Chapter 22: Snakes
Aizen Sousuke smiled as he walked into his darkened office and spotted a slim, attractive purple-haired woman lounging in his chair and smiling widely.
"Shihoin Yoruichi," he greeted her warmly, "I see you haven't lost your touch. Thank you for coming."
"Well, how could I not?" Yoruichi answered, grinning, "If it involves the Kuchiki family, you know it is of interest to me. Ginrei and I were close friends."
"Yes, and although Byakuya doesn't share his grandfather's perception of you, you have always watched out for him. Have I said what a comfort that was while the two of us were apart? Although, I do take exception to you hiding the truth about Tetsuya from me."
"Well, my first loyalty is to the Kuchiki family," Yoruichi stated simply, "Ginrei worried that you would use the boy against them, and let's be honest. Back then, you were a lot more ruthless than you are now. You might have banked on Byakuya forgiving you for the backstabbing, but you have become more conservative."
"Oh, don't insult me in my own office," Aizen said, looking amused.
Yoruichi stood and moved aside, allowing Aizen to reclaim his chair as she sat down in the one on the other side of his desk.
"Well, I know you didn't summon me here to chat, so...what is going on...besides you stealing away with my Byakuya-chan and marrying him secretly? Is someone trifling with my favorite little chimera?"
"Someone tried to kill our son, brazenly and in front of a crowd at his first performance," Aizen said quietly.
"Ah, I heard there was some excitement at the television station while Espada was performing. You are good, though. I didn't guess that Tetsuya-chan was Mitsukai. Is he all right?"
"I did say that they tried to kill him," Aizen said pointedly.
"I heard it was an accident," Yoruichi said slyly, her eyes revealing the lie in the words, "Are you sure you're not getting paranoid?"
"I didn't get where I am in life by being paranoid...or stupid. It was a professional job. The stage hand who kept Tetsuya from falling said that there was a sharp jolt in the rigging, just before it gave way. An examination of the equipment concluded that the rigging failed because of missing bolts. They couldn't draw a conclusion on whether the bolts failed and broke, then fell away, or if they were removed deliberately. They were forced to rule it an accident."
"But we know better, ne?" Yoruichi said solemnly, her luminescent, golden eyes blinking slowly.
"Yes."
"I assume you are having Tetsuya-chan and Byakuya-chan watched?"
"Of course."
"And you need me because?"
"I need you to confirm a suspicion I have, and then I need you to watch someone for me."
Yoruichi nodded silently.
"Who, in your perception, are the most troublesome on the Kuchiki board?" Aizen asked.
"That's easy. Orochi and Arisu."
"Could they be working together?"
"No. Arisu hates Orochi with a passion. The two are only in the same room for the meetings and they are always at each other's throats."
"Which one do you think has the intelligence and means to set something like this up?"
"They both do," Yoruichi answered, shaking her head, "They're a couple of snakes, if you know what I mean. I wouldn't turn my back on either one of them. So...which one do you want watched?"
Aizen considered the question quietly for a moment.
"Are you still intimate with Soi Fon?"
A charming smile crawled across Yoruichi's face.
"What if I am?"
"Have her watch Arisu. I want you to watch Orochi. And, Yoruichi..."
"Eh?"
"There are to be no more 'accidents' until the one that takes out whoever tried to kill my son."
Yoruichi laughed softly.
"No problem."
Yoruichi stood and started to leave, but paused as the phone on Aizen's desk rang.
"Wait a minute," Aizen mused, frowning, "That is Byakuya's number. He wouldn't call me directly, unless..."
He picked up the phone.
"Byakuya?"
"It's me," said Renji's voice, bearing an edge that made Aizen's insides clench.
"Renji..."
"You need to come to the hospital. They just admitted Tetsuya."
"What? What happened?" Aizen asked urgently.
"They don't much yet, except that he suffered an anaphylactic reaction to something. They're with him now."
"And Byakuya?"
"He passed out. He'll be okay. They think it was from shock because of what happened to Tetsuya, but they're examining him too. I thought you'd want to know quickly."
"You thought correctly," Aizen said in a low, controlled voice, "Abarai, once they allow you to see him, you stay with him. Do not leave him alone for a moment. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I get it."
"Is Grimmjow there?"
"Yeah."
"Have him alternate with you so that Tetsuya is always protected. Don't allow anyone not on our payroll to touch him. I will have my own physicians take over his care as soon as possible."
"Okay."
"You sound distressed. The situation was that dire?"
"Tetsuya wasn't breathing. He couldn't breathe," Renji answered in a shaky voice, "It was the scariest thing I've ever seen. One second we were laughing and talking, you know, just going through the flowers and gifts that were sent because Byakuya-san's birthday is today..."
"Yes, we had plans for celebrating that."
"I don't think he's going to be up to it, even if he does wake up soon. I've never seen Byakuya-san wear a look like that...not in all the time I've known him."
"I will see to Byakuya. You and Grimmjow put your focus on Tetsuya."
"Sure."
"That didn't sound good," said Yoruichi from across the room, "What happened?"
"Did you know of Tetsuya having any allergies?"
Yoruichi frowned, then made a sound of surprise.
"I do remember that once, when he was little, he became very ill because of an exposure to a rare flower that was growing in the gardens on a friend's estate overseas. I remember because I was with Ginrei when it happened."
"Hmmm," mused Aizen, his dark eyes clouding with rage, "It would seem that someone else remembered too."
"But one thing doesn't make sense here. Tetsuya is the heir. If he dies, Byakuya gets everything. Why kill Tetsuya, and when the company is about to make major money on his launch? Insurance money? But that would go to Byakuya too."
"And who is next in line if Byakuya dies too?" Aizen asked meaningfully.
"The next heir, I suppose. A few of the other relatives have kids, but the first in line would be Arisu's, if she had any. She doesn't. Orochi's farther down in the line. He'd have to kill a lot of people to get to the point of him getting anything."
"I will worry about that later," Aizen said, standing and reaching for his coat, "I need to get to Byakuya quickly, and quietly."
"Why don't you let me take care of that?" Yoruichi offered.
Aizen nodded briefly and followed the purple-haired woman out the door.
XXXXXXXXXX
Byakuya felt warm hands caressing his skin beneath the medical gown he wore, and soft breaths tickled his cheek and throat.
"Sousuke?" he mumbled dazedly, his eyes opening slightly, then blinking several times before widening in distress, "Sousuke! Tetsuya is...!"
"He is going to be all right," Aizen assured him, rubbing his lips against the blushing shell of an ear.
"But he was...he wasn't breathing. They...had to use a breathing tube and they weren't sure they..."
"Shh, it's all right. He's through the worst of it and he is resting. You don't need to worry about that. Our son will be fine."
But I was holding him and he couldn't breathe! He was terrified, Sousuke, and there was nothing I could do to help him! He stopped breathing. He was dying in my arms!"
"I think Tetsuya was not the only one who was terrified," Aizen observed, his hand finding his distressed spouse's under the covers, "But you needn't be afraid for him anymore. He is being attended by my own doctors now, and Renji and Grimmjow will not leave his side for a moment. He is going to be all right, I promise. But we need to speak about you. You've been neglecting yourself."
"No! I was taking care of myself just fine. I just...seeing him like that was horrible. I saw them start to take him away and everything just went dark around me. They said it was likely shock."
"Yes, that is part of it," Aizen agreed, "but, that is not all. And it is why I am going to warn you to take better care of yourself, Byakuya. It is not only you in that lovely body anymore. The doctor who examined you told me that you are with child again! You seem to have been under stress and somewhat dehydrated and this caused your collapse. But as long as you take care of yourself, you and our baby will be fine."
Our baby, Byakuya mouthed soundlessly, tears coming to his eyes.
"I did tell you that I was going to make love to you and give you another child, ne? One who we can welcome into the world and raise together. This is that promise I made to you coming true. But you must help that dream in coming to pass. Rest now. All is well."
Byakuya settled against the other man's warm shoulder, breathing in his attractive scent and enjoying the feeling of their closeness.
"Sousuke, I need to ask something of you."
"Now, why don't I like the sound of that?" Aizen said, smirking slightly.
"I won't lie to you. What I ask will be difficult for you to respect. But...I have only recently lost my grandfather. My parents are gone and I nearly lost Tetsuya twice today."
He lifted his head slightly and met the other man's brown eyes meaningfully.
"I do not want there to be any violence on my family."
Aizen's eyes darkened and his lips stiffened.
"You cannot expect me to sit back and allow this," he said sternly, "You and I both know that the bolts did not just fall out of that rigging and it wasn't by chance that one of the arrangements sent for your birthday contained a rare, expensive flower that Tetsuya just happens to be deathly allergic to. Do not ask me to..."
"I am just asking you not to kill anyone! Do you think that I don't know who was probably involved in this? That Tetsuya doesn't? Sousuke, we have lived among these people all of our lives, and yes, some of them are repulsive people, but some are not. And even the ones who are...they are our family. Just do not get overly involved. I will speak with the board tomorrow and..."
"And what?" Aizen asked meaningfully, taking his spouse's pale face in his hands, "Byakuya, those people you don't want me to harm just tried twice to kill our son! You are dreaming if you think that speaking to the board is going to stop the one or ones who did this!"
"I know that! I just...I...Sousuke, I don't want another bloodbath like the one that killed my father!" Byakuya snapped, a tear sliding down his face, "I hate that someone tried to hurt Tetsuya, but I don't think that the answer is to cause more harm! How many people have to die before you realize that violence isn't always the answer? I will...calm things, and I will get to the bottom of who was behind this!"
"I don't want you to be in there alone with them," Aizen said firmly.
"You can't involve yourself any more than you already are. Do you want them to know what I've done?"
"I think that they already know we were married," Aizen said in a low voice, "If they knew, it might be what pushed them to do this. And Byakuya, they may not stop with Tetsuya."
"Please Sousuke, don't say anymore! I can't hear this right now!" Byakuya pleaded, pulling away and starting to climb out of the bed, "I need to see Tetsuya. Please, can we just go to him? I need to know he is all right. Can we see him?"
"Yes," Aizen answered, climbing out of the bed and sliding an arm around the slighter man as they walked to the hospital room door, "I will only ask that you promise me that you will rest after you have seen him. He is unconscious and needs to rest as well."
"That's all right. I won't stay long. I just need to be close to him. I need to feel his heart beating, to see that he is breathing! He was so pale before...and..."
"Come now, don't fret anymore. I told you. Tetsuya is going to be all right. And he will be closely protected from now on."
Byakuya went quiet, standing more calmly as his husband wrapped a warm robe around him and tied it at the waist. He kissed Byakuya's frowning mouth until it smiled slightly, then he slipped a hand into his spouse's and led him from the room. They passed through the darkened hallways and slowed as they reached the intensive care unit. The desk nurse confirmed their identification, then allowed them to pass through into the unit. They walked down the long corridor, with Byakuya avoiding looking into the other rooms as they passed them. They slowed as they reached the end of the hall and had their identification checked by the bodyguards outside Tetsuya's door. They walked into the room and found Renji and Grimmjow sitting on opposite sides of Tetsuya's bed, one holding each pale hand and both looking as grim as Byakuya felt.
"Hey, boss," Renji greeted Byakuya in a low, tired voice, "Glad to see you on your feet again. You feeling better?"
"Yes, arigatou Renji," Byakuya replied, nodding briefly, "I am fine now. How has he been?"
"Oh, he's been kinda delirious and he sorta woke up a little once or twice. He's more comfortable now that they were able to remove that damned tube."
"That damned tube was keeping him breathing, Red," Grimmjow reminded him gruffly.
"Yeah, I know," Renji answered, "but he really didn't tolerate it very well."
"I imagine not," Byakuya sighed, "I am just glad he is breathing on his own again. His color looks much better too."
"So does yours," Renji commented, "It's good to see you back in working order. But did the doctors figure out if it was stress like they thought?"
"That was part of it," Byakuya said, taking the seat next to Tetsuya as Renji departed it.
"Renji, why don't you and Grimmjow go and rest for a few hours? Byakuya wants to sit with Tetsuya and I am going to stay with them for now."
"I don't know," Renji said, looking down at Tetsuya's calm sleeping face, "I don't know if I can sleep."
"I'll help you get to sleep," Grimmjow said, giving the redhead a helf-hearted version of his usual charismatic smirk.
"Asshole," Renji said wearily.
"C'mon, Red," Grimmjow chuckled, "We'll come back in a little while. I think Mom and Dad wanna be alone with their Mitsukai for a while."
"Yeah, all right."
"Renji," Byakuya said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for watching over him. Thank you as well, Grimmjow."
"No problem," the vocalist answered, glancing down at Tetsuya, "although it seems kinda backwards to me, you know? Aren't angels supposed to watch over us? What the hell's he doin' scarin' us all like that? Making us stay up all night? What is that shit?"
"I think it's called reality, stupid," Renji teased, "He's not really an angel, as much as he looks like one."
"You can say that again," Grimmjow quipped, earning a smack from Renji and a glowering look from Byakuya.
"C'mon, let's get outta here," Renji urged him, "If we stay any longer, you'll piss off the boss and get our asses both fried."
The two exited the room, leaving Byakuya sitting next to Tetsuya, one hand captured in his and pressed to his cheek. Aizen placed a second chair beside Byakuya's and sat down next to him, sliding an arm around him and coaxing his head onto a comforting shoulder.
Byakuya let out an anxious breath as Tetsuya's hand moved sluggishly in his and his blue eyes opened and tried to focus on them.
"B-bya...?" he managed hoarsely.
"Don't try to talk," Byakuya said bracingly, "Do you want some water? They said that your throat would be sore and dry when you woke."
Tetsuya managed a short nod and took several small sips of water before settling again and gazing sleepily up at his parents' worried faces.
"I'll b-be...fine," he whispered, "Don't...worry."
"Baka," Byakuya scolded him gently, "I should be telling you that. Rest, Tetsuya. We're going to stay with you for a while."
"R-renji? Grimm-?"
"They are getting some sleep, which is what you should be doing," Aizen said quietly.
Tetsuya gave a short nod and closed his eyes, drifting off again as his parents remained at his side and pressed close to each other.
I am sorry, Byakuya, Aizen thought solemnly, I know that the violence reminds you of the pain of that day. But treachery like this must be answered for, and I will do what I have to, to make that happen...even if you will hate me for it...