Chapter 6: Missed Connections
(Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating! And for my YOI fans, I will have something for the celebration of Yuri Katsuki's birthday tomorrow! See you there. Ah, and many thanks to my lovely co-author, Sesh! *hugs* Love you! Cheers, Spunky)
Renji groaned, blinking and squinting at the bright light above him. He started to move, only to hear Kisuke's voice soothing him.
"Easy there."
Turning his head, Renji felt a twinge of anxiety at finding himself in the shopkeeper's lab. He groaned again, trying to sit up.
"Y'better not be usin' needles on me, K'suke."
A laugh answered him, but it sounded strained as a gentle hand coaxed him to lay back down.
"I haven't figured out why," Kisuke said, frowning and rubbing at his chin, "but you seem dehydrated and a bit undernourished, and your reiatsu is...fluctuating, though it seems to be mostly on the lower end of the spectrum. That must be why you passed out."
Renji flinched at a vague memory of needles piercing his skin. Before he could complain, Kisuke continued.
"It's almost as though something is draining you. I just can't figure out what."
Hearing frustration in the older man's voice, Renji glanced up into storm-gray eyes. Kisuke looked worried. He swallowed to ease the dryness of his mouth and throat.
"Hey, I'll be ok."
The worry vanished behind a mask, much like his superior could do. At the thought of Byakuya, Renji's heart ached.
But Byakuya wasn't here, Kisuke was.
Renji reached out and weakly caught one of the exile's hands.
"I'm tough, ok? Whatever this is, we can fight it."
Kisuke smiled at Renji, noting that his color was mostly normal, if a shade paler than usual. At least he wasn't stark white anymore.
He took a deep breath, letting it out in a shaky sigh.
"You scared me."
He froze as he realized he'd said that out loud. Renji was staring at him with wide cinnamon eyes, apparently rendered speechless.
Quickly, Kisuke recovered, pulling his hand away and speaking briskly.
"You need to take some vitamins and minerals in addition to eating better and drinking more fluids; your system is suffering from quite a few deficiencies. We've caught them in time before any serious effects could take place. As long as you take better care of yourself, starting now, there'll be no long-term damage."
He glanced at the chart he held.
"And taking your reiatsu issue into account, I'd recommend light but consistent exercise. That'll keep you in shape without taxing your energy."
The redhead nodded.
"Eat better, drink more, easy regular exercise, check."
Then Renji caught his hand again.
"I'm sorry I worried you."
Kisuke was about to smile reassuringly, when he felt a brush of pale, powerful reiatsu.
Renji dropped his hand and sat up, an expression of excitement with an edge of fear on his face.
"Taicho?"
A light knock sounded from the door to his lab. Kisuke frowned as he said, "Enter." The door opened, and Byakuya stepped in. The noble approached them, and Kisuke sensed Renji practically trembling as the redhead asked, "Taicho? What's wrong? Why are you here?"
Kisuke noticed a slight tremor of worry in the captain's reiatsu as Byakuya replied quietly.
"I sensed your energy plummet, even from the Seireitei. I came to check on you."
Color roared over Renji's face.
"You were worried? About me?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Tetsuya sat back against the pillows on his bed, playing idly with the ends of his sky blue yukata while Koji opened the doors into the garden, then turned back to sit in a chair near the bed. The attendant noted the slight agitation in his charge's sapphire eyes and thought quickly of how he might soothe his cousin's nerves.
"Michio said that he'll be here very soon," he said reassuringly.
"Have you heard from Byakuya-sa…erm, Byakuya?" Tetsuya asked, biting at his lips anxiously and blushing slightly, "He said that he would be back for the appointment. He can't have forgotten…"
"Oh, I'm sure he didn't," Koji insisted, "He's probably on his way now. Any minute, he will…"
The attendant paused, feeling a touch of mingled sympathy and worry at the sight of a hell butterfly entering through the garden doors. The dark colored insect fluttered over to Tetsuya and hovered in the air as it delivered its message.
Tetsuya, you have my deepest apologies for the delay in my arrival.
Tetsuya's face fell.
An issue has come up at work, and I have to make a short visit to Karakura town to investigate. I would like for you to note any important information regarding your examination. Upon my return, I will meet with you to discuss the final preparation for the seeding of the heir.
Tetsuya swallowed hard, blushing more darkly at his cousin's words.
Again, I apologize. I had meant to be with you for the final examination before the ceremony.
Tetsuya shivered and his head bowed. Koji gave him a sympathetic look and squeezed his hand.
"I'm sure that whatever happened is very important, for him to have to miss something like this."
"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, half-heartedly, "I am sure you're right."
"Good afternoon, Tetsuya-san," the clan healer greeted him, as he entered through the inner bedroom doors, "I'm sorry it took awhile. A few of the house staff have come down with a rather nasty fever."
"Oh, I hope it isn't serious," Tetsuya said in a concerned tone, "Do you need any help with the healing?"
"No, no, my boy," Michio said, shaking his head, "I managed it fine, and besides, it isn't good to be exposed to that when you are about to be carrying the heir. You must safeguard your health carefully, after all. Male pregnancies are more risky than female ones, and with your personal history, you are more prone to having complications, as you were raised in poor conditions."
"I am aware of this, and I will be careful," Tetsuya assured the old man.
"I wonder if Byakuya-sama has given proper thought to this," Michio continued.
"Of course he has," Tetsuya answered firmly, though he knew well that they had touched on the subject only once, and Tetsuya had downplayed the seriousness, anxious that his cousin would change his mind about their marriage, "and even if we did have reservations, it is a condition of our marriage that I prove my ability to bear his children."
"Hmm, yes," the old healer agreed sadly, "He faced a similar decision when he married Lady Hisana. We all knew that she was too weak of body to bear his child, but the elders were angry at Byakuya-sama's rebelliousness in marrying her without permission, so they refused to seek other options and threatened to dissolve the marriage if there was no child."
"I remember," Tetsuya said softly.
And that's why there must be nothing in this final examination that concerns him. If Byakuya has even the slightest doubt about my safety, he will end our engagement. He is already unsettled because of my emotional problems.
Tetsuya's eyes closed against the seeming mountain of difficulties.
Maybe I should just…no. I can't give up on this. I have loved Byakuya since the moment he broke down the doors of Itamigiri and freed me. I have been completely devoted to him. There has to be a reason that my heart tells me it's right for us to be together. Sometimes you have to fight very hard for what is right.
That is all that I am doing.
"But," he continued, "I am not Lady Hisana. I have strengthened myself since my emancipation from the prison."
"Of course you have, my boy," Michio said kindly, "You have become very strong. I am only concerned with making sure that you are as well prepared for this endeavor as is possible. Come now, let's begin the examination. I'm sure it's not helping your anxiety any to sit and wait."
Tetsuya let out a shaky breath and nodded.
He remained quiet and composed, calmly answering the healer's questions. At the end of the examination, Michio took Tetsuya's hands in his, and the younger man felt his heart sink.
"What is it?" Tetsuya asked worriedly, "Michio-san, I have been examined numerous times. There has never been anything suggesting that I have any risks beyond that of any other breeder male."
"I understand," the old healer assured him, "but you must remember that there are very few surviving breeder males…"
"Because of the massacre hundreds of years ago," Tetsuya insisted, "Not because of any unsuitability."
"I am not saying that your body is unsuitable for the challenge," Michio said soothingly, "Only that much is not understood about the breeder males' systems, so…"
"So, there is a certain amount of added risk, but mine is not any higher than that of any other breeder male, is it?"
Michio looked into Tetsuya's almost desperate eyes, sighing.
"There may be some difficulty for you because the location where the spirit chamber in your body is likely to form is a bit closer to your spirit core than I like. As the pregnancy progresses, the chamber could put pressure on your spirit core…which could endanger you and the child."
"You say it may be?" Tetsuya asked.
"Well, there is no way to know for sure, because, as I said, the number of breeder males we have to study is so low now…"
"That doesn't mean that I am going to have difficulty," Tetsuya argued stubbornly.
"No, it does not, but Byakuya-sama asked for my honest assessment, and I think there is enough reason to be concerned. Tetsuya-san, I do see what is at stake here for you. You are understandably worried that any hint of a problem will cause Byakuya-sama to call off the wedding."
"Maybe we should call off the wedding," Tetsuya said, looking down at his hands, "The elders don't really want to accept me as Byakuya's clan wife, Orochi-san keeps trying to interfere, and even if not for that, neither my body nor my mind want to cooperate."
"I am sorry there is so much complication," Michio said, shaking his head, "but I am not saying that you should give up."
Tetsuya stood and walked to the garden door and gazed out at the softly falling rain.
"I am not the one with any choice in this," he admitted bitterly, "There is only one person whose decision matters, and he couldn't even trouble himself to be here for the details."
Michio slipped his medical supplies back into his bag and crossed the room to join Tetsuya.
"I am sure that what happened in Karakura town had to be important to keep him away."
"Of course," Tetsuya sighed, "Thank you, Michio-san."
"Feel better, my boy," the old man said affectionately.
He left Tetsuya looking out at the falling rain and walked back along the wooden walkway.
Hmm, maybe the young master would benefit from some trusted advice.
He summoned a hell butterfly.
"Sadao-san," he recorded into the waiting insect, "I've just finished Tetsuya-san's final examination for the ceremony, and I think that the boy could use some guidance. There was nothing alarming in the exam, however, I do have some concerns I relayed to him, and that has left him unsettled. I think he would appreciate having someone to talk to."
He sent the hell butterfly on its way, then paused to look back in the direction he had come.
"Poor thing. It has never been easy for him."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Why haven't you been making your daily reports?"
Renji hesitated, sensing a slight chill of disapproval from his superior.
"There hasn't been anything to report, really. And I've been...busy here."
Byakuya gazed at him, and he averted his eyes, only for them to land on Kisuke. To his surprise, the shopkeeper was glaring at Byakuya's back before turning and fiddling with some lab instruments, shoulders stiff.
Renji looked back to his captain, sensing a thread of worry as Byakuya spoke. "You will take the next week off to recover from whatever is wrong with your reiatsu."
Renji shook his head.
"I don't wanna take time off."
Kisuke stepped up, his expression determined.
"I was going to suggest some time off, myself. Byakuya, in addition to the reiatsu issue, he is undernourished and dehydra-"
"Kisuke! Shut up!" Renji snapped, making the shopkeeper's jaw drop for a moment before he controlled the impulse.
Byakuya held up a hand.
"Be still, Renji. As your superior officer, I order you to take at least a week off. Kisuke, has he not been eating?"
The blond shook his head.
"Actually, he eats like a horse. It's as if something is draining him."
Renji definitely sensed worry now as Byakuya spoke quietly.
"I will send our family healer to confer with you about Renji's condition, and I will check with you in a week to see how he's doing and if he needs more time off."
Kisuke nodded stiffly and returned to his work.
Renji watched as Byakuya refocused on him.
"You are not just my fukutaicho, Renji. You are my best friend - I can't lose you."
His superior reached out and gently touched his arm.
"Take care of yourself."
Then the noble turned and walked out. Renji curled up on the bed as his eyes burned.
He would only ever be a friend to that man. It was time he accepted that.
XXXXXXXXXX
Tetsuya waited until Koji had gone to make him some soothing tea, then he slipped into a waterform and opened a senkaimon. He passed through into the precipice world, his mind so troubled that he failed to notice the dark reiatsu of the man who followed him.
"Tetsuya."
The blue-eyed Kuchiki whirled, a chill filling his insides as he relinquished his waterform and faced his black-eyed cousin.
"Byakuya told you to stay away from me!" Tetsuya snapped, summoning his weapon to hand.
Orochi frowned, but remained at a careful distance as he observed Tetsuya's angry face in the dimly lit corridor.
"Didn't I hear him also tell you not to leave Kuchiki Manor without an escort?" Orochi asked, smirking, "It seems that neither of us listens very well. Perhaps you were hoping I would intercept you?"
"I don't want anything to do with you," Tetsuya replied icily, "Leave me alone!"
Orochi huffed out a dismissive breath and narrowed his eyes.
"Aren't you supposed to be meeting with the family healer?" he asked, eyeing his agitated cousin closely, "I thought it strange that while you were present for that, Byakuya…seemed to be otherwise occupied?"
"That is none of your business. Byakuya doesn't need to account to you for his whereabouts and neither do I!" Tetsuya hissed, his temper making the sword in his hand glow with blue light, "Now, get out of my way or I will remove your head! You have no cause to impede me!"
He pushed past his still smirking cousin, who watched as he disappeared down the dark pathway.
Soon you will pay for your insolence, Tetsuya.
Soon…
Tetsuya wrapped a waterform around himself and hurried on to the Karakura exit, where he dropped down into the shopkeeper's underground training room. He started to head up to speak to Renji, but stopped short as he sensed his fiancé's carefully cloaked reiatsu nearby. Piqued, he slipped up into the shop with his waterform still in place. He felt his cousin's presence in the shopkeeper's laboratory, and headed to a window outside the room.
He frowned at hearing the voices inside the room and listened closer, peeking in cautiously. Tetsuya stiffened as he spotted Byakuya standing beside Renji, who laid on an examination table in the lab.
"You are not just my fukutaicho, Renji. You are my dearest friend - I can't lose you."
Byakuya reached out and gently touched his subordinate's arm.
"Take care of yourself."
Tetsuya turned away from the window, hand over his mouth.
This is why Byakuya missed our appointment?
The words repeated themselves mercilessly in his mind as he suddenly remembered the second reiatsu hidden just beneath Renji's.
Could it be?...Is the baby Byakuya's?
