Akio sat there on the ground on his knees, holding his now dead father as the tears did not relent. His dad may have been a bastard sometimes…but he was still his father; he was still the man who raised him! His normally slicked back hair, black in color, was ruined and disheveled, his blue eyes hidden as they were closed by the tears he was letting out. Thankfully, he needn't shed his tears alone; his adoring wife Hikari there by his side, as they fought together and killed the man responsible for this…for ALL of this. The sky turned dark…and rain started to pour.
Hikari held her husband, sitting to the side of him and having her arms around his neck as she had his head cradled inside her bosom. Her long, red hair, which was usually in a ponytail, had been let out of it; which let her hair down all the way to her hips. Her modified uniform was completely disheveled, dirty…and almost ruined because of her willingness to stay by her husband. Even with the rain…she knew her husband needed time to collect himself; to have to let out everything now. They both sat there in the rain; Akio at least bringing an arm around his wife to fully feel her embrace. When he did though…the body of his father fell to the ground…and while Akio knew it happened, he held to his wife…his everything.
Of course, their daughters would be devastated by this as well; and they both could use the comfort of them as well in this. So, Akio did his best to dry his tears, Hikari gave him a kiss on the cheek, and went to pick up his father's body. He stopped himself though, as another person suddenly flash stepped in; and both knew it was a friendly at least as it was Hikari's Lieutenant Izumi.
About the same height as Hikari, her hair was pink that was fairly curled and went down to her shoulders. Her crystal blue eyes looked terribly somber and distraught, but still showed her formalities as she gave a bow in the rain. "Captains…I am…very sorry," Ikumi did her best to hold back tears as well; and her uniform, which was just the normal Shinigami attire along with her Lieutenant's badge, was almost as ruined as Hikari's as well. The death of the Captain-Commander would be hard on everyone in the Gotei 13; that much was known.
Hikari showed a warm smile as she walked up to her Lieutenant and gave her a hug; the close friends embracing each other. "Thank you so much Ikumi," her Captain told her. The rain finally started to die down a little. But still…the gloom mood remained…and what Ikumi said next did not help.
They separated from the hug and Ikumi looked at Hikari and said, "That…is not all." Her Captain, and Akio now too as he walked up to the two ladies, an arm over Hikari's shoulders, gave her a perplexed look. The Lieutenant didn't know how to break this to them; to either be terribly blunt and straightforward…or as gentle as possible. They had grown to be the closest of friends and…even Ikumi was heartbroken by this as well.
Thankfully…Ikumi did not have to say anything at all, as she pulled an item out and showed it to Hikari. It was a simple, rose hairpin; and when Hikari saw it she was frozen in place. "N-no…don't you…don't you dare..."
Hikari's eyes started to well up with tears, and Akio was simply just quiet, mouth open and in horror as they both saw the hairpin. "I…I'm so…sorry," Ikumi repeated herself. "Hanami and I tried to find them just like you asked. You know we love you all like our own family."
The redhead gripped her friend tightly, as her own tears started to flow as she cried; the tears coming out like water bursting through a dam. Ikumi held her Captain and dearest friend close as the mothers comforted each other. Akio still couldn't wrap his head around this…first his father and now…now his daughters?! He moved to join the women as well; all of them, and most likely the entire Seireitei; trying to comfort each other after this dark affair.

It has been two months since that day…two very long, and hard months for everyone in the Seireitei. The effects of that day were still being felt, Soul Society still healing its wounds, rebuilding…mourning. It came to be known as "The Quincy Betrayal" as the Quincies, longtime allies of the Shinigami, decided to attack the Gotei 13 with no explanation and no reasoning…and even though Soul Society won the encounter and pushed out what little Quincy survivors were left…it left a devastating blow to the Gotei 13.
About half of the officers, both Captains and Lieutenants, were killed in the conflict, the Shino Academy was almost completely destroyed and only a fraction of the student body survived. These and so many other terrible losses, happened; family and friends lost and divided, parents, siblings, and children…everyone in some way was affected by the unexpected attack of their former allies.
Hikari Yamamoto took it ESPECIALLY hard herself; not only losing her father-in-law…but her two beautiful daughters as well. The Captain of Squad Four could barely eat or even bother to do anything for almost that first entire month she was so distraught. Today however…today might brighten things up a bit; it did for her when she found out and all that was left was to tell her husband.
She had with her a tray of tea and all the needed extras with it, as Hikari opened up the door to her husband's office. The redhead looked, showing a smile and sighing as sure enough; her husband was fast asleep at his desk.
After the death of his father Akio Yamamoto was chosen by Central 46 to fill in the position of Captain-Commander. Needless to say, he's had the hardest job to adjust to out of all the vacant positions. There were changes made in almost every Squad in the aftermath of all of it; and everyone was still adjusting.
The Captain of Squad Four put the tray she was carrying on a table in the room and fixed a cup of tea for both her and her husband. At this time, Akio finally smelled the tea and let out a large moan as he awoke. The new Captain-Commander raised his head with his eyes barely open, as he saw his wife preparing the cups of tea.
Hikari didn't even have to turn to face him to know he was waking up and said, "Good Morning Handsome."
Akio chuckled a little as he rubbed the drowsiness out of his eyes; he probably looked like a mess but she still always called him that. "Good morning beautiful," he replied as he went to stand up.
"Stay there Akio," Hikari said before he could fully stand up. "You're just waking up…I'll bring the tea to you." Akio just couldn't help but show as bright of a smile as he could when his wife said that; as he stayed on his chair.
The redhead finished pouring the tea and putting it all together and brought the cups over on plates. Finally seeing her husband after he woke up; he was completely disheveled. His usually slicked back, neat hair was completely in disarray and his vibrant blue eyes, while still having the same shine; had terrible bags under them and were a little red.
She almost stopped herself when she saw the state her husband was in; showing a somewhat disapproving look. "How much sleep did you get last night?" Hikari asked, being terribly worried about his health. She knew she wasn't fairing much better, as she only finally started to recover from her near month-long depression; but it was of course in her nature to worry and look after him.
"Actually, more than yesterday," Akio admitted. "Managed to finish up everything around midnight."
"Akio," Hikari said with a disapproving voice. Nonetheless, she walked up to him and put one of the teas down in front of him. "You have to stop working yourself so hard like this; it's been 3 days since you've last slept at home." She gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, "Do you even know the last time it's been since we haven't at least slept in the same bed together?"
The Captain-Commander showed a look of shame, not saying much as he moved his head to look away from her. "I'm sorry…there's almost no end in sight with everything that's coming my way and-"
"I know," Hikari interrupted her husband, showing a soft smile as she moved to sit on his lap; having her cup of tea on the desk for now as well. The Captain then moved her arms to wrap around him; one across the back of his neck and the other around his waist. Akio responded by having his arm closest to Hikari wrap around her waist; gently pulling his wife closer to him and stealing a kiss.
She happily obliged, losing herself a little and closing her eyes in bliss. Akio was the one who pulled back first; showing a smile, "Thank you…definitely needed that to start my day."
His wife smiled and let out a little giggle, "Of course my love~" She said before giving him another one then grabbing her own tea and taking a sip.
This was the first time since after The Quincy Betrayal that the two of them were able to relax…even if just for a little bit. To be able to just enjoy the company and closeness of each other as the couple both just closed their eyes for a little bit and enjoyed their closeness. Akio was almost ready to fall asleep again though and forced himself to open his eyes and adjust himself so as to not disturb Hikari.
He moved a hand to grab his cup of tea and took a sip; the tea cooling down a little now that he was able to have a bit more at once. Akio then kissed Hikari on her cheek to wake her up a little too, "So, how's the new Lieutenant?"
In the aftermath Hikari's former Lieutenant, Ikumi, lost her husband, because of this she in fact transferred to Squad 12; which had been turned into the brand-new Research and Development. Her daughter, Hanami, was chosen as the Lieutenant as Ikumi didn't really want to bother with the role at all and just wanted to be around her daughter. Now, Hikari's Lieutenant was one Mizaku Izadora; formerly of Akio's Squad who, before The Quincy Betrayal, thought fairly highly of herself and looked down on others a lot.
But just like everyone else Mizaku was affected by the attack as well; losing her father and her mother being seriously injured. It changed the girl's mindset and almost immediately begged Hikari to take her under her wing. "She's a fast learner," Hikari admitted as she drank some more of her own tea. "I'll have her as a top-notch healer in no time."
Akio showed a chuckle though as he finished up his tea…though noticed something off about his wife. Her demeanor suddenly changed…to what though he wasn't unsure, "Hikari…is everything alright?"
The Captain was a little hesitant; unsure of how to tell Akio this. After thinking it over she then said, "These last few days…I've been feeling a little ill in the morning; which of course you weren't there to see." Akio was about to say something but Hikari put a single finger to his lips, "I'm fine…it's morning sickness," Hikari said, showing a warm, happy smile as tears suddenly released from her eyes. She didn't say anything more as she gently grabbed Akio's hand that wasn't at her waist, and moved it to her stomach; placing the hand on it.
Almost immediately Akio felt it, and at first was completely speechless; as he looked down at his wife's stomach. It was hard to see but easy enough to feel, as he looked back at her. "Y-you're-"
Hikari nodded her head, tears of joy flowing from her eyes, "Just a little over two months now." There was somewhat of a silence before Hikari finished, "We get to try again…to start over with a new child."