps I should see if I can't manage a proper bow after all, knees or no knees."

The wolf cocked her head to the side and sneezed, and Masahiro began to giggle once more.