Finding out your little sister's crush can use the ancient art known as Nenpo through use of a wooden sword. His strikes that were that of an actual sword were used against his opponent with chi being channeled. Left Momo impressed when he witnessed it a few nights ago. Was all he needed to know when his choice came down to who he was leaving Tentōchū to run. He needed to groom this Kyuu into a protégée and test his skills in actual combat.
"I hear congrats are in order." Jack waved to Kyuu and his friend, "You have my blessing."
"Thank you …." Kyuu was cut off by Jack.
"He would rather be called just Jack." Momo and her brother corrected Kyuu.
"Talking about names," Jack looked beside Momo, "I never got yours?"
"Yŏhōnāṯān the Brave," He proudly proclaimed, "Jono for short."
Kyuu and Jack sounded out the new name given to them with Momo laughing as she hand washed dishes. She ended up being stared at by her brother when he placed usual cups down for Jack. Option over tea or saki was given like always before chosen and presented for Jack in seconds.
"I hear from a little bird," Jono thought he poke Jack, "Your parents are bothering you about an heir?"
"Hai," Jack watched Kyuu set a teapot down, "Okaasan is allowing me grief and Oto-san insists on a grandchild or two."
"Sounds like how our late Oto-san," Momo recalls, "He bothered brother about carrying on the family legacy."
"I told him, " Jono sighed, "No other is worthy of the position than my Tianna."
He paused for a second to honor her by placing his hand on the pendants he wore underneath his clothes. Recalling her ever glowing smile and warmth that carried in her single glance. Was something that reminded Jack of Ashi with him switching out the tea for a stronger brand of saki.
"Are you sure?" Kyuu asked Jack, "I don't think that is wise."
"I know," Jack assured Kyuu, "I need something to forget this heartache."
Kyuu was silenced by Momo when he was kept from further bothering Jack about drinking to forget. Not wanting to end up in jail for interfering with the prince in his moment of grief when the first glass was poured. How the rest of the evening was set after Jono sent for Bara and Hideyoshi. Since each bottled order got Jack closer to a plastered state of being and made others worry.
"Kyuu?" Jono asked him, "Can I trust you to watch Tentōchū tonight?"
"Nani?" Kyuu couldn't believe what was said.
"He means hai," Momo replied for Kyuu, "Go on."
Kyuu turned to Momo with the two minorly getting into a spat about one speaking for the other towards her brother. Fingers were being pointed at subjects of one not needing a woman to speak for him. Besides he is not educated in ways of finance and business like her brother was. All he had had a handle for ways of the kitchen from scaling a fish to making the most delicate of pastries. She in turn wanted to help him take on a responsibility that she knew he could do. He just needed time in fields that he was weaker in order to improve in the future. Along with needing some help to get her brother to listen and trust him at times. Which left Jono to loudly everyone within range had to cover their ears as Asagao and Yuri joined them.
"Whose in trouble now?" Asagao and Yuri asked.
"That." Jono pointed toward Kyuu and Momo.
"I don't need someone to choose my path for me." Kyuu yelled.
"I'm just trying to get my brother to give you a chance." Momo replied harshly.
Jack was nursing his latest bottle to intervene with the bickering currently going young people. Which came to an end when Jono whistled once more that got Momo to huff and Kyuu to shut up. Asagao and Yuri went back to their closing duties when Jono pointed out the time.
"I have little time for your horse pucky," He spoke with a twitching eyebrow, "I have a drunk prince with no heir and Bara- San still refusing to give a close minded fool a chance. So I don't have time to put up with your issues or take a side. Got it?"
"Hai!" Kyuu and Momo answered.
They then took different corners of the kitchen without saying a word to another as Jono was left in the middle. He sighed knowing that neither one was going to say anything to the other until something happened. Which had him removing his apron with Asagao and Yuri watching from the entrance.
"Niisan?" Momo asked, watching her brother leave.
"Kyuu. Kitchen is yours," Jono hung up his apron, "Girls! Help him, if he needs it, and Kyuu, give them a chance."
Kyuu opened and closed his mouth when Jono left him standing in the kitchen alone with Momo on the other side. To only freeze in place and have his anger toward Momo vanish completely as he blinked. Slowly processing what was happening as Jono ended up walking up to Jack. Away went the empty bottle he finished with none being further brought to him from Asagao or Yuri. Jono was the one that dodged his failed attempts to stroke him when he slurred his speech. Left him to end up in Jono's arms when Jack stumbled backward after losing his footings.
"Let's get you up the stairs." Jono didn't want Jack to cause trouble.
"… Ashi … " Jack mumbled her name, "… our child would have … "
"Her breathtaking beauty and your strength?" Jono asked Jack.
"A strong force …" Jack jerked around.
Jono had to rebalance them when he almost went crashing into a hidden shrine when Jack swung himself too widely. This left Jono to ask for forgiveness from three godly detities for what he was about to do. Before telling Jack he liked him better sober then drunk and complaining over his beloved. Then striking him in a few of his pressure points that left him limp in Jono's arms. That made carrying him into the living quarters Jono and his sister's called their home. Placed gave off a scent that reminded Jack of his mother and his governess/ nurse maids. Gentle words they gave him as he grew in their care before Aku ripped apart his happiness.
Images alone from his travels through the past stirred Jack to the point he awakened on top of a futon. His hair is completely undone from the neat bun and his obi loosely undone to allow him to breathe. Left him to take in the smell of an earthy, but herblay oder mixed with spicy celery-like and salty-sweet with bitter notes. Were inhaled by Jack when he slowly began to sit up from the futon as looked around.
"Don't mind me," Jono moved a pipe reed from his lips, "Just something to help with my pain."
"I am sorry about …" Jack felt a pounding in his head, " … about my behavior.."
"Use to it, since my sisters watched me be in your spot," Jono calmly answered to Jack, "Helped me through a lot when it was pointed out to me. That I had to move on from my own heartache and loss of my own late love."
"Then you know the punishment I am going through?" Jack asked Jono.
A serving tray with already brewing tea and grilled chucks of organ meat were pointed out to Jack. Brought up here by Kyuu to help with the hangover that Jack was going to suffer upon waking up. Put a weak smile on Jack's face as he lay back down when recalling how he got this way.
"I sent for my sister and your bodyguard," Jono pointed out Jack will be escorted home safely, "Take your time recovering."
Jack didn't need to thank Jono for his heavy kindness to him as he spent the rest of his time recovering in silence. Eating and drinking as he straightened his appearance up before stepping before Bara and Hideyoshi. Just the walk back to the Palace was a quiet one for the three of them. Since Jack had something else on his mind entirely when he stopped a few times and looked back.
"Bara?" Jack addressed her about Jono, "The herbs he was smoking and the way he dresses … "
"The story is not one for the faint of heart …. " Bara stared at Hideyoshi.
8*8
Jack visited with the doctor that one of Jono's sisters was working under after hearing his story from Bara. Seeking out other pieces of it lit a fire under Jack that his parents had never seen in him. He stopped lingering when it came to the topics of an heir or choosing a new bride. He turned down ones his father thought would suit him since none of them fit a void Ashi left behind. Left Jack to seek out Jono's background when he pleased Hai father and made his mother smile again.
"That foreigner was on death's doorstep with that sort of injury," Doctor went on to recall those months, "Most of his vital organs intact with so much blood lost when he came to me."
"Who did this harm to him?" Jack asked about Jono's attacker.
"Didn't live through the morning when the authorities came for him," Doctor pointed to where the man died, "Why are you interested in this case?"
"Niisan has been kind to his highness of late." Kiku explained.
Doctor ended up giving Jack access to his records for that day so long ago with Kiku left to entertain him. Which had her nodding her head to Jack and the company he was in. Keeping her posture straight when she was informed by Bara about the great health of their brother.
"Means our highness knew something was up when smelled them," Kiku looked to Jack, "Is there a reason why you are asking about our brother?"
"His shrine holds three deities that have acted as my guides when I was in the future, " Jacks was still thankful toward them, "I needed to look into this growing bond between us."
"You're going to have to ask him that," Kiku answered Jack, "He never shared with us his religious beliefs."
That ended their conversation when the doctor rejoined them with the reading material for Jack. Which was accepted and he was welcomed for his short time in the prince's presence. Allowed Jack to look over the medical record from those dates with tea. What he read sounded too much like a man dying after barely surviving a fight. How it took his sisters got him to medical help and the long recovery he went through. Months Jono spent bedridden when pumped full of drugs and supervised. Recovering at a resource speed with a rehab that only lasted a few months at least. Left to thank the kind doctor and Kiku for their help as he returned the record.
"You are dismissed for the day," Jack gave Hideyoshi the rest of the day off, "Bara I need to see your brother."
"My …" Hideyoshi held his tongue.
"This is a personal manner I need to look into," Jack addressed him, "Your consistency of object has not helped of late. So I would rather Bara help me in my search."
"Then I protest." Hideyoshi had enough.
Bara then rolled her eyes at the way Hideyoshi was acting without opening her mouth so she stepped in. Which had Jack stepping back when Hideyoshi saw how his hands moved from his side. A gesture that had Hideyoshi setting one of his hands on the helt of his sheath katana. Processing what he saw in the quiet when Jack moved on and Bara was left with him.
"What do you know of the prince?" Bara asked Hideyoshi, "Besides what you were told when assigned to him?"
"He came back from a long journey with a maiden that he almost took as his bride," Hideyoshi whispered, "What Am I missing?"
"A lot." Jack answered him.
Hideyoshi ended up following Jack back to Tentōchū for answers just when they were closing up. Trio were allowed inside like always and given their usual table with Jono being strangely absent. Kyuu was the one in the kitchen and usually all female staff were the ones that sadly greeted them.
"Niisan," Asagao and Yuri tried to answer, " …. "
"You'll find him upstairs," Bara already figured Jack knew where to go, "Sisters have fun with this one."
Asagao and Yuri looked toward Hideyoshi when Jack retraced his steps to the second level of this building. Taking in the sights when he slowly made his way passed curtains onto the steps of a stairway. That spiraled upward and made of a metal from what Jack could take in when he walked. Getting to the top and looking back at the work that was put into those stairs with interest. Only be taken back by a familiar scent of herbs and incense from when he carried up here. He shifted toward the direction without a second thought and walked toward the source. His pace picked up when he heard a rustling sound followed by a creak in the floorboards.
Stopping when he came upon Jono in his usual place by the window with that pipe in hand and smoking box. Open pouches of herbs next to tobacco were eyed by Jack when he further entered. He scooped up the nearest zabuton before waiting to be offered and took a seat right next to Jono. Where he sat down with Jono just watching him as he smoked away through control breathing.
"Yon have been nothing but kind to me," Jack started up, "Listening to my troubles and just being there during my times of struggle. That I've come to thank you for further support that also came from your sisters."
"Anytime," Jono hummed, "You. Pming to see me is a new one."
"I found out about your …" Jack tried to not stare at Jono's chest.
Jono knew sooner or later he had to explain with a smile forming as he knew Jack already did his research. Bara and the doctor that Kiku is learning under have already told their sides of the stories.
"I told you I was going through the motions of grieving for my Late wife," Jono reminds Jack, "Well a drunk brawl took place one night and led to a few rocky few months of recovery for me."
"How are you still alive?" Jack asked, recalling details of Jono's wound the records spoke of.
"Second chance of sorts," Jono shrugged, "3 deities visited me in the first 3 months with a deal."
"Did it involve myself?" Jack asked, inching closer to Jono.
"One we tasked to end an evil shapeshifter shall return with a bride," Jono recalls their words, "You are to only help guide him back to his path once he loses his heart in his moment of lose."
"That you have." Jack didn't notice how truely close to Jono he was.
"I may have a way to give your father that heir." Jono suggested.
"I've already disappointed my Oto-san in turning down his way," Jack was intrigued with Jono's idea, "What is your method?"
"Bara," Jono's answer left Jack blinking, "Your the only man, she's never bad-mouthed and can stand being around. What do you think?"
"Are you sure you want me to take advantage of your sister?" Jack asked out of shock, "In that way?"
"I am amazed she hasn't pledged her loyalty to you," Jono replied, "She's never stuck to ANYONE this long before, usually she tries to find a way out to come back here and look after …"
Jack cut him off by being found resting his head on one of Jono's shoulders with his eyes closed and expression of serenity.