Chapter 10: Ghost
(I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible for Shima-Taicho31, who can't wait to see what happens next! Enjoy. Spunky loves ya! I'll be trying to get some other things out today too! Busy, busy, busy!)
Tetsuya heard Kuri groan unhappily, and he opened one blue eye to observe as his new husband mumbled a few unintelligible words, then crawled out of bed and crashed instantly to the floor.
"Mierda!" he gasped, grabbing his head.
"Kuri, are you all right?" Tetsuya asked in a concerned tone.
A sudden swell of nausea made his stomach clench and Tetsuya hastily exited the bed, headed for the bathroom.
"Oh, dios mìo, no Tetsu-hana!" Kuri moaned, scrambling after him, "I was about to..."
He stumbled into the bathroom and found Tetsuya crouched in front of the toilet, recovering from a bout of morning sickness. Tetsuya moved aside, just in time as Kuri dropped to his knees and followed suit.
"Kuri!" Tetsuya exclaimed.
He paused and a look of illness rose again on his face.
"Your turn," Kuri managed, flushing the toilet.
Tetsuya heaved several times, then sat back on his knees, panting softly.
"Are you all right now?" Kuri asked, rubbing his back gently.
"Mmhmm," Tetsuya assured him, climbing to his feet and extending a hand to help his husband, "You?"
"Ugh," Kuri grunted, staggering onto his feet, "I am embarrassed as hell. No Shima gets so hung over that he throws up."
Tetsuya laughed.
"I told you to stop!" he exclaimed, "And so did Mamà and Aderia-san. We all told you."
"Augh, don't start the nagging so soon!" Kuri grumbled, "We haven't even had our honeymoon yet!"
"We certainly had our wedding night," Tetsuya mused, smiling happily.
"It was magical," Kuri agreed, then his stomach clenched, "Oh..."
Kuri pitched forward over the toilet, loosing himself again violently, then he dropped onto his bottom with his back against the wall, groaning miserably.
I'm sorry you feel so bad," Tetsuya said, "I wish you had stopped sooner."
"Hmm, I think that's just nicer nagging," Kuri complained, rubbing his hands over his face.
"It's better than you deserve, hermano,"Aderia scolded him from the bathroom doorway, "But here, I have a remedy. Take this and drink plenty of water."
"I don't need it. I will be fine," Kuri mumbled, "Just give me a few more hours sleep."
"Idiota!" Aderia snapped, smacking him lightly on the cheek and making him yelp in surprise and pain.
"¡Què chingados! What are you doing, woman? You trying to kill me?"
"Did you forget the courier from Kuchiki Manor?" Aderia asked sternly, "There is a funeral for Byakuya-san's bodyguard."
"His bodyguard?" Kuri mused, frowning, "I didn't know he had a bodyguard."
"I think you're not supposed to realize a bodyguard is there," Tetsuya said, looking amused.
"I never saw him either," Aderia admitted, "but he is a cousin of Byakuya-san, and they were close, so Mamà said that we would come this morning."
"But we just had a wedding. What a way to bring a man down," Kuri sighed, "But I guess it can't be helped. Byakurai is family, so we will go."
Kuri paused and frowned.
"How is he related to us again?"
Aderia arched a dark eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"One of his cousins a couple times removed married one of our cousins," she reminded him.
"Eh, but which cousins in what subfamilies?" Kuri teased her.
He ducked out of the way as she swatted at him again.
"All right, all right, I'll get ready and we'll go!" he relented, "Get out of my hair now and let us get dressed."
"Good luck getting him together in time!" Aderia hissed softly in Tetsuya's ear, "I will be back in case he goes back to sleep."
"I won't go back to sleep!" shouted Kuri, wincing at the volume of his own voice.
"Here, angelito," Aderia said, handing Tetsuya a formal black kimono, "This should fit you. Get dressed and meet us in the courtyard. I will take care of him if he is troublesome.
XXXXXXXXXX
Byakuya smiled wearily and ran his fingers through Ichigo's tumbled hair as his boyfriend yawned and opened his brown eyes. The two kissed several times, then Byakuya nuzzled up against Ichigo's cheek.
"Thank you for staying with me last night," he said gratefully, "I wish that it had been under better circumstances."
"It's okay," Ichigo reassured him, lacing their fingers together, "You lost someone close to you. I'm glad that I could be there for you. I'm just really sorry about you losing Tetsuya."
"It surprised me how many positive responses I received during the planning," Byakuya noted, "And there were some people I didn't even realize knew Tetsuya, who asked about the service and will be attending."
"He really touched a lot of lives."
"Many of them by saving people who never even saw his face," Byakuya agreed, "It is such an honor to have known him. He let me closer to him that most people, perhaps because when he was confined in the prison, I was the one who freed him."
"You did a lot more for him than that, healing him, teaching him all about your family and giving him a place, a purpose."
"Tetsuya set his heart on protecting me, and he never failed to do that. The hardest thing for him was when the quincies attacked and I left him here to safeguard the family. He did exactly that. I just...wonder how it happened...how he was swept away like that. It just doesn't seem possible."
"Well, we did find traces of his reiatsu in the area where Orochi said it happened, although that doesn't mean that things went down the way he said."
Byakuya sighed determinedly.
"If it kills me, I am going to find out the truth about what happened to Tetsuya. I feel that there is inconsistency in Orochi's story. We haven't been able to find it, but when we do...there will nowhere that man can hide to escape the justice I will bring down on him."
Ichigo ran his fingers lightly along Byakuya's soft cheek.
"It is just heartbreaking," Byakuya went on, "that no matter whether justice is served or not, Tetsuya is gone."
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, "but look at what he left behind. He protected you and your family. That's what meant the most to him. He'd be happy knowing that you came home safely. And he'd be honored at how many people will be there mourning him today."
"Yes," Byakuya said softly.
The two looked up as Torio entered the room, bearing a tray of food.
"Oh my god, that looks wonderful!" Ichigo sighed, "Can I just move in now?"
"You will have much the same thing, once you settle in at the Shiba Estate," Byakuya reminded him.
"Sorry," Ichigo chuckled, taking a big bite of his meal, "but no one can beat Matsuko-san's cooking!"
Byakuya paused for a moment, considering.
"Ichigo," he said, slipping a hand into his boyfriend's as Ichigo continued to plow through his food enthusiastically, "seriously, I have been giving this a lot of thought. I know I said before that there was a protocol for noble marriages."
"Mmhmm?" Ichigo prompted him, taking a large swallow of orange juice.
"Well, what I didn't factor in is that it will still be a few days, perhaps a week before the war is officially ended and we will no longer be under martial law."
"Okay?"
"While we are under martial law, noble clans work differently also. The leader has more direct control and can take more actions without adhering to the usual protocols."
Ichigo stopped mid-bite, gazing at Byakuya questioningly.
"If there is one thing that I have learned from losing Tetsuya...Hisana...my parents, it is that time is not a given. We may only have this moment and not another. So...perhaps you would consider...?"
"Yeah," Ichigo said smiling at how his reaction made Byakuya freeze and stare silently at him," Sure, I'll marry you."
Byakuya continued to look back at him wordlessly.
"That's what you were going to ask, right?" Ichigo chuckled.
"It was," Byakuya confessed, finding his voice again, "I just...w-wasn't expecting..."
"What? That I wanted to get married right now too? I'm crazy about you!" laughed Ichigo, "You know that!"
"And you are usually the more impulsive one," Byakuya sighed, "I wonder if I should think about this more."
"No," Ichigo said firmly, "Don't over-think it. You'll talk yourself out of it and you'll just regret it later. We love each other. We've known each other for several years now. It's not really rushing."
"But we only confessed our feelings recently," Byakuya reminded him.
"But those feelings have been around a while," Ichigo acknowledged, "We just took our time admitting to them. It's fine. If you want to get married now, then let's do it. Let's get married."
"Are you sure?" Byakuya asked, his expression betraying an unusual vulnerability that made Ichigo's heart skip.
"Yeah," Ichigo said, setting his tray on the nightstand as Byakuya did the same.
He turned suddenly and brought Byakuya down onto his back.
"I really can't wait until our wedding night. I want so much to make love to you!"
"I wondered if it was fair, asking you to stay last night. It was like teasing you."
"No it wasn't," Ichigo assured him, "I like sleeping next to you, and I was glad I could make you feel better, so you could sleep."
"You did do that," Byakuya agreed, "But we're not sleeping now, and we do need to get ready for Tetsuya's memorial service."
"All right," Ichigo relented grudgingly, letting him up, "But after, we should figure out what to do about the wedding. If you want to get married before the war is officially ended and we'd have to do it the traditional way, we're going to have to move fast."
"We will discuss it after the service," Byakuya promised, picking up his tray again and working at his meal.
The two finished eating and left the bed, moving to the dressing area, where Byakuya's attendant dressed him while a second attendant dressed Ichigo.
"Torio, how is your brother today?" Byakuya asked.
"Koji?" Torio answered, "He is handling things all right today, pretty well, considering. But it's so hard for him."
"He and Tetsuya were like brothers," Byakuya acknowledged, "Koji was the one who cared for Tetsuya ever since he was freed from the prison."
"That's tough," Ichigo agreed, "But I'm glad to hear he's handling things okay."
"It will be easier once this part is over," Torio sighed, "Everyone who loved him will have closure."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, making his attendant look back at him in surprise as he squeezed the young man's hand supportively, "but we will always remember."
The attendants finished dressing the two in dark colored kimonos, and they stepped out of the master suite, into the bright, fragrant gardens. They crossed to the section where guests had begun to arrive and greeted them, speaking quietly with each before they moved away to find seats for the service. Ichigo noticed a dread tension that slowly came over Byakuya and increased gradually as the time for the service neared. But when the last of the guests took their places and soft music began to play, the tension disappeared and Byakuya took on a more stoic and poised demeanor.
"I don't know how you do that," Ichigo said appreciatively, "If it was me, I think I'd be a mess."
"I can, as you say, be a mess later, when you and I are alone," Byakuya commented.
The words made Ichigo smile sadly.
"It's good knowing you trust me like that...that you can be real with me...that you can cry with me."
"It doesn't happen often, but it does happen," Byakuya confessed, "and I am glad for the comfort you give me...that there is a place and a person with whom I can be real."
Ichigo slipped a hand into Byakuya's as the head elder of the clan took his place in front of them.
"Welcome," Nori greeted them, "I think that Tetsuya would be honored to see so many people gathered to remember him. For such a young man, who was with us for such a short time, he accomplished a lifetime of good works. He was a son, a brother, a cousin, and a fierce protector of our leader. Yet, his deeds did not stop there. Despite having been the target of bigotry and hatred, Tetsuya held to his promise to keep our family safe. In the midst of a devastating confrontation, he saw us all to safety, then left that protected space. He went out and laid down his life so that we would be able to come home and pick up the pieces of our lives...so that we could go on. Every step we take from this point, happens because of his sacrifice. And for that, we are forever grateful. But the person who knew Tetsuya best, is his rescuer, his leader, and the one whose protection was most important to him. Byakuya?"
Byakuya nodded briefly and left Ichigo's side to stand at the podium in front of the guests. He stood silently for a moment, a soft breeze moving his silken hair and the folds of his kimono as he breathed slowly, gathering himself.
"Tetsuya was always more than a cousin and protector to me," Byakuya began, "From the moment I learned that my father's favored cousin, Takao, had a child, I made it my goal to bring them home. I couldn't save Takao or Kiko from their fates, but in a dark corner of a dirty cell, I found Tetsuya. He was thin, cold, hungry and fearful, but even so, in the very first moments when he knew that he could fight, a light of bravery came into his eyes and even weaponless, he fought hard. And in a moment when we were both threatened and it seemed that there was no hope, hope sprang from his weak, tired body. Arashi emerged from his soul and allowed Tetsuya to protect me for the first time. As strong as I am, I have needed Tetsuya's strength, his protection, many times since that day. And he has always answered the call of my need for that. It is rare to find a soul so driven to one fate, one task, one destiny. And even though he's gone, I still feel as though he is here, watching and protecting as..."
Byakuya's words stopped suddenly as Shima Kurushimi appeared on the outside of an aisle, alongside a younger man dressed in clothes of mourning, as well as Aderia and Magdelina. He blinked in surprise as the young man's head lifted slightly and the light caught his face. The guests turned to look in the direction of his gaze and gasps rose up all around.
"Tetsuya-san!" Tetsuya's attendant sobbed, rushing into the aisle as shocked voices rose up all around.
On the far side of the room, Kuchiki Orochi scowled and started towards Tetsuya, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm.
"I wouldn't, if I were you," Kuchiki Sasune warned him, "You are going to be in enough trouble as it is...if he says something about what you did."
Orochi's scowl deepened, but he remained still, watching as Byakuya flash stepped to where Kuri stood, holding a protective arm around Tetsuya. Tetsuya quivered and pressed back against his husband, his blue eyes flicking around anxiously, then settling on Byakuya's face as his cousin reached them.
"Tetsuya!" Byakuya managed breathlessly, "Tetsuya, where have you been? We thought you were dead!"
Tetsuya shivered harder, his eyes filling with tears.
"I don't know you!" he exclaimed, "You are...Byakuya-sama?"
"Yes," Byakuya said, staring in dismay, "You don't know me?"
Tetsuya shook his head and pressed harder to Kuri's side.
"Shima Kurushimi, where and when did you find my cousin?"
"I came across him at the river, near our encampment, just before your return," Kuri explained, "He was badly injured and when he was healed, he told us that he remembered nothing of who he was, or where he came from. My apologies, Byakurai, but you came to the Shima encampment. Lupita told me you were there."
"Was he the one who was in your quarters?" Byakuya asked, his eyes still glued to Tetsuya's.
"He was," Kuri confirmed.
"I didn't see him," Byakuya explained, "Lupita-chan said that the man in that room had been pregnant. Is he...pregnant now?"
"He is," Kuri confirmed.
A flurry of voices broke out all around.
"He is pregnant with my child," Kuri announced, "Tetsu-hana and I were married yesterday. I am sorry for not asking your permission for his hand, but as you see, he didn't remember who he was."
Byakuya reached out a hand and touched Tetsuya's cheek. Tetsuya's eyes widened as a bright flash of memory erupted in his mind.
"Please don't leave me here!" he sobbed, his hand curling around Byakuya's arm, "Byakuya-sama, you know that all that matters to me is protecting you!"
"I understand," Byakuya said gently, curving a palm around Tetsuya's tearstained cheek, "But I need you to stay here and protect our family."
"B-byakuya-s-sama!" Tetsuya cried, "Don't..."
"You are the only one I can trust to watch out for them!" Byakuya insisted, "You designed the plan for their evacuation. They need you to see them to safety. If you want to protect someone, protect all of them. Because without you, they will be at the mercy of this vicious enemy! Please, Tetsuya, protect our family."
Tetsuya's head bowed in defeat, but Byakuya's fingers slipped under his chin, raising it so that their eyes locked. He gazed into Tetsuya's teary, but determined eyes and kissed him on the forehead.
"I will come back, Tetsuya. I promise I will. And when I do, I will find you."
"Y-you left me," Tetsuya said haltingly, "I wanted to go with you, but...you left me here."
"Yes," Byakuya affirmed, "You remember?"
"I...I don't know," Tetsuya confessed, "Bits and pieces."
"He was hurt very badly," Aderia explained, "He nearly died."
Byakuya remained frozen for a moment longer, gazing into Tetsuya's shocked eyes, then he moved forward and slid his arms around his cousin as Kuri released Tetsuya.
"I am so glad you are alive!" Byakuya sighed, "Tetsuya...we can work everything out about your marriage. Don't worry. If you have married Shima Kurushimi, we will have it confirmed."
"I don't think so," Orochi said darkly, stepping forward out of the crowd, "That baby Tetsuya is carrying is mine!"
Kuri's eyes fixed on Orochi and darkened as Tetsuya made a sound of dismay and pulled free of Byakuya. He backed into Kuri's embrace again as Orochi moved towards them.
"You were Tetsu-hana's abuser?" Kuri snarled, his sword forming in his hand, "You were the one who tortured him and nearly killed him?"
"I didn't do anything like that!" Orochi spat, "Tetsuya was beside himself when we felt the decline of Byakuya's reiatsu. He took comfort in my arms that night and we conceived the child he's carrying."
"You may have put a child in his belly," Kuri growled, his sword glowing, "but you weren't comforting him. You were raping him! And the child you put in him..."
"Get away from him!" Orochi snapped, summoning his own sword, "Tetsuya and that baby are mine!"
"The hell they are!" Kuri spat, his power flaring around him, "Saibankan, Totsuzenshi!"
Guests scattered in all directions as Kuri's power blossomed around Tetsuya and him and they heard the clinking of metal chains.
"Kuri, what are you doing?" yelled Ichigo, flash stepping to Byakuya's side.
"You need to stop," Byakuya warned him, "Tetsuya is a member of my clan."
"He is my clan wife!" Kuri hissed, "If anyone tries to take him from my side, these chains that encircle us will come up, out of he ground and crush them!"
"Your marriage is not worth the paper it's written on," Orochi seethed, "As soon as the baby is confirmed mine, you won't have a leg to stand on!"
"Your baby is dead!" Kuri shouted, "Tetsu-hana lost the child he was carrying. The one he carries now is mine. And Tetsu-hana is mine. Take one more step forward and your family will be memorializing you!"
"I think we must gather the council and discuss this," suggested Nori, "Whatever the truth is will come out. If the child is Orochi's, it will void Tetsuya's marriage to Shima Kurushimi. And if it is Kurushimi's, then we can confirm it at that time."
"Fine then," Orochi said. lowering his weapon, "Let him be tested."
"I have nothing to fear from that!" Kuri said scathingly, "Test him all you want. The child inside him is mine!"
"We'll see," Orochi said, his hand still wrapped around the hilt of his sword, "We'll see who he belongs to in the end!"