When Victor asked his mother how the sixth division helped them get a new hire they recently got a few times. She came up with an excuse that was work related or something that needed her calm up. This bothered Victor to the point to a hint from Ichika one day and him thinking.
"I don't think my mother," Victor didn't like she spoke, "Would trade sexual favors for aid."
"Not from aha to hear," She sang, "BTW, i never knew she was a screamer."
"Your way of enticing someone to fight you," Victor was getting offended, "Needs work."
"You know," she warned him, "Speaking the truth."
The new guy ended up taunting her by lowering the temperature of the room to get her to stop talking. Which worked since the maid uniform she chose to wear had a short skirt and thigh stockings. Long sleeves with lace accents that had no practical warmth to her as she started to shiver.
"Thanks." Victor was ready to ignore Ichika.
"Welcome," He pulled on his apron, "I agree with your mother about her."
They went about their day with Valarie and Harlee switched the close sign to open as the front door was unlocked. Korikio and Koshi rushed the unlocked entrance by bowing repeatedly for being late. Both carried handwritten note from their Lieutenant explaining their situation for Victor.
"You have a new menu to memorize and tasks to perform," Victor sent them away, "I'll have my siblings cover your tables."
Neither one said a thing to him when they were left alone with the new guy and a section of the menu. One that now held frozen treats in the form of italian gelato, Canadian sorbet, shaved ice, and plain ice cream. All made from ingredients that Charmaine gathered from the Rukongai district. Process in which they were mixed and frozen was done by the new guy using his frozen ability.
"We never got your name." Koshi asked the new guy.
"Yuki," He answered, "I know it's ironic."
Kirikiro tried to not laugh at the comment made about the name since the new hire had an ice -based ability. One that had him classified as a male Fullbring in Charmaine's employment records. Member of the wait staff listed as his occupation after just coming into Charmaine's employ.
"Are you …" Valarie looked Yuki over.
"I am flesh and blood," He didn't like her eyes forming over him, "I was brought here through a Senkaimon with a Reishi Henkan-Ki in the basement of my former employer."
"No use of a Jigokuchō?" Kirikiro asked.
"Only when I was in the presence of the red haired Shinigami," He didn't get what she was getting at, "Am I missing something?"
Everyone went on with their work when an answer came from Victor about why so many questions were asked. Left him to be welcomed behind the course to work on what needs to be made. Recipe cards were carefully laid out on the counter for him to follow and make from the available ingredients. While Victor went over the afternoon delivery list after going over the orders. One of them was to the usual place his mother started visiting to see the captain. When his mother decided to join them when she walked through my door when she came from the treasury.
"Accounts settled and bills paid." She announced.
"No messages or anyone to see you." Harlee passed her.
"Good," She was proud about that, "Are we ready to open yet?"
The front door being open and the sign already flipped over told her all she needed. Had her allow Kurozakura off her shoulders and up the shoulders. Adjust the basket within her arms as she walked towards the stairs. Which had her stopping near her eldest to ask about who volunteered for deliveries.
"Two were late," He held up the note, "Making us behind since Yuki is still learning and others work double time."
"Then I'll do deliveries, since I have to see Captain Kuchiki," She sighed, "Ichika you available?"
Ichika swallowed when Charmaine waited for her to answer the question about being able to come with her. Not wanting to look directly at her and be reminded of what she heard from the servants. How her uncle had taken a new lover to his bed after just meeting her outside of proper channels.
"Yea," She gulped, "I got nothing going on."
"Good. I want you to come with me," Charmaine's smile crept out of Ichika, "Learn the delivery routines."
"Great." She nervously gulped.
Her smile didn't phrase Charmaine when she was told to grab a sweater or something to keep her warm. Along with being able to perform Flash Step since she could fly using a Broombuggy to get along. Got Ichika to slowly back away from everyone without really looking where was going. She ended up tripping over a napping Delmare when the back of her foot connected.
CRASH!
Went her falling onto the ground with Delmare under her legs
"Oh dear," Charmaine and her eldest watched, "Is everything ok?"
"Me feeling like a fool," Ichika couldn't bring herself to look at Charmaine, "About what I said about you earlier."
Harlee and Valarie looked to Korikio and Koshi without saying a word in knowing what the answer was already. Yuki didn't need to add his two since he quieted Ichika on the very topic just a minute ago. Kurozakura was too busy snuggling up to Valarie's Broombuggy with a yawn.
"Suddenly everyone is quiet," Charmaine didn't understand what was going on, "Did I miss something?"
Victor would lean close to his mother and whisper into her ear what happened while she was away. Charmaine went wide eyed and looked to Ichika in disbelief about what went down when she was gone.
8*8
Trying to explain to your niece that your new love interest didn't sleep with him to get a new employee. It was the strangest request that Byakuya ever got from someone like Charmaine. She told him that is what Ichika thought happened between them. To get Yuki as a new hire in the cafe she currently worked in.
"What I do with my free time is none of your concern," He found himself reminding her, "Now how are you doing today with your time at the cafe?"
"Shadowing Mrs. Reeves as I try to learn." She was still memorizing the afternoon delivery list.
"Her customer skills are lacking and she barks back at her co- workers," Charmaine summed up Ichika's latest fields of failures. "She can't cook and needs to improve her memory."
"Hey!" Ichika felt insulted.
Being reminded she still needed help in certain aspects of working in the hospitality or service industry. Was completely new to her since all she knew was ways of Gotei 13. Pouring tea was nothing like swinging a sword or learning spells. Her uniform made her feel uncomfortably exposed to visiting Shinigami. Having to be nice to usual people she was rude toward made her feel out of character.
"Can you return to the cafe from here?" Charmaine asked Ichika.
"Yea." Ichika was glad she was being allowed to leave.
Out of her uncle's office she went without a second thought with Kurozakura barely noticing she was gone. He had made himself a nest in one of the far corners of Byakuya's office. Not also noticing that Charmaine was keeping her distance from him when they were left alone.
"Koibito?" Byakuya addressed her by his nickname for her, "You can come join me."
"I know, but I fear the news, I came to tell you, it will shatter your heart for me." She was not moving.
"What do you mean?" He rose from his seat.
"After we had relations," She clasped her hands to her front, "A few weeks later, I was bleeding heavily with painful cramps, which led me to seek medical assistance from the 4th division."
"…" He watched her balled hands tighten and untighten.
"I had a miscarriage." She sadly whispered.
When her tears were about to still and she mumbled she wanted to tell him what happened to her. Fear gripped her heart about him being angry over the loss of an illegitimate child born out of wedlock. End up being quieted when she felt a familiar finger tip brush the first tear from her face.
"You went through this alone?" He asked rather bothered.
"Yes, my children watched the cafe and saw to the finances," She felt his finger trance her contour of her face, "I recovered with Broombuggyies keeping me company."
He ended up drawing her completely into his embrace by tucking her head when she fully broke into tears. Allowing her to dampen his uniform as he securely held her in place with a word being exchanged. Not caring for the child that was lost or the news of her keeping the miscarriage from him. Saddens and hurt she was carrying that worried him since went through it alone.