November 1875
The powder didn't work. She took it everyday for months, hoping she would stop bleeding and that her breast will tense, announcing the blessing of a baby but in the end, it didn't work. Haruhi had been stupid to put so much faith in it. Souji didn't speak to her about it. Maybe he was protecting her, maybe he was terribly disappointed... She didn't know and she didn't want to know. They had been married for nearly a year and everyone could decipher that there was a problem. The first child, it was important. The ones coming after didn't matter as much but the first one... It was what was making their union official in the eyes of everyone. Without it, it was as if Souji wasn't really hers in the end. Part of her was afraid he could leave her to find a fertile wife. Another part was almost wishing for it. Souji was playing a lot with the children at the inn, the ones of the village... She could see him, laughing in his policeman uniform, surrounded by children that weren't even his. It was clear that he craved fatherhood. Maybe she should talk to people in the village... Find out if someone had a child for adoption... It's not that she wanted to be a mother that much but she wouldn't mind being one either and if it could make Souji happy, then she was ready to do anything.
At the market, she had her basket full with potatoes, negi and she also brought some pork. They weren't eating meat that often but they lived comfortably and Souji would enjoy this little extra. She probably would cook it with rice, onions and miso...
« Hey, miss. » she heard, a sword threatening her neck while she was putting eggs into her basket along with her other groceries « you are under arrest for disturbing the peace of the market with your cuteness. »
Haruhi turned over, unimpressed, and furrowed her brows at her husband who was widely grinning.
« This is the cheesiest pick up line I ever heard. » she commented.
« Oh my » he chuckled « what a frown you're wearing ! Are you sure you're not Hijikata's daughter ? »
« What are you doing here ? » she asked, unfazed.
« Working. » he answered, sheathing his sword back into his scabbard and she noticed the stained cloth he had in his sash. He probably wiped his sword on it.
« Is that blood ? » she asked, hoping her husband didn't get himself into a fight.
« Yeah. » he smiled kindly « I've been called about a fight between two customers about the price of a pig. » he sighed « It was a nightmare, they were yelling, the pig was yelling, the farmer was yelling... and out of patience, I cut the pig in half. Told them they could both buy it now. That shut their mouth. »
« I'm not sure that's a way to handle an argument. » she chuckled.
« The sword of the Shinsengumi... » he sighed « Cutting down a pig with the katana that protected Kyoto for so long... Peace is incredibly boring. Anyway, miss, weapons are banned. You're not allowed to use them in public. »
« Weapons ? » she lifted an eyebrow. She had her kaiken in her obi as usual but she didn't get it out.
« Yep miss. » he nodded « your eyes pierced my heart. You have to be careful with these things. »
« Are you finished ? » she sighed, frowning again.
Yet, Souji just smiled genuinely. Maybe it was an attempt to cheer her up. Because of the powder, she had been quite moody recently and her husband wasn't the best at conforting people.
« If I can get you to my house, then it works. » he winked.
« I'm your wife. » she stated with a sigh « there's not even a challenge. But today you fail. I'm not home tonight. »
« What ? » he asked, surprised and with a little bit of anger and worry dancing in his emerald eyes « where are you going ? »
« It's Otousan and Chizuru-neechan's eighth anniversary. » she answered with a smile « Chizuru has been very down recently since she can't work anymore and has to deal with two babies and Ayame isn't really helpful. So they're taking the evening off and I babysit. In winter, they can more easily leave the inn to Tama and Momoiro and I don't have anything better to do. »
« You have your husband to do. » he winked.
« I'm not even gonna comment on that. »
« Who's gonna babysit me ? » he asked, crossing his arms with a playful smile.
« You don't need any babysitter. » she frowned « I'm pretty sure you can cook for yourself. »
« I can probably find a volunteer. » he smirked snidely.
She knew it was a joke and it shouldn't have made her angry. Yet, she could feel and see the heavy stares of some women on her husband and herself.
« Come on, it was a joke. » said Souji, apologetic.
« Yeah, I know. »
Two women were a bit less discreet than the rest and with the awkward silence following Souji's bad joke, they could hear their conversation.
« Tsunashi-san is a good man, so helpful ! Yesterday, when he was on patrol, he took back Yuya's young daughter home. She didn't even notice the girl was missing. I know she has seven but really... »
« He's good with kids. Too bad his wife doesn't bless him with children. »
« I heard she's infertile, poor woman. »
« A pity... So sad for him... »
« Maybe it's because she behaves so much like a boy that the kamis are denying her the chance to bear. She prefers to wield a sword than take care of her husband. »
« Maybe I should introduce him to Natsuki. It's always good to have a policeman in the family and he would be a good husband to her. »
« Yes. That would be a good arrangement. A woman who can't be a mother is of no use to h... »
She didn't have the time to finish her sentence before an egg landed on her face and another one in her friend's hair. Mortified, Haruhi looked at her basket, at Souji, and at her basket again and the two women yelling while trying to get the sticky substance off them.
« Souji ! » she scolded « are you insane ?! »
« What ? » he asked with a sulky pout « who they're gonna call ? The police ? »
« That's not the point ! » she whispered-yelled « You... »
« Tsunashi-san ! » said one of the women, astonished « what do you think you're doing ?! »
There was people looking at them and Haruhi was shocked of Souji's behaviour. Yes, she didn't enjoy the women's implications but that didn't give Souji the right to start a fight ! He was supposed to incarnate the law and behave like an exemple !
« You, or anyone else, talk behind my wife's back and next time, it will not be an egg. » he said coldly « I'm expecting apologies. »
« Souji, it's not worth it... » muttered Haruhi but her husband just put his hand on her head to ask her silently to shut up.
« I am waiting. » he said calmly.
« Sorry, Tsunashi-san. » bowed the women, looking at Haruhi.
« Good. » commented Souji « I don't wanna have echoes of these kind of gossips ever again. »
« Souji... »
« Our apologies, Tsunashi-san. » they said again, to Souji this time « We will watch our mouth in the future. »
« Thank you. » he smiled, taking Haruhi's basket in one hand and wrapping the other around her fingers « Let's go, Haru-chan. You have everything you wanted ? »
« Ah ! Yes ! » she replied, eyes wides.
Souji pulled on her hand and they got off the market. Haruhi felt like she had been holding her breath for too long and was able to breathe again. It was quiet and peaceful, her husband carrying her groceries home, looking straight ahead.
« Souji... » she said « you shouldn't have... You could have problems with your superiors if that gets to their ears. You could loose your job. »
« I couldn't stay quiet. » he stated « I'm the only one allowed to make witty remarks about you. »
« It wasn't worth it. » she muttered « I know very well that they're only words... they shouldn't affect me. »
« But they do. » he said with dark pine eyes « They hurt you and that makes me mad. I can't kill words. »
«... thank you, Souji... » she muttered.
Her husband's face drew a small smile and he plunged loving emerald eyes in hers.
« Maybe I should consider spreading rumors about my impotency. » he chuckled « although no one would ever believe that with the gorgeous wife I have. She's so sexy she could raise the dead. In fact, she already did it once. »
Haruhi smiled back at her husband and felt a bit better. Yeah, Souji and her had been through much worst and they got out of it strong.
« You wanna come with me to babysit tonight ? » she asked.
« Sure. » he nodded « I thought you'd never ask. I have a duel planned with Aya-kun. He beat me last time, I'm supposed to take revenge. »
« Aya-kun ? » she lifted an eyebrow playfully « beat you ? »
« Completely. » nodded Souji very seriously « He's an impressive warrior. »
« He doesn't even go to the dojo. » she chuckled.
Souji didn't answer but he stopped walking and drew her smile with the tip of his finger.
« I like when you laugh. » he said « it suits you better. »
Before Haruhi could answer him, he kissed her and resumed walking. They brought all the groceries back home and Souji went back to work. He had a report to make about the pig incident and some meetings... She wasn't really sure what the days of a policeman were like when he wasn't on patrol. She just knew that he had to go to Shirakawa for all that. He warned her he would probably come back a little late and that she didn't need to wait for him, he would go directly to the inn after work. She agreed to meet him there in the evening.
The rest of her day went by without any incident. She worked at the dojo as usual but her heart was a a bit aching. Could it be possible that the kamis were denying her motherhood because she had been too boyish ? Because she chose to learn how to fight instead of how to cook and sew ? She learned anyway but it was true that she never perfected herself into these feminine tasks contrarily to her swordsmanship. Could the kamis be bothered by that ?
After her workday, she went straight to the inn without getting back home, so she could get the children off their parents's hands quicker. She already had prepared a spare kimono before going to work and she used the inn's bathroom to get fresh before meeting her father and his wife in the common room, ready to depart.
« Tsubaki has eaten. » explained Chizuru « she's sleeping. She's eating a bit soft things now so you can try eggs, rice porridge or mochi if she's hungry. Or something she can suckle on... Kaede and Ayame will eat with you. There's food ready in the pot in the kitchen. You don't have to worry about it, Tama and Momoiro are taking care of it. The boys can play tonight but when you see they're tired, put them to bed. Kaede can sleep with Ayame if we're not back... »
« Don't worry, Chizuru-neechan ! » smiled Haruhi, Kaede in her arms « I helped for Aya and Kae-chan before. Everything's gonna be okay ! »
Chizuru calmed down with a small smile and nodded.
« Yeah I know. You'll be up to the task. But be careful, the three of them, that's tiring and an accident is so quick to happen... »
« Souji is gonna come and help. » she said « just go and enjoy your anniversary. »
« I guess... » replied an anxious Chizuru.
« Chizuru. » said her husband « it's alright. Haruhi and Souji will take care of them. »
« Yeah. » she smiled « I'm sorry I'm so anxious. We can go. »
« Enjoy your evening ! » smiled Haruhi.
« Okaasan is going. » said Kaede.
« She's gonna come back, Kae-chan. » she explained « she's just going out with Otousan. »
« I don't want ! » started crying the boy « I don't want ! »
« Kae-chan... » sighed Chizuru.
« Chizuru. » said Hajime calmly « Let's go. »
« Okaasan ! » yelled Kaede, his hands trying to grab his mother.
Chizuru seemed to hesitate and Hajime pulled on her hand, asking her silently to move. She eventually followed her husband while Haruhi was trying to calm Kaede. His voice was powerful and soon, she could hear other cries coming from his parents's bedroom.
« You're proud Kae-chan ? » she scolded « Tsubaki is awake now ! »
« I can help, Haru-neesan ? » asked Ayame.
« Yeah, please help me... » she sighed.
« Doing what ? » he asked.
« I don't know... » she confessed.
She needed to make the both of them shut up and she didn't have any super-oni authority. Her father and Chizuru were gone and in less than five minutes, she was lost already.
Okay, no way I'm getting three children. Nope. Never. I'll adopt one to please Souji but that's all.
No wonder Chizuru was so down and depressed if she had to deal with that every minute of her life. She probably couldn't wait for Kaede and Tsubaki to be older and stop yelling that much. The boy was two years old and at the age where instead of growing, they were turning back into babies for their parents's attention.
« Take Kaede and try to calm him down. » she said, handing the child to Ayame. I'm gonna go and see Tsubaki. »
« Okay. » he nodded and Haruhi hurried to the bedroom.
She cradled the baby in her arms and rocked it, trying to make it fall back asleep. She sang and said reassuring words that didn't seem to work but eventually, the siren of cries stopped and Haruhi sighed. Now that she wouldn't be a bother for the clients, Haruhi brought Tsubaki in the common room and was pleased to hear that Kaede had stopped crying too. She found the two boys sitting at a table with Souji who smiled genuinely when she came in.
« What are you already doing here ? » she asked, sitting with them.
« Paper puppets. » he replied, showing her the puppet he did.
« That's not what I meant... » she muttered.
« I skipped a meeting. » he explained, drawing eyes on his puppet « I was worried about you. Turns out I was right. When I came in, it was pretty messy here. »
« So-ojisan ! » called Ayame « look ! I made Otousan ! »
« Ara, that's not Hajime-kun. » stated Souji « it's smiling. »
« Otousan smiles sometimes. » frowned the boy, vexed.
« I made Haru-chan ! » showed Souji, proud.
Her puppet was furrowing her brows and pouting and Haruhi frowned at the sight, annoyed.
« See ? » added her husband, putting the puppet next to her face « Perfection. The exact same face. »
The two boys chuckled and Souji smiled at his wife. He really could make any situation better in a blink. Still rocking the baby in her arms, Haruhi smiled too.
« Ah no ! » complained Souji « I need to make another one now ! »
« Make new characters. » she chuckled « Like Hijikata, Heisuke, Shin... »
« Yeah probably... »
« Tama. » said Kaede, showing a puppet he drew on.
« Oh ! I'm gonna do Takashi ! » said Ayame, enthusiastic.
« Who's Takashi ? » asked Haruhi, surprised.
« His sister is at school ! » said Ayame, proud.
« Okay but why are you making him a puppet ? »
« Because Kaede made Tama. » he explained as if it was obvious.
« Wait... » asked Souji « Who's that guy ? Is he courting Tama ? »
« He comes and see Tama ! » smiled Ayame « and he sometimes take me back from school. Tama thanks him and they are friends. »
Souji paused for a moment, letting the information sink in him and stood up, yelling.
« I'm gonna kill that prick. Tama ! Who's Takashi ?! »
Haruhi chuckled and looked at him go. He clearly didn't expect Tama could meet someone.