Chapter 14
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut you in half right now."
"I could say the same to you." Noboru silently congratulated himself for not getting killed just yet, but it was still early and he did just threaten the most powerful soul reaper in the Gotei 13, his daughter's ex, Kenpachi Zaraki. Kenpachi chuckled humorlessly, then drew his blade and pointed it at Noboru's throat.
"So what, come here to gloat? Finally got what ya wanted. Yer daughter wants nuthin to do with me." Sweat dripped down Noboru's temple, the blade at his throat making him a little more than nervous.
"As much as I'd love to, that is not the case. Now, we can both agree we hate each other's guts, right?" Kenpachi just snorted. "Right. But there is one thing we do have in common. We both love Asae and we both want her to be happy." Bitterness filled Kenpachi's heart at the sound of her name. He growled and pushed the blade closer so it was just against the skin of Noboru's neck.
"Get on with it. What do you want?"
"It's not about what I want!" Noboru shouted, finally finding his nerve, or losing his mind. He smacked the blade away and grabbed Kenpachi by the collar of his robe. "Now look I know Asae cares deeply about you and only you. You hurt her and you'd better fix it before she does something she will regret!" Kenpachi grabbed the smaller man by the throat and slammed him against the wall.
"What's wrong with Asae? Is she hurt? The baby?" for the first time, it wasn't anger or hostility Noboru saw in Kenpachi's one uncovered eye. It was fear.
"She's…fine…" he managed to choke out, finding it quite difficult to breath with the captain's enormous hand around his throat. "She's going…to marry…Byakuya…" Kenpachi dropped Noboru, who hit the ground with a solid thud. Kenpachi turned his back to him.
"If that's what she wants…who am I to stop her?"
"But that's not what she wants!" Noboru finally found his breath. "She doesn't want him! She wants…she wants you."
"Why the hell's she want me? And if she wants me so bad, why the hell's she marryin' Kuchiki?" Kenpachi demanded.
"You'll just have to ask her that yourself. Personally, I have no heavenly idea what she sees in the likes of you. As for her marriage to Lord Kuchiki…the council threatened to take everything from us, should she have the baby out of wedlock. She had no choice." Kenpachi paused, letting the gravity of what had just been said sink in. "Shit." And with that he turned and left.
…
"I'm sorry to have surprised you like that." Byakuya finally broke the silence as he walked Asae back home. "To be honest, I surprised myself. I just couldn't let that happen to you, your father, and your child." Asae rested her hand on her belly, the baby kicked, as if it knew Asae was thinking about it; she smiled softly.
"HEY KUCHIKI!" a booming voice broke the winter silence. A voice Asae never thought she'd hear again.
"Kenpachi?"
"Zaraki." Byakuya's eyes narrowed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "How dare you show your face here."
Kenpachi slowly walked towards him, drawing his sword. "You gotta lotta nerve stealin my girl." Kenpachi growled.
"I am not your girl!" Asae snapped, making Kenpachi pause. "Byakuya's right, you shouldn't be here."
"Asae…I was wrong. Just…can we talk?" he reached toward her, but Byakuya lunged forward, slicing his blade across Kenpachi's hand.
"That was just a warning. Next time, I will take the whole arm off. I doubt Mayuri will help you regrow it a second time."
"You wanna play? Ok. Let's play." Kenpachi roared as he lunged at Byakuya, who quickly flashstepped out of the way.
"You had your chance, Zaraki. She wants nothing to do with you!" he moved forward, slicing Kenpachi's chest.
"I know that! She hates me and she has every right to damn it! But she also has the right to know that I love her!" the words hit Asae like a ton of bricks.
"Kenpachi...H-hey wait! Stop! Stop fighting!" she ran to them, trying anything to get them to pay attention to her, to get them to stop the fighting. She didn't know what it was, but something hit her. Hard. She was knocked back a few yards, her vision grew hazy. She could just see someone running for her.
"Asae! Asae…no…"
"Kenpachi…" she suddenly felt the most excruciating pain in her life. Her stomach? No…lower… "No…" she screamed as the pain came again. Kenpachi had her in his arms now.
"Asae? Asae!" Kenpachi pleaded with her, wanting desperately to know how he could take her pain away.
"The…baby…it's coming…" she screamed again. Never had she felt such horrific pain. "No…it's too soon…"
"Ok just hold on…" Kenpachi held her tight in his arms. "You're gonna be ok. Just hold on."
…
"THE HELL DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T GO IN THERE!? I'M THE FATHER" Kenpachi demanded of the terrified squad 4 member blocking him from entering Asae's room.
"At least let me go in, I am her fiancé." Byakuya shouldered past Kenpachi.
"Like hell you are!" Kenpachi had his hand on his sword, ready for a rematch.
"I-I'm sorry…we can't have anyone in there that isn't medical staff right now." The meek, dark haired young man was positively petrified for his life. Isane Kotestu noticed and came to his aid.
"I'm sorry, but you would only do more harm than good right now. Just let them do their job." Begrudgingly, Kenpachi and Byakuya took seats in the waiting room. A painfully awkward silence followed.
"This is my fault." Byakuya muttered. "It was my attack that struck her. It's my fault this is happening." He buried his face in his hands.
"Look…it's not…entirely your fault. I drew my sword first. And…" He sighed deeply "And you're both right…I shouldn't have even been there." More silence followed. It was Byakuya that spoke first.
"You love her."
"Of course…damn it I've loved her for years I just…I thought I had more time…" he was cut off as a squad 4 member entered from Asae's room. They both jumped to their feet.
"Well? Any news?" Byakuya urged.
"Y-yes…" the young woman watched the two men nervously. "There were…complications…"
"Is she alright? The baby?" Kenpachi grabbed her arms with Byakuya trying to hold him back. She was really fighting back tears now. "Sh-she's alright! She can have one visitor right now!" she finally managed to choke out. Kenpachi finally let her go.
"What about the baby?" a long, painful pause followed.
"As I said, there where complications…the baby is in observation right now…we don't know anything yet." Kenpachi's face paled, he glanced over to Byakuya.
"You go first. You have much to say to her." Byakuya insisted. Kenpachi sighed deeply, and then pushed the door open.
…
Asae lay quietly in the bed, her arm heavily bandaged. She was so still Kenpachi wondered if she might be asleep. He was about to leave when she finally stirred.
"Kenpachi?"
"Hey Blueberry." Kenpachi smiled with relief and came closer to the bed. "How're ya feelin?"
"How am I feeling?" she mocked. "How dare you. How dare you even be here!"
"Asae…"
"No! Do you even realize the hell you put me through? I needed you and you just abandoned me!"
"I know I-"
"Just leave." Asae said coldly. Kenpachi sighed, got up to leave. "I never even got to hold my baby…" he heard her lament softly. He paused at the door.
"I was scared. I just lost Yachiru. I…I just couldn't go through that again…" he turned back to her, to her shock there were tears in his eyes. "Now I'm just scared of losing you…and our baby…I know I don't deserve it but…Asae please forgive me…"
"Kenpachi…" before she could finish the door reopened. Isane came in carrying a small bundle.
"It was touch and go for a while there, but your daughter is ready to meet you." She handed her over to Asae, and for the first time, she was able to see her daughter.
"Oh…she's beautiful…"
"I'll give you some privacy." Isane said as she left the room. Kenpachi leaned over Asae's shoulder to get a good look at her.
"She looks like her daddy." Asae smiled, gently running her fingers through her daughter's soft, black hair. Kenpachi reached down to touch her, only to have his finger grabbed by her.
"Heh strong like her daddy, too." At the sound of his voice, the baby's eyes fluttered open. "Got her mama's eyes." He added; a warm smile crossed his lips. "Have you thought of any names?" Asae thought for a moment, and, as if by magic, the perfect name popped into her head.
"What do you think of Kaiya? It means forgiveness." She looked up at him and smiled.
"I think it's perfect." He pulled Asae closer to him and kissed her.
"Yeah…Kaiya Fujiyama." Asae mused, trying the name out.
"What about…Kaiya Zaraki?" Asae looked up at him, confusion clear on her face. "Why don't you both take the name Zaraki?" Asae felt her heart skip a beat.
"Are…are you asking me what I think you're asking?"
"Do I need to get down on one knee?" he teased "C'mon don't leave me hangin."
"Yes…YES! Yes Kenpachi!" She felt the tears streaming down her cheeks but she didn't care. She had everything she could ever want! Kenpachi wrapped one arm around her, with the other; he helped to cradle their daughter.
"I love you, Asae."
"I love you, Kenpachi."
The End