Hello friends, back with another chapter here for you!
I hope you're all doing well and thank you for giving this fic of mine your love and attention. I always enjoy getting these stories written out, even though they're not so eloquently written haha
Stay safe, healthy + happy. Until next time~
Pacing back and forth in her room, Akihiko was trying to devise a plan to find out who was carrying Byakuya's legitimate child. Remembering that she had DNA samples of Hiro from their time in Taira, she quickly called their manor physician to confirm if they still had any vials left. Confirming they did, Akihiko plotted to collect a DNA sample from Byakuya.
Still having power over Tomiko, she convinced her to set aside one of Byakuya's teacups for Akihiko to transport back to Taira.
After collecting most of the DNA samples for the Taira physician to evaluate, Akihiko tried to plan a way to get Hajime's blood sample. When the physician went to the kitchen for lunch, Akihiko had Tomiko sneak into the office to see whether there were any blood samples from Hajime on standby. Because Hajime goes directly to the Academy hospital or Squad 4's Barracks, she does not have any samples at the manor. However, as instructed, she grabbed one of Akihiko's most recent vials for testing.
Tomiko returned to Akihiko's room and handed her the vial she had taken, explaining that even though Hajime works at the manor, there is no blood sample on file for her. "All workers at the manor are required to leave a blood sample to test for any illness or diseases that may spread to the Kuchiki family before working." Tomiko proceeded: "Also, if there was ever an emergency involving one of the workers, we would have their blood type on file."
With a smirk, Akihiko had a plan to obtain a blood sample from Hajime.
When Akihiko visited the manor physician, she expressed her concern about the workers' health and their presence around a pregnant Akane. "Is there anyone who may be a liability when it comes to my daughter and future grandchild's health?" she asked.
Overlooking the files, the manor physician assured Akihiko that all the employees were in great standing.
"Even Kisumoto?" She asked slyly, "With the amount of people she's in contact with each day and her studies who knows where, she could be carrying illness or diseases that could affect the Kuchiki heir! She should be tested regularly as a Shinigami-to-be."
Looking through her notes, the physician realizes she never collected a blood sample from Hajime. Recognizing that Hajime's status as a Shinigami-in-training placed her at greater risk of contracting harmful illnesses, she proceeded to find her and requested a few vials for testing.
"I apologize for dragging you away from your work, Kisumoto-San. I'll have you back at Akane-Sama's side in no time!" The physician reassured her.
"It's no problem," Hajime said with a wink. "I was just wondering… what is she doing here?" She mumbled as she looked across at Akihiko, who was watching them with her arms folded.
To be respectful of Akihiko, the physician said, "She just wants to make sure I'm doing my job correctly, so don't mind her."
The physician collected three vials of Hajime's blood and set them aside for future testing. Akihiko volunteered to take them to the adjacent room, where the lab equipment is kept. As the physician was applying a bandage to Hajime's injection site, the sound of glass breaking caught their attention. She rushed towards Akihiko, who was hunched over on the floor, attempting to clean up the broken vial.
"Ah, I'm so sorry. I tripped over my kimono and one of the vials broke." She explained.
Helping Akihiko to her feet and taking the vials from her hand, the physician explained that she always takes an extra vial as a precaution, so it was all right.
Akihiko excused herself from the office and took the vial of Hajime's blood she stole out of her kimono sleeve. Luckily, I had Tomiko prepare me a vial of fake blood, it seems they fell for it.
She hurriedly went to her room and immediately called for Tomiko. Packing up the vials of blood safely and the teacup with Byakuya's DNA, Akihiko ordered the package to be shipped out to the Taira physician first thing in the morning.
Tomiko agreed and left for the night. Akihiko called the Taira physician to let him know about the package and instructed him to test all four samples for paternity.
. . .
Tomiko, who was responsible for collecting and organizing the mail one morning, spotted a letter addressed to Akihiko from the Taira physician. Without hesitation, Tomiko rushed over to her, and she promptly tore open the letter. The letter read:
Akihiko-Sama, I have completed the DNA sample testing as per your request. Rest assured, I double-checked the samples, and my initial findings were accurate. The paternity test results for Akane-Sama's child indicate that Hasegawa Hiro is indeed the father. The other two samples also match as the biological parents of their child. I have included the test results for your review.
Akihiko hurried over to the other papers and swiftly skimmed through them, confirming that what he had been told was indeed true. Kisumoto is pregnant with Byakuya-Sama's child... Distressed, Akihiko balled up the papers and tossed them into her dresser drawer before setting off to find Akane.
Akihiko's grip on Akane's wrist was unyielding as she forcefully pulled her out of the garden and into her room, slamming the door behind them. With a swift motion, she threw her to the ground and grabbed the cane next to her bed, striking Akane relentlessly as she tried to shield herself from the blows.
"What is happening?" Akane's voice trembled with pain as she spoke.
Akihiko's face was twisted with anger as she lashed out at her. "You foolish girl!" she spat. "You had one job in this family, one!" she yelled, hitting the bed frame with the cane.
"I did my duty, as promised!" Akane shot back, pointing to her belly.
She snatched the paternity test results from her dresser drawer and threw them at Akane in a fit of rage. As Akane tried to make sense of the papers, her eyes widened in shock and her body tensed up. "What is the meaning of this?" Akane asked worriedly.
Akihiko's anger was palpable as she spoke, "You've destroyed everything," she said, "and now I have to fix it."
Akane, clutching the papers, couldn't believe she was carrying Hiro's child. I have to tell him…
Akihiko's voice was cold as she spoke, tapping her cane. "You've endangered our family and our line," she said. "And that child is of no use to us." Akane, terrified, held her belly and tried to retreat.
Hajime, on her way to Akihiko's room, heard the commotion and rushed to help. Akihiko was furious, the room in disarray, and Akane lying on the floor, fear in her eyes.
Akihiko's menacing voice made Hajime tremble. With the cane pointed dangerously close to her face, she stammered, "The sight of you is the last thing I need right now. Leave."
Kneeling before Akihiko, Hajime shielded Akane. "Akihiko-Sama," she spoke up, "Don't forget that Akane-Sama is carrying your grandchild."
Akihiko's anger flared as she struck Hajime's shoulder with the cane, causing her pain. Despite this, Hajime remained resolute, meeting Akihiko's gaze head-on.
"If Akane-Sama must be punished," Hajime glanced back at the frightened Akane, "Punish me instead." Akihiko's grip tightened on the cane, her eyes narrowing.
"You claimed I was the last person you wanted to see. That means you're upset with me too, correct?" Hajime challenged, bracing herself for whatever punishment was to come. "So, do it," she dared Akihiko, "I'll take both our punishments."
Akihiko struck Hajime's shoulder once more, causing her to drop to all fours. With her back now exposed, Akihiko continued to lash at her until her kimono was stained with blood. Hajime, at this moment, buried her face in her clenched fists.
Despite having been beaten before, the anger fueling each lash became stronger and stronger. Right now, Akihiko is unleashing all of her built-up anger. Akihiko continued to blame Hajime, suggesting that she should have distanced herself when she noticed her growing closeness to the Kuchiki family. Hajime concentrated on safeguarding her baby, paying no attention to Akihiko's words. Hajime continuously cast healing Kido on her stomach to protect herself, while Akihiko concentrated on her back.
The lashes abruptly ceased. Her vision started to blur as she almost lost consciousness, but she managed to look up slowly and saw a haori in front of her that read 'Squad Six."
"Byakuya-Sama!" Akihiko gasped in surprise.
Clutching onto the cane, Byakuya demanded angrily, "Why is a maidservant informing me that my mother-in-law is harming her child?" In frustration, he snapped the cane in half. "Yet, I also witness another maidservant of mine being punished unfairly." His anger intensified as he glanced at Hajime's bloodied back. "Renji!" he called out, "Escort Kisumoto-San to Unohana-Taichou."
Renji, who was reporting to Byakuya when the maidservant intervened, followed Byakuya back to the manor hoping to be of help. Agreeing to his command, Renji swiftly went over to Hajime, carefully lifted her over his shoulder, and shunpo-ed to Squad Four's Barracks.
Hearing his voice, Akane looked over to him with glassy eyes. He can't find out about the paternity results… at least not yet.
"Byakuya-Sama," Akihiko bowed, "respectfully, how I choose to punish my child is my right." Raising her head, she looked into his eyes, trying to remain stoic, "As for your maidservant-"
"Let me stop you there, mother-in-law," Byakuya interrupted as he tossed the cane he had in his hand on the floor and walked over to Akane. "Remember," he said as he carried Akane princess-style in his arms, "This is the Kuchiki Clan Household. You have no right to anything here. You are but a guest." Holding onto Akane tightly, he left the room and made his way to Squad Four's Barracks.
In a fit of anger, she bit her lip causing it to bleed. I acted too rashly. This truth remains known solely to Akane and me. By removing Kisumoto's baby, we can eliminate her as a threat and continue pretending that Akane is pregnant with Byakuya-Sama's child. No one has to know. But how… How can I discreetly do that?
While cleaning up the broken perfume bottles on her vanity, she noticed an empty vial of the fertility elixir she often bought from the herbalist near the outskirts of Rukongai. Grinning at the vial, she knew just what to do.
. . .
With a deep bow, the cloaked herbalist greeted the disguised Akihiko, "Greetings, my lady. How may I be of service to you today?"
Desperately, Akihiko explained, "I have a serious issue that I need your assistance with. Do you have anything that could terminate a pregnancy?"
Smirking deeply, the cloaked woman found amusement in Akihiko's request. "What you seek comes with a heavy price. There is indeed an elixir, but the ingredients were incredibly difficult to obtain. Not only does it end a current pregnancy, but it also renders all future eggs infertile," she explained. "It would bring great misfortune to the person you intend to use it on, my lady."
"Can I obtain one from you?" Akihiko asked frantically.
Rummaging through her collection, the woman found a matte black vial in the shape of a diamond. "It seems that luck is on your side, my lady. There is only one left."
As Akihiko reached for the elixir, the woman quickly pulled it away. "State your price," Akihiko demanded.
Akihiko was taken aback by the herbalist's steep price for the vial. She promised to return the next day with the payment, leaving the vial on hold. The herbalist agreed, setting it aside for just one day.
The following day, Akihiko arrived with bags full of luxurious kimonos and jewelry, impressing the herbalist. She eagerly handed over the items in exchange for the vial.
The herbalist warned Akihiko that the vial's effects required the entire contents to be consumed. She advised Akihiko to act quickly if she was desperate, as the time for the effects to take hold was uncertain. With a wicked smile, the herbalist wished Akihiko luck and walked away, leaving her to contemplate her next move.
Akihiko rushed back to Kuchiki Manor, searching for Tomiko. However, she discovered that Hajime was away at Squad Four's Barracks for a few days. Despite her impatience, Akihiko decided to wait for Hajime's return.
While at Squad Four's Barracks, Akane had a panic attack and was given medication to help her relax and sleep. The ultrasound performed by the Shinigami on her belly showed that everything was normal, luckily no harm was done.
Byakuya, wanting to stay by her side, brought his paperwork from the barracks to her room. Unable to sleep, he glanced at the clock and noticed it was already 2am. Since Akane was still resting, he decided to take a stroll to ease his mind. Quietly closing the door, he was met with a surprised look from Hajime.
They retreated to Hajime's room and sat in silence for a while. Uncertain of what to say, she perched on the bed, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting with her fingers nervously. Honestly, if Byakuya hadn't shown up at that moment, who knows what might have unfolded next?
"Kuchiki-Sama-"
"Kisumoto-San-" The two chimed in together. "Please, go ahead." Byakuya's tone was gentle.
"Is Akane-Sama okay?"
Despite her injuries, she's concerned about Akane. Byakuya pondered, "She just fell asleep not too long ago. She seemed quite shaken. Can you shed some light on what happened, Kisumoto-San?"
Hajime was unsure of the reason behind Akane's distress. She only mentioned hearing a commotion and finding a frightened Akane. Confessing that she provoked Akihiko, Hajime believed it was better to take the blame.
"Has she... done this before?" Byakuya inquired, his concern evident.
Hajime hesitated; should I tell him? "I..." Akane's past words echoed in her mind, "I believe... Akane has been suffering for a while and after this incident, she might need someone for support." Hajime offered a gentle smile.
He considered asking if she had done that to Hajime before but decided against it. As he approached her, he softened his gaze and gently rested his forehead on top of her head. The suddenness of the gesture made her heart leap.
"Kuchiki…Sama?"
"I thank you, Kisumoto-San. Thank you for protecting my family." Stepping back, they locked eyes and her gaze wavered slightly. Saying his goodbyes, Byakuya limited his visits with Hajime during her stay at the Barracks.
. . .
Upon returning to Kuchiki Manor, Mikasa ordered Hajime to stay on bed rest for the rest of the week. Although most of her wounds were healed by the Shinigami of Squad Four, Mikasa wanted Hajime to take it easy and gradually return to work.
Word of Hajime's return spread through the Manor, and it was time for Akihiko to use the elixir she had purchased. Making a cup of tea in the kitchen, she brought it back to her room and poured the entire vial in as directed.
Summoning Tomiko to her chambers, Akihiko instructed her to give the tea to Hajime. Seeing the vial next to the cup, Tomiko grew concerned.
"What did you put in it?" She asked.
Glancing at the vacant vial, Akihiko flashed her most charming smile, "You know, I'm not one to gossip, but can I share a little secret with you?" Gesturing for Tomiko to approach, she leaned in and whispered, "Have you heard? Kisumoto is expecting."
"What? How did you find out?"
"Well, Kisumoto accidentally left her bag in the foyer once, and as I stumbled over it, I caught a glimpse of her ultrasound photos. But shh, it's strictly confidential."
"And what does that have to do with what you put in her tea?"
"Oh, I've been giving Akane a special detox tea to boost her health during pregnancy. I had an extra bottle, so I thought Kisumoto could benefit from it too. Aren't I considerate?
Tomiko felt uneasy about the situation. "Many maidservants have noticed that you don't have much care for Kisumoto-San. What will happen if I give her this tea?"
"Listen up, you brat," Akihiko said icily, "Do you think I haven't dug deeper into your background? I know that your salary here is sent back to your struggling family. Did you realize that with just one phone call, I could have that family business taken over and your loved ones out on the streets in a heartbeat? What's this? Do you believe you're brave by demanding answers from me? Who do you think you are? You're just a nobody."
"You wouldn't dare-"
"Oh, wouldn't I?" She sneered, "If you doubt me, I can easily make that call right now," she said as she walked towards the phone and lifted the receiver. Tomiko started to panic and agreed to give Hajime the tea. "That's what I thought." Akihiko grinned as she patted her on the shoulder, "And don't even think about trying to deceive me by pouring it out. Either Kisumoto drinks that tea, or I will ensure that your life and the lives of your family are ruined for as long as I'm around."
As Tomiko approached Hajime's room, she took a deep breath to steady herself. When Hajime opened the door and greeted her, she couldn't help but wish she wasn't involved in this situation.
"Ah, Tomiko-San!"
"Welcome back, Kisumoto-San," she greeted with a smile. Gesturing to the tea on the tray, she said, "I heard you're supposed to be resting for the next few days, so I brought you some tea to help you relax. It's my special blend."
"Oh, how kind of you Tomiko, thank you so much." Taking the cup from the tray, Tomiko quickly glanced back at a hidden Akihiko around the corner.
Hajime drank the entire cup in one gulp.
I'm sorry, Kisumoto-San!