A/N: Wanted to practice Crow a bit, and tried my hand at CrowxAki. I'm not a shipper, but I can see why people enjoy it.

"A baby?" Crow looked up to the owner of the voice and nodded his head simply with his usual ear-to-ear grin. "Yep! I'm watching this cutie for the day while her mom is out grocery shopping." While saying this, the young man tickled the babe's clothed tummy causing her to giggle happily. Crossing her arms, Aki raised an eyebrow.

"Some mom is letting you watch her kid unsupervised?" Despite the implication, the tawny eyed woman wasn't aiming her suspicions at Crow but more so at the woman. Crow whipped his head around to meet Aki's eyes while keeping the infant cradled in his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Biting her bottom lip, Aki reworded her sentence quickly in her thoughts. She quickly put her hands up with a sorrowful look in her eyes. "I didn't mean it like that…I just mean, don't you find it strange that some random woman would—" "She's not some random woman; Martha knows her."

Cheeks dusting pink, Aki took a step back with her hands falling to her sides. "O-Oh…I just thought." Crow's soft laughter took her by surprise. "Why are you laughing?"

Shaking his head, the man smiled quietly at her. "It's fine, the guys asked the same question so you're not alone."

Still, the woman felt guilty for her comment. Wanting to make it up, she slowly moved towards her friend who had turned his sights back onto the infant. Aki took a seat beside him with her back straight and her hands gripping her knees. Leaning over, the duelists' shoulders touched each other briefly as Aki took a peek at the baby in her friend's arms.

The child had an cherub face like any child, but there something about this child that had a more angelic aura about her. Rosy cheeks were puffed out as the little girl giggled happily with a sloppy grin up at the one holding her, her deep blue eyes shining happily. Aki shifted her gaze from the girl to Crow who had a look of wonder on his face as he continued to tickle the infant's tummy. She wondered how someone so young could have everyone wrapped around her little finger. She wondered if she had this effect on people as well; even as an adult. She felt rather…envious.

"Wanna hold her?"

Throwing herself back against the couch, Aki casted Crow a horrified look at the suggestion. "Wait…what?" She squeaked loudly, causing the baby to stop her giggling and peer over at the newcomer. The two girls' eyes met; tawny meeting sapphire for the first time. Crow didn't seem to notice the tension in Aki's voice. "Well?"

"Uhh…I really don't think that's a good idea Crow." Lowering her gaze, Aki toed the ground with her shoe. "I'm not good with kids."

Crow shook his head. "Don't try to feed me that; you're amazing with the twins." Aki's cheeks flared up once more, but a darker shade of pink at the compliment. "Well…yeah, b-but they're well behaved and—"

Shaking his head once more, the edges of Crow's eyes softened. "Come on."

"I never held a baby."

Not missing a beat, Crow gave the red head one of his warmest smiles. "Then I'll show you; and make sure you don't drop her~" Aki rolled her eyes at the jab, but her body stiffened as she noted Crow was shifting and was about to hand her the baby.

Quickly she mimicked how he held his arms before she took the baby. The baby looked squished in her eyes; was she doing something wrong? "Support her head, Aki." Crow murmured softly as he shifted Aki's arm that the baby's head was resting upon down a bit so she lay atop it and not bent forward. "There ya go~"

Aki inwardly let out a sigh of relief as the baby was now safely in her arms. The fear swirling in her body slowly lifted from her like a fallen bird wing drifting through the wind. Unconsciously, she rocked the baby while softly bouncing her up and down. "She's really sweet." She cooed softly as the baby yawned.

"Yeah, she is…" Crow replied in agreement though his eyes were set on Aki's form. "You're really good with kids, Aki."

Sliding her gaze over, Aki smiled thoughtfully. "Well, I had a wonderful teacher."

A/N: I had this idea for these two when I thought about them; it doesn't help that my little niece had been christened/baptized yesterday.