Mom's the Word
By anna
All general disclaimers apply
Part of the Happily Ever After series
Experiment: None
--
The Hyuuga was determined.
It was difficult to judge how long he had been doing it, but guessing by the position of the shadows, he knew it had been at least a few hours. If he still did not get it done in the next hour, his wife would be home and his plan would be foiled yet again. The Hyuuga sighed. He was knelt in the most humiliating fashion and his back ached in both frustration and impatience.
His pearly white eyes stared at a pair of small green eyes and they held his gaze deviously. The small child cracked a wide, toothless smile and brought its small finger up to poke him gently on the cheek. The child liked it so much that she did it again, this time, with two fingers, one on each cheek.
Seeing her father's serious expression, she started laughing. Clear, mocking sounds, almost contemptuous, ridiculing his lack of competence. Neji raised an eyebrow, this won't do, this won't do at all.
"Mommy," he said, enunciating each syllable slowly, and clearly.
"Moo," she answered, and was thrown in another uncontrollable fit of laughter.
"Yea, you laugh now," her father muttered.
"Moo…"
The captain knelt his head in defeat. But he stood up abruptly, with a new sense of inspiration.
"Alright, we'll take this step by step, 'Mo'" he curved his mouth into a big 'O'.
"Moo…."
"No no no, don't be silly, make your mouth bigger 'MO'" Neji repeated.
"MOO," his daughter replied.
"MO,"
"Moooo,"
"What are you doing to my child?"
Somehow, someway his wife managed to slip past his surveillance and the high and mighty Hyuuga mentally slapped himself for lowering his guard.
"How did you get in the house without breaching security?" Neji asked after giving her a quick kiss.
"'Security'? Oh you mean that bucket of water you had hanging on the door frame? Honestly, I expected more from you," Sakura answered.
"I had nothing to work with in this house," he said defensively.
"What are you angry about? Here I am, after a day from the hospital, come home to witness my husband and my only daughter making the most irregular sounds," the medic said and moved to pick up her daughter, who was reaching out for her desperately.
"Mooo," the small girl called to her mother and smiled contentedly when she was safely in Sakura's arms.
"Neji Hyuuga, I don't know what you've been teaching her, but if her first word is 'cow' I'm going to have to lynch you," his wife threatened.
"Violent woman of a wife,"
--
Neji was never one to give up.
Try it once, and try it again. Just for kicks.
"Sari, say it with me… Mom,"
"Moo?"
The Hyuuga sighed, and looked at his 8 months old daughter who was beaming. He couldn't help but smiled at her almost toothless grin. At 8 months, she resembled Sakura in everyway, even the occasional mood swings.
"I'll go get you some milk," her father got up to leave for the kitchen.
He opened his refrigerator and fished out a small bottle. Neji glanced at the clock and noticed that it was high noon, his stomach grumbled in response. He turned back at the refrigerator and opted to make a sandwich.
"Mom!"
"Your mother isn't here Sari, she'll be back soon," Neji answered.
Realization came crashing on him as he withdrew his head from the fridge. Sandwiches and milk left to oblivion as the Anbu captain raced immediately to his daughter's side.
"What did you say?"
"Mom?" green eyes stared back at her father.
"Yes!"
--
That night was relatively quiet after Sari was put in her crib. At two o'clock in the morning, the couple was stirred awake when the sounds of their daughter crying reached the bedroom.
"Mom!"
"She's calling you, honey," Neji nudged his wife awake and snuggled contentedly in the white sheets.
He smiled when he felt the bed move and Sakura grumbled as she made her way to the baby's room.
Success.
--
End.
07-02-07